4.5/5 ★ – TylerTurner7's review of Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion.

Crisis Core is the reason I still own a PSP. Before Crisis Core Reunion was announced, I picked up the ole PSP to try to revisit a game so fondly enshrined in my memory. Unfortunately, the game's controls made the game feel almost unplayable and I quickly gave up after the first major boss fights. To my great surprise, Square Enix blessed us with a remake, FFVII: Crisis Core Reunion, complete with brand new controls, stunning new visuals, and even some new voice acting making Zack’s adventure feel so familiar yet so much more than just a remaster. The game's narrative is one-to-one with the original title with no new additions. The legend of Zack Fair and his impact on the story of the Final Fantasy VII franchise has always resonated with me. Zack, a Goku-Naruto-like foil to Cloud Strife’s somber, brooding protagonist made him a more compelling character overall. Zack is a genuinely happy-go-lucky character from a small town looking to make a name for himself as a hero for the Shinra Electric Company’s private military. He idealizes a trinity of SOLDIER First Class members in the emo-like Genesis, his mentor and original Buster Sword owner Angeal, and the legendary Sephiroth. In his pursuit of honor and heroism, Zack has to wrestle with the imperialistic and conspiratorial ethics of his organization and whether or not he is on the side of good. Crisis Core sticks with the significant theme of other parts of the franchise that deal with characters struggling with identity and coming to terms with who they are and who they are becoming. Zack and the SOLDIER First Class members each struggle with their origin and direction compellingly. These members struggle with whether or not evil is innate and seek salvation in their own mythos or means. Zack’s destiny, of course, was written in stone in the original FFVII, and even though I knew it was coming, I cannot express how emotional my teenage self was upon completing the game for the first time. In Reunion, those emotions certainly welled up all over again. I know that this game is probably not a masterpiece but it is near perfect to me. One of my favorite additions to the remake was the inclusion of trophy support, which helped me get the most out of this game. While completing 300 side missions certainly made the game drag in the post-game, the final secret boss was exhilarating and challenging, making it feel like I earned the plat for a game I adored. I enjoyed developing new materia and using different equipment combinations to make Zack go from hero to deity. The game can feel like you break until you square up on the secret boss, and then it feels like a clash of the titans! Platinumed 3/4/23