Can you hear that faint rumbling on the breeze? It's the dissatisfied grumbling coming from Square-Enix fans who still feel betrayed by the slightly more freeform, hack 'n' slash nature of Final Fantasy XII on PS2. Fair enough, the combat system felt less like a game from the series and more like an offline MMORPG, replacing the line-dancing battle dynamics of old with slick, action-packed fights that require you to stay on the ball at all times. It split followers of the series right down the middle, but this reviewer can confidently say that it was a massive gamble and a gutsy move from the developer that paid off but was let down by a slightly shaky story. The battle system was excellent once the gambit system was harnessed and the zinging pace of the large-scale battles felt more realistic than waiting politely for your next turn to strike. For the sake of pacing and realism it is the best battle system of the series yet, which leaves me furiously speculating where they will take the game from here.

Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles - Ring of Fates goes much further than this system, offering true hack 'n' slash combat in the style of God of War, yet packaged in such a way that it still feels like the old Final Fantasy we know and love. Which, of course, is brilliant, because marrying two such diverse dynamics (the beat 'em up and the RPG) is no mean feat, yet the execution here is flawless and should appease fans of both genres. Off the bat this game feels twee and aimed at the ever-growing child fanbase of the DS, but it's still as solid and challenging as the series gets, so second guessing the difficulty level will only serve in getting you mauled quickly.

The story is the usual slow reveal, drawing you in and posing questions then drip-feeding you the answers. It's a tried and tested Square-Enix formula that never fails to appeal. An intro showing a freaky looking demon roaming around your hometown with an apparent agenda involving - ah wait! Can't spoil it just yet - maybe after thirty or so hours of game time you'll know what's going on. Put simply, the story is as good as they come, which is a relief. Stretching an RPG-esque story around what is essentially a fighting game is a tall order, but again, Square has made it work very well.

Twins Yuri and Chelinka share an awesome power that they do not yet fully realise. Living in a small village with no real knowledge of the outside world, the duo are fixated on adventure, and after stumbling across a nearby cave network, start their own quest for living an action-packed, treasure-filled life. The cave mission serves as the tutorial, guided by the ever-present moogles (who are in uber-cute mode this time around!) Controlling Yuri is a breeze, with navigation assigned to the d-pad; A executes sword swipes, B performs jumps, X locks onto enemies and Y is for grapples and lifting items. These moves can be used while exploring and fighting.

Gone are the random battles that either plagued or helped along previous games in the series (depending on your view). Enemies roam around each stage and can be fought or avoided completely, which is helpful when health becomes a critical issue. Swiping with your weapon unleashes combos and, combined with jump attacks and throws, you will soon be dispatching foes with relative ease. Special skills are unleashed with a tap of R, where the action then switches to the touch screen and choosing the enemy you wish to attack is as simple as tapping them with the stylus.

Magic is introduced shortly after the tutorial and is performed the same way as special attacks, although it's a simple case of tapping the magic icons on the touch screen. You can only equip a set number of magic or item types in the touch screen however, so choosing combinations that suit your preferences is crucial. Fancy being able to use a health potion at a tap of the stylus? Then equip it below. Alternatively, if you feel like putting brawn before brain, assigning some heavy-hitting magic types in the bottom screen allows you to use them quickly and with ease. It's important to note that the gameplay does not halt while accessing menus though, and while this can prove troublesome at first, the touch screen one-tap buttons do compensate for it.

EXP and items are gained by defeating enemies, but throwing a beast into a wall often results in it dropping rarer materials or power-ups. Hold onto your foe for too long however and it will shake you off, dishing out some damage in the process. It's a question of picking and choosing your fights and the best way to go about them.

Along your journey you will encounter towns full of non-player characters who hold useful information or side quests, along with inns and shops to spend the money you've accrued during battle. Some materials dropped by enemies can be used to craft new items at synth shops; for example, Mu squirrels drop fur and patches of hard skin - combine them and you can make leather armour. New items can only be crafted when you find or buy recipe scrolls for them, but there are around 100 of these. Needless to say, you won't be finding them all in a hurry!

Multiplayer was a key element of the original Crystal Chronicles on Gamecube, but requiring each player to use a GBA as a controller was simply not practical. Now you can take on this challenge solo or use Nintendo wi-fi to enlist three of your friends. Some puzzles require extra pairs of hands, such as pushing massive concrete blocks or tripping switches. The multiplayer mode works well, with no lag or let up in graphical power and, while not essential, it provides a fun alternative to going it alone. Luckily, if you stop playing a three-player game after a few hours, a single player can continue the quest with AI partners if getting your mates over is proving difficult. This is very important and a wise move on the part of Square.

It's easy to get sucked into such a rich, involving world with many background stories and history of its own. Graphically, it is rare to find this level of 3D flair on the DS. Environments are full of character and boast detailed textures and chunky sprites, providing a huge step up in weight and scale when compared to the recent Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings. Fans of Squaresoft's Vagrant Story on PSOne will enjoy the slightly isometric platforming of this title too, which works extremely well. The sound may not smack of Uemetsu's original Final Fantasy soundtracks, but Square-Enix are coming up with some excellent audio flair of their own that matches, if not betters at times, their composers' previous work.

Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles - Ring of Fates surpasses the Gamecube original in terms of scope, ambition and gameplay, offering some truly inventive multiplayer moments. Fans of Legend of Zelda: Four Swords will instantly tap into the teamwork element, so working together becomes the main selling point. It can still prove difficult to get three friends over to play the game the way it was intended, but as a single player experience, this radiates all the charm and character expected from a Final Fantasy title.

Reviewed by Dave Cook for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).