Square-Enix’s most cute and adorable mascot makes his debut for Wii in a spectacular role-playing game.

With releases of Shiren: The Wanderer, Izuna 2: The Unemployed Ninja 2, and now Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo’s Dungeon, 2008 is certainly shaping up to be the year of the Roguelike. Let’s hope it lasts. For now though, we have Chocobo’s Dungeon which is the true sequel to the PlayStation game, Chocobo’s Dungeon 2.

In this spin-off of the Final Fantasy franchise, Cid and Chocobo are treasure hunters looking for the gem of Timeless power. However, they end up transported to a mysterious town where no one can recollect much of anything thanks to a bell tower that seems to erase the minds of anyone who hears its chime. It’s up to Chocobo to delve into the minds of the inhabitants to restore their memories and solve the mystery of what happened there.



Yeah, it’s not the best of plots but if you are planning on buying this game solely for the plot alone let me tell you now that your money is better spent on Final Fantasy IV. No, this game emphasises itself more on its gameplay and less on its plot, making it not an ideal candidate for traditional RPG fans nor neophytes of the genre.

Yet, if you were ever going to try out a Roguelike game, Chocobo’s Dungeon would be the one to try. It’s far more accessible than its brethren which severely punish players by stripping them of their experience, items, and money when they die. Chocobo’s Dungeon on the other hand breaks the rules and allows players to keep any equipped items as well as their experience, making the prospect of dying in a dungeon far less terrifying.

The thing about Roguelikes though, is you either like them or don’t. The games have a strict structure they must follow so they don’t just become action RPGs. Chocobo’s Dungeon breaks the rules of punishment but keeps the genre defining elements of randomly generated dungeons and loot and the “universal turn” aspect of nothing acting until the player does. That said, Chocobo’s Dungeon offers the perfect gameplay element to help freshen things without smashing the rules – the job system.



It’s a brilliant addition to this type of game and adds another layer to the game’s strategy. Roguelikes have never been about level grinding and strong arming but rather making use of what you have to get as far as you can, especially in the special restriction dungeons, some of which restrict your level to 1. With the job system, players can make use of a wide array of job classes to help them through the merciless dungeon inhabitants. Be it using the Black Mage’s magic attacks to exploit an enemies elemental weakness or Thief’s ability to swipe life saving items, what the job system did for traditional RPGs it is now doing for Roguelikes.
Despite the fact that the art of the game looks like something that is inviting and cartoony, the game actually packs quite the challenge. Dying in the game is not uncommon and while it can get extremely frustrating, the game is never really cheating you. Mastery of the game takes time and since the dungeons are randomly generated, you never feel sick of seeing the same place. In fact, for a Wii game, Chocobo’s Dungeon is really quite the eye-pleaser and the soundtrack packs some great renditions of past Final Fantasy music especially from Final Fantasy VIII.