Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunionis technically part of the remake universe and it technically isn’t. The biggest change Square Enix did for this remaster was to improve the visuals. It’s the biggest difference fans of the 2008 PSP original will notice.
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The graphics inCrisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunionare pretty close toFinal Fantasy 7 Remakenow, which may have fans think a lot more has changed. It’s the same story and it ends the same which leads into the original premise ofFinal Fantasy 7and not the remake. Overall, this remaster lacks a lot of new content but it’s still a good spinofffor Zack Fair. For fans that never played it before, here are some hot tips.
6Understanding The Level-Up System
The gameplay inCrisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunionis action-based, similar to how things are handled in the main game’s remake. The biggest difference is the slot machine-like system called the DMW, or Digital Mind Wave. This slot machine will roll out independently from what players are doing. Aligned numbers can sometimes give Zack stat boosts or grant him a special attack sort of likea Limit Break.
The DMW also controls how Zack levels up. There is an experience system in the game but it is invisible to players. Once players reach a threshold, they will enter into a high chance of scoring a 777 which will level Zack up. This is all random though so there is no way to game the system like in other RPGs. Simply fight as much as possible in the hopes that it’s doing something as there are no other tricks to share.
5Before Joining Tseng…
After the first mission in Wutai which is fairly linear, players will unlock the ability to walk around a part of Midgar. Players could join Tseng, thehead of The Turks, right away to continue the story. Doing so would be a bad idea though as players would be severely under-leveled for the next chapter.
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There’s not much to see in Midgar yet, but there are three things players should do. One, try out the mission system to level up and gain some nice equipment. Two, be sure to at least fight Ifrit in the mission list so that he can become a summon in the DMW. Finally, at the entrance tothe Shinra Building, there is a sales representative who will give Zack an infinite taste test of their new product. This will give Zack auto-life, meaning he can revive after hitting 0 HP.
4Swap Through Materia
Materia will level up in the same randomized manner as trying to level Zack up via the DMW. Once a Materia is mastered, be sure to swap it out for something new. Constantly rotate Materia in Zack’s equipment because starting in Chapter 3, a new mechanic will unlock.
This is when Zack can learn Materia Fusion which allows players to create new Materia byfusing any two Materia. Fire plus Blizzard will create a Thunder Materia, for example. Mastered Materia will create better results, which is why it is important to constantly rotate these magical orbs besides not wasting leveling up potential inCrisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion.
3Play Side Missions, Get Rare Stuff
This game was originally designed as a portable RPG on the PSP which should be obvious due to the mission design. Side missions that can be tackled at save points should not take more than a few minutes, allowing players the opportunity to take bite-sized chunks out of the game if they wish. It would make the Switch edition the ideal version to get if it didn’t run as poorly next to the newer consoles like the PS5. What console players check the game out on is unimportant.
What should be emphasized is that side missions are how players are going to acquire the best stuff. Main missions do have some good rewards, but the side stuff is critical like gaining the aforementioned aid of Ifritand other Summons. Before tackling a main mission, go as far as possible with the side stuff until things become too hard. A three-star mission, for example, will probably be the breaking point for a good five-hour chunk of the game.
2Group Enemies Together
The easiest way to victory is through killing as many enemies at one time which should sound like an obvious tip for most RPGs. This is not hard as many enemies, especially soldiers, tend to start in groups or end up in groups. Even on the Hard difficulty setting, the AI is not too bright. Assault Twister is a good attack Materia that uses AP instead of MP.
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This cyclone-like attack will make short work of enemies in the early hours. Elemental versions of this, like Thunder Blade, are also good. If timed right, even spells like normal Thunder can hit multiple targets at once. It’s a bit trickier with spells like that though, but it is a good idea to emphasize the importance of elemental weaknesses. Try to keep a fire, ice, and electric-based attack in Zack’s loadout at all times.
1Take Advantage Of Freebies During Battle
It’s hard to pay attention to the DMW system since battles can get hectic. Bars and words will flash on the screen constantly and sometimes players can handle the chaos while other times they may be struggling to stay alive. The most important boost the DMW will grant infinite zones to AP and MPusage for Materia.
Whenever a freebie section is triggered, spam that associated gauge like there is no tomorrow until that overlapping bar is diminished. Also, don’t forget about Limit Breaks and Summons which should appear slightly below the action button commands if there is something available.Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunionis all about randomness and even veteran players of RPGs have to get used to it and adapt.
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunionwas released on July 02, 2025, and is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
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