In terms of storytelling, the Arc the Lad series has always leaned towards the lighter side of the spectrum. Though the stories have always been finely crafted and laid out, they have always been more in line with RPGs of the past, and not today's darker, Prozac-popping storylines. But times change and, unless you're Nintendo - you've got to grow up sometime, which brings us to Arc the Lad: Twilight of the Spirits.
The newest Arc adventure takes place years after the last Arc game. Though a specific time is never given, it?s fairly obvious that a significant period has passed since the events of the story are merely thought of as legends. In the aftermath of the last great battle to seal evil in the Arc, a new race of creatures named the Deimos appeared. The Humans immediately shunned these new creatures, and a deep hatred grew between the two races. As time and wars passed on, the world was soon separated into two, with the Diemos inhabiting one side and the Humans the other. At the center of this struggle sits the Great Spirit Stones. To the Humans, the Stones are their last natural resource and the key to their prosperous society. To the Deimos, the Stones are a source of their unique spell casting abilities. However, fate is about to place the future of both the Stones, and these two societies, in the hands of two brothers who were separated at birth, one who has suffered a life of great pain, and another who is confused about his past.
Although the game will feature 14 playable characters, including the two brothers Kharg and Darc, the short demo only allowed me to play Kharg. After Deimos attack the town's Spirit Stone mine, Lloyd and the Defense Force set out to stop them. Though he is the heir apparent to leadership of the Defense Force, Kharg is left behind and not allowed to accompany the Force due to a mysterious request from his mother. Not one to sit around, and frustrated with the delicate care the townspeople treat him with, Kharg sets out to help defend the mine.
A mix of both traditional RPG battle mechanics and squad-based strategy, the combat system in Twilight feels like a more refined version of the systems found in the old Shining Force series. Before going into battle, players decide which members they want to participate. During each character's turn, they can move characters and attack within their attack and movement ranges. During battle, character's power meters fill, which allow them to unleash powerful dual attacks with nearby characters. In addition, characters can also use their own special attacks by using Spirit Stones or use items. During the demo, the battles felt rather long and drawn out at times, but the system is very smart and has potential.
As far as presentation goes, Twilight looks good, but isn't anything groundbreaking. In a departure from the series usual ?cartoonish? look, Twilight sports a more realistic, yet still stylish look. Graphically, the special effects take center stage, such as the cool ?aura? that envelops characters when they?re powered up during battle, or the subtle sway of trees in town. One of the real highlights of the game?s presentation is the sound. From the spot-on vocal work, to the fantastic soundtrack, this game goes the distance.
But why take my word for it? Check it out yourself this June, only on the PlayStation 2.
