Final Fantasy VII Walkthrough

1.1: Opening

The opening sequence is a long FMV. You see flashes of the slums and the city, then the screen focuses on a young woman, carrying a basket of flowers. She stands up near a spray of green, then walks away. You then see a train, then Midgar from a distance.

Once the train winds around, the FMV ends and goes into interactive mode. People jump off of the train, and then a large man (Barret) tells you to “Come on.” Be sure to click the Okay button on the knocked out, red-uniformed soldier to get a Potion before following.

You'll notice quickly that Cancel (X) makes you run. Go to the other red-uniformed man to get another Potion, and head right. Go to the group of people, and talk to the one in the middle. This group of fighters is called AVALANCHE, and the enemy is SOLDIER, which you, Cloud, used to be a part of. Cloud, however, pledges allegiance to neither side.

Turn right, then left, following Biggs. Tip: If you hit select during battle, you can see the name of the enemies that you're attacking. Go through the door to the bridge, then turn right with the others.

Now you're in the reactor. Talk to Barret, and he joins your party. Talk to the one beside the panel, Biggs, then Jessie at the next one if you don't want to waste time with talk. Otherwise, talk to the other person first. Once in the elevator, go in front of the triangle shaped buttons, and press Okay.

This next part can be hard to see, so check up the popup screenshot to the right (note that CoN will offer these popups in many instances throughout the walkthrough for your benefit!). Follow Jessie out of the elevator, and down the long stairwell on the side. You need to go all the way down. If you lose track, press Assist (select) to get arrows.

You'll see a shiny blue object in the area with the golden metal poles. Pick it up, it's a Potion, then continue on down the ladders. Jessie will stay put.

Keep going over a large pipe and you'll see the first save point after a moment. Continue down the long bridge pathway.

Pick up the Restore materia, then check your party's HP, as you have a boss fight soon, then go to the gold-coloured wheel. Cloud gets an odd warning as Barret's supervising him, and soon the boss shows up:

You now have 10 minutes to leave the reactor. Take the same path first, and make sure that you talk to Jessie. After the elevator, talk to Jessie, then Biggs. You can easily get out with 4-5 minutes to spare, so don't worry about time. After you're out the door, you witness the lovely explosions as Wedge runs around in a panic.

1.2: The Sector 8 Train

You start in an enclosed area. Jessie sets off a bomb, then you run away and split up, planning to meet at the Sector 8 station. You can now go up the stairs, and there you find the flower girl from before, who you can have a short conversation with. This affects a future event, you can enable spoilers for details.

Go down and below the first large, circular area. Near a small rectangular object, you'll find a Potion. Continue down, where some lower-level employees from Shinra will attempt to corner you. Fight them if you want experience, but you can keep running away. Eventually, Cloud breaks away with a well-timed escape.

Follow your crew in the train, then talk to Barret, then Jessie. She shows you the Midgar Rail system, and explains what they're doing. Talk to her again, then go talk to Barret. Next stop is Sector 7, and Barret tells you to meet back at the hideout. Go left and up to find your save point. Don't talk to the person standing near it unless you want to spend some time reading.

1.3: Sector 7

Go down and head to the left. You’ll notice Barret chasing a few people out of small building; go in there. At this point you meet Tifa, and a shy little girl named Marlene. Talk to everyone, then try to leave; Barret runs in. Follow the others downstairs by going up to the arcade and using OK on it. Go to the top of the screen, and talk to Barret.

Once you're back at the top of the bar, go to leave, then Tifa runs up. After some discussion, there's a flashback.

Later, you wake up downstairs. You have nothing to do here, so go up. There's a new mission lined up, and Tifa is going as well. You're targeting the Sector 5 Reactor this time. Leave the hideout, Tifa's Seventh Heaven, and there are three places you can go to. One is the red and metal building, which has shops and free items. Go in the green door.

In the Weapon shop, there's a boy offering Inn services for a price of 10 gil (you'll find the location soon). Upstairs is a tutorial area. You can pick up an All materia, and then get an Ether from a chest that falls out of the sky. Talk to all the people and the save point if you want advice for the game.

Upstairs again is the rest option. To the left, and up, from the building is an item and materia shop. The other place is a residence. Once you’ve had your fill of Sector 7, leave the area and head for the train.

1.4: Sector 5 Reactor

Once the dialogue stops, red lights begin to flash. Just keep running down the train whenever you get the chance, and at the end, talk to your fellow party members. Once you've jumped, you'll be in a tunnel, so head up. It doesn't really matter what you say for the duct part, but you need to go in there.

Once down, you can pick up an Ether, then keep moving. You'll get to a large area of platforms and ladders that can be hard to see. Take the first ladder up. You get to a room with Jessie, and there you can pick up a Potion that is directly opposite from where Jessie is, then talk to her. Going directly down from her to a ladder takes you back to the platform, near Wedge, and the other way takes you to Biggs, a save point, and a Tent. Go out that exit.

Slide down the pipe and head for the door at the end of the stairway, like in the last reactor. Keep going, and before you get there, Cloud has a flashback of a younger Tifa, talking to a man named Sephiroth. Do your task at the controls, then head back. Go up all the way, using the stairs instead of the pipe. You'll get to an area where there's a treasure chest containing an Ether.

Go up and to the left, where you have to do a quick mini game. Time your hit so that everyone hits the button at once. This tends to take a few tries to get it right, and remember, there's a short pause between Tifa talking, and raising her hands. Exit and go up, and check your equipment/health.

After talking to the President, you'll have to deal with:

Unfortunately, once you’ve won, the bridge breaks and the party becomes separated.

1.5: Aeris

Cloud wakes up in a church in the Sector 5 slums, in the company of the flower girl from earlier. You learn that her name is Aeris, and she’d like you to be her bodyguard. As you’re talking, a shady character struts into the church, and Aeris remains mostly calm in telling Cloud that they need to leave. It’s Reno of the Turks, with some Shinra help.

Follow Aeris, then run to the right until you're across from some stairs. Turn towards them, and you'll jump. Head up, and eventually Aeris will fall down, putting herself in a position to be attacked. She can run, fight or wait. I usually just have her wait, but if she fights, she gets a little experience.

Cloud, in between battles, can push down barrels from the top, trying to hit/put off the enemy. If you tell Aeris to ‘hold on a minute’, you can usually push over a well-targeted barrel to help her, but make sure you're pushing the right one. If you can't hit them with barrels, Aeris can defeat them anyway.

Leave, exiting over the log to the left that's sticking up, and keep hitting left to jump.

1.6: To Aeris's House

Go upwards to get to Aeris’s house, though you'll have to pass through a few smaller areas first. Go left, then up, and talk to the people here/poke into the houses. There are shops and conversations, and that's about it. This affects a future event. Enable spoilers for details.

Go up into the green light, then around the house, up the ladder, and through the first top garden. Go down and you can get a Cover materia, and an Ether. Once you have these, go into her house and meet her mother, Elmyra.

Before you step out of the bedroom with Cloud, pick up the little white package on the floor containing a Potion and a Phoenix Down. The actual escaping is tricky; if you step on a squeaky step, Aeris will come out, and then you'll have to do it over. Stay near the wall until just before her door, then go downstairs and head down where you came from.

1.7: To Sector 7 Again

Head back down and out through the Sector 5 slum. Start to go north-west, where Aeris joins you. Go up into a section that has a lot of bridges and tunnels made out of debris. You want to go down the pink bridge, through the tunnel there that's a little hard to see, then around. Near an abandoned yellow vehicle, you need to go up a pinkish-brown pipe which isn't very obviously on the ground. Follow Aeris, have a conversation, then you'll see something suspicious near Sector 7.

1.8: Follow That Cart!

Follow Aeris up and over to Wall Market, which is the slummiest of the slums. Talk to everyone to learn more information about Tifa. If you manage to make your way to the very top, Aeris starts giggling, and formulates a rather interesting plan.

If your aim is to have Cloud picked (or just want more detailed information about the whole process), you'll want to enable spoilers. Otherwise, the immediately following gets you through this section with the least effort required.

There's some preparation required to get any character selected, and to start, you need a dress. Find the shop, talk to the dressmaker, then talk to her father in the bar. Once he's talked with you, talk to the dressmaker again. Her father, inspired by the unusual request, makes a dress for Cloud. Once done, go to the gym and do a squat contest to win a wig.

You actually can get into the lower Honey Bee Inn too, if you want, by talking to the man outside the lower Honey Bee Inn area. He gives you a pass, and you can then talk to the man at the gate to get in.

Present your party to Don Corneo, who will pick one of you to...well, you can guess. Sometimes Aeris gets picked, but it's usually Tifa if you didn’t get into the Honey Bee Inn, or choose the correct items. Fight your way out of the room you're in. Don't forget the Phoenix Down in the corner of the room. Talk to Scotch if you can't get anywhere.

Go down to the room you were in, if Tifa was picked, to rescue Aeris. Otherwise, Tifa comes up on her own. Go to the middle room behind the curtain, and have a conversation with Corneo.

1.9: The Train Graveyard

You wake up in the sewers; talk to Aeris and Tifa to get them up. Almost immediately, however, you have a boss fight, courtesy of the Don:

Once you’ve cut down Aps, don't forget the Steal materia on the other side of the sewers. Keep an eye out for the relatively rare enemy, Eligor, from which you can steal the Striking Staff. This is a weapon that can't be found until much later in the game, so it's worth acquiring.

Jump down the hole, then climb up the area where the green arrow is.

You end up at the train graveyard, which can be a confusing place. Go up the ladder on the first train, which we'll call A, and walk forward to get a Hi-Potion. You can keep going here, and it will take you to a bridge that you can walk onto, that connects to train B.

Take the bridge over to the ground on the other side of train A, run around the top of it, right to the middle of trains A and B. Run inside of train B to get a Potion. After that, go back and head left to examine the barrel for an Ether. Head then for the small gateway from inside of Train B, so that you're in between trains B and C, which is at the far right. Go up the ladder onto train C, take the ladder just a few steps up from it back down to the ground, then walk up until you get to a gateway going into train C, as illustrated in the screenshot below:

Go inside, then up and out to the ground again, between the trains. There will be another Potion to grab, then go up.

In this new area, go up, around the train to your left, down, and in a corner at the bottom of the screen you'll find another Potion. Further left, you'll find another barrel housing an Echo Screen. Now, go way up, past a train that looks like it could collide with another train (one is vertical, one is horizontal) until you see a horizontal, grey train with a ladder to climb up on. Go up and get the Hi-Potion, then go down to the train below it (brown). Go inside of a black doorway, and this causes the train to go backwards. Go around, up to the train with the ladder, then go inside of a black doorway there so that the train backs up just enough to line it up with the ladder. Climb up the ladder on the grey train, jump to the brown train, then walk along the grey ladder. Head further down, and then you can run off screen to the left. Look familiar? Keep going to your left.

1.10: Sector 7's Plate

Run up to the gate where the Sector 7 save point is, and the game takes over. You see people gathered at a gate, and the pillar is still up. Remember to save before you start climbing the stairs.

Once at the top, you see Barret, fighting. He doesn't seem at all surprised to see you both, safe and sound, so join him.

Soon, a Turk enters the scene, and a boss fight begins:

Reno leaves with a wounded pride, and arm, and Tifa attempts to diffuse the situation. Go help her. It doesn't work, and then you soon see Tseng, the leader of the Turks, in a helicopter with Aeris. Talk to Tifa and Barret, and soon Barret gets you out of there with a thick cable wire, just in time.

You come to in a playground just outside Sector 7, and walk up to see what has happened. After a talk, Tifa realizes what Aeris meant when she said "She's alright," and then you leave the area.

1.11: Hunt for Marlene

Head down ahead of the others, start to climb up, then they'll catch up. Cloud has another moment of clarity, then you can move.

If you go back up to the playground, you can see a Sense materia on the other side of the right gate. Go back down and all the way through, then up towards Aeris's house. There's not much new to see in the Sector 5 slum, unless you need items. Go up to Aeris's house and talk to her mother, Elmyra, where you learn more about her.

Go around and talk to others, then go visit Marlene and Barret upstairs. Start to leave and he talks more, then you can get rest in the room beside it. Start to leave the house to get things going again. Leaving Marlene with Elmyra, you start to form a plan to get Aeris back. Tifa suggests the Wall Market.

1.12: Return to the Wall Market

Go back to the Sector 7 playground, up towards the former Sector 7 entrance, then to the right. Go up to the Weapon shop, and the other man there wants to sell you a battery so you can go to the plate. Go up, then follow the kids to the right to the Wall. You need to climb that wire.

Once you get up that first part, jump to the left, then run down, to the right, then down again

so you can place the battery in the yellow box. Go up to where the propellor is along that pale pipe, jump up, then go to the rail that dips down and up. Put a battery in that box too.

Go up that sign, and now it's time for the maddening part. See that swinging pipe? You need to catch it just right so that you can swing to the other side. Try to line your jump so you're going when the bar is "touching" the first prong part that's hanging. Continue going up when you make it, and congratulations if you got it on the first try. Keep going up and around pipes, and then you'll be at the Shinra building.

1.13: The Shinra Building

You have two options; storm in the front, or take the stairs. Taking the stairs is safer, and you get an item that you wouldn't otherwise, but it takes a very long time. Busting through the front doors involves more fighting, but it takes less time. We'll bust in first, then I'll list what you get if you take the other way.

You run in, threaten the receptionist, and then fight. Go up the stairs twice, then into the elevator, click on the panel on the side to go up. Then, you'll be fighting in the elevator, (click the panel to fight). Eventually, you'll get out, then head down to get to another elevator. Make sure you pick up Keycard 60 first (it's automatic after a battle with Mighty Grunt). Both ways connect just before this area, so before proceeding with level 60, I'll talk about the stair method.

This way is boring, but you get one item. Run off to the far left, then go in the door to the right at the end of the hallway. There's nothing in the first stair section or the second except for dialogue and climbing. After a long while, you can pick up an Elixir. Somehow, the stairs take you exactly to floor 59, where you ended up the other way. Fight, get the keycard, and go in to level 60.

Now is your chance to actually be stealthy. All those guards that should have been watching the stairs, or watching you in the elevator, are here. Go into that door with the red light to the left, and then you'll be heading out one at a time past the guards. You can only move when they can't see you (when they're walking). There are two sets of two, and the second two are faster. Go right up behind the yellow things so they're between you, and do one at a time. If you mess up, you fight and have to start over from that first room.

If you mess it up three times, then you get to go on without having to be stealthy, as the soldiers disappear. Go to your right, and up to floor 61.

1.14: Shinra Building, Floor 61 and up

Talk to everyone. When someone asks you who you are, and there's an option to mention Aeris. Don't, and you can get a Keycard to the next level. Head back to the stairs, and go up.

You're now in a library in floor 62; go inside and click on the books in the different coloured bookshelves to hear titles and descriptions; there’s talk of Ancients, and construction, and Jenova. Mayor Domino , the Mayor of Midgar, is also here, and you need to talk to him. Talk to the guy outside his office first, though, the Deputy Mayor.

The Mayor is bitter over being a librarian, more or less, and so offers you the keycard to the 65th floor if you guess his password. You can guess, or ask the Deputy for help.

The answer lies in the library. Read all the plaques, then look in the library itself for the book that doesn't fit. Each library has one, and once you figure out what those books are about, you should be able to guess the password. If you get it right the first time, you get an Elemental materia as well as the keycard. (The password changes each time.)

Head up to floor 63, and here you can get prizes by crawling through vents and opening doors. There are three coupons in the maze, and you can get all three. First, go around the top and open two doors so you can enter the room with the first coupon. After that, climb through the vent that's in the room with that coupon and head north on the intersection. Grab the coupon there, and then exit that room. From there, simply open the door that is blocking the path to the final coupon, and return to the computer to collect your prizes, a Star Pendant, All materia, and a Four Slots. The computer tells you what is what.

64 is the gym, you can walk around and talk to people. There's also a save point here, and in the room with treadmills, you can get a Shinra Gym Special Drink. The lockers in the back have items, if you click on them. The first row has a Phoenix Down, second row has an Ether, the third row has a Megaphone, but Cloud doesn't take it.

Go up to floor 65, and there are enemies here, so watch out. This basically is a puzzle; you need to get the items in the chests, and put them in order on the model in the middle room. Only one chest opens at a time, though. Click all around on the model to get dialogue, and then go check for chests that are unlocked. Bring pieces back to the model and put them in before opening another. Once that's done, go back to the stairs and open the chest to get Keycard 66.

Go up, and there are no more enemies here; unless you count the Shinra management, who don't see you. Talk to people, then head to the bathroom. Go into the stall and climb up. Go to the grate, and spy.

Get out and go up and around, then catch up with Hojo, up to floor 67. Keep following, and he examines an orange, cat-like creature. Hojo leaves, then you look at the animal. Cloud notices the dome with the pink glow, and says Jenova. Look inside. Keep moving forward through the boxes, then you'll find a save point and Poison materia in a chest.

1.15: Hojo's Lab

First, a note; when you encounter Soldier: 3rd, make sure you steal the Hardedge from him.

Head up through the door with the red light on top, then the next room has a scene. There's Aeris, but Hojo doesn't seem worried about you being there yet. He has the lion-like creature, shown earlier, put in the same prison that Aeris is in. You manage to get Aeris out just in time, and the lion jumps out at Hojo. However, you soon find out that he can talk, and is more than just a beast.

You can ask either Tifa or Barret to take Aeris "somewhere safe". This just means that Aeris and that person will form another party. You can name the lion at this point, default is Red XIII.

A boss fight begins, against:

After the fight, it's decided that you'll meet at the 66th floor elevator. Be sure to pick up the Enemy Skill materia in the area where Aeris and Red XIII were held.

Head down the reddish path, up to the mesh walkway, and pick up the blue Potion, then the other blue Potion. If you go up further on the mesh, a scared employee gives you a keycard to the 68th floor. Follow him down to the grey floor and to the right

You can get two more Potions a little past the green lines. Keep heading through the doors, the path is straightforward.

Go down and out to the 66th floor elevator.

1.16: Getting out of Shinra

After you're caught and brought in front of the President, you learn more about just who Aeris is.

In the next scene, you're in a jail cell. Talk to others in the rooms, by either clicking near Tifa, or at the door. .

The crew decides to rest, but when you wake up, something is wrong. The door is wide open, for one.

Go to where Jenova was, which is now a bloody wreck.

Make your way through the crates to where the red arrow is, and take a moment to save. Once you're in the lab, follow the trail of blood through the room with the green stripes, and up.

Keep heading up, to find the President dead at his desk. Head up to the top of the screen after some dialogue, and out the door.

At this point, you split into two parties. Make sure your materia is evenly spaced, keeping in mind that Cloud has to do a solo boss fight soon. With Aeris, head down to the elevator and go down, and you’ll have to fight two bosses consecutively.

When you’re done, head to the bottom, and then you switch to Cloud, who has his own fight to win against Rufus and his pet cat.

When you’re done, run back out and down to Tifa and the Save Point.

Once you're back to Aeris' party, start to head out of the building to get dialogue going.

1.17: The Great Motorcycle (and Truck) Escape

To get out, Cloud will be on a motorcycle while the others are in a truck. Cloud will be using his sword to protect the others while you make your escape, so hit Square/switch to attack on the left, OK to attack on the right, and make sure you're ready for a fight at the end. Be careful; every time a person in the truck gets hit, their health goes down.

After, talk to everyone, then try to leave.

1.18: Kalm

Head North-East to Kalm. You can go to the Inn right away, or explore and do some shopping.

In the third door, from the right of the Inn, you can go into the house to the back where there's a winding staircase. Go all the way up, and get the Peacemaker from the treasure chest. Take the other stairs in that house and you can find a Guard Source in the bureau next to the little girl. In the second door, on the second floor, you can find an Ether hidden in another bureau. In the first door, you can find another Ether in a closet by the staircase. If you head to the house on the far right, there is a small door on the side of the wall next to the staircase. Inside this door, you can find a Ether.

When you're ready, go to the Inn, head upstairs and get ready for some backstory. After the long flashback is over, don't forget to grab a rare Megalixir in the bureau upstairs in the Inn. It says that you can't reach it, but keep trying, and eventually Cloud will kick the chest and get the item.

Once you have control, walk around and talk to Sephiroth and the two men in blue. Walk around town, and be sure to visit Cloud's Mother in one of the houses. Be sure to go into Tifa's house as well, which is next door. In Tifa's room, you can get Orthopedic Underwear from the cabinet with the three boxes on it. You can also read the letter on the desk, and play the piano.

Head to the Inn, and talk to Zangan, then the Innkeeper. Talk to Sephiroth, then sleep.

1.19: Mt. Nibel

Cloud finds out that Tifa is the guide, and there is a picture taken of all of you before you head up. Once you get control again, you can look at your menu, but nothing can really be changed. Cross the bridge, and head forward. You fight enemies, but having Sephiroth in your party makes things easier. Once you're off the bridge, head up and to the right.

Head all the way up, then out, and you'll see a natural mako fountain. Once you have control again, head inside of the mako reactor.

Head forward, then left along the pipeline, then jump to the boards, jump to the chains and climb down. Go to the right, into the entranceway. Talk to Sephiroth, fix the valve, then talk to him again to look through the window. You then have the option to save your game.

1.20: Cloud's Past

Go inside of the Shinra mansion and look around; talk to people. Look for clues about where Sephiroth is. Go into the room up the stairs, to the right, in where the blue armoured man says that he saw Sephiroth disappear to. Click on the rounded corner to find the secret entrance.

You end up in a very dark, gritty looking cave, but there is a library at the end of it; head there, then talk to Sephiroth. Leave the area. Once you have control again, head back to the library.

Follow up and out of the mansion. Head into the flaming town, where Zangan speaks to you, then go into the house with the open door.

When you have control next, you're at the reactor; head to the place where Sephiroth was showing Cloud the monsters, earlier. Check on Tifa, then go to Sephiroth.

Back to the present, Barret wants to move on. Doesn't really matter how you respond to him. Finish up your business, then head east for a small farm.

1.21: Chocobo Farm

Go in the farmhouse and talk to the man. You can rest by walking into the bedroom (he'll ask if you're looking for an Inn). He advises you to get a chocobo, so you can get through the marshes and not get hit by the Midgar Zolom, who you are definitely not ready to fight yet.

Leave, go into the barn with a big picture of a chocobo on it, and talk to Choco Billy. You'll need 2000 gil to buy the Chocobo Lure (you do need it), so if you're low, do some battles on the grass to get more.

Also, if you "talk" to the chocobo at the bottom of the screen, outside in the fenced area, they'll do a little dance and you'll get the Choco/Mog summon materia.

To get a chocobo, equip the lure on someone, and run around on the footprints in the light green. Fight the monsters off and, if the chocobo doesn't freak out, you'll have one when the battle’s over. Run through the marsh (south) to the Mythril Mines, dodging the Midgar Zolom.

1.22: Mythril Mines

In the mines, head right and up.

Climb up the vines to the side to get a Long Range materia, then go up the steps to get a Tent from a treasure chest. Head back to where you first entered the Mines.

You'll see a path where you can go a little to the left, or to the right. Head down and to the right, to get a treasure chest with a Mind Source, then go back up and travel on the left path. Head left again, and out, where you see some "old friends".

Rude and Elena manage to leak helpful information to you, and Elena reveals that Reno came out of the last battle quite injured.

After the Turks are gone, you can head up to get an Elixir from a treasure chest, and a Hi-Potion near the cliff area. Head back down, and up into the yellow, glowing space. Once through, you're back on the world map again.

1.23: Fort Condor Area

Head south, from the exit of the Mythril Mines, to blue location with a huge bird of prey on top of it. There is a mini-game that can be done later, here, so keep this place in mind.

Inside of Fort Condor, for now, you can rest and visit the shops. Go up the ladders, then to the right and down to rest. To the right and up to get to the store. It doesn't hurt to keep at least 4 each of tranquilizers and hypers at this part of the game, especially for when you get to the Wutai area later.

1.24: Junon

Enemies: Bottomswell

Head East and a little south to Junon, and enter the town. Go into houses, talk to the people who are displeased with Shinra, and check out the elevator that is guarded by a Shinra employee. Once you've had your fill, head to the beach area, which is down from the house with the man standing in place, rather than walking. Before you go too far, though, make sure your equipment and materia are set in an optimal fashion, and that your characters are at full health. Put your long range materia on someone who can attack well, but isn't long range normally.

You meet Priscilla and her dolphin, but she doesn't like you very much. However, the conversation is cut short as you're attacked by:

After you beat up Bottomswell, you find that Priscilla has been knocked out and isn't breathing. You need to do CPR on her, which is a mini-game. Usually, if you fill to about 4-5 inhalation sounds, then hit the square/switch button, after a while she'll come around. Head to the first house that you saw in town, with the three beds, and go in.

You rest, Cloud has an odd dream, then Tifa asks you to go outside with her. Talk to your companions, then go up to talk to Priscilla. She gives you Shiva materia, and suggests a way to help you that, unfortunately, involves a high voltage tower near water. Your companions, however, have great faith that Cloud will be okay (aren't they caring?) Cloud takes the ribbing well enough. By the way, everyone who swears that Tifa and Aeris hate each other, and are rivals, should note that at this point they move off to one side to talk to each other in a friendly manner.

Get any items/weapons you need, then head to the beach area. Talk to Priscilla, who communicates with Mr. Dolphin via a whistle that she gives to you. Press Square/switch to blow the whistle, to get Mr. Dolphin to jump to the top. You need to have him jump just right of a rod sticking out on the top of the tower, with Cloud riding on top.

If you go a little above the triangular object, to the section to the upper left,

then call Mr. Dolphin, you should land on the rod.

Climb up, to the left, then you get a neat FMV of an airship. Go forward (so that the image of Cloud gets bigger), then look for a little, pale yellow nub to click on:

and the lift will take you down to the main level. Go in through the covered entranceway at the bottom of the screen.

1.25: Parade for President Rufus

A Soldier thinks that you're just late to change your clothes, so follow him into the locker room and play along. He'll teach you how to do stances, which is important for later on. Click on the second to last locker to change your clothes, then learn how to march. Find a save point down and to the opposite direction that the soldiers left in, and follow them after saving.

You're treated to an FMV view of Junnon, then find out you're late to get to the parade. One of the soldiers suggests a short-cut, so just follow what they instruct. You can't go into shops at this point; you'll get a chance later.

You're trying to sneak into the parade, now. Just go into the back, and try not to mess up the order. If you do it well, the ratings will go up, and you'll get a gift.

• 21% or lower: Grenade
• 22%-39%: 6 Potions
• 40%-50%: 6 Ethers
• 51% or higher: 5000 gil

After, you see Heidegger and the newly appointed President Rufus. They chat, Heidegger is visibly peeved, and then when it's just the soldiers, there is talk of a man in a black cape.

You're taken back to the original locker room and are told that you need to send Rufus off at the dock. You also get taught some new moves to remember. It's not that hard to do, however; the man in red cries out the button to push. Just make sure that you can remember your left from your right, and you're set.

Save, and then you're free to go back into the town.

1.26: Upper Junon

From here, you can go back out the way you went earlier and get into the shops. The first door is a materia shop, the alleyway beside it leads to a weapon shop (ground level) and below is a group of people talking, including Rude, the Turk from earlier, who either doesn’t recognize you, or doesn’t want to let you know that he knows. You can't do anything down here.

Next is an item shop, then a dorm area. On the bottom floor of the dorm is a tutorial area, where you can get an Enemy Skill materia and get information. Second floor is a (useless) 1/35 soldier, a Mind Source, and a Luck Source in the room with the mewling kittens. Further upstairs is a Power Source and Guard Source. If you keep going down past the area where you saw Heiddeger, and turn left, you get to talk to an elevator engineer who has some information about a Submarine and an Underwater Mako Reactor. Go up and left, and then keep going to the dock.

You can go into more stores here. Elena, partner to Rude and Reno, is at the counter, but there isn't much you can do here. Next door is a save point and Inn (ground floor), a materia shop with pretty women standing in it (second floor), and an accessory shop (third floor). Next door, on the ground level, is a Speed Source (walk through the grey door to where the soldier is standing, then go forward from him), upstairs is another 1/35 soldier. Finally, the last store is (another) weapon shop.

Head up to the dark area to the dock. Do your special moves, but keep in mind that he doesn't do them in the same order as in the locker room! Heidegger gives you a present depending on the president's mood.

• 50 or lower: Silver Glasses
• 51 to 99: HP Plus
• 100 or higher: Force Stealer

(Do you see Red XIII hiding in the background, on the boat?)

You also learn that Hojo has left, leaving a letter of resignation.

From here, go onto the boat, just like Rufus and Heidegger did.

1.27: AVALANCHE at Sea

Enemies: (Engine Room) Marine, Jenova-BIRTH

As soon as you can move, get an Ether from a treasure chest that's a few steps up, then to your left. There's also an All materia a few steps further up and to the right. Talk to other people around, and you'll slowly find other members of your party, undercover.

Head up the stairs. If you say "Something's missing" to the crewman in white, you have access to an Item Shop. There's a save point further down, near where Red XIII is doing an unintentional jig to keep his balance.

Go down the ladder from the save point and talk to Aeris again. She'll ask about Barret, so go all the way back up to the save point area, but stay one deck below and head left.

Warning alarms go off. Find your party and head down, and make sure you're ready for a boss fight in the engine room.

When you're done, get the Ifrit materia that's behind from where Cloud is standing, then go up the white ladder and all the way around to get a Wind Slash, which you can’t equip on anyone at the moment.

1.28: Costa Del Sol

When you leave the ship, everyone is back to their regular clothing, much to Aeris's disappointment. Mingle around the town, go to the shops, and go to the beach to see a certain scientist trying to get less pasty.

In the first house that you get to, go around the back and down to get a Power Source and a Fire Ring in a chest, and a Motor Drive off to one side. The man whose space you've invaded even tells you they're free; how nice of him!

You run into Johnny again, who reminds you that he's a childhood friend, and you were in SOLDIER together. He isn't important, but he does tend to be in a lot of places that Avalanche ends up in. Once you're out of the town, head west.

1.29: To Mt. Corel

Enemies: (Grasslands pre-cave) Grangalan, Grangalan Jr., Grangalan Jr. Jr. (On the path near the reactor) Bloatfloat, Bagnadrana, Cokatolis , Needle Kiss, Search Crown, Bomb

You can spend some time leveling up here, if you wish, and gaining cash to buy more items from Costa Del Sol. Otherwise, just go west and you'll get to a cave.

The cave leads to an outdoor path, and you see a man who's had a sighting of the man in a black cloak. It can be hard to see once you're near the reactor; just head for the path going down, you can't go inside this reactor.

Keep going over the bridge, and up and over the railways. (It's a good idea to put Barret in your party at the save point, if he isn't yet). There is a hole further up; if you head down, and you fall down and catch yourself strategically, you can obtain a few items such as a Star Pendant if you aim right, and when going up, a Wizard Staff if you aim left. There's also a treasure chest at the top of the hump, with a W Machine Gun.

Once you're down and around the other side of the hump of the rail, go up the other side. You can get a Turbo Ether and another chance to fall down; head right. Then on the rail, a Transform materia.

Go the way heading up, and you'll see your other party members below, cheering you on. They're there for a reason you'll see soon.

Go over and around to that little shack you see. It is on the same level as your tracks, so enter it, and hit a switch. The other two members who were blocked can now go though.

Hear those birds? Climb up the side where you hear them the loudest, and you could get 10 Phoenix Downs, but you need to fight for it. If the girls are with you, you lose brownie points.

Also, with the drawbridge, there seems to be 3 sets of tracks, one on top of the other. The top tracks don't lead anywhere, the middle tracks lead further into the game, but the lower tracks lead into the lake. If you go to the lake you will find a little cave with a merchant. You can also pick up 3 items in there. A Power Source, a Mind Source and a Tent.

Go back to the rails, and take the downward path so that you can leave the way your other party members did.

1.30: North Corel

Enemies: (grasslands) Flapbeat, Spencer, Joker

You end up at North Corel, where Barret is recognized. He'll walk away to talk to them, and you'll see him taking a punch to the head. Not many of the members of the town will be nice to you, most grumble and complain, but you can buy weapons and items.

If you go up to the left, under the sign, you can get to the ropeway to the Golden Saucer. You learn more about Barret's backstory, and just why he took that punch to the head earlier. Go to the Golden Saucer, but keep in mind that a single pass is 3000, and a lifetime pass is 30000. It makes things easier to get the lifetime pass, if you want to go level up and earn money.

1.31: The Golden Saucer

Barret takes off somewhere, but that's alright; he needs to cool off. Pair up with someone, then jump in a hole. If you follow Barret into Wonder Square, you get to meet Cait Sith, a fortune-telling Mog. Play games, which we have a guide for, and head to Battle Square when you want to get back to the story. A man named Dio accuses you of suspicious events, and chases after you.

1.32: Sandy Badlands

Enemies: 2-faced, Bandit, Dyne
Enemies: (Outside main prison area) Death Claw (Enemy Skill: Laser), Bullmotor (Enemy Skill: Matra Magic), Land Worm, Cactuar, Griffon

You're now in the Corel Prison; don't mind the NPC that follows you around, he's just being a pest. Keep in mind that there are random enemy encounters here, and there is a save point if you head down, after trying to talk to Barret.

Talk to people, then go into the wooden house. Barret tells you what happened 4 years ago, to him, Dyne, and Corel.

If you go down to the other house, you find a general store. Head up and left, then down to the Shinra truck and enter. You can rest for free by going in near the front tires, too.

Now you need to go into the door left of the Shinra logo and talk to the man. He gives you information; now you need to find the Boss. Go out, up, past the save point, and keep heading up. Take a left, then continue up. Veer right when you get to the gates, and go up through the wrecked cars. Make sure Barret is well-equipped for a one-on-one.

From here, get ready to meet:

1.33: Chocobo Race to Freedom

Apparently, to get out of what would otherwise be life imprisonment, one needs to win a chocobo race in the Golden Saucer. Cloud is chosen, and you meet Ester, who gives you the basics. Chocobo racing is fairly easy, and it's good to know how to do it for a major sidequest later on.

Don't forget the Ramuh materia in the corner of the room with the jockeys. Once you've raced and won, you get a buggy from Dio, and are told to head South to Gongaga. You regain control when you’re on the world map.

1.34: Gongaga

Enemies: (Corel Desert Grasslands) Spencer, Flapbeat Enemies: (Gongaga area) Turks: Reno (2/Gongaga), Turks: Rude (1/Gongaga), Kimara Bug, Flower Prong (big), Flower Prong (medium), Flower Prong (small), Touch Me (Enemy Skill: Frog Song) Enemies: (Gongaga, Ruined Reactor) Heavy Tank

Outside of the desert, you can get off your buggy and attack enemies or head straight to Gongaga. It looks like a large, beige crater with a black center, in the middle of a forest.

To the left, after entering, you'll see Rude and Reno chatting. Apparently, Rude likes Tifa, and Elena likes Tseng, but Tseng likes Aeris. So, who does Reno like?

You don't get to find out, because soon Elena shows up, and then you fight:

Once you're done (they escape, of course) continue to head left. You can pick up a yellow Deathblow materia, which is very useful. This path takes you out, so head back to the last fork and head up.

Gongaga has a melancholy air about it. In the distance, you can see a ruined reactor; go into the huts, and talk to the people at the small graveyard near the entrance.

You can get a White M-Phone in a chest in the north-eastern hut. If you have Aeris in your party, you can get a conversation in the south-eastern hut. Also, there's an X-Potion in the Inn hut (north-west).

When you're done, head back down and you'll see Aeris by the hut below the Inn hut; talk to her. Head back down and out of Gongaga, but stay on the forest paths. Remember where you first came in? Go right, this time.

You’ll find yourself in a ruined reactor; Scarlett and Tseng show up, but AVALANCHE manages to hide. She's clearly looking for some sort of materia, and has no interest in Cloud at the moment.

When you start to head down, reach for the shiny thing; it's the Titan materia. Once you have it, head down and out of the ruined reactor. Get on your buggy and head west.

1.35: To Cosmo Canyon

Enemies: (West of Gongaga) Mystery Ninja (Lv17), Touch Me (Enemy Skill: Frog Song), Gagighandi

If you go through the forest area here, it's possible to encounter Mystery Ninja (Lv17), who is part of a side quest. Head north through the forests and stream.

As you head north-west, you'll notice the scenery becoming a warmer shade of orange, and you'll come to a village among the canyons called Cosmo Canyon.

Go up the stairway, and a conversation begins Although the gatekeeper tells you that the village is full, he lets you in anyway; explore to your heart's content. Starting from the far right (beyond the campfire) you can climb up a ladder to get to a store. Through the door, back on ground floor, you can go up the stairs and you'll see a Turtle's Paradise poster on the wall, not too far from the Inn Manager. The next ladder up, the really tall one, leads to nothing. Go further left, and head up the stone-carved stairs.

Red XIII tells you about his village, as well as his shame towards his deceased father. Follow your party in through the opening, and you'll see another Turtle's Paradise poster, a save point, and a shop. Further up is a materia shop and a sealed door, and a ladder heading up. Go up, then head left to the entryway where Bugenhagen is.

After some talk, you are told to get one of your friends; it doesn't really matter who, though if it's one of the girls, it might affect a scenario later.

1.36: The Cries of the Planet

Enemies: (Cavern) Heg, Sneaky Step (Enemy Skill: Death Sentence), Gi Spector (Enemy Skill: Death Sentence), Stinger, Soul Fire, Gi Nattak

Once you've found two people, head back up to the tower. Go up and talk to Bugenhagen. Once you're done with the machine, talk to Bugenhagen, then leave and look for Red XIII (campfire area) where you can have a conversation with your friends. When Bugenhagen arrives, follow him up to the sealed door area (you'll want to save first, and check equipment).

Talk to Bugenhagen, and then you can enter the cave. You go down a fair distance, and the environment begins to give off an eerie, green glow.

There are small caves within the cavern, the first is maybe 10 paces after stepping in. You can break a rock in it when you go in, but you don't have to until the third cavern. The first two cause you to be attacked, and you can head up the path between them to the third.

You can go straight up through the opening where Bugenhagen talks, or you can go to the right first into another cavern with a dummy switch.

When you go through and run to the left, you'll see there's a spill of something slick there. Walk on it, don't run, and head down. When you go down (far left) and out that entry, you can get an Added Effect materia to the left. Head back up, turn right at the slick, then up again. You can go right then down some stairs to get a chest with a Black M-phone in it, then, before going up the stairs, head up through that other opening to get an Ether.

Go back up the stairs and keep heading forward. As you may have noticed, this is a great place to level up, so stick around if you have the items to do so.

Go up, and you'll be confronted with 5 caves and a tempting chest that you can't get from just there. The far right one just takes you to the far left, and vice versa, and the middle one has nothing, so really you just have two. Second from the right takes you to an annoying battle with a Stinger, which is harder than the other enemies so far. However, if you happen to have the Frog Song enemy skill, give it a try; it works, and this enemy doesn't have enough exp, ap, or gil to be worth fighting normally. Keep going up to get the X-Potion, then head back down and try the second from the left cave.

Go up and fight Stinger again, then up to another spider's web. There's a chest here that you need to go through the wall to the left to get to, where you can obtain a Turbo Ether. For another chest in this area, go all the way to the left and down, then through the hidden hole in the wall, but wait! Stop halfway through and find the passage that branches right. Go through that for a Fairy Ring. When you head back up, get ready, because after you go through that entry you fight:

When you're done, pick up the green Gravity materia before following up for a sequence. Afterwards, get what you need from the village and leave. You're heading north, beyond the canyons.

1.37: Hometown: Nibelheim

Enemies: (Outside Cosmo Canyon) Skeeskee, Desert Sahagin, Griffin Enemies: (Nibelheim Grasslands) Grand Horn, Valron, Nibel Wolf

Head around the canyons, northward, to Nibelheim (use your map if you're having trouble finding it). Enter Nibelheim, and Cloud and Tifa get quite a shock; it’s not burnt down, and looks completely restored. Go into the house that's after the small bridge, up to the top floor, and you can get a Luck Source from talking to the small, black-clad people.

In Tifa's house (next one) you can get a Turbo Ether from the black-clad person in the kitchen area, then a Platinum Fist from the one in Tifa's parents' bedroom. You can read a suspicious note on Tifa's desk, and play her piano if you like.

There’s nothing in Cloud's house to do. On the other side of the path that leads to the old mansion, go in and talk to the black-clad person near the stove; you get an Elixir. Go to the Inn building, and in the back room there's another one with a Luck Source. Once you're done, head up to the mansion.

1.38: The Old Mansion

Enemies: Ghirofelgo, Dorky Face, Jersey (Enemy Skill: ????), Lost Number, Black Bat

You can talk to the people outside the gate, but they don't have any items. Go inside the mansion (there are random battles inside), and in the room to the left. Here, you start to find clues to a mystery that you can solve. enable spoilers to read what can be accomplished here. Further information on getting items is in this section of the website. Everything here can be done later, and keep in mind that you can get Odin, as well as Red XIII's limit break Cosmo Memory in the mansion.

From here, you can leave the mansion and head out through the north end of town to the grasslands between Nibelheim and Mt. Nibel.

1.39: Mt. Nibel, Present Time

Enemies: Sonic Speed, Kyuvilduns, Zuu, Twin Brain, Screamer, Dragon (Enemy Skill: Flame Thrower), Materia Keeper (Enemy Skill: Trine)

The paths of Mt. Nibel are twisting and long, and sometimes hard to distinguish from the background. The enemies here are also a step harder, so be cautious. You should also keep in mind that once you encounter a Dragon, you can steal a Gold Armlet from it.

Once you've gone around the first path, you can see a fork that goes either up, or to the left. Take the path up to get a Rune Blade (you have to run around behind the mountain, then back up.) Head back down, and resume the leftward path. There's another spot after the jump, just before the rock, where you can take the path and head up and right. Once you get up onto that mountain, you need to take the lower path, and get to the other side. See that glistening speck? That's a chest, your goal. It takes a lot of maneuvering up and to the right again, and it's a Plus Barette. Once you manage to get back down to the rock, keep going left around to that bridge and cross it.

After the bridge, go down the two ladders and you'll see a path down, then a path to the left. If you head to the left, you can get to the reactor and go in, but there's really nothing interesting in there. There's a path down that takes you further into the mountains, and it loops around back to where you just were.

If you go down that ladder instead of through the door, you'll see a chest that's tricky to get to. Here's what you need to do: Push down the folding ladder on the middle platform first so you can back to where you started. Jumping down the chutes at the top lets you get at certain places and items. Their numbers are listed on the barrels themselves, ascending from right to left.

Chute 1: Drops you off right in front of the Materia Keeper.

Chute 2: Opens up over the rock with the shiny object, hereafter known as the Powersoul.

Chute 3: Drops you on the second level.

Chute 4: Leads down to the isolated chest with an All materia. Getting back is as easy as a hop, skip, n' jump back to the right.

Chute 5: Also drops you on the second level.

In all, you only need to take chutes two and four.

To the right of the ladders, you'll see Materia Keeper moving around, you'll need to fight him to leave the mountain. First, though, go in the pathway before him, jump down, and go in that cave. Go around the side and up again, and you'll see a chest in a cave of stalactites. You need to go around to the other end, then head down through the rock on the ground, go in that little cavern, around to the side, then out to get the Elixir. Head back up and out the north end of the cave.

In the mako pool just outside, there is an Elemental materia. From here, head up into another cavern. You can take a path to the right that turns to the left at the top, and get the Sniper CR from the chest. Head to the right, then down; note that from here, if you go to the left, you can get back up to the reactor mentioned earlier. Heading right takes you to a dead end.

Head back to the area where you see the save point and the ladders. Save, and then you can go fight the enemy below. He's challenging, so it's best to use your fighters with the highest HP that don't have fire-based limits.

When you finish, pick up the Counter Attack materia that he drops. Head down the path he was guarding, around, and then you're out on the grasslands again.

1.40: Rocket Town

Enemies: (grasslands, beach and forest) Velcher Task, Valron, Nibel Wolf, Crown Lance Enemies: (in Town) Palmer

Head around the mountains, to your left, then up and around to find a small town.

Rocket Town is named as such because of the really big, old rocket that dominates the scenery. When you get into town, speak to the man watching the rocket twice to obtain the Yoshiyuki, a unique weapon for Cloud that increases in strength when he is accompanied by fallen (or otherwise underclocked) party members. Continue to investigate the shops and various houses; in the house to the right of the rocket, there's a Drill Arm in a chest in one of the rooms, and out in the back you'll see a large, pink aircraft. Shera, who lives there, comes out and tells you that you should ask the Captain about the aircraft.

In the house beyond that house, you can get a Power Source from a chest. When you go to the rocket, head up a couple of little bridges then up the long ladder. You'll find the Captain up there, whose name is Cid. It'll impress him if you ask about the rocket straight away, but you don't have to ask that first. Once he starts repeating dialogue, head back to the house where you met Shera.

Palmer shows up after a flash-back, and Cid is asked to go outside. Follow him out to hear the conversation, then Shera calls you back. Head to the Tiny Bronco, and get ready for a fight.

Somehow during the fight (or maybe before?) Palmer managed to start the Tiny Bronco. Your party climbs on after Palmer is hit by a truck, and you make a dramatic escape with Cid in tow. You end up near the Wutai continent, so you can land there and possibly do a side quest, if you did a prior event.

1.41: A Night at the Golden Saucer

Take the Tiny Bronco and head through the centre of the left, middle continent, on a river path (it's the same river that runs below the Golden Saucer desert). You'll see a house with a blue roof on that same continent, on the bottom side of the river. Go in and talk to the man there. He talks about a Keystone, something you'll be needing. It turns out that he's sold it to Dio, at the Golden Saucer. Now you should go up to the Golden Saucer, through Corel. Park at the beach and walk up through the grasslands.

Dio is at Battle Square, to the right in Dio's Show Room. He'll give you the keystone on one condition; you fight for it in the Battle Square. Make sure you put the appropriate materia on Cloud before you talk to Dio, because it's one on one. You don't have to get all the way to the end; after, he gives you the keystone and sends you on your way. Next stop is the temple.

However, just as you get to the exit, you learn that the tram is actually broken. You'll have to spend the night. Luckily, Cait Sith knows the staff and he arranges for you to stay at the Ghost Hotel. After a conversation, someone will sneak into Cloud's room and lure him out on a date. It could be Tifa, Aeris, Yuffie or Barret, depending on your attitude towards these people throughout the game. For further information, check our sidequest section.

You get to Event Square, where you can play along or go against the script, it's up to you. Next is a cute scene on the gondola. When you're out, you see Cait Sith wandering around with the keystone. Follow him to Battle Square, then Speed, then Wonder, examine him behind the chocobo, go to Chocobo and follow him up the steps, then down the steps in time to see him tossing the Keystone to Tseng. Now, the confessions come out.

Back in your room, you can get an Elixir from the wardrobe, then go downstairs. You're heading for the Temple of the Ancients next, which is east towards the sea according to Cait Sith.

1.42: The Temple of the Ancients

Enemies: (Grasslands, beach and forest) Dual Horn, Tonadu, Slaps
Enemies: (Temple) Doorbull, Under Lizard, Kelzmelzer, Toxic Frog (Enemy Skill: Frog Song), Ancient Dragon, 8 eye, Red Dragon, Demon Gate, Jemnezmy

Go back to the Tiny Bronco, and look in your map as you head down. You see that cluster of small islands? Head there. They allow you to navigate in shallow water to a larger clump of earth, to the right, where you can land. The Temple of the Ancients is in that forest.

When you step into the gateway, Aeris does a full prostration bow and confirms that it is the correct place. Walk into the temple, and you see that Tseng is there and has been injured. He talks to you, and suggests that he actually helped Aeris leave Shinra at some point. Tseng gives you the Keystone, tells you to put it on the altar, then walks away, propping himself up against a column.

Put the keystone on the altar, and then you sink through the floor and end up in a large, elaborate maze. Head forward, left, forward, then take the right stairwell going down. Go in that little doorway, turn right, and climb down the vines. You can head right under the stairwell and open a chest to get a Trident. Take the stairwell down from the chest and climb up the vine. Take the stairwell up that's beside the entryway; you can't go in the entryway yet.

Up the stairwell, you almost catch up to that little creature, and you get a Mind Source. Go into the cavern he snuck into, then talk to him. He is one of the spirit bodies of the Ancients, and Aeris can communicate with him. He can allow you to rest, and sell you items. Also, in the chest there's a Silver Rifle.

Head back down the vines, then go through that first archway (from behind) and get a Turbo Ether. Head down the stairs, in another archway, then down again and through another archway, down to the end of the path and down the vines. In the chest there is a Rocket Punch. Head down, and before you follow the spirit, climb up the tall vines to get the pink Luck Plus materia, on the other side of the stairwell. Go back up the stairs, through the arch, and into the entryway to the left, then down, then left again.

This time you have to dodge rocks as they roll down, and there's a trick to it. You need to make sure you're under the arch as it passes by, or else it'll carry you. Turn up the first chance you get.

You can collect a Morph materia here, then continue. Notice that there was a green flash; a seal was broken. At the end, it'll flash again and the rocks will stop coming. Aeris starts to run back; follow her to the pool.

You see a flashback. Tseng and Elena are talking, and then she leaves, telling him to be careful. He asks her to dinner afterwards, showing that he doesn't think himself to be in danger. However, Sephiroth shows up.

When you're done, head to the end again and this time a spirit is there, to let you rest and save, if you wish. Head down from him, and you meet the Time Guardian.

In each room, there is either a chest, enemies, or another path. You can control the hands of time by spinning, and then walking on them to the appropriate room. If you make a mistake, go back into the room, then out again. Make sure that you do XII (the top one) last , and the bottom one, VI, should be second last. All the others can be done in any order:

I takes you to a chest with enemies Jemnezmy and Toxic Frog. II takes you to a dead end. III takes you to to a chest with enemy 8 eye. IIII takes you to a chest with the Princess Guard. V takes you back out to a maze, to a chest that contains a Ribbon. VII takes you to a chest with Trumpet Shell. VIII takes you to a chest with a Megalixir. IX takes you to a dead end. X is where you entered from originally, and takes you to rest and save. XI takes you to a dead end.

If you mess up and get knocked over by the second hand, you fall and end up in a room with a chest. Before you can move, though, you fight Ancient Dragon. In the chest is a Nail Bat. Remember that door from earlier that glowed green when you tried to enter it? You end up there, and need to go all the way back around.

The bottom room, VI, takes you to a little puzzle game to get a key. You need to follow the spirit through the caverns and 'tag' him. You need to figure out the layout of the caverns, and go in where he should come out. Keep in mind that he could easily go in one level and come out another. It's a little random, sometimes, just keep trying until you get it. Also, you can get a Work Glove in that chest on the bottom.

When you finally get him, he unlocks the door and you can rest/save through him. Once you go in that door, you're at the room with the murals. Keep walking along, and Sephiroth talks to you, though cryptically. Note what's on the murals. Sephiroth leaves after a moment, and Cloud becomes pseudo-possesed and is clearly unaware of what's going on. He gets a hold of himself soon, and then you fight a boss.

Once you're done, pick up the bouncing Bahamut materia, and you'll want to equip it right away as you have another boss fight coming up soon. First, though, head right to the altar and examine it. Select to leave it, then have Aeris ask.

Cait Sith soon calls with a solution. Let him handle it. Head to the far left, out, and let the spirit heal you. Then head straight up out the XII exit. Head for the door, and then you fight:

Afterwards, Cait Sith comes out and it's time to say goodbye. He's very good-natured about the whole thing, and even gives you fortunes again. If you have Tifa and Aeris, you see an amusing scenario. Cait Sith then goes in, and begins the work of solving the puzzles.

1.43: The Black Materia

After Cait Sith is done, you see the temple turn black, then very small, landing at the bottom of a hole where the temple was. Cloud and Aeris go down to fetch it, but then Sephiroth shows up. He ends up with the black materia, and there's nothing you can do to stop it.

At this point, Cait Sith II shows up and Cloud tries to figure out what happened. He ends up having a vision of Aeris talking to him, in a beautiful, sun-dappled forest which she calls the Sleeping Forest.

You wake up in Gongaga, at the Inn. Head down and out, and talk to your friends. You can do whatever you want at this point, but you need to find Aeris. When you're ready, get back to the Tiny Bronco (it should be just south of you) and head north from the eastern side of the continent (near the Golden Saucer). Take the river that cuts through the middle to the west, then head north, then east.

The land masses will be partially snow-covered; look for a beach to land at. There should be a spot just on the other side of a mountain peak, near a forest.

1.44: Through the Sleeping Forest

Enemies: (grasslands) Trickplay (Enemy Skill: L4 Suicide), Tonadu
Enemies: (mountain path) Malldancer, Boundfat (Enemy Skill: Death Sentence), Hungry

Head for the town in the forest that looks like a giant ribcage. Talk to the people working there; you need to find something called the Lunar Harp, and you need to do that by digging. It's a complicated procedure, you have to find a dig site based on seismic readings that the workers interpret. The Lunar Harp is somewhere on the top level, left of the tent.

You can also get treasure here, so it doesn't hurt to dig around, if you have the time. You need to put the people in a triangular position, and the point where they all face is the digging point.

When you're ready, head through the sleeping forest. When you're in the second part of it, it's possible to get a summon materia, Kjata. Look for a red orb bouncing around the trees; you have to catch it, but it's well worth it. It can take a moment to appear, so be patient.

Beyond that is a rocky mountain path. Go right, under that log, to get a Water Ring from a chest. Go back around through the hollow log, and over that long, scaly rock path. Here you come to the world map again, where you can save before proceeding.

1.45: The Forgotten City of the Ancients

Enemies: Jenova-LIFE (Enemy Skill: Aqualung)

You can take whichever path you want first, but we'll start with the left path. In the first house there is a save point, a small, crystal-like box that speaks words of the Ancients, and a chest with a Magic Source. If you continue right from here, you get to the center of the city, where you can find a Aurora Armlet.

When you go right, from the entrance, take the first right branching path you see into a hut. All the way at the top is a chest with a Guard Source. Next hut has an Elixir and a forced rest (resulting in a night time sequence). There's also an item behind the furthest bed, an Enemy Skill materia.

Head down to the main entrance and down the middle path. You can get a Comet materia from the top of that hut, then head down the glowing blue steps.

There's a save point here which you should use, as you have a difficult fight coming up soon. Also, put the Water Ring on someone, preferably your healer.

Start to go up those pillars in the middle, and you'll see Aeris. Go talk to her. You can fight it if you want, but something peculiar is happening to Cloud. After the FMV, you fight:

When it's over, there will be another scene, and then you're in the hut. You have the option to save, as it's the end of disk one.

2.1: Over the Hills and through the Meadows

Shortly after exiting the cabin, Cloud will have a "vision" and you will know which path to take. Cloud indicates he must "Head north... across the snowy plains". Exit where you saw Sephiroth exit.

You will enter an area with a spiral staircase is in the middle. Head in the back of the staircase and do not mount, walk on a ledge towards the treasure chest which contains Viper Halberd, a new weapon for Cid. Head up the staircase. When you reach the top of the staircase you will find a hole which leads you to the outside of the staircase; head to the bottom. You will reach an outstretch of the staircase and can proceed to a cave.

Enter a cave with several crevices in the wall, follow these instructions to ensure all the items. Upon entry, there will be two crevices, climb the left-most one and dismount to the left. You have only one option on this platform so head up and dismount to the left where your first treasure chest is, containing a Bolt Armlet. Head back down and dismount to the right. Keep walking right on the platform and head down for a treasure chest which contains a HypnoCrown. Head back up until you reach the next platform with a treasure chest which contains a Megalixir. Cross over to the left of that platform and enter the crevice. You will come across a pseudo-ladder, go down for a Magic Plus materia. Get back up the ladder, all the way to the top. Head to the right and you will find an exit which leads to another room.

In this room you will find a chest upon entry that contains a Power Source. Head north in this little room and you will find yourself back on the world map on some snowy plains.

Hug the side of the mountain and you will find eventually find yourself face to face with a little village. There are also chocobo tracks on the western part of the plains, here you can catch very weak chocobos or wonderful chocobos.

Enter the town.

2.2: Icicle Inn

The first cabin the the left is the weapons store. Several new weapons are available and I suggest you buy most of them. In the furthest cabin to the right, where two girls are building a snowman, you will find the Glacier Map on the wall; feel free to take it. There are also two shiny items on the floor you should help yourself to, these items are a Vaccine and a Hero Drink. Head to the inn, upstairs (bedroom), where you will find a well-hidden X-potion near the window. In the basement of the inn (entrance to the left of the staircase), you will hear two villagers talking about a Cetra, Ifalna , mother of Aeris.

In the cabin right beside the weapon shop, you will find yourself in the old house of Ifalna and Professor Gast. In the basement near the bed you will find a Turbo Ether. Back upstairs you will find a view-screen where you can watch three different films. Here they are in order.

1. The original Crisis.

With this video you will have a short History lesson on the Planet and the Cetra.

2. What is "Weapon?"

This is an introduction to WEAPON. There is also some information on Jenova in this video.

3. Confidential (There are two videos in the section).

Daughter's Record: 10th day after birth - This shows the origin of Aeris. Prof. Gast and Ifalna are her parents.

Daughter's Record: 20th day after birth - This provides you with the outcome of the family.

**Please note that these videos are extremely important to the development of the game, all of them.

After exiting the cabin, go towards the back of the hut and talk to the old man. After this little conversation, two Shinra soldiers will appear along with Elena. Dodging the punch will get Elena out of the scene, getting punched will bring you to Ifalna's home. Either way it doesn't effect the outcome. Head out to the cabin with the man on the roof and get the snowboard from the child inside.

Head down to the path where the old man is and have some fun!

2.3: Icicle Labyrinth

Depending on the path you took, you can end up in four different places around the icicle labyrinth:

• The Forest
• The Ice Gate. You can return to the World Map by simply going south from there, and go back to the Icicle Inn.
• The Lone Tree
• The Frozen Cave. You can return to the World Map using the cave, but you cannot go back to the Icicle Inn using this passage.

Either way, you can use the map you stole from the Icicle Inn by pressing the Switch button to find out where you are. However, your position isn’t displayed on the map, so you’ll have to guess yourself with the background elements. Different areas are displayed, and they are connected to each other by icy or snowy paths.

There are different items scattered throughout the Icicle labyrinth. Some of them are quite easy to get, while others require that you take a very precise path: for example, the cave where you encounter the Snow Witch can only be reached when coming from the Snowfield (the place where the wind keeps turning the screen). However, you should note that you do not have to get all the items in order to go on with your quest. In fact, to go on, you have to either pass out from exhaustion (and end up in Holzoff's cabin), or find your way to the Snowfield and keep going north using the markers to reach said cabin. But we will give you a runthrough for each valuable item that can be found in the Icicle labyrinth.

• In the Forest area, you can pick up a pink item lying around in the northwest corner of the forest, which is actually a Mind Source.

• If you take the east exit of the Forest area, you will end up on a Frozen Lake located at the center of the map, where you can find a Potion lying around. On the same screen, take the northwest exit to reach a screen with a little floating-iceblocks puzzle. Just jump on the first iceblock, and follow our instructions to get across it:

  Up - Left - Down - Left - Up - Right - Up - Right - Right - Left - Down - Right - Up - Up - Left

  Head up to get a Safety Bit in the cave, and head back down to the puzzle. By falling in, it will bring you back to the top, so don't try it. Here is how to get back down:

  Left - Down - Right - Right - Down - Left - Down - Right - Down - Left

• When you reach the Lone Tree area located on the map, you can either choose to take the east exit and go to the mountain path (see below on what to do next), or take the west exit to reach a new area. From there, just go north to reach another area with a little cave, which you can enter from two different entrances. Get in there to find an Elixir.

• From the Mountain Pass located on the east side of the map (it’s a rocky place with four exits), take the northeast exit. On the second icy path, you will find an Added Cut materia lying around, but it’s pretty hard to notice since it’s white-blue. If you continue on this way, you will end up on the screens with the Hot Springs (check below to see what to do from there). Note that taking this exact path is the only way to get this materia (if you try to get the materia by taking this path while originating from the Hot Springs, you will never find the materia).

• When you come across a field with a little bridge going over some steaming water, just go down to the water and touch the Hot Springs. After that, you only need to reach the Snowfield in order to access that cave where an old lady is staying. To reach it from the Hot Springs, just use the north-west exit right after you touched the Springs, and follow the path to reach the Snowfield. If you pass out, just get out of Holzoff’s cabin by the south to reach the snowfield. When you’re on the Snowfield, head east, and don’t forget to use the markers to keep your course: after three snowy passage, you will end up in a screen with a cave. Enter it and speak to the old lady in there: she will scream that you touched the Hot Springs, and attack you (she’s a regular Snow Witch, so no worries). When she’s defeated, you can pick up the Alexander materia and resume your exploration of the labyrinth.

• Finally, in the Snowfield itself, you can find a little cave right at the center of the area, holding an All materia. To reach it, you have multiple options. The simplest is reaching the Snowfield from Holzoff’s cabin, and keep heading south using the markers. You can also reach it from the Hot Springs access: just keep heading North and you’ll find it. From this cave, you can choose to go east to reach the Alexander materia cave, north to reach Holzoff’s cabin, or south to reach the Hot Springs.

When you reach Holzoff’s cabin, you can listen to his story about he and his friend Yamski. You can save inside the cabin, and also have the opportunity to change your party by talking to the freezing members of AVALANCHE outside the cabin. When you’re ready to go on with the story, just head north from there to reach Gaea’s Cliff.

2.4: Gaea's Cliff

When you first enter Gaea's Cliff, you will notice a number on the bottom right hand of the screen, this is your body temperature. If it falls to 27-26, you will pass out and awaken in Holzoff's house and will have to restart from there. Keep your temperature near 35. Bring your body temperature up by hitting the switch button repeatedly. You can only bring up your temperature when you are on a platform, which are indicated with red flags. Your maximum body temperature is 38.

You will need to climb a set of platforms to reach the inside of a cave. Walk up to the wall and press the action button and you just grip onto the wall to climb. For this section, there is nowhere to go but up.

After climbing several platforms, you will find yourself in a cave. There is only one exit in the room, head up. You will find yourself in another room with a staircase. There is a door right at the top, take it and you will find youself above to room in which you first found yourself. Take the bridge in this room and walk straight into the wall. You should find a hidden room with a chest that contains a Ribbon.

Exit this little room and head north were you should come across the Javelin in another chest. Exit through the nearest door and you will find yourself in a different room. Follow the path and you will find yourself face to face with an ice boulder. Select it with the action button and push it, you should see it clear a path for future use. Head back to the room with the staircase. Go up and you can take the path that was cleared from the boulder. Keep followong the path and it will lead you outside.

To successfuly reach the top to the cave without hitting a dead end, follow this guide.

After finding yourself outside, head up.

You will have a choice to make, choose to go up and you will reach the proper second platform.

You will have another choice to make, head right and you will make it to the third platform.

Head up to the fourth platform.

The correct path to chose on this platform is the one on the left.

Keep heading up and you will find yourself in another cave.

You will first find yourself in a room with several holes in the ground, ignore these for now and head to the exit which is situated North-East. This exit leads to a path outside, follow this path which will lead you to an upper level of the caves, and you find icicles and two chests. The chest on the right contains a Fire Armlet. To get to the other chest you must fight the icicles. Just running under them will activate the battle. At the end of every battle you will be given the option to return to the room below, don't go. When you open the chest to the left, you will find the "Last Elixir", which is a Megalixir. If you press the action button near the exit, you will be able to jump down to the room below. Do this. The room full of holes will be filled and you can collect a chest on the ground level that contains an Elixir. Another chest can be found in the upper left corner of the room. Due to the icicles, you can now collect a Speed Source. Head out the other door and in the next area you will immediately find a chest that contains an Enhance Sword, a new weapon for Cloud. Head up the path. You will find youself in another climbing area.

Every path here leads you in the right way so just worry about staying warm. After climbing you will find yourself in another cave.

In this cave, there is a hot spring, which will restore your HP/MP, and a save point. Head to the right of the room. You will enter a narrow hallway and witness a cloaked figure being thrown into the scene, he will shortly disappear and you will have to face a two-headed boss:

After defeating the boss, it's good idea to head back and use the hot springs and the save point before proceeding. A short cinematic will be witnessed. If you are wondering what that is, you have just seen the promised land.

2.5: The Promised Land

Welcome to the promised land. Before being able to continue, your characters will give a short description on what is going on and what is to come. After this, you have some walking to do. Head to the bottom of the crater. When you reach a part which seems to have a cloudy floor, Tifa will join your party. There is no avoiding this, so keep walking. In the next area, you will find Neo Bahamut, a piece of summon materia near the screen, glowing red. Keep on walking, and you will then notice that the Shinra have also arrived. You will witness a small conversation aboard the airship with some foreshadowing. After the sequence, keep heading to your left.

You will come to a scene were there are two narrow paths of rock, separated by the wind. The trick is to cross while the wind is barely visible. There will also be two hooded figures that seem to have been knocked out, talk to them both for items. The one on the right will give you a Hi-Potion and the one on the right will give you an Ether. If you get knocked back by the wall, you will have to fight a Wind Wing. After getting through the wind, carry on.

You will come into an area were there are several hooded figures walking north. This is a single path. Halfway you will come across a chest that hosts a Kaiser Knuckle, a new weapon for Tifa. The hooded figures that have passed out will not say or give you anything, so just head north until you reach the exit.

The conditions for this area are the same as the previous, but more challenging. There is now what seems to be a twister in the wind. Try your best to get across.

After getting across that area, you will see Sephiroth. After a bit of talk and some action, you will be fighting:

There will be a short scene with all of your party after defeating this enemy. Cloud will get the floating Black Materia that Sephiroth left behind and will decide to give it to one of the characters. You can only have Barret or Nanaki hold the black materia. The character that holds the black materia doesn't greatly effect the outcome of the game, so don't break your mind deciding who to give it to. After only a few steps you will be able to get the MP Turbo materia. Carry on forward. Gather the chest that contains a Poison Ring and then save. After that, go to the exit.

There will be another windy area. Along with the usual wind and twisters, this has a lightning bolt protecting it as well. Do your best to get through and then carry on. After this area, you are done with independant play for a while. Note these following scenes are extremely important to your understand of the game.

You will find yourself in Nibelheim, Cloud and Tifa's hometown. Here, you will learn some truth on the situation five years ago in Nibelheim. This is also your introduction to Zack, the boy you heard about in Gongaga. Although he is not mentioned, it should be known if you followed to clues in the game.

After the scene is over, you will find youself in a room with the Shinra. They seemed to have found their promised land. Your first glance at WEAPON is in this room. This scene is rather short, but still meaningful.

You will then be brought to the area where your remaining party members are placed. The Black Materia holder will have a short black out and head on out of the scene after being advised by "Tifa", which is then unmasked as Sephiroth.

You will be back in the room along with the Shinra, were the reunion takes place. There will be some short explenations you should pay attention to. Your Black Materia holder will also appear and give it to Cloud. Hojo will say some extremely important details on Jenova's Reunion, take the time to read carefully. The real Sephiroth is witnessed here. Cloud will give the black materia to Sephiroth. Along with the Shinra, your party members will evacuate the now destroyed Promised Land. WEAPON has been unleashed upon the planet.

After the black out, details will be given on Cloud's arrival in Sector 7. Tifa will give out some information on her thoughts when Cloud first arrived in Midgar.

2.6: Escaping Junon

You awaken in Junon; Tifa has been in a coma for a week, and when she awakens, Barret gives her information on Weapon, the Shinra and Cloud. After witnessing Weapon, you will be free to control Tifa. After a short talk with Barret, Rufus will enter the room and announce his plans for the execution.

After this chat, you can independently bring Barret to the execution room. The path is very simple, just follow the Shinra Soldier and Tifa. After entering the execution room, Scarlet will take Tifa and put her in the gas room. Shortly after there will be an alert saying WEAPON is approaching. Everyone will flee except for a reporter, Barret, Scarlet and a couple of Shinra Soldiers. The reporter will knock out Scarlet with sleeping gas, take off his trench coat and reveal himself to be Cait Sith. After this, both your characters must fight two Attack Squad soldiers. Direct yourself to the gas chamber door to free Tifa. It won't open.

You find Rufus and Heidegger discussing WEAPON and what to do about it. After the orders, Junon will show its true colours as a city of war.

You will now head out of the execution room to find a different way to save Tifa. After exiting this room, take a right. Head towards this reporter. The reporter is Yuffie and she will join your party. Head out of the scene and towards the airport.

You now control Tifa. She is locked in her chair, but wait, the guard dropped the key! Use button combination to free her. If you want it done easily, use this guide.

Hold the Cancel button until the key is at the base of the chair.

Then press the Cancel button and Menu button at the same time.

The press the Menu and Ok button.

Then press the Ok button.

Tifa is now free, go turn off the gas.

After all this, you will witness the fall of WEAPON.

After a little chat with Scarlet, you will be climbing out of the hole WEAPON left for you and making your way to the end of the Sister Ray. Make your way to the end of the gun and you will encounter Scarlet. She will slap you, and what else is there to do then but slap back? After five or six slaps she will get fed up and send the guards on you. Run to see end of the cannon for a rescue by the Highwind.

After some conversation in the cockpit, head to the operation room. After getting your party ready, go talk to the pilot and go fly your new Airship!

2.7: Mideel

After flying your new airship around for a while, you might start wondering where you need to go. You must go to Mideel, the most South-Eastern town on the world map.

Enter Mideel. You will find a horizontal bridge upon entry. You can go under further into town or you can take the stairs on the right and visit the top of the town. Take the stairs. Walk across the bridge and you will find an old man on the corner of a platform with a cabin on it. Take a few steps behind the old man and you will hear an odd clicking sound. When you hear it, stop walking and press the Ok button. You just picked up a Beat-up Useless Old key. In the cabin on that platform you find the accessory shop if you talk to the maid. After yout visit to the cabin, get to the weapon shop, just down the bridge. In the weapon shop, head to the back of the room and use the old key on the door. It will break in the lock. You will then have the option to lie or be honest. Tell the truth to the shop keeper and you will recieve a Cursed Ring. There is also a white chocobo in this room running around. Talk to him and feed him Samolen Green, wich is a bad translation for the Mimett Greens. These greens can be purshased at the chocobo stables. You will have the option to tickle the chocobo where you like. Do it behind his ear and you will receive the Contain materia. You can feed the chocobo all you want, but you will never be able to tickle him again. The materia shop is down the stairs and to the right if you need a visit, if not, then head under the bridge and proceed further into town.

After taking a few steps, Tifa will stop and talk to a dog. While giving the canine some attention, she will overhear two men talking about a spikey headed boy who drifted onto the shores near the town. Tifa will ask them were he is and she will run off to the clinic. There you will find Cloud and hear of his condition from the Doctor. Tifa and Cloud will stay inside while the rest of your party and the clinic staff go outside to talk. After a brief talk, Tifa will call you back in. She will inform you she is staying by Cloud until he is himself again. You will then find yourself back on the Highwind with the rest of you party members.

After some confusion, Cait Sith will tell you there is an important meeting going on for the Shinra and you get a chance to evesdrop. You will learn about huge materia and what the Shinra plan to do with it, to destroy meteor. Barrett will appoint Cid as the new leader of the party. After you gain control of Cid, head to the operation room. Get your party ready and head to Corel.

2.8: Huge Materia at Corel

Enemies: Bomb, Cokatolis, Search Crown, Needle Kiss, Bloatfloat, Bagnadrana, Attack Squad, Gas Ducter, Wolfmeister (Enemy Skill: Big Guard), Eagle Gun

Head to the town of North Corel. Make your way down the old reactor, which you must have seen your first time in the mountains. When you reach the reactor, there will be two soldiers standing guard. Proceed to the soldiers and you will have to fight them. After the fight, a train will depart with the huge materia. Cid will find another train and you will begin to chase it.

You will find yourself on the train with two levers. Cid will give you a brief explanation on how to catch up to the next train. By the pressing the Menu and directional up button one after the other, you should catch up to the train in less than 30 seconds. You will then jump on the other train. Each cart brings a battle, on the first cart you will fight a Gas Ducter. The second cart brings two of the previous enemy. The third cart will bring a Wolfmeister. The fourth cart will bring the Eagle Gun. And on the final cart where the engine is located, you will fight the train conductor which is an Attack Squad.

You now have full command of the train. The instructions can be found at the bottom of the screen on how to manipulate the levers. To do it right, press the Cancel and Directional Up button at the same time, then the Menu and Directional Down button at the same time. Repeat until you gain speed. Then keep doing it until you accelerate more. After the second time your timer will disappear and you will have saved the town of North Corel.

As a reward you will receive the Huge Materia. There will be short praise from the villagers, and you will receive the Ultima materia. You will be permited a free night at the inn to heal. Head down on the next town level and enter the hut closest to the left; talk to the girl in the green cap. She will give you the Catastrophe, Barret's level 4 limit. Now head to Fort Condor for the next piece of Huge Materia.

2.9: Huge Materia at Fort Condor

This is like any other battle at Fort Condor, but much more important. You can use the provided strategy to successfully win the battle.

If you halt this enemy attack, you will receive the Huge Materia. After the battle, the egg at the peak of the mountain will hatch. On the ground nearby you will find the Phoenix summon. After getting the summon, the newborn condor will fly away. Go to the mid-section of the Fort and talk to the old man sitting at the table. He will give you the Huge Materia. Cid will want to head for Mideel to check up on Tifa and Cloud, so you should go there next.

2.10: Back to Mideel

Enemies: Ultimate Weapon (Enemy Skill: Shadow Flare)

Return to Mideel and head for the clinic. Enter the hut before the clinic and you will find an Elixir. Before you exit, the old man will confront you on your crime. Be honest and you will be able to keep it. Now, head for the clinic.

Enter the clinic. After talking to Tifa, the earth will start to shake. Go back outside, and make sure that you are ready for battle.

After some conversation, you will find yourself fighting a boss.

After the battle, Ultimate Weapon will retreat. The Lifestream will cause the town to be destroyed and Tifa and Cloud to fall in.

2.11: The Lifestream

This segment of the game will answer all of your questions about Cloud's uncertain past. This is an important part of the game, and reveals pivotal information.

First, head to the town entrance at the top of the screen. Here you will learn some news on the arrival of Cloud, 5 years ago, in Nibelheim. After this scene, head to the left of the screen.

Second, you will find yourself in Cloud's childhood. Only a little information about the promise made 7 years ago will be found here.

Third, head to the top of the window at the bottom of the screen. This segment is about Cloud as a child, and why he wanted to join SOLDIER.

Head back the Nibelheim. The remaining questions you might have on what happened 5 years ago will be answered here.

All the bits and pieces will be put together and Cloud will be himself again, but he will actually be his real self, now. After Cloud and Tifa are brought back to the Highwind, there will be a meeting in the operation room. Cloud will inform his friends about what is going on, and say that he is going to continue the fight against Sephiroth and Meteor. Cait Sith will then inform you that there is some huge materia in the Underwater reactor in Junon; this is where you must go.

Also note that since Cloud has returned to your party, you can now complete the Chocobo sidequest.

2.12: The Underwater Reactor

Enemies: Slalom, Submarine Crew, SOLDIER: 2nd, Guard System, Corvette, Diver Nest, Hard Attacker, Guardian, Senior Grunt, Underwater MP, Carry Armor, Carry Armor Left Arm, Carry Armor Right Arm

Walk around in Junon like you did before. Keep walking as if you were heading for the docks. When you enter a room which seems to be a narrow hallway with a whistling sound, head south. Further into that room you will notice a door, enter and you'll find yourself in an elevator. There you will encounter the Submarine Crew. After a quick battle, you will be able to proceed. After exiting the elevator, you will again face the Submarine Crew. Keep heading down the hallways until you reach an elevator; take it down. Proceed down the hallway after that.

You will find yourself in the underwater pipes. It is a good idea to fight around here until you encounter the Ghost Ship. Take the time to morph this enemy and you will receive the Guide Book. This item is important for later. Keep heading down the hallway until you reach a room with glass tubes on the side. There is a button across from where you entered, push it and head back out. Keep heading to the exits until you reach the submarine docks. You will have to fight more members of the Submarine Crew, along with a batch of Underwater MP in the next room.

You will soon find youself face to face with the Huge Materia. Before you can do anything, it is picked up on a crane and loaded onto a submarine. After witnessing the Huge Materia being loaded into the Submarine, Reno will send distractions your way.

After the fight, you will notice that the red submarine is gone, and there's nothing for it but to chase it. Before heading to the next submarine, board the dock. You will see a chest containing a Battle Trumpet. Now head towards that submarine. Before getting on the stairs, you should see two chests further down. The chest nearest to the stairs contains the Scimitar for Cid. This should be your first triple growth weapon. It comes in very useful for mastering materia.

The chest further from the stairs contains Leviathan Scales. Be sure to pick them up, as they come in handy. Now head to the stairs. Before being able to get on, you will have to fight more members of the Submarine Crew. After entry, you will again fight the Submarine Crew. When you get to the bridge, you can either fight or take some soldiers prisoner, it really has no effect. Sit in the driver's seat and read the manual.

Directional buttons

• Up = Descend
• Left = Left rotation
• Right = Right rotation
• Down = Ascend

Buttons

• Menu = Speed Up
• Switch = Fire torpedo!
• Cancel = Speed down

After reading the instructions and mission briefing, you are free to start the mission. Your mission objective is to sink the red submarine, which happily appears right in front of you at the beginning of the mission.

Before you have a chance to drive, you will have to go to the Junon Airport. Go there immediatly. You will witness a plane leaving the airport heading to Rocket Town. This will be your next destination, but there are a couple of other things you might want to do before heading there. Get back to your submarine.

You might see Emerald Weapon swimming around down there, but DO NOT get close to it until you are truly ready. It is impossible to defeat him at this point, unless you did an insane amount of leveling up.

After submerging, turn left and hug the side walls. You will eventually see a red sumbarine. Just get close to it and you will receive the Huge Materia.

There is also a bay close to the Gold Saucer, and this is where the sunken plane Gelnika can be found. There are also a lot of strong enemies in there, but it is suggested you do it as soon as possible.

2.13: Cid's Dream Come True

Take Cid on your team (if you don't, he will force himself in later on, so you might as well put him on the team in the first place to save time later) and fly off to Rocket Town. On the way to the launchpad, some guards will try to stop you, but the real opposition will come from one of the Turks, no less than Rude himself.

After a beautiful cutscene of the takeoff, you'll be back into your mission, which is to take the Huge Materia stored inside the rocket's head. Before that, you will have to decypher a four-digit keycode, with only Cid's confused hints as to which buttons to press. The correct combination is OK, Switch, Cancel, Cancel (for Playstation users, regardless of your buttons' configuration, the code will always be Circle, Square, Cross, Cross). Also, be aware that Cid will make a snide comment about your knowledge of the code if you enter it on your first try.

Whether you take back the Huge Materia or not, the outcome will be the same: after a cutscene the party ends up in the airship. A little brainstorming will occur, after which the decision will be made to go back to Cosmo Canyon and visit Bugenhagen.

2.14: Back to the Ancient City

After speaking with Bugenhagen, the old man decides to go and have a look at the City of the Ancients. Just before leaving, Cloud will ask Bugenhagen if he can store the Huge Materia in his machine. Use it right after their talk and approach the Blue Materia. If you possess both Bahamut and Neo Bahamut, the huge Materia will resonate and give a loud roar, and at the end of it you'll be in possession of the Bahamut ZERO materia, one of the most powerful summons of the game. Approach any Huge Materia to get back down the machine.

Prior to actually going to the Ancient City, you should embark on your recently acquired submarine, and head for the northern seas. In an underwater corridor you will find a strange item, thousands of years old: the Key of the Ancients. While you're underwater, you'll do well by going to the Gelnika; an opportunity to get good items will soon disappear.

After claiming the Key of the Ancients for yourself, land with the Highwind near the Ancient City and enter it. Head left towards the room with the lotus-shaped crystal, and let the game guide you from there. You will learn more about Aeris' wish to protect the planet and the White Materia.

Upon embarking on the Highwind after the Ancient City events, Cait Sith will call you on your phone; an FMV will display, and you’ll then decide to head for Midgar. But just when you reach your airship, something will stop you. A Weapon is getting ready to take revenge against Midgar.

2.15: Diamond Weapon Attacks

Enemies: Diamond Weapon

The Diamond Weapon comes out of the water near the Northern Continent, and heads straight for Midgar. You’ll have plenty of time to get ready for the fight and choose your characters, equipment and materia. At least one of your characters should be equipped with the Steal materia, as the Weapon carries a unique weapon for Yuffie, the Rising Sun. Also, since physical attacks are not useful against it, you might want to consider taking with you characters that can equip weapons with double or (even better) triple materia growth, to take advantage of the good AP allowance you’ll get (Cid and his recently acquired Scimitar comes to mind).

When the battle is over, some FMVs will occur, and eventually you will be able to access the North Crater. But upon reaching it, Cait Sith will reveal that a serious threat is coming from Midgar.

The decision is made to return to Midgar, in an attempt to prevent another catastrophe.

2.16: Raid on Midgar

Enemies: Behemoth (Enemy Skill: ????), Crazysaw, Cromwell, Grosspanzer: big, Grosspanzer: mobile, Grosspanzer: small, Manhole, Maximum Kimaira, Shadow Maker, Soldier: 1st, XCannon, Turks: Elena, Turks: Reno (4/Midgar), Turks: Rude (4/Midgar), Proud Clod, Hojo, Heretic Hojo, Heretic Hojo Left Arm, Heretic Hojo Right Arm, Lifeform Hojo.

To start the raid, just fly over Midgar. After the landing, follow Cait Sith in the alley. You’ll have a chance to save before going underground, but we suggest that you save on another save slot just in case you’re not leveled up enough to take care of the monsters and bosses inside. When you’re ready, just go down the ladder to reach the undercity.

You’ll have the choice between climbing down a ladder and walking a slope going down east. Start by walking down the slope, then head up until you reach the north wall. Go left to reach an Elixir, then right to claim a Megalixir. After that, go back to where you entered and climb down the ladder in another area.

When you reach the bottom of the ladder, immediately head west then north to climb up another ladder: it will lead you to a chest in the first area containing an Aegis Bracelet. Go back down and head east. A platform will give in under your weight (it is unavoidable, so don’t bother reseting to try again). After landing, head west, then up another ladder. Use the chute to reach another area.

Once you’re done sliding down, head west to claim the Starlight Phone from the treasure chest. East from this position, you’ll find an Elixir in another treasure chest. Down and east from there, you’ll be able to jump near another chute, that will lead you up, near another one of these now deeply annoying ladders. At the top of the ladder, head west and open the treasure chest to get the Max Ray weapon. After that, just go back to where you got the Starlight Phone, and use the stairs leading up from there; you’ll end up near a Save Point and a crawlspace. Use the Save Point (really, do use it).

Taking the crawlway will lead you to a familiar area of the very first hours of your game; the train tunnels. You now have two options: south or north.

If you go south, you’ll collect a Power Source, a Guard Source, a Mind Source and a Magic Source along the way, and will encounter various characters, depending on who is on your party at the moment. At the end of the tunnel you’ll find one of the most valuable materia available: the W-Item materia. We strongly recommend you to take this path first. After that, the only option is to go back and take the other path.

If you go north, you will face the Turks in a final showdown. Don’t forget to equip a Steal materia; you’ll be sorry if you didn’t...

After the battle is over, you’re free to continue on your way through Midgar. Head north into the tunnels. When the path splits, you’ll have the choice to either go west or east: choose west to go on in the story, or east if you want to make a final visit of the Shinra Headquarters (many delicacies are available to you in there, so don’t miss them).

The Shinra Headquarters haven’t changed since the time of your escape (in fact, it hasn’t changed at all: they didn’t even clean up the mess Sephiroth did). However, a few things are available now. First, the treasure chests in the lobby’s shop are now available: they contain the Pile Banger and the Master Fist.

Second, on the 63rd floor, the walls that were used to separate the various parts of the room are gone, and a new treasure is here : the Grow Lance.

Third, on the 64th floor, one of the lockers you examined on your first visit finally reveals its usefulness, as it is Cait Sith’s ultimate weapon: the HP Shout. Also available in this room are some sources from the vending machine, if you put some money into it on your first visit.

Finally, go back to the 59th level, and take the stairs down. You will find the Behemoth Horn lying on one of the stairs (it won’t be there if you decided to climb up the stairs: it only appears if you climb down).

Once you’ve done all that, you can go back in the tunnels, head south and then take the west path to go on. Climb up your way out of the tunnels.

When you get out of the tunnels, you can only take a few steps before the next boss.

After the fight, you’ll be awarded with the Ragnarok sword for Cloud: do equip it because it’s likely to be your most powerful weapon at the time, and you’ll need it in a moment. Don’t forget to collect the Mystile in one of the two treasure chests (the other one contains an Elixir), and then save at the nearby Save Point. If he wasn’t in your party already, make sure that Barret is in now.

When you’re ready, just climb up the metal stairs. If Barret is in your party, you’ll find his ultimate weapon laying on the stairs: the Missing Score. If you don’t want to go on with Barret for the upcoming final boss of Midgar, you can go back to the save point once you claimed his weapon. Regardless of who you take up there, the same man will be waiting for you: Hojo. At least one of your characters should be equipped with a Ribbon to make this battle a smooth one.

After Hojo’s done for, you will leave Midgar for good, and head for the final dungeon. This will mark the end of the second disc.

3.1: Before the Final Battle

When you load the third disc, you’ll end up on the Crater surface. This doesn’t mean that you have to go down this road immediately. You can in fact climb back to the Highwind, take off, and reach the map.

Several options are now open. Luckily, we cover them all in our guides: you can attempt to raise chocobos, get nice equipment in the Ancient Forest, try to face off with the most powerful beings of the game, or simply go to the Gold Saucer and enjoy yourself. You might also consider taking a look at our secrets guide, and look up to what you may have miss.

In short, do what you want to do. The important thing to notice is that when you do decide to take on the Crater, you will still be able to get out of it. There is however a point of no return, which will be addressed in the next chapters. When you feel you're ready, go to the next chapter.

3.2: Down in the Crater, part 1

Enemies: Dark Dragon (Enemy Skill: Laser, Dragon Force), Gargoyle, Parasite (Enemy Skill: L5 Death, Magic Breath), Scissors.

When ready, just head to the Crater with the Highwind, and land inside it. You will be back to the area where you started at the beggining of disc three. This time, go south, and run down when asked to do so.

You will end up in a spiraled path. Going down, you will find a cave entrance and a chest. The cave leads you out of the Crater, the chest contains the Save Crystal item. This special item will allow you to place a save point anywhere in the Crater, until the point of no return of course (more about adequate areas for using the Crystal later on).

Going down the path, you will find a chest with a Guard Source. Don’t worry if some rocks fall off under your weight; you can still go back if you want to. Right after the chest is the path to the next area.

You have two choices from the beginning of this area: east or south-west. Since you will have to go down and then up to collect each and every treasure, it really doesn’t matter which way you go, but the way described here is the shortest (that is if you want to get all the treasures. If you just want to pound on the final boss, take the right passage, as it is the fastest).

Go down the passage on the east. Collect a Guard Source and a Mind Source on your way down, and then jump down right next to the red arrow pointing to the next area. Jump back up on the west passage, and collect a Magic Source and an Elixir in the two chests on your way up. When you reach the higher level, there will be a third chest on the northwest corner containing a Power Source. From this location, head east and press OK to collect a HP Absorb. After that, all you have to do is take the right passage one more time and go back down to the next area.

3.3: Down in the Crater, part 2

Enemies: Dark Dragon, Parasite, Scissors, Master Tonberry.

You are now in a place that looks like an old platform game (meaning that it is viewed from the side, and has a lot of platforms). To go out of here as quickly and efficiently as possible, follow the walkthrough exactly.

Jump down into the room, and immediately head east. You will fall down on another level. Head west from here to reach a chest containing a Mind Source. Now, go east to the edge of this platform, and turn over to face west: you will be given the choice to jump on the upper level. Do so, then go west and fall down. Immediately head east and enter the cave nearby to collect a Megalixir in the treasure chest.

Now, head out of the cave, then go west and fall down once more. Run east to a chest containing an Hero Drink, then enter the cave nearby. Inside the cave, go up and collect the Guard Source nearby. When you’re close to reaching the top of the cave, you’ll notice a chest in the northeast corner; you can get to it by entering the dark hole in the wall, and claim the Power Source inside it. After that, go out of the cave by the north entrance.

Going out of the cave will take you back at the beginning of this area. Just go east like you did before, and fall down once more. This time, instead of going west, you’ll go east and fall down again. Go into the cave entrance and follow the path inside to reach an even deeper level. Out of the cave, go west (with a fall down), then east (fall down), then west (fall down) and finally west to the next area.

3.4: The First Gathering Place

You will enter a room with two stalactites. On the bottom, after the second stalactite, your partners are waiting for you.

This area is one of the favored spots to place the Save Crystal, for several reasons. The obvious is that it lets you experiment with the directions you give to the different characters (that is, if you save after the first stalactite but before the second one), but this spot is also right in the middle of the dungeon, and gives you quick access to the different parts of the Crater. However, it’s still a little away from the point of no return (the second gathering place), which is the other favored spot for the Save Crystal. It is entirely up to you to use it at this point or the other.

When you join up with your teammates, they will ask you where you want them to go. This is an important decision, because depending on where you send them, they will or won’t give you items when you rejoin with them on the second gathering place.

An important thing to notice is that the left path immediately splits into two different paths, each leading east: we’ll call Left A the upper path, and Left B the lower path. Also, while it is possible to go back up in the first gathering place using the Left B path, the other two are one way only: if you missed some items, you will have to go back all the way to the first gathering place.

One other important thing to know about this is that when you reach the second gathering place, they will give you items indeed, but all the treasure chests on the path they took will be opened. This means that you can permanently miss some treasure chests, and potentially some valuable items and equipment.

You can try several setups when deciding who to send where. Be advised that you will have to go down one path, and that they hold different monsters. The right path will let you encounter the Dragon Zombie, one of the most fearsome creature in the Crater. Path Laft A holds different monsters, none of which poses any dangerous threat. Path Left B has the same monsters you’ve been fighting since then.

When you have made your choice, just head over the relevant chapter of the walkthrough for either the Right Path, the Left A Path or the Left B Path.

3.5: The Right Path

Enemies: Death Dealer (Enemy Skill: Roulette), Malboro (Enemy Skill: Bad Breath), Pollensalta (Enemy Skill: Angel Whisper), Dragon Zombie (Enemy Skill: Pandora's Box, Shadow Flare).

This path is pretty straightforward. You’ll start on top of a spiraled path. Going down it, you’ll find a treasure chest holding a very valuable Mystile. Next to it is an Elixir lying on the floor. Continue on your way down the spiraled path until you reach the firm ground.

You will notice a chest a little northeast of your arrival point, containing a Speed Source. Southeast of it, you’ll find a well hidden treasure chest with a Tetra Elemental in it. Continue on your way north, until you reach another chest, holding a Megalixir. West of this chest, you can find yet another well-hidden chest, also holding a Megalixir. After that, continue on north to the big skeleton.

Nothing to say really about the skeleton part. The exit at the end of the skeleton leads you to the second gathering place.

3.6: The Left A Path

Enemies: Allemagne, Christopher (Enemy Skill: Frog Song), Gighee, Magic Pot, Mover, Master Tonberry.

This path starts in a place with roots and water. Jump on the roots, head southeast, then use the roots to get to a chest containing a Magic Source. Then, go back west, and head north. Head for the green arrow to walk underwater and reach another part of this area. Go west for the chest with a Remedy, then go east to reach the next area.

This area presents the same mingle of roots and water as the one before. Go north, then west to reach a chest containing a Vaccine. Then, go a little east and climb up the slope to claim the Shield materia lying on the floor. From this position, go straight south; you will go underwater again, and reach a chest seen at the entrance of this area, but otherwise unattainable. It contains an Imperial Guard. After that, go back to where you got the materia. Head for the southeast corner of the area to reach a chest containing an Hero Drink. Then, follow the path northeast to the next area.

You will end up in an area with a green glow in the southwest corner, and trees on the northern part. Near the border of the trees, you will notice a purple dot: it’s actually the W-Magic materia. After that, head for the green glowing pool, and press OK: you’ll find a Counter materia. The only thing left to do after that is taking the exit west of the area to reach the second gathering place.

3.7: The Left B Path

Enemies: Allemagne, Armored Golem, King Behemoth, Master Tonberry.

Go down the rocks and head east: a treasure chest containing an Elixir is at the northeast corner. After that, go west to grab the Remedy from another chest, then southwest for an X-Potion. Continue your way southeast and go to the next area.

In this area, go down the stone pillar, and grab the Turbo Ether in the chest just west of the pillar. Then, go northeast and claim the Vaccine. After that, go behind the pillar and follow the path with the bright glowing green light. Approach the spot where the light is the brightest and press OK to collect a Magic Counter materia.

It’s very hard to notice, but you can do it if you tweak with the brightness of your screen (if you don’t want to do that, just mash the OK button and run around near the glowing wall). Once you have the materia, just head southeast to reach the next area.

Near the entrance, you’ll find a chest holding an X-Potion. Follow the stairs southwest then southeast, until you reach another chest containing a Turbo Ether. From this location, if you go west, you will make two quick jumps to reach another chest with a Speed Source inside. What’s easy to miss is that between the two jumps, you reach a spot near a bright green waterfall, where a materia is hovering. Just press the OK button when you reach this spot to get the Mega All materia. After that, all you have to do is go back to the chest with the Turbo Ether, head south then west to reach the second gathering place.

3.8: The Second Gathering Place

This place is a semi-circular path around a glowing green light. Depending on which path you took, you can come from three points in here: if you’re coming from the Right Path, you’ll jump down from the northwest corner. If you’re coming from the Left A Path, you’ll be jumping from the east wall, and end just south of a treasure chest containing a Luck Source. Finally, if you’re coming from the Left B Path, you will be walking from the northeast corner, just north of the treasure chest.

If you reach the lower portion of the semi-circular path on the southwest corner of the room, you will trigger the gathering event: the characters sent on different paths will join you, and gather in the southwest corner. When you approach your partners, you will enter a different screen, viewed sideways, with all the characters in it. Talk to them, and they will give you items they collected on the way. However, pay close attention to this: the southwest corner of this screen is the point of no return. If you approach it, you will trigger the last sequence of events of the game. This is why the screen just before this one is the second favored place for placing the Save Crystal.

When you’re done collecting the items from your partners (note that Yuffie will only give you what she collected if you sent someone on the same path as hers. She really is a “treasure hunter”), head for the southwest corner of the screen to begin the final showdown.

3.9: Inside the Planet

Enemies: Allemagne, Iron Man, Dragon Zombie, Jenova-SYNTHESIS, Bizarro-Sephiroth, Safer-Sephiroth (Enemy Skill: Shadow Flare).

When you’re done preparing your assault team, go down the path. You will be jumping from rock to rock, encountering a few powerful enemies on the way. When you reach the bottom, the area will suffer from the arrival of your first serious opponent: the final form of Jenova.

After her death, you will be prompted into making a party to face off Sephiroth. You can also make another supplemental party. If you do so, it will be at your disposal during the next battle, and you’ll have the possibility to change between the two teams from time to time. While this may not sound too useful, it appears that changing from one party to another prevents the boss from using its powerful healing move. But don’t worry too much about it: if you want to stick to only one party, you can still defeat Bizarro-Sephiroth, and you don’t have to split your materia and equipment between two teams (plus, it should be noted that another boss awaits you after this one, and only the party that delivered the final blow to Bizarro-Sephiroth is allowed to fight him).

When you’re done with this boss, it's time for the final battle. Sephiroth will come down, and you’ll hear the famous “One Winged Angel” theme playing. Get ready. At least one character should have a Ribbon equipped, because of the status ailments that Sephiroth can inflict. Having the Destruct will help you, too, if your tactic involves powerful spellcasting.

After you deliver the final blow, he will vanish. Some FMVs will occur, and you could be tempted to sit back and enjoy the game ending. But Sephiroth isn’t that kind of man: he will summon Cloud for a final confrontation.

You have no other choice here but to wait for your Limit gauge to fill up, and use Omnislash. This opportunity will be offered to you even if you didn’t get Omnislash for Cloud.

After this final showdown, you can sit back and enjoy the game ending. Congratulations on beating Final Fantasy VII.