Before you start
The Demo covers the complete first chapter. Players and launch coverage report a character-level cap of 15 and Vision MR cap of 5; you do not need to reach either cap to finish the chapter.
Keep a manual save before bosses, equip the Visions you acquire, and preserve a healing option. Lid joins in Chapter 2, so your permanent Demo party is Rain, Lasswell and Fina.
Opening to Grandshelt
- Follow the opening into Earth Shrine. Use Fire against Belmodar.
- Visit the blue house in Mitra and complete the event that gives you Tronn and Leah. Equip them.
- Continue through Grandshelt Castle. Hell’s Rider inflicts Poison, so prepare a cure. The first Umbra battle is a scripted loss after a few turns.
- Leave Grandshelt to recruit Fina, then travel to Kol. Rest at the inn and speak to the chocobo stablehand when the story is ready.
Felicitas, Kolobos and Grandport
Continue through Felicitas and Kolobos Ruins. After the bridge collapses, use the ladders to rejoin the route. The Hunger has more than one phase: preserve healing and resources for the later Light-weak phase.
At Grandport, advance the harbor events to learn why you cannot sail onward. The next main objective is Siren’s Tower. Reaching the tower before that event does not skip its story prerequisite.
Defeat Siren
Bring Lightning attacks from Tronn, Warrior of Light, Cloud or suitable scrolls. Protect your healer from Charm using Leah’s Nullify Charm or Monk’s Prayer Beads.
Siren’s Allure can Charm the party. Keep the healer able to act, lower Siren’s Stagger gauge with Lightning, and use the bonus turn once you break her. If a break is not imminent, recover rather than committing every low-HP character to damage.
Winning gives you the Siren Esper. Return to Grandport and complete the following events, including the Moogle of Light’s Awakening lesson and its Magicite Shard. Finish the Chapter 1 endpoint and save.
Optional stops before the end
Collect Warrior of Light, Terra and Cloud from the early sanctums in addition to story Visions Tronn and Leah. There are also four side quests and 12 Tablet Shards within the chapter.
These are optional preparation, not a requirement for carrying a save into the full game. Use the Demo checklist for the full set and the Siren guide for battle preparation.