Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion - What We Know So Far

2022 marks the 25th anniversary of "Final Fantasy 7," which is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most beloved entries in the long-running franchise. In order to celebrate this landmark year, Square Enix held a livestream event to announce the next few releases in the franchise. Though the broadcast was rather short, it was packed full of exciting announcements for fans of "Final Fantasy 7," including the reveals of brand new merch and the next chapter of the "Final Fantasy 7 Remake" saga, "Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth."

But there was one announcement that even the most hardcore "Final Fantasy 7" fans were surprised by: Square Enix is releasing a remake of "Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7." In this prequel to the main game's story, a SOLDIER agent named Zack Fair battles against genetically-engineered super soldiers and encounters a number of characters from the original "Final Fantasy 7." Things don't turn out perfectly for Zack in the original "Crisis Core," but the time-altering events of the ending to "Final Fantasy 7 Remake" seem to have set the stage perfectly for a return to his storyline.

The new remake is called "Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion," and it looks to be a faithful recreation mixed with all-new elements, much like "FF7 Remake." Here is what we know about it so far.

The trailer for "Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion" shows off a number of familiar moments for fans, starting with Zack facing down a seemingly impossible number of armed enemies. The trailer also repeatedly hammers home Zack's importance to the "FF7" canon, telling us right up top, "His legacy gave life to 'Final Fantasy 7.'" It then shifts into a high-octane mix of action and plot, reminding players of the story of the original and showing off the updated graphics and combat.

Players are also reacquainted with the cast of the classic spin-off title, as the trailer shows off interactions with fan favorite characters such as Aerith and Sephiroth. The trailer also showcases Zack's evolution throughout the story, going from a wide-eyed idealist to a hardened SOLDIER with a heart of gold, as well as his eventual turn against the corrupt Shinra corporation. If this trailer is anything to go by, the game did not toss out anything that worked from the original's engaging plot.

The "Final Fantasy 7 Remake" line has thus far been pretty infamous for its delays and gaps between entries. Not only did the first game in the series have a bit of a slow road getting to stores, but the second part of the trilogy won't be releasing until 2023, three years after the first "Remake" installment. Luckily for fans, it looks like "Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion" will be able to fill the remaining space between entries, because "Reunion" is launching much sooner than players might expect. Although Square Enix has not nailed down an exact release date, the new trailer and subsequent blog post from the company has confirmed that the game is aiming for a Winter 2022 release window. 

"Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion" is also poised to make "Final Fantasy" fans happy on all platforms, as it will be available on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC via Steam.

It seems from the trailer that "Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion" has retained the same gameplay that made the original release so addictive. Zack still fights in real-time battles, doing away with the turn-based combat of the original "Final Fantasy Remake" and engaging in more of the hacking and slashing seen in games like "Final Fantasy 15" and "FF7 Remake." The warrior can be seen executing a number of fancy combos throughout the trailer, working his way up from SOLDIER grunts to horrifying monsters as he grows in strength.

The game also clearly retains the Digital Mind Wave (DMW) mechanic from the original "Crisis Core." Operating similarly to a kind of magic slot machine, Digital Mind Wave was the game's version of the Limit Break mechanic first seen in the original "Final Fantasy 7." Spinning these reels in the corner of the screen could grant different buffs to Zack, or else allow him to perform a special attack. The DMW can be altered by Zack's emotional state, which made the mechanic feel like it was an integral part of the game's storytelling. It is likely that "Reunion" will incorporate this element as well.