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Editorials   New Final Fantasy Trailer Should Convert Skeptics
- By Lander Clinton

I have to admit, when I first heard of Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles for GameCube I was happy to hear that Square was back with Nintendo, but a little upset that the game wasn't a "numbered" Final Fantasy like 12 or 13.

Then when I learned the game was a multiplayer, Gauntlet-style game, I assumed Square was just trying to cash-in on the Final Fantasy name while releasing some other game nobody asked for (like how they renamed Romancing Saga 1-3 and Secret of Mana 1 as Final Fantasy Legend 1-3 and Final Fantasy Adventure in the U.S.). Crystal Chronicles had my interest but not my confidence.

Then I got to play it at E3 and found it to be a really refreshing game. I actually found myself strategizing with strangers to overcome the game's obstacles, but I still didn't know if it would sell well. Using the GBA AND being primarily a 4-player game truly limits the possible audience, which is why the Final Fantasy name NEEDS to be on it to get the consumer's attention. It still didn't feel like a real Final Fantasy game though.

After viewing the newly-released trailer, however, I don't care if no one else buys it or wants to play it- I want it. The game looks and sounds more like Final FANTASY than most of the recent numbered entries, and any fears I had about getting a second-hand Final Fantasy game were asuaged by the trailer's music. The music is at once both Japanese and Celtic, and will hopefully remain unchanged for its American release (unlike Kingdom Hearts, which changed dramatic opening music to bland pop for the US). The graphics are also dripping with so much detail and style that I can forgive the over-use of motion blur. It's clear that Game Developer Studios has gone all-out to ensure the quality of this title.

With this in mind, I don't think there will be any trouble selling the game. In Japan I'm expecting a big spike in GameCube sales next week. For America, don't forget how much Goldeneye sold the N64 because it was a 4-player game. If NOA markets FF:CC as a party game, it could do very nicely.

Right now, Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles is at the top of my most-wanted list, but I'm actually happy the game's American release has been pushed back to next year so it gets a good translation- anyone remember what the hell was going on in Final Fantasy 7? Of course you don't, the translation was shoddy. Final Fantasy 4 got the story across but fudged up the language, and I think 9 had a good word-for-word translation, but the overall point of the game was lost somewhere.

Look for more plot details about Crystal Chronicles once the game hits Japanese stores next week.