Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion is now available, and it puts players just a few more steps closer to experiencing the next part of the FF7 Remake trilogy, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. The prequel PSP title released back in 2007 has always played an important part in the overall lore of the series, but now it's been updated to better match the FF7 Remake project in many ways. These changes weren't done lightly, as it was most likely done so that fans understood Zack's story before the next part of the project.
All the changes made to Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion are minor or cosmetic changes, leaving the story completely intact as a result. While this may seem disappointing at first, especially due to how the developers claimed Reunion was "more than just a remaster," it makes sense as CCFF7R's story works as the prelude to both the original FF7 and Remake as is. However, considering the Remake trilogy is being made with Crisis Core, as well as the rest of the Compilation of FF7 in mind, there are plenty of plot threads that were alluded to in Crisis Core that have made their way into Remake and even Rebirth.
How Crisis Core's Plot Points Matter in Final Fantasy 7 Remake
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Final Fantasy 7 fans likely know about Zack Fair and his connections to Cloud and his past. The ending of Crisis Core is important to the plot of FF7, but to truly understand the ending of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, knowing that Zack was originally meant to die in battle is something fans need to experience. Not only will the ending mean more to players if they experience Crisis Core first, but the knowledge will likely matter even more when playing Rebirth as the story will likely explain how Zack is now alive.
Crisis Core has already changed the Remake project as of the FF7 RemakeIntermission DLC. Just before fans finish the game, they're treated to a cutscene where a few peculiar "SOLDIERs" take Genesis away on a Shinra helicopter. The culprits are none other than Nero and Weiss, characters who originally appeared in Dirge of Cerberus, but were part of FF7R Intermission. Considering that Square Enix has no plans to remake Vincent Valentine's solo game, it makes sense as to why Nero and Weiss appeared much earlier in the Remake project. Players can also find Vincent in the caverns underneath Shinra Manor, teasing fans about his involvement in future games.
In terms of Shinra's secrets, the inclusion of Professor Hojo in FF7 Remake is much more fleshed out compared to his original portrayal in the PS1 game. Where Hojo somehow failed to recognize Cloud in FF7, one of Hojo's old Project S test subjects, Remake fixes that and has the scientist notice Cloud right away. Cloud also has unkind words towards the man who experimented on him, with or without the correct memories. Cloud was Hojo's test subject in Crisis Core, which helps tie the two games even closer together than before.
There are other, smaller pieces of the gigantic puzzle that tends to be Final Fantasy 7 lore that are scattered throughout both Crisis Core Reunion and the Remake project. Fans who are new to the series as of FF7R can now understand the weight behind Aerith saying she has a boyfriend to Cloud, only for him to get a headache afterwards once they play Crisis Core Reunion. Players can also meet Yuffie as a child ahead of Intermission, and one small detail in Crisis Core's emails is corporate emails that points to what Rufus Shinra is up to.
There are larger plot points in Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion that'll definitely be explored in later entries of the trilogy as well. One prominent example is how Cloud has yet to retell the Nibelheim incident to the party, which was what began Sephiroth's tyranny and Cloud's entire story. As the Nibelheim flashback is usually playable, fans have an exciting second -- or even fourth -- revisit to Cloud's hometown to look forward to in Rebirth.
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion is available on Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S
