So here we are, the beginning of what would later become a symbol for the JRPG: Final Fantasy VII.

Reactor 1

After some nice FMV sequences, we dive right into the center of a terrorist act by AVALANCHE (bombing an electrical plant), who are the good guys (pyromaniacism aside) in case you're wondering. The mission is to take down one of several of Shinra's reactors, which are sucking the planet's life source to provide the people with electricity (not that we'd know anything about that). We take control of the game's instantly recognizable main character: Cloud and proceed to murder two guard because they were in his way. The leader of the whole operation, Barret, isn't terribly fond of Cloud, so he joins the party to make sure he doesn't go rogue.

After going through several guards, their dogs and mounted guns (and guard-dogs with guns >.>), we arrive at the heart of Shinra's reactor and plant a bomb. But of course, the plan has to go horribly wrong at some point, so Shinra unleashes a mechanical monstrosity named Guard Scorpion, the game's first boss, to take care of our lovable rebels.

After successfully destroying the Guard, a timer starts counting down. We have 10 minutes to get out of Reactor 1, and adding a timer isn't so much to challenge as it is a way to make everything seem authentic (but then again, no matter how much time you had left, the game always makes it so it looks like you got out just in time to not die so I could be wrong). An explosion ensues, and AVALANCHE splits up until they can meet up again in the Sector 7 slums. Wherever they'll be able to escape in one piece remains to be seen...