This was a gift for my grandson for Christmas. He is enjoying it and as usual I am anticipating ordering gifts in the future from Amazon.

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finally, I finished this game with over 50% of missions

I beaten orignal FFVII about 9-10 years ago (Windows version)

no doubt the characters graphic on this CC has no comparision

this game makes original FFVII more complete (about Zack, Aerith, Seprioth, Tseng, Tifa, Yuffie, and Cloud)

the storyline is pretty good, and no conflict with original (I play FFVII again, and play it in parallel), say if you played FFVII before, this one is MUST HAVE

the gripe of this game is the gameplay is too short, but the side missions can play up to 300, after you finished up to 50% or more, and the level is up to 50+ with 9999HP, the final bosses are no sweat at all

if you beaten the game, you may get a hint, is there original FFVII PSP port will be available in the future?

pro:

more realistic graphics, very good music, good storyline with perfect connection with original FFVII, very simple control (most of the control can be done with pressing of x button)

con:

voice cannot be disabled, 100% random DMW, cannot power up materias in normal way like original, kinda short game without missions (but these missions can help you to beat the final boss)

conclusion: if you played FFVII, this is a must have; even if you have the original FFVII, try to play in parallel, you'll have alot of discovery you never had

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This is actually the first Final Fantasy game that I have ever played. I've never been much into RPGs, so I wasn't sure how I would like this one. but all I heard about it was how great it was, so I went for it. and boy am I glad I did! I absolutely love this game. and oh my gawd do I LOVE Zack!! it's amazing how into the game you can get and not realize how long you have been playing for. sure there are some parts that annoyed me a bit (like chasing around some stupid kid for so long when he stole my wallet) but it kind of makes me like the rest more. and the movie scenes are great! this game has definitely become one of my all time favorites. I'll definitely get it if another Final Fantasy comes out for the psp.

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Unfortunately the gameplay is very repetitive and bland. The bummer is, it does have a decent story, and it's really neat to play in the FF7 era again. The graphics are beautiful. It's very bittersweet. The feel is great, it's so nice to see Aeris alive again and such.

The problem is, the gameplay is just button mashing, the "missions" are bland and boring. There's no gameplay. It would have been better to just release the material as some sort of movie, or better yet, just re-release FF7 for PSP like they've been doing with so many other titles.

Really, you can skip this one, unless you're really such an FF addict that suffering through boring gameplay is worth it just to get some final fantasy 7 into your veins.

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Final Fantasy VII is the most recognized and popular game in the series of Final Fantasy's so this actually takes you to the past before the original Final Fantasy. The graphics are one of the top 3 that i've seen on a PSP including both the cutscenes and gameplay, the CGI cutscenes may be kinda choppy maybe the resolution got turned down to maybe not take that much space on the UMD, don't worry the are very good and entertaining. You'll see some surprinsing cutscenes using the gameplay engine that are just as good, now the battle system can get a little sistematic and might end up doing the same thing over and over buttim smashing but that can get overpassed if you just mix it up. A new implementation is DMW that is kind of like a slot machine that enables you to make some special moves depending on the combination althought it is sort of a new addition it can sometimes ruin your rhythm within the game as when there's a combination in the DMW it appears on the screen and pauses the fight then continuing to the ingame cutscene performing the move if it actually made the combination, dealing damage and continuing the fight. The story is not the best but I think its decent it has another vibe to it, than the original Final Fantasy VII but then again you were facing a Meteor falling to your planet and a demented momma's boy. Some familiar characters appear in the game which is always good. If you've played the original and you want to dwelve more into the story then it's a good buy to have especially on the go and even if you've never played the original then it's still a great game that even if you didn't know a lot of the event from the original story it's still an interesting game to a newcomer to the series.

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The release of this game was highly anticipated. FF7 changed my nintendo-only honor. i still own the original 97 copy(not greatest hits) today. Few games since have come close to an `as gripping of story. SNES' Crono Trigger and VII owned the 1990s. This prequel is exciting, great battle system, indepth story gives an euphoria of playing ff7 for the first time.

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if you are a fan of FFVII from Play Station - this game is great! it explains a lot of the story from ff7 and from the movie advent children. the game play is really fun and it is not too short which was a concern when i first got this game - plus the graphics for the PSP is awesome. looks as good as advent children. once again, great buy for ff7 lovers

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I enjoyed the game. The one flaw I could find in the game itself is that cut scenes cannot be skipped over.

For me, the important part of these sequel/prequels to Final Fantasy VII is the history of them, not the fact that they are continuing the franchise. I fell in love with the story of FFVII, not the style of gameplay.

So, for those who like the story line, do not mind long, excessive numbers of cut scenes, and like a bit of humor in the storyline... Well, you might've found a great game.

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I can't believe I am the first after weeks of this game being released to make a review!

Nonetheless, here we go.

This game is amazing for a portable game. The graphics and sound are just far above what you expect when you think portable gaming and they actually tied the story to the original well too.

Gameplay: The Gameplay is top notch. Not only do you explore towns, talk to NPCs and have the Final Fantasy experience you would expect, but there are also side missions that act as a quick fix incase you don't have enough time to actually focus on the story. You can play these whenever you find a save point and they serve as a nice way to get you some extra potions and experience. Interactivity is similar to what you would find in the classic game as far as finding items by exploring the environment and seeing unique sights because you were curious enough to explore every nook and cranny. There are even side missions like having professor hogo making you face huge monsters in an attempt to kill you because you disturbed him. The Story is what shines the most in this game, and it is by far one of the most engrossing stories of the series.

Graphics: This game seriously looks like the first Kingdom hearts on the PS2. Their facial expressions and animations are the best you can find on a portable system to date. This game could be ported to the PS2 and considered to have gorgeous graphics. The CG scenes are on par with Advent Children.

Sound: The Voice acting is actually pretty good, and the music from Final Fantasy VII that was redone for the game isn't bad either, but the new music to the game is pretty forgettable. I honestly can't stand the shinra building's theme, which feels like it is 10 seconds long and just set to loop. This is one of the game's biggest strengths and downfalls at the same time.

Replay Value: You could speed through the story and still expect hours upon hours to be spent doing side missions. The story itself takes a good amount of time to beat. Expect to invest maybe 30 hours into this game.

This game is a fantastic deal. Expect to have a blast with it and you wont be disappointed.

SPECIAL NOTE: There are some things to this game that you might want to take into consideration. I started playing this game on my old PSP then early into it bought the new model. The difference is HUGE. The load times on the new PSP are cut not only in half, but takes the load time from up to 18 seconds at some points to maybe 3-4 tops. There is also a very low amount of blur when Zack is running around on the screen on the new one compared to the old one. The new screen is brighter, higher refresh rate and the load time on the new one is way shorter. The new PSP is almost a must for this game otherwise load times will destroy the experience.

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This game really changed my opinion of Zack. In the original FF7, he didnt seem to do much. In fact, his classification as "SOLDIER 1st Class" seemed exaggerated.

Not anymore! His character really shines in this game. Plus, we really get to understand his relationship with Aeris (I spell her name this way coz thats the way it was spelled in the original FF7. I dont care how many times they try to correct me - this is the name I'll remember forever) and Cloud.

The battle system will seem awkward at first. It is kinda like a cross between old-school RPG action-selection and real-time-action where you control the characters movements and dodging. It time however, the system becomes really natural.

Another awkward thing that I found is the limit break system. Gone are the days where you charge up and select what limit break skill you wanna use. Now it occurs randomly. Even which limit break you use is random. However, limit breaks occur ALOT.

Overall, the game is an instant classic. The storyline is stellar. When I finished the game, I had to recuperate the emotional heartache for a few hours at work. Thats how a good game is supposed to be.

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If you're looking for a great RPG for the PSP, this is the one.

The gameplay is fun and inuitive. The combat system is seamless with normal gameplay.

The cutscenes are gorgeous, and the storyline is interesting.

For fans of Final Fantasy VII, this game will bring back fond memories... It elucidates some mysteries while creating other interesting ones.

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This is a awesome game that features great promise in new age RPGs. The style is a mixture of action and role playing with a little spice of luck with the chance of either hitting multiple, critical, or just getting lucky from the slots that is always rolling in the action. Controls are smoothly done and the detailed art of the games portray the Final Fantasy 7's setting pretty accurately. Overall, the game play magnificent and the story has promising upbringing toward the future Final Fantasies.

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You want to know how I got a hold of this game? I found it new at Game Stop and bought it. Now, want to know the real kicker? I didn't even own a PSP at the time.

I saw the game and already knew I would like it. It's Square Enix, my favorite video game company, and Tetsuya Nomura, my favorite video game designer. So, yeah, I knew it would be worth it. However, I really did not expect the beauty that this gem is worth!

When you first play this game (after fully charging the PSP system, of course), you get a dose of beautiful graphics as the game proceeds through its intro. You watch a scene that pops out at you as if it was a scene created for Advent Children. I watched it; dazed, mesmerized. I had to have it! So, when the screen settled into the load screen, I hit enter and started my journey.

The wonders of Midgar is made with delicate attention to details. You play as Zack Fair, perhaps one of the best and happiest characters in the Final Fantasy series. As a story of monsters unfolds around you, you play hero as you struggle to realize Zack's dreams in the unfolding chaos of Shinra's fall from grace. The story line can be relatively short-lived; there being only a few chapters. Yet, you can easily apply hours in this game as you complete side missions the company issues and gain treasures. And levels. The levelling up in this game is amazing. The DMW, a slot-like mechanism, runs almost constantly and if you match 777 you level up. Sometimes, though, the DMW interrupts the battle and runs in a special screen. The best thing about this screen is the occasional memories that break up the spin of the wheel. These memories are either pieces from game play that you may recognize or scenes that are not presented in the game play. In the end, there is a lot of fun to be had with the DMW.

The CG cut screens are stunning and the game is practically a dream come true. I'm on my second go with playing this game and I'm still madly in love with it. There's always something to do and, if you decide to play hard mode the second time around, you can keep your current level and materia to start with, then move up from there. The game is wonderful and reaches into all sorts of human emotions from love to betrayal/ loss to happiness and sadness. The end is perhaps one of the most spectacular I've seen in games. You work towards the whole game and the whole time you remain as Zack and never once know more than he does.

It's a wonderful game and a must buy for every sort of game player. There's a reason it's considered Greatest Hits, folks.

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This game rocks on every level, from depth of story to the vast amount of unlockable secrets and side missions - be prepared to take a few hundred hours to squeeze all the goodness from this one.

Some of the most noteworthy points are the yummy new music, fantastic (as always from square) CG scenes, well developed plotline (especially when you consider how most sequels and prequels turn out - LOOKING at YOU, GEORGE LUCAS!), the new materia fusion system, and real time battle system - YES, I said BATTLE SYSTEM. Don't worry folks, this is still VERY much an RPG, and if you TRY to play it like a button masher, you will not only wear out your psp for no reason, you'll also fail the game miserably once it gets into the more difficult stuff.

Bottom line is, true fans of the original FFVII will LOVE this game and gleefully gobble every bit of it like I have. It's a can't-miss.

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There are plenty of reviews about the latest Square-Enix Final Fantasy game: "FFVII: Crisis Core," so this reviewer will focus more on explaining why the game is so popular, and why you don't need a PhD in Final Fantasy lore to enjoy it.

Final Fantasy VII was a block-buster hit when it came out, and it comes as no surprise that a game which has sold more than 10 million copies as of this review has many, many devoted followers. The franchise as a whole may be the best-selling Role-playing Game (RPG) franchise ever. When Squaresoft decided to make a film about the flagship title in the FF franchise, people flocked to see it. When they announced that they were making a prequel to FFVII, fanboys and girls everywhere exploded with joy, but the game rises above mere "fan service."

Even if you've never touched a Final Fantasy game, you won't be lost in a series of cliches, in-jokes and references to past plots and characters.

People will rightly point out that the game does make some references to past games; FFVII cameos and events occur occasionally. Nonetheless, these moments rarely are integral to either the story or the gameplay. On the contrary, the game's plot is new, and as a prequel, the game's timeline fortunately precludes most of the drama and plot-twists of it's chronological predecessor. This means anyone can pick up this game and be able to appreciate and understand the vast majority of the story. In short, the game is a stand alone novel, and while some background knowledge can add further depth to a few dialogues and events, even a novice will be able to follow the rather straight-forward story.

The gameplay is much the same vein. Many things--such as materia--will seem strange to newcomers, but the helpful tutorials (and instruction booklet) should help you overcome any confusiing parts of the game.

On the other hand, if you've played Final Fantasy games before--especially the seventh in the series--then you need no introduction to the game: it plays very similarly to FFVII (with a few minor tweaks for the PSP.)

Plot battles and CG movies are usually short, and perfect for a bus ride, waiting room, or any other brief moment during which you decide to use your portable gaming system. The main story itself is fairly robust for a portable RPG. I clocked in at around 20 hours, but I had neglected almost all of the side-quests, extra dialogues and the dozens and dozens of optional "Missions." Add those in and one can quickly burn 60 or more hours in a playthrough. As if that's not enough for a bargain game, you can even play a "Game+" mode which carries over some items from your previous save.

In conclusion, FFVII:Crisis Core is very accessible to new players, yet it offers enough fan candy that "veterans" to the series won't be disappointed. In addition,it's a great game, as most of the reviewers here have already said. It is fun to play, lengthy for a PSP game, and has lots of extras to keep its replay value above average. I highly recommend this game to any with a PSP; it's truly a must have game.

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