General Gaming Crisis Core - Final Fantasy VII - Reunion [Coming December 13, 2022 to everything]

[Keyser_Soze]

 

 This new version enhances the graphics to HD and updates all of the 3D models in the game. Full voiceovers and new music arrangements present this epic tale of strife and heroism, presenting FINAL FANTASY VII in a brand-new light. Enjoy a more beautiful and accessible CRISIS CORE, going way beyond just a simple HD remaster.

 

Launches this Winter on PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and Steam

[Fizzzzle]

Nice! Crisis Core was too good of a game to get stuck on the PSP forever.

[GameDadGrant]

Great! This is one of my favorite PSP games. I'll gladly check out this remake/remaster! 

[XxEvil AshxX]

"Hey Xboxers, here's the prequel to the game you'll never get to play!"  -Squeenix

[CastlevaniaNut18]

Played this when it was new on PSP. I liked it then. I’ll probably get this version sometime. 

[Keyser_Soze]

 

[Brian]

 

[Spork3245]

I’m a little surprised that it’s not 100% remade in the new engine. The graphics are a mixed bag in videos compared to the FF7 Remake and its expansion, most notably some of the non-combat animations.

[Keyser_Soze]

Game Information

Game Title: Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion

Platforms:

• Nintendo Switch (Dec 13, 2022)
• PlayStation 5 (Dec 13, 2022)
• PC (Dec 13, 2022)
• PlayStation 4 (Dec 13, 2022)
• Xbox Series X/S (Dec 13, 2022)
  

Trailer:

Publisher: Square Enix

    Review Aggregator:

OpenCritic - 79 average - 80% recommended

Critic Reviews

 

Spoiler

Atomix - Sebastian Quiroz - Spanish - 85 / 100

Thanks to a series of substantial visual updates, and an improved combat system, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion stands as the best remaster Square Enix has ever made. This is the definitive version to enjoy the adventure of Zack Fair.

COGconnected - Nicola Kapron - 80 / 100

Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- Reunion is equal parts cheesy, satirical, thought-provoking, and nostalgic.

Checkpoint Gaming - Pedro Cooray - 8.5 / 10

For fans of the OG PSP game, Crisis Core Reunion is a fantastic remaster, seeing how meticulously a game can be updated with enough budget behind it. For fans of Final Fantasy VII on PS1, this is an opportunity to play the best game in the original Compilation (no offence to Dirge of Cerberus) on modern consoles. Its many changes and additions help bring these PSP mechanics closer to modern standards and the game is better off for it. For fans of Remake keen to understand more of this world and characters, Crisis Core is a great amuse-bouche before Rebirth launches next year.

Dexerto - Laura Gray - 4 / 5

Final Fantasy 7: Crisis Core Reunion is an emotional barrage of nostalgic gameplay and new challenges. The remaster has given the classic story new life, updating it in a way that both long-time and new Final Fantasy 7 fans can enjoy.

While some graphical updates aren't completely smoothed out, every aspect of the game is sensitive to the original content while bringing it up to speed for modern consoles. I have always wanted to play this game as if it was new again, and this remake granted that wish.

Digital Trends - Giovanni Colantonio - 3 / 5

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion looks like a modern game, but its aged PSP gameplay doesn't match the HD overhaul.

Eurogamer - Ed Nightingale - Recommended

A sensitive remaster of the PSP prequel that's recontextualised in the wake of Remake.

Eurogamer.pt - Bruno Galvão - Portuguese - Recommended

Crisis Core -Final Fantasy 7- Reunion is an easy game to remember. The original version is one of the great milestones of square enix's golden age and the new one promises to appear with the same status in this new golden age of the Japanese company. More than a remaster, but with elements coming directly from the original that prevent it from becoming a remake, Crisis Core -Final Fantasy 7- Reunion is a glorious attest to the capabilities of this Japanese house.

Everyeye.it - Antonello Bello - Italian - 8.5 / 10

Straddling HD remastering and complete remake, Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- Reunion is a thick re-edition that maintains the valuable narrative component of the original

GamePro - Eleen Reinke - German - 84 / 100

Crisis Core Reunion offers a fantastic graphical boost and gameplay improvements, but it shows its PSP roots.

GameSpew - Richard Seagrave - 7 / 10

As HD remasters go, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion goes above and beyond what’s expected in many regards.

GameSpot - Jessica Howard - 8 / 10

Crisis Core Reunion triumphs in transforming a PSP classic into a modern-day must-play, especially for fans of the Final Fantasy VII saga.

Gameblog - French - 7 / 10

FF7 Crisis Core Reunion is neither more nor less than an old school game with an angelic face that stills has some charm.

GamesRadar+ - Hirun Cryer - 3 / 5

Some elements of Crisis Core shine, while others are left in the past

GamingBolt - Shubhankar Parijat - 8 / 10

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion is an impressive visual upgrade that, above all else, proves the quality of the original game yet again. Much of it can feel dated at times, but thanks primarily to its enjoyable combat system, it remains an easy game to recommend.

GamingTrend - Abdul Saad - 90 / 100

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion is almost undeniably the definitive version of the 2007 action RPG, as despite its issues it still succeeds at presenting the player with an unforgettable experience.

God is a Geek - Lyle Carr - 7.5 / 10

Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- Reunion is an entertaining spinoff with action packed combat, but at this point it's showing its age a little.

Hobby Consolas - Álvaro Alonso - Spanish - 80 / 100

Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- Reunion is more than a remaster, yes, but just in some ways. In many others, it's still the same PSP game... for better and for worse. Nevertheless, this is the best version to discover Zack's story... or to reunite with an old friend.

IGN Italy - Alessandro Digioia - Italian - 7.8 / 10

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion is a good remaster of a prequel that really shows its age in terms of narrative structure and gameplay design. The work done by Square Enix is commendable, with significant improvements made to the graphics and the combat system, but the experience as a whole remains a bit shaky, and we would have definitely preferred a full-fledged remake rather than a remaster that doesn't hold up too well.

IGN Spain - David Oña - Spanish - 7 / 10

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion rescues one of the best PSP videogames, with a remaster that looks like a remake and generates frictions that are hard to ignore. A half-baked work that, yes, is a good opportunity to explore the past of some of the most interesting characters of Midgar.

Inverse - Hayes Madsen - 8 / 10

Crisis Core Reunion doesn’t alter the story of the original PSP game, but it lands somewhere between a remaster and a remake on account of its gorgeous graphical updates and gameplay improvements. That being said, the limitation of the original game being on a handheld still shines through, becoming obvious through the game’s simple structure that uses mostly small confined environments and linear pathways. For anyone coming from the tremendously ambitious Final Fantasy VII Remake, Crisis Core is going to feel remarkably limited.

Still, the overwhelming positives of experiencing the Crisis Core story on modern consoles make its minor flaws totally forgivable.

Metro GameCentral - GameCentral - 4 / 10

An inspired piece of Final Fantasy 7 fan service, and a very good remaster, but as a standalone game the story and gameplay has very little value.

PC Gamer - Kerry Brunskill - 86 / 100

An excellent remake, prequel, and game in its own right-Crisis Core has it all.

PSX Brasil - Thiago de Alencar Moura - Portuguese - 95 / 100

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion is a masterclass in how to do a remaster, vastly improving every little aspect of the original game without changing its essence. If the original was already one of the best games on the PSP, this remaster can easily be considered one of the best JRPGs on PS4 and PS5, offering a story, gameplay, visuals and soundtrack worthy of the best games of the genre of all time.

PlayStation LifeStyle - Jason Faulkner - 8.5 / 10

Crisis Core Reunion is not quite a remaster and not quite a remake. The upgraded visuals breathe new life into the game, but there are little reminders here and there of its PSP origins. However, with a $50 price point, Square Enix is at least somewhat acknowledging that it’s not rebuilt from the ground up.

PlayStation Universe - Garri Bagdasarov - 8.5 / 10

A fantastic remaster of one of the best Final Fantasy spin-offs. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion is the definitive version of a game lost for fifteen years. With a masterful visual and audio upgrade and a combat system that, in my opinion, outshines Remakes with its fluidity and ease of use, Crisis Core shouldn't be missed; it's just a shame that the writing remained unchanged, and side content is just as repetitive as it was fifteen years ago.

Polygon - Natalie Flores - Unscored

Expressive visuals and refined combat bring the 2007 game back to life

Press Start - Kieron Verbrugge - 9 / 10

Not quite a remake, but well beyond what's expected of a remaster, Crisis Core Reunion is exactly the kind of reverent and carefully-considered re-release that fans of the original deserve. Not everything from the 2008 iteration holds up equally, but the updates are plentiful enough that it hardly matters. Whether you managed to catch it on the PSP or you're diving in for the first time – this is without a doubt the definitive way to experience the excellent prequel to Final Fantasy VII.

Push Square - Robert Ramsey - 7 / 10

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion is a top tier remaster of a flawed and often comically awkward spinoff. But for all of its angsty melodrama, the story of Zack Fair is an endearingly daft tale that only adds to the world of Final Fantasy VII.

RPG Fan - Bob Richardson - 78%

Those invested in the series who haven't played this will find the best way to play it, while those with cursory interest may be left wanting.

RPG Site - Scott White - 8 / 10

After almost 15 years, the story of Zack Fair has escaped the confines of its UMD prison and has emerged as one of Square Enix's best remaster offerings that new and old fans of Final Fantasy VII need to experience.

Saudi Gamer - Arabic - 8 / 10

More than just a remaster, this is the best way to play a game that while admittedly banks on its fan service is nevertheless still a fun game.

Screen Rant - Connor Trinske - 3 / 5

Crisis Core Final Fantasy 7 Reunion still has its place in the hearts of many veterans of the series and Final Fantasy 7's world, and maintains its relevance to the FF7 Remake series. However, the original Crisis Core also received a lot of justified criticism, and Reunion doesn't do much to address those points.

Shacknews - Ozzie Mejia - 9 / 10

As a whole and in a vacuum, I heartily give this game a thumbs up. To Final Fantasy 7 fans, specifically, I have to say that Reunion is an absolute must play, especially given that nobody knows where this is all heading.

Siliconera - Kazuma Hashimoto - 9 / 10

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion lives up to its legacy, setting a benchmark for Square Enix remasters going forward.

Spaziogames - Domenico Musicò - Italian - 7.9 / 10

Despite some balancing problems that simplify the game difficulty, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 - Reunion is a work of love that respects the original game and its unforgettable story.

TechRaptor - Andrew Stretch - 8.5 / 10

Crisis Core Reunion is an excellent example of a remake. Crisis Core looks and plays better than ever before with updated controls and the story is just as good as the original if you're someone who buys into brooding anime boys. If you're wanting to refamiliarize yourself with Zack's journey or replay this classic FF title then now is the perfect time!

TrueGaming - Arabic - 8 / 10

The story of Zack Fair is still humane and touching a it was the first time, its one of our favorite Final Fantasy games and Square Enix improved every single aspect of it with this remake. Don't miss this one.

Twinfinite - Zhiqing Wan - 4 / 5

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion isn’t perfect, but it’s got a lot of heart. And sometimes, that’s enough.

VG247 - Alex Donaldson - 4 / 5

Repackaged into one of the sharpest Remaster releases I’ve ever seen, it’s a relatively irresistible package - warts and all. The blemishes upon its carefully airbrushed visage are, in many ways, part of the charm. This is a joyous little time capsule of 2000s Square - and perhaps a curious aperitif before Remake part 2. It’s easy to recommend.

Wccftech - Francesco De Meo - 8.5 / 10

With vastly enhanced visuals and audio, a major combat overhaul that finally makes the game fun to play, and a great ending, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII – Reunion is, without a doubt, one of the best remasters released in recent years. While some of the original's issues haven't been addressed, such as the bad story pacing and mediocre writing, they shouldn't stop any Final Fantasy VII fan from getting the game. The price of freedom is steep, but it is one worth paying.

WellPlayed - Mark Isaacson - 8 / 10

It does feel a little patchwork in places, but Crisis Core is a reunion worth going to. The emotional gut-punch of a finale remains one of the best in the long running series, and that alone is worth the price of admission.

Worth Playing - Chris "Atom" DeAngelus - 8.5 / 10

Final Fantasy 7: Crisis Core Reunion manages to be a lot more than the sum of its parts. There are a lot of things that you can complain about, from the dumb antagonist to the legacy of its PSP roots. It's a credit to the game that despite those flaws, it is still probably one of the best Final Fantasy spin-off games on the market, and Reunion is by far the best way to experience it. It should do a good job of tiding over fans until at least Final Fantasy XVI.

 

[Paperclyp]

Shoot I had completely forgotten about this game. Glad to see it looks pretty good! Never played the original. 

[Mr.Vic20]

I will eventually get this when it goes on sale. 

[Spork3245]

12 minutes ago, Mr.Vic20 said:

I will eventually get this when it goes on sale. 

 

FWIW it's already 20% off at GMG for $40

[Mr.Vic20]

9 minutes ago, Spork3245 said:

 

FWIW it's already 20% off at GMG for $40

Not bad! That said, this feels like a 20.00 purchase to me. 

[Keyser_Soze]

11 minutes ago, Mr.Vic20 said:

Not bad! That said, this feels like a 20.00 purchase to me. 

 

That said, this will be in your steam library day one regardless of price

[Mr.Vic20]

1 minute ago, Keyser_Soze said:

 

That said, this will be in your steam library day one regardless of price

[Derek]

I think I speak for everyone when I say we're all hungry for a Dirge of Cerberus remake!

[legend]

I want to play this, but the Witcher 3 patch has higher priority, and it will be a while to finish it  

[Xbob42]

I never played the original. Wasn't a big fan of FF7 back in the day and a weird PSP spin-off using Square Enix's shitty action combat was never, ever appealing to me. Especially since it was that era when all their handheld games were mission-based meaning like 2 hours of talking and then a 5 minute mission.

 

No clue if that's what this game was, but I'm still excited to give it a go. People seemed to have really liked it and now that I've got a much firmer grasp of FF7's convoluted-but-still-not-good story, I think I'll appreciate it more.

[Greatoneshere]

21 minutes ago, Xbob42 said:

I never played the original. Wasn't a big fan of FF7 back in the day and a weird PSP spin-off using Square Enix's shitty action combat was never, ever appealing to me. Especially since it was that era when all their handheld games were mission-based meaning like 2 hours of talking and then a 5 minute mission.

 

No clue if that's what this game was, but I'm still excited to give it a go. People seemed to have really liked it and now that I've got a much firmer grasp of FF7's convoluted-but-still-not-good story, I think I'll appreciate it more.

 

Well, that is kind of what the game is - I played it on the PSP and really enjoyed it, but to some degree it is mission based. It is very propulsive as a story though, and it's not so much talking vs. gameplay. It's also a lot of fun to play gameplay wise, which helped, which sounds improved on here. It was one of those rare games that did the formula you describe well, essentially.

 

Since I'm putting The Callisto Protocol off for a bit and this is a shorter game, I'll play this in lieu of that when this comes out next week - looking forward to it.

[Fizzzzle]

7 hours ago, Xbob42 said:

I never played the original. Wasn't a big fan of FF7 back in the day and a weird PSP spin-off using Square Enix's shitty action combat was never, ever appealing to me. Especially since it was that era when all their handheld games were mission-based meaning like 2 hours of talking and then a 5 minute mission.

 

No clue if that's what this game was, but I'm still excited to give it a go. People seemed to have really liked it and now that I've got a much firmer grasp of FF7's convoluted-but-still-not-good story, I think I'll appreciate it more.

I personally really liked it. The combat system felt consistently rewarding and the missions (for the most part) didn't feel repetitive. I would definitely give it a go.

[Keyser_Soze]

This unlocks in 10 hours according to steam but [blank] is playing it a bit early.

 

Looks nice. Kind of reminds me of FFX-2 in a way.

[Xbob42]

Hoo boy, this acting, writing and some of these animations remind me of the era of Square Enix where I really hated just about every facet of their storytelling. Just obnoxious in every way.

[Keyser_Soze]

Just now, Xbob42 said:

Hoo boy, this acting, writing and some of these animations remind me of the era of Square Enix where I really hated just about every facet of their storytelling. Just obnoxious in every way.

 

It seems very true to the PSP version.

[Greatoneshere]

19 minutes ago, Xbob42 said:

Hoo boy, this acting, writing and some of these animations remind me of the era of Square Enix where I really hated just about every facet of their storytelling. Just obnoxious in every way.

 

Strap in! It is a PSP game from its time, but it's entertaining but yes, silly. Very anime/JRPG at times - I'm sure you'll love it.  

[gamer.tv]

I mean, I liked the remake but…the pixel remasters are coming to switch and that feels like the way to go for my FF needs…

[Brian]

A painting in Crisis Core Final Fantasy 7 Reunion has a Getty Images watermark on it | VGC

WWW.VIDEOGAMESCHRONICLE.COM

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Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII Reunion seemingly features several in-game paintings with the Getty Images watermark on them.

 

[Keyser_Soze]

15 minutes ago, Brian said:

A painting in Crisis Core Final Fantasy 7 Reunion has a Getty Images watermark on it | VGC

 

 

Maybe they printed it off the internet in the game. The characters do use flip phones after all.

[BloodyHell]

1 hour ago, Brian said:

A painting in Crisis Core Final Fantasy 7 Reunion has a Getty Images watermark on it | VGC

WWW.VIDEOGAMESCHRONICLE.COM

---

Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII Reunion seemingly features several in-game paintings with the Getty Images watermark on them.

 

I mean, it wouldn’t be noticeable on psp, and when upscaling for this, they probably just didn’t notice.

[Greatoneshere]

Having beaten Triangle Strategy, I've moved on to this and it's been a lot of fun so far (playing on PC, 4K/60fps). They've really tried their best to align this game with the Remake in terms of graphics and style and tone. Even the font, HUD, and UI are all essentially a match for Remake, which was welcome. I'm just a few hours in, and it's goofier than I remember it being at the beginning, but I do recall things get quite good as things go on (for FF7 universe at least). 

 

One small, strange thing I did notice was that in the opening credits cinematic before the main menu to the game and opens with "creative director and character designer Tetsuya Nomura" and then moves on to "written by Kazushige Nojima (Stellavista)". However, the credits to the original 2007 PSP game were "creative producer and character designer Tetsuya Nomura" and then says "creative director Hajime Tabata" and then moves on to "written by Kazushiga Nojima (Stellavista)". Hajime Tabata was the one who originally salvaged and shepherded Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII from vaporware. He then salvaged The 3rd Birthday (the third Parasite Eve game) from vaporware. He then salvaged Final Fantasy Type-0 from vaporware (originally Final Fantasy Agito XIII - part of the originally announced Fabula Nova Crystalis trilogy). And whether you liked the game or not, he certainly salvaged Final Fantasy XV and made it into a game after Tetsuya Nomura ditched it for Kingdom Hearts III even after it'd been years since its announcement as Final Fantasy Versus XIII. And then, in March 2018, Square Enix finally gifts him a new AAA game studio, Luminous Productions, which he is to lead. And then in November 2018 (just nine months in) he leaves with no real explanation, and the first game to finally come out of that studio? Forspoken. 

 

TL;DR: And after all that, with the new remaster (and it is basically a very upgraded remaster, not a remake or new game) Tetsuya Nomura overrides the previous credit to Tabata and gives it to himself for this game? Not only that, but the credits for the original PSP game are in the options menu from the main menu, and the credits are listed in simple alphabetical order, with Hajime Tabata with the rest of the T's, and all of the original staff not getting any specific credits for their roles. Given this is a remaster (at best, something between a remaster and a remake) this seems outright disrespectful? No one will ever go back and play the PSP original for the most part now, so not sure if this is some kind of shade at Tabata or just credits thing but not even crediting the original staff in the extras is weird. Just something I noted - the game itself is great and like I remember it but better.

[HardAct]

   STARTING IT TONIGHT!!!! On Steamdeck. I actually started it 3 days ago while watching a movie but this game demands a bit of attention in the beginning requiring a restart. Kinda alot of information in the first 2 hours for my old man gamer head to absorb these days!

[Greatoneshere]

39 minutes ago, HardAct said:

   STARTING IT TONIGHT!!!! On Steamdeck. I actually started it 3 days ago while watching a movie but this game demands a bit of attention in the beginning requiring a restart. Kinda alot of information in the first 2 hours for my old man gamer head to absorb these days!

 

They do throw a lot at you at the start but the main game is really only 12-15 hours long. There are a lot of supplemental side missions to extend playtime though, as well as short subquests as well. All the DMW info you can understand once and then ignore for the most part for combat.