For the most part, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered is a very lighthearted game. The characters are all pretty aloof in terms of both design and personality, and although the player’s quest is important, the game doesn’t try to overwhelm players with its magnitude. All that said, one dungeon in particular takes all of that and turns it on its head, revealing the true intensity behind each story mission and what is really at stake if the players fail their quest and don’t manage to gather enough Myrrh for their village each year. This is of course referring to Tida Village, first found in Year 2.
The basic plot of Crystal Chronicles Remastered is simple, players must lead a crystal caravan out into the wilderness in order to find drops of Myrrh each year. These drops of Myrrh are capable of restoring the crystal in the player’s hometown for a full year in order to fend off the harmful effects of the poisonous Miasma that blankets the land. Most characters in the game see their involvement in this process as a great adventure, and for the most part it is, but Tida Village takes a moment to remind players the weight of the burden they carry.
Much of Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles‘ lore is hidden inside the diary, and many players may end up missing it if they don’t take the time to read each entry after completing a dungeon, visiting a town, or experiencing a random encounter, but Tida Village lays out its story well in the voice acted opening dialogue. It is revealed at the start of the dungeon that this village’s crystal caravan set out in search of Myrrh one year and never returned. As a result, the large crystal at the center of town’s brilliance faded and the people fell one by one to the Miasma.
The journal entry for this dungeon further clarifies that it is said that not one citizen of the town tried to escape, instead choosing to hold onto hope that the caravan would return and remain steadfast until the very end. This hope ultimately would get them no where, and soon they all choked on the Miasma. This dungeon’s boss, Armstrong, resembles the many parts of the village center conglomerated into a golem like creature, and was said to be born from the hope of those villagers before they died. Though battling a house in Final Fantasy may feel silly, this backstory makes it a little more serious.
As brief as it may be, this moment puts into perspective the rest of the game, even all of the new content in Crystal Chronicles Remastered. Players and their characters no doubt enjoy travelling the world, besting monsters, and completing their quest, but it all comes with the caveat of what failure means for their hometown. At the start of Year 2, Tipa’s village elder Roland warns the caravan that no matter what they should be sure to return home to Tipa. Though this warning may glance off at first, it is given more meaning after experiencing the ruin of Tida Village.
Though the player can name their hometown whatever they like, the similarities between the names of Tida and Tipa Villages are certainly no coincidence. Both seem like similarly small towns, details that were included on purpose in order to show players what would become of their character’s hometown and families should they fail. When compared to the rest of the game, this easily stands out as one of its darkest moments and really helps to provide context moving forward. What’s more, the presence of a Myrrh tree in Tida village brings to question what causes them to grow, furthering the complexities found in this seemingly simple game. Every time players return to Tida, whether it is to get another drop of Myrrh or to try and get the best artifacts in Crystal Chronicles, it will serve as a solemn reminder.
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered is available now on Mobile, PS4, and Switch.
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