Review: 'Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion' is magical

Where the original FF VII’s turn-based mechanics feel dated today, 'Crisis Core' always had a more modern approach to combat. It was essentially about hack-and-slash action in self-contained battles you’d expect from 'Final Fantasy'. — Square Enix/TNS

It’s been 16 years since Square Enix first released Final Fantasy: Crisis Core on the PlayStation Portable console, and in that time gaming has changed plenty. An era ago, portable games and major-console games could be different experiences. Not anymore.

That’s especially important to me because the game’s rerelease, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion, offers me a new chance to appreciate a title I didn’t properly love all those years ago. Square is in the midst of a Final Fantasy VII resurrection, headed by FF VII Remake in 2021, and another episode of that due out (hopefully) late this year. And Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion is the latest entry into the FF VII comeback.