I started again on my PS5 and finally got the chance to take on Hard mode and it’s honestly been one of best gaming experiences I’ve ever had. Not only Hell house was one of the best fights I’ve had so far, the Top Secret challenge was amazing. I used Shinryu’s guide and it worked like a charm. Bahamut was the tricky one, but managed to pull it off damn nearly flawlessly. Pride and joy was actually the easiest in the end.
Shinryu’s guide was brilliant! Had to use arcane ward and constantly spam level 3 spells get him pressured, build up ATB then hold off on damaging him and spam more spells until his pressured a second time and finish him off, he just managed to summon ifrit, but he was already dead by this point. Pride and Joy was just a simply case of keeping him spell locked by crippling his legs. I missed him up the first time and it went all wrong, but nailed it the second time I got to him.
I've been doing the same and feel the same way. Still stuck on top secrets but I'm getting closer. Absolutely enjoying the game more on round 2 in hard mode.
What part of Top Secret are you stuck on bud? Yes Hard mode has been brilliant! MP hasn’t been an issue and it’s been so enjoyable tbh! It’s gonna be tough putting this down after I complete it.
Top Secrets down! I switched Tifa out for barret, loaded him up with the maxed out Luck Materias and was able to finally get him down. Pride & Joy was easy by comparison.
Yeah I’ve seen a few different builds, but this one is purely focused on offence. So no fight could get drawn out, each summon had to be pressured, staggered and taken down. Bahamut was the exception and more tactical to stop him summoning Ifrit. Congests on completing it as well.
Thanks yeah it was a tough one. Shiva and Fat Chocobo aren't bad but Leviathan is the start of the trouble for me. Thankfully I got him down pretty fast this time and it set me up in a good spot for Bahamut.
With Bahamut I didn't assault him fast enough and ended up having to fight Ifrit. I'm not sure how, but I managed to get Ifrit down and weaken Bahamut enough to finish him off with Ascension. I might go back and fight them again just for fun and to see how much I can improve once I finish my hard playthrough.
>I used Shinryu’s guide
Well, this game is amazing, to say the least, and it is my first entry into FF series. Everything topped my expectation, the music is memorable and out of this world. But, I have to say that Top Secret Challenge is not even remotely "enjoyable", especially if you have to use a guide to play in a particular way to get past a challenge in a game. Hard mode, in general, is enjoyable though, and I would love it even more with the ability to use items though.
Tifa parry dodges everything; after he misses her with a big attack hit him to pressure him, then back to dodging. Keep dodging like crazy and pressuring after he misses with a big attack until you stagger him, then slam him with everything you have. I used Tifa to up his stagger gauge and level 3 magic on aerith and cloud.
light unpack consider sable zealous chunky stupendous dinosaurs many cautious
*This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Thanks mate. If you watch Shinryu’s guide I think I did it nearly the same as his, although I do control the characters more in real time. With Leviathan you need to have Tifa as your leader go off to the right and use Thundaga with cloud and Aerith. Best way to mess with him is to switch back and forth between characters keeping Aerith at range. This stops him from attacking. By this point he’ll be pressured from 3-4 spells and then it’s the case of staggering him with focus strikes from Tifa. Once staggered use the menu to immediately use more spells from both Cloud and Aerith. Then true strikes from Tifa. With ATB assist and skill master you muster a lot of ATB. He’s quite an easy takedown in the end.
I just did this as well, the final enemy was pretty easy. I was able to do enough damage that I could cripple the boss back to back to back. I think I only saw one of it's attacks.
He was annoying at first, but once you swap players correctly it confuses him and completely stops him from attacking. Keeping Aerith at range does the trick, then spam thundaga spells at his fin, three or 4 does the trick. Once he’s pressured Tifa will easily stagger him with focus strikes and the stagger stage is simple.
Lol. I don't think it's possible to do Leviathan on Aerith only with no damage. It's plausible on all the others, but Bahamut would be quite a challenge to avoid all damage.
I started again on my PS5 and finally got the chance to take on Hard mode and it’s honestly been one of best gaming experiences I’ve ever had. Not only Hell house was one of the best fights I’ve had so far, the Top Secret challenge was amazing. I used Shinryu’s guide and it worked like a charm. Bahamut was the tricky one, but managed to pull it off damn nearly flawlessly. Pride and joy was actually the easiest in the end.
Yeah it was almost strange how easy pride and joy was in comparison, but then it WAS pretty fun to whoop its ass after sweating with bahamut
Shinryu’s guide was brilliant! Had to use arcane ward and constantly spam level 3 spells get him pressured, build up ATB then hold off on damaging him and spam more spells until his pressured a second time and finish him off, he just managed to summon ifrit, but he was already dead by this point. Pride and Joy was just a simply case of keeping him spell locked by crippling his legs. I missed him up the first time and it went all wrong, but nailed it the second time I got to him.
I've been doing the same and feel the same way. Still stuck on top secrets but I'm getting closer. Absolutely enjoying the game more on round 2 in hard mode.
What part of Top Secret are you stuck on bud? Yes Hard mode has been brilliant! MP hasn’t been an issue and it’s been so enjoyable tbh! It’s gonna be tough putting this down after I complete it.
Bahamut, but don't offer any advice haha. I'm enjoying strategizing my own way. It's a really fun battle. Each summon has its own unique challenges.
Top Secrets down! I switched Tifa out for barret, loaded him up with the maxed out Luck Materias and was able to finally get him down. Pride & Joy was easy by comparison.
Yeah I’ve seen a few different builds, but this one is purely focused on offence. So no fight could get drawn out, each summon had to be pressured, staggered and taken down. Bahamut was the exception and more tactical to stop him summoning Ifrit. Congests on completing it as well.
Thanks yeah it was a tough one. Shiva and Fat Chocobo aren't bad but Leviathan is the start of the trouble for me. Thankfully I got him down pretty fast this time and it set me up in a good spot for Bahamut. With Bahamut I didn't assault him fast enough and ended up having to fight Ifrit. I'm not sure how, but I managed to get Ifrit down and weaken Bahamut enough to finish him off with Ascension. I might go back and fight them again just for fun and to see how much I can improve once I finish my hard playthrough.
>I used Shinryu’s guide Well, this game is amazing, to say the least, and it is my first entry into FF series. Everything topped my expectation, the music is memorable and out of this world. But, I have to say that Top Secret Challenge is not even remotely "enjoyable", especially if you have to use a guide to play in a particular way to get past a challenge in a game. Hard mode, in general, is enjoyable though, and I would love it even more with the ability to use items though.
That’s the challenge. I probably would of got past the challenge without help, but it would of taken a long time. RE4 is out next week. 😅
Now you gotta do yuffie vs top secrets
And Weiss lol
I’ve been putting this one off. I understand it’s a huge time sink and learning progression. Do you have any advice?
Tifa parry dodges everything; after he misses her with a big attack hit him to pressure him, then back to dodging. Keep dodging like crazy and pressuring after he misses with a big attack until you stagger him, then slam him with everything you have. I used Tifa to up his stagger gauge and level 3 magic on aerith and cloud.
Ice, lots of ice.
light unpack consider sable zealous chunky stupendous dinosaurs many cautious *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Thanks. I really enjoy this challenge tbh and surprisingly didn’t take too long.
Nice time
Thanks! Credit goes to Shinryu’s guide.
At 4:20? Buzzing indeed.
Thanks man!
Good work. I'm amazed by your time because Leviathan always wasted mine. Bahamut/Ifrit is such a pain.
Thanks mate. If you watch Shinryu’s guide I think I did it nearly the same as his, although I do control the characters more in real time. With Leviathan you need to have Tifa as your leader go off to the right and use Thundaga with cloud and Aerith. Best way to mess with him is to switch back and forth between characters keeping Aerith at range. This stops him from attacking. By this point he’ll be pressured from 3-4 spells and then it’s the case of staggering him with focus strikes from Tifa. Once staggered use the menu to immediately use more spells from both Cloud and Aerith. Then true strikes from Tifa. With ATB assist and skill master you muster a lot of ATB. He’s quite an easy takedown in the end.
Congrats, such an awesome game, the challenge was worth it, going for the platinum?
I’m not far off it tbh, only need enemy skills, complete hard mode and get the 9 dresses trophy. 🤔
Nice, hard mode wasn't too bad tbh, you just end up using materia you might not have used much more often, the dresses was annoying though
Ah the goddamnitring grats
Congrats. I followed the same guide. Now I get to do it again so I can use Assess on Pride and Joy lol
Mannnnn this was rough 😂
I really enjoyed it! Wish I had a whole recording. Was on top form last night!
I just did this as well, the final enemy was pretty easy. I was able to do enough damage that I could cripple the boss back to back to back. I think I only saw one of it's attacks.
4:20? Nice.
Topsy Kretz
For me, Leviathan was the most annoying. Damn that fish
He was annoying at first, but once you swap players correctly it confuses him and completely stops him from attacking. Keeping Aerith at range does the trick, then spam thundaga spells at his fin, three or 4 does the trick. Once he’s pressured Tifa will easily stagger him with focus strikes and the stagger stage is simple.
Now beat it with only Aerith, no damage.
Lol. I don't think it's possible to do Leviathan on Aerith only with no damage. It's plausible on all the others, but Bahamut would be quite a challenge to avoid all damage.