Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Released in North America

The day all PlayStation Portable owners have been waiting for is finally here. Today (March 25, 2008), Square Enix is releasing Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII for the PSP in North America. The game's MSRP is set at $39.99, and you can check it out here.

Square Enix Members Launches

Square Enix's new community site for North America that we told you about a bit ago launched today. The new community site features exclusive interviews, ShinRa ID Card generators, contests & giveaways, and more. Currently, the only video featured on the site is a Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII TV Spot, but there is more to come. Finally there is a Fan Zone, and an official blog. Enjoy the community.

[SQUARE ENIX MEMBERS]

More Evidence of a PlayStation 3 Remake for Final Fantasy VII

The rumor doesn't stop, and it won't stop till Final Fantasy VII for the PlayStation 3 is actually announced. That is what we love about it. On a new post on James Mielke's blog, he pointed out a question in their Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII interview with Hajime Tabata.

1UP: Does Crisis Core mark the finale for the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII series?
Hajime Tabata: No, it does not. The Compilation's finale will take some other form.

All other compilation titles for the Final Fantasy VII series have already been announced and released. So what is left? A Final Fantasy VII remake is left. Think about it, so far they have released: Final Fantasy VII on PSone, Dirge of Cerberus on PS2, Crisis Core (this month) on PSP, Advent Children on Blu-Ray (2008) and Before Crisis on the mobile phone. That PlayStation 3 is next in the system line-up.

[More circumstantial evidence that an FFVII remake is en route to the PS3]

Pre-Order Crisis Core and Receive Free ShinRa UMD Case

If you pre-order Square Enix's upcoming Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, you'll be getting a bit extra than just the game. You'll also receive a special "Shin-Ra Electric Power Company" UMD case for your PSP games.

Currently, only Amazon is showing this pre-order bonus, but retailers such as GameStop and GameCrazy should be showing it soon as well.

The game is releasing March 25, 2008. Get your pre-orders in fast.

[Via PSP Fanboy]

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII: Fifty New Screenshots

PSU has updated their gallery with a massive amount of new Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII screenshots. The screenshots look pretty impressive.

You can play this upcoming title this coming March 2008. The screenshot gallery at the link below.

[Crisis Core Gallery]

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII: Zack and Angeal Action

A new trailer for Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII shows off all the action that your going to be seeing in the upcoming PSP title. While displaying Zack and Angeal, you can't help but get that rushing feeling in your heart. Enjoy!

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII US Teaser

While the lucky gamers of Japan received their Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII titles back in September, we have to wait till March 25, 2008 until we can get our copies (unless we import). Though, to dumb down the thought of time, Square Enix has released a new US teaser trailer, showing the one and only Zack Fair. Enjoy!

Final Fantasy XIII & Versus XIII Trailers Likely Being Published December

The latest issue of the Dengeki Playstation Japanese magazine has announced that Square Enix will be releasing a new concept visual book on December 14th 2007, at the price of 2,625 yen, only in Japan. Title of the book is CLOUD (odd name for all Final Fantasy games). The book will be published by Media Works.

The book will feature many of Square Enix's games, including Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy XIII, Subarashiki Kono Sekai, Kingdom Hearts, and more. The book also includes interviews with the Japanese voice actors of the main characters from Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII.

The book includes a special DVD that will also include the promotional movies for Final Fantasy XIII, Final Fantasy Versus XIII and Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Complete.

It's great that they are being published, but will the trailers be the old or new privately shown trailers from the Tokyo Game Show 2007?

[Via FFXII]

Final Fantasy VII: For the Collectors

Final Fantasy VII was with no doubt one of the greatest RPGs ever made. So why not game to it with some Final Fantasy VII potion. That way, after you start getting tired and sweat, you can drink the potion and you will be restored to your normal state.

Theres more goodies than just those though.

Collectible statue figures of your favorite characters. I want that Cloud statue! But, we can't have everything now can we? Unfortunately, the only way to get these are through the Japanese Enix store.

[Via Dengeki]

G4 Preview: Square Enix @ TGS 2007

G4 show us all the details about the newest Square games, Infinite Undiscovery, Kingdom Hearts, FF13 and Versus 13, aswell as The Last Remnant. They also talk about what was seen behind the hidden "curtain" of the new Final Fantasy games. Enjoy.

[Via GameTrailers]

Final Fantasy VII "We Hope to Meet Final Fantasy VII Again" Full Page

If you remember about a week or two back, we got some information from Forever-Fantasy about the Crisis Core book and how it stated "We Hope to Meet Final Fantasy VII Again!" on the page.

Now we have a full page scan along with the page next to it. On the page next to it, it says "And Next?", which goes on to say "We Hope to Meet Final Fantasy VII Again!". Could that mean it's Square Enix's "next" project?

PSP Slim vs. PSP Fat: Crisis Core Loading Times

The video shows both PSPs loading a battle in Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII - and it's a bit interesting to see that the PSP Slim immediately loads the event, with Zack readily slashing away at opponents, while the original PSP is left loading in the dark. Loading out of battle also had the PSP Slim way ahead of the original handheld, even when both finished the battle at almost the same time.

Great job Sony, for making it that much faster.

[Via GameBrink]

Square Enix: "We hope to meet Final Fantasy VII Again!"

You'd think Square Enix would get tired of toying with us and announce the damn thing already. Here is another hint at a Final Fantasy VII remake. It's inside Crisis Core's limited edition bundle, there is a mini-book that features images from Final Fantasy VII's technical demo and the following text:

"We hope to meet Final Fantasy VII AGAIN!"

I think this year is the winner, can anybody say "major announcement at the Tokyo Game Show of 2007".

[Via Forever-Fantasy]

Crisis Core: Sephiroth and Genesis Locked in Battle

A sparring match between Sephiroth and the two other SOLDIERs, Angeal and Genesis quickly turns into something more heated. Genesis goes after Sephiroth with a will, probably spurred on by a personal agenda. Meanwhile, the current owner of the Buster Sword, Angeal, tries to break it up.

[Via YouTube]

Final Fantasy VII: Voices of the Lifestream Released

One of the much anticipated Final Fantasy VII albums is out.

It features 45 tracks from a multitude of remixers that are involved within the site have all poured their hard work into a project that has lasted for over a year and a half since January 2006. I can safely say that you can expect some of the best with these tunes as OCRemix's projects are nigh on perfection, from Chrono Symphonic to even Street Fighter's Blood on the Asphalt.

[Download Voices of the Lifestream]

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Website Updated

New Media includes:

- Two trailers showing D.M.W. (Digital Mind Wave)
- New character videos for Zack, Cissnei, and Tseng
- Profiles added for Hollander, Yuffie, and Tifa
- New trailers for Aerith and Cloud

Developed by Square Enix, Crisis Core brings back fan favourites such as Cloud, Sephiroth, Zack, Tifa, Reno, Cait Sith, Yuffie, and Jenova.

[Via PSU]

Final Fantasy VII Remake Confirmed in Crisis Core?

Look into the stars, what do you see? A Final Fantasy VII remake on the horizon maybe? Look at the images below for the ending to Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII (no major spoilers, you've seen most of it before).

What do you notice in that last image? "to be continued in Final Fantasy VII". This might hint at a Final Fantasy VII remake although Square has been denying it for a while. If not that, maybe a re-release of the game, maybe in stores or the PlayStation Store. If not that, it could just be referring to the PSone game.

According to this rumor, when the player completes Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII for a second time, after the credit finish rolling a secret cinematic begins showcasing a similar (but not the same) video clip to what was shown at E3 2005 in the Final Fantasy VII PlayStation 3 technical demo. At the end, it shows the last image you see below.

[Via NeoGAF]

Update: Secret Ending Video

Famitsu Scores Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII an 9, 9, 8, 9

AdventChildren.net has found scans of a review from an anonymous magazine whom I found to be Famitsu. They scored it an 9, 9, 8, 9 which averaged out to an 8.7, a great score for Crisis Core! Anyway, more scans are below.

[Via AdventChildren.net]

IGN: Final Fantasy VII Remake Chatter

Straight from IGN.

The latest chapter in the Final Fantasy VII saga is almost at hand over in Japan. Just in time's for Crisis Core's 9/13 release, the editors of Famitsu managed to gather executive producer Yoshinori Kitase, producer Hideki Imaizumi, director Hajime Tabata, and character designer Tetsuya Nomura for an interview touching upon all areas of Crisis Core's development, and possible future developments from the staff members.

On the topic of Crisis Core, Tabata disclosed just how huge the game is, noting that it almost fills up a full UMD-ROM. He feels that the game is well balanced so that players of all level will be able to clear it. However, advanced players can look forward to over 300 missions outside of the main storyline. These are tough, but players can get a bit of extra help on their second time through, as the game lets you start a new game with your past character data.

A bit of trivia for those interested in how Crisis Core came about. Tabata disclosed that the project originally began with the idea of making a port of Before Crisis, the mobile entry in the Compilation series. Before Crisis (as well as Final Fantasy Agito XIII) are Tabata's projects, so Kitase approached him with the idea. Brought into the discussion, Nomura suggested instead that they make something with more meaning to the Compilation, and so was born the idea of making a game about a soldier who'd previously not been addressed in the Compilation, Zack. This entire decision process took just two days, Kitase joked.

Outside of Crisis Core, Famitsu editors asked about new developments in the Compilation series, noting that players are hoping for a FFVII remake. Yes, questions about a remake of FFVII are required whenever interviewing Nomura and Kitase.

Tabata avoided the remake issue entirely, instead pointing out that Square Enix will be distributing a new episode of Before Crisis for mobile players simultaneously with the Crisis Core release. This episode features Reno as the main character.

A remake of FFVII is a question of timing, Imaizumi said, noting that Kitase, Nomura and Tabata are all busy with the Final Fantasy XIII series. He added that a new game of some form will be announced at the Tokyo Game Show. We're not sure if he's referring to a new game in the FFXIII series or a general new title from Kitase, Nomura and Tabata. Either way, we're already excited.

This new title appears to be separate from the new Kingdom Hearts project that Tetsuya Nomura has previously confirmed for a TGS unveiling. Asked about the announcement, Nomura simply asked readers to look forward to it.

Imaizumi closed off by confirming once again that there are currently no plans for a FFVII remake. However, he noted that this could change rather quick, alluding to Kitase's comment about how the decision to make Crisis Core took only two days.

[Via IGN]

Square Enix: TGS 2007 Line-Up

Here we have Square Enix's TGS 2007 line-up. And Final Fantasy XIII might be playable as it's still undecided.

Final Fantasy XI Online: Divine Soldiers of Altana
Exhibition Form: Trailer

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates
Exhibition Form: Playable

Final Fantasy Tactics A2
Exhibition Form: Trailer and Playable

Final Fantasy IV (DS)
Exhibition Form: Trailer and Playable

Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon
Exhibition Form: Trailer and Playable

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
Exhibition Form: Trailer and Playable

Final Fantasy XIII
Exhibition Form: Undecided

Final Fantasy Versus XIII
Exhibition Form: Undecided

Final Fantasy Agito XIII
Exhibition Form: Undecided

Final Fantasy VII Advent Children: Complete
Exhibition Form: Trailer

Final Fantasy Dissidia
Exhibition Form: Undecided

The Last Remnant
Exhibition Form: Trailer

Dragon Quest Monster Battle Road
Exhibition Form: Playable

Dragon Quest Monsters Joker
Exhibition Form: Playable

Slime Mori Mori Dragon Quest 2
Exhibition Form: Playable

Dragon Quest IV
Exhibition Form: Player and Trailer

Dragon Quest IX
Exhibition Form: Trailer

[Via Kotaku]