Hard Mode Trophies

Conquer Final Fantasy VII Remake's Hard Mode! Learn enemy stats, MP management, Materia setups, and strategies for tough challenges.

Alright, so you're ready to tackle Hard Mode in Final Fantasy VII Remake? It's a whole different beast compared to Normal, so let's break down what you need to know. Enemies hit way harder, with more HP and a nasty 40% damage boost across the board. The biggest kicker? You can't use items at all, and MP only fully recovers when you switch chapters. This means managing your MP is your absolute top priority.

To keep your MP from draining away, you've got a few tricks up your sleeve. Linking MP Absorption Materia to your favorite magic spells means you'll get some MP back every time you hit an enemy. Aerith can also use Soul Drain to yoink MP from foes, especially when they're staggered – she gets more then! Keep an eye out for breakable boxes too; they can drop Mako Shards that restore 10% of your max MP. If you're trying to save MP on healing, Prayer Materia is pretty good, healing the whole party, but it costs two ATB bars. Chakra Materia only heals a percentage of damage taken, so honestly, it's not really worth it.

Don't forget about the 'Stat' Up Materias, especially MP Up. Slap two of those on at least two characters to seriously boost their max MP. Remember, a mastered HP or MP Up Materia gives a 50% boost, so two maxed-out MP Ups can practically double your MP pool! Magic Up Materia is also fantastic, giving a 50% Magic boost with two mastered ones, turning Aerith into a spell-slinging powerhouse. Luck Up Materia is great too, increasing Luck by 50% with two mastered ones. This is perfect for Tifa, as Luck boosts her Critical Hit Rate, and she's already your top DPS with the highest natural Luck.

Before you jump into the real Hard Mode challenges, you'll want to take advantage of Chapter Select. Load up your completed save file and head to Chapter 17. After you exit Aerith's room and beat the Unknown Entities before the Drum, you'll find Chadley. Talk to him, and you can access the Shinra Combat Simulator. This simulator has new challenges and Aerith's old ones you couldn't finish before. Doing these challenges on Chapter Select gives you double EXP (except on Hard Mode itself), helping you hit Level 50. Plus, you get triple AP, which is amazing for leveling up Materia like Elemental, Warding, or your Stat Ups.

Some of the new simulator challenges are only available on Hard difficulty, and the enemies there drop a ton of EXP, way more than usual. It's a great way to prepare and get your characters and Materia leveled up before you commit to a full Hard Mode playthrough.

Aerith's Setup vs. SOLDIER Trainees (Chapter 17 Simulator)