The Final Fantasy VII Remake is a reimagining by Square Enix of the original Final Fantasy VII, released in 1997, with a full visual overhaul in the Unreal Engine. Fans have been waiting since the initial reveal of a retelling of Final Fantasy VII, the most popular Japanese RPG of all time, back in 2015 to get a taste of what the game would play like in a new generation. The remake takes a much more modern approach to combat, choosing to replace the original turn-based system with one that is more reminiscent of recent Final Fantasy titles.

The Final Fantasy VII Remake Demo was just released, allowing players to get an idea of what the full gameplay experience will be like in the final version of the game and get a feel for how different it is from the original. Switching over from a turn-based action system to a real-time action system is no easy task, but Final Fantasy VII Remake’s combat builds off of previous real-time Final Fantasy games before, resulting in elaborate systems with many tools for the player to take advantage of. This guide will show players how to use these tools to defeat the first major boss of the Scorpion Sentinel.

Scorpion Sentinel’s Attack Patterns In Final Fantasy VII Remake

The Scorpion Sentinel offers plenty of attack telegraphing with both visual effects and the name of the attack being shown on the screen for players to be able to appropriately react. Here’s a list of the attacks the Scorpion Sentinel uses and how to react to them.

  • Electrostomp: The Scorpion Sentinel lifts its front two legs and slams them down with a surge of electricity. Avoid being directly in front of it. Target Scanner: A plethora of red lasers will appear from the Scorpion Sentinel, scanning for any targets. Once a target is locked onto, it will focus its attacks on the target. Scorpion Strikes: The Scorpion Sentinel repeatedly jabs the ground behind it with its tail. Avoid being directly behind it. Mark 99 Launchers: The Scorpion Sentinel will unleash a barrage of missiles at its target. Attempt to guard or dodge this attack. Mark 98 Cannons: The Scorpion Sentinel will fire its main arm guns at its target. Attempt to guard or dodge this attack. Tail Swipe: The Scorpion Sentinel sweeps its tail behind it, knocking up anyone hit by it. Avoid being directly behind it. Death Grip: The Scorpion Sentinel will attempt to grab someone directly in front of it. Avoid being directly in front of it. If a character is grabbed, use the other character to deal enough damage to free them. EM-Field: The ground around the Scorpion Sentinel will glow blue before it unleashes a shockwave attack around itself. Attempt to get distance when this attack is being charged. Tail Laser: The Scorpion Sentinel will charge energy at the end of its tail and then release a deadly laser. Find some debris and take cover behind it until the laser destroys it. Stinger Salvo: The Scorpion Sentinel will fire rounds of electrical energy from its tail. Attempt to guard or dodge this attack. Auto-Repair: Only used during the last phase of the fight. The Scorpion Sentinel will heal itself for a small amount. Overkill: Only used during the last phase of the fight. The Scorpion Sentinel will release a random culmination of its ranged attacks. Attempt to guard or dodge this attack.

Important Tips For Destroying The Scorpion Sentinel In Final Fantasy VII Remake

  • Scorpion Movement: Up until the final phase of the fight, the Scorpion Sentinel will jump around the map. When the Scorpion Sentinel jumps onto the wall, Cloud will be very inefficient at dealing any damage to it, so make sure to switch to Barret. The Scorpion Sentinel will also jump into the air and change the direction it is facing at random times throughout the fight, so don’t be directly under it when it lands. Thunder: Cloud will make it very clear to Barret that they need to use lightning magic at the very beginning of the fight. Barret has the Thunder spell that costs 5 MP. The player will want to use this spell on the Scorpion Sentinel as often as possible, but not if it has shields up. The shields will make it immune to the lightning damage and need to be taken away first. Staggered: After doing enough damage, the Scorpion Sentinel will become Staggered, meaning it can’t attack or move and take more damage from attacks. At this time the game will notify the player about Limit Breaks. Now is a perfect time to use it seeing as the boss will take more damage when Staggered. In Tactical Mode, select Limit in the Commands menu to use a Limit Break. Deal as much damage as possible when the Scorpion Sentinel is Staggered. Punishing: Cloud will do a lot more damage up close while in Punisher Mode, so make sure to switch over to it when attacking the Scorpion Sentinel up close. Cloud will immediately switch out of Punisher Mode if he dodges a ranged or magic attack, so keep in mind that he may need to be switched over multiple times. Field Generators: The Scorpion Sentinel will activate a defensive field indicated by green markings covering its body. While it is active the damage done to it is greatly reduced and it is immune to Barret’s Thunder spell. To disable it, the player will need to lock on to the field generator and attack it from behind the Scorpion Sentinel, right below its tail. Crippling: Once the player has entered the last phase of the fight, they will be able to target the Scorpion Sentinel’s front legs with attacks. Destroying one of these legs will cripple it, leaving it stunned for a short amount of time. Take this time to deal damage to the main section of the Scorpion Sentinel. If the boss is still up, target the second leg to gain more time without being attacked.

More: Final Fantasy 7 Remake’s World Explained

Final Fantasy VII Remake is available on April 10, 2020, for Playstation 4.