Final Fantasy 7: Best Things to Do After Beating The Game

After five years of development, Square Enix seems to have hit a homerun with the Final Fantasy 7Remake. As an updated version of the 1997 classic, Final Fantasy 7 Remake once more follows the player character Cloud, a mercenary eco-terrorist fighting a megacorporation bent on sapping the life energy from the planet. The first part of the remake was released in March and April 2020 and focuses on the Midgar arc from the original. Players spend their time fighting enemies and bosses, improving their magic abilities, collecting items and materia, and exploring Midgar. Once players reach the endgame and defeat the game’s final boss, there is still much left for them to do.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake comes with some fantastic options for exclusive post-game play and content. In fact, playing after beating the game once is the only way for players to access some features, like Hard Mode and the difficult Secret Boss. As Part 2 is slated to come out mid- to late-2021, players waiting for its release can still find more to do in the Midgar arc. Here are the best things players can do after beating the game.

Best Things to Do After Beating Final Fantasy 7 Remake

As in all action RPGs, there are plenty of side quests, collectibles, items, and activities for players to engage in, often more than can be completed prior to the end of the main story. Final Fantasy 7Remake gives players a little more choice when they complete the game, unlocking a few exclusives and allowing them to go back and complete their collections. This will likely come in handy when the second part of the game is released. Here are the five best things players can do upon completing the game.

Play Hard Mode

Final Fantasy 7Remake has an unlockable Hard Mode, but it will not unlock until the player has beaten the game at least once. This option serves as a version of New Game+, allowing the player to start over with all their items, materia, EXP, and skills intact.

In Hard Mode, players cannot use items in combat, which is bound to be difficult, as enemies are stronger. Magic Points management and healing will be more difficult as well, as players cannot use Ethers to heal, and healing spells cost quite a bit of MP. As an added obstacle, benches will no longer restore MP, only HP. This can pose new challenges for the player as they navigate the game.

In Hard Mode, players will also gain access to Hard-Mode-exclusive Shinra Battle Simulator challenges.

If players choose to begin again with the New Game+ features, they can experience the whole game in Hard Mode. However, after beating the game, players will also unlock the Chapter Select menu, which will allow them to return to any one of the 18 chapters and play again on any difficulty they want, including Hard Mode. Ultimately, it is up to the player what kind of experience they are looking to have the second, third, or fourth time around.

Defeat the Secret Boss

Upon beating the game and unlocking Hard Mode, players can also gain access to Final Fantasy 7 Remake‘s exclusive Secret Boss. This is one of the most difficult fights in the game, and players will need to have completed a few other tasks, nearly beating the game 100%, to unlock it.

In addition to beating the game once and playing on Hard Mode, they will need to complete all of Chadley’s Intel Reports and VR Challenges, beat every Colosseum challenge, and complete every Shinra Battle Simulator challenge, including the Hard Mode exclusive ones.

Complete Side Quests and Collect Remaining Items

There are tons of side quests and collectibles in Final Fantasy 7 Remake, and completing these often result in some sizable rewards. Players can go back and complete some of the fetch quests they didn’t get to prior to the end of chapter 18. All of these come with unique rewards like alternate dress options for the characters, and the reward options increase if the player returns to complete side quests in Hard Mode.

Players will also want to collect all the Manuscripts and Music Discs. There are 12 manuscripts in the main story, with the possibility to collect a total of 56 once Hard Mode has been unlocked. There are also 31 Music Discs for players to find, and doing so will reward them with the Disc Jockey Trophy.

Compete at the Colosseum

Players can improve their party’s combat abilities by competing in challenges at Corneo Colosseum. They should complete these challenges with each member of the party to unlock their Limit Break abilities. These will undoubtedly help improve survivability during Hard Mode combat.

Players will also increase EXP and Skill Points upon completing each challenge. Most of these challenges will not allow for the use of items, making it a good way for players to practice combat prior to starting again in Hard Mode. It’s required for players to complete all the Colosseum challenges if they want to face the Secret Boss.

Complete Chadley’s Battle Intel Reports

Players can earn more rare materia by completing all of Chadley’s Battle Intel Reports. To do this, players will need to travel around Midgar and perform tasks or assess enemies. If players do not finish this prior to the endgame, they will have a chance to go back and complete them all. Players can hold onto materia for use when they start over in Hard Mode, and this may be able to help them in more challenging combat situations.

After beating the game, players should be sure to visit Chadley a few more times, not only to complete the Battle Intel Reports, but also to complete the VR Challenges. Doing so will allow them to unlock the Secret Boss.

Final Fantasy 7 is available for PlayStation 4.

About The Author