As an avid fan who‘s played through the Crisis Core remake thrice now, I‘ve solved all of the game‘s obscure puzzles – but none tormented me as much as finding that dresser key! Here is my hard-won wisdom for this most evasive of items.
A Basement Bereft of Keys
When Zack carried Cloud‘s Makopoisoned body into the manor basement, I knew what had to happen next – the purple uniform had to go! Crisis Core makes you very attached to the characters, so seeing Cloud blemished and hearing Tifa‘s anguish over him – I needed to fix it fast.
Yet I must have searched that basement for an hour without finding any key! The rooms were small and sparse – where could it be tucked away? I battled monsters, smashed containers, checked and double checked every inch fruitlessly. I even wondered if it was a bug – had the key failed to spawn?!
Without the dresser key, Zack and Cloud were trapped in Nibelheim indefinitely. As a veteran FFVII fan, I knew the story couldn‘t stall here! There must be an answer…
The key had to be here somewhere. And after much frustration, I finally discovered its devious hiding spot.
The Hunt Continues
Before explaining the key location outright, let me set the scene of the dresser hunt. This section of Crisis Core takes you through the bowels of Shinra manor as Zack seeks a cure for Cloud.
The layout forms a loop – starting in the lab, descending to the caves, before returning upstairs. Along the way are dead ends, loops, and puzzles to unravel. While trekking this circuit, keep an eye out for the key‘s gleam!
The Key Locations (In Order of Appearance):
- Research Lab – Starting point with Cloud
- Underground Ladder – Descend here
- Basement Facility – Key left by scientist (!)
- Underground Cave – Explore at will
- Shinra Manor – Winding halls to dresser
- Locked Room – Open dresser with key
As you search, be sure to explore rooms thoroughly on both basement and ground floors. And with layout in mind, let‘s cut straight to the key.
Where to Find the Crisis Core Dresser Key
When first waking up in the lab, you can find the key early by looting it off the scientist Zack knocked out. But on my initial run, I missed that opportunity entirely.
If you‘re backtracking like me later, here is the exact location to snatch this devious key:
The Steps to Find It:
- From the lab, enter the adjoining underground cave
- Turn right down the nearest path, towards the "Basement Facility"
- Duck inside to find the scientist Zack KO‘d earlier
- Interact with him to claim the dresser key!
And that‘s it! That one unassuming room holds the key to progressing the Nibelheim incident.
With key finally in hand, backtrack upstairs to unlock the dresser.
Opening the Wardrobe to Progress
Carting my hard-won key, I ascended from the dank caves back into the mansion itself. Up here, the search continues for a different quarry – the locked dresser.
Make your way across the manor interior. When reaching the hall junction with two doors, take the path on the left into another monster-filled room.
And there, tucked against the rear right wall, I found twin dressers! The key‘s matching locker at long last.
One dresser held 5000 gil, a welcome bonus! But it was the left dresser that held the real prize – a uniform cleansed of Mako-taint.
Back in the lab, I presented the uniform to Cloud like a trophy. Finally properly attired, he and Zack were free to flee Shinra‘s conspiracies at last!
So why hide a simple key so cunningly? The search reveals much about Zack‘s character.
What the Dresser Key Symbolizes in Crisis Core‘s Story
The key is the goal tying this entire segment together – without it, neither Zack nor Cloud are leaving Nibelheim. By hiding it in the darkest recesses of the manor, the search takes on new meaning.
This whole sequence shows Zack‘s devotion to his friend – braving monsters and shadows alike for Cloud‘s sake. It also demonstrates his tenacity at overcoming impossible odds, key to his eventual heroic last stand.
And narrative weight aside, that hidden key also gates access to sweet rewards!
Bonus Loot From the Key Hunt
Beyond progressing the story, the dresser key also opens up bonus goodies found in the rooms along the search route. Be sure to grab these if you‘re key hunting:
- Underground Cave Treasure – several treasure chests hid amongst the maze-like caves. Contents include restorative items and 5000+ gil most notably!
- Shinra Manor Enemies – tough monsters inhabit the winding halls, giving 6000+ EXP and ability points when defeated.
- Materia Orbs – scour the rooms to uncover materia orbs offering powerful spells like Ultima and Shield.
So the tiny dresser key grants big combat benefits! With the path to progression cleared, Crisis Core‘s story can blast forward out of Nibelheim at last.
I hope this guide saves you the hours of searching this arcane manor I endured. But let me know if you discover any other evasive items amidst its depths!
