I have to
admit that I enjoyed Magna Carta: Tears of Blood for the PlayStation 2
just as much as fellow reviewer Nick Valentino for the very reason he mentioned
in his review. It was a traditional role-playing game with some good ideas but
there was nothing that really makes the game feel as if you’re playing something
new. A few years later and an all-new console later, Magnacarta 2 for the
Xbox 360 plays like a classic RPG and that’s not such a bad thing … unless games
like Fallout 3 and Mass Effect have spoiled you rotten with their
innovation.
American
Sports Fan: “So this is soccer, huh? I like it!”
Still, if
you’re a dedicated RPG fan like myself and are able to look past the fact that
Magnacarta 2 doesn’t offer anything innovative then there is bright spots
in its solid cast
of characters and a story that gets better after the first act. You see, the
game revolves around a young man with amnesia named Juto who lives among the
island folk with Melissa – a Highwind Island guard who becomes his surrogate
sister. Life on the island is peaceful despite the fact that there’s a war going
on between the Northern Forces and the Southern Forces led by a beautiful
Princess who calls herself Zephie.
Oh, but
peace never lasts, does it? The war becomes a reality to Highwind Island’s
inhabitants when Princess Zephie comes to contain a Guardian located somewhere
on the island that the enemy is dying to get their hands on. Worried about
Melissa, Juto goes to her aid only to unleash a power he never knew he had (or
at least, doesn’t remember having) and defeats said Guardian. Then something
tragic happens and Juto finds himself joining the Southern Forces’
Counter-Sentinel Unit to reclaim Highwind Island from the enemy’s clutches and
get his revenge.
As I
mentioned, Magnacarta plays like a classic RPG complete with text
dialogue, treasure chests and numerous fetch quests. There’s very little that
sets this game apart from other old school RPGs with the exception of combat,
party actions and unique individual characters skills. You play as Juto in the
game, following the story through his eyes and thoughts but you can also take
control of the other members of your party during battles (we’ll get to that in
a minute).
You can
explore your surroundings in the game but the environments aren’t too massive
even after you find yourself in new territory. Unlike the more traditional RPG,
battles just don’t simply erupt nor does colliding with an enemy begin a battle.
You can freely pull out your weapon or ready your magic spells with the left
trigger and attack a nearby enemy at any moment and you can always pull away
from a fight and return to give the enemy another beating.
“Now we’re
in trouble, dude! She’s casting the ‘Ultimate Nagging Wife’ Spell!”
While combat
is handled in real-time, there are limits to the amount of slashes or spells you
can sling at your targeted opponent. Swing one too many times and you’ll consume
too much stamina to the point that you’ll Overheat … which basically makes you
unable to move or attack until the stamina gauge is filled again. You can chain
attacks with a teammate and you can even go into Overdrive to unleash a powerful
blow. Each character also has his or her own Signature Technique, for example,
Juto has Skyward Hammer – a monstrous kick that can knock an enemy down or even
disarm them. The good news is that you can always switch between characters
while the AI takes care of the other characters in your party.
There are
also plenty of quests to tackle in this game including side quests that various
NPC characters offer for Sid (this world’s currency). The side quests range from
the simple fetch quest such as picking X amount of herbs for a healer to the
slightly more complex such as escorting a merchant to another town. As a member
of the Counter-Sentinel Unit, you will be teaming up with Zelphie’s friends like
the beast-like Argo, the faithful Rue, the child-like Celestine and the
magic-user Crocell.
You can also
craft items you can use or sell to merchants throughout the world’s different
locations and towns. Each character can also perform different skills unique to
them such as harvesting plants or making Molotov cocktails by way of a short
mini-game. They’re not too difficult or challenging but it’s good to find in a
game that doesn’t really add anything new. At least the game is lengthy seeing
as it takes up two discs!
Juto: “No,
really, I’m a guy. What doesn’t anyone ever believe me when I say that?”
Visually,
there are times when Magnacarta 2 will impress and there are times when
it will certainly disappoint. The game’s character models look particularly
striking at times and most specifically during conversations and cut scenes.
It’s the backgrounds that don’t really do justice to the console, although the
visual effects do look good.
There’s a
great soundtrack that plays throughout the game and adds an epic feel to the
story and cut scenes. Sure, it’s not as memorable as most Final Fantasy
games but it does the trick nicely. There are also some decent sound effects in
the game, although it’s not as detailed as you’d expect. What does work
wonderfully is the voice acting that is performed by talented voice actors from
a number of anime series (e.g. Johnny Yong Bosch, Laura Bailey and Yuri
Lowenthal to name a few).
In the end,
Magnacarta 2 for the Xbox 360 might not bring anything new to the table
but there’s just enough here to keep loyal RPG fans pleasantly busy.
Unfortunately, the genre has evolved in ways that the classic role-playing games
of the past just feels out of place on a next-gen console like the Xbox 360 but
if you don’t mind its old school mentality then do give Magnacarta 2 a
try.
Gameplay: 7.0
Juto has no
memory of who he is until a beautiful Princess comes to his small village when
the enemy comes knocking on their door. The story might feel familiar but there
are many quests and an interesting party of characters you can use on the
battlefield. Crafting items and special skills spice up the game and combat.
Graphics: 7.5
There are some
lovely visual effects in this game and you just have to love the character
models during cut scenes but nothing about the game makes you really feel like
you’re playing it on the Xbox 360.
Sound:
8.5
The original
score brings to mind the classic RPGs of old and that’s not such a bad thing,
really. What does work are the sound effects and, more importantly, the voice
acting that includes some of the best voice actors working in anime today.
Difficulty: Medium
Some of the most
challenging enemies are the ones found later in the game or those that are a few
levels higher than you. With combat being the most challenging element you’ll
have to deal with in this game, the rest isn’t too hard.
Concept: 7.5
There are plenty
of quests and side quests Juto and company can take on and there’s a lot of land
to visit in this game as you go up against the enemy. Each character has his or
her own unique skills as well. Other than that, there isn’t anything
refreshingly new about this RPG.
Overall: 7.5
An epic that is
packed on two discs, Magnacarta 2 doesn’t do anything particularly new or
inventive but this adventure has a number of enjoyable moments worth
experiencing. Yes, it plays like an old school RPG but great characters and a
decent story will keep you interested enough to see the game through to the very
end.
