This outstanding prequel to the FF7 saga stands alone in its own right.
The gripping story of Crisis Core gives players a new perspective on a character that played a rather small role in Final Fantasy 7. Zack's story is poignant and draws players close to his troubles as his comrades begin to lose their human nature to the horrible realities of being a genetically-modified SOLDIER. Through Zack's eyes, players see through his maturation as the familiarity of his world begins to fall apart. This ultimately sets up for one of the best endings in video game history – a touching and tear-jerking climax that paves the way for the next chapter in the story. The supporting characters – whether they be familiar faces like Sephiroth and Cloud or new faces like Genesis and Angeal – all add significant depth to the story as Zack journeys to find his own place in a world without humanity.
The game's mechanics coincide directly with the storyline. Players are led from one story point to another in a chapter-like fashion. Within each chapter, players lead Zack through certain areas while fighting enemies in random encounters. This flow works by keeping the plot central to the gameplay, which is an essential mechanic when the story is the most important aspect of the game. After each chapter, players are able to partake in mission-based sidequests tied to the areas that have just been cleared. These missions involve fighting enemies in one area before facing a "boss".
During random encounters, Zack fights alone with groups of up to ten enemies at once. The battle system takes aspects of Final Fantasy 7's battle system and applies them to an action-based, turn-based combat system. The battles are fast-paced, with players able to select commands using the shoulder buttons and choosing them with the X button. Zack can attack with his sword as well as use items or Materia. Materia are special pieces of equipment that enable magic, special attacks, or enhanced abilities. Zack is able to equip four Materia at first, then six later in the game. This gives players the notion that planning ahead is a major strategy when it comes to fighting bosses. Zack is also able to dodge or block attacks by holding the square or triangle button, respectively. All actions, except for normal attacks, require magic points or action points, which increase as Zack levels up.
The most interesting aspect of Crisis Core's battle system is the Digital Mind Wave, or DMW. This mechanic is central to several aspects of battle, from random status effects to leveling up. It consists of three spinning reels with pictures of story-related characters as well as the numbers one through seven. During battle, if a certain combination of numbers comes up on the DMW, a beneficial status effect is bestowed on Zack, from temporary blockage of physical attacks to invincibility to free spell casting and so on. When two pictures match on the reels, a "limit verge" is activated. This causes the DMW to take control of the screen until the center reel comes up. If all the pictures match, a special attack is activated. If the numbers come up to "777", Zack levels up. This process is all randomly controlled, which leaves many aspects of battle out of the player's hands. However, players will get used to this mechanic rather fast, and it lets them take advantage of a beneficial situation during battle rather quickly.
In terms of technology, Crisis Core squeezes every last drop out of the PSP's limited hardware capabilities. Play sequences, story events, and spectacular full-motion video clips intersperse with each other almost flawlessly. The game looks and sounds excellent. Terrific voice-acting and a great musical score filled with a combination of remixed FF7 music and original tracks add the icing to the cake when it comes to presentation. The art style is also excellent, giving the game a taste of realism while staying true to its roots.
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII is a touching and entertaining game that will stand out for years to come. While fans of the original FF7 will find tidbits of special enjoyment in this game, any RPG fan who likes a great story will fall in love with Crisis Core's grand story of humanity and maturity. This game has something for everyone, and no one with a PSP should overlook it.