FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: THE CRYSTAL BEARERS
Taking place in the world of Crystal Chronicles, Crystal Bearers features a ragtag group of misfits that must fight against enemies that threaten civilization itself. Crystal Bearers released on the Nintendo Wii back in 2009 and was planned to be this huge RPG but sort of ended up being more of an action-adventure game, which wasn’t a bad thing.
Crystal Bearers goes against your typical Final Fantasy combat but still features the same lovable monsters that you’re used to, like the Cactuar and Moogle. Gameplay revolves around using Layle’s telekinesis power to pick up enemies and objects to then throw them using the Wii’s motion controls. It wasn’t as annoying as you would think because it turned out to be insanely fun and satisfying. You can grab ledges and activate switches from far away by just pointing at the screen and choosing your target. No party system or leveling up is found in Crystal Bearers either, you can increase Layle’s stats by equipping accessories found throughout the world and by completing missions to raise his health.
Being the last title that was part of Square Enix’s Crystal Chronicles sub-franchise, Crystal Bearers was a fantastic title on the Nintendo Wii and has become one of the most underappreciated Final Fantasy games. The fun-filled, mature, and cinematic story is one that shouldn’t be missed.
FINAL FANTASY: THE FOUR HEROES OF LIGHT
Don’t let the chibi art style fool you my friends. Final Fantasy: Four Heroes of Light took inspiration from old-school JRPG’s like Fantasy III, V, an VI. The classic turn-based combat reminded players of the old days while keeping the game modern and fresh. The initial difficulty curve at the beginning of the game alone just proves how the title hearkens back to the grind fest that were older Final Fantasy games. But once you get your levels up and become an official team of the four heroes, the game gets way easier to handle.
The Nintendo DS had so many amazing RPG’s that it’s hard to go back and play all of them. Final Fantasy: The Four Heroes of Light released the same year that the very controversial Final Fantasy XIII came out, causing the DS title to not receive as much time in the spotlight as it could have.
A proper sequel was being worked on but then evolved and ended up turning into Bravely Default, a spiritual successor of sorts.
FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: MY LIFE AS A KING
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Controlling a magical kingdom couldn’t be more fun! My Life as a King has you in control of a youngster King who has power over everything that happens in the kingdom. You can send warriors on monster-hunting quests, build homes and shops, and start a new town from the ground-up.
Being a fantasy city-building simulator, My Life as a King gives you approximately 10 minutes to do what you wish until the day ends. As you progress through the days, more options are given to you allowing you to accomplish more and more. Instead of fighting yourself, you can recruit citizens using a job board who will then acquire treasures to help strengthen the kingdom.
My Life as a King started off as a basic simulation game but ended up being a high-profile Final Fantasy title that highlighted the WiiWare service.
FINAL FANTASY XII: REVENANT WINGS
Final Fantasy XII got a sequel on the Nintendo DS…I know… crazy right? How did a big PS2 JRPG like Final Fantasy XII get a sequel on a Nintendo console exclusively? Well, Revenant Wings does take place after XII but it features a totally different battle system and art style that is nowhere to be found in the original game.
Revenant Wings is a real-time tactical role-playing game that takes place one year after the events of XII. Vaan is now an official sky pirate with his own airship and all. With his childhood friend, Penelo, they will meet new comrades and fight against a new enemy threat.
Tailor-made for the DS, Revenant Wings can be played using only the touch-screen and stylus. This design choice was chosen to make the title more accessible to those who aren’t experienced Final Fantasy players. The simple yet more-involved tactical gameplay made for an interesting “sequel” that can appeal to everyone.
FINAL FANTASY FABLES: CHOCOBO’S DUNGEON
The famous Final Fantasy inventor, Cid, ends up being sucked into a vortex while searching for treasure with his beloved Chocobo partner and gets thrown into the town of Lostime within the island of Memoria. With the help of a mysterious boy named Raffaello, it’s up to the cute Chocobo to go through many dark dungeons and fight his way through enemy’s.
There are 10 jobs to choose from that change stats, alter the dungeons layouts and even changes the appearance of Chocobo. Usually, mystery dungeon titles are insanely difficult but Chocobo’s Dungeon is an accessible entry-point into the genre. It keeps things simple enough but still has that rouge-like charm that mystery dungeon games offer.
Don’t let the shoddy voice-work keep you away from one of the Wii’s best dungeon-crawlers; it’s colorful, reminiscent, and the gameplay keeps you on your toes.
Published: Apr 25, 2017 11:41 am