Are you ready to see a worthy Final Fantasy game that doesn't have Roman Numerals in the title?
Square Enix has put some good effort into this game, and it shows. The story revolves around a treasure hunter named Cid and his sidekick (the main character) named Chocobo. They must have named him Chocobo because he is THE Chocobo, as he becomes a lot more powerful than any chocobo i've ever seen. Cid and Chocobo are mysteriously transported to an island that was supposed to have vanished 50 years ago. They find themselves in the city of Lostime, where the citizens value forgetfulness. There is a clock tower in the middle of the city that causes amnesia whenever it rings. Because of this, the main characters flee to a farm where a young girl and her aunt live. From then on, a baby falls out of the sky and gives you the power to traverse into people's memories and retrieve them. As you go on, you find out about the town's dark past. Hold on here, let's take a step back: The story might not revolve around a corporation controlling a dying planet, or a war between military gardens or a crazed man deceiving a nation, but for what it is, the story is actually REALLY not that bad at all. Who knew?
The gameplay revolves around a grid system of combat. Every move you make, your enemy also makes a move. As you level up, you can hone, purchase and fuse new armor and items. As the game progresses, an intricate job system in revealed, and as you level up different jobs a dungeon might also become a matter of which job to choose. Each job comes with different abilities that fit most preferred styles of play. Every time you loet in a dungeon, the items you have that are not equipped are lost. The dungeons are randomized and consist of moving up floors. Outside of the dungeon, the gameplay is composed of walking around town and other areas. You always have something to do, as the game doesn't lack in the content department whatsoever.
The music is one of the game's best strong points. Famous tracks from past final fantasy titles compose most of the game's music, creating a nostalgic and familiar feel. There's really nothing like hearing the FF8 boss music start up to get you pumped.
Visually, the game looks great. The graphics remind me a little bit like Twilight Princess.Thats all there really is to say.
Now for the flaws: To start, the game is pretty tough. SE obviously tried to appeal to children with this game, and the high difficulty definitely contradicts this. You'll spend hours at a time on a dungeon sometimes. Second of all, the dungeons feel a bit bland. The randomization factor is cool, but it would have been nice to have dungeons with more visual flare and substance. The combat is great, but it would be better suited for a random encounter kind of style, like final fantasy tactics.
In conclusion, Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo's dungeon is not all all what you will expect it to be, I'm considering buying it. It's a well-rounded, quality game that can occupy you for hours. On top of that, it has a good story and music from past final fantasy games. I almost forgot one thing: When you fall in a dungeon, the game gives you inspirational messages. Why is this not more prevalent in other games? It may seem ridiculous, but this definitely helps with sending you right back into the dungeon. I think I lost so many times once that I got the message "I don't know what to say", though I think it's all random. Just a screen with the girl and the chocobo and a message that takes a little bit of the frustration out of losing. FFF:CD may not be perfect, but this game is definitely an instant classic and one of the best RPGs that i've played in a while. Try it out. Believe me when I tell you that you would be a fool not to.