Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII is a spin-off that was released exclusively on the PSP in 2007 and is often fondly remembered through nostalgia goggles.In fact, the original Crisis Core was a nasty game when it was first released, but it only got worse as the years went on. Final Fantasy VII: Advent Childrenand its adjacent animated film, Crisis Core, was packed with cool ideas that appealed to fans of the original Final Fantasy VII, but the execution of these ideas was often misunderstood.
But for all its problems, it’s easy to argue that Crisis Core deserves a second chance, especially now that we live in an era where Final Fantasy VII Remake is becoming a reality. It is a large-scale remastered version. No Remake — A remake of the fury-filled adventures of Zack Fair, who joins the ranks of Shinra’s elite SOLDIER.
Well, Square Enix has been hit and miss with remasters in recent years, and Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age is probably one of the best remasters money can buy. yet Works like dog mud on PS4. Thankfully, Reunion is much more in line with the former. It also boasts an overhauled user interface taken directly from Final Fantasy VII Remake.
art direction change Might be so However, it rubs some fans the wrong way. 2007’s Crisis Core had a character style reminiscent of Kingdom Hearts, with big glowing eyes and cartoonish facial animations. And while Reunion reuses most of those goofy (no pun intended) moves, the cast is much more “realistic” in appearance – presumably in an attempt to make it look like a new remake story. For us, it works as intended and Crisis Core feels like part of Remake’s ongoing world.
At least, the performance of the remaster cannot be disputed. It’s a solid 60 frames per second at the PS5’s 4K resolution, and at times it looks nearly identical to the remake – especially when sparks are flying during battle.
The only thing that disappoints Reunion in terms of presentation is the aforementioned animations. so it looks utterly ridiculous. There’s a decidedly noticeable disconnect between the game’s old-fashioned (and relatively cheesy-looking) in-game cutscenes and how the remaster looks good overall.
But let’s face reality. Crisis Core has always been an incredibly silly game. Even 2000s Japanese RPGs, Nomura-led Square his Enix project, even the most dramatic Final Fantasy, Crisis Core has some real elements. That’s horrible write in. small, small Some of the scripts have changed in Reunion, but the gist remains the same. The storytelling is often nonsensical and the main character, Zach, is constantly left in the dark by his boss. If you’re unfamiliar with the original release, you’re in for a ride.
But is the game’s surprisingly clumsy approach to plotting its delivery part of its charm?there is teeth Adorable stuff about how stupid Crisis Core can be. It walks a very fine line between actually being crap and being funnyly bad. We’ve played this before and know how it ends, but yet I sympathized with Zack’s anguish, and every time he appeared on screen, I thought, “Sephiroth is cool.”
It’s basically fan service that drives Crisis Core, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Go out of your way to show how bad friends are. teeth Stupidly enough, Crisis Core ultimately helps embody one of gaming’s most beloved worlds.
And a reunion is arguably the best way to experience it. Gameplay tweaks undoubtedly change the scale.
The biggest improvement is in the remastered combat. Fighting in the original was a decidedly volatile matter where the game couldn’t quite decide whether it was an action title or a command-based battler. I didn’t.
Zack is quick on his feet and his attacks are easy to combo.his dodge roll is more responsive When It’s more evasive, and as a result feels more like a real action RPG that rewards good timing and knowledge of your opponent’s abilities. It’s a big step up.
Note that you only play as Zack in Crisis Core. Since there are no party members, the trademark materia system plays a key role in keeping things interesting. Customize Zack’s loadout to match. A worthwhile one, proving once again that Square has struck gold with Final Fantasy VII materia.
But not all systems are universally acclaimed. The most disruptive mechanic of Crisis Core is the so-called Digital Mind Wave, or DMW for short. Basically, it’s his machine that slots in the top left corner of the screen during battle. It’s always spinning, and if you’re lucky, you’ll have access to buffs, special attacks, and summons.that is strange But now with improved combat, the DMW isn’t as frustrating as it used to be. Zack is able to hold his own in tougher battles, so he doesn’t have to rely on female luck to gain his much-needed edge.
All of these combat improvements are important, as other areas of the experience are lacking to say the least. Hmm.Mission locations are corridors filled with encounters, and depending on how deep you dive into side quests, you’ll see the same corridors over and over again. very A repetitive game and its portable origins become increasingly apparent as you churn through bite-sized optional content.
