Cloud Strife is the main character in Square Enix's Final Fantasy VII video game. His appearance is marked by spiky blonde hair, dark clothing, and his Buster Sword (an enormous bastard-sword), which he received from his fallen comrade Zack in battle. He has reappeared in other Square Enix games, including Final Fantasy Tactics, Ehrgeiz and Kingdom Hearts. He will reappear in a CGI sequel, Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children.

Originally Cloud was portrayed as a practical but apathetic mercenary, although by the end of his story he had lightened up considerably. Contrasted with the more dour Squall Leonhart and the more childish Tidus, he is one of the more popular Final Fantasy characters.

In Final Fantasy VII, Cloud joins a terrorist cell called AVALANCHE, which works against corporate world power Shin-Ra Electric Power Company. At first disinterested in AVALANCHE's cause, Cloud is personally drawn into the struggle through Aeris, a poor flower girl; Tifa, an old friend who brings him into AVALANCHE; and the notorious legendary soldier Sephiroth. Throughtout the story, Cloud realizes that his memories are not completely his own, and that he has adopted the persona of an old comrade he admired Zack . A large part of the Final Fantasy 7 game is rooted in the discovery and settlement of Clouds real past in the present.

In Final Fantasy Tactics, Cloud is accidentally pulled into the world of Ivalice by an ancient machine called the Celestial Globe, which was activated by Ramza Beoulve. He wanders off, and eventually ends up in Zarghidas Trade City, where he meets a girl selling flowers who bears a close resemblance to Aeris. They are attacked by thieves, and the weaponless Cloud is saved by Ramza, who had followed him. Cloud decides to join Ramza's force.

In Kingdom Hearts Cloud appears as a Boss on the Olympus Coliseum world. He has been hired by Hades to kill Sora and Hercules. He is commonly believed to be searching for Aerith but in Kingdom Hearts: Final Mix (the extened version of the game, only available in Japan) it is revealed that he is actually searching for Sephiroth.