Promotion and Reception
Zack has served as the basis for several forms of merchandise, including figurines, as well as being pictured on the Final Fantasy VII 10th Anniversary Potion soft drink cans.
Critical response to Zack's character has generally been positive. In IGN's "Final Fantasy VII: Top 10 Characters" list, Zack made sixth place, with writer Dave Smith noting that "his check-out scene in Crisis Core is just about as epic as it gets in videogames." In February 2010, Famitsu readers voted Zack as the thirty-seventh most popular video game character in Japan. GamesRadar's Jim Sterling found Zack to be one of video game's most sexually appealing male characters, commenting on his personality and look. PALGN described Zack as an unfamiliar character in the series since his only appearances were in backstories. IGN UK's Dave McCarthy noted how Zack's role in the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII evolved as the series developed, to the point of him getting his own game. When Ayaka finished the song "Why" for Crisis Core, she mentioned that she wanted to deliver it alongside Zack's fate "to the hearts of many people."
Zack's role in Crisis Core has received a mainly positive reaction. IGN's Ryan Clements praised his growth, particularly commenting on his relationships with the other main characters. 1UP.com's Jeremy Parish agreed with Clements, arguing that Zack's story contrasted with other RPG plots, calling it "the heart of the game." Kevin VanOrd from GameSpot labelled Zack a "likable and complex hero," arguing that he "transcends the usual spiky-haired heroism and teenage angst with an uncommon maturity that develops as the game continues." Niall Rough from Acegamez agreed with VanOrd, arguing that Zack is a more appealing character than Cloud, and praising his personality and other traits. GameSpy's Gerald Villoria described Zack as "King of the Nice Guys," noting that even though he can be a "pretty hate-worthy character if you're the jaded type who mocks the typical Final Fantasy storyline," players who dislike him could come to appreciate him. GameDaily's Chris Buffa said that the inclusion of Zack in Crisis Core was one of the things the players would enjoy the most, finding him to be a "likable hero." Zack was also called an "endearing main character" by Game Revolution who stated that despite what the character goes through during the game, he still retains his friendly attitude. Like other reviewers, RPGamer viewed him to have the "full, soulful carriage of a Final Fantasy hero" due to his personal conflicts, despite his "artfully teased hair and devil-may-care grin." Although Eurogamer's Simon Parkin found Zack's physical appearance to be highly similar to Cloud's, he added that "This fan service doesn't put a foot wrong until he reaches into his pocket, pulls out a mobile phone and speaks." He also praised Zack's English voice actor for doing a good job, noting "his character's maturing and developing over the 15-hour storyline." IGN AU agreed, calling Rick Gomez's work as "pretty likeable."
On the other hand, PSXextreme's Ben Dutka, felt that Zack wasn't worthy of his own game, believing that only players with "halfway decent memories" and a "hardcore completionist mentality" will be able to remember Zack's appearances in the original Final Fantasy VII. IGN UK had mixed comments about the character, feeling his personality was sometimes annoying, although it served to contrast with the serious attitudes of the other main characters. Similarly, VideoGamer.com's Wesley Yin-Poole called Zack Cloud's "identical twin in all but hair colour," and complained about his personality being "annoying" during the first half of the game. Destructoid agreed, telling players not to expect to enjoy him if they do not like "cocky teenagers," and even labelling him an "annoying cockhole." Gameplanet criticized Rick Gomez' acting, finding it more immature than they expected, despite him being younger than in previous titles. GamesRadar's AJ Glasser commented that the way Zack obtains the Buster Sword and the way he gives it to Cloud is the "ultimate payoff" of Crisis Core, stating that the fact gamers know how the game will end is a series detraction.
Read more about this topic: Zack (Final Fantasy)
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