Let’s be honest: after seeing the ending of Final Fantasy VII Remake we all expected a reissue of the beloved Final Fantasy VII Crisis Core. And on time she has arrived, a little remake, a little remastered. Let’s see how Hajime Tabata’s creature has been revived after all these years of its release on the PSP.
Developer / Publisher: Square Enix/Square Enix Price: €59.99 Location: Complete Multiplayer: Absent PEGI: 16 Available On: PC (Steam), Playstation 4, Playstation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S Launch date: December 13, 2022
A CONVINCING MODERNIZATION
The operation developed around the title is particular, not exactly one of a kindbut honest enough. By virtue of future projects on the other chapters dedicated to the remake of Final Fantasy VII, most likely there was no budget or time to make a complete remake of Crisis Core, on balance one of the most loved chapters regarding the universe and lore of Final Fantasy VII.
Years later, their relationship is still as heartbreaking as it is romantic.
So the modernization operation sees a totally revised aesthetic sectorwhich follows in the wake of the works of Final Fantasy VII Remake, while not reaching the same aesthetic levels.
the aesthetic sector has been totally revised
The main works touch then models and polygons of the main protagonistsZack, Sephiroth, Angeal and the very tedious Genesis, leaving a bit in the shade all the rest. A trail that pleases the eyes, without hiding the obvious limitations of a title which, to all intents and purposes, is the same one released on PSP in 2007. Here is the many declarations of remastered that the people of the web have echoed by correcting it in remake , the operation in its concrete is a gradual middle groundwhere remake applies right to the aesthetic sector, leaving everything else unchanged.
An example of the work on this project: polygonal models, lights and shadows all revised and enhanced, but the rest of the environment is terribly poor in details.
This is evident within the obvious limits of the titlein particular in exploration, with small playing areas by today’s standards, with Zack himself appearing to glide on the ground during movement, with vegetation and contours without particular details. In short, this is the classic operation that aims to modernize aesthetically, leaving the content of the game unchanged, in every aspect, almost.
THE RIGHT IMPROVEMENTS
In terms of structure, mechanics and gameplay, the game has not undergone particular reinterpretations, and although the public expects a work almost similar to that which took place on the remake of Final Fantasy VII, it is right to immediately warn everyone: this Crisis Core Reunion is exactly the same game that came out in 2007.
structure, mechanics and gameplay have not undergone particular revisions
So expect a better aesthetic sector and some classic defects taken from the original, but at least the combat system it has been heavily revised. Abandoning the woodiness of the original, Crisis Core Reunion predicts a more spirited fight, fast and fun, even in the presence of particles during offensive actions or the use of spells and materials. To this it has also been noted how the enemies are decidedly more ferocious; a necessary counterbalance given that unlike the original, we have a lot more offensive margins between attack combos and tactical dodges.
The on-screen particles during combat are always a great sight.
Come back too the iconic OMDZack’s Digital Mindwave, Crisis Core’s primary system to activate particular special shots.
Zack’s iconic digital Mental Wave is also back
Like the original, here too the OMD works a bit at random, the cross and delight of this system, where a series of numbers and faces of the game characters will begin to rotate in the upper left corner of the screen, like a slot machine and if you concatenate numbers or faces, you can draw to passive bonuses or special attacks, including the summoning of espers. As mentioned, everything is given a bit by randomness, which in some moments inevitably breaks the balance of the game to which, however, the aforementioned AI of the revised enemies is inserted, plus some special attacks (which can however be broken) capable of reduce our HP in a matter of seconds.
Assault on Wutai (and notice how everything is faithfully unchanged from the original game).
A novelty lies in the possibility of skip special attack cutscenes of the WCO or even the possibility of don’t perform the skill if we decide not to press the consideration execute key. Little stuff, but very welcome. Last element to mention, but not least, to put a definitive word on the remake or remastered nature of the title is the presence of all the original cutscenesterribly compressed and repurposed to a rather high quality mediocre.
it is possible to skip the cutscenes of the OMD’s special attacks and decide whether or not to execute the skill
Nostalgic choice for those who played the original, while for everyone else a confirmation that, indeed, what we are playing is a greatly enhanced version on an aesthetic level of the original of 2007 and this, as far as we are concerned, it’s absolutely not a bad thingon the contrary, but we will have the opportunity to deepen the matter when the complete review is released.
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