'Crisis Core' a winner

Billy O'Keefe | McClatchy Newspapers

5/1/2008 - 5/1/08

Square Enix has tried — Lord, has it tried — to capitalize on the undying affection so many gamers have for Final Fantasy VII.

Finally, after a full decade and some projects we'd all like to forget ever happened, it's struck oil with Crisis Core.

Ironically, part of what makes Core work is how nonreliant it is on the game that inspired its creation. The game builds its story around a character, Zack, whose role in FFVII was relegated to flashback duty only. That creates a win-win situation for all: Fans of the original game can sink their teeth into Core's expansion of the FFVII universe, while the mostly self-contained storyline allows newcomers to dive in without fear of alienation.

On the other hand, what also makes Core shine is the way it applies bits and pieces of FFVII to what is, at least on the surface, an entirely different brand of gameplay.

Whereas FFVII was a turn-based role-playing game in the traditional Final Fantasy vein, Core places a much greater emphasis on semi-real-time action. Battles are self-contained per usual, but within that space, you're free to run around, attack at will, and cycle through items and spells while simultaneously trying to avoid enemy attacks.

Gamers fearful that Square Enix has lumped together a dumbed-down button masher in FFVII clothing need not worry. For those with the desire to dissect the game's intricacies, the depth is there.

While Core's gameplay will polarize fans, Square Enix's knack for transcendent and visually dazzling storytelling is off the table. Core was simultaneously tasked with playing the nostalgia card and feeling epically fresh, and it rises to the challenge with scary ease.

On this merit alone, it's a must-play for any FFVII fan, and those who don't care for the new gameplay approach had best find a way to deal with it.