Disaster Core: Ultimate Fantasy VII is a PSP unique spinoff from 2007 that is typically remembered fondly by way of the tinted goggles of nostalgia. In reality, the unique Disaster Core was a messy recreation when it first launched, and it is solely gotten worse with age. Very similar to Ultimate Fantasy VII: Introduction Youngsters, the animated movie that flanked it, Disaster Core was full of cool concepts that appealed to followers of the unique Ultimate Fantasy VII — however its execution of those concepts was typically misjudged.
For all its points, although, it is simple sufficient to argue that Disaster Core deserves a second probability, particularly now that we reside in an age the place Ultimate Fantasy VII Remake is a actuality. And so right here we’re, with Disaster Core: Ultimate Fantasy VII Reunion, an intensive remaster — not remake — of Zack Truthful’s angsty adventures by way of the ranks of Shinra’s elite navy pressure, SOLDIER.
Now, Sq. Enix has been hit or miss with its remasters lately. Ultimate Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age might be probably the greatest remasters cash can purchase — however then you definately’ve received Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Version, which nonetheless runs like canine muck on PS4. Fortunately, Reunion is way more consistent with the previous. Total, it is an immaculate graphical improve on the PSP authentic, boasting remade character fashions and environmental belongings — whereas additionally sporting an overhauled consumer interface taken straight from Ultimate Fantasy VII Remake.
The change in artwork course may rub some followers the fallacious approach, nevertheless. 2007’s Disaster Core had a personality fashion paying homage to Kingdom Hearts, with large shiny eyes and cartoonish facial animations. And whereas Reunion reuses most of these goofy (pun not supposed) actions, the solid are way more ‘reasonable’ in look — presumably in an try to make it seem like the brand new Remake saga. For us, it really works as supposed, and Disaster Core now feels prefer it’s a part of Remake’s ongoing world. However others might not really feel the identical.
No less than you possibly can’t argue with the remaster’s efficiency. It is an unwavering 60 frames-per-second at 4K decision on PS5, and at occasions, it nearly appears to be like pretty much as good as Remake — particularly when the sparks are flying throughout fight.
The one factor that lets Reunion down when it comes to presentation is these aforementioned animations. Within the recreation’s extra static dialogue scenes — of which there are a lot of — these comically overdone animations can look downright silly now that the character fashions are a lot extra reasonable. There’s undoubtedly a noticeable disconnect between the sport’s old-school (and comparatively low-cost trying) in-game cutscenes, and the way good the remaster appears to be like as an entire.
However let’s face it: Disaster Core has all the time been an extremely dumb recreation. Even for a 2000s Japanese RPG, even for a Nomura-led Sq. Enix venture, even for Ultimate Fantasy at its most overdramatic, Disaster Core has some actually horrific writing. Tiny, tiny bits of the script have been altered in Reunion, however the level nonetheless stands. The storytelling regularly borders on nonsensical, and protagonist Zack is consistently left at midnight by his superiors, who simply so occur to like talking in hilariously overwrought riddles. Should you’re not aware of the unique launch, you are in for a journey.
Is the sport’s jaw-droppingly awkward method to plot supply a part of its attraction, although? We’re tempted to say sure. There is one thing endearing about simply how silly Disaster Core might be. It walks a really superb line between being really crap and being so dangerous that it is entertaining. We have performed this earlier than and we all know the way it ends, however we nonetheless caught ourselves shopping for into Zack’s struggles, and considering “Sephiroth is so cool” each time he appeared on display.
A lot of what makes Disaster Core tick is mainly fan service, however there’s nothing essentially fallacious with that. The sport goes out of its option to present you simply how a lot of a badass Sephiroth and his SOLDIER pals are, whereas additionally offering hints of fascinating backstories for a lot of of Ultimate Fantasy VII’s personalities. Even when it is dumb, Disaster Core does, finally, assist flesh out one of the vital beloved worlds in gaming.
And there is not any query that Reunion is one of the simplest ways to expertise it. Even for those who’re not on board with the brand new character fashions, or the redone voice performing (actually, the brand new Zack is questionable at greatest), the quite a few gameplay changes tip the scales past doubt.
By far the most important enhancements lie within the remaster’s fight. Fights within the authentic have been decidedly wonky affairs the place the sport could not fairly resolve whether or not it was an motion title or a command-based battler. It definitely did not come near reaching the hybrid heaven of Remake’s system, and so Reunion takes a lot wanted cues from Cloud’s most up-to-date outing.
Zack is quicker on his ft and his assaults are simpler to combo. His dodge roll is extra responsive and extra evasive, and the result’s what looks like an actual motion RPG that rewards correct timing and information of your opponent’s capabilities. It is a huge step up.
It is price noting that you simply solely play as Zack in Disaster Core. There are not any get together members, and so the trademark Materia system performs an necessary function in protecting issues fascinating. By finishing aspect missions, you may purchase a library of stat-boosting and ability-granting orbs, letting you customise Zack’s loadout to swimsuit the scenario. Rewarding stuff, proving as soon as once more that Sq. struck gold with Materia in Ultimate Fantasy VII.
However not all programs might be universally praised. Disaster Core’s most divisive mechanic is the so-called Digital Thoughts Wave — or DMW for brief. Primarily, it is a slot machine that sits within the high left nook of the display throughout battles. It is all the time spinning, and when it hits fortunate, you get entry to buffs, particular assaults, and summons. It is a bizarre factor, however now that fight has been overhauled for the higher, the DMW is not almost as irritating because it as soon as was. With Zack able to holding his personal in more durable fights, you need not depend on woman luck to present you a crucial edge, which signifies that the DMW is now extra of a enjoyable additional — because it all the time ought to have been.
All of those fight enhancements are key, as a result of different areas of the expertise are missing to say the least. The sport’s environmental design was fundamental and boring in 2007, and that hasn’t modified — even when the backdrops do look so much higher. Mission places are simply corridors crammed with encounters, and relying on how deeply you dive into the aspect quests, you are going to be seeing those self same corridors over and again and again. Disaster Core generally is a very repetitive recreation, and its transportable origins turn out to be more and more clear if you’re churning by way of bite-sized elective content material.