Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates
Developer(s)	Square Enix
Publisher(s)	Square Enix
Series	Final Fantasy series Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles series
Platform(s)	Nintendo DS
Release date	JP August 23, 2007[1] NA March 11, 2008[2] AUS March 20, 2008[3] EU March 21, 2008[4]
Genre(s)	Action role-playing game
Mode(s)	Single player, multiplayer
Rating(s)	CERO: A (All ages) ESRB: E10+ (Everyone 10+) PEGI: 12+ OFLC: PG (Parental guidance)

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates (ファイナルファンタジー・クリスタルクロニクル リング・オブ・フェイト, Fainaru Fantajī Kurisutaru Kuronikuru Ringu Obu Feito^?) is an RPG for the Nintendo DS developed and published by Square Enix. It is a prequel to Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles for the Nintendo GameCube. The game takes advantage of both the local wireless and Wi-Fi capabilities of the system and features voice acting.

Contents 1 Gameplay 1.1 Single player 1.2 Multiplayer gameplay 2 Plot 2.1 Setting 2.2 Characters 2.3 Story 3 Development 4 Music 5 Reception 6 References 7 External links

[edit] Gameplay

The new installment of Crystal Chronicles uses a similar control scheme to the GameCube title, with A to use Commands and pick up treasure; Y to hold items and enemies (including flying enemies); and the B button to jump (and for Selkies to double Jump) which adds a layer to strategy, with multitiered levels in the 3D environment.

Most of the gameplay takes place on the top screen. The touch screen shows inventory and status as well as stylus access for different weapon attacks. There are also special race-specific attacks in the game. By pressing the right trigger button, the screens will swap allowing enemies to be attacked by certain races just by touching them with the stylus. If done correctly, chained attacks can be performed.

The

• Clavats: formerly an all-rounder class, Clavats are now warriors. They have high attack, defense and HP, but low magic and SP. They wield swords and hatchets.

• Yukes: the Yukes remain a mage class. They have high magic and SP, but low defense, HP and attack. They wield staves, and attack by firing purple orbs from the staves in a medium-range attack.

• Selkies: the Selkies have been changed into an archer class. Their SP and attack are very high, with average HP and magic, and low defense. They use bows. Selkies also have the unique ability to double-jump.

• Lilties: Lilities have changed from warriors into alchemists. They are capable of creating magicite in their pots, and using the pots for various special attacks and techniques. They wield hammers, maces, and more awkwardly, spoons.

As in the previous game, Magicite is required to perform spells, of which 6 types are available; Fire, Thunder, Blizzard, Cure, Clear and Raise (formerly Life). Unlike in the previous game, magicite is consumed when used and remains in the player's inventory between dungeons. All characters have a shared inventory for magicites, as well as potions and ethers. Magicite, potions and ethers are used by selecting them from the touch screen, holding the X button to create a magic ring, and then releasing it upon its desired target. Magic rings can also be "locked" in position with the L button, allowing a character to cast multiple spells at the same time. Magic rings can also be piled on top of one another to create more powerful spells.

As in most RPGs, Ring of Fates features a level-up system, where defeating monsters earns experience points, and sufficient experience points raises a character's level, along with their stats. Ring of Fates features five stats: Hit points, Special points (used for special attacks), Power, Defense and Magic. Experience is shared between party members, with members of lower or higher level getting more or less experience. All races learn new skills after gaining a certain amount of experience, such as charged attacks.

Rings of Equipment can be bought or crafted at one of the four stores in the game. Players will find materials and scrolls in the various dungeons; bringing the required materials along with the scroll to the store will enable players to make over 300 different weapons, armor and accessories that change appearance depending on which race makes them. Unlike in the original Crystal Chronicles, the characters' appearance changes depending on what armour they are wearing.

[edit] Single player

In single player, the player controls a party of up to four characters. Unlike the original Crystal Chronicles, the characters are not created by the player, but are instead pre-created, with their own names and personalities. As the adventure progresses, the player meets four characters -- one from each race. Characters can be switched by tapping their icon on the left side of the touch screen.

[edit] Multiplayer gameplay

In multiplayer mode, the player creates their own character, which remains totally separate from their single-player characters. Multiplayer always uses multi-card mode, with each player contributing their own character. It is also possible to play multiplayer mode with only one person, allowing you to develop your multiplayer character.

There is also a Moogle Trade mode via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection; this is used to trade customized moogles the player creates. Also the moogle can be used to trade items with other players over Nintendo Wi-Fi by dropping items in the vicinity of the moogle.The idea is the other player picks up the moogle and obtains the items it drops.

[edit] Plot

[edit] Setting

Ring of Fates is a prequel to the original Crystal Chronicles, taking place thousands of years beforehand, before Miasma plagued the world, during the legendary "Golden Age" where all the races lived in peace (mentioned in Crystal Chronicles)^[5], and when the Great Crystal, into which "all fates are etched", protected the people from the "malefic glow of the blood-red moon".^[6][7]

In the original Crystal Chronicles, the shards of the Great Crystal, shattered by the fall of the Meteor^[8], are used by the numerous settlements throughout the land to ward off the Miasma^[9], using myrrh to renew this effect when it wanes^[10], and Rebena Te Ra is explored as the monster-filled ruins of one such settlement that was rendered as such almost immediately after the Meteor fell due to its close proximity to the Meteor's point of impact, while in Ring of Fates, the Great Crystal is complete, using memories as the source of its protective effect in much the same way that myrrh powers the miasma-repelling effect of its remnants^[11], and Rebena Te Ra stands as an illustrious city and capital of the Golden Age.

[edit] Characters

• Yuri (ユーリィ, Yūrī^?) is the main protagonist in the game, Latov's son and Chelinka's twin brother. He is a fairly typical fantasy protagonist, who starts out uncertain of his abilities but becomes brave through the course of the game. He has some skill in magic, but it increases significantly when he is in the presence of his sister. Voiced by Mona Marshall in English version and Kumiko Higa in Japanese version.

• Chelinka (チェリンカ, Cherinka^?) is Yuri's older twin sister. Although she is never playable and almost never seen outside of cutscenes, she travels with the main party through every event, even those deep inside dungeons. She is scared of ghosts. She carries with her a mysterious crystal shard, which marks her as Starsigner like her mother and through which she and Yuri can derive magical power. She loses the ability to speak when she activates her crystal's power to defeat Chaspel after he murdered Latov, and communicates telepathically, but regains the power speech when Yuri is near death. Voiced by Nami Kurokawa in Japanese version.

• Latov (ラトフ, Ratofu^?) is Yuri and Chelinka's father. He brought up the twins on his own, and loves them dearly. He was formerly a knight of the King's castle who confronted Galdes and battled him. He is killed by Cu Chaspel when he attempted to protect Chelinka from him. Voiced by Paul St. Peter in the English version.

• Meeth (ミース・クリム, Mīsu Kurimu^?) is a Lilty who serves as the cook for the village where the main characters live, although she has much more powerful alchemical abilities. Meeth is older than the children, but being a Lility she is quite short -- hence Yuri and Chelinka sometimes treat her like a child. She pretends to dislike this treatment, but obviously enjoys it. She used to tutor the King's daughter. Voiced by Michiru Wada in Japanese version.

• Alhanalem (アルハナーレム, Aruhanāremu^?) is a Yuke, and is affectionately known as "Al" by Yuri and Chelinka due to his habit of ending his sentences with an "al" sound. Like all Yukes, he has impressive magical abilities and a tendency to scholarly pursuits. He once served as the Royal Mage. Voiced by Keiichi Sonobe in Japanese version.

• Gnash (ナッシュ, Nasshu^?) is a Selkie who was brought up in the wild. Speaks in somewhat disjointed language. His wild upbringing has given him impressive athletic abilities and proficiency with a bow. Voiced by Miho Hino in Japanese version.

• Cu Chaspel (クー・チャスペル, Kū Chasuperu^?) is one of the game's main antagonists, possessing a monstrous appearance due to his mask and robes. He is one of the Lunites (those corrupted by the evil power of the moon,) and is the personal servant of the Lunite King. He was given the task to take Chelinka so his master can succeed in bringing the Red Moon to their world., killing Latov as a result. Years later, Chaspel is defeated by Yuri. Voiced by Liam O'Brien in English version.

• Hierophant Galdes is the main antagonist of the game, and the Hierophant of Rebena te Ra. Galdes is the Lunite King, and plots to harnesses the power of the Great Crystal through a Starsinger so he can recreate the world in his image and rule it. Voiced by Michael Sorich in English version.

• Stiltzkin A moogle returning from the GCN game. This time around he helps players through signs found throughout the game. He is the leader of a band of moogles who have the job of helping travelers.

[edit] Story

This article or section is incomplete and may require expansion and/or cleanup. Please improve the article, or discuss the issue on the talk page.

Ring of Fates follows two protagonists named Yuri and Chelinka. Story elements include fraternal love, and recurring elements such as the four races and crystals, though the latter have a smaller part.^[12]

The story begins with Yuri and Chelinka observing their father, Latov, chopping wood, learning to work together when they couldn't chop the wood alone. Their mentors, Alahanlem and Meeth both comment on their ability marred only by lack of experience. After being given the hatchet, the twins make their way to a nearby ave to find some treasure, confronting a ghostly image of a young girl their age. Soon after, the twins arrive with their father to the city of Rebena te Ra, where their encounter with a Behemoth was witnessed by Galdes, who sends his minion Cu Chaspel to retrieve Chelinka who would serve as his new Starsinger. In the confrontation, Latov is killed by Chaspel, resulting in a tremendous burst of power from the twins, repelling Chaspel and leaving Chelinka in a catatonic state. Yuri buries his father and thinks himself to be totally alone, as Al and Meeth are both missing. He then vows to never have to bury a loved one again and begins training with his father's sword while taking care of Chelinka. For an unknown span of time, Yuri trains alone, until Chelinka wakes up, mute but able to communicate telepathicly. Yuri vows to protect her and then Yuri embarks on a adventure with Chelinka.

The pair then make their way up the nearby mountain of Vaal, where Al is being held inside a red crystal. After being released, Al suggests that they present their case to King Kolka of Rebena Te Ra, but are kept from him by the castle guards who claim another yuke, also going by the name Alahanalem, has served the king for many years and take Al as an imposter.

Unable to gain an audience with the king, the group overhears an announcement about the corruption spreading through the Abyssus forest, precipitated by a dark crystal. Deciding to gather information on the forest to gain an audience with the king, the group enters the forest and encounters a Selkie boy under attack. After the defeat the monster, the Selkie introduces himself as Gnash, a wild-forest dweller. Agreeing to help Yuri cleanse the forest, Gnash joins forces with Yuri and defeat the source of the corruption. Afterwards, Gnash decides to remain with Yuri to return the favor of saving his home.

Upon returning to Rebena Te Ra, the party is allowed into the castle, only to find the king seriously ill at the mention of the Twin's parents, and the yuke claiming to be Alahanalem refusing to let them speak with him. Al demands proof of the Yukes identity, the tricks her into revealing she doesn't have even a rudimetry grasp of magic, evidenced by her fear at Al's threat to erase the memories of everyone in the castle. Al then directs the group to Rela Cyel, an abandoned dam, where an aritifact proving Al's connection to the king is kept. While exploring the ruins, the group stumbles upon Meeth, who has been trapped inside Rela Cyel and driven to madness by isolation. Meeth recovers upon seeing the twins, and reveals to Al that she burned the artifact to stay warm, much to Al's dismay. Before they can leave however, the tunnel outside Meeth's room collapses, cutting off their exit. With Meeth's help, the five make their way out into a long passage leading outside.

Just as they reach the middle of the bridge, the glass ceiling above them shatters. Yuri, unwilling to let their lives end, invokes the crystal's power himself, stopping time and allowing the group to escape. However, the strain proves too much for Yuri, who begins to slip into cardiac arrest. Seeing her brother dying, Chelinka overcomes her muteness and crys out for help. The ghost of the red-headed girl appears and leaves behind a shimmering cloak, which Chelinka covers Yuri with, reviving him. Meeth and Al reveal that the goast is that of Lady Tilika, daughter of King Kolka, who died during the calamity at Rela Cyel. During the explanation, Meeth accidentally lets slip that the mother of the Twins was abducted by the Lunites, humans tainted by the moon's evil power.

After escaping Real Cyel, the group heads to the castle again, only to find Cu Chaspel in an assassination attempt on the king. The king is critically wounded, and Chaspel frames the group for the murder. The party is then imprisoned on Sinner's Isle (Which Alahanalem mentions is also known as Mt. Kilanda, a location from the original game) where they fall into a dark chasm into a land inhabited by dead monsters and Carbuncles. While with one of the Carbuncles, it is revealed that they are in the land of the dead, and are forced to fight the reanimated body of Sir Latov. After his defeat, Yuri and Chelinka are able to say a final farewell to their beloved father, and are told by the Carbuncle that his soul will not fade into nothingness, but rather join the energy that encompases the planet. The Carbuncle then transports Yuri and Co. back to Rebena Te Ra, saying they will meet again. Upon arriving in the city, the group confronts the now possessed king, who is freed by the ghost of his daughter telling him to care for those who live, rather than dwelling on the past. The false Alahanalem reveals herself as a dead spirit lord and mockingly challenges Yuri to try and defeat her. Chelinka then uses the power of her crystal to cast Life on the spirit, making it vulnerable to Yuri. From the king, the twins and their companions learn of the creation of the world and of the Lunites under Galdes, who is responsible for their mother's fate in his scheme to bring the Moon God back to Earth. They also learn that the crystals usually repel monsters, but when taken in by the allure of the moon they attract monsters, and make them vicious. In the end, the party goes to the Lunite Temple to stop Galdes, defeating Chaspel on the way. However, they are too late, and the twin's mother is concumed by the dark crystal, allowing Galdes to become an omnipotent god capable of creating an infinite amount of worlds. However, even in this warped reality, Chelinka is always with Yuri, and together the two decide to attempt to stop Galdes, even if it is impossible. One by one the other party members remember the twins and life before Galdes rise, and rush to their aid.

At the top of the Lunite Temple, Galdes is confident that without Chelinka, Yuri is powerless, and attempts to separate the two as they approach him. However, no matter how many worlds Galdes creates, Yuri, Chelinka, and their friends are still together. Forced into battle, Galdes is defeated by Yuri, but reveals that because of his gohood, he can just battle Yuri again and again until he falls. However, attempting to create a time loop leaves Galdes constantly repeating his taunt to Yuri, who leaves Galdes in his private world. As Yuri leaves, Galdes, still repeating himself again and again, screams out for someone to free him from his own spell. Although the world remains fratured, Yuri and Chelinka return home and try to continue life.

Yuri quickly deteriorates and goes into critical condition. He Wonders how his life can end after all he has done, and tells Chelinka to carry on for him. Chelinka sacrifices herself to save Yuri, turning into crystal herself leaving Yuri utterly alone. While remembering the life he had as a child, an appirtion of Chelinka rekindles her crystal, allowing Yuri to attempt to create a world in which he can live happily. He enters into his house to find himself returned to his child form, with Chelinka likewise and his mother and father inquiring as to what is wrong. He collapses weeping into his mother's arms with Chelinka, who reminds him that she said he'd be seeing her soon. Despite having a full recollection of what took place, Yuri accepts this world as an unbroken reality in which he can live the way he always wanted.

[edit] Development

The creation of a Crystal Chronicles sequel was announced at the E3 in 2004.^[13] The Game was first announced for Game Boy Advance. IGN called Ring of Fates one of the "key games" to look out for in 2007.^[14] In an interview, Ring of Fates director Mitsuru Kamiyama explained that single player mode is very "deep", and was a larger undertaking than the original Crystal Chronicles. Additional quests were added to the American release.^[15] Kamiyama noted that a feature he particularly enjoyed was the ability to see the character wearing and using the equipment that was purchased.^[16]

[edit] Music

The original soundtrack by Kumi Tanioka (who worked on the soundtrack for Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles) for the game was released on September 19, 2007 in Japan.^[17]

Aiko performs the ending theme, "A World with No Stars" (星のない世界, Hoshi no Nai Sekai^?).

[edit] Reception

Reviews
Publication	Score
Edge	6 of 10[18]

The game has a special "Gemini edition" bundled with a stylized DS-lite.^[19] Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates received the scores of 9 / 8 / 9 / 9 - (35/40) from Famitsu magazine.^[20] Nintendo Power gave the game a 7.0 out of 10, claiming it was "good, not great" and "Ring of Fates would be acceptable; for Final Fantasy, it is a major concern". It was rewarded "Editor's Choice Award" on IGN.com.

Kane Ikin from Alchemy SBS Radio gave the game 3.5 out of 5 saying that "... It has a lot of excellent features but it really is a game best shared with a friend..."^[21] Square Enix created a Ring of Fates card memory game on their website to celebrate the game's launch.^[22]

In Japan, the game sold 360,000 copies as of December 2007.^[23]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official Japanese Site
• Original Soundtrack at Square Enix Music (Japanese)
• Official North American Site
• Official European Site

v • d • e Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles video games Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles · Ring of Fates · My Life as a King · The Crystal Bearers

v • d • e Final Fantasy series Main series, sequels and sidestories Final Fantasy  • II  • III (DS)  • IV (DS & After)  • V  • VI  • VII (Compilation)  • VIII  • IX  • X (X-2)  • XI  • XII (RW)  • XIII (FNC) Other media Compilations and collections • Other sequels and sidestories • Spin-offs • Novels and manga • Films and animation Battle systems • Common elements • Minigames • Music