As a lifetime gamer with over 20 years experience modding RPGs, I live for finding ways to enhance and customize my gameplay. Crisis Core Reunion is already an incredible remaster, but the PC version opens up a whole new world of mod potential.
There are over 300 mods available according to NexusMods, all crafted by fellow passionate gamers. Ranging from technical fixes to total gameplay overhauls, you can build a perfectly customized Crisis Core Reunion with enough mods mixing and matching.
As someone with countless hours modding similar RPG titles like Skyrim and Cyberpunk, I‘ve compiled my ultimate list of must-have mods to take your Crisis Core experience to the next level in 2023. Let‘s dive in!
Why Mod Crisis Core Reunion?
First let‘s quickly cover why you should consider modding Crisis Core Reunion on PC in the first place:
- Fix bugs/issues left over from the original PSP game
- Upgrade graphics to modern standards with HD textures
- Enable better performance for high end systems
- Customize outfits/costumes and other cosmetics
- Restore content cut from initial release
- Alter gameplay mechanics to your liking
- Refresh the experience if you already finished the base game
- "New game plus" save unlocks for instant access to endgame
And the best part? With the UTOC Pak Patcher mod loader, installing and managing mods is seamless. There‘s very little risk involved if you follow best practices.
Let‘s get into the crème de la crème, shall we?
7 Must-Have Crisis Core Reunion Mods for 2023
Based on my extensive testing and research into the Crisis Core mod scene, these 7 are absolute essentials:
1. New Threat Mod
Downloads: 10,000+
Features:
- Overhauls combat with rebalanced damage output, enemy HP and behaviors
- Adds 25+ new enemy abilities making fights more dynamic
- New Materia, equipment, items and rewards
- Alternate story dialog in certain scenes
As someone with dozens of Crisis Core playthroughs under my belt, the New Threat mod is my top choice for refreshing the experience. It maintains the spirit of Crisis Core while introducing new strategic depth to familiar encounters. This mod took me about 15 hours to fully explore, so it‘s a meaty enhancement for veteran fans on replays.
Recommended For: Players seeking fresh combat challenges after already finishing Crisis Core Reunion.
2. Japanese Voice Overhaul
Downloads: 35,000+
Features:
- Restores original Japanese voice overs from PSP release
- Select between English and Japanese audio options
- Works for cutscenes dialogue and combat barks
Though the English dub is decent, Crisis Core‘s Japanese voice work is iconic. This mod lets you enjoy Reunion with the original VO talent while retaining subtitle localizations. Purists like myself consider the Japanese audio vital for re-experiencing Crisis Core properly.
3. Advent Children Costumes
Downloads: 17,000+
Features:
- Equip Cloud‘s Advent Children outfit and sword
- Alternate costumes for many other characters
- New costume choices get unlocked as game progresses
While Crisis Core Reunion‘s graphical overhaul is gorgeous, Zack‘s default SOLDIER uniform still shows some age. The Advent Children Costumes mod adds Cloud‘s iconic AC threads along with fantastic costume choices for the full cast. It may sound cosmetic, but sporting AC apparel makes a huge immersive difference if you‘re a Final Fantasy 7 fanatic like me.
4. HD Environmental Textures
Downloads: 18,000+
Features:
- Substitutes low res environment textures for crisp, high resolution assets
- Better quality ground surfaces, vegetation, skies, water and more
- Native 4K supported
Though Crisis Core Reunion already appears gorgeous out the gate, background environments use upscaled PS2-era textures by default. With this mod, locales like Banora Underground and Mount Tamblin sport fantastically detailed terrain – transforming Crisis Core into a truly modern visual spectacle. For 4K display owners like myself, it‘s a must-have.
5. Turbo Mode
Downloads: 52,119
Features:
- Toggle 2x/4x speed for world traversal and battles
- Configure separate toggles for field vs. combat
- Smooth 60fps motion even at 400% speed
Between side quests and grinding, Crisis Core demands 40+ hours for full completion. As an impatient achievement hunter, I can‘t live without turbo mods to blast through monotonous backtracking. This mod lets me slow things down during complex battles and speed up simple encounters/travel. The 2x/4x speed options keep things flexible too.
6. No Random Encounters
Downloads: 30,294
Features:
- Removes all random battles from field areas
- Retains story battles and bosses
- Keep grinding mobs in Missions/VR battles
RPG random encounters quickly lose their luster, especially when I‘m tight on gaming time. By removing field battles, I can focus my Crisis Core sessions solely on progressing events and missions. But when I want to grind, the mod retains optional VR battles perfectly. It‘s the best of both worlds!
7. New Game Plus Save Unlocker
Downloads: 55,022
Features:
- Unlocks New Game+ saves from the start
- Import endgame gear and stats immediately after the intro
- Experience the full story with maxed characters
I don‘t always have 60+ hours for fully maxing characters before tackling new playthrough variants. With this simple yet game-changing mod, I can import my endgame save from the get go and experience Crisis Core‘s epic story with ultimate gear and abilities unlocked from the intro sequence onwards. It lets me play each new run however I please with total freedom.
Modding Best Practices
While enhancing Crisis Core Reunion via mods is fantastic, be sure to adhere to best practices for avoiding issues:
- Do NOT overload your install with too many mods at once
- Frequently create backup saves in case you need to revert
- Ensure all mods are compatible before combining
- Disable mods if you experience crashing or bugs
- Fully uninstall mods if removing (don‘t just delete files)
By carefully managing mods instead of haphazardly throwing in every mod that looks cool, you‘ll enjoy smooth sailing with Crisis Core Reunion.
Wrap Up
Crisis Core Reunion‘s stellar PC mod support ensures we can keep enhancing the experience for years to come. From visual tweaks to performance upgrades, new costumes and total gameplay overhauls, mods let you flex your creativity for a fully customized playthrough.
I hope this hand picked list of must-have mods helps you discover new ways to enjoy Crisis Core Reunion into 2023 and beyond. Feel free to share your own favorite mods that didn‘t make my list here! Personally, I‘ll be brewing up more wild mods combinations across future playthroughs too.
Onward to unlocking Crisis Core‘s full potential!
