Tatakai Means Battle
Here in the good ol' U.S. of A., it's known as Enchanted Arms™, but in Japan they call it eM or eNCHANT arM (sic). Japanese gamers have had this roleplaying game for their Xbox 360™ consoles since early 2006, and now Ubisoft is bringing it to the American Xbox 360 in the near future. The developers made this game exclusively for the Xbox 360, and thus it's a perfect fit for the next-gen console with all its special abilities. FromSoftware, the Japanese company that produced Enchanted Arms, also developed such well-known Xbox 360 titles as Armored Core™ 4 and Tenchu®: Return From Darkness™.
Atsumi casts an enchantment
The primary mode in the game is the single-player Story mode. You're the hero, fighting the monsters and saving the day. However, you can also take your character(s) onto Xbox Live® and play against your friends in one-on-one battles that place you on the Leaderboards.
Japanese Classicism
If you're an anime fan, then you will appreciate the classic Japanese style of this RPG. This game gives more than a nod to the characterizations, drama, direction and pacing of Japanese classic animation. As a matter of fact, it has at least an hour's worth of anime-flavored cinematics. As I previewed it, I felt a certain nostalgia for the Japanese cartoons I watched as a child. And yet, this game isn't for children. eM has the short-skirted cowgirl and the challenging gameplay necessary to ensure that it appeals to adult gamers.
All the typical elements of a classic Japanese fantasy are here as well, the most common of which are the pretty girls who kick ass. You will also encounter dragons, mermaids and crotchety old spell-casters. Actually, everyone casts Enchantments, hence the title. In addition, you collect ingredients that you can then mix to create more than 100 different golems that take your side in battle.
I'm going to guess this character isn't on your side.
The version that I saw (E3 preview) was subtitled, which I happened to like very much, however new English voice-overs are being recorded for the final version. 'With dubbing, you may lose that magnificent Japanese language coming out of the characters' mouths, but you also don't have to break your concentration to read a string of text.
Epic Storytelling
FromSoftware has constructed a deep and multi-layered story to explore as you play the game. You're on a mission, and the story unfolds with lengthy cut-scenes and in-depth dialogue. As with most well-plotted RPGs, Enchanted Arms has both an over-arching story arc, side quests, and mini-games designed to keep you occupied for over 50 hours.
The hero of the game is Atsuma, a romantic fellow studying at the local magic college, just trying to make his way in the world. He's an Enchanter, naturally, but he's also young, handsome, and anxious to prove himself. In the beginning, you're learning along with him. He has some basic magic skills, but he hasn't had a lot of on-the-job training. He makes mistakes like accidentally setting a Demon Golem free. Oops. It won't take long, however, for the two of you to get comfortable and start to work together.
"Enchanted Arms has an over-arching story
arc, side quests, and mini-games designed
to keep you occupied for over 50 hours."
As play progresses, Atsuma builds a team of three characters to help him, including the aforementioned cowgirl with a pair of magical six-shooters. As others join him, the game strategy becomes more complex, along with the story. The points you earn through gameplay allow you to customize the characters in your team and the golems who join your cause to add even more dimension to the game.
Take Your Turn
Enchanted Arms is a turn-based RPG, which, as we all know, means you play the good guys, and the A.I. plays the bad guys. When you start a battle, you choose which characters will fight in that round. The round then plays out, while you watch to see how wel your fighters stand up for you. During the command phase, you instruct your players whether to attack, heal, cast a spell, move, or perform other actions.
Breathtaking visuals? Check and check.
Movement and spell range are grid-based. Characters can be commanded to be agreessive or defensive, or simply left to act on their own. RPG players who perfer a more hands-on approach will want to make every decision themselves, but leaving the characters to their own devices may make the game move faster for the less hard-core.
The ever-growing partnership between Japanese and American game publishers can't help but benefit gamers. Even so, there are innumerable Japanese titles that never make it to the U.S., which is a shame. With Enchanted Arms, we have an exception that will prove exceptional. Go, Atsuma! Tatakai!
Article by Angel Leigh McCoy
