FF CC Ring of Fates Review
A few problems keep it from being a classic, but Ring of Fates is still a capricious caper whether you're on your own or playing with pals.
The Good
- Each character has a unique selection of attacks and tribal abilities
- Slick mix of monster killing, platforming, and puzzle-solving
- Charming cast of characters
- Up to four local players can adventure together.
The Bad
- Certain tasks are cumbersome to pull off in the single-player campaign
- Useless artificial intelligence
- Major slowdown in ad hoc play, and no Wi-Fi multiplayer.
If you paled at the thought of having to lug around a bucket of myrrh in the newest foray into the world of Crystal Chronicles, you can put a lid on your worries. All told, Ring of Fates is a much more user-friendly experience than its predecessor, and lets up to four players beat up on some monsters without needing a bunch of extra cables or unnecessary hardware. Toss in a better single-player experience, and you have an action role-playing game that's easy to enjoy right out of the box, even when your buddies aren't there to liven things up. In the process of being so different from the GameCube original, though, Rings of Fate introduces some of its own foibles. Nevertheless, most of them are easy to forgive in light of all the breezy fun to be had.
On the single-player side of the coin, you'll follow younguns Yuri and Chelinka, fraternal twins who can effectively channel the power of magic crystals--provided they work together to do it. Unsurprisingly, there is evil afoot, which has caused monsters wearing red crystals to antagonize the lands. The twins are connected to these events in more ways than they realize, and their journey is marked by several poignant moments of loss and discovery. Along the way, they are joined by three friends (though because Yuri and Chelinka are represented by a single avatar, this actually makes for a party of four). There's nothing all that unique about the plot, but the strength of the charming cast and a load of quirky, cute dialogue hold the narrative together nicely without getting overly saccharine.
The main point of all this is to jump into a dungeon and whack at monsters until they die, while you level up and collect cool loot to help you whack at bigger, badder monsters. You can control any of your four party members at any time by tapping the appropriate icon on the touch screen, and each character has his or her own distinct strengths. The Yuri-Chelinka amalgam is you primary melee warrior, so if you prefer to get up close and personal with a sword, this is the best way to do it. Alhanalem is primarily a magic user (more on spells later), but can use staffs to lob magic orbs from a short distance. Gnash is talented with a bow and arrow (and has an ultra-handy double jump to boot). Meeth is the oddest of the bunch. She can wield a melee weapon (it's fun to stick a hammer in her hands, since it lets her stun enemies), but she's slower and therefore more vulnerable to attack than Yuri. What makes Meeth special is her summoned urn, which she can crawl into and use to roll into enemies for a nice bit of damage. In certain places, she can even grab it and float to spots that the other characters can't reach.
Additionally, each character has a tribal ability, some of which are offensive, while others are used for support or puzzle solving. To access these skills, you press the R button, which in the case of Yuri, Al, and Gnash moves the main game display to the touch screen, where you can use the stylus to perform your tribal talents. In Yuri's case, you touch an enemy to perform a powerful melee attack, while you can do the same for Gnash to land a mighty aimed shot. Al can unleash an area-of-effect lightning attack, but his knack for all things electric is more often used for the Ring of Fates' many puzzles, since he can create a magic thread that makes invisible platforms appear and lights magic candles. Again, Meeth is the odd one out. Like other members of the Lilty tribe, she can create magicites (the game's equivalent of magic scrolls) out of various crystals. To do so, you enter the alchemy screen, select the components you wish to use, and use the stylus to stir your pot of goodies. If you're successful, you create a magicite or other item without spending a single gil.
Of course, these magicites don't just sit there looking pretty--you need them to perform spells in Ring of Fates. This is where the game's greatest strengths and most obvious shortcomings come into play. There's no doubt that the system is very unique: To perform a spell, you need to use the corresponding magicite. No magicite? No spell. To activate one, you tap its icon on the touch screen and hold the X button, which brings up a circle that you can position with the D pad. When you let go, that spell is performed at whatever position the ring occupies. If you want an even more powerful effect, you can create magic piles, which are essentially stacks of magic rings that you can activate at one time with disastrous results for your enemies.
FF CC Ring of Fates Quick Links
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- GameSpot Scoregood
Game Emblems
The Good
Check Prices: $14.79 – 39.99
Player Reviews
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Alot of Control Issues with a horrible Magic System designed for Multiplayer... Weak Story. An odd Final Fantasy. Continue »
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I was worried about the graphics and stuff at first but the story really makes it good. Continue »
Critic Scores
- IGN 8.2 / 10
- Worth Playing 8.4 / 10
- VideoGamer 7 / 10
- Gaming Age B+
- Eurogamer 7 / 10
- GameZone 8 / 10
- 1UP A
- Gamer 2.0 8.2 / 10
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- Square Enix
- Action Role-Playing
- Release: Mar 11, 2008 »
- ESRB: Everyone 10+
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