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Final Fantasy VII - Crisis Core (Special Pre-Order Edition) PSP Game - Reviews
Total Average Rating:
out of
28
ratings
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The single reason to buy a PSP :D, 28 Dec 2008
being a total FF fan, as soon as I heard about this game, I started freaking out. Loving FF7, I was so eager to see how the story really started out and I was in no way disappointed. Crisis Core takes you several years before the settings of FF7 and the story focuses around the ever so breifly mentioned ( in FF7 ) and glimpsed ( in the animated CG movie FF7 Advent Children) Zack Fair. But the guy doesn't stay a barely mentioned character for long. In this game, meet Soldier Second Class Zack Fair - possibly the most entertaining, kind and somewhat flirtatious male lead role in an FF game. Unlike other FF games, this game takes on a more Kingdom Hearts approach. You don't have a full party- its just you, Zackie, your sword and your materia.
One of the things I most enjoyed about this game was the battle system. Whilst you'e going round hacking, slashing and firing bolts of magic at the bad guys, this thing called the Digital mind Wave reel is ticking away in the top right hand corner of the screen. by killing enemies, you earn good old exp, but you also earn "sp" ( soldier points) which spin the wheel. Whilst you have no control over the wheel whatsoever, when various symbols match up ( liek some slot machine) the faces of various other characters, you are granted different bonusus. These can include protection against various attacks, magics, invincibility and they are also the key to your limit breaks and summons.
Whilst some people may find the lack of control lain annoying, I for one loved the suspense of jst watching the thing and praying it'd throw me something good. Whilst the limit breaks are often fun and involving help from other characters, the summons are the best I've seen them look in a long, long time. you'll see faves such as Ifrit, bahamut and Odin and you'll be blown away!
What i love best about this game is the story and the characters. you are given such an insight into the past events and really drawn into the game, seeing characters as they were befoe the events of FF7 and taken to various locations which will make other games ( if they're like me lol) feel pretty nostalgic.
The game has a beautiful soundtrack and graphically, the in game graphics and the fmvs are just amazing.
Alongside the main game storyline, there is the option to undergo missions. I for one loved the chance to take these side missions, as they often led to gaining awesome items, equipment and also allowed Zack to send a little time with our favourite materia hunter, Yuffie ;) They also allow you the best opportunity to level Zack up and are often very addictive!
I suppose that the hardest part of the game is the fact that ( if youve played ff7), yo know the fate which awaits the characters. And the ending absolutely tore me apart. but I've played this game 4 times this year and I can say that it's possibly one of the most playable, enjoyable and insightful FF games out there.
I only bought a PSP for this game and I consider it 100% worth it:)
Play it if you love FF7 and if not, just play it anyways :DSource: [amazon.co.uk]
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unexpected fun, 24 Sep 2008
my first thoughts with this were "oh no another FF7 spinoff" but i decided oh it cant be that bad, and my brother asked me to get this for his birthday anyway. so i really had no choice but to buy it. after getting it for his birthday i let him play it for a few days and he thought it was really good.
so i asked him could i have a try at it, instantly changed my first thoughts on this game. the combat system is great, although there is the one flaw of being invincible to spells such as flare and ultima. but other than that i could see no flaws.
the FMV's in this game were simply beautiful, there really are no other words to describe them.
i also think that it is nice to get a take on Zack's story and get to see how he developed as well as the main enemy sephiroth. i never really liked sephiroth mainly because i thought he was a typical villain just wanting to blow up the earth like most of the final fantasy villains do. but seeing his back story on his friends made me feel a bit sorry for the guy.
the special edition also comes with a artbook and a nice case, the artbook has some really good drawings of each level and character and was nice to look at even if it was for 5 minutes.
overall very good game and definitely worth a buy even if it is the normal version.Source: [amazon.co.uk]
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Who would have thought the prequel could refresh this story?, 20 Sep 2008
I bought my PSP originally because I heard this game was coming out, now after a long wait, I've spent 95 hours savouring it. I say savouring, I actually mean it took me that long on hard mode to complete all the subquests, collect all the items, trigger all the memories, fuse all the rare materia and defeat the 20m HP optional boss.
I thoroughly enjoyed the game. Why?
* Graphics: Excellent for the PSP with the FMV (and there are a lot) standing out in particular. The camera is occasionally awkward, but in general it is intuitive.
* Sound: The music is great - remixed FFVII themes along with a few new ones (mainly variations of Zack's theme). The voice acting is usually pretty good - Rick Gomez as Zack is spot on.
* Combat system: I found hacking and slashing my way across the FFVII landscapes quite a lot of fun. Apparently the game is quite easy on "normal" mode. On hard mode you really have to get to grips with the system to win. Timing attacks, blocking, dodging and knowing when to run away all play a part. The seemingly random "DMW" can be manipulated, but since it contains the most powerful moves it is a bit difficult to trigger it when you need it most. Still, it's new and the idea of using memories rather than anger/pain to set off a limit break ties into the design of the story.
* RPG elements: The plot is fairly linear so there are limited choices that affect how this is presented (but there are some). The player can develop Zack by equipping and fusing different materia. Since materia and accessories can be swapped anywhere (apart from mid-battle) there is a lot of flexibility, although this essentially boils down to physical attacks, magic or special moves. Materia also carries attribute values and fusing it correctly is essential to maxing Zack's stats. Crafting can take up quite a lot of time, but making the little coloured baubles better is actually quite enjoyable.
*Plot: I think this was well done. Retconning was very limited and most of the story slotted neatly into what we knew from FFVII already. The story in Crisis Core tells us who drove Sephiroth to madness; it tells us how Cloud found himself on the edge of Midgar; it tells us where the buster sword came from. Zack's own story links them all together for us.
There are some elements which could do with more explanation: namely Lazard, Cissnei, Loveless and Minerva, but the story rarely feels contrived. Zack himself is portrayed very well - by turns he comes across as naive, simplistic, funny, caring, arrogant, determined and confused.
Crisis Core also has its fair share of tear jerking and laugh-out-loud moments. Sometimes both - I would never have thought a flower cart (3rd version) could make me laugh so much.
* Missions: These are very routine. There are 300 of them in total but the rewards can be worth the toil. They don't add much to the plot, although the Yuffie missions are quite amusing. However, they can be quite testing and don't take long so good for the pick-up/put-down PSP.
* The box set itself: The art book is nice, but not special (and not very long). The cover is better than the standard edition package.
For the Final Fantasy VII fan this is a must-buy. For others the story might not be quite as enjoyable (in fact it could be quite confusing), but for the gameplay it's worth a look.Source: [amazon.co.uk]
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9 Out of 10 on Gamespot? I'll have what they're smoking, 3 Aug 2008
Crisis Core acts as a prequel to Final Fantasy VII and focuses rather disjointedly on the events before Cloud joins AVALANCHE and the original game which shook the late 90s begins. If you've not yet given it a go but consider yourself a moderate fan of FFVII, then you'll probably have a few questions. Does FFVII:CC weave a narrative worthy of merging into the oncoming plot traffic of its predecessor? Does it whisk you back a decade in time and fill you with warm, nostalgic memories of a time spent staggering between glorious pre-rendered works of art and whirling random encounter transitions? Are some of the darker elements of the plot handled with a degree of mystery and subtlety? The short answer to all of these questions is a faintly dejected `not really'.
Advent Children hardly set the stage for reassurance. Whilst the visuals and action were bang on form; the pacing was sloppy, the introduction to the final encounter was about as epic as a cucumber sandwich and for some reason Square lovingly topped the whole experience off with the kind of whimsical 'feel good' ending usually confined to daytime movies about mischievous runaway moppets.
The trend of outstanding CG effects remains strong and character models and overall animation in the glorious array of FMV sequences rival anything showcased in the aforementioned movie spin-off. The musical score as we've come to expect from anything made by Square fluctuates between varying levels of greatness. The voice acting however... well, let's just say three out of four isn't bad.
It's not that there's much particularly wrong with the English dubbing besides the odd awkwardly delivered line tripping over the clumsy dialogue like it's an obese cat sleeping in a doorway, the issue is that there's not much right with it either. To make matters even more distressing, we've been outright denied the opportunity to switch to Japanese audio with subtitles.
The combat system is very much your straightforward hack and slash picnic, Press X to hit target with sword until said target collapses in a heap, and Press Square to perform a roll-stroke-dodge combination which can be used to cavort out of danger (or often into it, should you get a bit carried away). You can also scroll through a selection of spells and skills which you've either found on your escapades or created using Materia Fusion. It all seems perfectly acceptable until the fetid abomination which is Crisis Core's limit break system rears its ugly head, anyway.
The DMW (that's `Dull Meter Watching' for those in the know) System does away with all that overrated nonsense everyone keeps banging on about, baloney like fast paced combat, strategy, customisation and fun and instead replaces them with a much more desirable spinning wheel.
If the battle designers of Crisis Core are to be believed then not only is the brutal crucifixion of strategy in games long overdue, but also slot machines are apparently a vastly superior form of entertainment far beyond our human comprehension. The best approach is to just go along with it. Struggle against the flow of the DMW and you'll have gnawed the corners off your PSP sooner than you can say "modulating phase", though it's difficult not getting a little deflated/annoyed/homicidal when it happens on the very last badly injured enemy.
Nonsensical happenings crop up now and then leaving you scratching your head or twisting it in a lupine manner trying to work out what on earth just happened. On one occasion, Zack had to save a village due to be bombed, from being bombed twenty seconds sooner by what I can only assume was a secret invisible rocket-launcher located in another dimension. To save the day, our dashing hero strikes the rockets with his sword, forcing them to rather smoothly split in two as if they were forged from Danish pastry. The entire scene makes absolutely no sense and worst of all forces you to partake in hideous `QuickTime' events a la shenmue. These silly attempts to crowbar in needless gameplay elements with no thought for context breaks flow and calls into question just what in Gaia possessed the designers to implement such sloppy game elements in the first place.
Overall, Crisis Core is saved by its gorgeous visuals and stunning FMV sequences but underneath all that you can't escape the sinking feeling that you're plodding through a shallow and often befuddling stab at an action RPG.
The Good
- Impressive FMV sequences
- Masses of quick side-missions which can easily be picked up when on the go
The Bad
- The tiresome DMW System ends up slowing down gameplay the point of agony
- Clunky dialogue and voice acting
- Fragmented story Frisbees immersion straight out of the window
- Side-missions suffer from `Quantity over Quality'
- Many scenes are lacking in the dark atmosphere which made the original stand out from the RPG crowd of the 90s
- Some real odd moments of nonsensical happeningsSource: [amazon.co.uk]
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5 stars? Really? C'mon now, it isn't THAT good..., 4 Jul 2008
I actually imported an English language, region free version of this from Hong Kong months ago, and i was really excited about it. Let's get to the point shall we, good things first. The cut-scene graphics are insane. No other way to put it. Just incredible. The game play is pretty good too, easy to control, and the materia leveling system is an interesting change from the original FFVII. That's about it.
Now, the story is, regardless of what everyone else says, rubbish. I honestly don't understand how any intelligent person could think otherwise. It's Hollywood-esque idiot fodder filled with shallow, two-dimensional characters, minimal dialogue (replaced almost entirely by ridiculous, if mindlessly entertaining fight scenes) and has no emotional depth whatsoever.
Don't expect to care about any of the characters, most of which are just plain irritating (espescially Genesis - seriously, all that stuff about 'Loveless', gay. Just gay. And what's it even for? A reference to a poster in the original? Who cares?). Even old characters Cloud and Aeris (Aerith in my version), previously deep, intriguing and mysterious have become dull, shallow and, frankly, pointless.
Superb cut-scenes aside, in-game graphics are okay, but not that special. Game areas are small, quite bland, lack interactivity and are essentially a series of corridors that allow for little or no deviation, which brings me to my next point; this game is ENTIRELY linear. Don't expect a world map or much in the way of decision making. There are side missions to keep things 'varied', and in all fairness there are a lot of them (some 300), but the problem is that they are all EXACTLY the same. I became bored long before i finished them all.
Gameplay, arguably any game's most important aspect, is actually one of Crisis Core's stronger areas. You equip materia and accessories to allow more command options/attacks/magic in fights, which occur randomly, and also to boost stats. It's a simple setup that's quite fun, at first, but since it basically boils down to just running around pressing x over and over again, soon becomes a bit tedious. And with the materia upgrade system it's quite simple to boost your stats through the roof very quickly, rendering most magic and special attacks obsolete. Also, with regards to the materia system, i found that i rapidly accumulated VAST quantities of useless materia, and sorting through it all became a serious effort.
Well, i think i've ranted enough. In conclusion, if you like simple, undemanding gameplay and the sort of story that you might find in a terrible soap opera or cheesy American drama then maybe this is for you, but i personally was massively disappointed. I think this game is little more than a cash-in from those evil, money-grabbing fools at Square-Enix (who frankly haven't produced the same caliber of games since the Enix people got involved. You know it as well as i do. Be honest.) who know that all the millions of FFVII fanboys out there will happily spend money on this regardless of how lame it is. Anyway, that's it. Clearly i'm in a minority on this one, but hey. There. My opinion. The end.Source: [amazon.co.uk]
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Final-ly a begining!, 30 Jun 2008
I have played and completed this game, it was rather easy but there are alot of things to do (i still have things waiting to do) i bought this game and it took me 7 days to complete it (not repetative gameplay) so it is fair easy to do, but the tasks are still there so its not 100% done. Further more what i dislike about this game (just the one thing) is that a certain character is in nibleheim when sephiroth goes mad, this isnt shown on the origional game story and is rather confusing to get my head around. The game offered me alot of action and suspense with many surprises along the way, it was very fun but i would advise any experienced RPG player to start on hard mode if they want a challenge. The endin nearly had me in tears but i expected it to happen as i am not daft lol. (i wont spoil the ending for anyone). On a final note, this game cleared up alot of thing on past characters, past story line and now it all makes sense, i had fun playing this game eventhough it didnt make sense at one part.
Source: [amazon.co.uk]
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FANTASTIC!!!!, 26 Jun 2008
If youve played ff7 then this game is simply amazing, some might think its changed to much as i did for the first hour or so of game play but as with ff7, i got sucked into the story and it just made sense.
combat does get samey as some have said but frankly most ff games do and its after many hours of gameplay, its the story and other aspects of the game that grab most people and this has it all. it still has most of the depth youd find on a console version and the story line is (i think) the best out of all ff games (as an add on to the ff7 story line). its definately worth a play.
the things that might put people off are this game is more channeled than ff7. you cant explore the whole world as in ff7. you can explore alot of midgar etc and do the 300 side missions when you want but the side missions are from a static location(your instantly transported to the mission location, complete it then come back), the campaign is different you follow that around the world.
and for those ff7 fans who wont play it because they think the story line isnt full of suprises play it and like me youll definately be surprised.Source: [amazon.co.uk]
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Like Final Fantasy, Only Very Accessible, 24 Jun 2008
If you've every played a numbered Final Fantasy title then you'll know that it can take a good few hours before you settle into the game and you get to the stage where you're not fumbling around with weak characters. Crisis Core is a welcome change to this since you're right into the action very quickly and thanks to the new combat system, you really feel part of the action. It does this by being a great average of hack-n-slash gameplay and the kind of quick thinking strategy of FFXII. In fact alot of this game will remind you of FFXII, most noticably the way you move through level areas (the line of blue dots to show where the next screen is). Graphically its close to the early PS2 outtings for Square-Enix, games like Kingdom Hearts and FFX come to mind, but the quality is very high and extemely playable. Of note here is the sheer amount of FMV present. Not only is there a large amount of story played out this way (with some scenes lasting much longer than in any other FF game) its particularly exciting to see the summon monsters rendered fully every time they are called. Whilst the 'random' battles systems will no doubt infuriate many with its obviousness and repetitiveness, the overall mix of story vs action is very well balanced. But perhaps the best feature of the game as a whole is the multitude of side quests or 'missions'. Unlike in other FF games (notably FFXII) missions can be undertaken at anytime by simply standing at a save point and selecting Mission from the menu. No more spending hours trailing back-and-forth just to activate the next quest. This means also that charater leveling is much faster and more accessible to those who enjoy that aspect. From almost the start of the game there are enough side quests to give you the level increase to have a serious advantage over any opponent. Although the story can seem a little trite in places with somewhat desperate attempts to crowbar-in FFVII references and explanations, its a satisfying outting made all the sweeter by its superb playabilty. So it may not be as in-depth as a numbered title, but its fast accessibility will keep any Final Fantasy fan happy.
Source: [amazon.co.uk]
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Final Fantasy is in my blood....., 24 Jun 2008
First let me say I have enjoyed all the FF games, some more than others. This first decent version for the PSP is awesome. It's the first game I have really enjoyed on the handheld. At last something to show the graphic capabilities of the brilliant little device. The gameplay is exciting, feel the adrenaline when 'combat mode' engages...and if you get a little stuck you can go and try different Missions so it's never locked you into a corner. It's a bit of a nostalgia trip as you encounter the familiar world of SOLDIER, the TURKS and the legendary SEPHIROTH.
Great escapism, and easy to follow if your a first timer, and you won't be disappointed if you are a hardened RPG fan.Source: [amazon.co.uk]
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Great but not quite Final Fantasy..., 23 Jun 2008
Great game as a stand alone title, with an excellent combat system, fantastic music and really well developed characters.
The only problem with it is that it just didn't seem to fit into the final fantasy 7 brand - it was a bit too upbeat for most of it, almost like kingdom hearts rather than FF7.
I don't think it contributes to the story too, given that zack was just a single scene flashback.
But like i said, as a standalone game, it was great! Well worth a play.Source: [amazon.co.uk]
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It's good, but the hype is really getting the way, 7 Jun 2008
The original FF7 came out when I was 16. It was a fantastic gaming experience then, and still is now.
It is one of the best selling, most respected RPGs in the history of gaming.
The success is that great, that roughly 10 years later, Square Enix released the "Compilation of FF7" on the back of this. As many FF7 fans will know, the film Advent Children, the PS2 game Dirge of Cerberus, this PSP game Crisis Core, and lastly the mobile game Before Crisis (only released in Japan) are the parts of this Compilation.
Anyway, enough waffle. To cut it down, this game is not an RPG in the same style as the original FF7. It's more of an action/RPG cross over. Or more to the truth, it's an action game with some tiny elements of RPG to undertake.
The main story is very good. (Anyone who has played the original FF7 kind of knows what to expect from the ending.) It's great to see old faces given a makeover to fit with the technical capabilities of the PSP - it really brings the story to life. That said, the story isn't exactly complex, and I did actually find Genesis irritating after a while, simply because all he ever does is recite a poem called "Loveless"... which is the main theme/subplot to the entire story. You'll see what I mean when you play it.
I also have an issue with how long Zack's story progresses after he and Cloud escape from Shinra Mansion... I'll say no more to avoid spoiling teh fun, but I'm happy it didn't go down a predictable route.
Gameplay is rather simple. In relation to the buttons, you have Attack, Roll/Dodge and Guard. Nothing particularly daunting. (The L and R buttons help you select spells/items.)
I have to say, I know this isn't an RPG, but this is where the cross over doesn't fully work. While playing FF7, you get to use many Materia, and you have plenty of time for experimentation. Given that Crisis Core is only about a third of the length of the FF7, once you obtain certain Materia you might as well not bother using anything else... which then gets a little tiresome.
The main storyline plays fine, and can be challenging if you don't undertake any of the side missions. Doing these missions helps Zack level up and obtain rarer Materia and items. To be honest, you can increase your levels so much that the entire main story is utterly easy, leaving you to try and complete the incredibly difficult side missions later down the line, if you can be bothered. (There's 300 missions to undertake, ranging from Very Easy to Very Hard.) Doing so will not alter you games ending, although you will receive some items (no, I won't say what they are)... doesn't really seem worth putting the hours in. (If you ever defeated Yiamzat in FF12, you'll know what I mean.)
Graphics are fantastic. The FMV are superb... equally as good as Advent Children. The in game graphics as also rather good. In fact, this game probably has the best graphics on the PSP. (Without ruining the surprise, the ending to this game is great... it's makes you yearn for FF7 to be remastered for the PS3.)
The music is also great - using remixed versions of tunes from the original game, as well as many new tunes.
Anyway, I haven't really got anything else to say compared with every other review.
Should you buy this game? Yes - especially if you've played FF7 (or any other FF7 related release.) It's also one of the best game currently available for PSP.
The only thing I would say is don't believe the hype. It's got so much to beat when compared to the original FF7, and it simply can't do it. It's a different game with a linked story. It's not FF7. It hasn't got the depth or length of playtime compared to it's original sibling.
However, despite my grumbles, it really is a good game... and those 300 side missions will keep the true geek out there satisfied. And if you're really that bothered about making the task harder for yourself, play in Hard Mode... it's pretty pointless if you ask me, as it doesn't lengthen out the story or give you a special ending, it literally just makes things more difficult. (Yawn!)Source: [amazon.co.uk]
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my first final fintasy, 19 May 2008
this is the first one lm playing from the series and l absolutelly love it! amazing graphics and story,worth every penny and every minute spend:)
Source: [amazon.co.uk]
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It's good... but..., 13 May 2008
I'm going to be different from most of the other reviews here because I am the one person in the entire world who managed not to play Final Fantasy VII. I know, I know, I've missed out on the Best Game Ever TM. And I plan to rectify my omission at some point, I guess. However, I DID play FFX which I loved.
This game (which I was desperate for and imported) is clearly a very polished and complete package. Beautiful graphics. Long storyline, nice and varied, good characters, great voice acting. I like the idea of the arcadey combat, although it does get a bit samey even if I match around my materia. I like the side missions although they, again, are a bit samey, repeatedly running the same ten or so areas with different mobs.
However, for some reason this game just hasn't grabbed me. It's hard to put my finger on what the problem is - I think it's the lack of a party for the combat, so running poor old Zack around feels a bit lonely, as if there's no real interaction with anything. And the combat is neither a proper hack'n'slash game (a la God of War) nor a proper JRPG either - it's something of a hybrid. It reminded me a lot of Key of Heaven, although it didn't suffer from KOH's problem with overpowered magic attacks. On the other hand the move set is more limited than KOH's. I like the fruit machine thingy, that's clever (albeit a bit random as to when level ups occur) and I admired Square Enix trying something a bit different... but it's not quite scratching my RPG itch the way I had hoped.
I appreciate that for anyone who lost their heart to FFVII, you can add a star to the score above simply because of the satisfaction of tying up the loose ends, and it must be nice (if heartwrenching) to see Aeris/Aerith alive again... good scenes with her, BTW. Very well done.
Undoubtedly a good game, and a remarkably polished package (with tremendous FMV, for those who like FMVs) but a bit of an FF-lite. It feels extremely linear, almost claustrophic. It's a linear walk through a good storyline with ho-hum random combat scenes. Again and again and again.
So if what you're looking for as a good FF story to work your way through, that's definitely here is spades. You'll have a blast.
If on the other hand a strong story alone won't be enough for you, and you demand good action from your RPGs, then maybe this will leave you a tiny bit cold, like it did me. If action is your bag or if very linear things leave you unsatisfied, then invest in the Monster Hunter games which are IMO, in terms of the minute-to-minute quality of the RPG gameplay (which is what really counts, after all) dramatically better than the rather limited hacking that Zack puts in. I felt like I had my own adventures in Monster Hunter, rather than being guided through someone else's.
But it's a good game, no doubting that.Source: [amazon.co.uk]
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Almost fantastic, 12 May 2008
Initially thought to be vapourware, Square Enix's follow up to one of the all time most important pieces of gaming history finally graces the PSP. The big question is, does the game manage to deliver?
For those who do not know, the basis of the game is the story of Zack, an operative of military organisation SOLDIER, and deals with the events leading up to the beginning of Final Fantasy 7. Steering away from the turn based party combat of the classic game, you take the part of Zack only, the game controlling in a manner not to dissimilar from Final Fantasy XII without the gambit system.
More action based than your usual RPG, you'll soon become adept at dashing around heading into physical combat while using whatever materia (magical knowledge of the ancients) you have equipped in your limited materia slots. Its quite easy to get tempted into the rather effective physical attacks while battling, but thanks to the DMW system (basically a roulette wheel that constantly spins and occasionally triggers level ups and special attacks), you can find yourself taking advantage of No Magic Point or No Action Point cost situations.
However, after a while you will find yourself gravitating towards a set of tried and trusted materia and physical attacks, rather than the weath of the shiny coloured orbs that the game gives you. Even the presence of materia fusion, with the reward of creating materia with ever growing status buffs as a result, can't quite tempt you into grinding out stat boosting results. This is coming from someone who spent an eternity in FF7, running around in a figure of eight in a tiny room on the destroyed and underwater cargo plane, levelling up 4 X Cut.
This failing is greatly hampered by the arena in which you are presented with for doing this. From each save point in the game, you have the ability to take on side missions at will. There are masses to take on which open up as the game progresses, the sad thing about these missions is that they are mainly the same monotony over and over again. You are presented with one of many recycled locations around Midgar where you have to run about, encountering random monsters, before finding the visible "boss" and defeating it. The pre-amble of the mission changes, the content rarely does. Without any form of diversion from the limited locations, no plot or twists within the missions, they become a boring grind... something you attempt through gritted teeth, feeling like you should complete "because they are there". After a good long time of attempting these missions, rather than be a completist, I took the rather more sensible option of sticking to the main story, and this is where Crisis Core begins to shine.
There is not a free roaming world (which is a great shame) but Zack does get to explore a wonderfully rendered Midgar in his downtime, the interaction with locals, punctuated by constant text messages and the like on Zack's mobile, really do make you feel so glad to be back in this setting. Also getting to see an alternate side to eventual FF7 villain, SOLDIER elite Sephiroph, and a wonderful re-enactment of the Nibelheim incident, really sends shivers of pleasure up the spine. Even veterans of the previous game will find enough eyebrow raising moments to what they assumed was the passage of events in Nibelheim and the events afterwards.
With a lack of traditional jRPG games in the PSP market (with a glut of 'tactics' games), I really hope that this wonderful (and it is wonderful, the in game engine and the Advent Children-eqsue cutscenes are just glorious) is further used to actually pick up again from where this game leads off and re-tell the classic story from 10 years ago. So there it is, fantastic promise, gloriously presented, slightly hampered by eternally dull (but optional) side missions and a tendency to guide the player towards hack, slash, victory appoaches to battling.Source: [amazon.co.uk]
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Honestly reviewed, honestly brilliant., 6 May 2008
I have dedicated my time to the US version since it arrived a week ago. Let me be honest, this is brilliant. Let me explain why.
The story is set prior to the events of FF7 following the story of Zack who starts as Soldier 2nd Class under Angeal (first class and one of Sephiroths buddies.) Things start to go wrong when one nutty scientist starts meddling and basically, many of Soldier go rogue because of two guys, Genesis and Angeal. However, you'll meet Cloud in the game and will see Zacks links to him, you'll meet Aerith in the game (name changed as it is the US version)and you'll meet others such as Sephiroth, the turks and you'll see how they influence the story in the prelude to FF7.
The graphics are superb, the best is definately the FMV which is great throughout, particularly the training fight between Genesis, Angeal and Sephiroth about a quarter of the way in at Junon Harbour. The areas have been lovingly recreated from Junon Harbour, to Midgar, to the Shinra Building and the church in the slums, PLUS there are some new areas as well. Character design is beautiful, you'll want for nothing in the presentation.
The combat is probably the weakest point. Its sort of in real time, where you choose the command and then watch, but its a little unusual. It feels fine though. You can equip materia (there's a good selection from Fire, to Barrier and Death, all which can level up to Master) however, you won't have a choice over armour etc as I had expected. You can choose your accessories though. Then there is the DMV-like a slot machine. Get two equal numbers and a piece of materia will level up, plus you'll be treated to a limit break. Get 3 the same and Zack will level up. It's a little random and it seems to take away the control from the player, but the fights are impressive, especially when you do get the chance to summon!
There are lots of bonuses as well. There are LOADS and I mean LOADS of bonus missions. These are brief but allow you the chance to level up and earn new items. Then there is the mail system which will irritate most. You can join clubs such as the Sephiroth fan club or the Loveless fan club, but it doesn't seem to mean much, apart from the odd piece of Mail. Then there is the opportunity to merge materia. It is odd at best. I've tried lots of combinations but only managed to create any new, decent materia on the rare occassion. I guess walkthroughs will sort that problem out. The music is also great, a mixture of FF7 and new really enhance the overall experience.
I can't think of anything that I have missed. The game will be great, unless you hate Final Fantasy, although personally, I think this is the best game on PSP so far!Source: [amazon.co.uk]
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Nostalgic FF7, 23 Apr 2008
Played this games a month ago and finished it within a week, loved it soo much, besides the ability to summon monsters at will this games did not disapoint, eventhough i know how it was going to end i was just hoping that it would change, you cant help but fall in love with the characters, i didnt think i would like Zack because i felt like it would mean me rejecting Cloud, but Zack is great in his own respect, Love Final Fantasy, 7,8,10 are my favourite, was disapointed with 12 but stil good, realy love this game, abit short for Final fantasy standards, didnt want to finish it. Ending is such a wonderful Cinematic experience, makes you want to pull out your FFVII discs and play the game all over again, if i had the spare time i realy would, WOULD DEFINATLY RECCOMEND, A MUST HAVE FOR FINAL FANTASY FANS LIKE ME!!!
Source: [amazon.co.uk]
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so good, yet so dissapointing!, 19 Apr 2008
while being a major ff7 fan, and the only reason i imported my psp all those years ago was the rumor of this game, there's just a few things not quite right!
The previous reviews are all pretty much on the nose when it comes to gameplay, it fluid, looks great has some great reconstructions of locals from ff7, and puts other games to shame on the psp, it's lack of loaad times with such high end gameplay makes one ask why other games can't do this on the psp?
The biggest bug beaar of the whole thing isn't actually the game, but the package for it! in Japan the got specail slimline psp's with boxsets and keychains with the game (a friend has it and it's beautiful!), in the US apart from the ridiculous amont of time that square took to translate it, got special boxsets and mettalic cases and umd carriers. Here in the UK. we get an additional wait, why I don't know, it's the same as the US version! and the 'special edition' set is an artwork book! comeon! for a hardcore ff7 fan thats pathetic! I imported my copy of crisis core from the US when i found out what the deal was in the UK!
in conclusion, great game, poor deals on it! If you're a fan and want it, just import, you might get lucky like me and get the US mettalic version, but it;ll still be cheaper than the UK version, and if square bothers to release a decent package here I'll definately get it! Hell I bought advent children three times, one Japanese, one US and the UK editions lolSource: [amazon.co.uk]
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Must-have for a FF7 fan, 17 Apr 2008
Right I've probably played more hours of Final Fantasy VII than I have spent talking to people lol
First of all I should say I downloaded the US version of this game and this is what I'm basing my review on.
Crisis Core seems to have the emotional, story telling side that Advent Children seemed to completely lack.
It's a great game and there are a few epic moments where you think 'This is amazing'.
The ending is probably unmissable in terms of understanding more of the FF7 story and when you enter Nibelheim in Crisis Core you just get great memories.
I would say that the graphics for normal gameplay are better than FF9 but worse than FF10.
The CGI Movies though are on a par with the film in the sense that they are amazingly detailed.
The game also slightly feels like FF10 in some respects, but I cant quite put my finger on it.
The combat is alot faster paced than FF7 and involves controlling only 1 character.
It's more action orientated than FF7 in terms of being able to roll and block attacks etc.
But yeah there is the over the top sort of American cheese in some areas but for me this game is great even despite that.
Playing this inspires my obsession with FF7.
So after playing it through again on Hard mode I'm gonna crack out the PSP and start FF7 again...
I like this game so much I'm going to buy it when its out over here just so it's in my collection.
Graphics: 8
Graphics on CGI Movies: 10
Sound: 9
Controls: 8
Good Times: 10Source: [amazon.co.uk]
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I have played it!, 15 Apr 2008
...Unlike some reviewers here. My friend ordered 2 import copies by mistake and he sent me one!
First of all, you may have read the IGN review, which overall was positive but didn't give the gameplay a top score. Personally I love the battle system: it's a bit like a mixture of Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance, Final Fantasy VII and the good bits from FFXII (a battle system which generally I didn't think much of). It's real-time: you press x to attack, you can attack again pretty much straight away, you can scroll through your other materia-equipped commands using the L/R buttons letting you use magic and special moves. It's possible to roll and block or simply just position yourself well around enemies to avoid their attacks making fighting quite tactical.
I managed to beat the first boss by deliberately taking advantage of its huge size - I kept running around to its side meaning it had to keep turning to face me, and because it's naturally a slow and cumbersome creature this proved effective in defeating it. Some people have said 'Kingdom Hearts' to describe the battles; I don't know about that. I played the first KH game and I find Crisis Core's system to be far more intuitive, deep and fun.
There is a classy materia system which allows for customisation, and it manages to be both fresh and familiar. Limit breaks are there and more spectacular than ever, Sephiroth is there; it is without a doubt a nostalgic trip as you'll realize within the first ten minutes, but it holds up on its own as well. Zack is also very likeable. The game feels very well designed and implemented, there are neat features which give it its own unique feel (such as email), it's fun, the story looks promising and overall, I think we have the pick of the bunch of the much-heralded 'Compilation of Final Fantasy VII'. Ideally I would complete it before reviewing it but I know people want to hear about this game! In short, this game is the reason I've decided to keep my PSP. Highly recommended.Source: [amazon.co.uk]
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Overwhelming!, 9 Apr 2008
Cool, loveable characters, a fine gameplay, astonishing animations, a wonderful emotional story - I love Crisis Core.
Source: [amazon.co.uk]
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Not much of a JRPG, but a top notch action title, 9 Apr 2008
So here we are at the end of the so called 'compilation of Final Fantasy VII' experiment by Square-Enix that began with the shallow(But spectacular) film Advent Children, continued with the so-so Dirge of Cerberus and a couple of mobile phone games that those of us outside Japan will never play, and finishes here with a surprisingly excellent prequel centred on the most under developed and explored character in the original FFVII: Zack.
Firstly, if, like me, you're going into this expecting a JRPG, then forget that right away. Core Crisis is an action title through and through, having far more in common with games like Kingdom Hearts and Rogue Galaxy(Minus the jumping) than Final Fantasy games. The levelling up and stat building is mostly outside your control, being almost a case of luck, as they use the always in action during battle 'DMW' or 'Digital Mind Wave'(Glorified fruit machine reels basically) to determine when you get a level up or a bonus status boost or some such during fights. It's pretty random to be honest, and seems a touch unnecessary to me, but you'll spend all your time focusing on actual combat anyway, with the real time nature of battle requring some nifty thumbwork at times(This game is no pushover). Sadly, it does have random battles, but being on a handheld and looking as good as this does, I guess it was unavoidable, and the real time nature of the fights coupled with no 'in area' loading times does help a fair bit. The game is a lot of fun to play, but the battles lack variety unless you make the effort to experiment with materia use and fusions and such.
Of course, the story is the real reason we're all here for this one though, and far moreso than Advent Children or Dirge of Cerberus, the story in Core Crisis delivers AND manages to stay true to the spirit of the original game at the same time.
Taking place several years prior to FFVII, you assume the role of Zack Fair during his days as a 2nd class SOLDIER member desperate to reach 1st class status under the training of his mentor and friend Angeal in the middle of a crisis of SOLDIER members going missing on missions, most notably a friend of Angeal's called 'Genesis'(Remember the winged guy from the 'epilogue' ending to Dirge of Cerberus? That was Genesis, this is where you finally get the back story on what that was all about), who appears to have been cloned into an army that is intent on wiping out SOLDIER.
As the story unfolds, you're treated to all manner of wonderful tie ins with FFVII's story(The 'Nibelheim flashback' is gloriously recreated here perfectly) and tons of little easter eggs and bonuses you can discover if you look hard enough in addition to Core Crisis telling it's own separate story that gives a great amount of depth to Zack's back story to boot. The game explores the significance of Cloud's 'Buster Sword' and Aeris'(Or Aerith to give the new translation of her name) relationship with Zack which was barely touched upon in FFVII and even shows the early days of Turk leader Tseng's career, Sephiroth's days with SOLDIER when he was an actual 'good guy', and also provides some explanation as to what those 'Loveless' posters you saw all over Midgar in FFVII were all about. The game is just jam packed on the story front, and almost entirely manages to avoid the usual tiresome emo pifalls so many RPGs fall into through the simple act of the central character being a genuinely upbeat, optimistic, wise cracking hero type, something you don't see enough of these days. This game has the characterisation of familiar characters down pat, when Advent Children and Dirge of Cerberus seemed to just forget the events of FFVII entirely on that front.
The game is also a visual feast, with strikingly detailed character models that are animated really well, and look just stunning during the cutscenes(There are some of the usual lovely CGI cutscenes here too of course). The locations are nice too, but a lot of familiar FFVII locales have been changed around a lot to accomodate the new full 3D nature of the visuals, while some(eg. The Shinra building's lobby in particular) are perfect recreations. It looks excellent.
The soundtrack is of course fantastic, providing updated, sometimes amazing revamps of Nobuo Uematsu's most enduring game soundtrack of all time, with most of the old FFVII tunes covered(Tell me that Nibelheim theme doesn't send a shiver down your spine) and a really nice ending vocal song(In Japanese, with no translations though), this game is a major nostalgia trip.
Lengthwise, the main story alone is around 17 hours long, with an extensive array of side quests, missions and hidden stuff that will easily push the game over the 40 hour mark if you want it to. It'll certainly last you a while, and the multiple difficulties and new game+ mode offer some replay value.
Overall, this is a must buy. The sole complaint that I can think of is that the combat is too samey from a fairly early stage. Beyond that though, you get a great little adventure title and a glorious nostalgia trip to boot for your money.
Even if you didn't like other FFVII spin offs, you will like this one, it goes right where the others went wrong.Source: [amazon.co.uk]
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game, 8 Apr 2008
this is probably one of the best ff games i have eva played. anyone who gets it will love
Source: [amazon.co.uk]
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Fantastic. Now Bring on a remake of ff7 please., 7 Apr 2008
This game isn't as good as final fantasy 7, but there probably won't ever be a final fantasy as good as seven again.
However, this game is a must buy for any final fantasy 7 fan.
The story is fantastic and the gameplay is fun. After dirge of cerberus, this is a godsend.Source: [amazon.co.uk]
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Please..., 7 Apr 2008
Personally I cannot wait for this game. However, it's really distressing to see how people constantly flame SE for pushing out more games of the ff7 series.
They have such a fine line to walk between fan service and 'milking the franchise'.
SE is a massive company with many many highly popular games, im fairly sure they dont need to bring out games with the sole purpose of bringing in money.
they probably have quite enough.
It is just a damn shame all the narrow minded, so called 'true fans' are too up themselves to see these simple facts - new games do nothing detrimental to the original, does not change it any way, unless ofcourse you are such an easily influenced person that said games change your perception of the original...
My opinion to others would be, buy this game, get the shiny pre-order edition, if you love final fantasy 7, extra story/back story is nothing but a good thing!Source: [amazon.co.uk]
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(Review of USA version) One of PSP's finest games, but..., 7 Apr 2008
...it's not up to Final Fantasy VII's standard. Crisis Core is a great game - the combat, though simplistic, is certainly fun; the graphics really couldn't be better; and the longevity is impressive with a perfectly adequate lengthed main story and a plethora of side-missions. But where this game suffers is in its plot. Don't get me wrong - it's not bad, in fact if it weren't a Final Fantasy, you could even call it good; but relative to FF7 itself - it's nothing. The story is somewhat shallow, the characters aren't particularly developed, and the melodrama is heavy (and I mean HEAVY). I've enjoyed Crisis Core, but more than anything else it has served to demonstrate the genuine brilliance of FF7. It wasn't just a great video game, it was a genuine revolution of story telling.
The USA and EU versions of Crisis Core would have benefited hugely by including the original Japanese voiceover (with subtitles) - the American voices only serve to emphasise the melodrama in the story, and to be honest, they're neither well chosen nor well acted (think US voiceovers in martial arts films and you'll have some idea of the kind of impact they have on the game). This does not bode well for any UK gamers, who will now have to play all our games with US voice-acting: fine for Metal Gear where US voices are appropriate, not fine for Final Fantasy which, like any fantasy or historic based game, would benefit greatly from an all UK cast.
*SPOILER*
Additionally, there is one key part of the story that would have benefited hugely from a minor change in pacing. Beware, beyond here there be *spoilers*: after visiting Nibelheim, FF7 veterans will be aware that Sephiroth discovers his past is not what he thought and so spends days alone in the library researching into it. After weeks of reading, discovering that he is the result of a monstrous experiment, he loses his mind and burns down Nibelheim. Now the way this is treated in the game is as follows: Zack finds Sephiroth in the library but is told by him that he "would like to be alone". Then follows a montage of images showing Sephiroth researching before the screen changes to white writing on a black screen saying something like "Sephiroth researched for days. Until..." (ps. it's not that exactly, I'm getting this from memory). Then the screen changes again to show Nibelheim aflame, and Sephiroth standing in the middle of the fire before walking away (the famous scene). Now the problem with this is that it doesn't at all emphasise the length of time Sephiroth researched for. Although it states he researched for days, due to the pacing in the game it gives the impression that Sephiroth is a completely sane and honourable guy one second, and then overnight turns into a madman bent on world domination. If between being told to leave Sephiroth alone, and Sephiroth burning down the town; Zack had been called back to do some other assignment (before returning to check on Sephiroth), this really would have served to emphasise the slow but inevitable descent into madness that Sephiroth undergoes.
*SPOILER END*.
In conclusion, Crisis Core is certainly worth buying: overall it's a great game. Just don't expect it to come anywhere near the standards of the original FF7: standards so high that even a game which doesn't hold a candle to it can rightly be described as excellent.Source: [amazon.co.uk]
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Final Fantasy VII - Crisis Core (Special Pre-Order Edition)
Out of 28 Ratings
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