It's been over four years since we saw the debut of Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles on the Nintendo GameCube, a game that worked well, despite its complex set-up with controller cables and Game Boy Advances. Now, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates makes its way to the Nintendo DS, introducing a faithful storyline, familiar gameplay and a mostly top-notch presentation that should please fans of the series. A few technical shortcomings, however, keep it from greatness.

No, you won't have to carry this jug. Relax.

In Rings, you control the fate of two kids as they utilize magical powers. They decide to use these powers for the forces of good, talking to shopkeepers and party members while also doing battle with a number of nasty enemies. It's a decent story, staying true to the Crystal Chronicles theme while occasionally throwing in a chuckle or two to keep fans happy. Considering that the game by nature is a dungeon crawler, it's good to see Square Enix livening things up.

This quest is approachable to all ages, thanks to the simplicity of the battle system. You'll find proper use of spell casting, combo attacks and tribal powers, wisely implemented between touch-screen controls and traditional button pressing. In addition, the game doesn't involve any kind of jug carrying, which was quite the burden back in the original Crystal Chronicles.

With that said, the game isn't perfect. At times, the computer characters act stupid, standing around and taking damage without fighting back. It's times like this that multiplayer would seem like a welcome option, but it also comes up short.

Online play would make this game exponentially better, but for whatever reason, Square Enix limits you to Ad Hoc. That's a little confusing, especially considering that the game has a "Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection" stamp on the front of the box. Rings of Fate also lacks single-cart sharing, so friends who aren't die-hard Crystal Chronicles fans but want to try the game must borrow it. Other than the lack of online functionality and downloadable play, there's still plenty to do here with friends. The group quests are fun, Moogle Stamp trading will entertain collectors and there's even a mini-racing game, similar to the event found in the original Chronicles.

Receive kindness, return kindness, eh? That never works during staff meetings...

Unfortunately, horrendous slowdown occurs whenever too much happens on-screen, even if it's just a matter of smacking bees flying out of a hive. Not too many previous DS releases from Square Enix suffer from this problem, so this is disappointing.

Past that, the game still looks and sounds good. It's not a top-tier role-playing game, but it completes its duty where necessary. The 3-D visuals look delightful, despite the slowdown issues and the occasional odd camera angle that makes jumps difficult to pull off. Some of the visual effects are outstanding as well, including the more complicated spell attacks. The opening CG sequence also deserves mention – it's one of the most beautifully rendered movies on the DS. Ring of Fates' sound is very good, thanks to the inclusion of a great soundtrack and solid voice-over work.

If Square Enix had just put a little more polish on the game, working out the slowdown issues and throwing in some real Wi-Fi Connection, it could've had another instant classic. As it is, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Rings of Fate is acceptably good at best, an adequately fun role-playing game with engaging gameplay and a mostly decent presentation. Check it out if you're a fan of the series or want to go questing with local friends.

Related Links

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates Game Guide

Square Enix

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