Party: Cloud, Tifa and Barret on one path; Aerith, Red XIII and Yuffie on the other; five solo trials near the end.
Key unlocks: The last weapons: Slipstream Saber, Járngreipr, Gambanteinn, Battle Cry, Brisingamen, Fuma Shuriken. EXP Up materia.
Watch for: Docking at the temple is the point of no return. Until then the open world is still open; after it, everything else waits for chapter select.
1. The labyrinth
Gravity that shifts, and the first gate.
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1
The Northern Continent
The Tiny Bronco up the western coast. After Rufus and Hojo, the dock — and the door closes behind you.
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2
Rubystar, Jadestar, Azurestar
Three chambers of gravity puzzles. Slipstream Saber is on a hidden ledge up a vine wall after a shift.
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3
Red Dragon
Weak to ice; bringing the scorched pillars down on it or destroying a wing while it flies pressures it, and hitting the chest shortens Crimson Breath’s range.
2. The split
Two halves, two Turk pairs.
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1
Cloud’s side
The Corridor of Currents and its wind puzzles, bridge-building, the Ironclad mini-boss, then Reno (fire, counters pressure him) and Rude (wind).
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2
Aerith’s side
Lifestream Fragments into Vessels of Life to rebuild the paths; then Elena (lightning) and Tseng (ice) — dodge the finisher of his combo and punish the charge.
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3
The weapons
Járngreipr after the Riot Troopers on the Hall of Life’s second tier; Gambanteinn down the stairs after the Vessels scene; Battle Cry in the corner tower after the box; Brisingamen by the stone pillars as Aerith.
3. The trials and the gate
Five memories, one turtle, one door.
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1
Solo trials
Red XIII, Tifa, Yuffie, Barret and Aerith each alone. Fuma Shuriken in the Shrine of Ambition.
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2
Moss-Grown Adamantoise
Fire; the shell is the fight and Tifa’s multipliers are the answer.
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3
Demon Gate
No weakness. A second gate at half health, Encroach narrowing the arena — and the moment it can be pressured. Then the temple comes down around Aerith and Cloud.
4. Bosses
- Red Dragon: Ice. Wings or chest; pillars for the breath.
- Reno and Rude: Fire and wind. Counter Reno.
- Elena and Tseng: Lightning and ice. Dodge Tseng’s finisher.
- Moss-Grown Adamantoise: Fire. The shell.
- Demon Gate: No weakness. Pressure during Encroach.
5. Before you leave
Cross-checked
Cross-checked on 16 September 2026 against the guides of Game8 and PowerPyx. What is still unverified is the only thing reading cannot settle — nobody here has played it.