Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fate (FFCC: RoF) features a robust single player experience and an equally capable and fun multiplayer mode for those who have friends with the game. Unfortunately each player must have a copy of the game, and even worse there is no Wi-Fi play, just trading of items. While it's certainly not a deal breaker, the lack of online play is disappointing and would have definitely been a welcome feature.

I imagine most gamers will start with the single player campaign to get a feel for the game and to experience the story. The game begins with a short cinema and introduces Yuri and Chelinka, the two main characters of the game. They are twins and very curious about the world outside their very small homestead. They live with their Dad, but their Mother, well you'll find out about her after playing for a short while. Next door live two very eccentric, but equally entertaining characters. Alhanalem (Al for short) is a Yuke who specializes is magical techniques and Meeth is a Lilty, a spunky little gal that likes to say inappropriate things to liven up the story. Both will join the group in time and will offer up special skills to make the quests easier to handle.

The game plays very similar to the original Crystal Chronicles, but it also bears a close resemblance to Secret of Mana and a hint of Kingdom Hearts. The game is heavy on the action element, with each character having his or her set of attacks. Fallen enemies will almost always leave treasures, gil, or mana behind that can be collected and used. Plus you gain experience points, which will level up your character over time. The game makes use of both of the screens on the DS. The top screen is the main action screen and the bottom is used mostly for menus, items, and mana selection. For example, touching a red mana orb on the bottom screen and then pressing X will allow the player to cast the fire spell. These spells can be combined with other characters' spells to create stronger versions, or even new spells depending on the mixture. Each new field map will feature plenty of areas to explore, each littered with treasure chests, enemies, switches, and more. Each character can jump, which makes for some great platforming elements in the various dungeons. Many times there will be a cliff or a platform just out of reach of your jump, but if you're clever enough to stand on your teammate's head or stand on top of an open treasure chest you may just find more hidden goodies waiting for you, or at the very least a shortcut to the boss.

As you progress through the single-player mode, the game will dish out bits of story through character dialog as well as elaborate cinema scenes, most of which are wonderfully animated. The story itself starts off a bit cute - lack for a better word. The main characters are very young and childish, as they should be given their ages, but it comes across a bit too kiddy at times. Luckily, it doesn't take too much time for the main story to kick in and then we see some dark elements take over, which offset the saccharine-sweet wackiness. Unlike its predecessor, FFCC:RoF packs in a full-fledged 1-player game that doesn't feel tacked on. It's designed so that a single player can enjoy the game through and through. When other characters join the group, you can tap their picture on the bottom screen to take control of them instead. It will be necessary to completely navigate the different dungeons, and some of them have better attacks and move sets. However, that means the characters you're not controlling are handled by the A.I. and unfortunately that's a big issue. The computer-controlled characters simply don't do much. They will sit around, almost zombie-like even when attacked. They don't seem to understand how to cast cure spells and pretty much will keep attacking a boss until they die, with little variation in technique. Needless to say, having to micromanage the other characters puts a serious stain on the battle system and makes it nearly impossible to combine spells and pull off impressive attacks.

Multiplayer fares better when it comes to strategizing attacks and tackling the missions as a team. This mode allows you and up to three other friends to explore dungeons already beaten in the single player mode. There are also a host of other quests you can take on by visiting the King. These will range from timed co-op exercises like flipping every switch in a cave, to competitive excursions like picking as many plants as possible in a minute. The story elements are completely removed from the multiplayer experience, which is disappointing for those wanting to play through the entire game together.

The main complaints I had with the first game have been addressed. Gone is the “magical” chalice from the first game, which was a huge annoyance since it had to be carried by one of the players. Experience points are now a part of the game, which means you'll be leveling your characters up throughout the quest to make them stronger. Last, but not least, your magic carries over with you from dungeon to dungeon and each player has access to all of the spells if he or she has the required mana handy. This makes the game more balanced and allows each player to play the game with a full set of options instead of being relegated to being the healer or whatnot. Oh, and did I mention the chalice is GONE? It had to be repeated.

FFCC:RoF is a fun game that effectively fixed most of the problems facing the original, but introduced a few new ones. Overall the game is a great action/RPG that is a joy to play in single or multiplayer. The graphics and sound, while not in the same league as the GameCube original, are more than acceptable given the DS's limitations. Casting spells could have been handled better by having a lock-on button ala Zelda games, but it's not broken by any means. When you buy this game you'll have an excellent time playing alone or with friends. The story is well written and very entertaining, and the cast of characters really grows on you. The cost of admission is definitely worth it.