Enchanted Arms
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| Enchanted Arms | |
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| Developer(s) | From Software |
| Publisher(s) | From Software Ubisoft |
| Designer(s) | Masanori Takeuchi |
| Release date(s) | Xbox 360 [eM] -eNCHANT arM-  JPN January 12, 2006Enchanted Arms  USA August 29, 2006 GBR September 08, 2006 PlayStation 3 |
| Genre(s) | RPG |
| Mode(s) | Single player Online |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Teen (T) |
| Platform(s) | Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 [1] |
| Media | DVD-ROM, BD-ROM |
Enchanted Arms (also known as [eM] -eNCHANT arM-) is a science fiction-based role-playing game for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Although the game was intended to be an Xbox 360 launch title for the Japanese market, its release date was pushed back to January 12, 2006 by the developer, From Software. Ubisoft published the game in August 2006 in North America, and in September 2006 in Europe.
Since its release, it has been confirmed that the game uses only a single DVD, in contrast to earlier multi-disc reports. It also comes with an art book and mini-calendar in Japan. The supplementary content included with the initial American product shipment was a 48-page prequel manga.
Contents |
[edit] Story
Atsuma, Makoto, and Toya are students at the Enchanter's University in Yokohama City. At the university, they study to become enchanters, while learning about topics such as the man-made golems that populate the world. Although powerful self-aware golems fought each other and laid waste to the land 1000 years ago during the Golem Wars, golems in the modern era serve mankind.
One day, while the three are skipping class to attend a local festival, an apparent earthquake occurs. Additionally, the golems in the area appear to have gone berserk and are now attacking people. Rushing back to the university, the three find that things are in chaos, and that the mysterious sealed ward had been opened. While seeking to discover what has happened, the trio meet up with the Queen of Ice, a golem sealed long ago, and thus begins the main tale of Enchanted Arms.
[edit] Characters
These are the main characters involved in the game, without any spoilers. As follows:
- Atsuma (アツマ): Atsuma is a student at Enchant University in Yokohama City. Atsuma tends to act first and think later, if at all. His best friend Toya considers him hot-blooded and simple-minded. He also has heterochromia (one eye being violet while the other is green) .
- Toya (トウヤ): Toya is a classmate and best friend of Atsuma's at Enchant University. Toya is cool, precise, and exacting. Atsuma calls him the "Stone-Cold Calculator."
- Makoto (マコト): Also a student at Enchant University, Makoto is another of Atsuma's and Toya's friends - and a flamboyant transvestite. Atsuma just sees him as a woman trapped in a man's body. Makoto has a major crush on Toya and is not afraid to show it.
- Karin (Pronounced: Ka-reen) (カリン): Karin is from London City. She's an expert in a London-style martial art that relies primarily on various kicks, and she is sufficiently skilled to qualify as an assistant instructor. She is thus justifiably proud of her legs. However, Karin's boundless energy runs to excess at times, and she can be stubborn and sharp-tongued.
- Raigar (ライガ): A giant of a man who wields swords with amazing skill, Raigar accompanies Karin everywhere. He watches over her out of a sense of obligation to her father, to whom Raigar became indebted long ago. Currently, he fights by Karin's side as a member of the resistance movement in London City.
- Yuki (ユウキ): Yuki uses her skill with her two pistols to make a living from hunting Golems for money. Money means more to Yuki than anything, and her greed has led her to hunt down the legendary Devil Golems, said to have a large amount of bounty on their heads.
- Queen of Ice (クイーン・オブ・アイス): The Queen of Ice is a Devil Golem with several hundred times the Ether capacity and power of an average Golem, sealed within Yokohama City. A combat Golem with the Ice Elemental who can affect the movement of particles to slow, solidify, and shrink objects. The Devil Golem holds the shape of a female and is very intelligent.
[edit] Combat / Battle system
The fights in the game are turn-based and use a grid field similar to what might be found in games like Shining Force, but on a smaller scale. Allies generally attack first and enemies afterwards, except in the case where the party's speed is significantly lower than the enemy's, in which case the enemy attacks first. All characters and enemies in the game have an elemental affinity -- Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, Light, and Dark. Characters hit by their opposite element suffer double damage while characters hit by the same element only suffer half damage. The elemental relationships are as follows:
- Fire <--> Water
- Wind <--> Earth
- Light <--> Dark
The player must position up to four characters in strategic positions to take advantage of their skills. The characters can either be the ones used in the main storyline of the game, or the robotic golems which are acquired throughout the player's travels. The characters' life is measured in Hit Points (HP), and the power to perform their techniques is measured in Ether Points (EP). A reduction to 0 HP results in the character being knocked out (KO'ed). If an ally or enemy is KO'ed, the player or the enemy has three rounds to revive the character or they are lost for the remainder of the fight. In the case of a character being KO'ed due to massive damage (referred to as "Upper"), the character is lost immediately. Damage may be mitigated by standing behind another character. Standing behind two characters nullifies the damage. This mitigation does not work for Distance Damage attacks, however.
Active techniques used in battle are separated into 3 categories: Direct Damage (attacks that hit the enemy in spaces adjacent and beyond to the attacker), Distance Damage (attacks that hit the enemy in spaces non-adjacent to the attacker), and Support (healing, stat boosting, and status curing). The main characters of the game acquire techniques through leveling-up, triggering certain events, and buying them at stores. Passive techniques that boost stats, protect against status changes, or provide other beneficial effects may also be acquired. Even though there are many techniques the player can acquire throughout the game, only six active techniques and six passive techniques (per character) can be readied at any given time. All active techniques use EP when initiated. In the event the player doesn't have sufficient EP, the character can either rest a turn or use a restorative item to recover EP.
The majority of techniques use a three-tier system in terms of power and/or effect: Regular (no prefix), High, and Mega. The techniques in themselves do not improve with usage or experience, but a more powerful version of the technique must be acquired as the player progresses.
As enemies are defeated, a special gauge shared by all the main characters called the EX Gauge fills up. The amount of power in the gauge determines what special attacks or status affecting techniques the characters can use. A full gauge can allow multiple EX techniques to be used in succession or one powerful technique. The main characters acquire new EX techniques by triggering certain events in the game.
Additionally, if the same enemy is attacked by multiple party members, a Chain Gauge fills up for each character. If two or more characters with a full gauge attack the same character, a chain attack with increased damage is initiated.
[edit] Statistics and points
Each battle fought expends Vitality Points (VP) for the characters involved in the battle. The longer the battle lasts, measured in turns, results in more vitality points lost. In essence, these points are used to automatically restore them to full health after every battle. If a battle is ended in a turn with no damage incurred, there is no expenditure in VP. As long as characters have at least one VP, this restoration will happen. If not, the character will begin battles with 1 HP and 1 EP. VP may be replenished at way-stations on the map, or by restorative items. VP also comes back slowly if a character is switched out of the party and put in the reserve ranks. Running from battle expends a great amount of VP, but is generally successful (except in the case of boss battles). This system encourages players to use a variety of characters, instead of relying on the same four individuals for every battle. Battles that last one turn with no damage incurred by the party expends no VP.
Emerging victorious in battles earns the characters Skill Points (SP). SP can be used to purchase new skills (for non-golem characters), or to boost the characters' HP, EP, Direct Damage, Distance Damage, Support, and Speed parameters. Direct Damage, Support, and Speed parameters have a cap of 999.
Levelling-up also increases these stats, which happens when a character obtains enough experience points. Characters and golems that travel in the player's reserve ranks gain experience, regardless of whether or not they actually took part in a battle. The maximum level which can be obtained is 999.
[edit] Status changes
Enemies or friendly characters in the game can cause changes in the status of their foes through use of the appropriate techniques. These status changes include:
- Turn-ELM --- This changes the target character's elemental affinity to a different element. It is usually the opposite of the individual utilizing the effect, allowing them to attack the character for more damage on subsequent turns.
- Poison -- This saps the character's HP at the end of every turn until cured.
- Gravity -- This roots the character in place, rendering them unable to move until cured. Because positioning is important in the use of techniques, this can lead to difficulties aiming offensive or defensive techniques.
- Anger -- This makes a character stronger, but the player is not in complete control. While the player can choose who to attack, the character might change the target and technique. Similar to the "Berserk" attacks seen in other JRPGs such as Final Fantasy. This status lasts until cured.
There are also beneficial status changes a player can bestow on the characters by way of techniques. These techniques can deflect damage, increase damage dealt, and speed the charging of the chain gauge.
[edit] Golems
The player can obtain robotic helpers called golems to assist in battle. Golems have preset techniques that cannot be modified, but they can level up and use SP. They are also the only characters the player can put in the party that have the Light and Dark attribute.
Although the player chooses one of three basic golems near the beginning of the game, later golems must be constructed before they can be used. The materials for construction may be purchased or gathered from enemies defeated in encounters. The number of materials varies according to how powerful the golem is, as well as its physical strength, speed, and intelligence.
Up to ten golems may accompany the player in the reserve ranks, gaining XP as the player wins battles. Other golems must wait in storage to be used, gaining no XP. Golems may be switched from the party to storage and vice versa by accessing any store location in the world.
[edit] Online Element
The online element of the game involves taking characters from a particular save point and battling other online participants. Strategy is involved in picking the best characters and positions to maximize damage.
[edit] Reaction
In the October 2006 issue of Official Xbox Magazine, Enchanted Arms received a review score of 6.5 from the editors. The magazine stated: "But ultimately, it's hard to whole-heartedly recommend this game to anyone but the most diehard turn-based--RPG fanatics." [2]. GameSpot gave the game a 7.1, claiming that the game is an experience quickly forgotten after finishing. However, the title did receive an 8.4/10 review from RPGFan.com[3], an 8/10 review score from Play Magazine, a 7.8/10 score from TeamXbox.com, a 7.6/10 score from IGN, and an 8/10 card from Deeko.com. The G4 program X-Play gave Enchanted Arms a 4/5.
In its review [4], Deeko.com called Enchanted Arms "a great game" and stated that its storyline is surprisingly enjoyable and its battle system is addictive. They go on to state that the full-motion video cinematics of the game are described as on-par with Square-Enix's offerings. The review also mentioned the in-depth character development of Atsuma, whose torment and emotions intensified as the story moved. This made him unique and more human compared to the lead characters of other RPGs.
Penny Arcade spoofed the game's critical reception in its cartoon dated September 6, 2006. In the accompanying column, the authors assert their opinion that many of the 'flaws' highlighted by reviewers are actually common features of the JRPG genre, with Tycho writing: "Japanese role-playing games tend to be fairly linear in terms of narrative and feature a ton of strategic combat. These are genre staples. If you don't like those things, or if you wish they were something else, that isn't really the genre's fault. If you told me that you weren't fond of turf or kicking, I would hope that you'd have the wisdom to avoid soccer."
[edit] Achievements
The Xbox 360 version of the game's achievements are based solely on the player's advancement through the main storyline, and not through any bonus items or statistics the player accrues throughout the game. 25 points are awarded for advancing past important plot points, 75 points for defeating the major bosses in the game, and 150 points upon completion of the game. All achievements are initially secret/hidden, since they have the potential to be plot spoilers.
