Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth lets you befriend your party members. One, in particular, is quite a surprise, given that he wasn’t an option in the original game. Here’s our guide on all relationship increases for Red XIII in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. Likewise, please be reminded that this article contains spoilers.

All relationship increases for Red XIII in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

Most of the details regarding the affinity system are discussed in our romance and relationships guide. Here’s a quick summary on the factors that affect Cloud’s relationship with other party members:

• Side quests – Complete side quests that pertain to the character. You can still tackle these later in the campaign.
• Conversations – Pick the best answer out of the three options.
• Events – Some relationship boosts are missable depending on your actions.
• Synergy Skills and Synergy Abilities – The first time you use these actions with Red XIII as your partner will grant an affinity increase.

All of these factors determine which party member becomes Cloud’s companion in the Gold Saucer during Chapter 12: A Golden Key. You can check your affinity/relationship levels by pressing the L1 button, as these are denoted by a smiley face icon above a character.

Likewise, note that most of the Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Red XIII relationship increases tend to be present during the early stages of the campaign. As such, it’s possible for him to have the highest affinity among all companions if you’ve been selecting the right conversation answers and doing everyone’s side quests before Chapter 12. That also means you’d have to tackle the remaining Chapter 12 quests for Tifa or Aerith if you want them to be Cloud’s date in the Gold Saucer, as those are likely to boost them past Red XIII’s affinity value.