I’ve been a Final Fantasy fan from the first time I played the game. From that first moment choosing the makeup of my party, through future games playing as Bartz, Cecil, Squall, Tidus and the whole pantheon of heroes, I’ve been there every step of the way, for the core games and most of the spinoffs (except for 11, the MMO).

The Crystal Chronicles franchise, when it first appeared on the Gamecube, was a different creature. Setting aside many of the concepts and gameplay that have flowed through each of the Final Fantasy games and worlds, it presented a different style of game, one that seemed geared at a younger audience, with significantly toned down RPG elements and a much lighter tone. And in another break from tradition, all of the Crystal Chronicles games take place in the same world, featuring the same four distinct tribes: the humanoid Lilties, Clavats, and Selkies, and the tall, spindly Yuke.

But while Crystal Chronicles may have started out as Final Fantasy junior, with Crystal Bearers it has graduated from elementary school to high school, offering a more complex story and a whole new form of combat, while still retaining that appeal to a broader audience. Unfortunately, like any teen-ager, it’s not without its frustrations and growing pains.

Set 1,000 years after the first Crystal Chronicles, Crystal Bearers sees a world where the militant Lilties have wiped out the Yuke in a great war, and now rule over the Clavats and Selkies. Magic has been outlawed, and replaced with technology, though some special beings can wield powerful magic. They are the titular Crystal Bearers, including the story’s main character, Layle. A young, brash mercenary, Layle has power over gravity, which can be used to manipulate the environment and to defeat enemies. While the Crystal Bearers are infused with tremendous magical ability, they are also feared and hunted with the kingdom.

The story in Crystal Bearers is quite well done, dropping a lot of the unnecessary complexity that has become a hallmark of recent Final Fantasy games, and instead offering up a straight-forward action adventure. As the story unfolds, a conspiracy is unearthed and Layle has to grow beyond his brattish and selfish ways. It’s a conventional hero story, but for younger gamers who haven’t played it many times over, it should still feel fresh. And even for the experienced gamer, while it starts off a little slow, there’s enough intrigue and surprisingly emotional moments to make it worthwhile.

For a Final Fantasy title, Crystal Bearers is surprisingly light on RPG elements, with no characters stats or experience points to be seen. You can equip up to three accessories, which offer improvements to your attacks and defensive abilities, but that’s the extent of it. It’s definitely an odd choice for a Final Fantasy game, but if you approach this as a stripped down action adventure title, it’s entirely appropriate.

There have been a few games recently that have really pushed the Wii’s graphics abilities, and Crystal Bearers is right up there. The environments are something to behold, vivid and colourful, rivalling the Final Fantasy games on the PS2. It’s quite astounding just how much the developers have been able to squeeze into the game visuals, and working that detail into a wide variety of different backdrops. Characters are unique and well designed (not to the same level as X or XII on the PS2 though), and give real life and difference to the game’s four classes.

Adding to the ambiance is a great soundtrack. The tunes are largely on the goofy and exaggerated side, but they are a good fit for each environment, such as the over-the-top western theme for the badlands, and the tropical rhythm for the ocean side. In a nice reference for long-time gamers, the traditional Chocobo music was incorporated into riding sequences.

Exploration, of course, is a big part of the game, including travel on foot and Chocobo riding. However, there’s not an actual world map for you to see where you are and how to get to where you want to be. There is an image under the missions screen, but it’s more artistic than functional, and if you’ve forgotten how to get from one place to another, it’s no help at all.

Rather than old-school random encounters, or a game world littered with enemies, battles happen in one of two ways. When Layle enters many new areas, he’ll encounter a group of enemies that must be cleared. The reward for these is an added life point and the ability to continue the story. The others occur semi-randomly as you travel through the land. The sky will darken and the friendly creatures and folks will be replaced by monsters. These sequences are time limited; destroy the monsters in time for a reward, otherwise they will disappear and the regular folks will return. Don’t be surprised though, when time runs out as you are finishing off the last monster.

Between combat encounters and world exploration, there are also a series of action sequences that pop up, including a thrilling freefall shooting sequence that opens up the game (and unfortunately raises expectations for the action to come, but more on that in a bit). Some are better than others, and they seem to pop up without warning. But even the most challenging can still be overcome on a second or third try at most, so while they may slow down your progression, they don’t bring it to a halt. Though the less said about bikini clad girls trying to knock each other off a floating platform, the better. There are also a number of minigame-type activities that can also be enjoyed, including gardening, hide and seek and grape picking.

Within these different battle and action sequences, the game employs the Wiimote in a lot of different ways. Not all are successful, but kudos to the developers for really trying to make the most of Crystal Bearers as a Wii title.

So, if the graphics are great, the setting is wonderful, the music is lively, and the story works nicely, what stops this game from being outstanding?

Combat.

Rather than anything resembling a traditional combat system or weaponry, the combat in Crystal Bearers is (appropriately) entirely by magic, and specifically, Layle’s telekinesis-like powers. Using the Wiimote, you can target enemies and fling them around the area, smashing them into each other, throwing them off cliffs, almost as if you had a powerful magic whip.

In theory, it sounds great. In practice, not so great.

Instead, you’ll flail the Wiimote wildly, you’ll throw enemies near enemies instead of at them and you’ll wish you could just pull out a sword and start stabbing things. Part of the problem is that Wiimote waggles in a third person perspective are not conducive to accurate, satisfying attacks, and eventually, picking up monsters and failing to throw them at other monsters becomes, well, you never quite care enough to find it frustrating. It’s just not enjoyable.

While I appreciate the attempt at something new, I find it difficult to believe anyone at Square Enix played the final version of this combat system and said “You know what? That’s just about perfect.”

There is potential there though, so I’d hope in a sequel we’d see positive changes like adjusting the camera angle to a slightly more overheard view, offering a lock on option when throwing enemies or items, and more attacks and actions tied to Wiimote motions and button presses. And the way some enemies can be used for special attacks, such as beetles you encounter early in the game that will smash together into a destructive pinball smashing through the landscape, are fairly inspired and help alleviate some of the repetition. So while it ended up detracting from my play experience, the core idea behind the combat is definitely something that could be improved.

The other main failing in the game are the voice overs. The only thing worse than a game without voice acting is a game with bad voice acting, and unfortunately, Crystal Bearers has it in spades. A bizarre mix of flat conversational tones, strange inflections and emphases, and hammy performances combine for some of the absolute worst voice acting I’ve ever heard in a quality game.

And since I’m venting, I really can’t stand the cover either. I like either the iconic character covers or the simple white ones, and this feathered and airbrushed Layle looking at me just kinda creeps me out.

While Crystal Bearers is definitely a mixed bag, the good still outweighs the bad, and you’re left with an easier, more accessible Final Fantasy adventure that’s heavy on the action and light on the RPG. If you’re like me, and can’t wait for Final Fantasy XIII, this is a good way to pass the time until that game arrives, and it should prove to be an enjoyable experience for younger gamers who are new to Final Fantasy.

A review copy was provided to GamerPops.