Enchanted Arms (Xbox 360)

When I first saw this game previewed I loved the idea of a turn based RPG for my brand new 360. I enjoyed the Final Fantasy games and was after something similar and rushed out to buy it on the day it came out. I have not been disappointed.

This game came out in Japan as "eM eNCHANT ARm" as a release title for the 360, so the graphics are not always pushing the machine to it's limit, far from it. All of the conversations between characters show the people speaking in the foreground with the scene they are in behind them. This is annoying at first but you get used to it. I would much rather have seen all the conversations and meeting taking place in the game engine a la Gears Of War but you have to make do.

Character and creature design is good for the genre, with typical garish outfits on human characters and a mixture of cute and more sinister looking creatures to fight and collect.

Locations are large, varied and well textured but are not overly detailed, even in high definition.

The gameplay is the standard mix of walking around talking to people and turn based battles. The battles consist of your main character and three others on a 4x3 grid and the enemies in a similar sized grid opposite yours. You then have to move your characters and select which skill to use, and then your enemies will do the same and so on until there is a winner. There is a strong element of strategy involved in this system, especially on later boss battles. Not only do you have to consider where to place your characters to inflict most damage, but also consider defence based on enemy attacks. You also should consider "elemental" attacks as these can significantly reduce health.

I will not go into too much detail about the story so as not to spoil it for anyone. You play Atsuma, a young student at the Enchant University. A forthright but hasty boy who has a mysterious right arm that the other children fear and loathe. He has a passion for controlling Golems and hopes one day to be as powerful as his friend Toya. They become separated during a battle and Atsuma will not rest until he finds Toya.

The characters are OK but some of the voice acting is a little over the top, mainly that of Atsuma. You will soon tire of the catchphrases.

Plot development is fairly swift for a game of this nature, you should have the story done in less than 60 hours, although it gets rather difficult towards the end.

The only major drawback is the Xbox Live mode. This consists of Golem battles against another player. There aren't any major flaws in the game play, it's just that no-one plays it online. I only ever managed to get one match and it was over in less than a minute.

If you really want a Japanese style RPG for your Xbox 360 get this, mainly because it's the only one out there. You will get a lot of enjoyment out of it if you are willing to put the time and effort into it. It is not a quick pick up and play game as for the last few battles it helps if you have done a lot of levelling up during the game.

The game plays well, looks nice and is fun to play if you're a fan of Japanese style RPG's. Combat is straightforward and easy to pick up (unlike cumbersome button-mashathons like Magna Carta). Character interaction and storyline is amusing and fun.

Positive points :

Save anywhere ! No longer limited to ridiculously positioned save points

Original Japanese voices available as an option

Good graphics on the in-game charas

Cut scenes very nicely handled.

Not-so-positive points :

The in-game menus system is so cluttered it's nearly unreadable

Too much effort put into pretty menu backdrops which distract from what the menu is there for.

Ambient lighting levels vay enormously in-game, you'll spend a lot of time adjusting the brightness to try and avoid eye strain.

This game is a great first turn based RPG for the xbox 360, it offers a lot to RPG fans and is a good start for newcomers to this style of game.

The game has good graphics and detailed characters which look very nice on the 360. The battles are turn based and are fought on a 3x3 grid for your team and another for the enemy. You can move around you grid and attack enemies in range which is a nice touch because a bit of strategy is involved in placement and where your attacks will reach (You have to think). The effects used in the battles are really beautifully done and show off the 360s power. The soundtrack is often kept simple and repetative but is often very effective and the voices are mostly good with the exception of YUKI who is loud and irritating.

There is a lot here to keep you busy with the 75+ golems to collect and each is different, you will want to get each one just to see what it looks like and what it can do. You can either look for them as you progress through the game or buy them from shops. You can also go to a casino and bet to win skills and other objects when you get tired of the main game or just need a break. The game is long I'm 30 hours in and am still enjoying it and training up so don't worry about it being short or a waste of money.

This is a good RPG if you give it a chance and you will find a lot to do here so give it a go and you will realise what a great game this is!