Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 41 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 41
  2. Negative: 0 out of 41
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  1. 100
    It's balanced and has just the right loot curve, unlike games such as Champions of Norrath, which offer too many loot drops but nothing worth keeping. Come for the single-player appetizer, but stay for the multiplayer grandeur. Ring of Fates is a keeper.
  2. An excellent title. It features memorable gameplay, stunning graphics, and a great multiplayer mode. It is also a very long title, and will keep you playing for quite a while.
  3. 90
    Easily the best Square title on the DS available now, and possibly the best value for money title on the system too.
  4. Loses a tiny little something if you're not ever going to see the four-player stuff, but it's undoubtedly a very cool and enjoyable hack-'em-up no matter how you play.
  5. Games Master UK
    84
    A satisfying multiplayer adventure with more than an hint of "Phantasy Star Online" about it. [Apr 2008, p.70]
  6. A surprisingly valiant effort. It has variety and charm, and even though the RPG elements feel a bit wasted on the action-heavy gameplay, it still flows well.
  7. The story is well written and very entertaining, and the cast of characters really grow on you.
  8. Its no-nonsense, pick-up-and-play sensibility is perfectly portable, and for many Final Fantasy fans it’s an excellent stopgap while waiting for the DS remake of Final Fantasy IV.
  9. 82
    We’ve been watching Crystal Chronicles DS for over three years now, and the final product was well worth the wait.
  10. Ring of Fates does what Crystal Chronicles couldn't do (make the game worth playing alone).
  11. 80
    Probably the best single-player dungeon crawler we'll see on the DS for some time. Game balance is great, the game looks beautiful, and there's even some really fun writing hidden beneath the youth/casual storyline.
  12. 80
    Like its predecessor, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates is strong on action, and it's a kinder, gentler Final Fantasy that's relatively easy to pick up and play.
  13. It’s an impressive and completely absorbing handheld game that does hack-and-slash action right as well as provide a story true to the Final Fantasy brand. It has its share of problems but they pale compared to the overall package.
  14. 80
    Things like AI and cluttered controls will test your patience, but never enough to sour the experience or remove the sheen of quality.
  15. 80
    Just as Diablo recreated the sheer joy of finding fifty bucks on the sidewalk, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates rinds and nails a perfect loot-rinse-repeat rhythm.
  16. Play Magazine
    80
    If you're a J-RPG/action RPG fan, you can't really go wrong with $39 spent on Ring of Fates. [Apr 2008, p.69]
  17. 80
    Despite the dodgy AI, Ring of Fates is easily a big step up from its predecessor. The action is more satisfying, the multiplayer is easier to get into, and the story mode is a huge leap forward.
  18. AceGamez
    80
    Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles - Ring of Fates surpasses the Gamecube original in terms of scope, ambition and gameplay, offering some truly inventive multiplayer moments.
  19. 80
    While the shonky AI and cumbersome controls take away from the game, there is no denying that Ring of Fates is another solid gaming experience from Square Enix.
  20. 80
    It isn't remarkably better than the first game, but it is a slight improvement.
  21. Electronic Gaming Monthly
    78
    Thanks to the awesomely balanced difficulty curve, I haven't had this much fun dungeon-crawling since "Diablo II." [Apr 2008, p.82]
  22. The multiplayer really does save this latest Final Fantasy game from suffering the indignity of a bad score due to incompetent AI.
  23. 75
    A solid title that boasts some amazing production values. It's single-player campaign tends towards mindless hack-and-slash gameplay and there are some noticeable slowdown flaws, but it's still offers up a good dose of fun, especially if you're looking for a dungeon crawler with a bit Final Fantasy flavor.
  24. A few problems keep it from being a classic, but Ring of Fates is still a capricious caper whether you're on your own or playing with pals.
  25. Since Square has been so crazy about spin-offs these days, I was expecting this title to feel a little hollow, but it actually comes through. Had the oddly unnatural use of the touch screen not been an issue, I think I would have gone from liking to loving it, but in the long run it's a flaw worth looking past.
  26. 75
    At the end of the day, Ring of Fates is an entertaining multiplayer game that also houses a somewhat entertaining single player mode. The multiplayer mode though, seriously, that's where the fun is.
  27. Official Nintendo Magazine UK
    72
    A mixed bag mangled by repetitive combat and a magic system that could have used a little more thought. But behind its failings is a story that is worth sitting through. [Apr 2008, p.66]
  28. Nintendo Power
    70
    For most game series, what we find in Ring of Fates would be acceptable; for Final Fantasy, it is a major concern. [Mar 2008, p.84]
  29. The game's technical shortcomings are too noticeable. The slowdown is horrendous, especially in multiplayer, there's zero Wi-Fi multiplayer action, some of the non-functional camera angles suck and in-game artificial intelligence becomes sporadically idiotic. It's a fun little portable RPG, but these Rings could've used resizing.
  30. It's in the multiplayer that Ring of Fates excels, and we have no problem with recommending it thoroughly to anyone who fancies some co-op action RPG fun with their friends.
  31. The story is engaging, but the game’s primary focus is on bashing an unending supply of monsters. For the most part, this involves approaching monsters and pressing the attack button.
  32. Still too deep and complex for a casual audience, but not deep enough to satisfy the other end of the spectrum, which is atypical of a Square-Enix title or any game with the name Final Fantasy in it.
  33. But the harsh reality is that the excellent story is rather let down by the constricting control scheme.
  34. 70
    I wouldn't unhesitatingly recommend Ring of Fates to anyone who's not already a genre fan, but if you're like me, you need to play this one.
  35. If you're patient enough, and can regularly resist the urge to throw your DS against a wall, you're likely to find a really good handheld RPG in Ring of Fates. For those with less patience, you might want to give this one a pass, if only to preserve your DS from violent impacts.
  36. If Square Enix had only managed a better spell-stacking mechanic or upgraded the game’s multiplayer capabilities, this could have been a great game.
  37. Final Fantasy – Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates is a great game if you plan on purchasing it with the intent on playing it primarily with other people.
  38. It’s a poor excuse to round up the gang. Presumably, the reason why your friends are your friends is because you share some common interests. Do some of those together instead.
  39. Sadly, Square-Enix still hasn't nailed the multiplayer component, and the obvious faults in its single-player gameplay will turn off most everyone else.
  40. Edge Magazine
    60
    In quests played with up to three friends the experience improves, but the game does nothing clever, original or compelling enough to recommend local questing over MMOs. [May 2008, p.95]
  41. netjak
    57
    With Ring of Fates, I feel like the seed of a great game is in the card. It just was never allowed to come to fruition, and the end result is a game that feels half-completed.

Awards & Rankings

33
26
#26 Most Discussed DS Game of 2008
15
#15 Most Shared DS Game of 2008
User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 35 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 20 out of 35
  2. Negative: 3 out of 35
  1. Jun 3, 2023
    7
    Another enjoyable RPG/platform arcade adventure hybrid but as it is aimed at younger players, veterans may find the syrup-soaked story andAnother enjoyable RPG/platform arcade adventure hybrid but as it is aimed at younger players, veterans may find the syrup-soaked story and dialogue painfully twee. Full Review »
  2. Jan 14, 2023
    10
    worth it and glad to play this game again. so much memories and nostalgia within this spin off game in the series.
  3. Apr 4, 2022
    6
    The game is alright, the story is meh, I kind of got bored from the story. The boss fights are meh, I always don't know how to do damage toThe game is alright, the story is meh, I kind of got bored from the story. The boss fights are meh, I always don't know how to do damage to the bosses. The characters are meh, I didn't get into any characters in this game. Some puzzles were ok but a lot of them, I didn't know what to do. Full Review »