If you've played FF7, you're golden. This prequel makes more out of Zack, Cloud, Aeris/Aerith, Tifa and MVP Sephiroth than even a die-hard Square Enix fan could expect - their stories layer and develop so nicely that you'll be instantly whirled back to Midgar. Add to that the inevitable tragedies seasoned players know will occur and you've really got a game that pulls both your heartstrings and your button fingers.

Newcomers shouldn't fear, however, as Crisis Core stands up beautifully on its own. In fact, it might be a great entry point for those who couldn't enjoy the traditional turn-based Final Fantasy model - Crisis Core takes an excellent approach to combat, using near-real-time commands from a simple but familiar menu system that lies at the bottom of the screen and is manipulated via the shoulder buttons. Combat unfolds at the perfect pace - fast enough that you can't feel the turns as they happen, but with just enough time to shoulder over to a healing spell, special combat action, or restorative inventory item. Zach, the game's main character, automatically attacks whomever he's facing, and the auto-target system works so quietly you'll almost never have to think about it.

The cutscenes here are exactly what you'd expect: Square-Enix worthy and Final Fantasy gorgeous, and unlike some previous entries they really drive the emotions of the story. Perhaps that's partly because many players know what the future holds in store for these characters (heartbreak, very emo heartbreak)? The voice acting is also impeccable.

Materia! One of my all-time favorite magic/ability systems returns - materia are crystals that bestow classic abilities - such as spells of all sorts, combat abilities like steal and sword-spinning, as well as status effects like boosting HP, MP, or AP - the game's MP equivalent for combat abilities. And just like in FF7, the materia you've equipped levels up, increasing in power as it does so. A nifty new materia fusion system lets you manage your powers with more control than simply switching out new powers for old - combine the right materia and you'll boost your powers enormously or even create new types of materia.

One new twist that doesn't always make sense is the DMW - or Digital Mind Wave - that melds leveling up with limit breaks (super-powered attacks that your character occasionally breaks out). It's essentially a slot machine reel with digits and the faces of important characters (which appear as you meet them). Without getting too complicated, this reel is more or less always spinning, and when it stops various things happen - including combat boosts like being invulnerable or casting spells without using MP. When the reel comes up all sevens, Zach levels up.

While I suspect the randomness of the slot reel isn't so random underneath the hood, it's a strange feeling to put the future of your character in the hands of a slot machine. Sometimes it's exciting, sometimes it's frustrating, but it's just about always confusing. But despite the fact that I didn't really get a grip on how the DMW works, it became my friend. There's nothing like watching combat pause during a rough fight while the DMW takes over the screen and decides what punishing limit break move to unleash against your enemies.

Crisis Core also features a ton of unlockable side missions, all of which can be entered into from any save point. Since missions cannot be lethal and provide killer loot, they're a great way to get into the gameplay without moving forward story-wise. And since, often, each mission unlocks the next, there's a kind of addictive pace. My only complaint was the scarcity of environments - you'll be limited to industrial architecture, caves, desert, grassland, and pretty much nothing else. The maps of each environment are also bland and repetitive - but only eventually. I got about 25% of the way through the exhaustive list of missions before I began to tire of the environments, and even then the loot and leveling-up-possibility were enough to keep me going.

Bottom line: Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII is as close to a system-seller (for RPG and FF fans) as the PSP could hope for. With gorgeous visuals and sound, amazing gameplay, and beloved characters both old and new, anyone considering making this game a purchase should do so: Buy it!