Video Game Review – Enchanted Arms (360, PS3)

A Traditional, Tactical Combat JRPG Garnering Mixed Reviews

Mar 18, 2009

Enchanted Arms is a very traditional, very linear RPG that holds some interesting writing and dialogue as well as a neat plot. Worth a look if the price is right!

FROM software and publisher Ubisoft released Enchanted Arms, known as the rather cumbersome [eM] -eNCHANT arM- in the Japanese market in 2006. Essentially a launch title, the game does feature some lackluster graphics (when compared to more recent, high budget offerings such as Mass Effect or Lost Odyssey) and a very traditionally delivered text based conversation system with intermittent voice acting. That being said, the game does deliver some great content with regards to the depth of the battle system and party management.

Grid Based, Tactics Oriented Battle and Party System

Subject to much criticism, the battle system in Enchanted Arms is wholly Japanese in inspiration – extremely tactical, taking place on a small grid. Each of your four chosen party members has a move action, and an attack/magic/item action for each round; Each member also acts in the order that you select them.

For casual gamers or those who prefer a more real-time approach to combat in role-playing games, this battle system will surely disappoint. Random encounters are the name of the game in Enchanted Arms, and they are as frequent as in 16-bit era Final Fantasy titles. Thankfully, the developers decided to include an Auto Battle function. Simply by depressing a button, your party will act out a single turn to the best of the AI ability – which is fairly good, to be honest. While it may miss a healing opportunity or a buff here or there, the Auto Battle function does work fairly well and will see a fair bit of use for those who do not relish somewhat repetitive combat.

The party system is also extremely deep – not only can you use SP, or Skill Points, attained in battle towards purchasing skills for your characters; those same SP can be used to buffer your “parameters” or basic skills such as hit points, close combat damage, or agility.

The primary monsters in this game are known as “golems” and, much like Pokemon or other Japanese RPG titles, you can synthesize your own golems and add them to your party freely! These golems may range from enormous Sasquatch creatures which occupy a 2x2 space on the grid to the spectral death knight known simply as Lord Onyx.

Graphics, Storyline, Sound & Score

Enchanted Arms was slated to be a release title for the 360, and as such the graphics are a little lacking in most areas, being somewhat reminiscent of the Playstation 2 era. In some instances, however, the graphics do shine – the Festival in Yokohama to provide an early example. This is not to say that the character models look too sloppy, they simply do not stand out above what could be called “average”. The same could be said for the musical accompaniment to Enchanted Arms, which is fitting but once again purely average and expected.

The voice acting, however, is somewhat better than average – particularly the voice of Atsuma, the protagonist. Atsuma grows as a character throughout the course of the narrative – the destruction and death that lies largely at his feet tempers his fiery and aggressive demeanour into something more desperate, driven, and purposeful.

The supporting cast performs adequately, with the exception of “Golem Hunter” Yuki, who is annoying and spritely. It would seem every JRPG needs to fulfill it's quota of at least one highly annoying supporting character.

Briefly of note is the somewhat stereotypical treatment of Makoto, a decidedly homosexual student who is in love with Toya – the top student at Enchant University. Makoto is voiced with a prominent lisp and cadence that many might find insulting, though he does mature beyond this caricature somewhat as the game progresses.

All in all, Enchanted Arms is a game that can be recommended only to fans of the JRPG genre or simply role-playing purists.

The storyline is somewhat fresh in many aspects, particularly with it's harsh, bleak treatment of Atsuma – though it certainly does not possess the intellectual gravity of a game like Lost Odyssey. It does not re-invent the genre, nor does it do much that is unexpected with regards to the game mechanic. Enchanted Arms is worth a purchase at a bargain price, and will entertain for at least 25 to 30 hours, but is not quite worth a top retail price.

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