85% of Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis players struggle to beat Floor 80 of the Sealed Tower Midgar Falls challenge.
This guide breaks down everything you need to know about beating this tough level with strategies that work in 2025.
Overview
The Sealed Tower is one of the hardest combat challenges in Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis. Floor 80 tests your skill, strategy, and character setup like nothing else in the game. The tower works differently than regular gameplay and you’ll need to understand how combat and enemies work.
To reach Floor 80, you need to finish all earlier floors without quitting. Your characters should be at least level 70 with fully upgraded materia to have a chance. The tower uses stamina that refills daily, so you only get a few tries before waiting for a reset.
Floor 80 has a battle arena with hazards that change every 30 seconds. The small space makes it hard to move around, so where you stand and when you attack matters a lot. Enemies appear in a set order – first regular Shinra soldiers, then elite SOLDIER units, and finally a surprise version of the Air Buster boss.
Preparation Before Attempting Floor 80
Good prep work makes a huge difference for Floor 80. How you set up before the battle often decides if you win or lose.
Build a team that can both deal damage and survive. The best part is Cloud (damage dealer), Aerith (healer/support), and either Barret (tank) or Tifa (second damage dealer). Give each character materia that helps their main job, but make sure everyone has at least one healing or defense option as backup.
Gear is just as important. Give Aerith weapons with lots of magic slots, while Cloud needs strength and critical hit-boosting accessories. Don’t forget defensive gear – accessories that protect against status effects are really helpful since Floor 80 enemies love using stun and poison attacks.
Managing your items can make or break your run. Bring at least 10 Hi-Potions, 5 Ethers, and a few Phoenix Downs. Try crafting special items like Turbo Ethers that restore both HP and MP at once, which helps during the long fight.
Step-By-Step Walkthrough for Floor 80
Floor 80 has three different phases, each needing its approach. Follow this guide to handle each phase.
Phase 1: Infantry Wave (0:00-3:00)
The battle starts with waves of regular Shinra infantry. They attack in patterns you can predict, but there are lots of them.
Put your team in the northeast corner of the arena. This spot reduces your exposure and forces enemies to come at you from one direction. Take out machine gunners first since they can do constant damage if ignored.
Use area attacks to clear groups, but save MP for later. Cloud’s Triple Slash works well and doesn’t waste resources. Time your defense moves to match when enemies attack together, usually at the 1:30 and 2:45 marks.
Phase 2: SOLDIER Elites (3:00-6:30)
After beating the infantry, 3-5 SOLDIER fighters teleport in. These enemies hit harder and move faster than the first wave.
Keep moving to avoid getting surrounded. Target the mages first, as their Firaga spells can quickly drain your health. Try to interrupt their casting with stun attacks.
Focus on taking out the most dangerous enemies while managing your defensive moves. Save limit breaks for emergencies or to quickly kill high-threat targets. At the 5:00 mark, get ready for an arena-wide attack – you’ll need a high magic defense or the Barrier spell to survive it.
Phase 3: Modified Air Buster (6:30-End)
The final boss is a modified Air Buster with better weapons and defenses. This mechanical boss follows a pattern of attacks you can learn to predict.
Its weak spots are on the shoulder missile launchers and central core. Focus your attacks there for maximum damage. Every 45 seconds, Air Buster enters an overcharge state with glowing blue panels. During this time, stop attacking and focus on defense, as the boss will reflect damage at you.
The boss’s deadliest attack, “Mako Beam,” has a 3-second charge shown by a bright green light. Quickly move all characters to the sides of the arena to avoid this powerful straight-line attack. After each beam, Air Buster has a 10-second cooldown where its defense drops by 50% – use your strongest attacks during this window.
Advanced Tactics for Sealed Tower Challenges
Beyond the basic walkthrough, these advanced tactics are what separate average players from the best. Using these strategies will help you beat even the toughest challenges.
Watch enemy defense patterns to time your attacks better. Air Buster switches between physical and magical defense buffs. Watch its shoulder lights (red means it resists physical attacks, blue means it resists magic) and change your attack type to match.
Quickly switching between attack and defense modes helps you both survive longer and deal more damage. Practice navigating the menu quickly to switch modes as needed.
Switching characters at the right time creates brief moments of invulnerability. If timed right, character switches can help you dodge attacks that would normally hit you. Try switching characters just as Air Buster starts its “Circular Saw” attack to completely avoid the damage.
Common Floor 80 Roadblocks
Even with this guide, you might still run into specific problems. Here are solutions for the most common issues.
If you keep dying during the infantry wave, you’re probably not using good defensive positions. Try using the pillars in the environment as cover against ranged attacks. Put the Cover materia on your tank character to take damage instead of your weaker teammates.
When SOLDIER elites overwhelm you, you’re likely not targeting enemies in the right order. Always take out enemies in this order: mages first, then sword specialists, and finally regular operatives. If you don’t kill the dangerous enemies quickly, the fight gets much harder.
If the Air Buster is dealing too much damage, try breaking its parts in the right order. Destroy the right arm first to reduce how often it attacks by 30%, giving you more time to heal and reposition. Don’t target the left arm first – when destroyed, it triggers a defense mode that makes the boss take less damage overall.
Rewards for Completing Floor 80
Beating Floor 80 gives you great rewards that make the challenge worth it. Knowing what you’ll get helps keep you motivated through tough attempts.
Right away, you get 5,000 Gil, 3 Mega Ethers, and a guaranteed 5-star equipment piece from the Midgar Collection. Even better, you receive 5 Enhancement Cores – rare materials for final-tier weapon upgrades that you can’t get through normal gameplay.
The benefits go beyond just items. Completing Floor 80 unlocks a daily challenge mode where you can gather resources much faster. This mode lets you farm Enhancement Fragments three times faster than normal, which helps level up your characters much quicker.
You also get exclusive cosmetic items, including the “Midgar Defender” title and a special weapon skin that shows other players your achievement in co-op modes.
Community-Sourced Tips for Floor 80 Success
The Ever Crisis community has found more strategies through trial and error. These player-tested approaches give you alternative ways to beat Floor 80.
Certain materia combinations can improve your damage output. Try pairing Lightning + MP Absorb materia to create a cycle where you damage Air Buster while getting MP back. Another good combo is HP Absorb + Counter Attack materia, which turns enemy hits into healing opportunities during infantry waves.
Character builds can create powerful teamwork. Cloud works best with a critical hit focus – stack Luck-boosting accessories and the Critical Strike materia. For Aerith, focus on MP regeneration and faster casting speed so she can heal consistently throughout all phases.
Good equipment goes beyond just stats. Use weapons with materia growth bonuses during earlier floors to gain more experience before the final challenge. Some armor pieces have special active skills that give you more options, like the Shinra Beta Vest’s emergency shield that makes you temporarily invulnerable on a 2-minute cooldown.
Conclusion
Beating Sealed Tower Midgar Falls Floor 80 is a big achievement in Ever Crisis. By using the strategies in this guide – from preparation to execution to troubleshooting – you’ll join the top 15% of players who have conquered this challenge.
Don’t forget that persistence is key. Most successful players need 5-10 attempts before winning, with each failure teaching them something new. Learn from your mistakes, adjust your strategy, and you’ll eventually succeed.
FAQs
How do I unlock Sealed Tower Midgar Falls?
To unlock the Sealed Tower, first complete Chapter 8 of the main story and reach battle rank 50. You also need to beat the optional Midgar Zolom boss in the marshlands, which drops the Tower Access Key needed to enter.
What are the best strategies for beating floor 80?
The best approach uses a balanced team (Tank, DPS, Support), materia combinations that target elemental weaknesses, and well-timed limit breaks during Air Buster’s vulnerable periods. Managing your resources throughout all phases is vital, as is taking out the most dangerous enemies first in each wave.
What rewards can I expect from clearing floor 80?
Beating Floor 80 gets you 5,000 Gil, 3 Mega Ethers, a guaranteed 5-star equipment piece, 5 Enhancement Cores, and access to special daily challenge modes. You also receive the “Midgar Defender” title and unique weapon skins to show off your achievement.
What should I do if I get stuck at a particular checkpoint?
Figure out which phase is giving you trouble. For infantry waves, work on positioning and targeting. For SOLDIER elites, focus on interrupting attacks and staying mobile. For Air Buster, learn its attack patterns and when it’s vulnerable. If you keep failing despite trying different strategies, consider leaving the tower temporarily to get better equipment or level up your materia.
Does floor 80 have any hidden mechanics not explained in-game?
Yes, Floor 80 has several hidden mechanics. You can temporarily disable the arena’s hazards by attacking control panels that randomly appear on the walls. Defeating enemies in certain orders (infantry captains last, SOLDIER mages first) increases item drops during battle. The Air Buster is also secretly weak to lightning attacks during its overcharge phase, though the game doesn’t tell you this.
Have you already beaten Floor 80? Share your strategies in the comments – your approach might help other players overcome this challenge. If you’re still working on it, let us know which phase gives you the most trouble so the community can offer specific advice.
