Interview: Tetsuya Nomura and Yoshinori Kitase on developing Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion

Ahead of the game’s release this December, we got to interview Executive Producer Yoshinori Kitase and Creative Director and Character Designer Tetsuya Nomura, and they were able to share their insight on Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion and its development.

In the interview, Nomura and Kitase shared their thoughts on developing Reunion, how it fits with the FF7 Remake project, and if the upcoming re-release is considered a remaster or a full remake.

The following is the full transcript of our email interview with Tetsuya Nomura and Yoshinori Kitase for Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion:

Do you consider Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion a remaster or a remake?

Tetsuya Nomura: Personally, I have always thought of a “remake” as a recreation of a title using almost none of the original data. In that aspect, while the majority of the data for this title have been newly created, some elements, such as the skeletal structure of the character models and their motions, do reuse data from the original title, meaning that it is closer to a remaster than a remake.

Which of the new features and improvements took the most time to develop and why?

Tetsuya Nomura: While the character models have been newly developed for this title, they were all based on the skeletal structures developed in the previous title. This combination of original foundation and new exterior meant that we had to be very careful in eliminating any unnatural movements or potential sources of contradiction in terms of design. The fact that this is a multi-platform title also meant that we were unable to simply reuse the lighting from the original and had to carefully calibrate it for each platform.

How much did the Final Fantasy 7 Remake influence Crisis Core Reunion?

Tetsuya Nomura: With “FFVII REMAKE” being released for several years now, the bars were set high for us to try and match. It certainly posed a challenge for us to maintain the high standards put in place by “FFVII REMAKE”, but we took this as a challenge for us to overcome. In terms of general feel, and in terms of the union of action and command-based gameplay, “CRISIS CORE” was made at a time when we were still exploring what could be done, whereas “FFVII REMAKE” represents the pinnacle of what can be achieved with a similar concept. With that in mind, we knew we had to make something that would provide the same feel for our users.

For those who have only played the Remake, will Crisis Core Final Fantasy 7 Reunion be required to fully appreciate Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth?

Yoshinori Kitase: “FFVII REMAKE” hinted that Zack would become a more significant figure in the remakes as compared to in the original, suggesting that this is the direction that the title is gearing towards in “FFVII REBIRTH”. Playing “CC-FFVII REUNION” allows users to learn more about the character of Zack, which should in turn allow them to enjoy the FFVII remake project more.

What was it like to revisit Crisis Core after over a decade after its release on the PSP?

Yoshinori Kitase: Originally, it didn’t feel like the PSP version was that old, and I approached the project thinking that it could still be played and enjoyed today. When I actually replayed it, however, I realised that from a modern perspective, there was a great deal of room for improvement to match the evolution of game development in the following years – in terms of graphics, controls, battle system, and camera operation. Anticipating that players of “FFVII REMAKE”, in particular, would demand the same quality from this title, we transformed “CC FFVII” into a title that can hold its own against any title from the modern era.

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion will be released on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch, and PC on December 13, 2022.

For more info on the game, check out our recent hands-on impressions of it here: