It was only this past June that Square Enix announced something that fans of all Final Fantasy content had been longing for, a re-release of Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII to get it off the PlayStation Portable (PSP) that it had long been stranded on. The game, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion, was a line-blurring remake or remastering of the original PSP game, with even Square Enix’s own language fluctuating as it attempts to define what they’re doing to the game. Now though, only a couple of weeks after little teases made it seem like a release date announcement was incoming, we’ve now learned that the game does in fact have a release date, with the previously outlined Winter release date, now narrowed to something specific–December 13, 2022, to be exact.
Square-Enix had a big presence during today’s recently held September Nintendo Direct showcase, with Crisis Core: Final Fantasy Reunion being just one of several other games they showed off including Octopath Traveler II, and Harvestella, the game coming to PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and, of course, the Nintendo Switch.
The Square-Enix website, dedicated to Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion provides a fantastic top-level primer for those new to the game or franchise,
His legacy, gave life to Final Fantasy VII. Since its original release in 2007, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII – has received wide acclaim for its deep and emotional story. This new version enhances the graphics to HD and updates all of the 3D models in the game. Full voiceovers and new music arrangements present this epic tale of strife and heroism, presenting Final Fantasy VII in a brand-new light. Enjoy a more beautiful and accessible Crisis Core, going way beyond just a simple HD remaster
They also released a deeper dive article into the Crisis Core experience for coming players, which explores the characters, from Cloud, and Sephiroth, to Crisis Core protagonist Zach Fair, how battles and materia work, as well as the Digital Mind Wave (DMW) system that enables you to unleash some of your most potent attacks. The site also features a tonne of screenshots highlighting all of these ideas, giving players a fantastic still-frame look at the visuals of the game, which look fantastic, in particular the images shown of iconic franchise summons, Ifrit and Bahamut.
Being a prequel to the original Final Fantasy VII, a game that itself has taken on a whole new meaning following on from the events of 2020’s Final Fantasy VII: Remake, there’s a lot of context for new players, but also a chance to jog the memory for long-standing fans as well, because it seems clear that the next part in the remake franchise, Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth, is planning to take what we already know, presumably including the Crisis Core plot, and intends to flip it all on its head.
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion is coming to PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch on December 13, 2022
