Pretty early on, the PSP energy emanating from Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- Reunion is strong. Whether it's the animations, style of dialogue, or overall game feel, the era it's from is very noticeable, and that inherently makes it an interesting title to play and dissect. Whilst this release was touted as a remaster, it actually ebbs and flows somewhere between remaster and remake, with so much of a visual overhaul that lets it stand very closely to its mainline older brother, Final Fantasy VII Remake.
Telling the backstory of SOLDIER First Class operative, Zack, this is a unique title. Whilst at times a little odd and perhaps not as compelling as the Final Fantasy VII original or its first remake part, it's no doubt brilliant, with a slew of unique ideas that make it one that feels great to have access to on current hardware.
It’s worth stating that I unfortunately never had the chance to play the original Crisis Core, meaning this is my first time experiencing the game and its narrative. It means that I won't have the most comprehensive comparison to the OG. However, I have played FF7 original, and Remake - and am very much looking forward to Rebirth - so I was pretty up to snuff on the narrative, world, and involved characters going into this. There’s ultimately a lot to unpack, and with the context of where the series is heading, it has interesting placement as to when you should play it based on which titles you've experienced.
For example, without spoiling anything, if you've played the entirety of the original FF7, Crisis Core is one you can play to deepen your knowledge of what came before that. However, if you've only played Remake, Crisis Core is best saved until after you play the original or - depending on what we learn in Rebirth - after that. Weirdly enough, this is a series that the more you invest into, the more there is that's worth checking out, with the original game being the core title that'll set you up for a solid experience across all the others.
Learning more about the state of the world and its characters before the beginning of FF7 really adds some nice texture to those other titles, and with Zack especially, lets you understand his story and how he ends up where he does. On that note, let’s delve into the story and plot of Crisis Core.
Developing and expanding on what we know of the world of Final Fantasy VII, I ultimately found the narrative here to be intriguing, even if a little convoluted. This story on the whole is the genesis - no pun intended - of the main FF7 game and whilst its events lead into that title, it also has its own elements to explore too.
Much of the narrative revolves around a point in time whereby there’s a rebellion launched against Shinra during the height of Wutai's war on the company, and Zack's thrown head-first into this as he works his way through the SOLDIER ranks. Likely due to the length of time I played this game over, as well as spending a lot of time running through its side missions, not much of the core throughline really stuck with me.
I liked the continuous theme of the 'LOVELESS' play that antagonist Genesis is immersed in, and how that relates to the core story and how it all plays out, however it wasn’t till I doubled back and watched a recap that I understood more about the character’s intentions. In the end, I didn’t find it as compelling as the main FF7 game, though there are several notable events that play out that formulate solid groundwork for the following chronological title.
Furthermore, there are plenty of great character interactions and moments that provide a deeper insight into each character’s backstory. These all add greater texture and value to this series. For example, learning of Zack and Cloud's origins, exploring Shinra before things truly got out of hand as we see in the OG, and having a grander picture of how Sephiroth was set on the path he eventually walks is all brilliant, and one of this game's strengths when it comes to writing.
Not only does it make the possibilities of FF7 Rebirth even more tantalising, it adds further weight to this universe and its inhabitants and makes you see how deep the history of it all goes. It only ends up enhancing the experience of other titles, and by its conclusion, it ends up feeling quite essential. Though again, wait till you've played FF7 OG before jumping in - you'll likely appreciate it more that way.
On the gameplay front, Crisis Core Reunion borrows certain elements and game feel from the Remake games, but retains core elements from the original - such as the MP and AP gauges, the Digital Mind Wave (DMW) system, and Limit Breaks. Whilst the game has less immediate depth in combat than Remake, there's still a lot I liked about how it’s all handled here. Its relative simplicity of course makes total sense for a handheld title, but once you get further into the game and start messing around with changing gear and increasing stats, you get to see the game's more systemic depth via Materia and statistics that can lead to various menu tweaking, especially with features like Materia Fusion, and how each Materia can be used and levelled just like in FF7.
Unlike the original, Materia can also be socketed and upgraded with permanent stat boosts, meaning it's not just about the core function and level of said Materia, but about the bonus passive effects they can provide to your entire build when equipped.
There’s a cap to several of the stats, but after reaching a certain point and acquiring specific pieces of gear, you can actually break through the damage ceiling and those caps, letting you beef up Zack's stats and gear so much that makes the higher difficulty side missions and encounters much more feasible. I'm curious to see how this would play out on New Game+, but in my 90%+ mission completion state, it's been fun discovering these items and seeing what combinations I can come up with.
Thanks to multiple types and levels for Materia, plus the Fusion system, there's a lot to tap into here, and a ton of builds you could feasibly put together. Though later on, it does perhaps feel like the few 'Genji' Accessories are the ones you probably want more than others, up to that point - and still after then for Materia - there's a lot of variety with a slew of systems that are incredibly well designed in ways that get you thinking about how they could all be put to use.
It has a bit of a grindy side to it too that I found particularly appealing because rewards and challenges weren’t just hand-outs and actually required a bit of investment ahead of time. There's a reason to re-run some of the missions if you’re looking for a particular resource or just want to farm items and resources that can apply big stat boosts to your favourite Materia. Having this, as well as a high ceiling for difficulty, gets you investing into all of these systems, evaluating the foes you’re going up against, and what tools and equipment you can throw on to survive and best them in battle.
There's a lot of solid depth here that adds extensive replay value, especially if you're aiming to 100% it, or even just replaying on NG+ or Hard for example. Mission variety is a little sparse especially with the lack of environments and layouts, but if like me, you're really into the systems side, that's almost an aspect that can be ignored to an extent, even if it is still a valid critique.
Theorising what these systems could be like on a grander scale, with a more open world and wider variety of missions and endgame content is a tantalising prospect and one that I hope we may see to an extent in either Rebirth or the third part of the remake trilogy. At minimum, seeing Materia Fusion brought forward and expanded upon would be cool to see as there's something truly brilliant about that system, and it’s brimming with potential, especially with the ever-expanding array of Materia the remake games are introducing.
Speaking more to that grindy, RNG aspect, some of that seeps into combat via the DMW system, a slot-machine-like roulette wheel that rotates through various numbers and character images to provide buffs and bonuses to you mid-combat. Whether it be refills and overflows to your various health, magic, or ability point gauges, or granting you a Summon or Limit Break, there are a lot of ways this system enhances combat, adding a unique spin that feels right in line with the gameplay loop and extensive backend systems across Materia and statistics.
I can understand why some wouldn't like this system since it's not intentional and all RNG-based, making it difficult to predict or feasibly work towards any of the bonuses but I honestly really liked its implementation and the layer of randomness it provides. Ultimately, whilst there are chance-weighting Materia that makes a specific Limit Break more likely to pop up, you're not really building into this system since your primary goal on the buildcrafting side lies within your core skill set.
Whilst the DMW was no doubt useful on many occasions with its stat boosts and delivery of Limit Breaks, I never felt like it was carrying me, nor was I losing battles because it wasn’t providing a specific buff. Sure, it kept me well-stocked on health and magic, and many times I had overflowing stats, but that didn't break the flow of the game, nor did I ever feel like I was waiting around for a good pull - it all just happened seamlessly and was additive to the experience, and core stat-boosting and buildcrafting was still the most important aspect for those tougher missions.
After around 40 hours of play, I grew to enjoy this system a lot, and whilst I wouldn't necessarily advocate for it to be in the other titles, elements like the character-themed Limit Breaks, or the impressive Summon cutscenes are fun features that I enjoyed quite a bit. Shoutout to the Bahamut, and even crazier Bahamut Zero cutscenes in particular, but they all provide immense spectacle worth watching. The other Limit Break scenes are fun too, and it's cool to inject some of those other character's personalities into the abilities even if they're not there fighting alongside you.
The thematic implications are intriguing too, with the idea of emotions and how Zack's feelings increase the chance of certain Limits activating. This element does get played upon a little at various points in the story depending on the preceding events, and one moment emphasises this greater than all the others to drive home a particular narrative beat. In doing so, there’s a fair bit of impact this system has beyond simply just a RNG slot machine.
Whether it's just the nature of this originally being a PSP game, or that it has a lot of intrinsic systems that demand replayability and stat tweaking, there's a lot of coziness and nostalgia I found within Crisis Core. Even though I've spent over half of my playtime trying to complete all of its side missions and grab all the missable items for the Platinum trophy - a task that has no doubt been a little mundane - I can't deny the enjoyment I've had. It let me really dig deep into all the game's systems and showcased how far it all goes which only makes the prospect of replaying it or diving into NG+ all the more enticing.
I appreciate the differences this game has compared to the original FF7 and Remake that lets it maintain its own style. With all these games overall in fact, it’s nice to have various different types of gameplay that build on the games’ core concept from numerous angles. Having that on top of a story that itself differentiates itself allows Crisis Core to stand alongside those aforementioned titles, becoming itself a key piece of the FF7 puzzle.
To retain that core identity from its PSP origins is something I liked a lot, and even with a graphical overhaul that comes close to a full remake, it stays true to the 2007 original. It reminded me of Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker in a number of ways, most specifically its mission structure, and I sense that’s in part where some of the nostalgia I sense comes from too.
As a final note, I want to give a shoutout to the Mail system. Whilst I typically don't read all text logs in a game, the length of these and the way in which they're delivered in Crisis Core was perfect, building on its story and themes really well. I especially enjoyed the fan clubs you could join, and seeing how characters like Genesis, Angeal, and Sephiroth are regarded so highly by the citizens of Midgar, so much so that they have entire clubs devoted to them, gushing about how amazing they are, and sharing random facts about them.
In many ways, it’s a bit like an in-universe gossip magazine or something, seeing these people lose their minds over these figures that are only really known to them at face value. That is to say, the Midgar citizens clearly don't know the darker backstory of existence and mission that each of these characters have, and these fan club perceptions present a fun little angle that only adds texture to the world and its populace, making it feel all the more believable.
Crisis Core Reunion was a game that I wanted to play near when it was released because, since it was a PSP game and a prequel, it felt like a nice jumping off point. That never actually happened however, and with the recommendations of others pointing me towards playing the original FF7 before Remake, that's where I eventually went. Playing through both of those and watching Advent Children, and then jumping into Crisis Core, I'm about as ready as I can be for Rebirth.
Seeing this extra chapter that provides so much insight into some of the franchise's most notable characters and lore only has me more intrigued based on what we know about the next remake chapter.
In itself, Crisis Core is a really fantastic title, and whilst its narrative may not have been quite as compelling as the other FF7 titles, it still has many great moments and certainly upholds high quality of writing for its characters. With an expansive gameplay loop and content that – even if a little mundane at times – showcases a ton of depth and potential, it got me thinking about and tinkering with my items and gear to find the best option in various situations, and makes a New Game + run something I'd like to pursue in the future.
For now though, I'm going to clean up the last few missions I need and then hopefully net the Platinum. After that, it's pretty much going to be straight into Rebirth. Just like I said in my FF7 Remake review, echoing the words of one Barret Wallace, there really is no getting off this train.
Telling the backstory of SOLDIER First Class operative, Zack, this is a unique title. Whilst at times a little odd and perhaps not as compelling as the Final Fantasy VII original or its first remake part, it's no doubt brilliant, with a slew of unique ideas that make it one that feels great to have access to on current hardware.
It’s worth stating that I unfortunately never had the chance to play the original Crisis Core, meaning this is my first time experiencing the game and its narrative. It means that I won't have the most comprehensive comparison to the OG. However, I have played FF7 original, and Remake - and am very much looking forward to Rebirth - so I was pretty up to snuff on the narrative, world, and involved characters going into this. There’s ultimately a lot to unpack, and with the context of where the series is heading, it has interesting placement as to when you should play it based on which titles you've experienced.
For example, without spoiling anything, if you've played the entirety of the original FF7, Crisis Core is one you can play to deepen your knowledge of what came before that. However, if you've only played Remake, Crisis Core is best saved until after you play the original or - depending on what we learn in Rebirth - after that. Weirdly enough, this is a series that the more you invest into, the more there is that's worth checking out, with the original game being the core title that'll set you up for a solid experience across all the others.
Learning more about the state of the world and its characters before the beginning of FF7 really adds some nice texture to those other titles, and with Zack especially, lets you understand his story and how he ends up where he does. On that note, let’s delve into the story and plot of Crisis Core.
Developing and expanding on what we know of the world of Final Fantasy VII, I ultimately found the narrative here to be intriguing, even if a little convoluted. This story on the whole is the genesis - no pun intended - of the main FF7 game and whilst its events lead into that title, it also has its own elements to explore too.
Much of the narrative revolves around a point in time whereby there’s a rebellion launched against Shinra during the height of Wutai's war on the company, and Zack's thrown head-first into this as he works his way through the SOLDIER ranks. Likely due to the length of time I played this game over, as well as spending a lot of time running through its side missions, not much of the core throughline really stuck with me.
I liked the continuous theme of the 'LOVELESS' play that antagonist Genesis is immersed in, and how that relates to the core story and how it all plays out, however it wasn’t till I doubled back and watched a recap that I understood more about the character’s intentions. In the end, I didn’t find it as compelling as the main FF7 game, though there are several notable events that play out that formulate solid groundwork for the following chronological title.
Furthermore, there are plenty of great character interactions and moments that provide a deeper insight into each character’s backstory. These all add greater texture and value to this series. For example, learning of Zack and Cloud's origins, exploring Shinra before things truly got out of hand as we see in the OG, and having a grander picture of how Sephiroth was set on the path he eventually walks is all brilliant, and one of this game's strengths when it comes to writing.
Not only does it make the possibilities of FF7 Rebirth even more tantalising, it adds further weight to this universe and its inhabitants and makes you see how deep the history of it all goes. It only ends up enhancing the experience of other titles, and by its conclusion, it ends up feeling quite essential. Though again, wait till you've played FF7 OG before jumping in - you'll likely appreciate it more that way.
On the gameplay front, Crisis Core Reunion borrows certain elements and game feel from the Remake games, but retains core elements from the original - such as the MP and AP gauges, the Digital Mind Wave (DMW) system, and Limit Breaks. Whilst the game has less immediate depth in combat than Remake, there's still a lot I liked about how it’s all handled here. Its relative simplicity of course makes total sense for a handheld title, but once you get further into the game and start messing around with changing gear and increasing stats, you get to see the game's more systemic depth via Materia and statistics that can lead to various menu tweaking, especially with features like Materia Fusion, and how each Materia can be used and levelled just like in FF7.
Unlike the original, Materia can also be socketed and upgraded with permanent stat boosts, meaning it's not just about the core function and level of said Materia, but about the bonus passive effects they can provide to your entire build when equipped.
There’s a cap to several of the stats, but after reaching a certain point and acquiring specific pieces of gear, you can actually break through the damage ceiling and those caps, letting you beef up Zack's stats and gear so much that makes the higher difficulty side missions and encounters much more feasible. I'm curious to see how this would play out on New Game+, but in my 90%+ mission completion state, it's been fun discovering these items and seeing what combinations I can come up with.
Thanks to multiple types and levels for Materia, plus the Fusion system, there's a lot to tap into here, and a ton of builds you could feasibly put together. Though later on, it does perhaps feel like the few 'Genji' Accessories are the ones you probably want more than others, up to that point - and still after then for Materia - there's a lot of variety with a slew of systems that are incredibly well designed in ways that get you thinking about how they could all be put to use.
It has a bit of a grindy side to it too that I found particularly appealing because rewards and challenges weren’t just hand-outs and actually required a bit of investment ahead of time. There's a reason to re-run some of the missions if you’re looking for a particular resource or just want to farm items and resources that can apply big stat boosts to your favourite Materia. Having this, as well as a high ceiling for difficulty, gets you investing into all of these systems, evaluating the foes you’re going up against, and what tools and equipment you can throw on to survive and best them in battle.
There's a lot of solid depth here that adds extensive replay value, especially if you're aiming to 100% it, or even just replaying on NG+ or Hard for example. Mission variety is a little sparse especially with the lack of environments and layouts, but if like me, you're really into the systems side, that's almost an aspect that can be ignored to an extent, even if it is still a valid critique.
Theorising what these systems could be like on a grander scale, with a more open world and wider variety of missions and endgame content is a tantalising prospect and one that I hope we may see to an extent in either Rebirth or the third part of the remake trilogy. At minimum, seeing Materia Fusion brought forward and expanded upon would be cool to see as there's something truly brilliant about that system, and it’s brimming with potential, especially with the ever-expanding array of Materia the remake games are introducing.
Speaking more to that grindy, RNG aspect, some of that seeps into combat via the DMW system, a slot-machine-like roulette wheel that rotates through various numbers and character images to provide buffs and bonuses to you mid-combat. Whether it be refills and overflows to your various health, magic, or ability point gauges, or granting you a Summon or Limit Break, there are a lot of ways this system enhances combat, adding a unique spin that feels right in line with the gameplay loop and extensive backend systems across Materia and statistics.
I can understand why some wouldn't like this system since it's not intentional and all RNG-based, making it difficult to predict or feasibly work towards any of the bonuses but I honestly really liked its implementation and the layer of randomness it provides. Ultimately, whilst there are chance-weighting Materia that makes a specific Limit Break more likely to pop up, you're not really building into this system since your primary goal on the buildcrafting side lies within your core skill set.
Whilst the DMW was no doubt useful on many occasions with its stat boosts and delivery of Limit Breaks, I never felt like it was carrying me, nor was I losing battles because it wasn’t providing a specific buff. Sure, it kept me well-stocked on health and magic, and many times I had overflowing stats, but that didn't break the flow of the game, nor did I ever feel like I was waiting around for a good pull - it all just happened seamlessly and was additive to the experience, and core stat-boosting and buildcrafting was still the most important aspect for those tougher missions.
After around 40 hours of play, I grew to enjoy this system a lot, and whilst I wouldn't necessarily advocate for it to be in the other titles, elements like the character-themed Limit Breaks, or the impressive Summon cutscenes are fun features that I enjoyed quite a bit. Shoutout to the Bahamut, and even crazier Bahamut Zero cutscenes in particular, but they all provide immense spectacle worth watching. The other Limit Break scenes are fun too, and it's cool to inject some of those other character's personalities into the abilities even if they're not there fighting alongside you.
The thematic implications are intriguing too, with the idea of emotions and how Zack's feelings increase the chance of certain Limits activating. This element does get played upon a little at various points in the story depending on the preceding events, and one moment emphasises this greater than all the others to drive home a particular narrative beat. In doing so, there’s a fair bit of impact this system has beyond simply just a RNG slot machine.
Whether it's just the nature of this originally being a PSP game, or that it has a lot of intrinsic systems that demand replayability and stat tweaking, there's a lot of coziness and nostalgia I found within Crisis Core. Even though I've spent over half of my playtime trying to complete all of its side missions and grab all the missable items for the Platinum trophy - a task that has no doubt been a little mundane - I can't deny the enjoyment I've had. It let me really dig deep into all the game's systems and showcased how far it all goes which only makes the prospect of replaying it or diving into NG+ all the more enticing.
I appreciate the differences this game has compared to the original FF7 and Remake that lets it maintain its own style. With all these games overall in fact, it’s nice to have various different types of gameplay that build on the games’ core concept from numerous angles. Having that on top of a story that itself differentiates itself allows Crisis Core to stand alongside those aforementioned titles, becoming itself a key piece of the FF7 puzzle.
To retain that core identity from its PSP origins is something I liked a lot, and even with a graphical overhaul that comes close to a full remake, it stays true to the 2007 original. It reminded me of Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker in a number of ways, most specifically its mission structure, and I sense that’s in part where some of the nostalgia I sense comes from too.
As a final note, I want to give a shoutout to the Mail system. Whilst I typically don't read all text logs in a game, the length of these and the way in which they're delivered in Crisis Core was perfect, building on its story and themes really well. I especially enjoyed the fan clubs you could join, and seeing how characters like Genesis, Angeal, and Sephiroth are regarded so highly by the citizens of Midgar, so much so that they have entire clubs devoted to them, gushing about how amazing they are, and sharing random facts about them.
In many ways, it’s a bit like an in-universe gossip magazine or something, seeing these people lose their minds over these figures that are only really known to them at face value. That is to say, the Midgar citizens clearly don't know the darker backstory of existence and mission that each of these characters have, and these fan club perceptions present a fun little angle that only adds texture to the world and its populace, making it feel all the more believable.
Crisis Core Reunion was a game that I wanted to play near when it was released because, since it was a PSP game and a prequel, it felt like a nice jumping off point. That never actually happened however, and with the recommendations of others pointing me towards playing the original FF7 before Remake, that's where I eventually went. Playing through both of those and watching Advent Children, and then jumping into Crisis Core, I'm about as ready as I can be for Rebirth.
Seeing this extra chapter that provides so much insight into some of the franchise's most notable characters and lore only has me more intrigued based on what we know about the next remake chapter.
In itself, Crisis Core is a really fantastic title, and whilst its narrative may not have been quite as compelling as the other FF7 titles, it still has many great moments and certainly upholds high quality of writing for its characters. With an expansive gameplay loop and content that – even if a little mundane at times – showcases a ton of depth and potential, it got me thinking about and tinkering with my items and gear to find the best option in various situations, and makes a New Game + run something I'd like to pursue in the future.
For now though, I'm going to clean up the last few missions I need and then hopefully net the Platinum. After that, it's pretty much going to be straight into Rebirth. Just like I said in my FF7 Remake review, echoing the words of one Barret Wallace, there really is no getting off this train.