Side quests play a major part of , but even a game packed wall-to-wall with diversions has to eventually narrow its focus and get ready to cross the finish line. Having an idea of when this point is coming can be helpful to figure out the best pace for completing side quests, but it can be hard to discern. involves a lot of hopping around from region to region, and when backtracking starts to happen at the same time as the story is moving forward, it's easy to lose any sense of perspective.
Where things become especially concerning is around the return trip to the Gold Saucer, where Cloud can go on a date with whatever character he shares the strongest bond with. Doing side quests advances the affection of the characters associated with each quest, so putting some off until after the second round of the Gold Saucer is one easy way to arrange the most desirable date.
Luckily, there's no major reason to worry about how side quests will play out after the Gold Saucer, as the official point of no return in doesn't occur until after choosing to get going in the subsequent Chapter 13. After finishing up the second story sequence at the Gold Saucer in Chapter 12, Cloud and company can return to their regular activities, and the second half of the Protorelic quest in Corel doesn't even open until this point.
There is a small caveat in that one of the party members does end up becoming unplayable in combat after the events of the second Gold Saucer trip, which could make some battles feel different while finishing up side content. Fans of the original game can guess whose position in the party is shifting, although the placement of the relevant scene is slightly altered in the new take. For newcomers, there's some reassurance in knowing that this change doesn't block the completion of any side quests.
The equipped items and materia of the party member in question are returned to the general item inventory, so there's no need to worry about keeping any valuable equipment
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