Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers[lower-alpha 1] is a Wii action-adventure game announced at the Electronic Entertainment Expo.[4] It was released on November 12, 2009 in Japan and on December 26 in North America.[1][2] The game was well received in Japan, with praise for the game's well-written story and characters, but criticizing the map system. Western reviewers however were more negative, citing that the game was less of a traditional RPG and more for action adventure.
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers | |
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Developer(s) | Square Enix |
Publisher(s) | Square Enix |
Director(s) | Toshiyuki Itahana |
Producer(s) | Akitoshi Kawazu |
Artist(s) | Toshiyuki Itahana |
Writer(s) | Akitoshi Kawazu Kazuhiro Yamauchi |
Composer(s) | Hidenori Iwasaki Ryo Yamazaki Kumi Tanioka |
Series | Final Fantasy |
Platform(s) | Wii |
Release | |
Genre(s) | Action-adventure |
Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Gameplay
Unlike the GameCube predecessor, Crystal Bearers features fully real-time combat, focusing on free-roaming and action-adventure for a single-player.[5][6] Players also get to fly airships.[5] Enemies can gain a wide variety of tactics and abilities, and some have the ability to hurt fellow creatures and oppose the player. This is part of the AI reaction, in which different creatures react in unique ways to other ones nearby and to the attacks.[6] The player controls Layle. He can use psychokinetic gravity powers to perform different combat actions, such as moving certain enemies against their will, making them use their abilities against other enemies and utilizing various objects as projectiles.[5] He can perform some type of reaction elements with creatures, affecting them in different manners. Layle can utilize abilities to interact with the environment, such as activating switches, or grabbing ledges and other objects from a distance via an energy-based grappling hook. He can also perform such actions as moving civilians against their will.[5] Civilians share traits with enemies in that they can attack the player, when irritated by actions.[6]
Unlike other RPG oriented Final Fantasy games, the action adventure one has the player customizing Layle's status, using accessories with materials and other items.[6] The player can increment the character's maximum HP by clearing miasma stream fights and collecting the myrrh from each areas. Exploration and free-roaming are heavily focused on the game to the point that only four out of fifteen bosses are needed to progress through the story and the rest are scattered everywhere for the player to find.[6] The game also features a combat for sky diving.[6] Quicktime events will also appear throughout the game, allowing the player to take actions with the controller during certain events, such as aiming the wiimote and shooting monsters in the sky.[5]
Plot
Setting
The game is set one thousand years after the events of Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, populated by four races.[7] Each of the races has its own tribal crystal. During the Great War, the Yuke tribe was banished to their own world, after their crystal was destroyed by the Lilty. The Yuke Crystal's shards are now being used in crystal reactors to gain energy. With the beginning of the new era for the now imbalanced world, crystal bearers occurred. They are individuals with magically infused pieces of Crystal inside their bodies giving them unique magic powers ranging from control over a specific element of nature to the ability of reshaping matter and even the power to bend time or space. They are very few in number and their use of arcane arts defies against the law of the Lilty kingdom. In March 2008, an official advertising article about Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates noted that the Nintendo DS installment is set before Crystal Bearers.[8]
Characters
The main protagonist is Layle, a Clavat mercenary and one of the four eponymous bearers. His Selkie partner, Keiss, becomes a military colonel of the kingdom. Belle, a female Selkie, helping them solve the case. Amidatelion (also known as Goldenrod), a female Yuke summoner whose goal is to revive the race and restore the principle. Althea Sol Alfiraria, an orphaned princess of the Lilty Kingdom. Cid, Layle's former engineer and tinker. The main villain is Jegran, the kingdom's high commander. After the accident caused the power of the crystal reactor to replace his arm, he uses it to turn anyone into red crystal statues and disrupt the principle. Jegran plans to conquer the world, using the god complex. Other characters include Vaigali, the leader of Selkies, selling information for highest bidders and Blaze, Layle's pyrokinetic ex-partner.
Story
Layle drives the cruise ship to safety near the capital, when one of the "Crystal Idol" pieces absorbed the energy from the ship.[9] Layle discovers Amidatelion using the idol to revive parts for the crystal in the ancient ruins. As he continues to investigate the case, he is framed by Jegran. Layle and Amidatelion escape through the portal. While planning to protect the crystal, Layle examines the battleship, learning that Jegran killed Althea's father. Layle frees all prisoners and uses the Idol to recover another part for the crystal, while Jegran kills Vaigali and Amidatelion. Before Layle arrives to the palace, Jegran awakens his power to disable all reactors. However, Layle defeats Jegran, while Althea and the Yuke tribe protect the Lilty crystal. With the world restored, Althea invites the tribe to unite the race.
Development
Concept origins
When the Nintendo Wii was first showcased, Square Enix developed Akitoshi Kawazu's first thought was that he wanted to make a single player version of ‘’Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles’’.[10] As a result, Crystal Bearers was designed to be a "single-player experience", as opposed to the GameCube installment which focused on cooperative play.[11] Early concepts ranged from allowing players to fish, to using the Wiimote to move objects around in space.[10] Kawazu also wanted to make a game that gave players a sense of the passage of time, which he called a “real time” Final Fantasy.[10] This idea led to the thought about how in the real world, swinging a sword takes time, as opposed to the traditional button pushing that is instantaneous and more artificial.[10] Kawazu also wanted to minimize the number of menus, since the Wii was usually in a family room in peoples houses and distracted from the fun.[12] Kawazu stated that the game should have the feeling of being at a theme park, with gamers not distracted and wholly focused on the experience.[12] Kawazu describes the games genre as “Attraction Adventure”, with players going from different entertainment experiences freely.[12] There was also a minimum amount of game terminology compared to most Final Fantasy games to help casual players feel welcome.[12]
Visual style
The graphical style of the game was intended to be more “mature” to go with its “solo hero” concept.[11] Toshiyuki Itahana stated he wants a more "world weary" protagonist, and wanted him to seem rugged, which influenced the hair design of the character.[13] The game is intended to feature a more "mature" design to help bolster the heroic structure of the story.[11] Kawazu notes that the game should be enjoyable for even people just watching the game being played, and included shot changes every few seconds, a news ticker-type information feed on the bottom.[12] He also noted that the protagonist had to look attractive in case players moms saw them playing the game.[12] One of the design changes that were initially opposed by the design team was the changing of character heights from “three heads high” to six.[12] Game artist Itahana wanted to make "an exhilarating tale of this great hero set against sweeping blue skies", which influenced many decisions in game design and story.[13]
Gameplay
To make sure the game was pleasing to Japanese audiences, an introductory sequence that taught players the controls was included.[14] Music was intended to be different from traditional ‘’Final Fantasy’’, and was designed to be more “popular” and “modern”, and included country and western music.[14] Originally the game development team did not intend to use any of the unique features of the Nintendo Wii, but by the end they changed their minds.[14] The team also realized that the Wii had become very popular with casual users, and retargeted the game at them.[14] Internet connectivity was not added due to the low percentage of Wii owners using the feature.[14] The team that developed “Crystal Bearers” was the same that developed the original Crystal Chronicles games except for the programmers, the head of which had previously worked on the ‘’Front Mission’’ series.[14] During on site play testing, players familiar with Final Fantasy but not action games were able to learn “smoothly”.[15] Indeed, Kawazu advises the design team near the end of development to not focus on “punishing” the player so much, as games traditionally do by having the protagonist die and restart.[15] The producer expressed his desire to for every player to see the games ending, whether they are skilled at the game or not.[15]
Release
The game's existence was announced at E3 2005[16] and at E3 2006 a short pre-rendered teaser trailer was included within a Wii games compilation video. In May 2007 a new trailer including gameplay was released and a few interviews with the developers were given.[17][18] Since then, no game information was given. Crystal Bearers has had no presence at recent Square Enix events or the website (the Crystal Chronicles developer blog has not made mention of Crystal Bearers since June 6, 2007[19]) coupled with the developers of Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King refusing to comment when asked about the status of The Crystal Bearers at the Game Developers Conference of February 2008, stating only that the public should "wait for a press release."[20] In November 2008, in response to a section in the next month's issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly stating that the game had been "quietly canceled" Square Enix released a statement confirming that the game had not been canceled and that they fully intend to release it, although no release date could be given.[21] A trailer for the game was packaged with the Wii version of Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time. It shows the game in a further state of development, and displays game characteristics such as combat, magic, puzzle solving and an overworld, as well as traditional elements of the Final Fantasy series, such as the Cactuar and Bahamut. At the end of March, an official teaser site opened up.[22] In Japan, a commercial for the game aired with the song We Weren't Born to Follow by Bon Jovi playing in the background.[23]
Reception
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On its first day of release in Japan, The Crystal Bearers sold 26,000 units, which is about 34% of its initial shipment in the region.[30] The Japanese version sold 43,705 units by its second week of release,[31] and over 54,000 copies by the end of the year.[32]
The game was praised by Weekly Famitsu, saying the game's plot elements were well done: one reviewer stated "The way the story develops, along with the unique characters and world setting, is brilliant. There are lots of little details to everything." However, the publication criticized the game's map, finding it difficult to pinpoint the player's location with respect to the surroundings.[25] The game received mixed and generally less favorable reviews from western outlets. X-Play gave a negative review, while Game Informer and IGN faulted the game for being an action adventure rather than an RPG. However, GameTrailers and Nintendo Power reviewed the game more positively.
See also
Notes
- Japanese: ファイナルファンタジークリスタルクロニクル クリスタルベアラー
References
- Spencer (September 15, 2009). "Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers Gravitates Earlier". Siliconera. Archived from the original on September 23, 2009. Retrieved 2009-09-15.
- Spencer (September 14, 2009). "Yes, You Can Buy Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers This Year". Siliconera. Archived from the original on September 23, 2009. Retrieved 2009-09-14.
- Infernal Monkey. "Crystal Bearers hitting Australia in February". aussie-Nintendo. Archived from the original on 2009-10-09. Retrieved 2016-02-24.
- Nix (2006-05-06). "E3 2006: Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Wii". IGN. Archived from the original on 2008-03-26. Retrieved 2008-03-10.
- Kohler, Chris (June 9, 2009). "Hands On: Crystal Bearers, the Action-Packed Final Fantasy". Wired. Archived from the original on December 27, 2016. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
- Siliconera Staff (December 18, 2009). "Akitoshi Kawazu Discusses Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers". Siliconera. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
- IGN Staff (May 16, 2007). "FF: Crystal Bearers Update". IGN. Archived from the original on August 9, 2007. Retrieved August 24, 2007.
- Square Enix web staff (2008-03-24). "A Crystal Record". member.square-enix.com/na. Archived from the original on 2008-07-02. Retrieved 2008-04-22.
- Square Enix. Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers.
Layle: I'm the escort. You called for me.
- Nick (August 1, 2009). "Iwata Asks – Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers – Part IV". Nintendo. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
- Craig Harris (May 16, 2007). "Interview: Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles". IGN. Archived from the original on August 13, 2012. Retrieved August 24, 2007.
- Nick (August 1, 2009). "Iwata Asks – Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers – Part V". Nintendo. Archived from the original on December 18, 2019. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
- James Mielke (May 15, 2007). "Interviews on Final Fantasy's Nintendo DS, Wii Assault". 1UP.com. Archived from the original on August 13, 2012. Retrieved August 24, 2007.
- Fletcher, J.C. (June 11, 2009). "Interview: Square Enix's Akitoshi Kawazu on Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers". Engadget. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
- Nick (August 1, 2009). "Iwata Asks – Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers – Part VI". Nintendo. Archived from the original on December 20, 2019. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
- "Square Enix Announces Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles". IGN. May 18, 2005. Archived from the original on 2012-07-28. Retrieved November 14, 2008.
- Harris, Craig (2007-05-16). "Interview: Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles". IGN. Archived from the original on 2009-02-02. Retrieved 2009-01-06.
- "FF: Crystal Bearers Update". IGN. 2007-05-16. Archived from the original on 2009-01-31. Retrieved 2009-01-06.
- Mitsuru Kamiyama (June 6, 2007). "Director's Voice". Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles News (Japanese). Archived from the original on February 2, 2009. Retrieved 2009-01-06.
- JC Fletcher (2008-02-22). "GDC08: Square Enix no-comments FFCC Crystal Bearers". Joystiq. Archived from the original on 2012-08-13. Retrieved 2008-05-18.
- Ashcraft, Brian (2008-11-14). "Rumor Smash: Square Enix On Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Canning Rumor". Kotaku. Archived from the original on 2012-08-13. Retrieved 2009-01-06.
- "FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES:THE CRYSTAL BEARERS - Global". Archived from the original on 2009-04-01.
- YouTube. Archived from the original on 2016-03-16.
- "Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers Critic Reviews for Wii". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on March 26, 2017. Retrieved 2016-04-19.
- Gifford, Kevin (November 4, 2009). "Crystal Bearers Shot Through The Heart, Famitsu's to Blame". 1UP.com. Archived from the original on October 11, 2012. Retrieved 2009-11-16.
- "Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers". Game Informer. December 26, 2009. Archived from the original on February 6, 2010. Retrieved 2016-04-19.
- Carolyn Petit (January 4, 2010). "Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Crystal Bearers Review". GameSpot. Archived from the original on November 26, 2015. Retrieved 2016-04-19.
- "Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers Review". GameTrailers. December 18, 2009. Archived from the original on February 15, 2016. Retrieved 2016-04-19.
- Mark Bozon (December 18, 2009). "Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers Review". IGN. Archived from the original on December 25, 2015. Retrieved 2016-04-19.
- Ishaan (November 15, 2009). "Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Crystal Bearers Not Flying Off Store Shelves". Siliconera. Archived from the original on August 13, 2012. Retrieved 2009-11-16.
- "【ゲームソフト販売本数ランキング TOP30】集計期間:2009年11月16日〜11月22日". Archived from the original on 2010-07-15.
- "2009年ゲームソフト年間売上TOP1000" [2009 Game Software Annual Sales Top 1000]. Famitsū Gēmu Hakusho 2010 ファミ通ゲーム白書2010 [Famitsu Game Whitebook 2010] (in Japanese). Tokyo: Enterbrain. 2010-05-21. p. 385. ISBN 978-4-04-726511-0. Archived from the original on 2015-06-27.