Story: Crisis Core focuses on Zack Fair, who's part of a military organization called SOLDIER, trying to earn a First Class ranking. He's joined by the world famous Cloud Strife, the main character in the original Final Fantasy VII title, the blond character being an average Shinra Guard. The Shinra Electric Power Company rules all of the world's continents by force and with the aid of their technological superiority. Shinra uses Mako energy to fuel all of its gear, power plants and buildings and provides electricity for comercial usage. Like in the original title, the action takes place in Midgar, the capital of Shinra's growing empire, but you'll also travel to various other locations. In case you've watched the relatively short Last Order anime, consider that to be the short version of Crisis Core's stoyline.

Concept: Crisis Core is a PSP action game featuring tons of RPG elements and many familiar features of the original Final Fantasy VII title. The game includes a new battle system, the DMW (Digital Mind Wave), some sort of slot machine, with reels that are constantly spinning during the battle. Well, they'll spin as long as there's enough SP and when they manage to line up the same character plus the same value, you'll be able to perform a Power Surge, a combo that's similar to the classic Limit Break. In case you can't visualize that "slot machine", try to remember Tifa's Limit Break from FF VII and all will be clear.

Video: This is the best-looking PSP game I've ever played and this is not a speculation, as Square-Enix's masterpiece has no rival when it comes to quality graphics. There's that classic camera angle problem and the L and R buttons allow you to turn the camera around, but this feature has its unpleasant limitations. I've been surprised by the fact that the summonable beasts' attacks are FMVs, as good-looking as the Advent Children movie, if not better. Zack's attacks are explosive, filled with sparks and anime-style animations that generate the atmosphere we adore in Final Fantasy fights.

Sound: Piano, violin, orchestral scores and a feminine voice that made my day... This is Crisis Core's soundtrack and you'll surely recognize many tunes from the original game, especially in the battles that take place in Midgar. You'll see that Square-Enix was very keen on rock songs, using them as often as possible in the game's initial cutscenes and fights. The actors who were used to voice Crisis Core are doing a swell job and the dialog is not gibberish as many would think, playing its essential part in revealing the title's plot.

Conclusion: Play Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII if you're a fan of the series, if you're a hater of the series, if you're a PSP lover or hater, if you've never touched a console in your entire life. Play it for the moment when Bahamut splits the skies in two and descends upon the Earth with a fierce attack. Play this title.. You owe it to yourself and to the cult game that Final Fantasy VII is and will be forever. It's a masterpiece.
Story: 9 Gameplay: 9 Concept: 9 Video: 10 Sound: 10 Multiplayer: -