8 Vital Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Side Quests You Need to Do
Essential distractions.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is a massive sequel with an expansive open world ripe for exploration. In addition to dozens of world activities, 66 different side quests are spread across the game’s various regions. That sheer size could potentially feel overwhelming, especially with all the little side quest icons popping up suddenly across the map. There’s so much to do, so much to see, and yet there’s so little time.
To that end, we’ve compiled a list of eight side quests you need to complete at a bare minimum, for both story reasons and rewards. Even if you’re just playing Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth for its story, these side quests feel essential and will make your experience that much more worthwhile.
A Rare Card Lost (Grasslands, Ch. 2)
If you want to play Queen’s Blood, the card from this quest is vital.
A Rare Card Lost is a good introduction to the Queen’s Blood, and if you’re planning on playing the card game throughout Rebirth you’ll absolutely want the Chocobo and Mog card you get as a reward. It’s a vital card that gets a boost whenever another card is strengthened and can be the centerpiece of a strategy. As an additional bonus, though, this quest also has some nice development for Cloud and Tifa’s relationship.
The Saga of the Seaside Inn (Corel, Ch. 7)
Johnny never changes.
Johnny is a fun character, a big doofus who just can’t seem to do anything right. If you love Johnny, The Saga of the Seaside Inn should definitely be on your list. But aside from just being fun, it serves an important function. Completing this quest unlocks a completion list that ties into all of the game’s side activities. By heading to Johnny’s Seaside Shack you can look at 88 different collectibles you get for a wide array of things, many of which are fun little nods to the series’ past or help flesh out extra details of Final Fantasy 7’s world.
The Pursuit of Perfection (Corel, Ch. 9)
A new weapon for Barret is a valuable reward.
The Pursuit of Perfection is a quest all about Barrett and the guilt and responsibility he has as a rebel fighting to defend the planet. But it also dives into the wish at this character’s core, how he hopes that, someday, he can stop fighting. It’s a surprisingly introspective little story that also results in Barrett getting the weapon Fafnir Cannon, which unlocks the ultra-powerful Point Blank ability. Barret has some of the most meaningful development in Rebirth, so getting to know him a little better enhances everything.
Cosmo Canyon Protorelic Quest (Ch. 10)
Even Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie get their moment in Rebirth.
If there’s one single side activity you should definitely do, it’s this one. The Protorelic Quest in Cosmo Canyon holds one of Rebirth’s very best minigames, while also delivering some of its most emotional storytelling. Without spoiling anything if you love Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie, this series of activities sheds even more light on their relationship with Tifa and Barret, and their eventual fates. There’s also a bit of info on Yuffie’s Avalanche buddies from the INTERmission DLC.
The minigame in this Protelic quest even brings back one of the most ingenious systems the series has ever seen: Final Fantasy XII’s Gambit system. All around, it’s one of the very best things in all of Rebirth.
Victim of Circumstance (Corel, Ch. 12)
Details on Wutai are scant, but a few quests provide some hints.
Similarly to the previous Protorelic quest, Victim of Circumstance lets you learn about what happened to Zhijie after the events of INTERmission. There are also some very interesting little details on Yuffie’s history in Wutai, and some of the expectations laid on her. Past that, though, this quest has one of the most valuable rewards of all, the cherished Magnify materia that lets you spread the effect of a spell to the entire party.
Gold Cup or Bust (Gold Saucer, Ch. 12)
If you love the Chocobo family, make sure to play this quest.
You’ve likely noticed a trend with the last few quests, and Gold Cup or Bust is yet another one that has important story details on top of a valuable reward. This time around the focus is on Chocobo Billy, and this is the quest that finally reveals what happened to his parents that you hear about multiple times. Your reward is the Chocoking Cape, which gives one full ATB bar at the start of every battle to the wearer.
Woodland Vigil (Gongaga, Ch. 12)
Cissnei fans need to play through her sidequests.
Crisis Core fans were likely overjoyed to see Cissnei pop up in Rebirth, but if you want further details on what the character’s been up to, you’ll need to do the Woodland Vigil quest. While the reward is just a manuscript for Cait Sith, there are some very interesting details here about both Cissnei, and what’s going on with Cloud.
Lament of the Damned - (Nibel, Ch. 12)
Most of Vincent’s details lie in side content.
Iconic loner Vincent Valentine doesn’t have much to do in Rebirth, but if you want to learn as much about him as possible, Lament of the Damned is a must-play. This quest is one of the only details we get on the beloved character’s updated backstory, and there are some truly fascinating hints about where things could be going.
Beating Lament of the Damned unlocks some exclusive new simulator challenges, and once those are complete you’ll open a hidden door to a chest that contains Aerith’s final weapon, Plumose Rod, which grants her strongest ability, Ray of Judgment.
