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.