Final Fantasy 7 Remake: Hard Mode - how to unlock, changes Final Fantasy 7 Remake guide, walkthrough

From this page of the Final Fantasy VII Remake game guide, you will find out what Hard difficulty level is, how it changes the game and how to unlock it.

The FF7 Remake has a hidden hard difficulty level which, in addition to increasing the increasing the game's difficulty level, significantly changes many gameplay mechanics. You will find a few tips involving this difficulty level below.

1. You unlock Hard Mode by completing the game for the first time. Once you have finished the story, you will be able to choose the high difficulty level.
2. Along with the hard mode, you also unlock the option to replay completed chapters. What is more, you can start a given chapter on Hard right away.
3. On this difficulty level, enemies inflict more damage, have more hp, and bosses get new/modified attacks. The fights are more difficult and it is much easier to die.
4. You can't use items - elixirs, potions, or ethers. To regenerate health or mana after a fight, you can still use benches, beds, etc.
5. You can and even must rely on healing. Magnify + Healing Materia is great when you want to heal the entire team at once. Of course, you have to watch out for the MP.
6. As a consolation, your characters get 2x more EXP and 3x more AP. Thus, you can quickly strengthen and level up the team.
7. You will also find new items, Manuscripts, which add SP and unlock new sub-cores for your weapons.
8. Hard Mode gives you the opportunity to face the most challenging boss - Pride and Joy Prototype.