Luminous Arc 2 is decent, but it doesn't really stand out among its peers. You can battle opponents over the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, which is a cool feature but with a niche title like this one it probably won’t get used much by most players. There is also a Wi-Fi mode that adds some extra life to an already-lengthy game. They're kind of funny, but mostly just strange and confusing. Good and best endings will improve Roland's relationship with the person he's talking to. At the end the conversation is "evaluated" and you get a rating ("Average End," "Good End," "Best End”). You're asked to pick what he will say in response to what you've just been told. The only thing the game presents to break up the tedium are segments in which Roland talks to one of his friends (these segments are called breaks), and strange black and white side-stories that feature a talking drop of goo. It's also a bit monotonous, given that some battles can drag on a while. Once you reach the site of the next objective a dialog segment begins, and then the battle starts. The problem is that there usually isn't anything to do anywhere except where your objective is located. You move from story-point to story-point via a world map, and at any time you can go to any site you've unlocked. Either method works fine, but games like this are methodical so you'll never really have need to put the control scheme through vigorous usage.Īs mentioned earlier, the story and game are very linear. You can move your cursor around both the world-map (between battles) and the battle map with the D-Pad, interacting by using the face buttons. The controls are almost a non-issue here. It's a neat trick, but it really isn't all that special. In battle, this system lets Roland pick the elemental of any witch currently deployed, assume their element, and use their elemental magic. This opens up a whole new field of elemental magic to the newly-minted Rune Knight. Luminous Arc 2's twist on the genre is the "Engagement System." Rune Knights can only use the elemental magic of witches to whom they've become "engaged." As witches join Roland's band they become "engaged" by offering to let him put on their magic ring. Then again, so can using quests to get your level high enough that the game is no longer a challenge. There is a bit of strategy involved in knowing how to use your characters understanding how to set up your characters in the field, knowing how to move them about, and knowing when to advance and when to withdraw them can make all the difference. There is also the standard elemental rock paper scissors aspect to each battle. There are classes, such as witches, fighters, and projectile users. Almost every battle comes down to either "kill all the enemies" or "kill the boss."įortunately, there's a bit more to it than that. You choose from an eclectic cast of characters, send them into grid-combat, and each character takes turns carrying out their moves on the battlefield. The basic mechanics are no different from the Fire Emblem and Final Fantasy Tactics franchises. If you've played a SRPG before you won't find too much to surprise you here. The interesting thing is how linear the game really is. This is a nice touch that helps the sometimes dry story become a bit more engaging. A major saving grace is that much of the dialog is voice-acted. There is a cast of distinct characters that provide the occasional interesting interaction, but it isn't enough with dialog driven by still animations (think Fire Emblem). There's just an air of triteness about it all the storyline of "the son of a hero, still just a recruit, gains mythical powers and is sent on a quest to save the kingdom" has already been done to death. Roland (our hero, the Rune Knight) and his band don't tread much new ground. It's a competent story that’s capable of delivering a few twists, but it won't win any awards. In this chaos, the Kingdom of Carnava is conducting clandestine research in order to create a Rune Knight: a legendary magic-using knight who they hope can end the fighting and expel the fiends. As if that weren't enough conflict, beasts called fiends are plaguing the land. Their leader, the Brilliant Witch Luna, is trying to reign in Fatima, the Shadow Frost Witch, before she unseals a dangerous power. The witches of The Rev Magic Association have taken to fighting each other. I can say that the Epoc-developed, Atlus-published, title is a competent - albeit not the most creative - entry in the genre. I can only say that I've been told that this game follows the story of its predecessor I cannot confirm this for myself. Granted, I'm no SRPG virgin, but the series is new to me.
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