Square Enix has revealed that the upcoming Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- Reunion will add a new menu-based battle system, along with other visual and QoL improvements to the game. Crisis Core was a prequel to Final Fantasy VII that was released for the PSP in 2007, which is being remastered as Crisis Core Reunion for modern systems, with a planned winter 2022 release date on Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
FF7 was a turn-based RPG, yet all of its sequels and prequels belonged to different genres, as did its remake. Crisis Core was an action RPG that starred Zack Fair as the only playable character in the game. Like many action games on the PSP, Crisis Core suffered under the restriction of the PSP only having a single joystick, which restricted the player's control over their character and the camera, forcing camera controls to be stuck on the shoulder buttons. The fact that Crisis Core Reunion is on modern systems means that it can finally add support for a second joystick, allowing the player to easily control the camera during battle, while also freeing up the shoulder buttons to be used for other commands.
The official Final Fantasy VII Twitter account has announced some of the updates that will be coming to Crisis Core Reunion. These include improved camera and character movements, an optimized UI, new background music arranged by Takeharu Ishimoto, and voice acting for scenes that previously were only text. The biggest new addition to the game is a menu-based battle system, which will likely be an optional choice that works alongside the action system from the original version of the game.
The Twitter post doesn't specify what the menu-based battle system will actually be like, but it will likely be a Crisis Core Reunion version of FF7 Remake's Classic Mode. FF7 Remake is an action RPG, so the developers added a Classic Mode for those who wanted an experience that was closer to that of the original FF7. Classic Mode controlled the movements of the characters, including actions like dodging and blocking, so that the player only controlled the special moves & spells used by the party. Classic Mode made FF7 Remake a lot easier, which is why Intergrade added a harder option for it.
The new menu-based battle system likely lets the AI control Zack's movements, while the player picks his actions using a command menu. This will go a long way to making the game easier, as Zack fights alone in Crisis Core Reunion, unlike in FF7 Remake, where the other party members are always on hand with a Phoenix Down. The fact that Zack is part of FF7 Remake means that some fans might want an easier time with the gameplay in Crisis Core Reunion so that they can experience the story without hitting any roadblocks.
Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII- Reunion will be released for PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S in winter 2022.
Source: Final Fantasy VII/Twitter