Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII

Luxury here for PSP owners in a game that holds appeal for fans of action and RPGs alike. At last, the prequel to one of PlayStation’s best-loved classics.

No spoilers here, rest assured. That said we’ll do the best we can to convey the special qualities of Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, the Square Enix action-RPG due to arrive on PSP this spring. We can begin by acknowledging Crisis Core as a terrific action game in its own right, regardless of its straight-laced RPG origins. And for sure, straight-laced this super-prequel certainly ain’t.

You don’t need to have played Final Fantasy VII on PSone to appreciate the iconic characters and hallowed locations in Crisis Core. In fact one of the greatest triumphs here is that these elements, and the tremendous emotional power they generate, still make a huge impact. The magic-infused cyber-punk weapons and cold as ice villains are as compelling as they were 10 years ago in the Final Fantasy VII PSone RPG.

Of course the visual quality of PSP outshines even the best games on PS2, meaning existing FFVII fans can look forward to a lush make-over of familiar faces. Meanwhile newcomers to the series will benefit from creators Square Enix adopting exciting new ways to make RPG gameplay much more dynamic.

Crisis Core is a battle-heavy quest, and enemies appear literally from out of nowhere to keep you on your toes. However the RPG convention of enemies forming a rigid line to face your own party of immobile warriors has been ditched for Crisis Core. Instead the main character, Zack, executes his elite soldier skills by dodging and dashing freely throughout fights. The RPG legacy of selecting skills and magic from a menu remains, but this is no more complex, in fact it’s probably easier than, similar systems in the likes of Metal Gear Solid or Splinter Cell. Your main benefit of playing a game dubbed ‘action-RPG’ is that you get a deep, deep story to unfold.

FFVII aficionados already know the score, but if you’re new to the saga you’re in for a treat. You'll encounter an alternate reality, futuristic scenario that combines technology with ancient magic. Unique to Final Fantasy VII though is an incredibly emotional connection that not even Square Enix has been able to replicate in its other games to such a degree. Events in Crisis Core take place seven years prior to Final Fantasy VII, acutely defined by Square Enix as “a cruel and fateful struggle” for hero Zack.

Zack sets out as a 2nd Class soldier working for mega corporation Shinra, with dreams of becoming a 1st Class hero like his idol Sephiroth. But the journey he will actually make is from boy to man. You might even dislike Zack to begin with for his wisecracks and swaggering gait. But not long into his landmark mission he has the wind knocked out of his sails, and it’s like watching a puppy dog being slapped to the ground. You really feel the hurt and you'll want to avenge the pain.

After three hours of the story we’re completely hooked. We think you can’t fail to be impressed by the action, not to mention the visual presentation directed by Square Enix resident art guru Tetsuya Nomura. We should also stress that the cinematic cut-scenes are sublime on PSP. To complete the picture for this preview, UK gamers can look forward to an all-new ‘Hard’ mode, not present in the Japanese version.

While Nintendo DS has a healthy range of software to please grandma and younger relatives, there isn’t anything nearly as mature as Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII on that system. This really has potential to become a PSP killer app and we look forward to bringing you the review this spring.