There is a scene that occurs during a playthrough at the end of Disc 1 when the team returns to Gold Saucer. This scene involves the main character of the game, Cloud, going out on a date with one of the other characters. Who he goes out with is largely dependent on choices that you make throughout the game.
Throughout the Jegged.com strategy guide you will see references to the Gold Saucer Date side quest. Decisions that you make as you playthrough the game, including whom you talk to and how you answer their questions, are pointed out as they come up. They are also listed below for convenience.
While this date scene has little relevance to the overall story and game itself, there is a trophy that you can obtain if Barret is the one to go out on the date with Cloud. Selecting Barret is quite hard to do though unless you follow a very specific set of steps. The trophy that you can obtain the PlayStation 4 version of the game is called the Best Bromance Trophy.
So how can you change who Cloud goes out on a date with?
Each character that Cloud can go out on a date with (Aeris, Tifa, Yuffie and Barret) start with a certain number of points. These points are hidden; you cannot tell how many points each character has. Each character starts off with the following number of points
Because of this configuration, most players tend to end up going on a date with Aeris. She starts with the highest point values and a lot of the choices and dialogue is setup in such a way that typically result in her receiving a high number of points.
The points can be adjusted based on actions you take or dialogue that you select. Each area where the point values are impacted are listed below:
The first interaction with Aeris in Sector 8 does not impact her points and you can select either answer to her first question. If you choose the second option (“Nothing…hey…”) during the second dialogue window though you can purchase a flower from her.
Buy a flower from her as it can be used later on if it is in your inventory to affect the point values for other characters.
After Jessie has finished explaining how the security system works, talk to her a second time and select:
| “Thanks anyway” | (No change) |
|---|---|
| “Looking forward to it” | - 3 to Tifa |
The 7th Heaven bar is where team AVALANCHE have their hideout and is one of the first areas of the game you visit after Sector 8. While in the bar, Tifa will notice that you have a flower in your hand (if you purchased one from Aeris):
| Give it to Tifa | + 5 to Tifa |
|---|---|
| Give it to Marlene | + 5 to Barret |
If you talk to Tifa while she is behind the bar:
| “I don’t feel like it” | + 5 to Tifa |
|---|---|
| “Give me something hard” | No change |
When Tifa accuses you of leaving your childhood friend:
| “How can you say that!” | + 5 to Tifa |
|---|---|
| “…Sorry” | No change |
If you talk to Tifa before talking to Barret after Cloud wakes up, she will ask how he slept:
| “Barret’s snoring kept me up” | + 5 to Barret |
|---|---|
| “Next to you, who wouldn’t?” | + 5 to Tifa |
You will receive +5 to Tifa and +5 to Barret if you are able to make it through the train while avoiding the security lockdowns.
After defeating Airbuster in Sector 8 at the beginning of the game and when Cloud is hanging from the broken platform:
| “Be strong” | + 2 to Barret |
|---|---|
| “I don’t know if I can hold on” | - 3 to Barret + 1 to Tifa |
The Sector 5 Slums are the area where Cloud first meets Aeris in the church flower garden. While Aeris is fleeing the guards and Cloud is dropping barrels from the rafters:
| Push a wrong barrel | - 3 to Aeris |
|---|---|
| Ask Aeris to fight the soldiers | - 1 to Aeris |
| Ask Aeris to run | No change |
| Ask her to run and she ends up fighting | - 1 to Aeris |
| Push the correct barrel | + 1 to Aeris |
The team will reach Aeris’ House near the Sector 5 Slums. Aeris will ask Cloud if Tifa is Cloud’s girlfriend:
| “Yeah, that’s right” | - 5 to Aeris |
|---|
After you get through Sector 6 to the playground and Cloud decides what to do with Aeris:
| Take her home. | No change |
|---|---|
| Go on to Sector 7. | + 1 to Aeris |
The team will have to go searching through the Wall Market in order to find a disguise for Cloud.
If Tifa is selected as the Don’s date and Cloud is talking to Aeris:
| “You alright?” | + 3 to Aeris |
|---|---|
| “We gotta help Tifa!!” | - 2 to Aeris |
If Aeris is selected as the Don’s date and Cloud is talking to Tifa:
| “You alright?” | + 3 to Tifa |
|---|---|
| “We gotta help Aeris!!” | - 2 to Tifa |
If Cloud is selected as the Don’s date and he asks if Cloud has a boyfriend:
| “Yes, and his name’s Barret…” | + 5 to Barret |
|---|
The team lands in the Sewers after the sequence in Wall Market with Don Corneo. After the team lands in the sewer:
| Talk to Aeris first. | + 3 to Aeris |
|---|---|
| Talk to Tifa first. | + 3 to Tifa |
The team will return to Aeris’ House when they re-enter Sector 6. When Marlene suggests that Aeris likes Cloud, choose:
| “I don’t know” | + 3 to Tifa - 3 to Aeris |
|---|---|
| “Let’s hope so” | + 3 to Aeris - 3 to Tifa |
The Shinra Building portion of the game comes at the end of the Midgar sequence. When you first meet Red XIII and choose who to send with Aeris:
| “Tifa, I’m countin’ on you!” | - 2 to Tifa |
|---|---|
| “Barret, take care of her!” | + 2 to Barret |
After the battle against H0512, adding any of the following party member to your team:
| Aeris | + 2 to Aeris |
|---|---|
| Barret | + 2 to Barret |
| Tifa | + 2 to Tifa |
When Tifa asks if you can break out:
| (Leave it to me) | + 1 to Tifa |
|---|---|
| (Kinda hard) | - 1 to Tifa |
When you have the option to think Barret, Red XIII or Aeris:
| Think about Barret or Aeris first. | + 3 to whoever you select first. |
|---|---|
| Think about Barret or Aeris second. | + 1 to whoever you select second. |
| Think about Barret or Aeris third. | No change. |
Adding members to your party as you escape the Shinra Building and leave Midgar:
| Aeris | + 1 to Aeris |
|---|---|
| Barret | + 1 to Barret |
| Red XIII | No change |
| Tifa | + 1 to Tifa |
The team will enter Kalm shortly after they leave Midgar. When Barret leaves the Inn and tells Cloud to get a move on:
| “Wait a sec” | No change |
|---|---|
| “Beautiful, just beautiful” | + 3 to Barret |
| “Is that all?” | - 1 to Barret |
| “Right” | + 1 to Barret |
There is a woman in the house to the right of the Kalm Inn. Speaking to the woman in Kalm who says that Mako energy is convenient, answer with:
| “Yeah, maybe” | - 2 to Barret if he is in your party - 1 to Aeris if she is in your party - 1 to Tifa if she is in your party + 1 to Yuffie if she is in your party |
|---|---|
| “You’re full of it” | + 2 to Barret if he is in your party + 1 to Aeris if she is in your party + 1 to Tifa if she is in your party - 1 to Yuffie if she is in your party |
There is a woman on the second floor of the same building. Speaking to the girl upstairs who thinks that the old life is better, answer with:
| “Yeah, maybe” | + 2 to Barret if he is in your party + 1 to Aeris if she is in your party + 1 to Tifa if she is in your party - 1 to Yuffie if she is in your party |
|---|---|
| “No way” | - 2 to Barret if he is in your party - 1 to Aeris if she is in your party - 1 to Tifa if she is in your party + 1 to Yuffie if she is in your party |
During the dialogue sequence after you complete the battle with Yuffie and are attempting to have her join your party, you will receive +2 points for each correct answer you give, as shown below:
| “All right” | No change |
|---|---|
| “Not interested” | + 2 to Yuffie |
| “Petrified…” | + 2 to Yuffie |
| “You’re gonna lose again” | No change |
| “Go ahead” | No change |
| “Wait a second!” | + 2 to Yuffie |
| “That’s right” | + 2 to Yuffie |
| “You kiddin’?” | No change |
| “What’s your name?” | No change |
| “Let’s hurry” | + 2 to Yuffie |
You can swing by Fort Condor after you leave the Mythril Mine. When you first talk to the old guy in Fort Condor, answer with:
| “I guess so” | + 5 to Barret if he is in your party + 3 to Aeris if she is in your party + 3 to Tifa if she is in your party + 2 to Yuffie if she is in your party |
|---|---|
| “Not interested” | - 5 to Barret if he is in your party - 3 to Aeris if she is in your party - 3 to Tifa if she is in your party - 1 to Yuffie if she is in your party |
After the old guy tells you about his problems:
| “All right” | + 5 to Barret if he is in your party + 3 to Aeris if she is in your party + 3 to Tifa if she is in your party + 2 to Yuffie if she is in your party |
|---|---|
| “Not interested” | - 5 to Barret if he is in your party - 3 to Aeris if she is in your party - 3 to Tifa if she is in your party - 1 to Yuffie if she is in your party |
Speaking to Yuffie in the cargo area of the Cargo Ship when she asks you if you have anything to help her with her stomach:
| “Here, use this” | + 4 to Yuffie |
|---|---|
| “Nope” | - 2 to Yuffie |
This will automatically be -2 to Yuffie if you do not have any 
Tranquilizers in your inventory.
When Aeris asks you about the Airship:
| “I’ll take you someday” | + 2 to Aeris |
|---|---|
| “I dunno…” | - 2 to Aeris |
When Tifa asks you about war:
| “Yeah…” | + 2 to Tifa |
|---|---|
| “I don’t know” | - 2 to Tifa |
When you enter Gold Saucer for the first time you will have the option of talking to various members of your party and asking them to accompany Cloud.
| Choosing to take Aeris | + 3 to Aeris - 2 to Tifa - 2 to Yuffie |
|---|---|
| Choosing to take Tifa | + 3 to Tifa - 2 to Aeris - 2 to Yuffie |
| Choosing to take Yuffie | + 3 to Yuffie - 2 to Aeris - 2 to Tifa |
| Choosing to take Red XIII | No change (all) |
You will have the option of selecting the party members that join Cloud and Barret in the Corel Prison when they go to hunt for Dyne. Selecting each team member will have the following affect:
| Aeris | + 10 to Aeris |
|---|---|
| Tifa | + 3 to Tifa |
| Yuffie | + 2 to Yuffie |
| Red XIII | No change |
| Cait Sith | No change |
The team will reach Gongaga Village after they receive the Buggy from the races at Gold Saucer. While in Gongaga, if Tifa and Aeris are in your party when you enter, after you speak to Zack’s parents, you can take the following actions:
| Ignore and don’t speak to Aeris | - 3 to Aeris |
|---|---|
| Speaking to Aeris and answering “poor guy” | + 1 to Aeris |
| Speaking to Aeris and answering “(…jealous…envious…)” | + 2 to Aeris |
| Ignoring Tifa | - 3 to Tifa |
| Speaking to Tifa (all answers) | + 1 to Tifa |
The team will reach Cosmo Canyon with the Buggy – make sure that Barret is in your party. Find Barret in the room behind Tiger Lily’s weapon shop and suggest talking to him more about AVALANCHE:
| Go on | + 3 to Barret |
|---|---|
| Not really | No change |
| And then? | + 3 to Barret |
| Yeah, whatever… | No change |
If you go through the process of completing the side quest at Wutai with Yuffie:
| + 10 to Yuffie |
The character with the highest score when you re-enter Gold Saucer for the second time is the one that Cloud will go out on a date with. Barret is obviously the hardest to get and Aeris is the easiest, but you can use this guide to have Cloud go out on a date with whomever you choose.
There are notes throughout this guide, however, which are intended to assist with obtaining the Best Bromance trophy (as noted below). Going out on a date with Barret is a requirement for obtaining this trophy.
Best Bromance
Choices you make during each of the selections listed above will decide who Cloud goes on a date with but he has to go on a date with Barret in order to receive the Best Bromance Trophy.
Use this page and the full Walkthrough section which will guide you through each of the areas where a choice needs to be made.
