Final Fantasy Fables Chocobo Tales

SCORE: 72

At its core, this is another Final Fantasy game (editor: which have not faired well historically with Family Friendly Gaming). With that said, everything from normal Final Fantasy games is toned down to make it friendlier to the younger audience.

Throughout the game, you’ll see a character turned to stone, find creatures who have been brainwashed, deal with stories about magical crystals, and anything else you would expect to see from a Final Fantasy game. Most were only minor offenses to me, but the creators went too far with the crystal stories. Another concern is how characters have their memories distorted near the end of the game.

The game is broken down into three parts: minigames, microgames, and card battles. The minigames are themed around either one of Aesop’s fables or a fairy tale. Each minigame has three endings, with each one uniquely changing the game world, opening up new paths. However, to do that, some of the endings were of minor offense, such as a pig’s tail being set on fire.

Microgames are simply un-themed minigames. These are generally very imaginative and fun, reminding me of what made Mario Party so great. And, only one is offensive: Magic Pot Luck, where you are to stab a creature living inside a pot with knives; however, you do not have to play it to beat the game (which always goes over much better at Family Friendly Gaming).

The card battles may be the largest area of concern. You are summoning creatures to fight for you, but the summoning itself is not too offensive. The main concern is how the violence is on par with that of the original Super Smash Bros. With that said, for me it was not nearly as bad as Super Smash Bros as the focus is outwitting and outplaying your opponent, rather than just beating him up.

On the upside, the sounds are great. There are lots of simple melodies that work well for the game. These melodies can get stuck in the players head easily. Likewise, the graphics are mainly upbeat and fit the various locations.

The strongest point of the game is the replay value. There are over 120 cards to collect, that you can arrange into any of six decks. Some of the minigames are good enough to replay even after beating them. And, there are several multiplayer options, from card battles to the minigames.

Chocobo Tales is full of minor offenses. However, if you can overlook them, you’ll find an incredible game in this reviewer’s humble opinion.
-Brian

Graphics: 70%
Sound: 79%
Replay/Extras: 82%
Gameplay: 70%
Family Friendly Factor: 60%
System: Nintendo DS
Publisher: Square Enix
Rating: 'E' for Everyone
{Comic Mischief, Mild Fantasy Violence}

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