If you’ve never played Final Fantasy VII Crisis Core then you’re missing out.
Unfortunately, it’s a hard title to get a hold of now, as it was only ever released on the Sony PSP, which is not in circulation anymore.
Crisis Core was the final piece of the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII project that started with the film Final Fantasy VII Advent Children.
Whereas that film, and the subsequent PlayStation 2 game Final Fantasy VII Dirge of Cerberus, were sequels to the original Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core was actually a prequel, focusing on Cloud’s friend and mentor Zack Fair.
📅 #OnThisDay 13 years ago we learnt what it meant to be a hero as Crisis Core #FinalFantasy VII was first released to the world!
Read on to learn about the origins of the iconic buster sword…
— FINAL FANTASY VII (@finalfantasyvii) September 13, 2020
Square Enix commemorated this event with a tweet on the official Twitter account for Final Fantasy VII Remake, which released earlier this year to near universal praise on the PlayStation 4.
“On this dat 13 years ago, we learnt what it meant to be a hero,” the tweet said, “as Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII was released to the world.”
The tweet also featured a striking image of Angeal, Zack, and Cloud, the three warriors who wielded the Buster Sword all standing around the iconic weapon with one hand resting on it.
Square also put out an article on the history of the Buster sword as a way to commemorate a game that told us a lot about the weapon’s origin.
The Buster Sword was forged by Angeal’s father when he first joined SOLDIER. Despite carrying the weapon everywhere on his back, Angeal rarely used it.
“Use brings about wear, tear, and rust,” he said. “And that’s a real waste.”
After Angeal’s death, he leaves the sword to Zack, who typically uses the blade’s blunt side as a way of honoring Angeal’s wishes regarding not over using it.
After Zack’s death, the blade passes on to Cloud, who becomes Zack’s living legacy. Of course, in the original game, Cloud loses his memories of Zack and believes Zack’s story to be his own. While that was only a small snippet in the original Final Fantasy VII, it is fleshed out to perfection in Crisis Core.
In Final Fantasy VII Remake, it seemed as though Crisis Core remained in canon with the story. We see Zack in a flashback at one point, repeating Angeal’s words “Embrace your dreams and always protect your honor as SOLDIER.”
The description of the Buster Sword in Final Fantasy VII Remake also states that it is a blade that inherits the hopes of previous users. That seems to be a reference to Angeal and Zack. Additionally, Aerith says at one point in the Sector 5 playground that she once sold flowers in the park, which is something that happens in Crisis Core.