New Game +

New Game +

Congratulations, SOLDIER! You've completed your first playthrough of Final Fantasy VII Remake. But the fight isn't over yet. New Game + offers a wealth of new challenges, collectibles, and opportunities to truly master Midgar. This section will guide you through maximizing your subsequent runs.

Unlocking Hard Mode

Upon completing the game on any difficulty, you'll unlock Hard Mode. This isn't just a simple stat boost for enemies; it fundamentally changes the gameplay experience:

• No Item Usage: You cannot use any items (Potions, Ethers, Phoenix Downs, etc.) during combat or exploration. This forces a heavy reliance on Materia, character abilities, and precise ATB management.
• No MP Regeneration: MP does not regenerate naturally or through resting at benches. The only way to restore MP is through specific Materia abilities (e.g., Prayer, Chakra) or the rare MP Up Materia.
• Increased Enemy Aggression & Damage: Foes hit harder, have more HP, and often employ new attack patterns or abilities not seen on lower difficulties.
• Unique Rewards: Completing chapters on Hard Mode is essential for unlocking powerful accessories and manuscripts.

We highly recommend tackling Hard Mode for its unique challenges and the ultimate rewards it offers. It's the true test of your combat prowess.

Chapter Select & Progression

After finishing the game, you'll gain access to Chapter Select from the main menu. This allows you to revisit any chapter you've completed. Here's how to best utilize it:

1. Difficulty Selection: For each chapter, you can choose your desired difficulty (Easy, Normal, Hard). This is crucial for completing Hard Mode challenges without replaying the entire game.
2. Retain Progress: When you start a chapter via Chapter Select, you retain all your current character levels, Materia, equipment, and Gil. This means you can grind levels or collect missing items in earlier chapters and carry that progress forward.
3. Side Quests & Discoveries: If you missed any side quests or unique discoveries in a previous run, Chapter Select is your opportunity to go back and complete them. Remember that some side quests are mutually exclusive (e.g., certain Chapter 3 or Chapter 9 quests), so you'll need multiple playthroughs to see them all.

Hard Mode Exclusive Rewards

Completing chapters on Hard Mode grants you valuable rewards, primarily in the form of Manuscripts and powerful Accessories. These are vital for fully powering up your characters and earning the "Ultimate Weapon" trophy.

Manuscripts

Each character has a set of manuscripts that provide SP (Skill Points) for their weapons. On Hard Mode, completing specific chapters will reward you with a manuscript for a particular character. These are usually awarded at the end of the chapter. For example:

• Cloud's Manuscripts:
  • The Art of Swordplay Vol. III: Complete Chapter 1 on Hard.
  • The Art of Swordplay Vol. IV: Complete Chapter 2 on Hard.
  • ...and so on for subsequent chapters.
• Barret's Manuscripts:
  • Sharpshooter's Companion Vol. III: Complete Chapter 3 on Hard.
  • Sharpshooter's Companion Vol. IV: Complete Chapter 4 on Hard.
  • ...and so on.
• Tifa's Manuscripts:
  • Way of the Fist Vol. III: Complete Chapter 5 on Hard.
  • Way of the Fist Vol. IV: Complete Chapter 6 on Hard.
  • ...and so on.
• Aerith's Manuscripts:
  • Telluric Scriptures Vol. III: Complete Chapter 7 on Hard.
  • Telluric Scriptures Vol. IV: Complete Chapter 8 on Hard.
  • ...and so on.

Collecting all manuscripts is essential for fully upgrading every weapon for every character, unlocking their full potential and earning the associated trophies.

Accessories

Certain powerful accessories are only obtainable by completing specific challenges or chapters on Hard Mode. These often provide significant boosts or unique effects that can turn the tide in difficult encounters.

• Gotterdammerung: This legendary accessory is arguably the most powerful in the game. It grants a full Limit Break gauge at the start of every battle and slowly charges it during combat. To obtain it, you must complete all 14 challenges in the Shinra Combat Simulator (located in Chapter 17) on Hard Mode. This includes the "Three-Person Team vs. Top Secrets" challenge.
• Supernatural Wristguards: Often found after completing specific side quests or optional boss encounters on Hard Mode. Check the rewards for any remaining side quests you might have missed.

Recommended New Game + Strategy

Here's a general strategy for tackling New Game + and Hard Mode:

1. Max Out Materia: Before diving into Hard Mode, ensure your key Materia are fully leveled. This includes elemental spells (Fire, Ice, Lightning, Wind), Healing, Revival, Assess, Magnify, ATB Boost, Steadfast Block, Parry, and any character-specific Materia.
2. Weapon Upgrades: Use the SP gained from Hard Mode manuscripts to fully upgrade all weapons for your main party members first. Focus on unlocking weapon abilities and stat boosts that complement your playstyle.
3. Practice & Adapt: Hard Mode requires a different approach. Learn enemy attack patterns, exploit weaknesses, and master blocking, parrying, and dodging. ATB management is paramount.
4. Prioritize Healing & MP Management: Since items are disabled and MP doesn't regenerate, rely on Healing Materia (preferably with Magnify), Prayer Materia, and Chakra Materia. Equip MP Up Materia on your healers. Consider equipping the "Refocus" ability on characters to gain extra ATB for healing.
5. Grind if Necessary: If you're struggling, don't hesitate to revisit earlier chapters on Normal or Easy to level up your characters and Materia further. The Shinra Combat Simulator in Chapter 17 is also an excellent place to grind AP and Gil.
6. Trophy Hunting: New Game + is the perfect time to mop up any remaining trophies, such as completing all side quests, collecting all music discs, or mastering all weapon abilities.

Embrace the challenge, experiment with different Materia setups, and enjoy the deeper combat mechanics that Hard Mode reveals. Good luck, and may the Mako be with you!