The 1997 release of the beloved “Final Fantasy VII” was a huge success and spawned a large fandom. The series has since seen spinoffs and a movie, all in the same universe. The most substantial of these spinoffs is the prequel, “Crisis Core,” and it’s new remaster, “Crisis Core Reunion,” brings the game into modern times.
Players take on the role of Zack Fair, a member of Soldier, a group of highly trained fighters for the Shinra Electric Power Company. As Zack and his mentor Angeal fight a war against the nation of Wutai, he finds himself in a larger conflict within the company. The game allows viewers to see how events referenced in the original game played out.
The combat in the game is its best aspect. Battles feel like an action game with RPG elements. The materia system allows players to customize Zack’s abilities. However, unlike other games, players only control Zack, so the options with the materia system are more limited.
Though the main story is short, the game expects players to spend time in the combat simulator to keep up with the level curve. This makes the game feel fast, but it comes at the cost of a shorter story than one might expect from a “Final Fantasy” game.
Overall, this remaster does a great job of bringing the game into modern times. Despite shortcomings with the script and inconsistent characters, it receives three and a half stars out of five. This release is necessary for those who want to fully understand the story of the upcoming “Final Fantasy VII Remake.”
