The reason characters can use superpowers, besides "it's a game".

[MagicalEnbySarah]

The characters who aren't Cetra or infused with mako can use superpowers because of (fantasy)chi. We know that Tifa uses it but I think every other character does too. It could even be the in-universe ATB limit bars, since they're built up over time through fighting.

 

[Rydeen]

I think there is just less gravity on this planet. The more confusing thing lore-wise would be why

Spoiler

characters can now cast spells without materia.

 

[Warlocke]

I think there is just less gravity on this planet. The more confusing thing lore-wise would be why

Spoiler

characters can now cast spells without materia.

As an attempted explanation that doesn’t make any sense. There is obviously no difference between the gravity of Gaia and Earth. It’s just magic. Train hard enough, do enough crunches and pull-ups, you learn to use magic to throw yourself around the battlefield and make lights shoot out of your body and/or weapon. You don’t need more of an explanation than that.

 

[Erotic Materia]

Train hard enough, do enough crunches and pull-ups, you learn to use magic to throw yourself around the battlefield and make lights shoot out of your body and/or weapon.

I think there is just less gravity on this planet. The more confusing thing lore-wise would be why

Spoiler

characters can now cast spells without materia.

I think this could be easily explained away by like "everyone has a little bit of natural magic in their body because they all come from the lifestream", etc. This would also explain why magic used without materia is generally weaker (a la special abilities). Combined with the stereotypical anime rage power-up, it's enough to satisfy my overly critical mind, anyway.

 

[Rydeen]

As an attempted explanation that doesn’t make any sense. There is obviously no difference between the gravity of Gaia and Earth. It’s just magic. Train hard enough, do enough crunches and pull-ups, you learn to use magic to throw yourself around the battlefield and make lights shoot out of your body and/or weapon. You don’t need more of an explanation than that.

Have you seen the way objects bounce/float up and down when they're hit? The gravity is definitely lower.

 

[Warlocke]

Have you seen the way objects bounce/float up and down when they're hit? The gravity is definitely lower.

No, that is a product of it being a video game built in the Unreal 4 engine. The gravity is not canonically different on Gaia than it is on Earth.

 

[Erotic Materia]

I really don't think this is gonna lead anywhere productive. Trying to nail down specifics about the gravity difference of a fantasy world in a video game where literal magic exists is a fool's errand.

 

[Warlocke]

I really don't think this is gonna lead anywhere productive. Trying to nail down specifics about the gravity difference of a fantasy world in a video game where literal magic exists is a fool's errand.

While that is broadly true, I don’t think anything that happens anywhere on this forum could accurately be classified as “productive.”

But there are a few things we can deduce here:

1) objects are often shown behaving as if under the effects of normal Earth gravity.
2) a change in gravity wouldn’t actually account for and explain the way characters in FF7R fight.
3) a change in gravity would create a host of ecological changes that are not apparent. For example, humans born and raised on a low gravity planet would be much taller.

So from that we can safely say that the reason behind the floaty combat of this universe is not a sci-fi explanation. It’s just magic. But really, it’s just because it looks cool. That is all. No further explanation is required.

 

[Erotic Materia]

I don’t think anything that happens anywhere on this forum could accurately be classified as “productive.”

I take umbrage to this! Proselytizing to the world the grace and beauty of our Lady in Red Hightops hallowed be her name and her eventual fulfilling of the prophecy of the One True Pairing™ is always a blessed and worthy endeavor.

1) objects are often shown behaving as if under the effects of normal Earth gravity.
2) a change in gravity wouldn’t actually account for and explain the way characters in FF7R fight.
3) a change in gravity would create a host of ecological changes that are not apparent. For example, humans born and raised on a low gravity planet would be much taller.

So from that we can safely say that the reason behind the floaty combat of this universe is not a sci-fi explanation. It’s just magic. But really, it’s just because it looks cool. That is all. No further explanation is required.

Uuuugh. I can't believe I'm gonna weigh in on this. This is going to lead nowhere.

For the record, I'm just playing devil's advocate here; I don't actually believe any of this.

1) [citation needed]. Objects are also often shown behaving quite differently.
2) Some things it could, sure! Everyone is able to jump to an absurd height (except Barret, he loves the Planet too much to leave her for even a moment).
3) We're talking about humans born and raised entirely on a different planet, with their entire recorded history occuring there. Obviously Gaia is meant to imitate Earth on many levels, but it's not a one-for-one comparison; it's easier to create an entire world when there isn't thousands of years of existing human civilization, pre-established continents, and basic physics standing in your way. Besides, who's to say that evolution on Gaia wouldn't have given humans (and everything else, for that matter) a higher overall density, thereby creating the same effective outcome? Lighter gravity + heavier bones = same result. Maybe they aren't even carbon-based?

 

[Makoeyes987]

This isn't complicated. WIthin the realm of FFVII, higher training and experience yield the ability to fight beyond normal human limits.

This isn't about gravity or anything. It's simply being able to utilize spirit energy and the ability of one's training and body.

Tifa's fighting style here in Remake directly references her utilizings her chi. Her spirit energy.

Limit Breaks are when your spirit energy rises to its ultimate limit, and for a short while manages aligns with and emit from your body, letting you do feats of strength beyond the limits of regular people. The Before Crisis Turks literally unlock their limit breaks in the final battle because of their resolve to fight and win, and being pushed to the limit.

Yuffie uses Ninjutsu and magic. You literally see her make shadow clones of Johnny.

Why is this complicated or being asked? lol

 

[Warlocke]

I take umbrage to this! Proselytizing to the world the grace and beauty of our Lady in Red Hightops hallowed be her name and her eventual fulfilling of the prophecy of the One True Pairing™ is always a blessed and worthy endeavor.


Uuuugh. I can't believe I'm gonna weigh in on this. This is going to lead nowhere.

For the record, I'm just playing devil's advocate here; I don't actually believe any of this.

1) [citation needed]. Objects are also often shown behaving quite differently.
2) Some things it could, sure! Everyone is able to jump to an absurd height (except Barret, he loves the Planet too much to leave her for even a moment).
3) We're talking about humans born and raised entirely on a different planet, with their entire recorded history occuring there. Obviously Gaia is meant to imitate Earth on many levels, but it's not a one-for-one comparison; it's easier to create an entire world when there isn't thousands of years of existing human civilization, pre-established continents, and basic physics standing in your way. Besides, who's to say that evolution on Gaia wouldn't have given humans (and everything else, for that matter) a higher overall density, thereby creating the same effective outcome? Lighter gravity + heavier bones = same result. Maybe they aren't even carbon-based?

Fabtastic. cracks knuckles

1) objects routinely fall at a speed and in a manner appropriate to what we would see on Earth, especially in cutscenes. There is one especially big thing that falls in Remake. Right on Sector 7. (Debris conveniently missing narratively relevant locations aside, of course)

2) so many maneuvers preformed by combatants cannot be explained by a change in gravity. Continual suspension in the air, changing direction in the air, teleporting, unlimited superhuman stamina to do all of these insane acrobatic feats, the list goes on. These are scientifically impossible and can only be explained by magic. If you are already relying on magical fighting, you don’t need to layer on a superfluous level of scientific explanation involving gravity that doesn’t even explain most of the moves you see in combat.

3. If we are now saying that the humans in FF7 aren’t physiologically humans at all then we still don’t need gravity as an explanation. They could have different muscle structures that allow them to do crazy jumps. No appeal to gravity is necessary.

But trying to figure out a scientific reason the cast of FF7 fight like this is a waste of time. It’s like trying to figure out a scientific reason why characters in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon can defy gravity. The reason is that it looks cool. Full stop. Case closed.

 

[MagicalEnbySarah]

This isn't complicated. WIthin the realm of FFVII, higher training and experience yield the ability to fight beyond normal human limits.

This isn't about gravity or anything. It's simply being able to utilize spirit energy and the ability of one's training and body.

Tifa's fighting style here in Remake directly references her utilizings her chi. Her spirit energy.

Limit Breaks are when your spirit energy rises to its ultimate limit, and for a short while manages aligns with and emit from your body, letting you do feats of strength beyond the limits of regular people. The Before Crisis Turks literally unlock their limit breaks in the final battle because of their resolve to fight and win, and being pushed to the limit.

Yuffie uses Ninjutsu and magic. You literally see her make shadow clones of Johnny.

Why is this complicated or being asked? lol

Wasn't asking I was explaining that all characters do this, not just Tifa and Yuffie. Pretty much every Japanese fantasy game uses ki without being explicit about it.