Post by devilmaycare150 on Jul 14, 2003 19:30:13 GMT -5
..I've been starving for a good RPG for the PS2 for awhile now. I'm a huge fan of the Saga series, but even I was taken somewhat aback by it's D&D style, or so that's what they call it (I wouldn't know, I've never played D&D). They tried to take two steps forward, by taking a step backward, and mesmerizing people with nostalgia. But how many people here remember pure text based RPG's with such boring gameplay? Not me, and from the lackluster reviews I've read (alex7500's more..blunt review sumed up most of the games problems) it didn't charm many people. The whole game felt like a chore, and the voice acting went from decent, to horrendous (Armic sounds like a depressed grandmother, and if his voice actor had gone a bit deeper, it wouldn't have surprised me if he sounded like Eeyore from Winnie The Pooh..). Even worse, the story didn't interest me that much at all..even though I didn't beat it..but meh..hoe many people really beat that game? If you did, I salute you; I sure couldn't do so..
I never played the other Arc The Lad games, mainly because all three of them came in one case, and so, the lowest price I can find is 60 dollars, and a 14 year old like me doesn't have that kind of money at the moment. So I didn't mind playing this new one when it came out, for no other reason than to get US out of my mind at the moment..
It's one of those RPG's you'd play to occupy your time until something else came out, something I call a backburner game. It serves it's purpose well, and goes out with flying colors..
This was probably the best game I could've joined the series; it starts hundred's of year's after the third Arc The Lad game, unlike the other games, which all took place only a few years apart (or so it seems..).
The game's story is basically about the trials between two races bent on destroying their opposing species; the Humans and the Deimos (basically monsters who've evolved into more intelligent beings). They don't get along, at all, and they both need Spirit Stones; the main natural resource currently in use. Neither one can survive without Spirit Stones, and it remains a pivotal point of conflict that continues the battle between them. Kharg, the human son of the now abolished monarchy of Nidellia, is determined to find a way to destroy the Deimos, and Darc, a half Deimos, half human, 17 year old is determined to ahnihillate the Humans who are bent on slaughtering his kind. The game switches between each of their points of view, and shows of an atmosphere because of it that's very unique to an RPG, the human's themselves, are no better than the Deimos, and in fact, just as stubburn in their will to not subdue themselves to the other side. It's obvious that the human's could easily destroy the Deimos if they banded together with their technology, and vice versa for the Deimos, but neither side can ever find a way to unite everyone under one flag against their enemy. The Deimos tribes are constantly waging war with one another, and a (cue cliche) evil Empire is bent on conquering the world. That's the depressing thing about the whole issue, everyone wants a revolution but no one is strong enough to bring it about..the whole game seems to be rooted from cliche's, but it grows from that to an immersive experience. The usual blonde haired sword weilding hero makes yet another comeback, along with a Gau from FF6 wannabe who jumps out of nowhere, and seems to come along just so the game has three party members at a certain point. But while it is somewhat cliche, it doesn't ever completely fall into a cascade of predictability, the way they present the story through the two heros' eyes is one that actually makes the more easily seen plot twists interesting.
Some characters could be described as being suprisingly blocky around the somewhat lush movements a fair amount of the characters are lucky to have. A characters expressions are shown vividly, and beautifully, and the backgrounds for the area's are just as arguably well done.
A Strategy/RPG, one of my favorite kinds of games to play, although I still deem BOF5's battle system the best Strategy/RPG hybrid for the PS2, and the best I've ever seen, the one of TOTS isn't that bad. It's certainly not as good, it doesn't have an AP bar, which means you can basically go anywhere your character can, and still use your strongest attack, as long as you have enough Spirit Stones anyway. Ah yes, the Spirit Stones concept, each character has a limit for how many they can use, and when they run out, you'll have to say bye to any hopes of using Magic or Special Skills for the remainder of the battle since you can't refill your SS during battle unless you take them from an enemy. It's certainly well implemented, and add's a great element of strategy, but you'd better hold on to your money, they cost some cash. But a general rule of thumb is to not bother buying weapon items and acessories, and instead dedicate yoursel on buying Sprit Stones and healing items. Weapons just don't deal that much damage, and some of the items you can equip on them (think Materia, except..without enabling you to use magic, and doing other things, like making Fire attacks ineffectual and the like) are over priced.
Voice acting in cutscenes and battle are above average at best. Although I personally believe there done better in battle. The VA's all seem to fit their character's persona well enough, not up to Xenosaga standards, but good enough in any case. The music nearly blew me away; keyword, nearly. The battle themes seemed to be a weakness for the composer, along with some of the themes used for towns and the like. My favorite songs in the game consisted of character themes, and the Kharg's world map. All the other note worthy songs were basically reasonably well-done mood setters...
Arc The Lad: TOTS was certainly one of the better games I've played, and was just the remedy needed to clear my head from the nearly catatonic state US put me in (Okay, it wasn't THAT bad). So..rent or buy? Don't ask me, it's your decision, but I certainly enjoyed the game..