Product Description
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Finally...the first multiplayer Final Fantasy game, available on
home consoles in the US, has arrived! Using Game Boy Advance
units as controllers to receive unique information, up to 4
players embark on this real-time, hack-and-slash journey through
a poisoned world. Communication and teamwork are vital for
survival in this latest Final Fantasy epic.
Review
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As renowned as the Final Fantasy series has become over the
years, the release of Crystal Chronicles brings with it an air of
unfamiliarity. Although many of its elements tie into the greater
Final Fantasy universe, this is but a faint echo of what you have
come to know and love.
While it can be argued that this is a new direction for the
series, and therefore shouldn't be put on the same level as the
other games, fans have come to expect the best from Final
Fantasy, and with each passing release, Square has delivered.
Crystal Chronicles may break new ground, but it lacks the
creativity and passion of its role-playing brethren.
As stylish as the character designs may be, they are completely
void of personality. The story is just as ambiguous. Never once
did I feel attached to my character, nor did I care what twists
or turns the plot would make. The Final Fantasy games are
renowned for storytelling, but it seems like an afterthought in
Crystal Chronicles. Cinematic flair is also noticeably absent.
The gameplay is just as careless and jagged. While the quest can
be played single-player, it's meant to be tackled by a group of
people (preferably four). Since each player utilizes menu screens
often, Square and Game Designer's Studio decided that you could
only play multiplayer with a Game Boy Advance attached to the
GameCube. Hence, all menu management is done on the GBA screen,
and the action on the TV is unaffected. In theory, this is a just
solution. As it turns out, though, I found it to be more
detrimental to the quest than anything.
When a player accesses the GBA, their character on the TV cannot
be controlled. Not only does this leave them open to attack, it
more or less halts any progress that the group can make. So
basically, you still find yourself sitting around waiting for
your buddy to make preparations, but instead, you're doing it
with a controller that has fewer buttons and dying batteries.
To make matters worse, players must also keep an eye on a bucket.
To prevent characters from scattering and trying to run in
different directions, the bucket emits a field of energy that
covers roughly 80 percent of the screen. If you go outside of
this barrier, you'll take damage. So you basically must stay
huddled together as one person carries the bucket throughout a
stage. Without question, this is one of the stupidest ideas in
the history of video games.
When it comes to the basics of gameplay, the combat is
respectable, but by no means great. I really like the
timing-based combo system that accompanies both magic and general
hack n' slash, yet I absolutely despise losing all of my magic
with each new area that I enter. Hence, classes are not defined,
and you never really get the impression that your character is
growing in power.
There's little here that truly excites. Crystal Chronicles plays
like an experiment gone awry, and is unfit to bear the sacrosanct
Final Fantasy name.
Concept:
A hack n' slash with inventive, yet highly aggravating GBA-based
multiplayer connectivity, and a worthless bucket
Graphics:
Stylish character designs, gorgeous particle effects, and awesome
boss designs
Sound:
Not the familiar Final Fantasy melodies, but memorable
nonetheless
Playability:
Steers away from button mashing with timing-based chains, manual
spell ing, and multi-person combos
Entertainment:
A cookie cutter adventure with a lackluster story, poor character
growth, and frustrating play
Replay:
Moderately High
Rated: 7 out of 10
Editor: Andrew Reiner
Issue: February 2004
2nd Opinion:
Crystal Chronicles is here to remind us that every so often,
Square Enix actually puts out an average game. It seems like for
every thing FF: CC does right, it does two things wrong.
Combining spells with your teammates is awesome, but half the
time it's less effective than two individual castings, and you
lose all of your magic between areas. The effects and character
models are cool, but downtimes really drag and many cutscenes
look awfully similar. The worst part, though, is that character
advancement is the slowest I've ever seen. Beat a boss and get
your choice of +1 to one of your stats! Thrilling. There is
certainly some enjoyment to be had here, but it's sprinkled
somewhat thinly among all of the lame and boring parts. On a
console with a lot of great four-player titles, Crystal
Chronicles does very little to distinguish itself.
Rated: 7 out of 10
Editor: Adam Biessener
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Review
- Explore wilderness, caverns, incredible dungeons and more -- gorgeous, realistic graphics in three-quarter perspective.
- Use magic and special attacks in exciting real-time battles -- and use teamwork to overcome the deadliest creatures on the planet.
- Exciting four-player team action, as you hack and slash through a world of monsters.
- Up to three friends can join in, using their Game Boy Advance systems as controllers.
- Players can use the GBA screen to access menus, organize their spell spheres, and perform upgrades -- without slowing down the onscreen action.