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Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers
Any Final Fantasy fan will tell you that the best games in the franchise are the ones with names that contain only the words “Final Fantasy” followed by a roman numeral. Some of the spin-offs are worth checking out, but none meet the high bar of quality set by the main series. That could change with The Crystal Bearers.
Forsaking the multiplayer emphasis of previous Crystal Chronicles games, as well as most of the trappings of the role-playing genre, The Crystal Bearers attempts to fuse the focused storytelling of a traditional Final Fantasy with the intensity of an action game. Set 1,000 years after the first Crystal Chronicles, The Crystal Bearers presents players with a world that has changed and matured. The entire Yuke race has been wiped out by the Lilties, who have ushered in an age of science and technology. The arcane powers once so prevalent have been outlawed, and magic can only be used by a select few. The game’s protagonist, Layle, is one of these rare individuals; a crystal in his cheek gives him the ability to use telekinesis.
Layle’s telekinetic power is at the heart of the gameplay. Instead of casting spells and whacking monsters with a sword, players battle with the Wii remote by using objects in the environment. You can also grab enemies directly to attack them, or use them against other nearby foes. Layle also taps this ability in non-combat situations to solve puzzles and stir up mischief.
Other crystal bearers possess different powers. Early on, Layle has a run-in with the primary villain, a Yuke named Amidatellion. Presumably the last of his slaughtered race, Amidatellion’s crystal gives him the ability to bend space; as Layle attacks him, the objects simply phase out and reappear behind the Yuke. Of course, Amidatellion wins this first battle, but as players progress through the single-player narrative, Layle will find new allies and powers to help his chances for the next encounter.
Since its initial launch on GameCube, Crystal Chronicles has been a difficult series to take seriously. With more sophisticated themes, a more mature art style, and a story full of mysteries, Crystal Bearers might turn that perception around.
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