As a vital work of the Final Fantasy 7 universe, it always seemed inevitable that Square Enix would somehow re-release Crisis Core, the FF7 prequel that was first released for PSP in 2007. Right before its release on December 14, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion is offering a playable demo at Tokyo Game Show 2022. Though the demo lasts around 15 minutes, it is more than enough to showcase how meticulous Square Enix is to recreate this masterpiece in the next-generation consoles.
▍And that’s How a Masterpiece Looks Like
In the shoes of protagonist Zack Fair, the demo provides a tutorial for players to get acquainted with the battle systems. This should not be new for players for FF7 Remake, which is known to have a real-time action and command system with familiar magic, moves, and abilities features.
You will also be able to witness the signature scene of PSP games, all toned up with high-quality graphics and character models. The encounter scene of Zack and childhood Yuffie would definitely make you smile.
The demo also showcases the Crisis Core’s signature ‘Digital Mind Wave’ Limit Break system (abbreviated to DMW on-screen), which is showcased by a slot machine-style reeling indicator at the top left-hand side of the screen.
At first, it’s not immediately clear just what these are doing, with character portraits and numbers showing up at random. But when you progress through the battle, the different combinations shown in the indicator will land on different things, such as allowing you to perform a special move or activating a special buff. It works a bit like a lottery, and it definitely gives the combat a touch of something a bit different from the previous FF7 Remake.
▍Get Ready for the Hard-Core Challenge of Ifrit
After the initial fight, this Crisis Core demo comes to a close with a boss battle against the summon Ifrit. This is the time when you have the chance to customize Zack’s skillset. And if you don’t consider it well with its combination, the powerful hits of Ifrit will smash you half in seconds. This is probably one of the best moments when you play a FF game – think of your actions, mind your health, and challenge a fierce boss!
The boss battle is where the combat system of Crisis Core introduces some more complexity as you would have to pay notice on the enemy’s weakness and phrase changes when its HP goes down. The game is gentle enough to alert you when the enemy is charging up a powerful attack. And If you deal enough damage during this phase, you’ll actually weaken the attack. It’s a neat little feature that keeps you on your toes, allowing you to lessen the amount of HP you’re about to lose.
▍Can’t Wait to See What Crisis Core has in its Packet!
The demo nearly comes to an end following the appearance of Sephiroth, who connects all the dots from this prequel to the original FF7 game. Though I only get to play a small chunk of Chapter One in this demo, the intense battles and graphics are so amazing that I can’t wait to play it when it drops this December!
