Even if the morrow is barren of promises. Nothing shall forestall my return.
Final Fantasy 7: Crisis Core is the prequel to Final Fantasy 7 and sheds some light onto the series backstory, and the mysterious character Zack. Crisis core takes place in several recognizable areas, such as Midgar and Junon and features familiar characters such as Sephiroth, Aerith and Tifa. The story of Crisis Core revolves around the advancement through the solider ranks by Zack Fair. His Goal is to follow his dreams, which is to be a 1st Class Soldier. To do so, you advance through the game following set missions set by Shinra. Following through these missions progresses the story and leads you through one of the more depressing stories in the Final Fantasy Franchise.
Spoilers - Final Fantasy Crisis Core is depressing. Being ordered to kill Genesis when he is fighting against his own mortality, killing your mentor Angeal, the desperate struggle against Horde of Shinra soldiers, and the 88 unopened letters from Aerith are all pretty heart wrenching stuff. It is all made worse when you have the prior knowledge of Zack from FF7, knowing the whole game that he is destined to die. Zack is far livelier protagonist than cloud, which is why it leaves a deeper wound following the final showdown with Shinra.
What makes Final Fantasy Crisis Core so memorable is a combination of three elements: Story, characters and soundtrack. The Story of crisis core is fantastic. As detailed above, it is super depressing. This is made even better by a very relatable cast. This adds to the disparity of Zack’s story.
The soundtrack for crisis core is superb. Remixes of old FF7 Songs such as "One Winged Angel" and "Those who Fight Further" adds that feel of familiarity to help link the two games together, all while adding an amazing metal feel to the battles.
All in all Final Fantasy Crisis Core is a superb addition to the Final Fantasy franchise. With great visuals, characters, story and music, it is the reason that I personally bought a PSP. And I am glad I did.