Zapix

So today was the day I've been waiting for since I read on here that CRISIS CORE was slated for the US, and it was that very moment I decided I wanted a PSP. Never even considered one.

Load it up, be blown away by the intro, and select NORMAL or HARD. . . Um... That's new... Yet soon to find out the meaning of it!


First impressions...

The game opens up in a very familiar way, it reminds you of the original FINAL FANTASY VII so much, you even for a second question if you're playing a remake. Then Zack (our main character of the game) takes over the show, and you're forced into reality. The reality that you're living in the past... Literally! The game if you don't know takes place before Final Fantasy VII. If you've never seen Final Fantasy: Advent Children and the short movie, LAST ORDER. Both will explain alot about the events before Final Fantasy VII, and after Crisis Core. The story seems yet to really take form, but we already know what it leads to, right?

The game comes with no audio options, you are bound to the ENGLISH version. SquareEnix has never been very good about their English voice actors, and they maintain that reputation in Crisis Core. Oh what I wouldn't do for a Japanese audio option! The game is not completely audio like Mass Effect, but it's got a good share of audio!

The music is decent, some of it edited and tweaked versions of original Final Fantasy VII music. Mind you, the music in this is NOT done by Uematsu though. So any reworked versions of music from Final Fantasy VII is if you ask me, stolen work. The music does tend to get repetitive though, I'm hoping this changes as the game goes on.

The gameplay somewhat familiar. You can move around using the D-Pad or analog hockey puck. Like in FFXII, when you're in an area, you see the borders into another area, it displays the name of the area you're about to enter. There's very little loading time between these, which is good. The rest at this point is different. How can I explain it... You're at Shinra HQ and have been given an assignment. Once you're ready to accept it, you're moved to that area. If there's a world map at some point, I don't know.

The battle system is unique. For one, it's a real time battle system, although the battles are sort of random. You simply get a message letting you know you're entering battle mode, and your enemies appear. Now it makes sense why I had to select NORMAL or HARD mode. You run around as your enemies attack you. You select your action type (ATTACK, MAGIC, ITEM) by using the L and R buttons, then press X to use it. You can press ▲ to BLOCK, and ■ to DODGE. By this standard, aside from no jumping, the best way I can describe this is... Devil May Cry and Final Fantasy had a love child. It's difficult for me to get used to as I definately prefer turn based RPGs. Granted, I play Final Fantasy XI all the time which is real time based, but actions like BLOCK and DODGE are just automatically done. Now it's something you actually have to do.

Like before, there are limit breaks, but these seems to happen automatically on their own. There is a whole new system with the battle system called DMW, which to this point I still have no real understanding of. I feel like the game is playing SLOTS all the time! Some of this translates of some good things! For example, if you get 7-7-7, you become invincible for a short time. How these numbers get picked, or whatnot, I have no clue. I'm just king of button mashing at this point! The materia also fits into this somehow, as well as leveling up.

The graphics are pretty good! To be expected, SquareEnix likes to do a good job, and they do. There's a little bit of blur in the movement, slightly jagged edges here and there, but this is only the PSP! Infact, I'm very pleased with the graphics. Could they have done better? I don't know, but I'm not going to complain! The environments are also very well done for what this is. The limit breaks and summons special moves are loaded with visual eye candy that'll be sure to please you with lots of color!

The cinematics are... Well, if you've seen Advent Children, expect the same quality! I'm amazed SquareEnix is making this kind of effort for even their PSP games now. Obviously they're trying to prove a point in their animation abilities.

Overall, while I can slap SquareEnix for making a game that doesn't feel very much like an RPG, I have to hold back because historically, each game is always fairly unique. I suppose people are more interested in real time button mashers, and SE might just gain a whole new crowd with CRISIS CORE. Fortunately, I beat the life out of Devil May Cry 4 shortly after it was released, and took some of the rust of my button mashing skills, and got a little current experience with action games. I don't feel overwhelmed, but it's a big change in the way Final Fantasy feels. I'm now starting to question the battle system of Final Fantasy XIII.

OPENING RATING...


Gameplay: 7
Graphics: 9
Music: 7
Acting: 6
Story: 7

OVERALL: 7.2


Closing comments

I'm being harsh on Crisis Core, and with good reason. For one, SquareEnix has always been the premier name for RPG games, but this game feels more like an Action-Adventure game than an RPG. It's more of a button masher now. The ingame music is repetitive, and by the time it changes or stops, you're happy about it. It almost appears to me that SquareEnix is feeding off the name now and their strong animation talents. However, since Final Fantasy VII and Tactics, honestly, I've yet to finish any of their games. It almost seems like they're getting sloppy now.

On the positive side, despite all of my criticism, I am actually enjoying the game. The fact it's Final Fantasy VII related is holding my interest for the time being, but it could quickly come to a halt once the magical moment ends. We'll see. The voice acting for Zack is amusing. The game is tossing the history of the FFVII world at me and the younger Yuffie and Tseng so far.

Let's remember that Final Fantasy VII redefined the way we looked at RPGs 10 years ago. A decade later, we have Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core, which in it's own way, redefines Final Fantasy. If this however is the game style SquareEnix is to follow in XIII and future games, my 20 years of following the company will likely come to an end.

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'Maybe I could use my PSP to control his PS3!' - cAtDaFeLiX (regarding Dillon's PS3)

cAtDaFeLiX

I'm at 9hrs now into the game with Zack at Lev16 with 7% of the game complete. This game rocks! It's been awhile since I've played another FF game other than FFXI. Without me having the PS3 or even a slim PS2 I never played FFX-2, FFXII. It's strange hearing and seeing chocobos in another game rather than FFXI lol.

The game is great and with it being a real time RPG you need to think fast. The use of the should buttons to switch to diff attacks and magic is crazy while trying to fight. The CS and CG rendered scenes are top notch. Seeing Balmut going up into the sky the first time and after is a wicked thrill. I just wish the PSP had a rumble feature in it lol.

Button mashing is not really there, unless you just do attack. It's thought out and if you follow most of the timing aspects of it with diff attacks, spells and curing yourself it's more strat than action. The DMW is cool also and the cut scenes in it are cool when you hit the right mark.

The only thing I'm confused about is the materia snything thing lol. I got no clue what I'm doing with it.

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psplayer

Soo yaaaaa I agree this game is friggin' amazing. The DMW is neat, confusing, I guess we have no control over it? It's still cool, I like the whole random luck thing.

I recommend this game to any FF fan, RPG fan, or someone looking for an awesome PSP game

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farfus

No doubt it will be a system seller for Sony, glad to see the system getting support, lets see more from our friends at Square Enix!!!

Mr. SunburnMan

My first impressions aren't good.
Combat is boring, the slot makes no sense whatsoever. I bought it because it alledgedly improves, and it better.

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cAtDaFeLiX

You will get into it sun, trust me. Once you start getting more DMW and the story continues it's a sweet game. 12hrs in! :x 9% done lol

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Zapix

Laid in bed last night playing till I got tired. Just running around Section 8, talking to everyone, and doing some of the missions. Now like Lv.10, 4% into the missions. So far I've yet to find a cheap poisona item or get my hands on the materia.

Still not thrilled with the combat system, but I'll survive for the time being.

Also, it should be noted, that this is THE FIRST FINAL FANTASY to be a solo character game. No party, nothing. It really kind of robs it of the FF element.

Like I said, I'll tolerate it for the time being, I might get tired of it. If Square intends to use this in future games such as XIII, I will be done with SE. I've always enjoyed the turn-based system that all FF games have had, this new button masher (if you're not mashing ATTACK, you're mashing the L R buttons to select other stuff within a split second before you get creamed.) is just not that fun. It's more work than fun. Don't even attempt to select items, but the time you do, you're dead. Heck, I think Oblivion is a better RPG than this... Wait, I don't even consider CC an RPG as it stands. If this is an RPG, than so is Devil May Cry, Ninja Gaiden Sigma, and Resident Evil.

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'Maybe I could use my PSP to control his PS3!' - cAtDaFeLiX (regarding Dillon's PS3)

Ben D.

You can expect our review very soon, but Zapix, just a little hint when it comes to reviewing-

You can't assign scores and provide an analysis on the way you THOUGHT a game should be. It's not a traditional RPG, so it shouldn't be viewed as one. It's an action/RPG, which is very different, and should be compared to other games of similar style, not previous FF titles that are completely different in structure. I'm not saying your impressions are bad or your opinions aren't valid, mind you, I'm just pointing this out from a critic standpoint.

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Zapix

Notes appreciated, and in counter to it, the numbers I tossed were based on overall opinion of the game for what it is, not in comparison to say... Final Fantasy VII or XII. Alot of my actual feelings on the game do reflect previous Final Fantasy games from SquareEnix, that has been traditional with FF fans. The old debate about the best FF game wouldn't exist otherwise. Comparing the battle system of VII to Tactics is the same as comparing VII to Crisis Core. It's not the same, but both VII and Tactics are in my top 4 FF games.


My biggest issue does remain the battle system. The targeting is somewhat random, and doesn't always stay in place. I more or less find the battle system like a sloppy action game, that had good intent, but has bugs that need to be worked out. Still, I'm playing it, and enjoying it for what it is. My future opinion of RPGs from SE could quite easily change in the future if this is any hint to it.


Gameplay, 7, why? Well, it's good, but it's not great. It's perhaps slightly above the average button masher action game in respects that it has multiple elements to it. Getting around is really no change from VII, other than the world system with slightly reflects XII more than VII, but it's easily to use. However, the targeting is bad, and the system of switching through actions can be troublesome, ESPECIALLY when selecting items in a battle. pausing the battle to allow selecting an item, would have definately allowed it an 8. The materia system remains very familiar, almost unchanged. You can call it lack of innovation, or sticking to the roots. The DMW can get a little bothersome too as it constantly comes up giving you these action scenes which you can't skip. Watching them time and time again is kind of dull.

Graphics I need not explain, they're great, SquareEnix is general is good about that, and I am indeed impressed with what they've done.

The music a 7, why? Remember how the music of Devil May Cry 4 was repetitive? Well, this is the same, but it's much more bland imo. Not comparing it to DMC4 really, but my point is that the music grows old quickly. There's very little change, and the battle music makes me want to turn the sound off after a while! Still some of it is good, even if it is reworked versions of what Uematsu did.

Acting, a 6. Deserved it. Most characters sound like a telemarketer reading a script. It's emotionless other than Zack at times, and there's just no feeling between the voice acting and the characters. Still... I've seen worse... Much worse.

Story a 7. It's good, entertaining, but it's not classic. Above average, but not something to give an award to.


Now if I was comparing this to say... Final Fantasy VII.
Gameplay: 3 (omg, real time! Where's my party?)
Graphics: 10 (crushed VII with an iron fist)
Music: 6 (continued music, FF battle music missing)
Acting: N/A (no acting in FF VII)
Story: 2 (what, I'm the bad guy now?!?)


Lastly, in my defense, my comments before I tossed any numbers...



Regardless, from somebody who does this 100x more than I do, feedback is appreciated in all respects. Without feedback of any kind, there would be little opening for progression.

If it will sway my wording in the future, I cannot say, but I do understand what you meant. Undeniable though, many FFVII fans would have thought this to follow in the footsteps of VII, but it doesn't. It is as agreed, a completely different kind of game.

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'Maybe I could use my PSP to control his PS3!' - cAtDaFeLiX (regarding Dillon's PS3)

psplayer

I like it a lot. Yes, it tends to lean a little more to the action side of its action/rpg style, but that's something I personally like. Once you get used to the action, and become familiar with the controls and set up your attacks, skills, equip, magic, etc, to your liking, that's when this game really starts to shine. The story is awesome, and so are the FMVs (just wait until you see...)

The game gives you a lot to do, you can constantly level up with the missions (I think there are 300 missions..), in addition to materia fushion. As you progress, more characters/attacks are added to the DMW, including Summons. You level up and become stronger, and you need to, as the story throws some difficult stuff at you. The story just sucks you in. It really keeps you going, I haven't even really put my PSP down since I got it Wednesday night haha

It really does a good job of showing what the PSP is capable of, when devs step it up.

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When I was your age, Pluto was a planet.