Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion

Crisis Core: FFVII Reunion is a benchmark for how Square Enix should handle its remasters going forward. It provides a nice quality of life upgrade with full voice acting for the entire game and doesn’t change much about it outside of its visuals. This is a game that largely rests on the laurels of its original release and remains good because of Square Enix’s lack of overall changes. It was a blast from the past in the very best way, and also exemplified that while Crisis Core was a great game in 2007, it’s just as good of a game in 2022.

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.

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

Ultimately, CRISIS CORE REUNION is a great game. It lands the story beats, and the combat feels good. Fans of the original experience on the PSP will find themselves right at home here and new players will have a good time, especially if they like Final Fantasy VII as a whole.

Between the remaster and the remake, Crisis Core Reunion brilliantly brings up to date one of the best games on the PSP. Thanks to graphics at the height of Final Fantasy VII Remake, we make the most of the touching adventure of Zack, a character still as charismatic and endearing. Far from being a simple visual facelift, the gameplay is also modernized through more flexible controls and comfort options that make combat more dynamic and fluid than ever. And if we find all the elements that made the strength of the original experience like its materia system, certain flaws persist like its rushed story at times, its linear structure or even its phases of play which are not all equal. Not enough to spoil this beautiful story which remains a central stone in the universe of Final Fantasy VII and which should play an important role in Rebirth, the sequel to FFVII Remake, scheduled for next year.

Crisis Core is still a favorite of mine after all these years and it's even better with greatly improved combat. The character models aren't necessarily an improvement and the price is too high, but this is a reunion that's well worth attending.

While some issues persist, such as bad story pacing in the first half of the game, mediocre writing, and limited scope, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII – Reunion does a great job of modernizing the original game without taking away what made it so unique. The vastly improved visuals and the combat system overhaul make Reunion the best way to experience Zack Fair's story, and one of the best remasters released by Square Enix to date.

In all, Reunion is a fun way to revisit the universe of Final Fantasy VII and let players experience some of the events that would eventually lead to the main story that gamers have known and loved for over 20 years. Reunion is a fantastic remastering that lets a new generation of players witness more of the stories within Midgar and allows for even more build up throughout the series as the next release looms ever closer. For anyone even somewhat interested in this world, whether they're first time grunts entering Midgar for the first time, or SOLDIER 1st Class who have played either the original or other games in the series of FFVII, this game provides a good way to experience a world of science and magic merging, and starts a tragic tale that has lived in gamer's hearts ever since the initial release in 1997.

Valuable remaster with technically excellent combat and a story that is still worth experiencing. Though, there's not much to do besides thrashing.

If you played the original Crisis Core and are looking for an excuse to revisit the game, the remaster is definitely the ideal way to play it as everything has been updated to current generation standards. This remaster also doesn’t change much from the original story, so you don’t have to worry about the canon of the series either.

What Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion accomplishes is something few other remasters or remakes get right: it revives the original core experience – pun intended – of the original Crisis Core release and places it on modern consoles with modern upgrades. The combat system is more refined and responsive, the visual upgrades are serviceable if not as extreme as some may hope, and the storyline is virtually unchanged – for better or worse. That said, there were some areas that Square Enix could have made some adjustments and didn't, meaning we all have to sit through ghastly lines of dialogue that were awkward the first time around, let alone now. That's not enough to completely dull the effort, however, as Crisis Core is one of the best remasters available today.

Crisis Core Reunion is a very good remaster of a portable game, which, apart from intervening quite well in the audiovisual aspect, manages to successfully modernize its combat system, making it accessible in today's era. It's not perfect, its age and portable origins show (especially with the limited maps), however, it's quite enjoyable and will certainly satisfy fans of Final Fantasy, and JRPGs in general, who don't have 100 free hours to get to the finale.

When Square Enix called this game: "More Than a Remaster", they we're exaggerating in the slightest. Barring some questionable VA choices, this is an absolute blast of a remaster, and a game that would please both fans of the PSP classic and newcomers alike.

Crisis Core Reunion is a thoughtful, high-quality remaster of the PSP classic. The main story remains melodramatic, but the revamped battle mechanics deliver lots of baddie-bashing fun.

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion is a faithful, thrilling remaster that celebrates one of Square Enix’s finest stories. Though some clunky level design suggests Square Enix’s remaster has been true to a fault, a gorgeous visual upgrade – combined with a gripping tale of disillusionment and what it means to be a hero – makes this an essential play for Final Fantasy fans.

Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- Reunion is equal parts cheesy, satirical, thought-provoking, and nostalgic. The pacing is often questionable, but the atmosphere can be incredible. The writing can be awkward, but the characters are dear to my heart. And although I already knew how Zack’s story ended going in, I still wanted to watch the journey. I’d heartily recommend this remaster to any fan of Final Fantasy. And if you really want to jump in here, go for it. It sure is a great time.

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.

While Crisis Core’s remaster is a fantastic appetizer to the second entry in the Final Fantasy VII remake series, it falls flat in a lot of ways. Don’t get me wrong: I enjoyed my time with it, and having all of the narrative freshened up for me is a fantastic strategy on Square Enix’s part, but Crisis Core would have benefited from some substantive changes, not just a face lift. If you’ve never played Crisis Core and want to see what the hubbub is about, this is the definitive pick for you, but remember that this game was developed fifteen years ago.