All right, I am basically done with Chapter 11 in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth!
So Nibelheim was repurposed into a "mako poisoning treatment center," huh. It's interesting that they don't just try to pretend they're residents who've lived there for years like the original game. Also, they're really trying to get me to invest in this Wutai storyline with Glen Lodbrok, and I just ain't there yet. I suppose it might hit differently if you actually played Ever Crisis.
Anyway, exploring Shinra Manor was pretty good. Controlling Cait Sith felt a little clunky at times, but it was a nice change of pace, at least. I like making Yin and Yang into a mini-boss fight, and I'm glad they kept Lost Number (or whatever they called it in this game. Forgotten Experiment or something boring) in as a boss fight, too.
I wonder how Vincent responds if you tell him your foe is Shinra or Wutai. I figured the "right" answer was Sephiroth, but I'd be curious to know how the dialogue changes with the other two. I like how they made Vincent's first Limit Break into a boss fight. That was pretty fun. He didn't leave with us though, so I wonder what brings us back around to have him "join" the party (although I already know he's not playable). I guess they did this to have him join really late to justify him not being playable, like with Red XIII in Remake.
Cid finally has some storyline significance here by telling us that he knew Ifalna, and he met Aerith when she was really young. I guess Aerith must look a lot like her mom if Cid could recognize her! He offers to fly us to Gold Saucer for free so we can find the Keystone in order to enter the Temple of the Ancients. Oh right, I did like the pained expression on Reeve's face during the Shinra meeting when they show the Cait Sith camera. Nice touch.