Game Name: Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles
System: Nintendo GameCube
Developer: SquarEnix
Genre: Action, Role-Playing Game
ESRB: [T] Teen
Rankings
Appearance: 9/10
The game is absolutely gorgeous. The developer went through the extra effort to make the game progressive scan, so the component cables (and a first or second generation GameCube) are a must. The overhead view and camera may not be the best in the world, but every detail is crisp. The flame and water effects are exactly what they should be, and fur and hair move without disturbing a pixel.
Audio: 8/10
The orchestral music is spot-on. You can hear distinct differences between calm and chaotic mixes in the track, and boss battles really stand out. You can even pick up the differences between sounds for each race as you run through the game. The track is matched well to the action on the screen, and you'll hardly miss a sound effect off from on-screen action.
Physics: 6/10
The weakest point in the game is certainly the physics aspect. As a role-playing game, the need for physics really is minimized. However, it is also an action game. The swing-to-hit physics are nicely done, and the hair and fur move nearly as expected for any movements or wind in the area. The ripple and convection effects match neatly to how they should. There are limited items in the environment to interact with, however. You might open a chest or destroy a crate, but nothing else reacts to the action. You won't be burning down any trees with a poorly targeted Fira spell.
Game Play: 7.5/10
The GameCube controller controls are tight and precise. The GameBoy Advance controls feel a little off. The idea was interesting, but the execution is met with mixed results. The game is fun to play, even when multiplayer gets a little muddled.
Story: 6.5/10
This is not the best effort, but it's far from the worst. You get to have some fun with a simple, cliche storyline that really doesn't detract from the overall enjoyment of the game. It's also nice to see a game where the player can decide more about the story of the characters of the game than the developer. That gives the game some kudos points.
Multiplayer: 7.5/10
The ability to play this game with friends really helps it, but it does show some of the shortcomings of the GBA/NGC Link Cable idea. It's a great concept, but poor to okay execution hasn't helped a single game using it. This game has mediocre use of it, but that doesn't actually mean the multiplayer aspect is bad or not worth playing. In fact, it can be engaging to have a couple of buddies over it bashing away at baddies. It also doesn't hurt to have some party food or a party reason.
Replay: 7/10
It's hard not to come back to this game on some days. Other days you'll wonder about the game(s) right next to it. The multiplayer option really doesn't hurt the replay value, either. It has its moments where it engages you to no end, but a dry spell may very well crop up.
Extras: 5.5/10
The idea of using the GBA as a controller, or just a map in single player if you so desire, actually hurts this game a bit in the long run. It's not terrible, but it's not great either. There is room for improvement, but this is true of anything. Another neat extra is the ability to "load" a saved character into any saved village. You can have, essentially, one character participating in several quests. At the same time that this is nifty, it also falls a bit short of expectations.
Overall: 7.5/10
I really liked this game. The GBA linking didn't bother me all that much, and I'd even use the GBA mapping in single player. The bosses were challenging, getting quite difficult in single player or two player cooperative. There are sour points, but these are merely something for the developer to think about for a sequel. This game is worth making a sequel for (in fact two have been announced: Wii/NDS). All that really needs to be worked on is the control scheme for multiplayer. An online mode would also be a nice improvement.
