Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion is as much of a blast on the Nintendo Switch 2 as it is on any other console, though the inability to upgrade or transfer your save from a previous Switch copy makes it less appealing to those who already own the game. That being said, there’s no reason not to check out the Switch 2 edition if you’ve yet to experience the thrilling gameplay and unforgettable story of Crisis Core.
I’ve played Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII a lot. Even before Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion came out in 2023, I loved the original PSP title as a teenager, even using “CrisisCoreKid” as my name on various forums. As such, I felt something akin to a responsibility to be the one to try out the Nintendo Switch 2 version of the remake ahead of Revelation’s release next year, and I found it to be pretty much exactly what you might expect: a completely serviceable port.
Though you should check out my original review of this remaster for details about the game itself, I’ll quickly note a few major things. The story of Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion is brilliant, mixing goofy charm and heartfelt emotion together swimmingly, followed by a perfectly portioned dose of campy cringe. It informs Final Fantasy VII in a myriad of intriguing ways but never feels like a cameo-laden unnecessary prequel, which is a tricky balance to find for any media.
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion‘s gameplay is ridiculously satisfying.
The gameplay is fast-paced but retains some strategy in a way mostly unlike the Final Fantasy VII Remake titles, and the plethora of side-missions and unlockables provide plenty of bite-sized content to pace out the game with. The soundtrack is one of the best in Final Fantasy’s history, which is a massive claim to make but one that feels totally justified. The voice acting in Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion specifically is weaker than in the original PSP version, though most of the cast does well enough. Essentially, this is still a great way to play Crisis Core, if you’ve yet to.
There aren’t any major gameplay differences between this version of Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion and any other release, meaning there are none of the gameplay boosts/streamlined progression features that Remake Intergrade and Rebirth had. You can choose between Performance and Quality mode on the Switch 2, which is handy and certainly noticeable, but that’s about the extent of the differences between this and every other version of the game. As such, if you’ve already got the game, there’s no real reason to double-dip with this – especially if you own the title on the original Nintendo Switch.
As was the case with the recent Final Fantasy X & X-2 HD Remaster release on the Switch 2, there’s no upgrade path or way to transfer your save data from the Switch version to the Switch 2. This means you’ll be buying it at full price (or on a regular sale) either way, which makes getting both versions feel a little pointless. It’s a shame, but at least you won’t be missing out on any big new features if you already own the game.
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion looks great and runs very well on the Switch 2, as I didn’t encounter any consistent or significant performance issues during my time with it. Everything was responsive, and I didn’t run into bugs or hiccups, so this seems to be an all-around strong port of the 2022 remake.
Good
The Final Word
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion is certainly worth playing in one way or another, though the Nintendo Switch 2 version is no more worth grabbing than any other. The lack of an upgrade path or save data transfer makes it a tough sell for Switch owners, but the core game is excellent regardless. If you’ve never played Crisis Core in any form, the Switch 2 version is a solid way to experience one of Final Fantasy’s best titles – even if the voice acting is slightly less strong than in the original PSP release.
