As usual, Japan got to taste the game first but the upside to this is a preview of how it will fair with the general gaming world over on our shores. Though the Crystal Chronicles franchise may not be the most popular series in Final Fantasy, it sure is up to scratch with the quality expected from SquareEnix. According to over sea sources, this shows in My Life as a King and although the game doesn’t boost an action-filled experience, its exceptional visual look makes this game appealing and enjoyable to play through.

"My Life as a King has been described by some as a colorful and vibrant visual feast..."

So Basically, My Life as a King is a City Building RPG that is to be released on Nintendo's downloadable Wii Ware content and will cost about and will cost 1500 Wii Points. The game actually takes place after the first GCN Crystal Chronicles and so is a sequel. It is set in a remote area of the peaceful world the Crystal Caravans created in the first game. The new king however had lost his realm to the Miasma and is trying to revive it through a mysterious power called Architecture that he received from the town’s crystal.

This means that the player will be required to build a kingdom from the ground up by using the crystals' power. You have to build things like a castle and surrounding town and a variety of different shops. This all sounds just like the conventional City Builder games but My Life as a King seems to promise difference from this by enhancing interaction. The game itself is almost identical to the styles of the other Crystal Chronicles titles, which is not a bad thing at all because those visuals were some of the best to come out of Nintendo’s system. The game has been best described by many Previews as a cross between Animal Crossing and SimCity. Where this game really stands out from the traditional City Builder genre is how you deal with your countries residents. In the conventional game you are notified on screen by a pop up. In My Life as a King however, you are required to visit people to find out about their personal problems. Addressing all aspects of your cities life results in a successful community.

"The prospect of new downloadable content though is quite exciting."

One thing that worries many about this game though is its cost. Although 1500 Wii ($15 or £ 15) Points is definitely worth this Wii Ware package it’s the costs of downloadable content. For a gamer to really experience the full extent of this game then they will need to purchase extras with Wii Points. This can all start adding up and for those of us who are broke most of the time, this will become costly. The prospect of new downloadable content though is quite exciting for those who are willing to do so. Among the list of additional content that will be priced between 100 and 300 Wii Points will include new Houses, new outfits, and shrines to grace your city with, Castle Updates, new Dungeons, a Library and much more.

"The game has been best described by many Previews as a cross between Animal Crossing and SimCity."

This could really breathe some new life into the Final Fantasy Franchise, just like Tactics did and is most definitely bold. It’s sure to be the most imaginative new direction for the series since titles like Tactics but will it succeed and if it does will we see more of this direction from SquareEnix?

Well we will see when Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King finally becomes available on Nintendo’s Wii Ware page.