Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII – Syndication Server

December 2022 game releases: Upcoming titles being released this month

Plenty of new games to be excited about despite the shorter release window.

The last month of 2022 is here and we’re getting a solid lineup of video games, even though the release window will close earlier – a few days before the holidays.

Survival horror fans are getting a long-awaited new game from one of the co-creators of the Dead Space series, and a long-running racing game franchise will see a new entry.

Also coming is a new tactical RPG set in the Marvel universe, while Square Enix will treat us to a remaster of a PSP Final Fantasy title on modern platforms, and a very different new entry in the Dragon Quest series.

Lots of games to be excited about, despite the short release period, so let’s have a look at the best games releasing in December 2022.

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Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion preview

The PSP prequel to Final Fantasy 7 gets a modern coat of paint, and it’s (mostly) good.

Crisis Core opens with trumpets blaring as Zack Fair swings his sword around atop a train as if this were an overly-choreographed dance routine, blitzing Shinra solder as he goes. It’s the sort of gleeful nostalgic hat-tip that Final Fantasy 7 fans go wild over, and one Crisis Core repeats pretty often.

After wallowing in obscurity for more than 15 years, Crisis Core Reunion updates Final Fantasy 7‘s PSP prequel for a new generation eager to learn more about Zack Fair, Sephiroth, Cloud Strife, and the evil Shinra corporation. Environments look better than ever, the voice acting is much more natural, and combat flows without a hitch — bringing the whole experience more in-line with modern games.

Unfortunately, there’s no denying that this still plays like a PSP game. Shockingly brief side missions might work in quick handheld bursts, but longer living room console experiences are different – particularly since maps can be so repetitive. Combat ranging from exciting to tedious doesn’t help things, either.

The Digital Mind Wave (DMW) system is an enormous factor during combat. Aspects like Zack’s demeanor and relationship with other characters influence a slot machine-like reel that can come together for beneficial buffs. These include free healing, briefly having no limits on MP or AP, summoning creatures like Ifrit, or nothing whatsoever! That random element brought about by the DMW system helps keep battles fresh and elevates otherwise simplistic combat into something more dynamic.

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Besides those annoying moments when the DMW system yields no benefits, there’s also a troublesome barrier to leveling. Zack can only get stronger if you land a triple seven, and the chances of that happening mid or post-battle (obviously) aren’t guaranteed. There’s this nagging feeling that some experience points never get used, particularly when level-ups come one after the other.

That doesn’t mean Crisis Core Reunion is any less enthralling than it once was. Between the much-improved graphics and camera angles, it almost comes across as a brand-new game — especially regarding cutscene presentation. Specific moments overflowing with melodrama are less corny, though there’s still plenty of cheese. Conversely, the villains come across as more severe threats even if the dialogue is still hammy. It’s refreshing that Reunion embraces those campy roots while not shying away from the mid-2000s nonsense that made Crisis Core a blast back in 2007.

Given how ridiculously popular Final Fantasy 7 is these days, it’s terrific that Crisis Core Reunion is making the fan-favorite spinoff more readily available. Zack’s journey is an integral chapter of Final Fantasy 7‘s overarching storyline, impacting both the Remake and its upcoming Rebirth follow-up. So if you’re not all that familiar with this story, then Crisis Core Reunion is probably worth checking out.

Written by GLHF.

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Crisis Core remaster trailer promises overhauled action in the RPG

The Crisis Core remaster is enhancing more than just graphics, with the promise of some welcome changes to the RPG’s combat

Crisis Core Final Fantasy Reunion, the upcoming Crisis Core remaster, is more than just a remaster, Square Enix said in the RPG game’s latest trailer. The Final Fantasy maker also published a new blog post outlining exactly what sets Crisis Core apart as halfway between a remaster and a full remake, including some welcome changes to its combat system.

For one thing, Square Enix promises smoother combat in the Crisis Core remaster, with fewer interruptions and greater responsiveness. One interruption you won’t have to deal with anymore is the DMW Wheel, a bonus system that, when certain conditions were met, triggered a helpful effect – but stopped the action to show you what that effect was. The DMW Wheel still exists, but it won’t get in the way of your fights anymore.

Square Enix also reworked Crisis Core’s summons and not just taking steps to make them look better, although they, too, benefit from Reunion’s enhanced graphics compared to the PSP original. The animations have been “completely reworked” and aside from seeming more powerful, they also fit better with the world of Crisis Core somehow.

You won’t run up against a brick wall with Crisis Core Reunion’s bosses as often either. While they still pack their original mega attacks, Reunion includes a feature that lets you augment how strong those attacks end up being. Attack at the right time, and you can weaken or completely cancel them, leaving your enemies open to powerful counterattacks.

Square Enix also reiterated that the game features a completely reworked score and is fully voiced, though both details were known already.

Crisis Core Final Fantasy Reunion launches Dec. 13, 2022, for console and PC, and Square Enix isn’t finished with the Final Fantasy 7 universe after that. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is expected to launch late in 2023 as well.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF

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Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion does exactly what it promises

Crisis Core is a remaster that does everything you’d expect it to, breathing new life into a classic title.

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion – a title I’m not typing out in full again – launches in between the main FFVII remakes, and while it can’t quite live up to them, it’s worthy of standing in the same crowd.

Rather than a full reimagining, this has been branded from day one as a straight remaster, and that’s a fair description of what you get. It does what any good remaster should do: make it look pretty, and touch up the gameplay with modern design.

On that first point, this is a very pretty game. That hardly makes it stand out in the current triple-A landscape, but if there’s one word I’d use to describe this game above any other, it’s flashy. If you want special attacks that make you feel like one of two gods locked in eternal conflict, this is the game for you. These over-the-top limit break moves put a Smash Bros final smash to shame, and you’ll be knocking them out regularly when things get going.

Looking at the wider combat system, the modern action RPG genre has clearly got its teeth in, which makes life a lot easier. Movement feels smooth, attacking feels satisfying, and using magic is effortless. It also encourages you to change tactics regularly, often creating clear openings for you to rest or use magic before charging in with your sword. The fact that you can weaken or cancel enemy special attacks by being aggressive is a particularly fun feature, as it turns a methodical battle into a desperate dash for damage.

Surprisingly, with so much going on, the Nintendo Switch version of the game holds up pretty well compared to the PS5 counterpart. It’s far from perfect, often dropping frames in battles but – on a Switch OLED, at least – the rest of the game runs very well. The PS5 is still definitely the best way to play the game, but if you want to retain the Crisis Core handheld experience then you’ll be satisfied with the Switch.

Whether or not you like this version of Crisis Core comes down to what your gripes were with the original. If your issues were with the story, characters, or overall direction of the game then that’s not changed. However, if it was the combat and gameplay that put you off, then it’s worth giving this remaster a go, as it might turn your opinion around.

Ultimately, this remaster will become the definitive way to play Crisis Core for new players and veterans alike. Everything it does is either better than or just as good as the original; and at the end of the day, what more could you want from a remaster?

Written by Ryan Woodrow on behalf of GLHF.

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