Customer Reviews

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

I knew this was going to be a port of the DS game. I saw the screenies ( insert pun, here... ) showing top and bottom DS screens side-by-side, I just kind of assumed Square Enix would put in an option to fill the TV screen with one of them, and maybe a button to shuffle between them. No such luck. The best you can do is adjust the sizes, slightly, and juxtapose them. Bad news for gamers with ancient eyes, and smaller TVs, like me.

I like this game a lot. I like the quest system, the magic system, the upgrading, and crafting. While I usually do my multiplayer RPGing on my PC, I was eagerly awaiting a chance to do something similar, on the Wii. This may be where I was let down most of all.

I've played a number of online games now, enough to see a pattern of delayed response time, even with just myself and one other player. It's not major, but it's enough to make walking across narrow ledges a chore. Worst of all, it componds another problem...

Controls are simple, but everything else, inventory, status, and worst of all, quick chat, is meant to be accessed by touch on the DS. Here, you must 'point and click', for lack of a better term, and it takes precious time to do so. Offline, it's fairly do-able. Online, it just slows things down, and this game plays fast. Too fast for such an interface.

I can see how this game would shine on the DS. By the same token, there's really nothing like it on the consoles. You just have to know what you're getting. As I said, I do like the game. It is a lot of fun. It's just that I expected a little more work from Square. If this were an Atlus product... or better yet, something closer to a Phantasy Star Online... A guy can dream, right?

Recommended, but with reservations.

I've heard this may be a good game for the DS. It is, in fact, made for a DS and NOT FOR THE WII. It is a waste of money for the Wii. The graphics should be on a screen that's about two inches - put them on a big screen they are pixalated and just plain terrible. It is presented as a "dual" screen - the action screen and the map on at the same time - you cannot turn one off to get a bigger screen. Both screens are hard to see with terrible, terrible graphics. The old original playstations had better graphics than this clunker.

The controls were made for DS touchscreen - trying to do it on the Wii is a exercise in futility. None of the controls are made for the Wii's motion sensing. You have to hook up the nunchuck to move and often there will be things that are impossible to do without a touchscreen (which a Wii does not have). As a Final Fantasy avid fan - I am very disappointed. Indeed, with the money I threw away on this game, I may not buy another of their titles. If I could give it negative stars I would.

why?.... WHY THE HELL did they make the screen size the same ratio/shape/size as the ds. it looks like this was only ported over. now what am i going to do. i guess i will play it, after all it is ff, but man that's annoying its like playing a computer game in non-full or maximized form. aka in a little window that covers half the screen. and the background a constant yellow. oh a did i mention that the menu is ALWAYS open such a in a 2 screen ds version. it takes the other 1/4 of the screen. yes that's right you play with 1/4 or your screen the other 1/2 is a solid yellow background. i only played about 10mins into it so far, but i haven't seen head or tails of artifacts yet, which were the best part of the gc version. oh and multiple ds's for multiplier are gonna be dam expensive. [...].

oh almost forgot the graphics are very very poor. worse than the GC version. it looks like a ff tactics game. you can see the invisible grid, ya its annoying STAY CLEAR OF THIS GAME.

I actually have really enjoyed this game. It has its pros and cons, but overall I think that it is very fun. I'm not a huge gamer (the only other FF game I've played is FF3 for the SNES), so maybe I have lower expectations than some people. I've played about 10 hours into the game, and here are my opinions on the pros and cons:
Pros:
Fun story line, easy to learn controls, side quests are fun, customizable weapons, online multiplayer
Cons:
Sometimes the AI characters are idiots (repeatedly jump into a chasm, for example), the magic can be hard to aim at first, some things are a bit too easy, though I think there are harder difficulties once you've finished the game

In response to the complaints that others have had about the game:
The "playable" screen size can be increased to about 3/4 of your tv, which I find is plenty. It's pretty easy to switch between the screens, though I only find it necessary to do that when I'm in the town buying weapons etc. The graphics aren't amazing, but they aren't as pixilated as people have implied (or maybe I just don't have a big enough TV to see that). I tried the online multiplayer and it was fun. I didn't notice it being too slow, but it was hard to talk to the other players since you only have a limited amount of customizable phrases. The controls don't take full advantage of the wii's motion sensing, but a lot of games don't (Brawl, for example). I guess it would be fun if you could swing the remote to attack like in Zelda, but honestly, I don't think it would add much (it didn't really in Zelda at least since it was just wild waving). I'm not sure what people are referring to when they say they can't do things because it is not touch screen as I've not had that problem at all.
Overall, I think this game is very fun. It plays similarly to Twilight Princess since it has dungeons with puzzles(usually not too difficult) and a big boss at the end. Once you get used to the average graphics and the dual screen it will be a lot of fun.

When I first realized there was a new FF:CC game out, I immediately rushed out to my local video game chain store to see if they had it in stock. They had both the Wii and DS versions, and since I own both, I figured I'd take advantage of my Wii since it'd probably be better. I couldn't have been more wrong.

First of all, if you don't have a big-screen TV (more than 32" at least), DO NOT BOTHER unless you're playing within two or three feet of the TV and/or have magnifying capabilities. This game is DEFINITELY a hack-job DS port. As many others have mentioned, it fills a small portion of the screen, leaving the rest with an ugly, ugly background - it's very reminiscent of playing a Game Boy game on the Super NES via the Super Game Boy for those old enough to remember them.

I played for about an hour, struggling through tiny text the whole way through before I just got sick of it. The resulting headache didn't help either. I have a 27" standard-definition TV that sits about 8' from my couch. This position works great for every other Wii game I have, as well as all my other consoles. With this game I had to sit in front of the coffee table (about 3' away from the screen) to even read the text. The constant zooming in/out of the two screens was annoying as well. If there was an option to hide one of the screens and make the other full-screen (like a more traditional game), it would've worked well.

To make an already long story short, I returned the game and exchanged it for the DS version. I played a little further into the game, and... I'm still disappointed. It's a very cookie-cutter game. The story is less than engaging. I was expecting an engaging experience on par with the prior FF:CC release, Rings of Fate. I couldn't put that game down!

In short, save your money. Buy a more interesting game, like "Grass Growing 2009" or "Extreme Paint Drying".

I guess the makers were riding on the Final Fantasy name, 'cause this is the weakest Wii game I've encountered. Your gameplay area is less than half the TV screen. The graphics are really weak for a console game and there seems to be nothing but button pushing. Simple button pushing for the Wii? WTH? Did Square not get the point of the Wii? Were they just gouging players expecting a real FF game?

Obviously, it's just a Nintendo DS game made compatible for the Wii without any upgrading or configuring. This game was a complete disappointment. It should be clearly marked and priced as a DS game and not a full fledged Wii game. I went in blind, thinking I wouldn't need to research a FF game. I feel ripped off.

Echoes of time for the Wii as well all know is a port for the Nintendo DS. The only big difference between them is the trailor for crystal bearers, and being able to use your Mii. Going into this game knowing that it was a DS port, doesn't make it seem nearly as bad, kinda like playing a rom. So let's break down this review into sections.

Graphics:
On the DS, I'm sure this game looks rather impressive, the Wii however, it looks like an early PS2 game at best. If your TV isn't very big, it doesn't look too pixilated, but still noticeable. There are two screens present on the TV at the same time, the left being the top screen of the DS, and the right being the bottom screen. Being able to increase screen sizes by using the (+) and (-) buttons was rather useful.

Sound:
Nothing special to be honest. Each character has his/her own 'voice' that consists of grunts and moans from attacking and getting hurt. The music is decent for being a handheld port, but nothing that i really appreciated all that much.

Gameplay:
This game turns out to be pretty fun, reminds me a lot of a Zelda game with multiple characters. Playing single player can get a little boring towards the end of the game, even slightly frustrating when it comes to magic some times. Multiplayer on the other hand is quite enjoyable, especially if you are playing with some friends. I've noticed a little bit of lag every once in a while, but nothing that really degrades game play. Being a live action RPG really works for this game surprisingly well. The biggest problem i have with the game is the intelligence of your team mates, they are idiots. if you jump over a hole, expect them to just fall right in until they die... which takes quite a few falls. There are only 5 settings for the computer players, not one of them seems all that useful. Being able to make your own character has it's on advantages, and disadvantages. On the plus side, you get to pick which character you'd like to be, boy or girl for a total of 8 choices. Eventually you get to pick your hair color or use a Mii for your face. Equiping new armor will actually change your appearance, which is a great new addition in my opinion. On the bad side, the story seems to be aimed in a general direction, so there is no real reference to your specific character choice, no one mentions your name in a cut scene, nothing. The equipment in this game has been done differently than other games, you can either buy armor/weapons from the normal shop at full price or you can find materials from fighting monsters and bring them to the custom order shop and get things cheaper and sooner in the game. Another thing I was happy about was every class can equip any item, or all I've come across thus far. The controls are a little hard to get used to as well, but after a while it feels pretty comfortable. Overall, I enjoy this game, though i feel it is very short, but that is what gameplus is for... right?

Story:
This is where I feel most disappointed. Square-Enix is pretty well known for having very involved stories in their games, so I was pretty excited to be drawn into a new one, I was wrong. The whole thing about 'crystal sickness' didn't do much for me. It carries on from there, but I wouldn't want to ruin anything for anyone, either way it still doesn't drag you in like the other great Final Fantasy games.

Summary:
Overall I thought this game was pretty good for what it was. If you have a DS, I'd suggest buying the DS version since the game was made for it. For Wii owners and fans of the Final Fantasy series, definitely rent this game first, and buy it if you like it. Another thing to take into consideration is an internet connection, the game is significantly more fun with other people.
3/5 without an internet connection.
4/5 with an internet connection.

If You noticed something I forgot to mention, or need clarification on something I've said, feel free to let me know, and I'll get back to you ASAP.

Okay. Just like I said, "Literally a DS game." All they did was take the DS game and make it playable on the Wii. This MIGHT be a worth while game for the DS, but on the Wii the graphics are awful and the levels are lame. I don't know what else to say other than don't bother reading more reviews. Save your self some time and move on. Do not buy this game.

This game was never meant to be played on a Wii. The format is obviously for DS games. I bought this to play online with my sister who lives a few hours away. The controls are very akward and while the story has promise, i was bored with the interaction and irratated with the controls.

I should have read these reviews before purchasing. The guy at the store warned me this was basically playing a ds game on your wii. He said not to expect much from the graphics. I was envisioning the pictures. I wanted my son to play it on a big screen, not all hunched over his ds. We should have bought it for the ds. Some of the words cannot be read on the television screen. He loves the game itself and says it's fun. But I think it is pitiful that he can't read everything.