Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion (2022) [PS5] critique

“I wanna be like you,

I wanna walk like you

Talk like you, too.”

-King Louie, Disney’s The Jungle Book

When Crisis Core was released in 2007, I did not own a PSP. Nevertheless, as an avid fan of Final Fantasy VII, the opportunity to return to Midgar and explore a world in full 3D that so deeply impacted me ten years earlier couldn’t be missed. So, I convinced my cousin to loan me his PSP and secured a copy of the game. Sure enough, all my nostalgia for the original Final Fantasy VII returned upon starting. I remember grinning as I heard new remixes of familiar tunes and got goosebumps as I finally heard the voices of beloved characters. However, within hours, I found myself underwhelmed by some of the gameplay choices and the tedious mission log designed specifically for the handheld. The game failed to hook me the way the original FFVII had. After only a week, my cousin demanded his PSP back, and I sold my copy of the game.

I share this because Crisis Core has always been peripheral to my experience of the VII universe. I consider myself a fan, and I did my homework on the plot by watching playthroughs and reading commentaries, but the game itself eluded me. It has been a sore spot for me since 2007. Until now.

Fully redesigned from the ground up, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion allowed me to experience the fully realized vision of the original’s developers without the limitations they faced in 2007. Everything in this game—from graphics to combat to sound design—is markedly better than the original, even as it retains many of the same ideas. Quite simply, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII is undoubtedly one of the best remasters/remakes I’ve ever played.

Remaster Quest

Before getting into the details of the game itself, I should address the inevitable question: is Reunion a remake or a remaster? The answer is complicated. The game is an enhanced shot-for-shot, beat-for-beat retelling of the original, which would make it more akin to a remaster. However, this is not just a reskinning. Nearly everything (aesthetics, UIs, and gameplay systems) has been remade from the ground up. Still, I am hesitant to call Reunion a “remake”, mainly because Final Fantasy VII Remake, which altered far more than just the aesthetics of the original FFVII, redefined what a remake could be. Reunion would be better classified in the same vein as The Last of Us Part I or the recently revamped Resident Evil titles. As such, Reunion cannot be dismissed as a simple remaster, but it falls short of a full remake.

I mention this because it would be easy to hoist praise upon Reunion for simply being a better version of the original Crisis Core. That is not even up for debate: Reunion is the better experience through and through (a full comparison of the original PSP version and Reunion will be available later this week on this site). Regardless, this critique will focus on what Reunion is and attempts to do on its own merits. Sure, Final Fantasy VII fans will appreciate it, but is it good? And more importantly, is it necessary?

The 8-bit Review

Narrative: 9/10

Crisis Core: Reunion is a prequel to the events of Final Fantasy VII/ Final Fantasy VII Remake and, similar to its source material, follows a spiky-haired protagonist who wields an oversized sword: Zack Fair. Zack is a spunky up-and-coming SOLDIER candidate (think military Special Operative) who dreams of becoming a hero. A little headstrong, impulsive, and immature, Zack jumps at any opportunity to prove his worth, even if it means endangering himself and others. Within a couple of hours, however, these heroic pursuits are set aside to unravel the growing mysteries surrounding the Soldier class and its governing organization, Shinra.

The narrative that follows is interesting enough, following the complex dynamics between Zack and his fellow Shinra associates. Zack’s relationships with main characters, especially fan-favorites from FFVII like Sephiroth and Aerith, are believable and well-written, expanding the lore of the original FFVII in surprising and welcome ways. Poignant moments of dialogue among characters prove far more compelling than frenetic action scenes because they necessarily build up the world of Midgar and anchor the plot, allowing it to easily veer into the delicious, nonsensical elements seemingly requisite in JRPGs. And, boy, will the story veer hard into some one-winged nonsense.

One-winged nonsense.

By the end credits, however, Reunion eschews the fantastic for the familiar, inviting the player to consider a more personal message about heroes, legacies, and the nature of prequels. Most of the time, heroes are the ones to “save the day” and bask in the glory of that heroic act for the rest of their lives. Reunion, however, proposes that real heroes are the ones who “save the day,” often ingloriously, so that others might live to see their day and write their own heroic stories. As a prequel to such a well-known story, Reunion may have had the unenviable and impossible task of adding something substantial to a canon most fans would prefer closed, but this theme works flawlessly to cement Reunion as a necessary component in the Final Fantasy VII compilation.

Visuals: 9/10

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion’s graphical style can be summed up in one phrase: it wants to look like Final Fantasy VII Remake. From its shared assets to menus and user interface, the game wants to offer as similar an experience to the 2020 title as possible, and it mostly succeeds.

Remake vs. Reunion

Generally, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion looks great, boasting vibrant, colorful backgrounds and detailed textures while running at a consistent 60fps on PlayStation 5. Every locale has been beautifully rebuilt from the ground up with masterful detail. From Midgar’s cold, industrial streets to the warm, grassy farmlands of Banora, Reunion’s quality elevates to a level comparable to 2020’s Final Fantasy VII Remake. They looked so impressive that, as a fan of Remake, I found myself excited to visit new locations just to catch a glimpse of what may await in future installments of the series (Nibelheim, especially).

My one gripe with the environments is that they were clearly designed with the limitations of a 2007 portable system in mind. As a result, the sleight-of-hand with the graphical upgrade wears thin, and the wire-frame foundation of the levels can be discerned almost immediately. Fortunately, the texture and fidelity kept me wanting to be fooled, so these flaws didn’t break the immersive experience.

Environments are beautifully detailed but simple.

Similarly, FMV cutscenes have been only slightly enhanced for modern screens and look mostly the same as they were on the PSP. These once-stunning CG cinematics look like they were washed out in an Instagram filter, lacking the crispness of the in-game engine’s regular visuals. They still look great, but I would have preferred that they look more consistent with the rest of the game.

Where the visuals shine, however, is in the character models. Main character models share nearly the same style, polygon count, and textures as those from Remake. While facial expressions are less pronounced and hair (though it looks nigh identical) moves a tad more stiffly in Reunion, the models themselves look excellent. NPCs, enemies, and other animated models, meanwhile, receive more modest, but still impressive, upgrades. All this creates a near-parity with Remake, easing any visual whiplash one might experience when hopping between the two games.

Even the characters themselves marvel at their graphics.

Audio: 8/10

Much like the visuals, Reunion’s sound design nearly perfectly imitates Remake, and it is immediately apparent in the character vocals. Every single line of dialogue is voiced in Reunion, and impeccable voice acting quality breathes life into the already impressive character models. The phenomenal cast from Remake reprise their roles and flex their abilities to adapt to younger, more innocent versions of their characters, and it works beautifully. I couldn’t help but grin when I heard Brianna White’s younger rendition of Aerith, as well as when another not-to-be-spoiled character showed up, but Zack’s voice actor surprised me the most. Caleb Pierce brings a range to Zack’s character development that can’t be overstated. From an overconfident, whiny kid to a determined hero, Pierce’s Zack grows with both the plot and the player throughout the journey.

Zack, the optimist.

Unfortunately, Reunion’s enhanced soundtrack is the most inconsistent part of the experience. Most of the songs are short, repetitive guitar riffs that serve as the equivalent of battle-themed elevator music for whatever mission Zack is undertaking. None of them are bad, per-se, but none are particularly memorable. As uninspired as they are, at least there are a lot of them so they don’t replay too often. On the positive side, character medleys and remixes of classic Final Fantasy VII tunes perfectly convey the emotion of the story and serve the narrative well. The main theme, “The Price of Freedom,” is the clear standout with its haunting guitar melody, and will certainly stay with fans long after the credits roll.

Gameplay: 8/10

As already stated, Reunion emulates Remake, and gameplay follows suit. The parts of gameplay it borrows from Remake would easily garner it a 10/10. However, because Crisis Core’s gameplay is markedly unlike Remake, the developers had to heavily adapt many of the core gameplay elements to better reflect it. The result feels mostly the same with two significant differences: missions and “DMW.”

First, side quests are relegated to a sub-menu list of missions. These missions are bite-sized assignments that can range from 3 to 10 minutes each, and there are 300 of them to unlock. Tasks like these are ideal for a handheld experience, but here they felt like a repetitive slog. A handful of the missions are memorable, particularly those that involve key elements from FFVII or involve a super-hard boss battle. Unfortunately, most of them are mindless button mashers.

This is a shame because the battle system is generally really fun. Battles are fast and active, demanding quick reflexes and proper preparation. Mapping specific magic or abilities to controller buttons allows the player to choose their unique battle style, and I found myself experimenting with new strategies and tactics as late as the last dungeon. I actually spent a great deal of time building weapon proficiency and grinding new abilities by melding new forms of materia (what the game calls crystals that imbue magic— a system that will be familiar to FFVII fans) in that dungeon. This is noteworthy for me because I typically hate grinding and crafting systems. Thanks, Reunion, for making these more fun!

Next, Crisis Core also introduced the “Digital Mind Wave,” or DMW for short. This is easily the most divisive element of the game. Essentially it is a slot machine appearing during battle that continuously shuffles images of characters for whom Zack has some affinity. Matching three images will cause Zack to experience a memory cutscene that will imbue him with some boon for the battle. It is a weird element and while the memory/affinity slots do pay off eventually, I can’t help but wonder if it’s worthwhile in the end.

You thought this was a standard battle system? Gacha!

Challenge: 9/10

Reunion is as difficult as the player wants it to be. The main story is easy enough (I beat the final boss at around level 30, clocking in at a mere 16 hours), but the hardest side missions demand grinding and prowess to complete. These optional missions culminate in an optional super-boss, which requires an immense amount of leveling and optimization, that will likely only appeal to trophy-hunters and die-hard fans. Upon completion of the main game, a harder difficulty is unlocked. Then, players can play all the missions, including the super-boss, at an even greater level of pain, if that’s their thing.

No armor, no problem. Feeling confident in hard mode.

Replayability: 8/10

This inevitably leads to the question of replayability. The story is good, but is it a classic? Probably not for most people. I will inevitably replay it multiple times: once for the PlayStation platinum trophy, and again every time I want to prepare for the latest entry in the FFVII compilation. Of course, I love the world and characters. For most people, though, I would imagine one time through the story is enough. For those who love the challenge of gameplay or want a trophy, Hard Mode may entice them to play one additional time.

Accessibility: 7/10

Hey, it’s that guy from Smash Bros!

Reunion is a prequel to Final Fantasy VII, but could it be enjoyed with no knowledge of that game’s universe and characters? In a word, yes… but I’m not sure why someone would. The characters and story matter not because of what they accomplish in this game, but because of what they set in motion in it. This is the issue of prequels. They build the universe, but they are not the center of it. Someone could undoubtedly enjoy Reunion, but their satisfaction would likely be limited by their lack of knowledge of the source material. My suggestion: play FFVII Remake first. Then play this one.

Beyond the narrative accessibility, Reunion offers the standard level of accessibility optimization. This includes some audio, visual, and controller preferences, but not much else.

Personal: 10/10

Who is copying who?

As a lover of all things Final Fantasy, and especially VII, I loved my time with Crisis Core: Reunion and what it does to bring synchronicity to the Remake compilation. The improvements across the board make for a memorable experience that I will undoubtedly cherish. Personally, because of its relationship to the franchise, Crisis Core has always been a classic piece of the FFVII canon to me, even though I was never able to play it fully. Reunion remedied that blind spot for me, and I believe it will do the same for other fans who would otherwise dismiss the 2007 PSP game. Minor issues aside, when I think of my enjoyment playing it and the way it made me feel throughout, it is easily a masterpiece for me.

Still, a lingering question remains: “Is Crisis Core necessary?” This has been my question since 2007 when the original released. Sure, it tells a fuller account of events that set the story of the original in motion, but is it vital? My initial hunch said no. However, I recently heard someone suggest that Crisis Core is a prequel specifically to Final Fantasy VII Remake—not the original Final Fantasy VII. This statement single-handedly changed my mind about the game. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion is not a simple “remakester” or a cash grab. Nor is it well-developed fan-fiction. Instead, Reunion revives a new story the developers started telling in 2007 that is finally being revealed in the Remake saga— this time with far fewer technical limitations. While the rest of the journey is indeed unknown, Reunion has made me more excited than ever about the future of Final Fantasy VII.

Aggregate Score: 8.5

Editor-in-Chief of The Pixels, Wade (aka ProfNoctis) teaches and plays video games at the University of Alabama. His dissertation combined Judeo-Christian kingship and Final Fantasy XV. Follow him on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitch.