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Crisis Core coming to the U.S. March 25
Who's having the best day ever? Nerds. That's who. Not only was their beloved NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams the belle of the new release ball, their spirits can now truly take flight with the news that Final Fantasy VII prequel Crisis Core is coming to American PSPs on March 25th. As you may already be aware, Square Enix's action RPG follows Zack while a part of SOLDIER as he meets Cloud, Sephiroth and others. With over 710,000 copies sold in Japan, we can't wait to get our hands on it. We could try to do a better job of outlining where Crisis Core falls in a chronological sense in the FFVII mythology, but it's a little more effort than we're able to put forth on a Monday, so "before the PlayStation game" will have to suffice. Take your little brother's head out of the toilet and ask him, we're sure he'll be able to explain it to you.
Crisis Core heads stateside on March 25
Square Enix's epic Final Fantasy VII prequel is coming to the US at last! Square Enix confirmed today that the PSP exclusive will arrive on March 25th. The game follows the adventures of Zack and his life as part of SOLDIER. Along the way, he'll meet familiar faces, like Cloud, Sephiroth and more. Crisis Core has been rated T by the ESRB for Blood, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes and Violence. Check out the official website here. [Thanks, Joe!] %Gallery-6657%
Crisis Core is Square's best selling game this year
If we needed more proof, and we probably didn't, that Japan is head-over-heels in love with Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core here's some more. Square Enix recently announced Crisis Core was its best-selling game across all regions from April through September with 710,000 copies sold in Japan. Bringing up second place is the DS' Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings with 530,000 units sold. However, Japan isn't the only region a PSP-developed title beat out the rest. According to The Magic Box, the PSP's Final Fantasy also topped all other Square titles in North America during the same time frame, selling 130,000 copies.What makes this feat even more ridiculous is Crisis Core was released in Japan in mid-September, giving the game only a couple weeks to reach such impressive numbers.
Zack destroys Crisis Core's first boss
Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core is considered largely responsible for the massive sales resurrection that PSP has experienced as of late. Unfortunately, a US release hasn't been confirmed by the good folks at Square Enix USA. It seems inevitable, but our inquiring minds want to know: when is it coming out?Until then, you can spoil yourself by watching this footage of Zack going against the first boss. It ends with some revealing story details, so those that want to save themselves for the final game will want to avoid clicking past the break.
Japanese hardware sales, Sept. 17 - Sept. 23: Crisis edition
It is with trembling hands and an overwhelming sense of insecurity (more so than usual) that we bring you this week's Japanese sales charts. It's as if someone flipped our world upside down, yanked the carpet off our heads and welcomed us to a zone where doors float in space and wild fantasies become startling truth. What hath Square Enix and Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII wrought? - PSP: 277,794 182,307 (190.92%) - DS Lite: 70,523 9,451 (11.82%) - Wii: 24,992 1,189 (4.54%) - PS2: 11,373 1,755 (13.37%) - PS3: 10,732 2,369 (18.08%) - Xbox 360: 1,687 444 (35.72%) - Game Boy Micro: 243 471 (65.97%) - GBA SP: 106 16 (13.11%) - Gamecube: 68 29 (29.90%) - GBA: 33 33 (N/A) - DS Phat: 15 -- 0 (0.00%) [Source: Media Create] See: Previous Japanese hardware sales charts
Final Fantasy and Metal Gear tag team Japanese sales chart
The relaunch of PSP has landed PSP the top position of the Japanese software sales charts again for the second week in a row. Certainly, this is quite an impressive feat, considering Nintendo's juggernaut control over the region. Once again, it comes as no surprise that Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core topped the charts, with an additional 109,000 units sold according to Gamasutra. A PSP newcomer ranks second in the charts: Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops Plus, which sold 93,000 units. Considering Plus is an expansion pack for the original Portable Ops, we're impressed.We hope this PSP sales renaissance continues because the handheld certainly deserves more recognition than its garnered amongst hardcore gamers. We'll have to see whether or not Crisis Core will have the lasting power to stay at the top of the charts.
Japanese PSP Slim launch a huge success so far
We were in the country for the Japanese PSP Slim and Lite launch on the 20th. The above image was snapped on our way to day one of the Tokyo Game Show and we knew then that the launch would prove to be a success. We had no idea how right we were. The PSP Slim and Lite, aided by the Crisis Core bundle released on the 13th, has sold well over 300,000 units in its first three days.This official number from Enterbrain (via Famitsu) show 326,645 PSPs have been sold, 75,943 of which were Crisis Core versions. We were in Akihabara on the 24th and it seemed that everywhere was sold out of PSPs of all kinds, except for one second hand shop which had two Crisis Core models left. We're intrigued to see how long these sales will go on for; not long is our guess. Where's Monster Hunter Portable 3 when you need it?[Via Gameindustry.biz]
Crisis Core sells 470k in first week -- 100k PSPs also sold
Yes, we know. Another day, another half-dozen headlines featuring the inexplicably popular adventure that is Final Fantasy VII. The popularity of the franchise cannot be ignored -- according to the latest sales charts from Japan, Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core sold around 470,000 copies in a single week. This also prompted the sale of nearly 100,000 PSP units, which actually topped the number of Nintendo DS Lite units sold. This is something to be celebrated!Even though the DS had to bow out of its almost unending chart domination, the release of Crisis Core didn't take the number one spot on new releases. Pokemon is still the most popular, advancing over the city of Midgar with about a 100,000 unit lead. Regardless, this should be proof positive that the PSP is in no way a failure and that if fantastic games are developed for and released on the handheld, sales will accumulate into a gigantic ball of Meteo-like proportions. Or was Meteo more of a Final Fantasy IV reference? Alas.
Crisis Core secret ending begs you to play FFVII
The secret ending of Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core shows a familiar scene for fans of Square's long revered RPG series. Could the "to be continued" that ominously appears at the game's end suggest a remake, like many have theorized? We'd hope so, but we remain skeptical. Most likely, the Final Fantasy team is pulling a George Lucas, reminding people of where this new effort lies in the overarching timeline. Of course, once Square realizes how much money they'll be printing with a re-release of the original Final Fantasy VII, we hope they come to their senses soon enough. Video embedded after the cut.[Thanks to everyone that sent this in!]
Crisis Core loads infinitely faster on PSP-2000
The PSP-2000 didn't produce improved load times for us, but it looks like new PSP software, like Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core, will fare differently. As showcased by this user video, this action RPG runs quite smoothly on the new hardware, but chugs along at an almost painful pace on the PSP Phat. This demonstration is quite possibly the most convincing we've seen that the PSP-2000 is a worthwhile upgrade for old owners. But, are you ready to buy a new system? Or will you simply wait it out? [Thanks, J!]
New Crisis Core video makes us very very jealous
GameVideos has a new clip of one of the gorgeously rendered cutscenes from the just-released Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core. In it, Zach stands outside a small village and argues with a way-too-pretty man who then busts out a Sepiroth-like single wing from his back and flies away into the sky. And then the village blows up. Yeah, we don't get it either but we neeeeds it.With no solid American release date for Crisis Core yet, videos like this just make the wait all the more painful. Has anybody out there imported it? If so, how gaijin friendly is it?
Limited Edition FF VII PSP Slim causes huge lines in Japan
Wired's Chris Kohler is reporting that the just released Final Fantasy VII PSP Slim pack is causing long lines in Japan and he's got the photos to prove it. While initially it didn't appear that the lines were that long, when he picked up his ticket he found out he was 551 in line. After waiting around with a bunch of homeless guys, he was finally able to drop the 25,000 yen to pick up one of the coveted PSPs.The limited edition package comes with Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core, a special numbered PSP with artwork on the back by Tetsuya Nomura, Final Fantasy earbuds, and a Buster Sword cell phone strap. While he wasn't overly impressed with the package, it still seems like a pretty damn cool purchase to us. It will be interesting to see what the release of the limited edition PSP and Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core will do to the weekly sales in Japan. It seems like it could pretty easily double the normal sales rate of the handheld there. Final Fantasy is magic like that.[Via N4G]
Zack boards train, people die, in new Crisis Core vid
Square Enix wants you to know that Zack is one bad guy. Bad, of course, meaning good or cool. This CG video shows Zack dropping atop a train, immediately dodging bullets and generally causing chaos and mayhem. All in good fun, of course. If the video streams a bit slowly for you, then hit pause once while its loading. Give it a few seconds of breathing room, and you should be set. [Update: For more Crisis Core goodness, check out new screens at The Magic Box.]
Famitsu scores Crisis Core: 35/40
Esteemed Japanese gaming magazine, Famitsu, has scored Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core. The four reviewers gave it a 9, 9, 8 and a 9. Certainly an impressive set of numbers! Final Fantasy fans can sleep easier at night, knowing that this spin-off game isn't as disastrous as Dirge of Cerberus (which scored a low 28/40 from Famitsu). It ain't Final Fantasy XII, but we're still glad the game got reviewed as well as it did. [Via PSPHyper]
Crisis Core trailer gets extended (by two minutes)
Until Crisis Core comes out, it looks like this blog will look more like "Crisis Core Fanboy" than "PSP Fanboy." Yes, there are other games coming out as well, but Square Enix knows how to fan the flames of their devoted fans through this media deluge they seem to be offering. Yet another trailer for the game has just been been released, offering an even greater look into the gameplay. It's familiar territory, yes -- but that doesn't mean you won't watch. [Thanks, Saigon!]
Crisis Core videos showcase battle system
This may come as a surprise, but Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core actually has a battle system. Seriously. There's gameplay other than watching emotional boys talking to each other. And that's what Jeux France has managed to capture. Unlike the tradition FFVII games, the battle system is no longer turn-based. Watch these videos to see this new real-time battle system in action, complete with Materia.
It begins: Crisis Core TV ad hits Japan
What will undoubtedly be a massive media onslaught begins in Japan, as the first Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core ad hits Japan. The advertisement is not only important for Square Enix, as they promote their new game, but it is important for Sony as well. Such a hotly anticipated release will certainly generate a great deal of interest in the PSP platform, something that's going to aid Sony in the long-haul. [Thanks, J!]
Crisis Core intro shows Midgar, remixed tunes
Thought you saw everything with the last Crisis Core video, didn't you? You would be wrong -- a new video has emerged that shows off the game's intro and, as expected, we're pleased to see it's worth viewing. Accompanying the fantastic visuals is a fantastic remix of the original Final Fantasy VII opening track. Ahh, Midgar. Whether or not you're a rabid fanboy of FFVII, everyone should set their agendas aside and see this game for what it is: impressive. We're pretty excited to take it for a spin, so until we can, we'll keep covering it every step of the way.
New direct-feed shots of FFVII: Crisis Core
Do you want fresh juicy burgers? Or how about fresh direct feed screenshots of Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core? Well, if it's lunch time, you probably want both. Too bad we can only help you with the latter. These crystal-clear images show off how good the game will look on your PSP screen. If you're a true Crisis-aholic, you'll download these images to your PSP and pretend that you're already playing the game. %Gallery-6657%
Final Fantasy case steals fans money
It's not easy being a Final Fantasy fan. You have to suffer through intolerable waits for the games, and pay astronomical prices for its merchandise. Take, for example, this Final Fantasy-themed case. The case, from Porter, dons a Crisis Core logo. But not only that, it has a pretty steep price tag: ,975 ($86). [Via PSPHyper]
