Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion makes a classic PSP title easily accessible again after being left behind on the handheld. After the game had gone without a single rerelease in fifteen years, being able to play as Zack Fair once again has made this December rather exciting for FF7 fans.
However, the announcement that new and old players would be able to get a remastered version of Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion came relatively soon after PS Plus Premium was revealed to allow fans access to PSP games as part of its service. While the news that CCFF7 would be finally getting a remaster after so long was great news, it took some rather hefty wind out of PS Plus Premium's sails rather early on, and it still does even after launch.
PS Plus Premium and PSP Games
A brand-new tiered PlayStation Plus membership was rolled out around the world in June with a rather amazing selection of games being offered. As part of PS Plus' new Premium tier, fans could access a large catalog of backwards compatible games both through both downloads and cloud streaming. This would include classic PS1, PS2 and even PSP games. However, not all of these selections are treated equal.
Currently, six months after the plan launched, the PSP side of the plan is the smallest of the offerings available for subscribers. Titles that many consider must-plays, such as Ridge Racer and God of War: Ghost of Sparta, are nowhere to be seen on PS Premium, and this lack of proper titles on the service is made even more obvious with Crisis Core being available outside PS Plus.
What Crisis Core Final Fantasy 7 Reunion Offers Fans
When PS Plus Premium was announced include PSP games, many fans thought that the original Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 was the ace in the hole for Square Enix's potential catalog on the service for a number of reasons. Not only would it have tied in rather well with Final Fantasy 7 Remake, but it would have been great for PS Plus Premium because the game has hardly been released anywhere else. Instead, the Reunion remaster came in and ripped the exclusivity out of Sony's hands as it promised to be "more than just a remaster" on all major platforms.
However, despite the promises that Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion wasn't just another remaster, the final product doesn't deliver. Instead, the game feels exactly like it did on the PSP, with the biggest changes being tons extra voice acting and a new user interface that's designed to better match the FF7 Remake trilogy. Seeing this classic PSP game get repurposed for a newer generation is almost like throwing salt in the wound for PS Plus Premium fans who were looking forward to the PSP games on the service. Luckily, Square Enix could easily rectify this by adding the original game to PS Plus' Premium tier.
PS Plus Premium Could Help Keep the Original Crisis Core Game Alive
Even though Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion has enough improvements to justify it being the better experience compared to the old 2007 game, there's still an audience that would love to play the original. Considering how lacking PS Plus Premium is in the PSP department, CCFF7 could still be one of the tier's best offerings if it was added. Just like how many people still play the PS1 FF7, keeping the original Crisis Core game around would be great for fans wanting to relive FF7's tenth anniversary.
Quite a lot of work would need to go into making it suitable for the service, but it would be worth it for both Square Enix and the fans as it would also be great for preserving CCFF7. Video game preservation is extremely important for the sake of learning how the industry has evolved and changed overtime, alongside making it that players can still enjoy their favorite experiences years down the line.
However, it may be more in Square Enix's interests to just add Crisis Core Final Fantasy 7 Reunion to the PS Plus Pemium service itself in lieu of the now defunct PS Now service. I's very clear that the goal with Reunion was to not only make a new, definitive experience of Zack's story, but to also adapt it to be more in line with the Remake Project. After all, Final Fantasy 7 Remake is already available on PS Plus Premium.
It's unlikely that Square Enix would choose to do such a thing so soon, though. Crisis Core Reunion will probably stay off PS Plus Premium until after the holiday season at the very least to help promote sales of the new release, if not an entire year or so for the same reason. Though it could be added sooner as a surprise incentive for players to sign up for the service in the new year, fans shouldn't hold their breath on it.
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
