izigame.me

They say, it's very hard to write a review if the target is your favorite game. I didn't believe it's true until I tried to write a review for Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII Reunion. Where do I even start? I found it's even more difficult to write a preface for it. After thinking it for a while, here it is: the theme of sadness is what made this game a living legacy, the aura steeled it’s place that made sure no one else could threat its throne in the bottom of my heart. Many years has passed before this game got a remake, nothing really changed.
First note: This game is a prequel of Final Fantasy VII for both old and new. Rather than arguing the ‘right’ order to play the 3, I’d only like to suggest playing FF VII or FF VIIRI first before jumping into this game for a better storytelling experience, this is purely my advice though, I will leave the choice to you.
Second note: If you never played the original PSP version of Crisis Core(2007), for the record, this is a remake of that legendary title which had never went to any other platform besides PSP during the past 14 years. That’s why people are so hyped about this remake. And do prepare a washbasin, you gonna need it in the end. Why is that? I will leave the myth to you until you completed the game and found out by yourself.
Third note: Because the story is the diamond in the ring, obviously I can’t talk much here, so let’s talk about the ‘ring’ itself instead. What makes me recommend this game to you in the first place? I asked myself. The first thing came into my mind is: Despite this is a remake of the PSP version(2007), Square is knowing the Crisis Core community well enough, it treated us with respect by only upgrading the visuals and making as small changes as possible in order to keep the game as close as the one we’ve remembered in our memories. It made this remake a bit different than the other remake titles you might be familiar with in these years e.g RE franchise. In other word, it’s a version between remaster and remake, to serve the purpose of pleasing loyal fans for many years’ support and care about this particular piece. You will notice while you’re playing, the game does give you an old school RPG impression despite everything else were remade with the advanced modern graphics. Square did this intentionally. In addition, the goal is to keep the closest experience like the PSP version once impressed us all back to good old RPG glorious days.
Forth note: I’d like to especially mention this from the point of my view: Reunion is a better version in terms of Action RPG genre than FF VII RI does. Sound hard to believe? Let me explain why. In one hand, FF VII RI is a bit too complicated in some scenarios because of too many battle commands need to be executed in a few seconds in response to some certain bosses, that makes many of you, me included had to pause the game, went to the command menu, did them one by one with a correct order. However, it breaks the flow of an action game which you suppose to input your actions like none stop. In short, FFVII RI is forced to be a semi-arpg in many cases. Reunion in the other hand, handling it better by not requiring so many battle commands you need to memorize while focusing on limited numbers of actions you can perform, with the help of the unique D.M.W system. Now you do not pause the game to do input command, instead, you do everything an ARPG does, like observing bosses’ attack pattern, planing your move, using your skills in the right time, watching enemies’ positions, finding the openings, even using items are no longer pause the game. See? Nothing ‘semi’ any more. Well done, Tose, well done! Square can finally make a proper ARPG with confidence after this game, I'd say.
Fifth note: The most interesting system: D.M.W. which was a very original idea from the old Crisis Core game we all love so much. It basically works like a slot machine you see in a casino, the difference is: the patterns inside rolling are replaced by the major in-game characters, not some kinda of random symbol you see in a casino slot machine. When a battle starts, it rolls and stop randomly at some point, as long as you’re fighting, the process repeats and continues. Each time when it stops on some specific combinations you will earn bonus advantage in combat, e.g no MP cost for a short time; physical damage immune etc. which will have damage impact on your targets or boost Zack’s combat abilities by various ways. The outcomes could ultimately change the combat result in a positive way. What's more? Each main character has its unique effect from damage type to positive buffs, depending on whom it rolled onto, your character(Zack) receives them automatically. Also, Zack’s feeling towards a certain character during the story’s development will have impact on the system as well which may result a higher change to stop on them. All in all, it works perfectly with combat, and combined so well with the summon system which is demonstrated in a 'different way' this time, this is also one of the signature features in this game that quite cool to highlight here.
Six note: The down side...Though they're inevitable to discuss, nothing could be perfect without a flaw. Despite the game could be considering being a bit short in the view of an modern rpg standard for one play- through alone. Still, if you’re not considering 100% achievements means the game’s done only, then the game will take more than 50H to beat everything, I can guarantee you this, specially the hidden boss in Hard Mode. It will give you a pretty much dark-soul experience which takes quite some effort to conquer( you need to spend a long time in the game in exchange to be a match for her, no kidding). Another negative part worth saying is: don’t buy the Deluxe Edition, it’s just terribly, not worth the extra 20 USD at all. The mini-soundtrack contains only 6 tracks while the digital artbook isn’t maintaining the usual SE’s average quality of an artbook should be(e .g Diofield Chronicle for reference in comparison). It’s kinda difficult for me to understand why not giving us the original game’s soundtrack album instead, if the remake’s collection could only have a few tracks? The original digital album is quite good and I still listen to it now and then, and I don’t believe it would be more expensive than 20 USD if it sells right now. Why not giving people who doesn't own it or simply wanted to listen to it on Steam? Sorry to say, but the DE version of this game honestly looks like a crash grab to me. You know, this is my favorite game that’s why I got the DE version. Come on, Square...
Final note: This is a game tells you the origin of the Buster Sword along with the tale of a legendary Shinra soldier, the name’s Zack Fair.
The price of freedom is high, embrace your dream, protect your pride and honor like a soldier. May Zack's legacy carries on