The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
At a New York City Comic Con panel, the Final Fantasy VII Revelation cast was asked which fellow performers brought out the best in them. Their answers name several pairings: Cody Christian and Britt Baron on Cloud and Tifa, Max Mittelman and Paul Tinto on Red XIII and Cait Sith, Matt Mercer and Suzie Yeung on Vincent and Yuffie, and Cody Christian and Travis Willingham on Cloud and Sephiroth. The praise centered on grounding, emotional honesty, contrast, and comic vocal choices. The account comes from Kenneth Shepard’s report in Kotaku, published October 8, 2026.
Why the question is harder than it sounds
Most game voice work is recorded in separate booths. An actor often performs against a line that has been played back, not against a scene partner standing in the room. Kotaku’s report says some roles still involve acting against recordings from other performers. The panel answers show what that setup costs and what it can give back.
The individual accounts are not a universal recording schedule. Baron said she generally did not hear her fellow actors’ work until the game came out, though she occasionally heard Cloud lines during a pickup session. J. Michael Tatum, who voices Cid, said he often recorded late enough to hear other performances first. These are personal experiences from individual cast members, not a rule for every performer or every game.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →The pairings at a glance
| Performer and character | Partner and character | What was praised | Partner’s recording heard in the booth? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max Mittelman (Red XIII) | Paul Tinto (Cait Sith) | Tinto’s accent; Mittelman requested the lines before his takes | Yes. Mittelman asked for the lines to be played back before recording |
| Matt Mercer (Vincent) | Suzie Yeung (Yuffie) | Energy and contrast between the characters | Not stated |
| Cody Christian (Cloud) | Britt Baron (Tifa) | Grounded, honest performance (Baron on Christian); nuance and subtlety (Christian on Baron) | Partly. Baron heard Christian’s Cloud in a pickup session; she generally did not hear other actors’ work before release |
| Cody Christian (Cloud) | Travis Willingham (Sephiroth) | Strong, truthful emotion that gave Christian material to work from | Not stated |
| Briana White (Aerith) | Britt Baron (Tifa) | Balance of softness and strength; complementary characters | Not stated |
| Caleb Pierce (Zack) | Briana White (Aerith) | Calm and grounding when Pierce arrived in the booth with high energy | Yes. Pierce was responding to White’s recorded lines |
The pairings in detail
Max Mittelman and Paul Tinto: an accent worth replaying
Mittelman, who voices Red XIII, said he repeatedly asked for Tinto’s Cait Sith lines to be played before his own takes because he liked the accent. He estimated the number of requests at about 20. That figure is his informal recollection, not a count from production records, but it shows how a single vocal choice can shape a session.
#1 Best Overall
- Immerse yourself in the city of Midgar like never before, with improved textures, lighting, and background environments
- Players can switch between two game modes: "Graphics Mode" prioritizes 4K high-resolution graphics; "Performance Mode" prioritizes smooth action at 60 frames per second
- Capture and share your memorable moments from the game with a fully customizable “Photo Mode”
- Players can enjoy immersive battles by using the DualSense PlayStation 5 controller with its haptic feedback integration
- Play the brand-new episode featuring Yuffie and experience new combat and gameplay additions
Matt Mercer and Suzie Yeung: contrast as a working method
Mercer, who voices Vincent, described answering Yeung’s Yuffie with a contrasting, stabilizing presence. Yeung, who voices Yuffie, enjoyed the energy the two characters brought to their scenes. She recalled telling Mercer she loved their scenes and expected them to be great.
Cody Christian and Britt Baron: grounding and nuance
Baron, who voices Tifa, said she rarely heard other performances before the game’s release. The exception was a pickup session in which she heard Christian’s Cloud and found it grounded, honest, and hard to match. She told him, “You’re getting an Oscar-worthy performance,” and added, “I am sometimes just knocked back by how grounded and real and honest you are.”
Rank #2
- The award-winning FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE INTERGRADE* retells the original story up to the escape from Midgar, with breathtaking visuals, fast-paced gameplay, and additional story elements. This RPG delivers unforgettable characters, a powerful narrative, and a hybrid battle system that blends real-time action with strategic, command-based combat. It also includes FF7R EPISODE INTERmission, a side story starring Yuffie Kisaragi that offers a fresh perspective running in parallel to Cloud’s journey.
- STUNNING VISUALS - Explore Midgar like never before with stunning visuals and richly detailed environments that bring the city’s layered, industrial districts to life, all while staying true to the spirit of the original game.
- DYNAMIC COMBAT WITH STRATEGIC DEPTH -The innovative battle system combines strategic command-based gameplay with fast-paced action. Seamlessly switch between characters, harness the power of materia, summon iconic creatures, and unleash devastating limit breaks.
- ICONIC CHARACTERS, UNFORGETTABLE STORY - Follow Cloud Strife, an ex-SOLDIER turned mercenary, as he joins Avalanche to take on the Shinra Electric Power Company. Cloud and his allies Barret, Tifa, and Aerith are pulled into a battle that will decide the fate of the planet.
- EXPANDED CONTENT - FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE INTERGRADE offers quests, mini-games, and missions set in expanded areas of Midgar. Encounter new characters and experience exciting content that adds even more depth to the story.
Christian returned the praise for the scenes they share. Of Baron’s Tifa, he said, “I think there’s so much nuance and subtlety that Britt brings into these sorts of scenes.”
Recommended Free Tools
Cody Christian and Travis Willingham: emotion to work from
Christian said hearing Willingham’s Sephiroth gave him emotional fuel for Cloud. Of Willingham’s performance, he said, “You bring out emotions, though, that are very strong and just truthful.” Willingham praised Mittelman’s Red XIII in turn, recounting his son’s reaction to the voice change. He also described playing the earlier games with his son.
Rank #3
- The Amazon Exclusive Edition includes a FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH PS5 controller skin (inside the case) featuring Cloud and Sephiroth. This PS5 controller skin provides full coverage without buttons or sensor interference.
- An Expansive World: As the party searches for Sephiroth, explore the beautiful, expansive regions of the world and open up new areas to discover through unique forms of transportation
- Deepen their relationships to unleash powerful team based combos
- An Evolved Battle System: Combine strategic thinking with thrilling action combat alongside your comrades, including newly added characters
- Beyond the Walls of Fate: In this standalone adventure for fans and newcomers, Cloud and his comrades venture across the planet, their fates unwritten, making each step outside the dystopian city of Midgar fresh and mysterious
Briana White, Britt Baron and Caleb Pierce: softness, strength and calm
White praised Baron’s Tifa for balancing softness and strength, and described Aerith and Tifa as complementary characters. Her words: “the way that she is so soft and strong, both at 100, instead of warring with each other, it’s just so beautiful.”
Pierce, who voices Zack, said White’s recorded lines helped him when he entered the booth with high energy. In his words, “it can calm me and ground me to feel like I can bring what I want to bring.”
The wider ensemble: Barret, Cid and the cast’s fandom
- John Eric Bentley (Barret): described Barret as a point person in scenes and teased material involving Cid, Cait Sith, Vincent, and the women in the cast. He avoided details he felt could spoil the game.
- J. Michael Tatum (Cid): said hearing other performances first helped him find his character through the reactions of the others.
- Matt Mercer: described being a longtime Final Fantasy VII fan who praised cast members’ earlier performances before he became more involved in the remake series.
Release details reported with the panel
- Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Switch 2, as listed in Kotaku’s report.
- Date: April 8. Kotaku’s closing sentence gives the day without a year, so this article does not confirm one. Check the game’s official announcement or store page for the current release date before planning around it.
- Physical edition: Kotaku’s report does not address whether a physical edition is available.
Kotaku’s panel coverage is the source for every quotation and cast anecdote above, and the release details are reported as Kotaku gave them.
Quick Recap
“
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
