- Publisher: Square Enix
- Release Date: Mar 11, 2008
Buy Now
| Buy on |
|
- Critic score
- Publication
- By date
-
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.
-
Nintendo PowerFor 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]
-
Electronic Gaming MonthlyThanks to the awesomely balanced difficulty curve, I haven't had this much fun dungeon-crawling since "Diablo II." [Apr 2008, p.82]
-
We’ve been watching Crystal Chronicles DS for over three years now, and the final product was well worth the wait.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
Games Master UKA satisfying multiplayer adventure with more than an hint of "Phantasy Star Online" about it. [Apr 2008, p.70]
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
Official Nintendo Magazine UKA 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]
-
Things like AI and cluttered controls will test your patience, but never enough to sour the experience or remove the sheen of quality.
-
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.
-
Play MagazineIf 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]
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
AceGamezFinal Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles - Ring of Fates surpasses the Gamecube original in terms of scope, ambition and gameplay, offering some truly inventive multiplayer moments.
-
Easily the best Square title on the DS available now, and possibly the best value for money title on the system too.
-
The story is well written and very entertaining, and the cast of characters really grow on you.
-
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.
-
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.
-
Edge MagazineIn 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]
-
But the harsh reality is that the excellent story is rather let down by the constricting control scheme.
-
The multiplayer really does save this latest Final Fantasy game from suffering the indignity of a bad score due to incompetent AI.
-
netjakWith 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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
It isn't remarkably better than the first game, but it is a slight improvement.
-
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.
-
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.
-
Ring of Fates does what Crystal Chronicles couldn't do (make the game worth playing alone).
Awards & Rankings
|
33
|
|
|
26
|
#26 Most Discussed DS Game of 2008
|
|
15
|
#15 Most Shared DS Game of 2008
|
User score distribution:
-
Positive: 20 out of 35
-
Mixed: 12 out of 35
-
Negative: 3 out of 35
-
Jun 3, 2023
-
Jan 14, 2023worth it and glad to play this game again. so much memories and nostalgia within this spin off game in the series.
-
Apr 4, 2022