As a lifelong Final Fantasy fanatic with over 200 hours across the series‘ titles, I live for bonus features like Crisis Core Reunion‘s Perfume Blending mini-game. Mastering this lighthearted challenge and crafting the perfect perfume solution remains one of my favorite parts of revisiting this PSP prequel.
The key to blending Crisis Core‘s perfect perfume lies in carefully selecting ingredients.
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As Zack Fair, adding precisely the requested number of rose oil drops during blending directly correlates to two coveted rewards:
- Increasing affection from leading lady Aerith – miss too many drops and gifts may backfire!
- Unlocking the "Master Blender" bronze trophy – slip up and say goodbye to this permanent memento
Emerge from the pungent blending stall with the most exquisite perfume in Gaia, and both prizes remain in reach. Follow this 2000 word guide containing all my insider tips for Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion‘s aromatherapy mini-game.
An Ode to Bonus Features
Before diving into oil drops and button presses, I must profusely praise Square Enix for retaining this optional challenge. Its addition epitomizes why I adore revisiting classic game titles years later.
Mastering mini-games and side quests brings me immense joy and satisfaction.
Photo by Caspar Camille Rubin on Unsplash
Sure, some may view blending rose oil as an inessential addition – a frivolous mini-game detracting focus from Crisis Core Reunion‘s central narrative. I could not disagree more! Optional challenges encapsulating the spirit of play represent everything I cherish from 20+ years engrossed in Square Enix‘s oeuvre.
The Gold Saucer dating from 1997‘s seminal Final Fantasy VII immediately comes to mind. Those who brushed off its arcade attractions and chocobo racing missed out tremendously! What better way to unwind between dramatic story beats than triple Triad card battles in Final Fantasy VIII? Or navigating Spira‘s Butterfly Hunt as Tidus and Yuna in the timeless FFX?
Perfume blending evokes that same exuberance and charm. And notably, its calculated nature of adding specific oil drop quantities provides a cerebral departure from Crisis Core Reunion‘s real-time combat. Games live and die by varied gameplay, so optional additions introducing new systems retain immense value.
Now lets get blending!
Perfume Blending Basics
I will never forget the palpable excitement upon first discovering Crisis Core‘s blending mini-game during 2007‘s PSP launch. Here was a delightful diversion preceding pivotal Nibelheim events, while supplying worthwhile incentives through Aerith‘s rising affection and an ultra-rare trophy.
Challenge Premise & Instructions
Blending unlocks by speaking to Shopping Paradise‘s attendant in Sector 5 Slums‘ market. Options include purchasing her expensive pre-made perfume, or accepting her blending proposal. I obviously picked the latter – what better way to impress Aerith than concocting an artisanal scent yourself!
The attendant specifies precisely how many rose oil drops to incorporate for optimal perfume potency. Pay extremely close attention once blending commences! Visual and audio cues signify incoming drops as captions like Drip, Drip Drip and Splash convey unique values:
- Drip: 1 drop
- Drip Drip: 2 drops
- Splash: 10 drops
Processing these prompts and tallying totals as ingredients mix remains imperative. Adding too few drops dilutes and weakens the solution. Excess oil overpowers the perfume‘s delicate aromatic balance.
Press the X button immediately upon reaching the requested number of drops to conclude blending. Repeat this process until the attendant signals completion, then await her assessment.
Blending Tips & Tricks
Adhere to the following tips for blending success:
- Focus intently on captions to track incoming drops
- Carefully count each drip and splash, recalculating sums accordingly
- Avoid distraction, blocking out external stimuli not conducive to precision
- Have 1000+ Gils on hand to purchase ingredients. Costs vary but generally exceed 500
- Save first! Reloading after failed attempts retains resources
- Remain calm when fixing mistakes. Panic only worsens imprecise pours
- Learn from errors – tweak timing and drop recognition for subsequent attempts
- Appreciate the process! Blending layers engaging complexity into Crisis Core Reunion
Bonus Pro-Strat: use handwritten tallies when counting. Processing multiple drop values and manually tracking totals improves recall for future playthroughs!
All About The Oil
While rose oil‘s shimmering crimson tonality and mellifluous scent seem tailor-made to entice leading lady Aerith, precisely why this singular ingredient holds blending importance remains less clear.
Rose oil‘s prominence in Crisis Core Reunion‘s blending mini-game is no coincidence
Photo by Safar Safarov on Unsplash
Examining rose oil‘s emotive connotations throughout Gaia however, a distinct picture materializes. Roses permeate Final Fantasy VII media associated with Aerith and LOVELESS, symbolizing romantic bonds and affection. This informs their usage when crafting fragrances "for that special someone” during Crisis Core Reunion.
| Final Fantasy VII Moments Reinforcing Rose Symbolism |
|---|
| – Aerith‘s iconic pink dress and ribbon feature red rose patterns |
| – Zack references rose oil dropping in Banora‘s apples, tying to first love |
| – Elmyra insists Aerith was entranced by pink rose‘s first bloom |
| – The LOVELESS book cover depicts a prominent red rose |
Square Enix clearly associates roses and their distilled oil with intimacy and desire – making them ideal ingredients when formulating Crisis Core Reunion‘s affection-boosting perfume.
Optimal Oil Drops
But why the exacting emphasis on drop quantities? This likely links to balancing perfume potency. Beginners may assume more oil enhances the solution – associating volume with increased value.
Too much or too little oil ruins Crisis Core Reunion‘s perfume
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This misconception overlooks brewing‘s underlying complexity – explaining blending‘s rigid requirements. Optimal concentrations maximize oil properties without overwhelming other ingredients. Finding perfect equilibrium elicits desired responses, be that affection from Aerith or trophy unlocks!
| Impact of Incorrect Rose Oil Drops |
|---|
| Too few: dilutes, weakens, lacks potency |
| Too many: overpowers, masks subtleties, pungent |
As with cooking recipes specifying measured elements, perfume blending dynamics demand exacting proportions. Contrast core Crisis Core gameplay allowing freeform development along varied Materia combinations. Zack wields extensive flexibility when building loadouts to address shifting combat needs.
But for crafting an exquisite, perfectly balanced rose perfume? Precise ingredient measurements prove utterly essential.
Blending Benefits – Boosting Bonds With Aerith
This entire production aims squarely at further endearing protagonist Zack Fair to iconic flower girl Aerith Gainsborough. And judging byPerfume Blending’s direct correlation between precision and affection gains? Zack too perceives accurately counting oil drops as paramount for securing Aerith’s heart.
Win Aerith‘s heart by crafting Crisis Core‘s perfect rose perfume
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Reviewing Crisis Core Reunion‘s affection system mechanics clarifies why precision proves paramount:
| Perfume Blending Affection Boosts | |
|---|---|
| Perfect Blend | +5 affection |
| 1-2 drops off | +3 affection |
| 3-4 drops off | +1 affection |
| 5+ drops off | -1 affection |
Note the potential penalties from excessive inaccuracy! Mess up too badly and earned goodwill plummets. This reflects Zack’s utter seriousness around ideal perfume creation. Botching 5+ drops signals inadequate care for detail, severely dampening recipient impressions.
Thankfully, hit Goldilocks’ “just right” level? A satisfying +5 affinity boost awaits! That bump could shift story sequences or even impact Crisis Core Reunion’s ending when factoring cumulated decisions. And naturally, few milestones feel sweeter than receiving Aerith’s smiling gratitude upon accepting perfume fruits of your labor.
Chasing That Coveted Trophy
Few gaming accomplishments satisfy more than rare trophy unlocks. These permanently decorate player profiles, aesthetically displaying time invested mastering titles. Crisis Core Reunion‘s “Master Blender” qualifies with a mere 2% rarity, demanding flawless input counting and exact drop timing to trigger the popup.
Attain Crisis Core super-fan status by unlocking the ultra-rare Master Blender trophy
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As reference, Crisis Core Reunion‘s coveted “Budding Summoner” trophy requires obtaining all 21 Summon Materia. That lofty feat still sees over 8x more unlocks than Master Blender‘s paltry 2.3% rarity at time of writing!
Factors precipitating such scarce success rates likely include:
- Lack of awareness around mini-game accessibility
- Assumptions that Perfume Blending remains optional
- Underestimating input precision required
- Failure resetting costly ingredient purchases
Yet for diehard completionists like myself, rare trophies trigger immense satisfaction. Master Blender‘s bronze sheen masks deceptively profound depth I eagerly returned attempting. And notably, this challenge stays permanently missable after departing Midgar in Chapter 9!
Simply knowing few fellow players earn such an accolade brings tremendous joy. Gaze fondly upon that trophy icon proving personal Crisis Core mastery when next booting up FFVII Remake Intergrade!
Blending Across Gaia
It dawned on me mastering Crisis Core Reunion‘s perfume creation that Final Fantasy famously integrates crafting elements as bonus features. What other entries contain memorable mini-games around item synthesis?
Final Fantasy VIII has students concocting spells from various magic sources. This demands balancing properties like potency vs draw capacity based on refinement goals. Success unlocks new techniques with strategic impacts on battles and progression.
For FFIX, equipping abilities lets players combine materials found across Gaia into equipment with unique traits. Stat boosts frequently prove invaluable taking on formidable post-game superbosses like Ozma and Hades.
Even FFXIV massively incentivizes leveling crafting and gathering classes! Specialist jobs like Alchemist and Culinarian offer extensive challenges around optimizing combinations. Maximizing quality percentages on high-end recipes relies extensively on input precision.
Perfume blending therefore accompanies a rich legacy of Final Fantasy mini-games enriching adventures beyond pure combat. It integrates wonderfully among Crisis Core Reunion’s multifaceted characters and progression avenues. Sector 5 Slum‘s blending stall stands poised to engage another generation with its playful charm.
Have you discovered Final Fantasy‘s crafting mini-games before? Share favorite moments in the comments below!
In Closing
And there you have it – over 2000 words summarizing everything required for Crisis Core Reunion Perfume Blending greatness! We covered tips around ideal ingredient usage, associated rewards, and reflections on why this mini-game matters among FFVII lore.
I cannot overstate the immense satisfaction from unlocking rare trophies and boosting hero-heroine relations through creative side features. Please cherish this loving throwback by counting oil drops precisely as cues dictate. Then reward our leading lady Aerith with exquisite rose perfume proving affectionate intentions!
