Games of the Year

RPGFan Games of the Year 2024: Best Supporting Character

Aerith Gainsborough - Final Fantasy VII Rebirth - Best Supporting Character of 2024

Winner: Aerith Gainsborough (Final Fantasy VII Rebirth)

Writeup by Tim Rattray

Well, the votes are in. Aerith is better than Tifa by a margin of Barret. The shipping wars are over.

Okay, I jest (mostly). Aerith in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is one of the best video game characters ever written. Her show-stopping scenes are the heart of the game, like the Cosmo Canyon torch festival, where she contemplates how her Cetra ancestry has led to deep inner torture, only to conclude that the bonds she’s formed have made life worth living. Or what about that gut-wrenching flashback to her childhood as she watches her mother die in the midst of their doomed getaway attempt? And this is to mention nothing of the game’s last few hours where her moments with Cloud are nothing short of breathtaking.

We can’t talk about Aerith without mentioning Briana White’s performance. Her love for Aerith comes through in every vocal inflection, battle cry, and tender moment. Thanks for embodying Aerith with all your being, Bri.


Runner-Up: Barret Wallace (Final Fantasy VII Rebirth)

Writeup by Des Miller

In the original Final Fantasy VII, Barret was often seen as comedic relief while having his own touch of tragedy. Final Fantasy VII Remake sought to expand his character while still making him an over-the-top loudmouth. Throughout Rebirth, we learn just what Shinra took from him, why he fights so hard to be a headstrong leader, and why he wants nothing more than to build a better future for the daughter he was entrusted with. The cracks in his bravado-laden mask started to show in Remake, yet they’re clearly chipping away more to reveal a man on a mission who has had to endure more loss than one should ever know.


Readers’ Choice: Best Supporting Character of 2024

Winner: Aerith Gainsborough (Final Fantasy VII Rebirth) (23% of votes)

Runner-Up: Heismay (Metaphor: ReFantazio) (13.5% of votes)

Tim Rattray

Tim Rattray

Tim has written about games, anime, and beyond since 2009. His love of JRPGs traces back to late-90s get-togethers with cul-de-sac kids to battle and trade Pokémon via link cables. In the early 2000s, this passion was solidified when Chrono Trigger changed his conception of what a game could be. A core focus of Tim’s work is mental health advocacy with a focus on how interactivity can be used to depict and teach about mental illness. He’s excited to share that insight with RPGFan’s readers, alongside a log full of side quests to explore the mutual passion we all share.