Cheat Index - Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles GameCube Review

Nintendo fans have waited a long time to play Final Fantasy on a Nintendo console -- something that hasn't happened since the Super NES days. Now that the iron curtain between Nintendo and Square has been lifted, fans finally have a chance to explore the Final Fantasy universe on GameCube -- although it might not be in the way they expected. Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles doesn't contain any of the Final Fantasy staples. There isn't a detailed story arch, there aren't any full motion video sequences, there isn't a deep experience/upgrade system, and you won't find a wide variety of magic spells. In fact, the only reason this game can get away with being called a Final Fantasy game is because there are a few recognizable items and creatures, and it shares the franchise's quality music and artwork.

But, even though this isn't a true Final Fantasy, this hack n' slash spin off isn't without merit. Game Designer's Studios and Square-Enix have done an admirable job of trying to make this more than a simple melee run through dungeons. There's a huge emphasis on teamwork, whether it's as simple as healing each other's wounds, working together to unleash a devastating magic attack, or solving puzzles. The magic and experience system has been reinvented -- and there's finally an admirable use of the GBA/GCN connectivity, which allows you to mange items without pausing the game. Is it perfect? No. Is it a Fantasy worth playing? Read on.

The Facts:

Travel through a Final Fantasy inspired world

Hack n' slash styled gameplay

Up to four player cooperative play

GameCube/Game Boy Advance connectivity

Progressive Scan Compatible

22 blocks of memory

Gameplay
Crystal Chronicles throws you into the midst of a troubled land. The world has been polluted by a toxin called miasma -- its very touch is lethal. Before the miasma was able to wipe out all life, it was discovered that certain crystals had the ability to repel the toxin and allow life to continue its struggle. However, these crystals (which have been erected in the center of towns) will fail unless they are replenished each year by a substance called myrrh. Each town must send out a caravan of young adventurers to obtain myrrh -- as one of your town's youths, your role is to lead its crystal caravan and save the townsfolk for another year.

While your task, although noble, boils down to five years of fighting through dungeons, defeating bosses, and collecting precious drops of myrrh. This simple format is applied to most aspects of the game, whether it be combat, magic, experience, or the story. FFCC shows very little of its RPG pedigree and instead focuses almost entirely on action elements.

When you embark on your quest, your caravan appears on the world map. This is where you decide which dungeons to tackle and what towns to shop in. However, while you're given the illusion of freedom to roam as you please, your progression is completely linear. This is due to the world's division into five sections by miasma streams that can only be passed once you've obtained the correct element by defeating a boss -- effectively trapping you in a given region.

The world map is also where you encounter random cut scenes (instead of random battles). These are the only story building elements besides for the introduction and brief chats in town. Sadly, most of these contain no more information than another caravan wishes you good luck on your journey -- and you're likely to encounter the same scene multiple times. FFCC even injects "story" into the game at the end of each year by recounting everything you just played through. This also comes with the requisite dance scene reminiscent of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi -- fortunately these can be skipped. It's really sad how little time was spent developing story or characters, especially from a company renowned for it's story telling.

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