These multiplayer sessions can include going into dungeons with up to three friends online, or playing a number of mini-game side quests. These side quests can involve everything from setting certain enemies on fire with magic to playing “hot potato” with a bomb. Or, if you’re feeling extra competitive, you can challenge your friends to combat-based challenges. Although most of these side quests are designed to take advantage of the aforementioned multiplayer capabilities, some of them can also be played solo, if you don’t want to play online. No matter how you decide to play, these side quests are a great diversion from the main dungeon-crawling gameplay and are a great alternative to grinding if you are trying to level up your character.

Visuals in this title hit about average, with 3-D characters and environments sporting a good amount of detail. Although I was a little disappointed that some of the environments as well as the cutscenes lacked the polish that was presented in last year’s Ring of Fates. However, this is probably due to compatibility issues with the Wii, so I can understand where the downgrade comes from. Still, the look of the game keeps the cutesy style of the previous games, which is certainly nice for longtime fans.

The music in Echoes of Time is very nice and sounds a lot like the music in other Crystal Chronicles games. The voiceover in Echoes of Time is also fairly good, although it is relegated to cinema scenes, which are very sparse in this title. Still, this title follows Square Enix’s trend of providing gamers with a great soundtrack, and Echoes of Time is definitely a title worth turning the sound up for.

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time is a great DS game. It follows in the tradition started by its predecessors, and the multiplayer mode in Echoes of Time is definitely what sells it. With plenty of dungeons and quests that you can explore, this is a title that Final Fantasy fans will appreciate spending time with. Although it is also available on the Wii, the DS version feels very familiar for seasoned veterans of the Crystal Chronicles series, and I subscribe to the philosophy “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”

By Amanda L. Kondolojy
CCC Staff Contributor