This is the best handheld game i have ever seen and played!!! it had me hooked the minute i seen how the battle system would play and with how the graphics never failed to show emotion!

Great graphics, Great battlesystem, great Story. Must have for all PSP owners!

I feel like a lot of the "professional" critics have undervalued Crisis Core. If Crisis Core isn't deserving of at least a 9 out of ten, then tell me what game on the psp is? God of War? Please... There are so many worthless and mind-numbingly boring games for psp that Crisis Core needs to be celebrated. The only thinking lacking from Crisis Core is that the game eventually ends.

Um, it ain't all that. I can't believe people are nuts over this! The summons' cut scenes are gorgeous, but once I've seen the cinematic once or twice I don't need to see it again. Other than that, it's a solid story-focused game...nothing fabulous. The characters are vapid and the plot is predictable. It is...deal with it. The combat is pretty atrocious -- it's button-mashing, and not even fun button-mashing. Changing targets in real time is nearly impossible and sorting through the battle menu is a pain. It's not innovative, it's bad. The character models are terrible. I mean, in 1997 MAYBE, but today?! Gimme a break!… Expand

Yes the graphics are the best and I like the storyline but the thing that disappointed me was the combat. I easily won many fights by pressing one button, and the DMW is an uncontrollable source of attacks and power ups. Which makes winning sometimes by luck. And when was the last time someone said, "Wow! Look at those graphics, I'm having so much fun!" Unless you're a FF fan then don't buy this.… Expand

The graphics are gorgeous. The gameplay - not so much. From annoying controls, a camera that gets stuck on walls, to literally random advancement via a game mechanism that steals control during combat, the gameplay just isn't up to par. It could have been so much better.

Wow, I really needed to chime in here. This game so deserves a 10. I could accept a 9 or an 8, but for RPG fans and FF7 fans, it's a 10. If you haven't played FF7 recently or ever, do yourself a favor and read the whole plot on Wikipedia, as it will help your appreciation for this game. I'm not an FF7 fan boy, but I enjoyed that game alot, and this game is a worthy prequel. As an RPG, it deviates from the norm, but I think it's great that square is experimenting. The whole package, audio and visuals, are remarkable, and the story is really great, even though it's a little weird at times, so is every story to every Final Fantasy, and I don't have a problem with that. So I'm going to take this opportunity to make two comments: One, it's English dubbed, they did a good job, all you american teenagers who think you're Japanese, you're not, get over yourselves, play this game. Two, the DMW causes the nature of battles to be random in part, embrace it, it's neat, stop complaining, you can play with the materia all day if you want. This game is utterly awesome, and take your time with it and the game will go much farther than review sites are saying. Great, great game. And on the PSP no less.… Expand

This games well done storyline and interesting, yet somewhat mundane combat system give life to a franchise that I never was much of a fan of to begin with.

Game is incredible, Graphics are second to none. However, it can get a little bit repetitive with the pretty easy fighting system. They definitely make up for it though with the storyline and cool little odds and ends throughout the game, once you start you'll put it down once you're fully complete with the game. Goes into my top 3 final fantasy games of all times.

Best final fantasy game out there rite now, great game for any PSP owner.

Ii got the Japanese Crisis Core bundle, which is fine. Everything in it is perfect. But the game itself? Let me take a quick minute to explain. Firstly, the battling... it's just an action-rpg, hitting 'O' all the time makes you win a battle. The left and right shoulder pad switches between your 'attack'', ''materia or magic'' and 'items'. But i dont really understand how to use materia or magic as the game isn't english.. but it doesn't take a genius to work out that winning battles is just too simple and boring. The battles are disappointing to me. I'd much rather they brought back turn-based battles for Crisis Core, because FF7 was all about turn-based battles, i dont think it would have felt right without them. And now onto the RPG part of things. It's not proving to be an 'RPG' as such. Whereas in FF7 , it was like Grand Theft Auto in the way you could literally walk about and go anywhere on a map. Crisis Core is more like: choose a mission, do a mission, start a new mission, do a mission. On your missions you get to see different places, e.g Bone Village, but it doesn't feel right because there is no freedom. You hit invisible walls when the game doesn't want you to go somewhere. Sure, every game has invisible walls, but they're so close together. I wish they basically used the same map and way of travelling as FF7, because it doesn't feel like an FF7 game. After an epic fight with Bahamut (graphics are unbelievable), you're in bone village, and some unknown airship bombs bone village, making it errupt into fire. It's been a long time since i played FF7 right through, but i dont know the significance of why Bone Village has been bombed/destroyed. It doesn't help that the game is Japanese either. After that, Genesis appears with his one wing (one winged angel?) i dont understand Genesis's role in FF7 too well, so i'm gonna have to do research on that. So at the moment, i feel the game is very very limited, the battle system isn't good (dont get me started on the DWM [Digital Mind Wave], because thats a whole bunch of crap). So far, the only thing saving Crisis Core is the graphics and sound. Random battles are back, but they dont use any loading time, they just appear and you fight them. So unlike FF12, you can't avoid them. I think you can run, but i've not figured out how to do so, so i've fought everything. I'm a FF7 fanboy and own all the games etc, but i'm fairly disappointed with the game. Probably because it doesn't feel like an FF7 game. I think until an FF7 remake is announced for the PS3, this is justa filler title to pave the way. Hardcore fans will like it, and hopefully new fans will start here too. Still giving this game an 8 out of 10 for reasons mentioned, i'm sure it'll be much more interesting once the translation is made.… Expand

Great story, graphics, and excellent music. The only problem if any is the camera angle while facing multiple foes. its nothing major but you can lose sight of zack the original kingdom hearts. monsters randomly appear like in kingdom hearts and the summons and limit breaks are awesome. Best final fantasy game in years.

Brilliance in the palms of your hands.

I found this game to be the second best game on the psp next to GOWO. The graphics are out of this world. al thought game play is really easy and repeats a lot in the combat, it still has an interesting story and tons of side miossions and 25-30 hours of game play on a PSP is just awesome and it allows you to be mobile with tons of save locations and is paced to allow you to play at anytime and stop with ease to restart it up again, this is a must have and in my opinion this will be a PSP mover this spring. A must own in my library.… Expand

An amazing story, wonderful characters you can connect to, fun gameplay, amazing graphics, fantastic music, great dialog and hours and hours of time spent playing your PSP. A worthy addition to the FFVII franchise. It lived up to all of my expectations and has at times surpasses them. A game not to be missed by any Final Fantasy fan or anyone who loves RPGs.

I was highly anticipating this title to come out and I can say I was not disappointed in the least. The combat system is incredibly fun and keeps you on your toes when trying to cycle through your attacks or items. The story line is great and cinematic are amazing for the PSP.

Great game, the combat is a tad on the easy side but its made up for in graphics, storyline, and overall presentation. Crisis Core and Chains of Olypmus right now are the stand out killer-aps for the PSP. On a side note, I think its hilarious that the lowest review for this game came from G4TV.. saying that the dialogue frequently doesn't make sense... a phrase that often best describes G4 in general.… Expand

This game is incredible! A must have for PSP owners and FF fans alike!

Boring, this is like some attempt to make money off of the the huge popularity of FFVII. This prequel sucks. Sorry, You can't always expect 'amazing' reviews for these kinds of games.

I played JPN version and this game was awesome, eventhough it has some boring moments. It has nice combat system and overally rich gameplay. One of the best PSP titles so far. I have to play it again when USA version is released.

Fantastic story, weak gameplay... that about sums up Crisis Core. If you are of fan of FFVII do yourself a favor and play this and I can promise you will enjoy the story; it is just too bad you have to play some incredibly repetitive game play to do so. If I had the option to only watch the story I would have done so and saved myself a lot of time.

Great story and incredible action gameplay - if you play it on Hard mode! Do yourself a favor and don't play it on normal, because then it becomes a repetitive button masher.

I was really looking forward to this game, but it ended up being a pretty big let-down. The combat is repetitive and uninspiring. Dungeons are literally a linear path with hardly anything to do in them. I would have preferred pre-rendered scenes like in FF7 if it meant we could have some more interesting environments. I am, however, impressed with the attention to detail regarding the source material. Anyone who played FF7 a lot will recognise many little references, both subtle and obvious. The story is pretty good, but I no longer think Zack is as "cool" as FF7 suggested, just a typical cocky, naive, adolescent JRPG hero.… Expand

I LOVE THE GAME!!! even though i didnt get to play through ff7 properly this game makes me want to play it again. The graphics are amazing absolutely explicit, voice overs and story simply a brilliant game. Trust me i used to hate rpg until i played ffx ,then i thought no game could be as good as that then ff8 then 9 now crisis core is my favourite well worth all ffs i think are a great hit even if i beat like 5 of them WARNING *SPOILERS* I hate how zack dies in the end of the game and how Aerith dies in FF7 really kills me,… Expand

This game rocks, it has one of the best tradeoffs of turn based vs real time battle systems for a single player, fantastic cinematics, a straight forward equipment system and although intended to fill story holes the story of angleal and genesis are told almost wholly in this installment and are beyond moving. Despite the odd quirky translation this game ranks as one of my favorite Final Fantasy titles (just above IX) G4 TV obviously know F-all what theyre talking about… Expand

Fabulous Game! Necessary for all FF enthusiasts!

The best PSP game out now with amazing gameplay.

Has better graphics than most games out for the PsP today, the story fits very nicely with the original Final Fantasy VII. The new dodge and block buttons adds more skill to this Final Fantasy than most of the others. I promise anyone that actually plays this game will enjoy it.

Nice graphics. good gameplay. Cant really find any fault on this game. The only thing I notice is the actual story is too short and too easy to complete. Nevertheless, this is a very good game to spend most of your time levelling up.

Best psp game ever! This game kept me hooked for hours. I never liked final fantasy because I hate turn based games. This is the first game I felt emotions for, while playing. The story is amazing and never gets old. This was my favorite game until I played the Metal Gear Solid Series. I don't knoiw why this game isn't getting all 9's, because the only thing wrong with it is the camera. Buy this game and if you have a heart you should feel some emotions while playing.… Expand

This game is a MUST have for anyone who enjoyed the story and world of the original FF7. This game is beautifully rendered, extremely fun to play, etc., but what really shines is the way that they really went back to the FF7 style and told Zack's story masterfully.

Absolutely amazing! A must have for FF fans. A+++++++

Don't listen to Critics!! This game is great.

It doesn't matter to me what the critics say, I love this game to pieces. The gameplay is fun and the graphics are gorgeous. And the ending, oh the ending, had me crying my eyes out.

Great game and it's the first for me really to work thru. I'm 36, but there isn't any nastalga as insinuated by the prof. reviewers.

as far as crisis core goes it is by far the best game on psp. the graphics are excellent, comparable to some playstation 2 games and the gameplay is 40+ hours making it a long handheld game. I can only think of one minor falw and that is the game is too easy on normal and is very hard on hard so another mode should have been produced nevertheless the game is an essential purchase.

This is one of the best games i have ever played.No it's the best game in the world.It's emotional,really sad,and AWESOME.This game mayed me cry at the end and i am not kidding.I was crying so hard that i got my psp almost so wet that it would mess up forever.i've beaten this game like 5 times just to see the ending to it.Cloud is really cool.Cloud is the coolies person on that game.well Zack is cool to,but Cloud is AWESOME.I liked where Cloud put that sword thru sephiroth.That was AWESOME and INSTANE.I will give this game a TEN ya a TEN.… Expand

I'm not sure why this would have been given a better metacritic rating. the graphics are phenomenual going beyond even video umd making it look like a portable ps3 game. the fights in crisis core are the most action packed and creative, I've ever seen in a fighting game. Whether it's completely a mission mode or attempting the assault on the castle. The only problems with the game is the story is slow to pick up but really gets going later in the game, that and I guess it was a bit too hard for me on hard. Damn Sepiroth.… Expand

For critics who have said that this game is only for the fans, I have never played a Final Fantasy game before this game. The story is not hard to get into for those who are not familiar with the series already. The story is so engrossing and incredible that it completely sucked me in and enticed me to play the other games in the Final Fantasy VII series. For prospective players, if you buy this game, be aware that you will likely end up dropping a lot more money when you rush out to buy the other games in the compilation.… Expand

this is a brilliant game that takes you on an emotional rollercoaster ride. dont listen to the people who say that this game doesnt fit in with ff7 because it really does as i played this first cmpleted it then downloaded ff7 off psn and the story fitted perfectly as it had zack in it and it reffered to zack alot but about crisis core it is a great game but the one flaw is the dmw it sort of got in the way with me whilst trying to fight but the random interruptions was annoying but didnt ruin the experiance at all ff7 will always be great game and crisis core is there with it… Expand

This is one hell of a game! Extremely addictive, lovely presentation, graphics, gameplay, and sound, the only downfall it has is camera angles in battles can be so frustrating at times.

The game just doesn't cut it. In game videos are great, the story is ok, but the game system isn't all that great. You might have been expecting something more from this game that it actually got to be. Just being a fan of the original i put up 7. Been on it for three days now.

This game is GREAT I cant even understand it but the battling is Soo perfect every thing is assume I give a 10!

By far one of the best RPG's on the PSP to date. I love the FF series but I've always preferred the more gritty pace and reflex and timing based action of realtime combat over turn-based fighting. I'm glad Square brought back the realtime action from FFXII for this one.

This game seems absolutely amazing. The unique gameplay that Square has created easily allows Crisis Core to top most of the PSP games already available. Even though most Final Fantasy fans already know the story of Zack, it's nice for Square to allow us to go more in-depth to this amazing story. Along with the story, there's the graphics. Best graphics I have seen on -any- PSP game. The only problem I have heard of, from the Japanese ports, was the fact that the battles were sort of easy. As long as the story is good, I could really care less!… Expand

Fast paced awesomeness! Great story, amazing graphics for the PSP, and very likeable characters. Makes a nice change from playing the slower (but still great) predecessors!

Well i can sum up my feelings of this game with a big meh. Buy it only if you like androgyny.

The only PSP Games I played more than 2 hours, and that includes God of War! I just love this game, and hate all other FF games, except XII, and maybe XIII...

After the disappointing pile of crap that was last month's Lost Odyssey, it's good to see that FF is once again just around the corner to show the pretender and thieves how it's done. A truly remarkable title in nearly every respect.

I approached this game with considerable trepidation after FF7: Dirge of Cerberus and found myself very pleasantly surprised. The graphics are mind-blowingly impressive, the gameplay fast-paced and fun, the voice acting above average, the cutscenes gorgeously animated, and the story very well-told and dripping with nostalgia. Take care: this is not a game for someone who has never played Final Fantasy VII... but with millions of fans, why would it need to be? Crisis Core, like Advent Children, is fan-service at its best. A definite must-play for FF7 lovers!… Expand

The fighting system is more interactive than in the other Final fantasy games. It plays a lot like Kingdom Hearts, but not as fast paced and has a unique roulette system. As you build friendship with other characters you earn them in the DMW (not sure what it stands for). The DMW is a list of all the characters you have come across or will come across. As you unlock them you earn their attacks in the roulette. For example: You start out with Angeal and Sephiroth in your DMW. If the roulette rolls 3 Sephiroths you will use Octoslash Lv.xx. The reason I put Lv.xx is because (from my understanding) there's a random number for each line-up. I think they add the numbers and divide by 3 to decide the Lv. of the skill. There is no experience gain in this game. Nor is there a way to level up your materia through experience or a certain number of uses. Materia level up when a certain number combination is formed in the roulette. And Zack (the main character of this game) does not level up through training or experience either. Instead, If you're lucky to roll three 7's in the roulette you automatically level up. Do not be discouraged from the lack of weapons in the beginning. About an hour into the game you get to do missions from a save point and earn accessories and probably weapons. I don't really know right now since I haven't gotten any from it yet, but I did get a few items that are worth quite a pretty penny. Look forward to another review after I finish the game. But I must say if you own a PSP and don't have anything worth playing pick up Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII. To be honest, I don't think there's anything else worth playing on a PSP other than music.… Expand

Amazing graphics, great story, interesting gameplay.

For anyone who isn't a wannabe critic out looking for stuff wrong with it(there is very little if any to be found) this game is all that for a ff7 fan and a bag. Beautiful graphics for psp, at some points rivaling that of the first kingdom hearts. Gameplay as addicting as cocaine and a story thats hard to stop playing. NO worries, the 15-20 hour story keeps you gripped, and the 350+ bonus missions offer more fun than you would think, giving more than enough unlockables. No lag, runs beyond smooth, and the CG battle sequences will cause orgasims. This game is THE must own title for the psp!… Expand

I thought this game was the best one out of the other games! The graphics were so amazing, this was not a disappointment! great game!

Clearly the best of the Compilation of FF7 (to date, anyway) and my favorite PSP game so far. Great gameplay, great story and an ending that will make you cry.

The graphics, and design are very good, but for me the music is horrible especially in some battles, as if you were battling in a disco. But the worst of all is the battling system and DMW. The DMW is something beyond your control that simply happens as you battle. This makes battling very boring.

It's really not that GREAT of a game... but the visuals are amazing, and I am an addicted FF7 fan boy, so that helps a lot. The game play is simply mechanized to make it easy to just pick up and play a few missions, and the customization and power leveling you are able to do just boggles my mind. I find myself transfixed during cutscenes, with plenty of "HOLY @#@$! so THAT's why it happened..." when reminiscing fondly of the FF7 glory days. Ultimately, if you are a fan of the Final Fantasy VII series (as it is now a series), then you will love this game. If you are a casual passerby, you'll definitely find something to like about this game; it just might not be as much as some of us.… Expand

Absolutely incredible! it just makes you wonder if a remake of Final Fantasy 7 is in the making, i mean they already have to right tools to do it. This game is worth every penny. If your looking for that stand out PSP game, this one is way ahead of the pack. To put it simple, it's just simply amazing.

I have to throw in my man card on this one and say that this game almost brought me to tears. Epic story and gameplay.

The DMW I hate that thing. FF7: CC is in all fairness a prequel to FF7, if you did not like FF7 then chances are you will be biased and not like this game. Crisis Core was made for fans of FF7 to deepen the relationship with the characters and forge a better understanding of the story. I myself enjoyed the game for the nostalgic memories it brought to me and the plot, which at times was confusing but is expected when translating from one language to another. The battle system is not my favorite I prefer turn based system much like FF7 although I think a FFX system would have worked better here. The story is immersing and the characters are likable. all together It is not the shining pearl of the Final Fantasy universe but it is a good game and I think deserves a deal of respect. 9 out of 10.… Expand

Game is amazing! Graphics are unbelievable. Never played a final fantasy game before but loved this one!! I played it non stop after I got it. Worth the $40 but get it on ebay for less. I didn't have computer access but played my brothers and couldn't wait, had to get it, even if it was $40.

Very cool game especially the end almost brought me to tears not only the best game i have every played on PSP best game i ever played. Really got in to it at the end if you want to spent $40 good game to spend it on!!

Unlike other entries in the FFVII Collection, Crisis Core is an amazing complement to Square's original masterpiece, adding a solid backstory and also offering great gameplay. If you're like me and you play the game more for the story than the gameplay itself, you won't be disappointed. It's the best feeling to see the old FFVII scenes recreated with the PSP's graphics. This game does not disappoint.… Expand

as fan servise this game is a fans wet dream, as a game it sucks like a vacume on steriods. this is how it works:pretty cut scene then mindless button mash battles that can be completeed without even looking at the screen, then cut scene repet. don't get me wronge it's prety to look at but it's just not a lot of fun to play. even the side quests suck. go to a area looking for a monster then kill it. don't buy this game unless you want to waid through sucky combat for a boring story. though i have to say fans you'll look right past it's flaws to see "the hidden dimond".… Expand

Meh its not all that great and its stupid the fact that everyone thinks it should get this about average rating all because it says final fantasy VII on the box its pathetic and the game is mediocre.

honestly the greatest game ive ever played smooth battle system lots of variety awesome cutscenes and very smooth for the psp great work square keep it up!

FMV spell cut scenes are amazing; voice acting is a bit sluggish and awkward, but the battle system is unique and the new action-oriented style is very fresh and works well; the storyline is very unique and shows some depth dimension for pre-FF7 history. All in all, a great game and welcome RPG in a gaming climate that's lacking in quality RPGs these days.

One of the best games i have ever played.The anime cut scenes are absolutely amazing, while the gameplay is incredible. The story is awesome and the graphics are awesome. Highly consider buying a PSP for this game.

I actually haven't finished the game 100% b/c I'm still at the last boss (There are a couple of big boss fights at the end of the game). I died a few times and I just haven't forced myself to just finish the dudes off. There are also some side missions that I haven't yet completed, but I have done A LOT of them. There are hundreds in there. So I would say I have experienced roughly 90% of the game at this point. So I guess the fact that I am going to have to "force" myself to finish the game might tell you a little bit about how I feel about it. Although it is a bit normal to get some gaming fatigue when battling your way through an RPG or even a repetitive action RPG. That said, I must say that Crisis is a GOOD game. By most people's standards, this is an entertaining experience that is beautifully rendered on a handheld machine with slick presentation. It has a lot of fan service thrown in and it definitely retains the feel and atmosphere of the Original FFVII. It will definately delight fans of the original by bringing them back to those old locales. There are even clever little allusions to people or places in the original game that would only be recognized by the hard core FFVII fans out there. But I do have mixed feelings about Crisis b/c I think its a good game but not a great game. There are some little nagging things here and there that ultimately keep this game from realizing its full potential. It makes me kinda sad b/c a few small changes could have made this game exponentially greater. Most of the problems come from the gameplay, actual battles that you will encounter hundreds or even thousands of times (depending on if you want to collect every minor item). I'll start off with the DMW that I mentioned before. They missed a great opportunity for deepening the interaction with the battle system. Instead of being involved with the "slot machine" the game randomly (and sometimes not so randomly) plays out everything for you. Towards the end of the game you will end up just sitting back and waiting for the end result to show up on the screen. It really removes you from the battling experience. It seems glaringly obvious to me that turning the slot machine into a type of minigame within the game would have been natural (Look at the wii everybody loves minigames!! j/k) If it were me I would have made it just like a regular slot machine where you stop each slot by hitting the x button and try to line up three in a row. With a symbol representing your summon, limit break, healing, status effects and so forth. That way you could try to get things that are actually appropriate to what is going on in the battle, and you would be rewarded for playing the slot well. If you were fighting a big boss maybe you would want to line up the summon symbols or the "null magic effects" to help yourself out in a specific situation. But instead of this you will randomly line up Sweet Christmas you don't even need. I can't tell you how many times I lined up Aeris' healing limit break when I had full health. Or like when I trigger the Turk's "Air Support" when I'm inside a freaking building. That doesn't even make sense! The slot machine may have been hard to line up b/c the slots do move pretty fast. But then maybe they could have given you a special hidden materia or peice of equipment (ie Slot machine "badge") later on that would give you the ability to temporarily slow down the slots so that it would be easier to line up the stuff you wanted. Perhaps at the expense of magic points or action points. And speaking of Action points (AP), what is the point?? Why do we need action points for things like attack and defend. I never once thought about my AP. You wanna know why? Because I NEVER RAN OUT, not even once. They are trying to put a limit on something you will never run out of. So what's the point. Who cares? That really didn't hurt anything, just pointless. Now lets move on to the actual fighting in battles. It seems like there are a lot of things you can do. You have three action buttons available to you. You can attack (w/ your sword or switch it to a magic attack, I mostly stuck with the sword), block, or do a roll to dodge. I found that I almost never used block. First off, Zach is too slow to respond to my pushing the block button. It's like a delayed reaction. I would see some security officers raise their guns and I push the block button only to receive a face full of bullets (it's okay, this is FFVII you will just say ouch and keep on going). But even if you do manage to get your timing right and block an attack you still receive damage (a smaller amt than you would have received if you got hit directly of course). Dodging is easier and results in you not taking any damage. So as far as I was concerned, I only used two actions. Attack and dodge. Let me reveal to you my secret strategy to fighting enemies. This was done to just about every enemy. Run at them, attack attack, roll away and wait for them to do their attack animation, run at them, attack attack, and roll away. Repeat as neccessary until A. Enemy dies, or B. You get bored of doing the same thing over and over again. There you have it, the fighting was the most dissapointed thing to me personally.I was really craving a more in depth battle experience. I guess it was asking to much to have a ninja gaiden type of depth but that's kinda what I wanted. I was hoping to have to develop specific strategies for each new type of enemy I encountered and have them respond to my moves intelligently. No such luck. You don't even have an inherent ability to jump. There is some jump attack materia later in the game but whatever. At least some variety would have been nice. I did more attack n' roll than anything else. It would have been nice to be able to attack an enemy that had the ability to block my attacks. Or maybe a way to push another button while blocking to perform a gasp... powerful "counter attack." I mean the "counter" materia was one of my favorites from the original game (edit: there may be a "counter" materia in this game but i never found one. But that's not to say there isn't one in there) Jumping would have been another way to avoid certain kinds of attacks. Then you could have enemies that required jumping, blocking, dodging, and VARIETY. Possible Conclusion?: Maybe Square should have put a little less effort in making sure every hair on Zack and Cloud's head was perfectly spiked and feathered and more effort into perfecting their gameplay/battle system. Think of it this way, you'll only spend about 30 minutes of watching cutscenes throughout the entire game. But you will spend around 15 hrs. playing the game and battling. I think their priorities were a little off. Make your games as fun to PLAY as they are to WATCH please.… Expand

This is truly an exceptional game! This being my first Final Fantasy game (I know what you're thinking) blew me away alone, and it's on a handheld too! Imagine what it'll be like when I play the others. But anways, I honestly do not know what G4 TV is talking about (they must of had a bad day or something) because this game deserves much needed attention. The graphics are superb, especially the cut scenes, as well as the gameplay. The story is very well done and emotional at times as well. So far I have played about 20ish hours and am only 40% done with the side missions. I do take my time, but there are 300 of them (literally). So even if you went through them all quickly it will still take about 10 hours! The main story alone takes an additional 10 hours to complete! It just shows you how much effort was put into this game and I think 4 years of developing it says it all! Anways, enjoy!… Expand

I have the game it rocks!!! First off the graphics are awsome never seen better! The storyline is great, but it's a little dramatic. The summons are awsome, but 2 of them are hard to find. any way I was told you get to play as sephiroth but you don't. Its still the best psp game ever!

I really enjoyed playing the game. it had a nice structure and i love the cinematic as well, and for some reason it keeps me addicted and interested to the point where I'm willing to play it all over again. The one thing I didn't like was when Zack died without seeing Earth. darn shame.

The graphics are excellent, it blends action into an RPG flawlessly and has an engaging story. A must for any psp owner.

This game is rated far too low by the critics. The graphics are great, story is entertaining, and music is good enough for a soundtrack cd. You will get many hours of enjoyment from this game.

This, along with the original FFVII, are absolutely, unquestionably the two best games ever made, and the two best games that could ever be made. The graphics of Crisis Core exceed any other game I have seen on PSP, and the story line (which falls perfectly into place with the original story of FFVII) will immediately make you fall in love with the characters. No other games on the PSP market compare to Crisis Core, and Crisis Core, along with the original FFVII, are two of the best games ever made.… Expand

TAll the people saying that the fans will be bias and like the game because its a Final Fantasy 7 prequel are completely wrong! This game has taken ff7's plot and just crapped all over and I'm sure any true ff7 fan will agree. The compilation of FF7 is slowly ruining the original brilliance of the game! the battle system sucks I mean the DMW system!!?!!? what the hell!?!?!? its completely random! and takes time to watch boring moves where Zack makes anoying cocky comments in the process. The plot does'nt make sense and fits in no way at all to FF7's this game should have been actually comsidered not just thrown together after 2 minuites thinking. Saying that the fans of ff7 will like this game is a joke. ff7 should have be left alone as the most great rpg ever made instead square are milking it for all its worth and destroying it in the process THIS GAME IS ABSOLUTE NOTHING TO DO WITH FF7!!!… Expand

This game was awesome. I was addicted to it the second I played it. I beat the game in about 2 weeks. It had every thing in it, action,romance,Slightly horror and it was seriously dramatic. If i could rate this game with a 100 I would. The ending was sad, but i heard final fantasy 7 is coming out for psp later like maybe in 2009. Crisis Core is the best game i ever played and it beats god of war 10000000 to negative 1000000. This is a must get for all psp owners This isent my opinion its a fact!… Expand

Unreal for the PSP, and a must-buy for any Final Fantasy VII fan. Expands on the years before Final Fantasy VII began, and gives more depth on characters like Zack, Sephiroth and even Cloud himself. Also pushes the graphical capabilities of the PSP to it's max. Also had excellent music designed to build tension during battle, and emotion where emotion is due - and it succeeds. The voice acting was also second to none. All of the voice actors from Advent Children return, and do a marvelous job. Most notable being Zack and Sephiroth's performances - simply amazing. Only criticisms are the Battle System. The actual combat itself was decent, but the DMW system really did suck - They take everything down to a literal game of chance. They should have just included the original Materia system from FF7 and been done with it. On a higher note, I was blinking back tears during the ending. A game hasn't made me that emotional in... must be 10 years? They spent so long building up Zack as such a lovable character and cause you to emotionally bond with the character - then... well, if you've played FFVII or clocked Crisis Core already, I'm sure you know what happens next. So unfair! Anyhow, this is a reason to pick up a PSP if there ever was one. At the cheap price point you can get them at now, there is NO excuse to not pick one up with Crisis Core - It will be one of the best damned portable gaming experiences of your life. So in summary, the pros are the graphics being easily the best on the platform, excellent musical scores, Great voice acting and an intricate story that tugs the heartstrings, and is quite easily the best on the platform in that regard. Cons are the DMW side of the battle system and... well that's it really. An excellent game worthy of much praise… Expand

One of the most worst video games I have ever played. I could not even last 10 minutes with this game. Everthing from the graphics to the gameplay, the story to the music, was just terrible. I took this game back to the store and told them it did not work. The truth is I just wanted my money back. Thanks to this game I will never play Final Fantasy 7 again. Aviod at all costs.

While Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII must be praised for its incredible visuals, fun soundtrack, and generous fanservice for those who enjoyed Final Fantasy VII, it doesn't work very well as a game. Simple and mindless action/RPG battles while trekking through uninspired environments makes up the majority of the experience. Weak, underdeveloped characters, awful dialogue, and a boring story all seem like an afterthought to a game that is never completely realized. While there are several moments that will give a Final Fantasy VII fan pangs of nostalgia, it would be hard to recommend the game to even them.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The in-game graphics are outstanding and the cinematics are impressive. However, there are some translation quirks and lame afterthought tie-ins to FF7 (i.e. Zack gives Aerith her signature pink ribbon). Some strange design choices prevent this from being a great game. While FF7 was slow, methodical, and strategical, Crisis Core places an emphasis on quick reflexes and luck (a slot machine dictates the flow of battle!). Fans of FF7 should consider picking this game up on nostalgia factor alone, but this spin-off definitely pales in comparison to it's source material.… Expand

This game is a great addition to add insight to the FF7 story. FF7CC has a back story the adds more enjoyment to the FF7 story. Great graphics and one of the best games on the PSP. I played FF7 first and hence I enjoyed FF7CC, I'm not sure how people would see this game without FF7 insight. FF always gives new battle systems some work others don't after the initial awkwardness I got use to the battle system in this game and enjoyed it.… Expand

Probably the best PSP game I have played. One of the few games where the controls make sense. This game captures the FF7 feel and atmosphere and brings it to modern day gaming.

The best final fantasy game i played. I played final fantasy before and this one is my favorite. All the final fantasy story I played was great. The gameplay for this game is excellent. Very great job with the game play. The graphics is psp best. I think this game is psp best looking game. This is my favorite psp game. I think this should be on everybody top 5 or 10 best psp games of all time. I recommend this to everyone. I enjoy playing this game a lot.… Expand

a bland spinoff of an epic experience. the game boasts greatness, but the gameplay itself is it's downfall if you are expecting the epic plot, and emotional hurdles that the original final fantasy 7 threw at you, you are goign to be soorly dissapointed

I give it an 8 because the graphics are pretty good, but the gameplay gets very repetetive. A good thing about this game is you cant control the DMW. I would not like to control a slot machine while fighting monsters :p

Crisis Core acts as a prequel to FFVII but it can stand alone as a worthy addition to the FF stable. The battle system is very action-oriented but never degrades to mindless button mashing. Finding and combining materia is addictive and surprisingly deep. The plot can be a bit shaky as can the writing and voice acting. However, the game should be commended for its genuine emotion, something which is lacking in many recent games.… Expand

One of my top favorite games for any portable console. The gameplay isn't entirely intuitive, but it works quite well. Of course, that's not to say the gameplay is boring, I think it's amazing! The storyline, if you have played the original Final Fantasy VII (7), tells you what happens before. The is absolutely phenomenal, in fact, listen to "Fulfilled Desire", the ending song to Crisis Core, that song is fantastic, and pretty much defines the emotional aspect of the game, and of course, the beauty of the music itself. The voice acting is stellar. The voices fit the characters perfectly. The graphics are superb as well. If you want an amazing game, pick this one up.… Expand

This game is the whole reason I bought a PSP.This is the best game on the PSP IMO.The graphics,the control,the battle system.It's all so much fun.The story and plot are amazing,even though (if you played FF7) you know what will happen at the end of the game.The soundtrack was beautifully done,it's one of my favorites from a game.At first the level up system,and summon system was kinda iffy too me.But I soon learned to love it I liked that everything was "random".You can get equipment later on to boost your chances for a particular summon.Everyone that's either a FF fan or has a PSP should get this game you will not regret it. 10/10… Expand

The most boring game of Square-Enix in PSP. I'm disappointed. The battles are horrible. The graphics are the best of the game, the rest...without words

Putting the gamer behind the eyes of Zack Fair in this prequel to one of the greatest games of all time, Square delivers a ground breaking handheld title. It has fantastic psp graphics, outstanding story telling, and great gameplay. The gameplay, however a little more bland, is reminiscent of Kingdom Hearts' battle system, but with just enough twist to keep it fresh and to differentiate itself from KH. Warning: If you have not played through Final Fantasy 7, you will either;A) Not appreciate the story. B) Be completely lost. This game does in-fact assume that you are quite familiar with the FF7 lore. The game has hours of sidequest, however linear, are overall great especially for a psp game. The only real problem with the game is the level-up system... leveling up is left to chance. Technically speaking, however unlikely, the gamer could go through the entire game at level 1. Equipping materia is excellent but I wish equipping actual armor had a little more depth. The Good: Great graphics, great gameplay, & great story (beware noobs). The Bad: Level-up system is retarded and voice is a little shaky in parts. This game is an absolute necessity for fans of FF and RPG fans in general… Expand

I really enjoyed this game and was very excited to see this storyline as final fantasy VII is by far my favorite Final Fantasy game. Unfortunately since all their cut-scenes must have cost them more than making the game did you can't skip any of them, which is extremely annoying, especially when your game is saved right before one in a tough spot where you can't save after until you win. I've never completed this game just for this reason. I wish I could finish it, but I can't stand playing the same stuff over and over with the same cut-scenes. I wish they'd stop ruining good games by trying to make them half movies with no fast forward button.… Expand

I like Zack Fair. It has great graphics and gameplay. Controls are very smooth. I often laugh about Zack's crushes in the game. Aerith and Tifa were so young and beautiful back then.

This game is truly the best thing Square Enix has put out for the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII. It tells a compelling story about Zack Fair and how he goes from being a 2nd class SOLDIER to being promoted to 1st class. The battle system adds a great dynamic to the game, especially with the block and dodge abilities. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a great Final Fantasy title!… Expand

Most importantly, this game stays true to the original. Seeing Midgar like this is very nostalgic and it's represented like it should be. Technically it's great, the story is great, the music is a mix of the original themes and hard rock. The extra missions are boring and not very rewarding, and some new characters are hit or miss. A must-have for anyone looking for a great PSP game and a worthy prequel to a legendary game.… Expand