FF7 Remake Walkthrough: Complete Guide & Tips

Introduction

If you’re searching for an accessible, thorough ff7 remake walkthrough, you’re in the right place. This guide breaks down the essentials of the Final Fantasy VII Remake experience in Midgar: chapter strategies, combat fundamentals, materia setups, boss tactics, side quest locations, and weapon upgrade tips. Whether you’re new to Cloud’s journey or replaying to discover hidden secrets, the walkthrough below prioritizes clarity and practical examples to help you progress confidently through every encounter.

Getting Started: Basics, Party, and Combat Overview

Before diving into chapter-by-chapter guidance, take a moment to get comfortable with the game’s combat system and party roles. The remake blends real-time action with Strategic Mode (ATB) abilities and materia customization—understanding these systems early pays off.

• Party composition: Cloud is your primary melee fighter, Barret provides ranged support, and Aerith excels at magic and healing. Swap characters to match combat needs.
• Combat basics: Learn to switch between normal attack combos and abilities. Use the ATB gauge to cast spells, use items, or unleash special techniques.
• Stagger and synergy: Build stagger bars by combining physical attacks and elemental magic. Staggered enemies take massive damage—coordinate spells and limit breaks to maximize this window.
• Use summons wisely: Summons like Ifrit are powerful but come at a cost; use them on tough boss phases or when overwhelmed by adds.

Tip: Early in the game, invest in materia that complements your playstyle—if you prefer spellcasting, equip magic-boosting materia and focus on Magic and MP upgrades.

Chapter-by-Chapter Walkthrough Highlights

The remake splits the Midgar arc into detailed chapters. Below are key tips and objectives for crucial chapters, helping you manage side quests, collectibles, and combat pacing.

Chapters 1–3: Tutorials, Limit Breaks, and Early Materia

• Follow opening missions closely to unlock core mechanics. Learn how to block, parry, and use the tactical camera.
• Collect basic materia in each area—these lay the foundation for later builds.
• Use early boss fights to experiment with different materia pairings (e.g., Ice + Melded or defensive materia with healing).

Chapters 4–7: Combat Challenges and Side Quest Introductions

• Focus on unlocking cross-character synergy. Use Barret’s ranged attacks to break enemy defenses while Cloud closes for heavy combos.
• Pick up side quest leads and optional battles; many reward rare materia or upgrade parts.
• Save often before optional bosses—their attack patterns can be punishing without proper materia loadouts.

Chapters 8–12: Boss Patterns, Upgrade Paths, and Stealth Sections

• By now, you should be upgrading weapons with parts and gil. Prioritize weapons that fit your main character playstyle and unlock their additional slots.
• Some chapters require stealth or puzzle-solving; use the environment and map to avoid unnecessary combat and conserve healing items.
• Boss fights demand stagger management—use stagger-dealing abilities across characters to shorten fights.

Chapters 13–17: High-Stakes Fights and Endgame Preparation

• Stockpile healing and revival items. Late bosses hit hard and can wipe an unprepared party quickly.
• Ensure each character has at least one supportive and one offensive materia equipped for flexibility.
• Complete side quests for potent rewards: rare materia, accessory pieces, and weapon upgrade parts.

Combat Deep Dive: Materia, Builds, and Strategies

A core aspect of any ff7 remake walkthrough is materia optimization. Materia determine spells, buffs, and passive effects—mix them wisely.

Essential Materia to Prioritize

• Cure/Healing Materia: Critical for sustained exploration and boss fights. Merge with MP Plus if you prefer spellcasting.
• Fire/Ice/Lightning Materia: Elemental attacks exploit enemy weaknesses and help build stagger.
• ATB Boost: Reduces the cost or increases ATB gain, allowing more frequent abilities and summons.
• Enemy Skill: Useful for some of the game’s niche strategies; keep an eye on where to find it.

Sample Builds

• Cloud (Balanced): Equip a mix of physical-damage materia, Slash-Attack, and a magic materia for stagger support. Weapon upgrades that boost Strength and HP are ideal.
• Barret (Ranged Tank): Combine ranged damage materia with support materia like ATB Boost and Barrier to hold aggro and blast enemies at a distance.
• Aerith (Mage/Healer): Maximize Magic and MP; equip Cure, Full Cure, and elemental materia. Aerith is invaluable for long boss fights due to her healing and summons.

Combat Tips

• Switch between characters mid-combat to leverage abilities and cooldowns.
• Stagger early: use elemental weaknesses and heavy hits, then follow up with limit breaks.
• Use blocks and parries: a well-timed block reduces damage and opens brief windows for counterattacks.

Boss Guides: Patterns, Counters, and Example Strategies

Bosses in Final Fantasy VII Remake test your knowledge of mechanics. Here are general approaches and a few concrete examples.

General Boss Strategy

• Observe attack cues. Many bosses telegraph devastating moves—learn their animations to dodge or block effectively.
• Farm for materia and weapon parts before repeat attempts. Sometimes one upgrade or a new materia pairing turns the tide.
• Exploit environmental advantages like cover for ranged characters or areas where bosses stall between phases.

Example: Guard Scorpion Boss (Early Game)

• Focus on attacking the legs first to limit movement. Use Barret to chip away while Cloud handles melee opportunities.
• Use Ice materia to slow its attack rate and build stagger faster.
• Save a healing item for the final phase when the Scorpion unleashes area attacks.

Example: Proud Clod (Mid Game) — Fight Tips

• Destroy environmental cover to expose weak points. Use Aerith for ranged magic to reduce its armor and Cloud for close-range damage during openings.
• Interrupt cast/charge animations with stuns or magic to prevent heavy attacks.

Side Quests, Collectibles, and How to Find Them

Side quests and optional battles in Midgar offer some of the best reward materia and parts. This section covers how to find and efficiently clear them.

Common Side Quest Rewards

• Rare materia (e.g., Enemy Skill, MP Turbo)
• Weapon upgrade parts and unique accessories
• Backstory content and character interactions with Aerith and Cloud

Efficient Side Quest Strategies

• Explore thoroughly after each main objective—many quests unlock by talking to NPCs or revisiting cleared areas.
• Use treasure maps and in-game hints to locate hidden chests; some require solving small environmental puzzles.
• Finish side quests before late-game chapters to use rewards when they matter most during boss fights.

Weapons, Upgrades, and Resource Management

Weapon choices and upgrades influence your playstyle. Upgrading at the right time with the right parts can make tough fights manageable.

Prioritizing Upgrades

• Upgrade the main weapon for each character first—these often unlock more useful materia slots.
• Balance upgrades: invest in one character to overcome a roadblock, then upgrade others to maintain parity.
• Gather upgrade parts by completing side quests, buying from shops, or dismantling unwanted gear where the game allows.

Resource Tips

• Conserve gil early—buy only essential items and focus on materia and weapon parts.
• Sell duplicate accessories or items you don’t need to fund upgrades.

Advanced Tips, Secrets, and Easter Eggs

FF7 Remake hides many nods to the original Final Fantasy VII and offers advanced strategies for seasoned players.

• Replay chapters using the Chapter Select to farm specific enemies and materia.
• Search for secret rooms and locked doors—some require a particular sequence or puzzle to open.
• Experiment with materia pairing to unlock uncommon synergies: e.g., linking healing materia to equip other support magics.

FAQ

Conclusion

This ff7 remake walkthrough is designed to guide you through Midgar with practical, player-focused advice covering chapters, materia setups, combat tactics, boss strategies, side quests, and weapon upgrades. Use the strategies and examples here to build effective character setups—Cloud, Barret, and Aerith each have unique strengths—and to tackle the toughest encounters. Explore, experiment, and don’t be afraid to replay chapters to fine-tune builds; the right materia and upgrades will make the difference between a frustrating fight and a satisfying victory. Enjoy the journey through Final Fantasy VII Remake, and may your party emerge victorious in Midgar and beyond.