We are now out of Midgar and through the Kalm flashback.

The kids appreciated the various puzzle floors in the Shinra building, especially the one where you could only open 3 doors to get the item coupons. They liked the motorcycle chase too. I think a main reason this and the other FF games from around this era were so great was these little things you do to break up the standard "fight, open chest, cutscene" formula of RPGs.

The music is having great effect on them. When Cloud and the others are captured by Shinra but then the eerie music starts and the jail cell is open, they were on edge. Same with the flashback when Sephiroth's theme starts up right before he goes crazy.

They think Barret is really funny. Part of it is the voice I gave him but he also just has some great lines. Like when he sees the Jenova specimen in the Shinra building and says "Where's its #%&!ing head??" I feel like Barret is the everyman of this game, reacting to things like many of us would unlike the other characters who are just pretty cool with all that's going down. I also decided to give Red XIII a somewhat dignified deep voice because he speaks very politely. They're not really into him yet since he just joined and doesn't have a ton of storyline until Cosmo Canyon.

Their appreciation of Tifa grew during the flashback though they still prefer Aerith. I put Tifa in the party anyway because she's stronger. They also have quite the respect for Sephiroth's power from that part in Mt. Nibel where he uses all the high tier nukes and Cloud is super weak. Then of course when he goes crazy and burns the village. They also saw the dead Midgar Zolom later on and were like 'daaaaang Sephiroth killed that huge thing? '

We got to the chocobo stables and it took me four tries to catch the damn thing. Tifa had a limit break and decided to do both her attacks on the bird, then it pecked me and ran away. They laughed at me for that. They loved the Choco/Mog summon as I thought they would.

They pick up on the details and ask some good logical questions. Like when Barret has Atomic Scissors equipped so he does a melee attack, yet he can still use Big Shot. Or how I was able to use the missile ability the tank used on me.