Shinra's Headquarters
Item Shop:
| Item | Cost |
| Potion | 50 |
| Phoenix Down | 300 |
| Antidote | 80 |
| Eye Drop | 50 |
| Tent | 500 |
Items:
Elixir
[59th Floor] [60th Floor] [61st Floor] [62nd Floor] [Hart's Tip] [63rd Floor] [64th Floor] [65th Floor] [66th Floor] [67th Floor] [68th Floor] [Boss Fight]
Save your game before you do anything. As you start out, you're given a choice as to which path you can take. You can either take the easy, indirect path up the starts (left) to the side, or you can use the front door and blast through with guns blazing.
Note:
The paths are very different, but both lead to the same place. Check out the walkthrough for your chosen path (The Stairs or In the Front), and we'll see you on the 59th floor.
I'm Talking the Stairs!
Prepare for the walk of your life. There are no enemies on the stairs, however, there are nine sets of stairs to climb. It's worth exploring each set of stairs at least once just to see the team's comments.
Tip:
There's an Elixir on the fifth set of stairs, your only prize for taking the long way.
I'm going in the front!
You want a fight, you got a fight! Using the front entrance causes everyone to go running - everyone except a small group of Grenade Combatants. Unlike the rather uneventful stairs path, you'll have to deal with random encounters as you explore the area.
There's an Item Shop on the second tier where you can pick up some supplies and watch a video of the latest in the Shinra Motors line. The two chests in the back of the store can't be opened...yet. When you're ready, hop on the elevator at the back and head for the 59th floor.
The elevator ride isn't a smooth one. An alarm sounds during the trip, which forces the team to fight a series of battles before actually reaching their destination. Don't worry, though, none of the battles are too difficult.
There isn't much to do on this floor except collect the Keycard for the 60th floor. To get the Keycard, you must defeat the group of guards near the stairs (the Keycard appears after the battle is won). This Keycard grants you access to the glass elevator, which you can use to reach the 60th floor.
Note:
From this point forward, you can use the glass elevator to reach the next floor if you have the proper Keycard. You can also use it to return to the lobby and rest.
This floor is heavily guarded and there's no way past the goons blocking your path. Well, almost no way. If you run into the room to the left, you'll back out on your own. You need to access the stairs on the opposite side, but there are four guards ready to stop you. You can get past them, but you must be sneaky.
Tip:
Using the statues as cover, move from statue to statue whenever the guards turn to walk. The guards follow a definite pattern and there are certain times when it's best to move.
After crossing a section, call over Tifa and Barret. They can't see the guards, so you'll need to tell them the coast is clear. If you mess up, you are forced to fight and then start all over again. When you reach the other side, use the stairs to reach the next floor.
Your first task is to find a guy wandering around near the stairs. This guy gives you the chance to talk about Aeris. You can pry for more information if you want, but it's better to keep your cool. Doing so gets you the Keycard for the 62nd floor. There's nothing else to do here, so move onward.
The first thing you should do is visit Mayor Domino. He presents you with the challenge of figuring out the password. Tell him the password and he'll give you his Keycard for the 63rd, 64th, and 65th floors. Hart is willing to sell you hints, but each one is offered at a more outrageous price than the last. It's a rip-off, but it's the easiest way to ensure you get the password on the first guess, plus you get to collect the "Elemental" Materia. Of course, you could skip paying Hart and read the tips below at no extra charge.
There are four research libraries on the floor for four different sections of Shinra, Inc. Parts of the password are hidden in each of the libraries. Pay close attention to the files in each room. The name of each library is written on the plaque outside the door. There is one file in each library mixed in from another library. Look carefully at the numbers on each file-there's a number at the beginning of each filename. Of course, there are even numbers on the files that don't belong in the library. You need to match the number with the letters in the title of the file. If the file starts with a four, then check the fourth letter.
Find all four misplaced files and you'll get the four letters that comprise the password. Now it's just a simple word scramble to figure out the correct answer. The password for each game is different, so you'll need to figure this one out on your own!
This floor is optional, but you can collect some nice items if you're willing to work for them. Visit the computer to gain access to three security doors. But there's a problem: You can't collect the three Item Coupons by just opening three doors. To get the coupons, you need to open a couple of doors and then use the duct work to move between rooms. If you mess up, you can reset the doors at the computer only if you've already traded a coupon.
There's what you need to do: First open Security Doors 1 and 2 (sorry, I will try to get the map). This enables you to enter a room (left room) and grab your first Item Coupon. Now enter the duct work and crawl to the middle room where the second Item Coupon is located (middle room). Exit the room and open Security Door 3 and find the last of the Item Coupons. With all three coupons in your possession, return to the computer and trade them in for Star Pendant Four Slot, and an "All" Materia.
The 64th Floor is a huge recreational area. If you want, you can rest and save your game before moving into the left room. Visit the locker room and you can steal a couple of items from some unlocked lockers. There's a Megaphone in the back row of lockers, but Cloud won't take something he can't use. Oh well... maybe later.
There's a huge model of Midgar in the center of this room, but several pieces are missing. The locked chests located in the surrounding room each contains a piece of the model; however, you can only collect one piece at a time. Placing a piece in the model unlocks another chest, thus enabling you to get the next piece.
First, grab the piece in Chest A (very left in the left-top room) and place it in the spot closest to the door, which unlocks Chest B (very left in the left-down room). Collect that piece and place it in the next spot of the right to unlock the next chest. Continue placing the new pieces in order in a counterclockwise pattern until all five spots have been filled. After placing the fifth piece, the chest in the stairwell unlocks. Inside it is the Keycard for the 66th Floor.
Warning:
There are creatures roaming this floor that you'll need to fight.
Now it's time for a little spy work. Find the bathroom (very top-left), enter the open stall, and then climb into the duct work that runs over the meeting room in the middle of the floor. From this choice location, you can listen in on the executive meeting below.
You'll learn about Shinra's latest evil doings and the circumstances concerning Aeris' fate. When the meeting is over, back out of the ducts work and follow the execs to the stairs - it's on to the 67th floor.
Follow Hojo around the floor and into the stock room (right-top). When Cloud peers into one of the specimen tanks marked "Jenova", the immediately starts to flip out. When he recovers, head toward the back of the warehouse, where you can save and collect a "Poison" Materia. When you're ready, hop on the lift to the 68th floor.
Note:
If you can find a Moth Slasher or two to fight, you can steal some Carbon Bangles, which is a much stronger type of armor. Also, watch for a SOLDIER: 3rd. They're carrying the Hard-edge, which is the best weapon for Cloud at this point in the game.
Hojo is about to begin his next experiment and Aeris is one of the specimens. The team confronts Hojo and frees Aeris, but not before Hojo calls for reinforcements. The "lion-type' specimen, Red XIII, offers his help in defeating Hojo's creation, however, that means you must send one of your characters to the side with Aeris. For now, let Barret stay and send Tifa with Aeris. Also, take a moment to equip Cloud or Barret's armor with the "Elemental-Poison" Materia combination. This will help a great deal during the upcoming Boss fight.
Boss Fight: Sample: HO512 and sample: HO512-OPT
This Boss comes equipped with its own set of henchmen. Normally they wouldn't be much of a problem, but HO512 can reanimate any of its fallen buddies. In effect, this means that regardless of your action, HO512 will always be in the back rank. Therefore, anyone equipped with a short-range weapon will have trouble causing damage to it. At this point in the game, Barret is the only character with an appropriate long-range weapon.
Focus all of your attention on HO512. If it dies, its friends go with it.
Battle Tip:
Any character who doesn't have a long-range weapon should use spells during the battle, but note that Poison won't work in this battle.
Keep an eye on your health-especially those affected by HO512's poison attacks. Defeat the boss and you'll receive a Talisman.
It's time to get out of here. Select your new party and grab the "Enemy Skill" Materia that prepped into the specimen tank. Hojo's lab assistant is still on the catwalk, so stop and harass him to get the Keycard for the 68th floor. Then head for the stairs and walk down to the 66th floor elevators.
Before you go anywhere in the elevator, however, Tseng and Rude cut you off. It's time to pay a visit to President Shinra.