Square Enix's action-oriented extension of the long-running Final Fantasy series continues in Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles, as players once again explore a strange world in which mysterious crystals protect inhabitants from a shroud of poisonous gas. Gamers can choose from four races and two genders as they create their unique protagonist, a character who returns from a 16th-birthday ceremony to discover a fellow villager under the grips of "crystal sickness." The story then takes players on a Legend of Zelda-esque adventure full of overworld exploration, puzzle-filled dungeon crawling, side quests, and real-time battles. The ultimate goal is to track down a cure for the mysterious illness by completing specific tasks and battling monsters to procure special items. Echoes of Time also includes a multiplayer component that lets up to four gamers band together in more than 60 quests and mini-games.
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