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| Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles Reviewed by Pirate Yoshi Over-view: Not since the days of the Super Nintendo have we seen a Squaresoft title, and now that the Final Fantasy series has at last returned to Nintendo's consoles, we don't even get the pleasure of calling the makers "Squaresoft" any longer. "Square-Enix" is the new name, and it definately lacks something of the same luster, but who's complaining? Final Fantasy on GCN....at last! Of course, long-time fans of the series were shocked to hear that the first FF adventure since the breakup would be an ACTION RPG, as opposed to the standard role-playing adventures that have become the very definition of a Final Fantasy title. Fears developed, and impressions shifted back and forth. Finally, I've gotten around to reviewing this game, and I'm here to confirm or deny the reports you've been hearing. Read on. Graphics: 9.7/10 Let's say this for Final Fantasy: even on Playstation (bleagh!), the FF series has proven over and over that graphics don't make a game, but they definately sweeten its taste....er, feel..........uh, experience? At any rate, Crystal Chronicles is eye candy in most every way, with dazzling backgrounds and levels, well-modeled characters, and fluid, smooth animation. Why not a 9.9, then, or--dare I suggest it--a 10? Simply because so much of the game is from a far perspective, which causes the graphics to lose some luster in the end. The detail is magnificent....when the camera is zoomed in. But great graphics do much less when you see a very wide area of the screen, and your character is a fragment in the center. Sound: 9/10 The sound of Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles is top notch, but the parts that are top notch are scarce. In particular, the music is generally dull and unamusing, but there are a few stand-out pieces that really boast a lot. Unfortunately, there's not a whole lot of sound variety, and the lack of voice acting doesn't help at all. Still, this is above-the-bar sound work, and if only more of the sound were as good as a few select clips and songs, this catagory would be in the 9.7 range. Controls: 6.4/10 Sadly, the controls are weak in comparison to the rest of the game. Perhaps the most annoying point of order is the management of items and subscreens on a GBA when playing with others--the complaint is about trying to do this during boss battles. So far as I've found at this time, it is *impossible* to change your inventory, select an item, or change spells on the fly during a boss battle when dealing with a second player, because such actions cannot be performed while the game is paused, but if you switch to your GBA menus, your character will stand in one place until you finish--if the Chalice moves, then the character will follow, but that is the only movement. As if this were not annoying enough, if your friend should be killed, you have no chance whatsoever, because there will be no one to hold off the boss, move the Chalice to keep you on the run, or heal you from damage you may be taking. Other complaints with the controls consist of a bit of shoddy movement (it can be grueling trying to get your character to stand in a particular place, or set down an item correctly), the difficulty of managing your Command List (scrolling with L and R rapidly during a battle can make it very difficult to put up a fight--why not assign certain buttons to commands instead, a la Zelda?), and--of course--the need to use GBAs in order to play with multiple players. But that's very minor, and hardly counts for much. All that being said, however, the controls are still above par, and could become much worse (then again, when couldn't they?) Replay: 7.9/10 Replay, the infamous RPG-slaying catagory. As we all know all too well, most role-playing games are made for a single player to romp through once, laboriously, then sell or tuck away forever, never to be rebooted again...or, maybe once more on a rainy day. Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles is not the typical RPG, and--as such--you should plan on using it an untypical amount of time. I won't lie--you probably will tire eventually and have nothing left in you desiring to play Crystal Chronicles until months have passed, and maybe even then you'll only play for the weekend or such, but it should be known that Crystal Chronicles exceeds the role-playing mold easily. What I contribute to making this game playable over and over again is the sheer fun of simply killing monsters, solving puzzles, battling bosses, and building your character through treasure-collecting. The game is simply enough fun that you'll want to go back through some of it over and over. Of course, like any game (yes, ANY game), you'll grow tired thinking of the harder, more frustrating puzzles or battles, and lose a lot of heart while envisioning trying to fight through those terrible stretches over again, and you'll eventually find it not worth dealing with any longer. But, for an RPG, Crystal Chronicles provides a lot of fun on repeated attempts through the game, and will keep you busy collecting, battling, and building for a long time. Gameplay: 9.3/10 And the most important catagory for any game, Gameplay, shines forth again! Despite bad reports about any game in any other catagory, the main focus of your attention should go on what I've given for a Gameplay score, as it roughly translates to an "over-all" catagory, but with more of a "how it all fits together" theme. And, if I may say so, Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles fits together very nicely. The visuals are quaint and charming, the levels (areas) are tough but rewarding, the battles are rigorous but exhilerating, and the treasure hunting is glorious and very fruitful. Every time the Crystal Chalice fills up one more level, an amazing sense of accomplishment takes over, and it's hard not to swell with pride as you think, "It's all been worth it." Nothing puts you at the top of the world like taking down a boss, obtaining some rare artifacts, getting a drop of Myrrh, and topping it all off with a wonderful letter from your family, perhaps containing some fantastic gift. Playing with other players adds a huge notch onto the game in terms of outright "fun", and learning to cooperate and communicate with your allies is valuable, clever, and--in the end--very fun. Some of the bosses are tough, and you may become frustrated, but when you play with other players, nothing feels quite as good as talking for hours (i.e. days, weeks, months, perhaps the rest of you life!) about the trials you both overcame, and the amazing underdog win you somehow put together and pulled out over a huge enemy who seemed impassible until his final moment of defeat. The only word that keeps coming to my mind is "rewarding"....playing Crystal Chronicles is a very rewarding experience for everyone, and more game designers should figure out this sort of formula and utilize it. As far as Gameplay goes, Crystal Chronicles can be considered a role model for not only other RPG and Action adventures, but every genre available. **Story: 1/1 Perhaps the Final Fantasy series' biggest asset is the storyline. Millions of fans worldwide love and cherish the tales of their video games, and the stories behind the Final Fantasy games have been imprinted in fans' hearts forever. While Crystal Chronicles is a much more simple storyline than most told in a Final Fantasy game, it's still heads and shoulders above most other games on the market (let's not speak of Zelda...), and therefore deserves all the bonus points I'll give it for this catagory. **Multiplayer: 1/1 And what a surprise! Even with a handicap like the requirement of GBAs for each player, Crystal Chronicles shines forth as a multiplayer masterpiece! It's rare that a multiplayer experience is turned into a team-based adventure, and it's even rarer that such an unusual event proves to be a fantastic addition worthy of univeral praise. In this rare occaision, the game is actually LESS fun to play when you aren't playing with others, and the bonds you'll build with co-players can easily transition over to other titles once you finish playing Crystal Chronicles through. Just keep in mind after you move on to another co-op title that you're probably taking a big step down...after all, not all games can be Crystal Chronicles-good. Graphics: 9.7/10 Sound: 9/10 Controls: 6.4/10 Replay: 7.9/10 Gameplay: 9.3/10 **Story: 1/1 **Multiplayer: 1/1 Total Calculated Score: 8.86 Total Assigned Score: 9.2 Final Score: 9.03 Last Words: A lot of fun to play, especially with a lot of friends, food, and spare time (not to mention Game Boy Advances), but the steep challenge may drive would-be players away. Definitely an experience that players should at least consider undertaking, especially as a team/party. Rent, Buy, or Pass: RENT, or DIE. From there, you can decide if you're completely opposed to the game, or if it's right up your alley. Pros: Tons of fun for multiple players, an epic storyline, and a fun experience unlike any you'll find in most other GCN RPGs. Cons: Aggrivating controls at times, aggressive difficulty level for casual players, and requirement of GBAs per player. Needed: A sequel, and more gamers to party up with! |
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