What is Crisis Core?

Crisis Core is an action RPG game developed by Square Enix and part of the popular Final Fantasy series. Players take on the role of Zack Fair, a member of the elite Shinra military organization, as he embarks on a quest to uncover the secrets of the mysterious Genesis project.

Throughout the game, Zack must battle powerful enemies using a range of weapons and magical spells. The game also features a unique materia system allowing players to customize their characters and equipment. With its thrilling story, intense battles and deep character customization, Crisis Core is an unforgettable RPG experience.

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Who developed Crisis Core?

When Hajime Tabata was selected to oversee an upcoming Final Fantasy game for the PlayStation Portable, Crisis Core was born. Following discussions with Tetsuya Nomura and Yoshinori Kitase, Tabata made the decision that the game should be a new chapter in the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII because he believed that the pressure of creating a game from a well-known series would inspire both the team and himself.

Because Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII had already been released for mobile phones and the team intended to expand it, the original plan was to convert it to the PlayStation Portable. The plan to adapt Before Crisis was abandoned, though, once it was decided that Zack would be the game’s main character.

The focus of Crisis Core

Instead of creating a “tribute” to Final Fantasy VII, Kitase made sure that the game shared significant connections with other games from Compilation of Final Fantasy VII in order to ensure that it met fans’ expectations. Similarly, Tabata said that he and the team were extremely careful not to change “fans’ perception of Final Fantasy VII’s iconic characters” during production.

For instance, the OVA Last Order: Final Fantasy VII slightly altered one of the key background events from Final Fantasy VII, the devastation of Nibelheim, while the game’s developers decided not to make any significant modifications in Crisis Core as a result of negative fan feedback. They also functioned under the premise that this game was set in those characters’ “younger days,” allowing for the addition of new aspects without drastically altering the personalities of the characters.

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The story of Crisis Core

The fact that Zack’s fate was decided was one of the main factors in the decision to make him the protagonist. Despite being a minor character in Final Fantasy VII, Nomura had previously created conceptual drawings, and Kazushige Nojima had already established a plot, according to Kitase, Zack’s story had “been boiling for 10 years.” In order to better explore Zack and Cloud’s friendship and unfulfilled plans, the game was originally intended to have more scenes showing their flight to Midgar. However, these scenes had to be cut due to UMD restrictions, so the team decided to concentrate more on Zack’s history as a fierce warrior.

After discussions between producer Hideki Imaizumi and the character’s Japanese voice actor, Gackt, it was decided to include Genesis in the plot. Imaizumi had been impressed by the character’s brief appearance in Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII’s secret ending and thought there was plenty of room to develop the character. The purpose of Sephiroth’s function was to give him a “far more human side.” The blue sky, white feather, and water in the game’s emblem represent Zack, Aerith, and Angeal, respectively, among the key characters.

Crisis Core Game System Development

Since almost all of the staff had more experience creating RPGs, they opted to change Crisis Core, making battles more like those in typical RPGs. Crisis Core was originally intended to be an action game. The game evolved into more of an action RPG than a typical RPG, though, as they also incorporated more action-oriented components to the combat.

The Materia system was created to improve with the game’s balance and give players the option between “RPG-oriented enhancements” and “action-oriented enhancements.” The Digital Mind Wave system (DMW) was additionally included to provide an element of luck to the gameplay and minimise repetitive fights. This was something that Nomura and Kitase wanted to put in the game because they love pachinko machines.

Revealing Crisis Core to the public 

Prior to the launch of the PlayStation Portable, the game was initially unveiled during the 2004 E3. Last Order video snippets were used in the first teaser. Nomura predicted that a playable demo of the game would be available by the end of 2006 in an interview with Famitsu. No information was provided regarding whether PSP owners will have free access to the demo.

Nomura declared in May 2005 that he had created the game’s concept art, promising “interesting” and “before unseen” gameplay. It was revealed by Nomura and Tabata in May 2007 that the game was 90% finished and that it would take roughly 100 hours to complete the main quest line and all of the side quests. At Jump Festa ’06, a playable demo was made available.

How long is Crisis Core?

According to the website How Long to Beat, Crisis Core has an estimated playtime of around 18-77 hours, depending on the player’s playstyle and how much time they spend on side quests and optional content. For Crisis Core Reunion it ranges between 12 and 43 hours thanks to the various quality-of-life upgrades. 

How many chapters in Crisis Core?

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII is divided into a total of 15 chapters, plus an epilogue chapter. Each chapter represents a different stage in the game’s story, and progresses the narrative as the player progresses through the game. The chapters are generally structured around a series of main missions and side quests, and also include various cutscenes and events that advance the story.

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Are mission important in Crisis Core?

Mission are an important part of the gameplay in Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII. The game has a main storyline that follows the character Zack Fair as he investigates the events leading up to the events of the main game, Final Fantasy VII.

In addition to the main story, the game also has a number of side quests and optional content that players can choose to participate in. These side quests, known as “Missions,” are automatically unlocked at various point in the game or given to the player by various NPC characters throughout Midgar. They usually involve completing tasks such as defeating a certain number of enemies.

While the Missions are completely optional and not required to finish the game, they can provide players with additional rewards, such as rare items, materia, and equipment, as well as experience points and other bonuses.

In addition, some of the Missions may provide players with additional context or background information on the characters and events of the game. As such, players who are interested in exploring all the content the game has to offer may find it worthwhile to complete as many of the Missions as possible. They will unlock achievements and trophies and get the possibility to fight a special boss.

Is Crisis Core a prequel?

Yes, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII is a prequel to the 1997 role-playing game Final Fantasy VII. The game is set several years before the events of Final Fantasy VII and follows the story of Zack Fair, a member of the SOLDIER organization, as he investigates the events leading up to the events of the main game. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII provides additional context and background information on the characters and events of Final Fantasy VII, and is considered a key entry in the overall Final Fantasy VII narrative.

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When does crisis core take place?

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion is a remaster of the original Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII game. The remaster was released in 2022 and includes improved visuals, additional content, and other tweaks and improvements. You can play the remaster Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC via Steam or Nintendo Switch (physical or digital).

Can I play Crisis Core before FF7?

As a prequel, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII can be played before or after playing Final Fantasy VII. Some players may choose to play Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII first in order to gain additional context and background information on the characters and events of the main game.

Other players may prefer to play Final Fantasy VII first and then play Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII to see how the events of the prequel tie into the main game. Ultimately, the order in which you choose to play these games is up to you and your personal preferences.

What order should I play FF7 games in?

The order in which you choose to play the games in the Final Fantasy VII series is up to you and your personal preferences. Here is a list of the games in the series, in chronological order:

  1. Final Fantasy VII: Before Crisis
  2. Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core
  3. Final Fantasy VII
  4. Final Fantasy VII Remake
  5. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

Final Fantasy VII: Before Crisis is a mobile game set several years before the events of the main game, Final Fantasy VII. It follows the story of the Turk characters, who are members of an elite group of operatives working for the Shinra Electric Power Company.

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII is a prequel to the main game, and is set several years before the events of Final Fantasy VII. It follows the story of Zack Fair, a member of the SOLDIER organization, as he investigates the events leading up to the events of Final Fantasy VII.

Final Fantasy VII is the original beloved classic Japanese role-playing (JRPG) game, released in 1997 for the PlayStation console. It follows the story of Cloud Strife, a mercenary who joins an eco-terrorist group called AVALANCHE in their fight against the corrupt Shinra Electric Power Company.

Final Fantasy VII Remake is a reimagining of the original game, and is set in the same universe as the original game. It follows the same general narrative as the original game, but with significant changes and expansions to the plot, characters, and gameplay.

Again, the order in which you choose to play these games is up to you and your personal preferences. Some players may prefer to play the games in chronological order, while others may choose to play the games in the order in which they were released.

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Is Crisis Core Reunion connected to FF7 Remake?

Not really! Square Enix actually did not change anything about the scenario of Crisis Core for the Reunion remaster. All the story events are identical as the ones in the original release on the Sony PSP from 2007. This means they connect directly into the events of the original Final Fantasy VII on PlayStation.

As a matter of fact most of the FMV sequences, including the death sequence for the fiery Zack Fair at the end, are directly imported from the PSP game for the remaster and upscaled. Actually, the only change that would remotely make Crisis Core reunion connected to FF7 Remake is the look of the Buster Sword. It was slightly updated to reflect the style of FF7 Remake, but this is a strictly cosmetic change.

Developers at Square Enix decided not to change the story in order to preserve the original experience. That was the right call for many as it would have wasted the beautiful ending of Crisis Core. After all, the ending of FF7 Remake reveals (or strongly implies) that Zack is still alive, among potentially other significant changes to the original canon. 

Of course, one could try to argue that Crisis Core Reunion and FF7 Remake kind of connect anyway, since it appears that the Remake saga might be using some kind of time travel, alternate dimensions, or even a multiverse to “rewrite” the story of the original FF7 and Crisis Core, and Crisis Core Reunion would technically be part of that newly updated story.

Is Zack Fair still alive?

That’s the big question, isn’t it? According to the canon of the original Final Fantasy VII as well as Crisis Core, Zack Fair dies after fleeing the Nibelheim manor where he was kept with Cloud by Hojo. Just before reaching Midgar, on the outskirts of the city, the duo is caught by Shinra soldiers. Despite his best effort, Zack is killed but Cloud is spared because he’s not deemed a threat as he is, at the time, completely useless and still affected by Mako poisoning.

BUT Final Fantasy VII Remake and the sequels are apparently changing that. The final cutscene of the 2020 game actually shows Zack carrying Cloud through Midgar’s doorway implying that he survived the Shinra’s attack or that it didn’t happen at all! We’ll to wait for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and its sequel to know more.

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Is Crisis Core reunion a remake or remaster?

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion is a remaster of the original Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII game. The remaster was released in 2020 and includes improved visuals, additional content, and other tweaks and improvements. It is currently available on the PlayStation Store, Steam, Nintendo Switch and Xbox One / Xbox Series X|S.

A remaster (or HD Remaster version) is an enhanced version of a game that has already been released, rather than a remake of the game which would be a completely new version. A remaster typically includes improvements such as higher resolution and frame rate, additional content, and minor changes such as improved controls and bug fixes.

The remaster of Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII features improved visuals, including improved textures, higher resolution, and higher frame rates. It also includes additional content such as a new episode, new enemies, and new costumes. Other enhancements include improved controls and bug fixes.

The remaster of Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII is an excellent way for fans of the original game to revisit the classic title with improved visuals and additional content. It is a great way for new players to experience the classic JRPG with enhanced visuals and additional features. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion is a great remaster that brings the classic JRPG to modern hardware.

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Is Zack Fair from Crisis Core available in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate?

Zack Fair, the main character of Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, is not a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a fighting game developed and published by Nintendo that features a roster of characters from various video game franchises. The game includes a wide variety of characters from the Mario, Pokémon, The Legend of Zelda, and other series, but does not include any characters from Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII.

If you are interested in playing as characters from the Final Fantasy series in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the game does include a number of characters from the series, such as Cloud Strife from Final Fantasy VII, Sephiroth from Final Fantasy VII, and Terra Branford from Final Fantasy VI. However, Zack Fair is not one of the characters available in the game.

Where can I play Crisis Core?

You have several possibilities to play Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII:

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