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A heartfelt love letter to longtime fans of the original — but a reminder that not everything ages like a fine wine

Final Fantasy 7: Crisis Core Reunion… It’s about damn time Crisis Core got the glow-up it deserves. Having cleared the game back on the PSP, seeing it return with a fresh coat of modern polish was just too good to pass up. Zack’s story has always been memorable, and with the updated visuals and smoother combat, revisiting this classic felt like meeting an old friend.
🟢 Tidbits And Takeaways

Faster battle transition
Skippable digital mind wave (DMW) animation
Cleaner interface with modern FFVII aesthetic
Zack’s story, retold beautifully with a fresh coat of modern visuals
An additional combat mechanic that help keep the gameplay feels fresh

🔴 The Not So Good Part
While it stays true to the original, its RNG-heavy DMW, repetitive side missions, sudden difficulty spikes, and lack of new ties to FFVII Remake may leave some players wanting more.


💻 My Setup
⌛ Completion
🔗 More Reviews, More Picks


AMD Ryzen 7 5800H
32GB RAM DDR4
RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
SSD NVMe
2560x1440
Win11


Average: 47 hours

Mine: 66,9 hours

Consider following Jeev’s Selection for some other fine picks reviewed by yours truly.


Here's The Breakdown
A familiar tale, retold with modern visual
Crisis Core Reunion is the definition of staying true to its roots. The game retells everyone’s favorite hero story, Zack Fair, just as fans remember it. But of course, not everything is exactly the same. Square Enix gave this old classic a modern sheen, and honestly, it was the right call. It’s now much easier on the eyes and fits right in with the aesthetic of the newer Final Fantasy VII Remake.
A brief recap! The story kicks off with Zack Fair, a passionate and eager SOLDIER 2nd class with big dreams of becoming a hero. Under his mentor Angeal, Zack quickly finds himself caught in a web of missing operatives, rogue experiments, and growing tensions within Shinra. What starts as a routine mission soon unravels into something much bigger — one that slowly pulls him toward the fate that connects directly to the events of Final Fantasy VII.
For those who love a good story, Zack’s journey is definitely one to remember. His rise, struggles, and eventual fate remain the emotional core of this tale, and Square Enix truly pulled out all the stops — the result is nothing short of beautiful.
However, there are a few things to note about this remake. If you’re new to the game, you might struggle a bit with the pacing, as it still carries that handheld DNA. I’m talking quick mission-based storytelling with very (and I mean very) limited exploration. The post-game content leans heavily on side missions rather than offering extended story arcs. AND LASTLY! If you came from Final Fantasy VII Remake you’ll probably be low-key disappointed, as there are no added scenes or extra content linking Crisis Core Reunion into the Remake saga. It can be said that the story is a faithful one-to-one retelling of the original Crisis Core, without the kind of expanded lore treatment the remake series is known for. Not saying it’s bad; just a sad missed opportunity on Square Enix’s part.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3471675956
Smoother, faster, and better. The improvements Crisis Core Reunion truly deserves
Crisis Core Reunion puts real effort into modernizing the core gameplay. The combat feels snappier and more responsive, with improved animations, faster inputs, and smoother transitions between fights. Dodging and guarding work like they should (finally), and lock-on actually behaves — something the original PSP version struggled with. On top of that, the new ‘Buster Mode’ adds just enough depth to make fights feel more tactical without overcomplicating things.
The QoL upgrades that shine are:
Skippable DMW cut-ins keep the action moving.
Auto-save checkpoints reduce the pain of forgetting to manually save.
Full camera control lets you actually see what you’re doing.
A cleaner, modern UI makes managing materia and missions feel way less tedious.

Speaking of Materia Fusion system, it is definitely not something you want to sleep on. Compared to the original, it comes with major quality-of-life improvements. One of the best is the ‘stat preview’, which prevents materia waste and lets you see exactly what bonus you’re getting before you commit. If you enjoy min-maxing in your JRPGs, this is a system you’ll want to dive into. Plus, It becomes absolutely essential if you’re planning to take on the tougher side missions later on. So knock yourself out and start fusing!
That’s just one example of how Crisis Core Reunion doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel. But it damn sure gives Crisis Core the mechanical shine it always deserved.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3472910330
Not everything ages like a fine wine; RNG, grinding, and whole lot of déjà vu
As much as Crisis Core Reunion cleans up the presentation and combat flow, some of the original’s biggest flaws are still here.
First up: the Digital Mind Wave (DMW). It still leans heavily on RNG. Limit Breaks, summons, and stat boosts all rely on a spinning slot machine that can be as frustrating as it is flashy. One moment, you’re begging for a heal or a finishing move, and the reels just keep spinning in your face. Sure, the cut-ins are skippable now (thank god for that), but the core randomness baked into the system still interrupts what could be clean, tactical combat.
Then there’s the side mission structure, which has aged far less gracefully. Yes, there are hundreds of optional missions — but many of them reuse the same small maps, recycled enemy types, and bare-bones objectives. What could have been a treasure trove of meaningful content ends up feeling more like a padded checklist. If you’re aiming for 100% completion, prepare for a grind that leans more toward quantity than quality. It’s not hard — it’s just repetitive.
And finally, let’s talk difficulty. The main story is fairly breezy, even on Normal. But take a detour into the wrong late-game mission and suddenly you’re eating dirt in seconds. These sudden difficulty spikes feel less like a challenge curve and more like a brick wall, unless you’ve invested a significant amount of time into materia fusion and stat optimization. For players used to the pacing of FFVII Remake, this kind of design might come off more frustrating than rewarding.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3472962484
Overall
I feel like Crisis Core Reunion delivers exactly what it promises: a faithful and proper remaster of the ol’ and dear Zack’s story. But I’m gonna be real, there are some parts that could've been better, and the lack of content connecting it to the Remake saga might be a turn-off for some. Still, the smoother combat, modern visual, and quality-of-life improvements shows the amount of love and effort that the developer poured into this title, making sure both old and new fans can enjoy one of the crucial parts — if not one of the most important arcs — of the Final Fantasy 7 saga. This is hands down the best way to experience, or in my case, re-experience this classic. Flaws and all, I’d say this new and improved remake is worth a try!