Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition Reviews
The only standout aspect of Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Remastered Edition is the new multiplayer accessibility, while the additional content hardly justifies its status as a remaster.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
As it is right now, with social distancing and self-quarantining being the norm in the United States, I can't recommend this title.
As someone who remembers playing the original Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles, I’m surprised about how well the game holds up after more than a decade and a half. Admittedly, some aspects of its visuals and mechanics feel dated and schlepping around on bucket duty can be a pain. Overall, however, the game remains fun to play, especially when doing so with other people thanks to its new online features and crossplay. Pick up the free "Lite" edition if you want to try it out first.
The burning rage that creeps from the embers of the oceanic volcano. Each of these spaces left me emotionally entranced and affected. That isn't something games evoke in a visceral manner for me anymore and I am not sure it's something I will experience again in the near future.
It must’ve been a huge task to take a game originally designed for couch co-op and convert it to online play. But Crystal Chronicles Remastered shows just how incompatible the conversion is. Huge chunks of the original game are rendered either useless or far more difficult than it has to be. Square may have been better off making a brand new Crystal Chronicles game to take advantage of online co-op, because this is a poor way to introduce new players to this forgotten Final Fantasy spinoff. The bones of a great game are in here, but there’s not much meat on them.
Long story short, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered isn't an awful game. Seriously, it isn't, but it isn't the best remaster around. It feels like it got a small touch up, a couple of modern features, a few edited dungeons, and gear to add something different. Without something to make it stand out, besides being a popular game in the past, it struggles to find value. For some revisiting a beloved game is enough, whereas others might opt for better experiences.
As Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition stands, it is an upgrade from the original, but sometimes for the wrong reason. The lack of local play is an odd decision, considering the original thrived on it, and especially when so much thought and execution was put into the online multiplayer aspect of the title this time around. The fighting system probably won't win over most fans of the series or of the original 2004 title, but the charm of the original game is still intact through this edition's exploration and treasure discovery. In the end, this game still contains some fun aspects of its original gaming intentions, but only if you can see through its faults.
Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition's uniquely cozy atmosphere and charming story can't save it from feeling significantly more lonely this time around.
Not the best Final fantasy to choose for a re-release and not the best remaster at all, with cumbersome online multiplayer and n o local co-op. Better save your money for the next entry in the franchise.
Review in Italian | Read full review
In conclusion, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition is another classic FF game that featured a lot of revolutionary features for its time.
Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles Remastered sadly isn't going to appeal to new fans due to its poor multiplayer and outdated gameplay mechanics, while those who played the original may find their nostalgic memories aren't quite as satisfying as they remember.
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition falls short in its single player department and even more so when it comes to multiplayer. It'll be a nostalgic trip for some, but not one that I can promise is worth taking.
Crystal Chronicles is fundamentally broken in its current state. The overall package feels rough and unfinished for a remaster and patching in local co-op won’t fix the dull and boring gameplay or the anemic story.
It pains to criticise this remaster so harshly, because there was a great fondness for the original title that sprang to life if local multiplayer with friends was taken advantage of. Square Enix has shown little desire to give Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles the makeover it deserved, however, and its many dated issues only become more apparent next to the removal of local multiplayer and region-locked online play. There is still a case for chancing it for friends that enjoy dungeon crawlers and can deal with the limitations, but beware of the strange control schemes and tedious gameplay.
What reason is there to purchase Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Remastered Edition? That's really the problem here. There isn't one.
A disappointing remaster that removes more than it adds, but this is still a charming and fun game, even if its sheen has been dulled.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
Overall Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles is a fun little hack-and-slash. The nostalgia of playing on a GBA might not be there anymore, but there's a lot of adventure packed into a small package. Its biggest flaws are that it doesn't feel particularly inimitable nowadays, and the multiplayer is almost a must. If you're looking for a relaxing way to beat down some baddies with your friends, Crystal Chronicles gives you everything you might be looking for - without having to shell out for four portable systems.
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered can only be recommended to the most die-hard of Final Fantasy fans, and only if they play in its single player mode. Those looking to play multiplayer with friends are going to be sorely disappointed.
Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles Remastered recreates the original's flaws, and like before, it's best enjoyed as a multiplayer-only game.
While the most dedicated players will find a game containing dozens of hours of grinding and challenge to overcome, most are likely to encounter repetitive and simplistic gameplay with no major story to reward their endeavoring. Many will no doubt find the final main game dungeon to be too great an obstacle to overcome. Without nostalgia to buoy its lackluster gameplay loop and online functionality, Crystal Chronicles is one caravan ride you may want to skip.