 |
Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core (PSP)
by JMayHough
Final Fantasy VII is the strongest, most compelling game in the franchise. Although Square Enix continuously go back and forth in creating parts of the story, I found that I wasn't disappointed in this prequel experience. I didn't get my hopes up for this game because I wasn't completely sure what to expect, but I played it through to ... the end without a doubt in my mind.
The story of Crisis Core focuses on SOLDIER Zack Fair, who is mentioned in PS1's Final Fantasy VII as part of the back story but never taken into any depth. This PSP game delivers Zack's story, albeit not as long as you'd expect from Square Enix. It features many familiar faces who are still going strong in the sequels, such as Tifa Lockhart and Yuffie Kisaragi, and our tragic hero Cloud Strife. The friendship between Zack and Cloud is fleshed out in Crisis Core, how they met and how their story developed into what we know it as today. I was happy to see Square Enix keep the original back story. Crisis Core even takes us back to Sephiroth before he became a notorious villain, with his two friends Angeal (also Zack's mentor), and Genesis.
This game produces a linear storyline as well as a mission system that you can complete at any points during the game in order to up the completion percentage. Only controlling Zack means that there's no turn-based battling like there is in FFVII, but a more hands-on approach to combat. Materia still plays a role here with the new ability to fuse materia together to create new magic or simply duplicate it. You gain new slots for accessories the further you progress through the game, and Summons are still present, too.
Although there have been many mixed reviews on Crisis Core, I can happily say that I purchased a PSP and this game without feeling let down. The story seemed short in some parts, and I do wish that there had been more time between Zack and Aerith, but with it being a prequel I couldn't expect the story to be amazingly fleshed out as there was only so much to be told.
Once again Final Fantasy VII produced a storyline that was tragic and an ending that wasn't happy but inevitable (but most fans will know how Crisis Core ends without having to play the game). Complete with familiar voice acting (which is always good), and outstanding FMV sequences, it doesn't seem to matter that the soundtrack is new and slightly remixed, giving Crisis Core a feeling that lets you know these were the events before the story of FFVII.
Read the complete review |
 |
Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core (PSP)
by scoi
The Final Fantasy series has been going strong for decades and many fans of the series still hold fond memories of their seventh installment from the mid ninties. A series of follow ups were made on consoles, mobiles and films but they held back from making a full scale RPG follow up until Crisis Core for the PSP.
The game ... focusses on a charachter who had a cameo in the original games flash back scenes with limited amount of information being revealed. The game spans the time line between the flashbacks and the start of the original with many of the main charachters from your memory cropping up.
One of the main reasons 7 was so successful was its engrossing story line and charachter development, Crisis core sadly lacks this aspect almost completely. Thinking back through playing the game through i'm struggling to remember any of the charachters or even the main storyline, whereas my 15 year old memory of 7 is still pretty good.
The game play is pretty good. Every FF game has a different method of building up your charachters and using special attacks and magic. This game uses a method called fusion, two magic objects are combined to make a different third which can be more powerful than the original, items can used during the process to add boosters such as increased strength to the the product. It is somewhat trial and error and as usual with Final Fantasy games, some online research is needed to fully understand the system and get the most out of the game.
Side quests are limited with the main one being a series of training missions fighting a variety of enemies is a limited number of locations, it can get quite repetative but as the enemies change new tactics are regularly needed. Completing this side quest will make your charachter so strong that the rest of the game will be a breeze, a flaw which has been present in a few Final Fantasies and i feel provides a negative rather than positive experience.
Graphically its very good for the PSP in all game modes. Sound is good, but not great and doesn't have the memorable soundtrack of the original.
For another game in the series its quite good but for those picking this up from outside the Final Fantasy 7 world they may feel a bit let down as stand alone this is merely an average RPG.
Read the complete review |
