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100 hours in, I certainly have some tips for beginners in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. After beating the game, I spent some time really thinking about where I went wrong, and where I went right. Sure, it’s going to be pretty similar to Final Fantasy 7 Remake in some ways, but there is simply so much more to it. There are tons of mini-games, optional challenges, and ways to make life so much easier.
I wanted to give you some of these tips for beginners in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth so you don’t make the same mistakes, or feel the same frustration that I did throughout my Rebirth adventure. I do feel like it’s a tremendous game, and a lot of the frustration I felt was due to my own gameplay style.
Disclaimer: This article features minor spoilers for Final Fantasy 7. Reader discretion is advised.
Helpful hints and tips for beginners in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth we wish we knew
1) Keep more than one set of materia
This is the biggest tip I have for beginners in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. I won’t reveal the why, because it’s a major spoiler. However, I can tell you that often enough, you’re going to need to have people that aren’t in your main party as the new controlled group of characters.
Money’s going to be tight in the beginning, but it won’t always be that way. When it comes to important materia - elemental damage spells, healing materia, and the assorted useful purple materia (HP Up, Auto-Weapon Ability Materia), you will want several copies. Characters that aren’t in the party do gain AP, but it appears to be at a slower pace. Just keep lots of materia on hand.
2) Always fully explore an area before moving on with the story
As I was reviewing Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, one of the tips I kept in mind for myself and for beginners, was to always explore a zone fully, before moving on. Or at least, as much as you can. This is how I discovered the chocobo unlock quests early, and had plenty of teleport/fast travel points for later.
When you’re doing sidequests like Lifeline in Peril in Chapter 2, you will have to travel pretty significant distances. Why walk or ride if you don’t have to? Take the time to uncover chocobo stops, points of interest, and the various towers. Do this first, and you’ll also have to do far less level grinding - if any at all - in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.
3) Learn how every character plays
I cannot recommend enough that you should take some time to play as everyone in FF7 Rebirth. There are going to be times - quite a few of them, I might add - where you don’t control Cloud. With this in mind, beginners should take the time to play as everyone.
You can set whoever you want as the party leader, and use them instead. There will be times when you have the party split up, so getting used to how everyone’s unique moves feel and work is going to be key for beginners and veterans alike in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.
4) Don’t feel pressured into playing on Normal or Dynamic difficulty
I’d say 90% of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth has a reasonable difficulty on Normal. That’s what I played almost the entire game on. There were a few moments I kicked the difficulty down, and I’m not ashamed to admit it. These were mostly optional, incredibly hard battles that I don’t want to spoil.
If you want a challenge, play on Dynamic - this increases the difficulty of the game as you get more powerful. If you aren’t looking for that, just play on Normal or Easy. The mechanics for each fight are the same.
5) Don’t stress over sidequests - some are completed later on
Sidequests are important, don’t get me wrong - they’re one of the best ways to improve your relationship with your allies to get the perfect date in the Gold Saucer. However, you’re going to come across sidequests that you cannot complete immediately. Some might need you to unlock your chocobo for the region first, or explore an area that’s too dangerous.
Others, like one in a later region, will require you to go to another chapter of the game before you can return and complete them. Most of these quests are very easy, and are great sources of Party EXP, EXP, and other rewards. But don’t stress if you can’t complete them now. As far as I’ve seen, there are no missable sidequests.
You can find our full, in-depth review of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth here. Square Enix’s latest masterpiece will debut on February 29, 2024.
