Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII is a Japaneseactionrole-playing game developed and published by Square Enix in 2004. It was the first original (i.e. not an enhanced remake) game to be produced by Square Enix for mobile phones, and was released on NTT DoCoMo's FOMA 900i line of phones on a monthly subscription basis. The game is bound for the US sometime in 2006. [1]
The game is currently being updated by the form of "Chapters", or episodes. Periodically, Square Enix will release new episodes, where players of the game can download it and play further in the game. As of February 282006, there have been a total of 23 episodes released so far, along with a special episode entitled "Tseng's Side Story", and delving into his past and connection to Veld. It is set prior to Before Crisis. There is also a Golden Saucer area, and a Rescue Mode, in which the player must infiltrate AVALANCHE's base to rescue another Turk.
In their pre-E3 press conference, Square Enix announced that an English translation of the game will be released in the United States sometime in 2006. There were no details on what phones it will be available on, however.
Storyline
Before Crisis's story begins immediately following the war between the Shin-Ra Electric Power Company and the Wutai tribe, a conflict described in passing in Final Fantasy VII. With the Wutai crushed, Shin-Ra finds itself the dominant economic, military, and political power in the world. But there are those who remain dedicated to the destruction of Shin-Ra, chief among them the newly emerged insurgent movement known as AVALANCHE. Before Crisis concerns the earliest conflicts between Shin-Ra, represented by the Turks, and AVALANCHE. In contrast to Final Fantasy VII, which was told from the point of view of AVALANCHE, Before Crisis centers on the Turks; AVALANCHE is generally portrayed as the enemy.
The game unfolds through a series of "episodes." Because of the subscription-based nature of the game, more episodes are added on a fairly regular basis, each developing the story more fully.
The man with the most power in the Shin-ra Company. Founder and President of the Shin-Ra Electric Power Company, his ways of controlling the world are by controlling the media and claiming that he is doing all he can to help the people; it truth, he is very cold and cruel.
Son of President Shinra and Vice President of Shin-ra Inc., Rufus has different views on how to control people; he puts much stock in Machiavellism. He does not have much influence over Shin-ra Inc., and is often away on extended business trips. Rufus refers to President Shinra as his 'Old man' and has apparently little respect for him.
Shin-ra's minister for housing and urban development, though not its department head, as in Final Fantasy VII. He was Midgar's architect, and also designed the Mako reactors. Reeve is not a major character in Before Crisis.
Shin-ra's chief of military. Believes strongly in brute force; apparently thinks little of Veld and his Turks. In episode 9 - A Step Further into Uncertainty, he briefly takes over from Veld command of the Turks and proceeds to run them into the ground until Veld manages to regain his position by bargaining with President Shinra.
Shin-ra's head of science, and Professor Gast's successor. Despite his brilliance, he's a bit of a maverick, a bit of a hack, and at least mildly insane. Takes a childlike delight in developing all kinds of genetic monsters, as well as experimenting on humans.
Scarlet
Appears in episode 21 - The Preparation to Dive into the Finale, fighting against the Turks, apparently in the same position as she held in Final Fantasy VII.
Professor Rayleigh
Female Shin-ra Inc. scientist. Shows up in episode 5 - The Dream of a Nameless Soldier, in which the player must guard her and the information she caries, along with two other SOLDIERs and the Shinra Army Soldier, Cloud Strife.
This newly introduced character is in charge of the Turks, organizing their missions, etc; his official title is the head of the Department of Administrative Research. He is very particular when it comes to mission success and very unforgiving when it comes to failure. He is deeply respected by all of his underlings. When Heidegger usurps his place as head of the Department of Administrative Research in episode 9 - A Step Further into Uncertainty, he blackmails President Shinra into giving him back his job. Formerly a resident of Kalm Town, he had a daughter and wife that perished when the town was razed due to (his) misheard commands during the Wutai war, as discovered in episode 13 - A Scar that Disrupts the Peace. Though he seems fairly cold, he is actually rather emotional at times, as demonstrated in aforementioned episode 13.
Leader of the Turks under Veld. Despite being quite young, he is extremely loyal and respectful of his superiors, though he has trouble keeping his emotions in check, especially his temper. He very strongly admires Veld (to the point of disobeying orders from new boss Heidegger in episode 9 - A Step Further into Uncertainty) and plans to emulate his sense of professionality one day.
A young Turk who enjoys doing things his own way. Despite his lackadaisical attitudes, he is very serious about his job. He and Rude have been acquaintances for a very long time.
A powerfully built man who has suffered from hair loss. He is often very quiet and does not socialize much, but is very caring when it comes to his colleagues, especially Reno. Despite his quiet and seemingly shy attitude, he is a very fierce and powerful fighter, and always wears sunglasses.
One of the playable males. An ex-gang leader from Junon, he enjoyed fighting other gangs and stealing bikes, riding around causing havoc. Highly skilled in hand-to-hand combat as well as the ability to ride motorbikes and fixing them. He was rather unfamiliar with failure and with his ever growing confidence, decided to raid to Shin-Ra to steal some bikes, but was arrested by Reno. Realizing his skills could be used to achieve fame and fortune, he decided to offer his services to the Turks. He use a Rod as his weapon. He also appears in Last Order: Final Fantasy VII and is credited as Turk (Rod). He has been playable since the original beta version of the game.
Her father is teacher at the Shin-Ra Militia Academy, and so she decided to enroll. Graduating with outstanding results, her forte is marksmanship. Her excellent handling of firearms impressed the leader of the Turks, Tseng, and he recruited her to the force with great confidence. She is a very serious female who rarely jokes around, and is often very strict. Her weaponry is generally firearms. She also appears in Last Order: Final Fantasy VII and is credited as Turk (Gun). She had a younger sister, Elena, who adapted her appearance and (to a degree) fighting style in Final Fantasy VII. The two are apparently not on very good terms in Before Crisis; their personalities are rather different to the point of clashing, though they have some major similarities, such as the dedication to work. She has been playable since the original beta version of the game.
A former bodyguard of Don Corneo, his specialty is his rapid fire of guns with outstanding accuracy, much like the above female. Spending most of his time in the slums, he became fed up with the politics that had over-run the underworld society and he was offered a role in the Turks. He took up the role, knowing that it would put his skills to the test. His unorthodox "underground" style of achieving his missions often resulted in him failing. His weaponry is mainly firearms. He also appears in Last Order: Final Fantasy VII and is credited as Turk (Two Guns). He has been playable since the official release of the game.
A female hunter who often did things in a flashy manner. Always dressed as a person who came from a wealthy family, she had familiarized herself with the art of hunting ever since she was a mere child, specifically handling a shotgun. With a personality that liked to show off, she always wanted to better herself by accepting almost any job and when she was offered a place in the Turks, she immediately accepted. Her weaponry is a range of shotguns. She also appears in Last Order: Final Fantasy VII and is credited as Turk (Shotgun). She has been playable since the official release of the game.
He is an ex-detective from Costa del Sol, where he solved some rather complicated cases. A passionate, hot blooded and courageous man, he puts his all into everything he does – a trait that carries through to his personal as well as professional life. His tendency to rely on his emotions eventually got the better of him. He got himself into trouble, presumably in the course of his work and, finding no way out, took the job offered to him by the Turks who had been recruiting him for some time. He uses his powerful fists as a weapon to punch enemies. He also appears in Last Order: Final Fantasy VII and is credited as Turk (Martial Arts).
A mercenary recruited into the Turks when Veld decides are they are lacking the required manpower to deal with AVALANCHE. As a mercenary, she has seen a lot of battle, and is certainly used to taking orders, so her adjustment into the Turks is easier than it has been for some. A thoroughly businesslike woman on a mission, she gets her work done with a minimum of fuss. She is level headed, alert and perceptive, and is able to assess a situation and take the most prudent course of action. She is a skilled martial artist who uses a style which involves a lot of jumping and kicking style. She also appears in Last Order: Final Fantasy VII but has no speaking part.
A swordsman who was born in Gongaga and has a soft spot for beauty. He does not tend to stay long in any one place. His hometown fears him for his power; It's said that he killed an entire group to rescue a friend of his and as a result was imprisoned. Under the condition he would join the Turks, however, he was bailed. He joins the player in Episode 18, "A Cry that Rings Throughout the World".
Girl who uses a throwing star and whose birthplace is not known. She has a mothering side and tends to look after her colleagues. She was recruited with intent for her to become a Turk while still in an orphanage. She was brought up under their harsh training techniques from a very young age; in the history of the Turks, she is the youngest member to join. She joins the player in Episode 18, "A Cry that Rings Throughout the World".
A successful 1st-Class SOLDIER created by Professor Hojo during the JENOVA project, Sephiroth showed fighting capabilities far superior than that of other SOLDIERs. He was often looked up to as being a strong and determined hero by his subordinates. Wielded a long, thin sword known as the Masamune.
Another successful 1st-Class SOLDIER. His strength accelerated him to the top ranks of SOLDIER and he and Sephiroth became close companions. He has a positive attitude to everything, and while at first glance he seems to have a carefree personality, he's considerate to his allies and has a strong sense of duty.
A young Nibelheim boy who aspired to become a 1st-Class SOLDIER in order to prove himself a man to his family and friends. He failed, and to hide his shame, he became a grunt in the regular army. He's a little shy, reluctant and withdrawn, and often walks in the shadow of Zack and Sephiroth on different missions. The lower part of his face is often hidden by his cloak, or he wears a helmet. He's developed a friendship with Zack.
The last of the Cetra, or the "Ancients". Her mother, Ifalna Gast, brought her to Midgar when she was very young. A woman named Elmyra found them at the Sector Seven Slums train station while waiting for her husband to come home from Wutai. Ifalna died there, but Elmyra took Aerith as her own daughter. Since then, the Turks have been assigned to keep a lookout for her. They have tried to kidnap her many times, but have thus far failed; in episode 11 - A Dash for Freedom, the player encounters her in the Church, but didn't do anything to her, being off-duty.
A strong young girl who lives in Nibelheim. She and Cloud grew up next door to one another. She was taught martial arts by the great master, Zangan. She became a tour guide for visitors who come to Nibelheim and go rock climbing in the mountains that loom over the town.
A female ninja from Wutai, the daughter of the leader Godo. Hates AVALANCHE, but hates Shinra Inc. even more. Shows up in episode 14 - Every Hope and Resolution.
In Final Fantasy VII, Elena is the newest Turk; in Before Crisis, she appears as a high school girl complete with a slightly stylized seifuku. She is Gun (Female)'s younger sister, but despises her and the Turks, because her sister has outdone her.
Details are unknown. She appears in episode 21 - The Preparation to Dive into the Finale. She also shows up, albeit in a much different role and with a much different appearance, in Dirge of Cerberus, as a scientist for the WRO.
Bugenhagen
Appears in episode 18 - A Cry that Rings Throughout the World.
Azul
Shows up in episode 4 - Proof of a Scar Filled Existence. Also appears in Dirge of Cerberus. Further details are not known.
Essai and Sebastian
Two SOLDIERs in Zack's squad, they are later taken prisoner and experimented on by Fuhito. The player later confronts them, with aid from Zack, who, unable to recover them from their soulless state, is forced to kill them.
Raised from a young age by AVALANCHE, she is fiercely loyal to their cause. After having sworn to destroy Shin-ra, her fighting capabilities earned her the respect of many members of AVALANCHE. Played a vital role in development and running of AVALANCHE. She is apparently inflicted with an odd illness. It is rumoured she is a descendant of the Cetra like Aerith--this is generally believed to be false. However this theory is supported by the fact that Aerith (a Cetra) briefly mentions that she (Elfé) seems familiar. Nevertheless, this is the only piece of proof as of yet, and perhaps it will be clarified one way or another in further episodes. Elfé is somewhat quiet, decidedly taciturn, and surprisingly non-charismatic.
The strongest member of AVALANCHE, physically speaking. He had excellent hand-to-hand combat skills and often took charge of executing strategies. He is completely devoted to Elfé and even asks the player character to defend her if he dies in the Reactor (in chapter 17). His and Fuhito's respective personalities clash somewhat, and it is implied that they are very much not fond of one another.
The brain of AVALANCHE, he is highly skilled in terms of strategies and tactical warfare. Armed to the teeth in Machiavellism, he plays a rather important role in helping out the leader in terms of coming up with tactical solutions and providing support from a strategic vantage. He, however, is very treacherous, and has been discussing plans to use Elfé's possible power to their advantage as he possesses mysterious summon materia known as the "Zirconiade". Fuhito is shown to have no tolerance for failure as he kills one of his subordinates for being beaten by the Turks. He is also shown to have no patience with Shears.
The Ravens:
A squad of AVALANCHE members who have undergone genetic modification by Fuhito to serve as his personal attack squad. They appear to have lost their humanity, and have developed increased combat abilities, as well as the ability to completely recover, despite appearance of death. They are not, however, invincible, as Fuhito's execution of a Raven who failed in defeating the Turks, and Zack's mercy killing of Essai and Sebastian, who underwent the same experiments, displays. Named Ravens include Tierce, Kyneugh, and Kanos.
Gameplay
At the start of the game, the player is given five characters to choose from, two males and three females, each of whom specializes in a different type of weapon and has different statistical attributes. The male characters use melee weapons, while the female characters use range weapons (specifically guns). Square Enix has announced that future updates will make more characters available. As in Final Fantasy VII, magic abilities and skills are gained through Materia. To obtain Materia, the game utilizes the mobile phone's camera. You must take a picture, and the game distinguishes the main colours and turns it into Materia. Exact details on how this works are unclear.
