While Final Fantasy XVI might currently be the hotly debated and divisive Final Fantasy game, this is not something that’s new to the franchise. How quickly we forget how divisive Final Fantasy VII Remake was when it first launched in 2020. And now, if there’s ever a game Final Fantasy fans can argue isn’t a real Final Fantasy game, it’s Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis. The mobile spinoff is currently hosting a closed beta test event, giving us a preview of what to expect when it launches later this year. We spent some time playing the closed beta test last night and today, and gathered up a few first impressions.
Before we dig in, I think it’s worth mentioning that I do play mobile games and I’m not completely against the gacha system, so long as it’s not egregiously predatory — I’m looking at you Diablo Immortal. Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia, for example, is something I have logged into and played daily since its launch over five years ago and will probably continue playing it until Square Enix pulls the plug. I’ve spent some money to support the developers, because I do get a lot of enjoyment from playing the game and want to see it continue for the foreseeable future. It’s also free-to-play friendly, being very generous with its resources and never giving you that FOMO by having to spend money.
© Copyright Square Enix
That being said, when Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis first started up, I immediately recognized the Applibot logo from the months I spent playing Nier Reincarnation, the mobile game from Yoko Toro based in the Nier universe. So you shouldn’t be surprised to hear that Ever Crisis appears to be very much a reskin of Nier Reincarnation, down to the combat system. It plays out very similarly, even if it looks different. Like many other mobile games, you’ll unlock an auto-battle feature where the game essentially plays itself, although you can take control if you want to. Actions can be used when the “ATB” charges up to the amount needed for the skill. I imagine most players will let the game play out on auto, until they hit a roadblock in content and have to manually take over.
Like Final Fantasy VII Remake, you can control the other characters in the party. You can also activate each unit’s Limit Breaks, allowing you to start a chain of them if you want. The max party size is three, but there is multiplayer cooperative content I haven’t yet experienced.
© Copyright Square Enix
Ever Crisis is a faithful retelling of the Final Fantasy VII story, albeit an abbreviated version that focuses mainly on the important story parts. The missions are clearly designed to accommodate a mobile game, with each taking just a few minutes to complete. The music however, is fantastic, with some new versions of iconic Final Fantasy VII soundtracks. It has a very interesting visual design, with a chibi-like artstyle for the cutscenes and world exploration, but in combat, it uses similar assets found in Final Fantasy VII Remake. I don’t mind the mix at all, and seeing the detailed models on a mobile device is quite impressive.
The menu of the game is packed with content, although much of it is still locked for me since I’ve only spent a few hours with the game. But along with the story content, there is solo content that uses energy, multiplayer content, events, and something related to Chocobos — that’s unlocked at Player Level 7, which I may or may not get to before the end of the closed beta test period.
Those who were expecting a full-fledged re-imaginaging of the classic Final Fantasy VII experience on a mobile device, this is not it. It does not feature the classic turn-based combat system, nor does it have every bit of detail from the complete game. These are shortened missions designed to tell the overall story of Final Fantasy VII. I will say, it will probably do a fantastic job at getting newcomers to the series.
© Copyright Square Enix
I believe most people are concerned about the gacha elements of Ever Crisis and whether or not you can experience the game without having to spend money. Well, that’s hard to say because we can’t spend money in the closed beta test, although the game does give us enough currency to do a few draws. You are pulling for weapons and the odds are pretty generous for a gacha game. Although it’s subject to change, the odds of getting a 5* weapon is 7.5%, a 4* weapon is 22.5%, and a 3* weapon is 70%.
Like most mobile RPGs, you’ll have to enhance your weapons to make them stronger, by farming resources within the game as well as getting duplicate items from pulls. There is also a Materia system to further augment and customize your gear, and they’re a bit like Memoirs if you played Nier Reincarnation. You’ll unlock sub-stat bonuses as you level them, which means there is likely going to be a lot of RNG involved with Materia. There is a third enhance menu titled “Synthesis” I haven’t unlocked. Players will also be able to “grow” their characters and summons.
© Copyright Square Enix
I will probably be spending a few more hours over the weekend going through the closed beta test, but since progress won’t carry over to launch, I probably won’t go too deep into Ever Crisis. Besides, mobile games tend to have plenty of content at launch and they normally have promotions so you can get all the pulls you need to experience the initial content. How well a mobile game performs is how it’s maintained in the long run. Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia has done a fantastic job in that aspect. Nier Reincarnation had its moments, but the game eventually became so tedious and cumbersome that I had to give up on it. It’ll be interesting to see which path Ever Crisis follows.
Square Enix has been pretty hit or miss on its mobile games, but I will admit most of them are fun at launch. I do think Ever Crisis has the potential to draw in new fans to the franchise, with its condensed story telling of Final Fantasy VII from a mobile device. If nothing else, Ever Crisis offers a great way to listen to the fantastic soundtrack.
