In Final Fantasy VII Remake, during Chapter 8, Cloud’s new career as a bodyguard will be interrupted by two separate challenges from the Turks. Here’s how to get through your one-on-one fights with Reno & Rude in the FF7 remake on Hard Mode.

Final Fantasy VII Remake Hard Mode: Defeating Reno & Rude

Please note that this is a guide for the two fights in Chapter 8 against Reno and Rude separately. We’re currently working on a guide for the Hard Mode fight against both of them at once, and link to it here once it’s available.

Reno, Normal Mode

We’ve got more details here. Don’t bother with magic, don’t get stunned by his EM Mines, and stay in Punisher Mode to counter Reno’s melee attacks. If you destroy his Mines before he has the chance to use them against you, you cut out a lot of his threat potential.

Reno, Hard Mode

Without preparation, Reno on Hard Mode is a tough nut to crack. With the right abilities and Materia setup, though, he’s surprisingly easy.

Even more of Reno’s damage on Hard Mode comes from electrical attacks. If you grind your Elemental Materia up to rank 2, you can equip it and a Thunder Materia into Cloud’s armor and render him immune to lightning.

That makes the fight much easier, as Reno’s lightning balls and stun baton will just bounce off of you. You still need to watch out for Reno’s punches and kicks, but you can and should use Cloud’s Punisher Mode and his Twin Stinger’s Counterstance to block and punish them.

For victory against Reno on Hard Mode, you receive The Art of Swordplay Vol. VII, a Manuscript for Cloud.

Rude, Normal Mode

Check out our guide here. Rude is a brawler, and you’ll spend most of the fight on the floor if you don’t figure out how to dodge him, but he’s also incredibly vulnerable to wind magic and he’ll never attack Aerith directly. She can Stagger him easily with Aero spells.

Rude, Hard Mode

The big change with Rude on Hard Mode is that he’s now willing to hit Cloud with Sweet Dreams, which he’d previously only used on Aerith. If Cloud’s put to sleep by it, Rude will proceed to kick in his hairstyle. You might be able to survive it, but it won’t be easy.

You can’t block the Sweet Dreams projectile. All you can do is outrun it until it vanishes, which is technically a Cloud chasing a cloud, or equip a Headband to counter it entirely.

Aside from that, Rude takes just as much Stagger from wind attacks on Hard Mode as he does on Normal and below. You can exploit that with both an Elemental/Wind Materia combo on Cloud’s sword and Wind Materia equipped on both Cloud and Aerith.

While this is the last fight in the chapter, and you thus don’t have to conserve your MP, it pays to be efficient. Use simple, cheap Aero spells to target Rude’s weakness, then drop Aeroga on him once he’s Staggered.

For beating Rude on Hard Mode, you receive Telluric Scriptures Vol. IV, a Manuscript for Aerith.

We’re regularly adding more tips, tricks, and guides to our Final Fantasy VII Remake game hub. Check it out for articles such as these:

• Our thoughts on the events of the game’s bizarre ending
• How to unlock the five hidden Trophies
• Impress Jessie and earn the Biker Boy Trophy

One question for all Final Fantasy VII Remake fans: we all think these two should just suck it up and exchange names, right? That’s just a given? Would it just be too on-the-nose if we let the honorable gentleman be Reno, and the actual punk be Rude? Let me know just how often people have pointed this out by checking in at our official Twitter, @PrimaGames.