Crisis Core - Final Fantasy VII - Reunion" Play Report! The prequel to the main story of "FFVII" will be revived on the current consoles! Tokyo Game Show 2022 Special Edition

The Tokyo Game Show 2022 is being held at Makuhari Messe in Chiba Prefecture from September 15 to 18, 2022. This was the first time in three years that the show was held locally since the venue went online due to the spread of the new coronavirus infection. The show has been crowded from day one with game makers of all sizes exhibiting their products.

This report focuses on "Crisis Core - Final Fantasy VII Reunion," one of the titles available at the Square Enix booth. The PS5 version was the one we played this time.

The latest graphics of "FFVII Remake

The first part of the story was touched upon in this test play. The main character, Zacks Fair, who was sent as a member of the giant Shinra Company, battles various enemies at Fort Tamblyn in Wutai.

The original game is for the PlayStation Portable and was made 15 years ago, so it is no surprise that the graphics in this remastered version have evolved remarkably. The burning torches, the lights illuminating the fortress, and even the scratches and reflections on Zax's sword are all represented, as well as the facial expressions and hair of the characters, which change in detail according to the scenes and situations in the story. Incidentally, the character modeling and battle screen menus seem to have been done in the style of the "FFVII Remake".

Various other elements have also been reviewed, such as the reconstruction of the summoner models and the full voice of the characters. This title has been thoroughly brushed up for current consoles, and although it is a remaster, it is not only a remaster, but it may be positioned as a remake. As someone who played through the original game, I felt as if I was playing a new game rather than reminiscing about that time.

The introduction of new elements such as "Limit Moves," which can be activated at will, makes battles even more enjoyable!

In "Crisis Core - Final Fantasy VII," there was a unique element called "D.M.W." (Digital Mind Wave). This is similar to a slot, and when certain patterns are combined, special effects are triggered, and sometimes powerful attack techniques called "Limit Techniques" can be used.

In the original work, however, limit moves were triggered automatically, so there was a drawback in that the timing of their use could not be chosen. In the new version, when the D.M.W. picture is aligned, the name of the limit technique that can be activated appears at the bottom center of the screen. The new specifications have broadened the range of D.M.W. applications, such as using it to counter an enemy with low HP or to use it as a reversal move when cornered. Thanks to the new specifications, D.M.W. can be used more effectively.

Materia," which can use magic and special techniques, and items that restore HP and MP can be used in real time. Unlike the command battles of the original "FFVII," the emphasis on action is the same in both the original and remastered versions.

Another major addition is the "Skill Power Gauge. It appears when an enemy tries to use a powerful technique, and the remaining amount of the gauge directly indicates the power of the technique. If left unchecked, the target will take 100% of the damage, but if we attack the target, we can reduce the Skill Power Gauge. If the gauge is reduced before the chanting is complete, it is possible to prevent the enemy from launching the technique itself.

The "Hard Rush" is a type of limit technique. From the attack method to the camera angle, it is a perfect replica of the original work.

Although it is impossible to say for sure since we only had a chance to experience the game, the amount of the Skill Power Gauge's reduction is related not only to damage, but also to the compatibility of attributes. The last character we were able to fight in this trial version was the flame summoner Efreet, but while applying Fire to Efreet had little effect, using the magic sword Blizzard, which is a weak point, was able to reduce the gauge in one fell swoop. Switching equipment and materia according to the enemy's attributes will be an indispensable technique in this work.

In "Crisis Core - Final Fantasy VII," e-mail is essential to understanding the story. Various information, such as Zax's friendships and the state of the world, is gathered in these e-mails.

If the game is faithful to the original story, it is highly likely that "missions," which were also a challenging element, will be included in this title. In missions, players can fight a huge variety of enemies, from small fry that might appear early in the story to bosses that can only be defeated by mastering materia synthesis in addition to raising levels.

The ability to choose when to activate limit techniques at will, and the ability to prevent opponents from chanting by reducing the skill power gauge. We look forward to the release of the full version of the game to see how these features will affect battles, including missions.

Title Information
CRISIS CORE -FINAL FANTASY VII- REUNION
(Crisis Core -FINAL FANTASY VII- Reunion)
Compatibility: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X│S, Steam
Genre: Action RPG
Release date: December 13, 2022 (Tuesday)
Price: 6,820 yen (tax included)
CERO: C (ages 15 and up)