Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fate (mouth full) or FFCC: ROF is a DS game whose origins is traced back to a title found on the Nintendo GameCube and known in some gaming circles as “the bucket” game. You had to have a moogle carry a bucket around for you or worse the 2nd player and if you stepped outside it’s protective aura you took damage. Bad design. Luckily Square learns from their mistakes and in this new game for the DS there is no bucket…woot. This game is currently out in Japan and I am playing the import so I can tell you about the game mechanics but jack about the storyline (as I don’t read jp though I wished I did).

First off for those that played the original this is a far better game so don’t allow prejudice to stand in the way of owning this title. FFCC: ROF is a great action rpg and is a beautifully polished game as you’d expect from Square-Enix. The graphics are the nicest I’ve seen on this hand held including the FF3 DS title which it looks like they built upon that engine without a world map mechanic. Really impressive design, impressive 3D environment and lighting effects. When I stepped outside for the first time and found my way up on a rooftop and started jumping from roof to roof, I thought I was in heaven. Freedom of movement and jumping is a fluid and fun experience.

The game play is smooth and interesting using a combination of D-Pad and stylus. Mainly D-Pad for movement and stylus for items and magic mechanic. People who played the original will recognize the colored magic orbs from the GC title but this time around no mixing orbs, they are one time uses (you can stack them), and when you use them you go to a special view that still keeps you in real time combat…this is where your stylus skills come in handy for targeting the mob and triggering the spell. It’s fun and I think more interesting than the GC version. You also have more choices of orbs which perform a variety of tasks and can be used on the fly. Swordplay isn’t deep but you have some moves from the past like jumping and coming down on enemies in a zelda like fashion (death from above). You can also grab mobs, pick them up and throw them or in the case of flying mobs jump, hold and whack with sword. It’s fast paced and will have you mashing buttons like your 3 year old brother playing Soul Caliber. Not deep but intense and fun. During all this action you don’t have to worry about messing with camera angle as Square has created a nice floating camera that does a good job of following you through the action.

This game has nice level design, sound and all around great game. I had planned to only play a little so as not to spoil the NA release but I’m finding that I can’t put it down so I’ll probably play through this game twice. I’m very excited about seeing the english version and believe it will be well worth the wait.

-Wes

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