The Arc the Lad series has, at least in my opinion, always been one of the most underappreciated RPG series in existence (rivaled only by Lunar in obscurity). In a genre that is unquestionably ruled by Square, it has always been a task putting out a game that manages to stand up to the comparisons of the Final Fantasy series, but Arc the Lad has managed to do just that -- it just never gets the credit. Arc the Lad: Twilight of the Spirits is the fourth installment of the series and manages to offer an experience that not only lives up to its precursors, but manages to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the other big guns in the genre.

Arc takes a decidedly different approach to graphics than its predecessors. When I first saw the new, more realistic style of the game, I was a tad disappointed since I have always enjoyed the more cartoon look of the series. As I played through the game and delved deeper into what it had to offer, I found that the game still carries much of what I liked about the series, only painted with a different brush. The simple variety of characters in the game is great to see, and gives the game a unique personality. The contrast between the Humans and Deimos goes a long way in helping to distinguish the races, and it was interesting to see similar events and locations through each races' point of view. This is an element that carries over into the story and helps improve the overall feel of the game.

Arc does have its graphical flaws, however, though they are few. The more noticeable is the static feel of the characters. Even some of the more animated personalities in the game come off as wooden Indians. This is especially noticeable when you take into account the lively environments they inhabit, which include nice touches like gently swaying trees and grass and falling snow.

I wasn't as impressed with the game's soundtrack, which is a big step down when compared other games in the series. This also proves to be the weakest aspect of the entire game. There are a few good tracks thrown in, but for the most part, they sound like the background music that plays during community announcements on the local cable access channel. Voice work is some of the best in recent memory, but you're only likely to hear them during player introductions or when a character yells something during battle.

Similar to the graphical presentations, Arc the Lad: Twilight of the Spirits' story is also a departure from previous games. Thought not as depressing as Square's Prozac-popping offerings, Arc still manages to weave a story that is incredibly deep and surprisingly mature, incorporating themes such as prejudice, revenge, betrayal, heartache and hope.

Arc takes place 100 years after the third installment of the series. Many of the elements of the previous games are still known, but exist only as legend. These legends remain as the only obvious links between the games, although two party members from the last game can be unlocked. I won't say who they are, but since the game takes place 100 years later, there are only two possible choices. There are also a few nods towards the other games, but these will only be appreciated by Arc the Lad vets (obviously).

The thrust of the game's story revolves around the Spirit Stones, a resource that both races are vying for. Humans need the stones to power their society, which has managed to deplete all their other resources. The Deimos, on the other hand, use the stones to wield magic - which they feel makes them superior to humans. This is an element that is played throughout the game as you'll have to manage your supply of Spirit Stones during battle. As the story progresses, players soon learn that, like the Gunguns and Naboo, the Deimos and Humans share a symbiotic relationship and must ban together to stop a madman seeking to destroy both races.

The story unfolds through the eyes of two half-Deimos brothers who were separated at birth, Kharg and Darc. Kharg is the more human looking of the brothers and has grown up in the human world knowing a life of privilege. Darc, the more Deimos-looking of the two, has known nothing but pain and torment his entire life as an outcast slave in the Deimos world. This method of story telling is very interesting. I liked how some elements from each story were woven into each other, but felt more could have been done to push the envelope a little further. For example, a character you let escape in one brother's story may play a major part in another's down the line. A few more elements like this would have been fun to see. It also would have helped to pick up the story's pacing, which can get slow at times.

For the most part, Arc takes the same approach towards game play, with only a few minor changes. Travel is handled by walking between two map points rather than walking miles of digital terrain in order to find a town. This not only saves travel time, but reduces the number of random battles. The first time you visit a location, a random battle will occur (unless it is a plot specific point). Each subsequent time you pass over an area, a battle will occur only about half the time (unless you stop on that area). This helps give the system flexibility for people who would rather not fight a battle every two feet. Leveling and collecting spoils in battle is also handled in a different manner. Levels are gained by performing actions (attacking, using abilities/magic) in battle, rather then gaining experience from defeated monsters. After dying, monsters drop gold, items and spirit stones which must be collected during battle, otherwise you don't get them.

Success and failure in Arc the Lad: Twilight of the Spirits will depend greatly on your management skills. In a departure from the typical RPG, Arc uses a more strategy minded approach to battles. Simply charging your characters head first into battle without discovering what your opponents are about could mean a quick death. Spirit Stone management is also a key element to the game's battle engine since they control your character's abilities during the game. Unlike mana, which is found in the typical RPG, Spirit Stones do not recharge on their own and require you to either buy them from a shop or collect them in battle. Your party's stash of stones, as well as how many they can carry, is also limited. The system takes a little getting used to at first, but works. It's just a matter of paying attention.

As previously mentioned, Arc the Lad: Twilight of the Spirits's combat system is rather unique to the systems used in current RPGs and should appeal to fans of strategy-oriented RPGs such as Vandal Hearts, Parasite Eve and Shining Force. Before each battle, you are presented with a screen that shows each of your characters. >From here you can do things such as replenish their Spirit Stones, teach them new abilities (provided their class ranking is high enough and they have enough Ability Points), equip new parts to their weapons, etc. You can also decide which of your party members to bring into battle, although this doesn't play a big part in the game until much later. After entering a battle, you are given a top-down view of the battlefield. Exactly how much of a view you're given depends on how many enemies are on the field. From here, the game becomes a tactical, turn-based system. During a character's turn, a blue circle appears at their feet that determines their range of movement. Pressing the R1 button brings up a red circle which shows the character's attack range which can be aimed by rotating the Right analog stick.

Character placement in battle is vital to success. Each character has a set attack range and area, which is represented by a yellow line in the attack field. Swords feature short range of attack, but can hit multiple enemies at once (provided they are close together). Axes provide a short range and short attack area, while bows feature a short area, but long range (which provides the added bonus of hitting every enemy within the range's path). This makes movement in battle very important since you want to try and hit as many enemies with one shot as possible. Your character's position in relation to enemies is also vital. Attacking from the side or back is preferred since it reduces you opponent's chances of counter-attacking, blocking and dodging.

While it certainly isn't the best in the series (a title held by the second one in my opinion), Arc the Lad: Twilight of the Sprits manages to provide a good experience for RPG fans. With its combination of an intriguing storyline and interesting battle system, Arc succeeds and gives players something just a little bit different.