Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII achieves a striking balance of old and new, and juggles fan service with pure role-playing satisfaction. It's striking how these elements have been shaped into such an appealing and emotionally affecting prequel. There are some new characters and plenty of fan favorites too, such as Cloud, Tifa, and Aerith. However, the characters your most likely to empathize with are unlikely ones, including main protagonist Zack, as well as Sephiroth, who is complex, troubled, and even sometimes likable. The way their personal stories weave in and out of each other -- and set the stage for the events in Final Fantasy VII -- makes Crisis Core not just the finest role-playing experience available on the PSP, but also one of the best Japanese RPGs in years.
The Good
* Incredible and poignant story, starring a likable and complex hero
* Every aspect of the production design, from cutscenes to voice acting, is utterly amazing
* The DMW is a weird but fun way of leveling up
* Enjoyable and addictive combat .
The Bad
* Combat is on the easy side
* Player has no control over limit breaks and leveling.
