Final Fantany Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time
 

Square Enix recently announced the sequel to FFCC: Ring of Fates, entitled Echoes of Time. There are two notable features about EoT: (1) online multiplayer, something sorely missing from the FFCC series and (2) a dual release: the game is being released on both the DS and the Wii.

However, the Wii version is, more or less, a port of the DS version.

SE has created something called the Pollux Engine, which seems to be a DS emulation engine for the Wii (or other consoles... who knows). The Wii version of the game will display both screens at one, retaining the graphics of the DS. The most intriguing aspect of the Pollux Engine is that a DS will recognize the Wii as another DS. A DS owner and a Wii owner will be able to connect with one another via online multiplayer, anywhere in the world (a max. of 4 players in a party, of course).

The official site doesn't have much on the story, but Famitsu gave a little info: The protagonist lives in a village where the age of adulthood is 16. The ceremony of adulthood requires a crystal that lies in the forest that surrounds the village. The protagonist enters the forest, defeating many monsters on the way, and encounters both the crystal and a girl named Jelotta. Once he returns, he finds that all the girls in his village have fallen ill. The rules of the village forbid anyone from leaving the forest, but the protagonist does so to save the girls from what seems to be an ancient disease.

The Japanese version comes out January 29, 2009. Both versions will sell for 5040 yen, which is the standard price for DS games over there. SE didn't announce anything for other regions.

Famitsu has plenty of pictures here.

This is the Wii interface:
http://www.famitsu.com/game/news/__i...n_gn/wii01.jpg
Is it me, does it look anti-aliased?

The official trailier and site can be found here: FFCC: Echoes of Time.



I like that fact that SE is allowing people to choose their preferred format for this game, but something still bothers me about having the Wii play a DS game. On the other hand, I impressed with the technology and would like to see what else can be done with it. I would've preferred a FFCC like the orignal, using the DS as a controller. Maybe some day.

Anyway, I'm sure this will be fun for (ONLINE!) multiplayer.

The online seems interesting, they should have used the Pollux Engine for Dragon Quest IX.

video for the lazies

YouTube Video

Still looks infinitely less interesting than Crystal Bearers. :(

I'll welcome any online games for the Wii, though.

Wii's Crystal Bearers is a totally different type of game though, single-player with a hero oriented story. This game focuses on online multi-player. Crystal Bearers being single player maybe one of the reasons they made this game.

BTW has anybody played Rings of Fates (DS), how did that one turn out. - na.square-enix.com/ffccrof

The single-player Ring of Fates was interesting, but a little bland (like the original). The multiplayer was a blast, though (like the original).

I'm hoping SE decides to change the character designs for the Crystal Bearers. It doesn't look like it belongs in the Crystal Chronicles universe.