N-Philes

Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles

Posted by Simon K.

For years, Nintendo systems were the exclusive home of Squaresoft epics, with the Final Fantasy series sitting high atop its throne as the king of the console RPG. When Square jumped to Sony's PlayStation to take advantage of the storage space that disc media had to offer (along with lower fees), bridges were burned and fences were built. When the dust cleared, Square sat firmly on Sony's side, middle finger waving in the air, and Final Fantasy was a Nintendo staple no more. FF was still the master of its domain -- even more so than it had been previously, as Final Fantasy VII provided Square with its first multimillion American success story -- and the company transformed from a high-quality niche developer to an international gaming superpower with legions upon legions of fans.

The thought of Nintendo and Square reuniting persisted in the minds of gamers everywhere. Finally, after years of rumors and prayer, the announcement finally came: Square would be returning to the world of Nintendo with a GameCube game featuring the oft-maligned GBA connectivity (courtesy of Hiroshi Yamauchi's Fund-Q) that, at the time, was the only thing the Big N seemed to care about. If that wasn't bad enough for Crystal Chronicles, it had another factor working against it: it was not to be the type of Final Fantasy that gamers already knew and loved.

Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles is a demanding game if you play it as it's supposed to be played... with three other people. Before going into gameplay details, though, it'd be best to get the prerequisites out of the way: In terms of multiplayer, one gamer must own a GameCube and a copy of the game, and all gamers are required to possess not only a Game Boy Advance (or GBA SP), but a GameCube to GBA link cable. This setup can run anywhere from $350-650, depending on whether you buy your games and consoles used or new (or if you prefer a lit GBA to an unlit one). Quite the investment for one game, but some would argue that it's worth it. Then again, others certainly would not. It really depends on you. In all likelihood, if you're reading this, you ready own a GameCube. Some of your friends probably own GBAs, too, which makes the hardware requirements a little less intimidating. The question you have to ask yourself with FF:CC is this: Are you willing to sacrifice a deep, engaging single player mode for a great multiplayer experience? If you said "yes" or even "maybe yes", then read on.

The single player game is mildly interesting, and can be best described stylistically as a combination of two games: Phantasy Star Online Episodes I & II (in that you must repeatedly play the same levels in order to get all of the rare items) and another of Square's children, Legend of Mana (a tastefully designed action-RPG with some multiplayer elements). This combination is, again, interesting, but ultimately unfulfilling. While the game is beautiful graphically and artistically, it lacks soul, and when playing without the luxury of friends, one feels hopelessly isolated thanks to sparse Non-Player-Characters (who behave like cardboard cutouts when you do stumble upon them).

The levels are designed well enough, and gameplay is fun but simplistic. One annoyance many will find is the fact that you have to cycle through actions with the R or L-buttons. Once you select "Attack," that's all you can do with the A-button until you tab over to "Defend" or one of the spells you've picked up along the way. After overcoming that little speed bump though, levels will be beaten fairly quickly by those who don't believe in exploring every nook and cranny. For those who do, however, it will take significantly longer. Additionally, enemies aren't as clever as they could have been, and for those compulsive enough to try out everything and use the proper spells (Gravity on flying creatures, etc), the game will be a breeze.

Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles as a single-player title is somewhat disappointing, but for the most part it's a decent way to spend some time. The glaring low points of FF:CC are underscored by Square's previous track record. An unfortunate blow for the game, to be sure, but one it will have to deal with nonetheless. Multiplayer is enjoyable, but dependent on the availability of your friends, and as such is barely touched upon in this review. At this point the game has been dated by the release of The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures which is a greater testament to the potential entertainment value of GC-GBA connectivity.

The release of Crystal Chronicles was as anticipated as hot ticket game releases come, and the production values -- graphics, sound, design -- all met or exceeded expectations. For many, though (myself included), the game itself failed to generate the kind of enjoyment generally associated with previous titles from Square, particularly those of the Final Fantasy persuasion. If you're looking for an action-RPG on the GameCube, your best bet is to go for the action/standard RPG hybrid Tales of Symphonia, but this is an acceptable second choice on a console mostly devoid of role-playing titles.

Rating (for single-player): C-

Rating (for multiplayer): B

This game gets an N-Philes score of B+.

A semi-satisfying overall experience with a decent, albeit tedious, single player mode. Multiplayer is just shy of saving the day, and fails to shine in a post-Four Swords Adventures world. Moderately recommended.

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