Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion Review

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion on PS5

Without a doubt, Final Fantasy VII is the most important and most beloved recreation in Square Enix’s historic JRPG franchise. Infamously lauded as “quite possibly the greatest video game of all time” again in 1997, FFVII has spawned loads of spin-off video games, a film, and gave delivery to one of the anticipated fashionable remakes we’ve seen within the final decade. Most of the aforementioned spin-off video games really feel like shameless money grabs maybe, however we shouldn’t neglect that little gem on the PSP from 2007 that helped reframe the complete epic saga.

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion is a remake of the PSP RPG, and as I discussed in my early preview of the sport, it appears to be like and feels great. Reunion is a beautiful encapsulation of your rose-colored recollections of what Crisis Core was like on the PSP; the character fashions look crisp and clear, the complete recreation is totally voice-acted now, and there are little enhancements to the fight system that make it really feel way more fluid and snappier.

Players take management of Zack Fair, a 2nd Class member of Shinra’s SOLDIER, who feels just like the antithesis of Cloud Strife proper off the bat. Zack is heat and sunny, and whereas his goofy antics could also be off-putting at first, he rapidly matures into a way more nuanced character with extra depth than you would possibly anticipate.

limit break in crisis core — Image Source: Square Enix through Twinfinite

Indeed, Zack is actually the center and soul of Crisis Core. If you don’t look after him, completely nothing concerning the recreation works. Thankfully, although, Zack’s characterization has been dealt with excellently, and it’s simple for the participant to heat as much as him rapidly and empathize with him all through the journey. He’s a goofball who is aware of when to get severe, and whereas there are occasions the place he can tread too carefully to the road of being a typical, cringey anime protagonist, there may be sufficient restraint within the recreation’s writing to maintain him from turning into a complete dumbass. It’s a difficult steadiness to handle, however Zack someway manages to stay likable for the complete runtime.

This is vital, as a result of it should be stated that Crisis Core’s story itself can typically be –how ought to I put it– an entire mess.

Now don’t misunderstand me right here; the characters of Crisis Core themselves are principally glorious. While Zack’s mentor, Angeal, could come off as a boring sq. at first, he’s additionally layered with sufficient nuance and depth that permit gamers to begin to see issues from his perspective. As the unique wielder of the long-lasting Buster Sword, Angeal’s story additionally offers extra which means to the beloved weapon past simply wanting badass.

Sephiroth is one other standout right here, although that shouldn’t come as a lot of a shock. He’s extensively considered the very best villain the Final Fantasy sequence has ever seen, and it’s refreshing to see him as one of many “good guys” in Crisis Core. There’s a continuing sense of dread and menace that permeates via all of the scenes that Sephiroth is in, and that uneasiness by no means fairly goes away.

aerith in crisis core — Image Source: Square Enix through Twinfinite

Other acquainted faces like Cloud and Aerith present up as nicely, and once more, a part of Crisis Core’s power comes from having the ability to current these characters in a barely completely different gentle. It’s satisfying to see how these characters behaved earlier than the occasions of FFVII, and to study what motivated them. Zack and Aerith’s little meet-cute relationship, particularly, was one of many strongest facets of Crisis Core again when the sport first launched. It may be a bit of cliched at instances, however look, rom-coms are standard for a purpose.

What doesn’t maintain up nicely –if it ever did– is Genesis, who continues to be one of the annoying and obnoxious antagonists within the sequence.

Genesis serves as the principle antagonist for many of Crisis Core, and yeah, he’s nonetheless a bore all these years later. Without getting too deep into spoiler territory, his backstory pales compared to that of Angeal and Sephiroth’s, and it definitely doesn’t assist that he’s at all times reciting terrible prose in nearly each scene he’s in. I can not overstate how a lot of a pretentious dummy Genesis is, and the truth that a lot of the story revolves round him is an actual disservice to Zack and Crisis Core as an entire. There’s a purpose why this man by no means comes up once more in FFVII canon. The much less stated about him, the higher.

Genesis isn’t the one blemish on the face of an in any other case very enjoyable and pleasing motion RPG. Playing via the sport once more for the primary time in over 10 years, I’d utterly forgotten concerning the foolish mini-games that Square Enix noticed match to shove in for some purpose. These vary from foolish (and inexplicably tough) quick-time occasions the place you must slash via missiles to bizarre stealth missions and even –I child you not– a capturing problem with a sniper rifle.

These aren’t non-compulsory, thoughts you. I need to’ve blocked these out of my reminiscence as a result of taking part in via Reunion, I used to be stunned each time a mini-game popped as much as smash the pacing of the story they usually had been a chore to get via. The worst half is that they’re so clearly shoehorned in as padding, as they’re all one-offs that add little worth of the sport and by no means present up once more.

sephiroth in crisis core — Image Source: Square Enix through Twinfinite

The different a part of Crisis Core that feels dated by as we speak’s requirements is the sport’s mission system. In-between every chapter, you’ll unlock new aspect missions that may be accessed via a save level. They’re your main supply of expertise and leveling up, they usually additionally reward you with a few of the greatest gear within the recreation. The downside is that they’re all extraordinarily repetitive, typically tasking you with preventing bosses you’ve already fought, or operating down hallways to battle mobs earlier than preventing one other boss.

Crisis Core’s missions are solely tolerable as a result of the fight is so good, and Reunion polishes it and makes it really feel even higher. The controls really feel responsive, and the fight solely will get much more pleasing as you unlock new Materia and numerous spells and abilities to weave into your combos. The recreation is fairly simple for essentially the most half on Normal issue, however having the ability to simply spin slash teams of enemies with a magic-based blade ability by no means will get outdated.

It additionally helps that Reunion now includes a new mechanic referred to as the Ability Gauge, the place enemies will telegraph their huge strikes, supplying you with an opportunity to cut back the harm they do or negate it utterly. If you’re capable of deal sufficient harm to utterly deplete the Ability Gauge, the enemy’s transfer will get canceled, and the battle continues as per regular.

The Digital Mind Wave (DMW) additionally continues to be Crisis Core’s most enigmatic and distinctive function. I’ve sung sufficient of its praises in my preview, however I totally loved the best way the sport used the DMW to clue us into Zack’s emotions at any level within the story and tell us who he was fascinated about. Character portraits get added to the DMW, which is principally a slot reels system, and everytime you line up three of the identical portraits, you get to make use of a restrict break ability.

A selected character would possibly pop up on the reels extra typically if Zack is considering them, which simply provides extra emotional stakes to the story. The DMW additionally now not pauses the sport each time minor results are triggered, which helps maintain issues transferring alongside in battle.

zack and aerith in crisis core — Image Source: Square Enix through Twinfinite

All of those little modifications definitely assist to make Crisis Core a bit of extra palatable for a contemporary viewers, and whereas there are elements of the story that haven’t aged nicely, I’d nonetheless preserve that it’s nicely price taking part in for people who’re invested within the FFVII saga. It’s tough to place into phrases simply how satisfying it’s to observe Zack bear a full character improvement arc over the course of 15 hours or so, and I’m glad he’s lastly getting his time within the solar once more. Especially with the best way the story goes in FFVII Remake, Crisis Core Reunion seems like an vital intermission episode (no shade to Episode Intermission, which can be superior) that needs to be skilled a minimum of as soon as earlier than the following recreation releases.

It’s humorous, revisiting a recreation you haven’t performed in over 10 years and realizing that perhaps it wasn’t fairly as good as you’d thought, and a bit of unhappy. After Reunion was first introduced, I wasted no time in telling my colleagues that it was a near-perfect Final Fantasy recreation and everybody ought to play it. Having performed via the whole thing of Crisis Core once more, evidently maybe 14-year-old me wasn’t fairly mature sufficient to acknowledge its flaws on the time, and naturally, it’s completely believable that I used to be blinded by how good the CGI fights seemed on Sony’s little handheld system. They nonetheless look good on the PS5, by the best way.

Even so, the tough edges are a reminder of Crisis Core’s attraction and its PSP roots, a console that I’ll admittedly at all times have a gentle spot for. Yes, the mini-games are terrible however they don’t final very lengthy, and sure, Genesis nonetheless sucks, however a minimum of the remainder of the solid manages to hold the sport. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion isn’t good, however it’s bought a variety of coronary heart. And typically, that’s sufficient.