It’s Your Crisis Core, and You’ll Cry If You Want To

In all of video games, there is not a fan base more devoted than that of Final Fantasy VII. Now more than 11 years since the revolutionary game hit PlayStation, “cosplayers,” or people who dress up as their favorite game characters, continue to congregate frequently to discuss the finer intricacies of the plot and whether it truly is the greatest game ever, or the super-duper greatest game ever.

The game’s developer, Square Enix, set the fan base ablaze in September 2004 by announcing Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, a prequel to the landmark role-playing game that promised to shed light on the backstory of the game’s beloved characters and answer some unanswered questions. Three and a half years later, audible squeals can be heard from every circle of the nerd community—Crisis Core is out, and it’s an RPG-fan’s dream.

As a quick refresher for those who don’t remember the first game, FFVII has gamers play the role of Cloud Strife, a mysterious young man with a tumultuous past who happens to get himself intertwined in an eco-terrorist organization, plotting to save the world from evil corporate domination. Eventually the story evolves into so much more than that, but to this day, the most enigmatic parts of the plot remain Cloud’s relationship with his mentor Zack, who was killed before the game started. Crisis Core is the answer to that enigma, as Zack is now the playable character, and the gamer plays through the events leading up to the iconic assault on Shin-ra Mako Reactor No. 1 that begins Final Fantasy VII.

Fans will be ecstatic to know that the story is highly complex and really does deliver on Square Enix’s promise of illuminating the world and the characters in ways that were not yet known. The game is a tearjerker, and the ending will make any fan of the original game bawl like a four-year-old. It’s an incredibly well-designed ending, tying the gameplay into the 11-year-old mythos of FFVII.

Speaking of gameplay, Crisis Core is an action RPG in the vein of Kingdom Hearts. Players control Zack in real time, as he trudges around fully 3-D environments. Battles are random as in FFVII but take place on the field map, so there is no loading break disrupting gameplay flow. The primary mechanic of the game is a slot-machine-like device called the Digital Mind Wave (DMW). Basically, as you play the game, this slot machine is running constantly in the background, and if you manage to roll straight sevens or some other combination (it’s entirely random), you get a nice boost in battle that helps you out with whatever you’re doing. So while its arbitrary nature might sound frustrating, you learn not to rely on the benefits—ultimately, when you do get a DMW bonus, it’s like getting a surprise present or finding five dollars in your pants pocket.

There are also some really complex systems involving materia and material fusion—fans of the first game will remember materia as the colored orbs that grant players the ability to cast magic. The new synthesis system is really deep and allows you to create some powerful material if you take the time to experiment. The game also features over 100 side quests that can be started at any save point, making the game ideal for portable play and well suited for the PlayStation Portable.

The game boasts some of the best graphics on the PSP and also some of the best original music. Composer Takeharu Ishimoto has rearranged a number of classic FFVII tunes that will send shivers down the spines of anyone who remembers the game even faintly. There are also a number of computer-generated scenes in the game that are absolutely phenomenal. One battle featuring Sephiroth, FFVII’s arch-villain, will leave your jaw on the floor.

Crisis Core is four years in the making, and it definitely shows. The story is great, the game is fun, and the graphics and music are all top quality. It’s great to play on the go, too. If you like RPGs at all, Crisis Core is as good as you can get.