CRISIS CORE –FINAL FANTASY VII– REUNION

TL;DR Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion still has the bones of a 2007 PSP game, and sometimes you can REALLY feel them. Repetitive side missions, small environments, and a bizarre slot-machine combat system are all still here. But Reunion does a great job modernizing it. The combat feels much better than I remember from the PSP version, Zack is still impossible not to like, and even though I already knew where his story was going, the ending still hit me. If you're invested in Final Fantasy VII, this is absolutely worth playing. Full Review Quick disclaimer because I'm consistent with my reviews: I only review games I've actually beaten. Story completed. Credits rolled. I should also mention that I played the original Crisis Core on PSP back when it released. So coming back to Zack's story all these years later was a weird mix of nostalgia and realizing how much of this game I had completely forgotten. And honestly, I think I appreciated it more this time. Zack Fair carries this game. He starts as an overly optimistic SOLDIER 2nd Class who just wants to become a hero, while almost everyone around him slowly starts falling apart. Angeal, Genesis, Sephiroth, Shinra... Zack somehow stays Zack through all of it. That's what makes him so likable. The story definitely shows its age in places. Some scenes move too quickly, some dialogue is awkward, and Genesis quotes LOVELESS enough that I'm pretty sure he legally isn't allowed to have a normal conversation. But the closer Crisis Core gets to the events of Final Fantasy VII, the stronger the story becomes. Seeing Cloud and other familiar characters from Zack's perspective adds a lot to moments I already knew, and Zack and Cloud's relationship ended up being one of my favorite parts of the game. Combat also feels significantly better than I remember from the PSP. It's fast, responsive, and materia fusion gives you plenty to mess around with if you want to build ridiculously powerful abilities. Then there's the DMW. At first, it basically feels like Zack has a slot machine running inside his head. Random buffs, limit breaks, summons, memories... Eventually you just accept it. What surprised me was how the game eventually turns that weird mechanic into part of the storytelling. Without spoiling anything, the final sequence uses the DMW in a way that genuinely works emotionally. And yeah... That ending still got me. I already knew what was coming. I played this game years ago. Didn't matter. My biggest complaint is the optional mission structure. There are a LOT of missions, and too many of them feel like: Run through small area. Fight enemies. Open chest. Fight stronger enemy. Mission complete. The environments repeat constantly too, so trying to complete everything can become exhausting pretty quickly. That's where you really feel that this was originally designed as a PSP game. Thankfully, the main story is much better paced, and Reunion's improved visuals, combat, voice acting, and quality-of-life changes make the overall experience feel much more modern. Steam Deck Performance I played Crisis Core Reunion on my Steam Deck with the display locked to 40 Hz, and it ran very well. Combat felt smooth, the game looked great on the Deck's screen, and I didn't run into any major performance problems. Other Steam Deck players have reported strong results as well, including people targeting higher frame rates depending on their settings. Personally, 40 Hz felt like a great sweet spot. And considering I originally played Crisis Core on PSP, playing Reunion on another handheld all these years later felt strangely appropriate. If a Steam Deck is your only gaming PC, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend playing it there. Pros Zack Fair is an incredibly likable protagonist Great addition to the Final Fantasy VII story Reunion greatly improves the original combat Materia fusion is fun to experiment with Fantastic soundtrack Strong emotional payoff Runs very well on Steam Deck Cons Optional missions become extremely repetitive Environments are reused constantly Some dialogue and pacing show their age DMW can be confusing at first You can still feel the PSP game underneath the modern presentation Verdict Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion isn't perfect. The repetitive missions, reused environments, and occasional PSP-era design choices are still here. But Reunion modernizes enough of the experience without losing what made Crisis Core memorable in the first place. As someone who played the original back when it released, it was great coming back to Zack's story after all these years. I already knew what happened. I already knew where this was going. And the ending still hit me. Crisis Core reminded me why Zack Fair matters so much to Final Fantasy VII. Embrace your dreams. And protect your SOLDIER honor.