Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII

Every fan of Final Fantasy VII knows that name, even if they never played the seventh entry itself: Zack Fair. And it is he whom Crisis Core finally gives his own story — and his own, heartbreaking ending.

Crisis Core is a prequel to the legendary Final Fantasy VII, set several years before the events of the original game. You play as Zack, a young and promising member of the elite SOLDIER unit under the aegis of the Shinra corporation, and move through a story that fills in the key gaps of the famous legend — you meet Sephiroth in the days when he was still a hero, the mentor Angeal and the tragic background of what happened to the whole world.

The combat system abandoned the classic turns and bet on real-time action. Zack attacks, dodges and casts spells on the move, with the whole affair complemented by the original DMW mechanic — a kind of continuously spinning roulette at the edge of the screen that randomly triggers limit attacks, upgrades and memory sequences. Materia, iconic to the entire series, is tracked and combined here to build up Zack's arsenal.

Where Crisis Core truly excels, though, is its emotional impact. The game skillfully builds a bond with its hero, so that its conclusion — which fans of the seventh entry somewhat foresee — strikes with unexpected force. Few finales in the history of handheld gaming can leave the player sitting in silence with a lump in their throat.

The title was highly acclaimed and became one of the most important reasons to get a PSP. Its standing was confirmed by the fact that it received a modern remake under the name Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion, which brought the story to a new generation of players.

Why play it: An indispensable part of the Final Fantasy VII mythology with action combat and an ending that will etch itself into the memory of every fan of the seventh entry.