Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII

Ever since the title was first hinted of years ago, Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core has been the one title that PSP owners have been clamoring for. And rightly so, considering that the original Final Fantasy VII is still one of the most popular and beloved video games ever released. However, the moment is finally upon us, as Crisis Core is finally hitting store shelves. No doubt many gamers may be a little surprised at just how different the game is from the original, but once they get over their initial shock, they will discover a great action-RPG that does justice to its predecessor. PSP owners, the wait is over, and Crisis Core is a blast.

As many of you already know, Crisis Core is a prequel that follows Zack, who FFVII fans will remember as Cloud’s former best friend. The game finds Zack as a 2^nd rank SOLDIER performing missions and helping to find Genesis, a rogue SOLDIER who has been rallying people against Shinra’s cause. Along the way he’ll meet up with classic characters from FFVII lore, including Yuffie and, of course, Cloud and Sephiroth.

The gameplay is markedly different from the original Final Fantasy VII, but hey, this is a different game after all. The combat unfolds in real-time, with you having a full roster of action-oriented moves, including combo attacks, dodges, and blocks. However, you’ll also have special materia (for those that don’t remember, materia are small orbs that allow you to cast magic in the FFVII universe) that you’ll be able to use,  effectively letting you cast spells or even do special melee attacks.

One of the key new elements in the game’s combat is the new slot-based special system, called the Digital Mind Wave system (DMW, for short). For each attack you perform or spell you cast, the slots will begin to roll, and if you can get them into a certain pattern or match up certain characters, you’ll get a special boost, granting you a special move or a health boost and so on.

The battles in Crisis Core are randomized, and do tend to get a little too frequent. Luckily, they move fairly quickly, so the break in pace shouldn’t be too much.

In another difference from the original, Crisis Core is built on a mission-based structure. As you progress through the game, you’ll unlock new missions at the SOLDIER headquarters. While the main set of missions will take between 15 to 20 hours to complete, there are a bevy of side-missions that you can take to keep the adventure going. The mission structure lends itself very nicely to the game’s portability, as you can pick up and play a single mission in a sitting if you want.

However, while the game is as fun and deep as you’ll find in a PSP action-RPG, Crisis Core is not perfect. The game has a problem with repetition, as noted by the randomized battles. You’ll often be stuck fighting hordes of the same enemies that don’t offer up much of a challenge, outside of the occasional boss battle.

Additionally, the camera has a tendency to get caught up on objects, which can be problematic in battles, since you lose control of it while fighting. You’ll have to do some maneuvering in order to free it up, which can be a little annoying at times.

However, these gripes are fairly minor considering the rest of the game, which offers up a compelling and deep story and some truly amazing graphics. The game is arguably one of the strongest looking titles on the PSP, easily rivaling anything you’d see on the PS2, let alone other PSP games. The character models look great and very detailed, and the spell animations look fantastic. Additionally, the environments are varied and look great as well.

The sound department is also no slouch. The soundtrack is of the high caliber that people have come to expect from the franchise, and the voice work is also quite good.

Aside from a few issues, Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core is still a great game and a worthy investment of time. If only for the story elements alone, fans of the original game need to check out Crisis Core.

Gameplay: 8.5
Aside from a few quirks like repetition and a buggy camera, Crisis Core is a great action-RPG with some really cool gameplay elements.

Graphics: 9.5
With a high degree of polish and some fantastic art direction, Crisis Core is one of the best looking PSP games around.

Sound: 9.0
The score is great, keeping in line with the series’ pedigree. The voice acting and sound effects are also pretty good

Difficulty: Medium

Concept: 9.0
Crisis Core presents some great story elements and prefaces the original game very well, offering some truly compelling and emotional moments to the mix.

Overall: 9.0
Even without the Final Fantasy VII moniker, Crisis Core would still be a great action-RPG game on the PSP. However, the game actually adds to the original’s universe, making it a title that fans will definitely want to check out.