E3 06: Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Preshow Report

LOS ANGELES--Square Enix showed off what it called a "Compilation of Final Fantasy VII," which is a collection of products set in the Final Fantasy VII universe. One of the titles shown was Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, a spin-off for the PlayStation Portable that focuses on the role Soldier and Sephiroth played in Project Genesis--specifically the character of Zack. Square Enix showed a lengthy trailer for the game, and we're bringing you the details.

Crisis Core is a prequel to Final Fantasy VII that tells the story of Zack, a young recruit working for Soldier, the elite private military of the Shinra Corporation. Zack is eager to prove himself and achieve first rank in the organization. However, an older character who seems to be somewhat of a mentor to Zack tries to temper the young fighter's eagerness.

The trailer showed lots of heated discussions between Zack and this other character, and eventually Sephiroth came into the picture. Sephiroth is a legendary soldier, and Zack vows to be even stronger. Eventually Zack and Sephiroth meet and Project Genesis is mentioned, and it seems to be a point of contention within the organization.

Very little actual gameplay was shown in the trailer, but from what we did see, it seems that the game is very action-oriented. The combat sequences are fast, and we saw several moments where Zack jumped from one enemy to another, slashing with his sword as well as using a gun.

There was no sign of Cloud in the game, but Sephiroth made several appearances. Most notable was the sequence that closed the trailer, which showed Zack and Sephiroth battling with swords. The two clashed blades and Zack vowed to defeat Sephiroth, but of course Sephiroth would have none of that, and he effortlessly flung the young soldier aside.

Crisis Core is still currently in development, but both the rendered cinematics and the in-game footage look sharp. The world is dark and sterile, much like the headquarters of the Shinra corporation in Midgar in the original Final Fantasy VII. We'll bring you more details as soon as they become available, but for now, be sure to take a look at our gamespace for some brand-new screenshots of the game.