Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII

Zack and the spinning reels

Zack’s direct attacks and equipped materia make battles more immediate than the party commands of Final Fantasy VII. The Digital Mind Wave adds bonuses and special attacks through its spinning reels, tying familiar faces to moments of chance. That interruption can make a fight feel less controllable, but it also gives the relationships an unusual place in the battle interface. The optional assignments are best taken selectively; repeating similar rooms can overwhelm the story they are meant to accompany.

Before Final Fantasy VII

The 2007 PSP game follows Zack before the events of Final Fantasy VII. Its action combat and mission structure give the prequel its own form. Square Enix’s later Reunion substantially changes the models, controls, camera, music arrangements and voice coverage; those improvements belong to that release, not to the original UMD.

Treat optional missions as ways to try a materia setup or obtain a useful reward. Return to the main story when the repeated layouts begin to dull it. Playing Final Fantasy VII first gives the familiar people and places more context.