Final Fantasy is, by video game standards, an ancient franchise. At something like twenty games (i.e. FF 1 through 12, plus Crystal Chronicles, FF X-2, Mystic Quest, and myriad game boy incarnations), it’s more or less accepted as the definitive word in RPG gaming (forgive the redundancy).
For those not in the know, the title “Final Fantasy” evokes images of lengthy turn-based battles, gripping storylines, and (for the most part) likeable and vibrant characters. They’re also very solitary play experiences.
However, 2004 brings us a much-needed departure from the tried-and-true formula – trust Nintendo to shake things up – and redefines exactly what constitutes a Final Fantasy.
Conceptually speaking, FF: CC is Gauntlet – a multiplayer foray into a world populated with malboros, cactrots (oh, “cactuars”; forgive me for the out-of-vogue FFVI reference), and all manner of beasties that fly, freeze, and frolic through the lush battlefields of the world.
Even without the monsters, this world is a tough place to live. For reasons explained towards the end of the game, the world is covered in a thick, poisonous fog called miasma (pronounced “my asthma”), the effects of which are warded off by giant crystals. Each village has grown up around these crystals. Unfortunately, there’s a catch: every year, the crystal must be purified with a chalice full of Myrrh. While gil doesn’t grow on trees, apparently Myrrh does. And, of course, Myrrh is your reward for fighting through each level and defeating the big boss creature. So your Crystal Caravan (the subject of the Crystal Chronicles) consists of you and/or up to three others.
The big gimmick of FF: CC is connectivity. In order to take advantage of the multi player mode, you need the following items: One (1) Nintendo GameCube console, one (1) Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles game disk, from two (2) to four (4) Nintendo Game Boy Advance systems, two (2) to four (4) Game Boy-Game Cube link cables, and one (1) memory card (optional). All told, that’s about $500 worth of equipment right there. It’s been said that Nintendo is selling to a niche market with this (those of us with the aforementioned caboodle of stuff), but if you don’t already own a GBA (shame on you – it’s an awesome system), or ditto three friends, then you’re outta luck, mister.
Let’s say you’re part of the niche, so you and your friends, all a-tingle with excitement, start the game. First, you must choose your tribe out of the human-esque Clavats, the gangly, magic-using Yukes, the turnip-like warrior Lilties, or the gypsy hucksters, the Selkies, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. After that, you head into a dungeon. One person carries the crystal chalice, which, in addition to serving as your myrrh-vessel, exudes a protective sphere of influence that keeps myrrh at bay; exit the circle, and your health gradually diminishes, so teamwork is essential, i.e. “I’m taking the chalice around to the left”. So you go on to beat one of the spectacularly huge boss monsters, and collect your drop of myrrh. Lather, rinse, and repeat until you beat the game.
There are no levels or experience in the game, per se. Rather, you upgrade your character with artefacts that boost your stats. After beating the boss, the team gets their pick of items. Each player has a certain condition (such as dealing damage, opening chests or not using magic) that must be met in order to score points – the player with the highest score at the end of the level gets first pick of the artefacts, and so on. So you can either play competitively whilst cooperating, or agree to divvy the artefacts based on the needs of the team. This, of course, can lead to some entertaining sessions of bickering.
Now, allow me to say the following: While FF: CC is eminently playable as a solo venture (a floating puffball moogle carries the chalice in lieu of your team mates), playing with friends is always a time-eating joy.
CC has an interesting control scheme – in order to cast magic, you must pick up these beach-ball sized stones called magicite (I was never clear whether it was pronounced magi-site or magik-ite – I usually opt for the former), and then equip the spell, using your game boy screen, to your command list. During battle, you use the shoulder buttons to scroll through your commands, select the proper one, and use it in real-time. Battles move a lot faster and are more interesting when you’re not just picking words out of a menu. My one qualm with this system is having attack and defend as two different slots on the menu – it’s far too cumbersome to parry an attack and quickly counter, making defending largely useless. Other than that, combat soon becomes second nature.
So, we’ve determined that FF: CC is pretty fun to play. You’ll be gratified to know that it looks and sounds nice too. From the gorgeously rendered environments, lively characters, and fantastic spell effects (the animation for blizzaga is especially spectacular), to the lilting, Celtic opening music, nothing is left to be desired in the aesthetics department. Even with numerous spells being fired off at once, and enemies zipping every which way over the beautifully animated water effects, there was nary a hint of slow-down. Everything looks professional, crisp, and exactly as it should. There’s even a hint of voice acting in the introductory speeches to each stage, told by a woman with a faint Irish accent. While the writing in some of these speeches can be a bit corny, it’s forgivable, since you’re most likely not paying attention in your excitement to go out and slap some baddies.
If you’re playing with friends, FF: CC has a lot to offer. It’s entirely possible to spend years and years of game time (a year is three drops of myrrh, i.e. three bosses) simply travelling around, beating levels you’ve already completed, and collecting better and better equipment (by the third time you go through any given level, you have a very good chance of picking up some fairly powerful equipment), and having a good time. While the storyline is more or less over after the sixth year (everything really starts to pick up at about year five), you can spend time collecting your best equipment (including the ubiquitous “ultima” weapons) and seeing all there is to see.
The story is told through brief cut scenes while you’re on the road, which are stored in your diary as “memories” (which become important at the end of the game), so there’s a lot of enjoyment to be gained by just travelling about and learning about this world piece by piece.
If you’re looking for a story-intensive fifteen-hour epic in the vein of previous Final Fantasy games, you won’t find it with Crystal Chronicles. Instead, you’ll find a fantastic multi-player experience in a rich, vibrant world full of plentiful action. One caveat, however: like in any game requiring human co-operation, it’s only as good as the people you play it with, but for those who put the time and effort into getting the crew together on, say, a weekly basis, you’ll find a game worthy of the Final Fantasy name.
