1) Cid Highwind

I barely think I need to explain this choice. He's a great all-round character in battle and I like the fact he uses spears, which are pretty cool weapons. Most of all, I like the fact that he's not afraid to be a voice of reason. He's not afraid to say that a plan is stupid, or that he knows better, is great. I also like the fact that under his gruff exterior, he obviously does care. He's got his dreams, which he's never given up on.

2) Barrett

Shi't. Barrett is a great character. I don't like the fact that he's basically a secondary character after disc one, but I like him. I didn't used to. He's passionate, he's rough around the edges, but he has his sensitive side. Rather similar to why I like Cid, I think. He also has his rather amusing moments too - his sailor outfit (which I can't see without thinking of DK), and his attempts to be leader of the party, etc.

3) Tifa

I've only just started to warm to Tifa. I've started a new playthrough of FFVII this weekend and I've started to appreciate Tifa a lot more. I think her emotional backstory, and how she continues to hold a candle for Cloud, is really rather touching. I don't think she's just a damsel-in-distress type because I think she functions as Cloud's rock for much of the game. She's compassionate and I think takes a hell of an emotional beating throughout FFVII and the preceding five years and you've got to respect that.

4) Yuffie

I actually rather like Yuffie. She's got a comedic element to her, she's handy in battle and I really like the rather sweet scene if you take her on the Gondola at Gold Saucer. The Wutai side quest is annoying, but I like the fact that it forces you to go without materia, which actually makes it rather challenging. Plus she's rather easy on the eyes.

5) Cait Sith

I like how ridiculous you look in battle using him, and I have used him in my main party on a couple of playthroughs. Slots are annoying as hell, but I quite like Dice as a limit break. One of the better elements to his character is his demonstration that Shinra isn't a monolithic evil organisation. There are good people in it, like Reeve, who do want to work to help the planet and help people.

6) Cloud

I find Cloud a bit much-of-a-muchness. I think I've never really found his backstory appealing, and I've always found him to be slightly bland as a main character. Great in battle, but he's never really jumped out to me.

7) Red XIII

I'd probably lump Red XIII in the same category as Quistis and Freya as characters I rather like but are just rather sadly neglected beyond a certain point. A novelty, and I quite liked the Cosmo Canyon stop-off during disc one, as I felt it gave him a bit more depth. Having said that, I don't really think they made the most of him, and I never really bothered with him in battle.

8) Aeris

I always found Aeris rather annoying. I think because I like Tifa, I'm less keen on Aeris. I can see why people like her, and I can also appreciate the importance that she has to the series as a whole, but she's really just not my cup of tea. I never really liked using her in battle, and after my first playthrough I've just never bothered because I know she's not really worth the investment. I can also appreciate WK's point about how she's less safe and a slightly more awkward pairing for Cloud which makes her more interesting. However, I think I found that rather annoying, truth be told.

9) Vincent

I really liked Vincent when I was younger because he's cool, uses guns and turns into monsters. However, I found his limit breaks frustrating (the amount of times I struggled with Materia Keeper when I was younger and Chaos kept using his flare attack to heal him), and I've always felt he was kinda underutilised. I appreciate the 'mystery' element to him, but I'd rather like to have seen more of him in the game. That, and I think I preferred Keith from Shadow Hearts on the vampire front.