How to play as Cloud in Final Fantasy VII The First Soldier

After teasing players with cryptic hints following the launch of Final Fantasy VII The First Soldier, Square Enix eventually revealed the source of the mysterious “disturbance” encountered in the game. The disturbance is a shadowy version of series protagonist Cloud Strife (Big Sword Boy for the uninitiated), who manifests as a glitch in reality. Mimic Cloud can be encountered in any game mode, and players who defeat him can play as the actual Cloud in Final Fantasy VII The First Soldier.

Find and defeat Mimic Cloud

Mimic Cloud is a powerful AI enemy in Final Fantasy VII The First Soldier that always spawns in the Training Field area. He looks like a shadowy version of Cloud and uses the Buster Sword. He takes reduced damage while holding the sword up in a blocking stance, and can quickly dash toward you and deal massive damage.

If you engage Mimic Cloud with a decent mid-range weapon, defeating him won’t be particularly difficult, but you need to do it as quickly as possible because the area is a third-party nightmare. If you take too long, other players are guaranteed to show up and crash your party.

Use Mimic Materia

When defeated, Mimic Cloud drops Mimic Materia, which is an active ability usable by any player class in Final Fantasy VII The First Soldier. When using Mimic Materia, you transform into Cloud, gaining increased movement speed, jump height, and access to the Buster Sword. With this weapon, you can perform powerful melee abilities taken from Cloud’s moveset in the original Final Fantasy VII, like Braver and Cross-Slash. Note, that despite visual similarities the Buster Sword doesn’t have the passive lifesteal of the Warrior’s Sword.