When
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates came out on the Nintendo DS,
it was actually quite impressive to the point that it showed us that the DS is
more than capable of handling an epic RPG of this caliber. So it came as no
surprise that the series continues on the DS and – surprise – is just as
impressive if not better than the first DS game of this series. Final
Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time for the DS is yet another reason
your wallet will remain empty this month.
I
should mention that Echoes of Time is also available for the Nintendo
Wii. Usually, I wouldn’t mention another console’s version of the same game but
the Wii version offers connectivity with the DS version of the game. Using my
DS’s Wi-Fi connection, I can actually play the multiplayer portion with Wii
gamers and vice versa. I should also point out, though, that while the versions
are nearly identical, it is the Nintendo DS version that comes off as the clear
winner and this mostly has something to do with the controls. This is definitely
a game that was designed with the DS in mind.
With
that said, Echoes of Time features a decent story that might not be
deeply compelling but it isn’t a bad tale either. You start by picking your
character’s race (be it a Clavat, Yuke, Selkie or Lilty) as well as your gender.
Once you’ve done that, you find your character waking up from a nightmare only
to find out that your character overslept on your most important day. You see,
this is the day of your 16th birthday and it is your Coming-of-Age
ceremony. On this day, you must prove yourself worthy of being considered an
adult by going into the forest and face a trail that will not only test your
strength but also your bravery.
The
ceremony is also where the game introduces you to the game’s battles as well as
your characters different attacks depending on what race you selected in the
beginning. If you picked the human like Clavat then you are a balanced character
with good sword skills while the Yuke are the spell-casters. It is after the
battle with the biggest foe in the forest that you earn your place as an adult
and come home to find that one of your friends has fallen ill to the mysterious
disease connected to the Crystal. With no cure in your village, your only choice
is to break the village law and venture out of your home in search of the cure.
And so begins a lengthy and impressive quest to save a friend.
Of
course, you will not jump into the main quest on your own because other towns
will introduce you to up to three other characters that will join your party.
The most interesting part is that you not only get to pick your allies but also
customize them they way you see fit. If you like a party consisting only of
magic-users then you can do just that. You can mix and match your party with
different races unless you always wanted a four-person crew of only Selkie
warriors. As far as customization options go, there’s a nice diversity here and
you can always customize your own character anyway you see fit.
The
main quest takes you through a number of locations on the map that include a
number of towns and villages as well as other key locations. It is in these
towns and villages that you can also participate in side quests offered by
characters in the game or even the Adventurer’s Guild. The actual field is big
with a few platform-jumping puzzles along the way and numerous enemies that
range from small opponents to some huge brutes.
Much
like Ring of Fates, the dual-screen and controls work perfectly. There’s
a bigger emphasis on combat in this game and it is also handled beautifully
enough so that you’re not only swinging your enemy but you can also pick up your
foe and smack it around or slam it against a hard surface. You can also jump and
slash as well as unleash a powerful blow. Casting spells is also a lot better in
Echoes of Time and you can even stack your magical spells to double their
effect. All of this helps make combat less of a chore and more an entertaining
event.
Unfortunately, your AI-controlled allies are just too unreliable in combat and
are prone to making some dumb decisions. You can issue commands that will have
them following your lead, attacking mindlessly or curing themselves when they
need a healing potion. Sure, you can manually switch between characters and
control them during battle but would have been cool if your characters actually
had enough brains to lend you a hand instead of having to baby sit them.
When
you’re not exploring the villages, towns and various dungeons the map has to
offer, you can participate in multiplayer side quests with actual players online
via the wireless Wi-Fi connection. As I mentioned, you can even play along with
gamers playing the Wii version of the game. You can have up to three friends aid
you in the main game or participate in head-to-head co-op contests such as
Culinary Capers, Smash-O-Rama or Starfest Counting Song. It’s fun stuff, indeed.
Graphically speaking, Echoes of Time does look just as gorgeous as the
first Nintendo DS Crystal Chronicles game. The backgrounds are
beautifully rendered and colorful enough that it lights up the dual screens
nicely and the cut scenes will not fail to impress. The game’s sound is
excellent as well with a great soundtrack that sounds a little too familiar and
detailed sound effects.
In the
end, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time is yet another game
in the series that will make you happy that you own a Nintendo DS. It does have
its share of problems but these problems are overshadowed by the more
action-packed and enjoyably epic adventure. This game was definitely made with
the DS in mind and outshines the Nintendo Wii version if you were wondering what
version to buy.
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Gameplay: 8.5
The story might
not be incredibly deep but it does justice to the Final Fantasy Crystal
Chronicles series. There’s plenty of RPG-styled exploration and dungeon
crawling but there’s more action in this game than the first DS Crystal
Chronicles game.
Graphics: 8.5
Visually, the
game looks great on the Nintendo DS and the details stand out beautifully
throughout the game. There are some great visual effects and the character
models look really good during cut scenes or during the action.
Sound: 8.5
Normally, I would shake my head at a game that uses the soundtrack of the
previous game (in this case, Ring of Fates) but that soundtrack was
totally awesome. Add some voice clips and a diverse number of sound effects and
you have an impressive visual and audio treat.
Difficulty: Medium
Playing solo, you
will come to realize that your AI teammates are too dumb to think on their own
and since you can’t heal them you’ll have to issue commands for them to do it
themselves. Some of the weaker enemies don’t pose much of a threat but you’ll
encounter some tough enemies along the way.
Concept: 9.0
Once again, you
are off on an epic adventure with a lot to see and do along the way. There are
also character customization options available to make your character really
stand out. You can play online with others via a Wi-Fi connection whether you
play with gamers using a DS or the Wii version of the game.
Multiplayer: 9.0
You can team up
with up to three other players via a Wi-Fi connection and, for the most part,
the game runs smoothly enough even while playing with gamers playing the
Nintendo Wii version. There are plenty of chat options and there’s a keyboard
when you want speech to be a tad more elaborate than the preset options.
Overall: 8.5
Echoes of Time
for the Nintendo
DS certainly is a leap in a better direction for the Final Fantasy Crystal
Chronicles series and it is definitely a game with a lot to offer fans of
the genre. While there are a few issues that do hold it back, the overall
package makes the handheld version of this game the one you should buy.
