Arc the Lad Collection

"More Arc the Lad than you can shake a stick at!"

When the Playstation was launched in Japan back in 1994, Sony knew they needed an RPG franchise in order to be successful. Something that could rival the popular Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest series. (Mind you, this was long before those games became associated with the Playstation.) Sony turned to developer G-Craft to create the next generation of RPGs. That game was Arc the Lad, a fantasy epic that continued over three titles. Needless to say, the game was a massive hit. Not only was the original Arc the Lad the highest-selling Sony title ever at the time, but the game gathered a rather large and devoted fan following, and was even adapted into an anime TV series.

Obviously, die-hard RPG fans in the US clamored for a chance to experience this series. Unfortunately, it seemed as if it were not to be. Sony of America did attempt to translate the game back in 1996, but the project fell through, and was ultimately canceled. Hope of seeing the Arc series in the US seemed even dimmer when the sequels were announced in Japan. The reason for this was because the storyline of the games were connected. You couldn't fully get the most out of the sequels without playing the previous titles. So, truly, the only way you could enjoy Arc the Lad is if all three games in the series were released at once. But who could be that crazy to tackle such a massive translation project?

Apparently, Working Designs was. They had been trying to get the rights to Arc the Lad for years, but had always met with some kind of roadblock. But, eventually, WD was able to make Sony of Japan an offer they couldn't refuse - a deluxe box set of the entire Arc series, plus collectable extras. Needless to say, Sony agreed, and Working Designs began their most ambitious project ever.

Now, nearly seven years after the original game was released in Japan, the Arc the Lad series has finally made its way stateside. Long time RPG players who have been waiting to see what all the fuss is about will no doubt be in heaven. However, those accustomed to more modern, flashier RPGs might be put off by the old school look and feel of the games. This review is divided into five major sections (Arc the Lad I-III, Battle Arena, Overall Package), which will hopefully be fairly in-depth.

WRITER'S NOTE: If you want more in-depth critiques of the three main games in the series, you can read my individual reviews of the import versions.

ARC THE LAD
ORIGINAL JAPANESE RELEASE: FRIDAY, JUNE 30TH, 1995

Arc's story begins in the village of Touvil. It is here that he lives alone with his mother. His father, Yoshua, left home 10 years ago. All he would tell his wife is that he had to leave in order to save humanity, and that it was his son's destiny that he would someday follow in his footsteps, and leave on a similar journey. On the night of a mysterious blizzard, Arc decides that the time is right to discover the truth behind his father's disappearance. He takes his father's sword and armor, and sets out alone to find his destiny.

Eventually, Arc will meet with the Guardians, ancient spirits who have watched over the world for countless centuries. However, humanity's greed and ignorance is slowly destroying the world. Ultimately, the humans of the world will destroy themselves. Arc must continue the mission his father started all those years ago. He must find the mystic Ark, a hidden tomb that holds the last light of hope to save mankind.

Arc's gameplay is fairly simple and basic for an RPG. Unlike most RPGs, there are no towns, and no real dungeons, except for an optional side quest. The game is comprised entirely of story sequences and strategic-based battles. You explore the world via a map. You select the area you wish to visit, and are instantly transported there. These will lead to one of three things - Story sequences to help advance the plot, major battles that need to be cleared in order to advance the game, or optional battles that can be used to level up your party.

Battle is simple to learn, which is good, since it makes up a vast majority of the game. Your party is placed on a battlefield that is usually 2 or 3 screens long. Each character and enemy has his or her own field of movement, represented by flashing tiles on the ground. You must move your party over to where the attacking monsters are, and confront them in battle. Strategy must be used in battle. The direction you approach an enemy can sometimes affect the flow of the fight. (If you attack an enemy from the front, it might counterattack you. Therefore, it is usually better to attack from behind, or from the side. Your characters have a variety of options available through the buttons on the control pad. The X button attacks, the O button opens up a list of spells that your character can use, the square button opens the list of items in your inventory, and the triangle button automatically ends your character's turn.

During battle, your characters gain experience each time they attack an enemy, or cast a spell. The key is to make all your characters as active in possible in every battle, so their levels will be fairly balanced. Your spells also gain levels when your character reaches a certain status level, making the spells more powerful. Another thing to be on the lookout for in battles are treasure chests, which hold useful items, or equipment for your characters. Since there are no towns or shops in this game in order to buy accessories, you have to rely on what you find in battle. Enemies often drop items as well, once you defeat them.

In the game's presentation aspects, Arc is dated, but still strong. The graphics are entirely 2D, and have the feeling of a 16 Bit RPG. The character sprites are small, but they are animated very fluidly. The graphics also have a good use of color, which help enhance the mood of the present scene. From the snowy mountaintops of Touvil, to the sparkling trees of Toyoke Forest, it's easy to see why this game was praised for its visuals back in its day. The music and sound are equally strong. Opening with a rousing symphonic intro performed by the London Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Arc's soundtrack always fits the mood of the current situation. From symphonic Final Fantasy-inspired melodies, to more driving synthesizer-driven battle themes, the soundtrack is diverse and original.

If there's a fault to be found in Arc the Lad, it's that the game is too short and linear. There are not enough optional side quests, and not enough incentive to replay the game once you've beaten it. The game's length leaves a bit to be desired as well, as it can easily be beaten in the area of 10-12 hours. The game just has a rushed and unfinished feel to it. It would also be nice if the game had more exploration aspects. Since you spend most of your time in battle, you get to see very little of Arc's world.

Despite its faults, you can see what Sony and G-Craft were trying to accomplish. The game is a prologue to the later titles in the series, and a good introduction of what's to come.

OVERALL SCORE: 8/10

ARC THE LAD II
ORIGINAL JAPANESE RELEASE: FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1ST, 1996

Arc II begins shortly after the conclusion of the original game. As it opens, the player is introduced to Elc, a young man with mysterious powers. Years ago, when he was a child, he escaped from a facility called the White House, which captured and experimented on children just like him, using their powers for their own twisted benefits. After escaping, he found refuge in a city, and has since become a bounty hunter.

One night, Elc takes a job that leads him to the local skyport, where a terrorist is staging a hostage situation. While in pursuit of the criminal, Elc comes across Lieza, a mysterious young girl with the ability to tame monsters. Elc soon discovers that this girl is being hunted by the same men who captured him, and destroyed his home village years ago. This will begin an adventure where Elc will be forced to confront his past, and will ultimately find him fighting alongside Arc and his companions from the original game.

Realizing that many people were disappointed by the linearity and shortness of the previous game, Sony and G-Craft completely fixed almost all of the original game's faults. The quest in Arc II clocks in around the 60-80 hour mark, easily dwarfing its predecessor. Also, you are no longer at the mercy of the game leading you from event to event. There are now full dungeons to explore, massive towns to visit, shops for you to buy items and equipment, and even a real world map that allows you to explore Arc's world at your leisure.

The game also has a vast number of side quests for you to tackle. These come from the fact that Elc is a bounty hunter. He can visit Hunter Guilds in every town, and see if there are any jobs available. These jobs can range from finding a lost dog in the sewers, to discovering the source behind strange noises in a deserted building. These jobs can be very rewarding, as they are opportunities for additional experience and money for your characters. Not only that, some of these jobs can reveal character development about your party. All the jobs are optional, but if you don't do them all, you'll wind up missing over half the game.

Other than that, the gameplay remains the same. The battles follow the same simple strategic premise as the original. However, this time, you can only have five characters fighting at once, instead of seven like in the first game. Also, in this game, your weapons and spells gain levels the more you use them. Each weapon has its own advantages and disadvantages in battle, so part of the strategy is deciding which weapon you want your characters to master.

One of the coolest features of the game, however, is how you can transfer your save information from Arc I to this game. If you have a file that's saved at the end of Arc I, you can transfer the data to Arc II. That way, when Elc eventually meets with Arc and his party, they will be at the same levels they were at when you left them. It's a great idea, and it's too bad Konami is the only other company to take advantage of this feature with their Suikoden series.

The game's graphics once again shine, though they don't seem vastly improved over the first. There's a bit more color, and more animation for the characters, but that's about it. One of my favorite features of the game's visual style is the look of this fantasy world the programmers created. I love its combination of medieval fantasy themes blended with modern day and futuristic styles. For example, you could be exploring a vast dungeon one minute, and the next, find yourself in a futuristic hi-tech fortress. There are also some nice modern touches in the towns you visit, such as radios and stereo equipment being found in houses you explore.

The music once again is of the highest quality, but it lacks the impact of the first game. The main reason being is that a lot of the music from the first game is reused. I know, it can be argued that this is a direct sequel to the first game, so it makes sense it would use the same musical themes. But still, I wish the composer had written more original tracks.

The main fault that I can find with Arc II is that it can be a bit too difficult at times. The final boss alone can take hours to beat. Not because he can easily kill you, but because he has an obscene number of hit points. With the extreme difficulty and lengthy quest, some players may lose interest halfway through.

Patient gamers, however, will be rewarded with the strongest title in the Arc series. Arc the Lad II is not only a much more satisfying game than the previous title, it answers a lot of unanswered questions from the first. Arc II is easily the best game in the collection.

OVERALL SCORE: 9/10

ARC THE LAD III
ORIGINAL JAPANESE RELEASE: THURSDAY, OCTOBER 28TH, 1999

After the climactic battle at the end of Arc II, the earth greatly suffered, and many cities were destroyed. This came to be known as the Great Disaster. Arc III's hero is a young boy named Alec, a young boy who lives in the quiet village of Sasha with his best friend, Lutz. Alec's life was saved from the Great Disaster by a brave bounty hunter. Since that day, Alec has dreamed of being a hunter himself. The game's journey begins when Alec and Lutz set out to make their fortune as hunters.

Arc the Lad III is easily the weakest of the three main games. It's far from bad, it just does not live up the high standards set by Arc II. The game's main problem is its storyline. You spend a vast amount of time taking jobs at the Hunter's Guild, and it takes a long time for the game's actual storyline to be set into motion. In Arc the Lad II, the Hunter's Guild was a fun diversion from the game's main plot, opening up various optional side quests for you to conquer. When the Guild becomes the main focus of the gameplay in Arc III, it just does not seem as fun as before.

Sony and G-Craft did not tamper too much with the traditional Arc the Lad gameplay. The battles follow the same formula as the previous titles, only now your spells and weapons do not gain levels. You only have to worry about your character status.

Another new addition to the game's battle systems are the monster cards. The character of Theo who can join your party can capture monsters into cards, and use them in battle. It is similar to Lieza's monster taming ability in Arc II. Theo can only carry 5 cards at once, but additional cards can be stored in Monster Societies, located in towns.

The Save Transfer feature of Arc II makes its return in this game. You can transfer your ending save data from Arc II into Arc III, so when you meet with characters from previous games, they will be at the same levels as when you left them. However, the effect is kind of wasted here, as very few of the past characters actually join your party. Most of them are restricted to cameo appearances.

The biggest change overall in Arc III is the overall look of the game. Sony and G-Craft decided to dump the straight 2D look of the previous game, and go for a 2D sprites with polygonal rotatable backgrounds, kind of like Wild ARMs 2. The graphics are nice, though the areas you explore can look a little blocky at times. The character sprites seem a little bit bigger than in previous titles, and are nicely detailed.

The music continues the tradition of diversity as the previous games, but for some reason, it just does not seem as special as the last two soundtracks. The music's certainly not bad. I think the main problem is repetition. This is a very long game (around the same length as Arc II), and a lot of the music is reused for most of the game. It just gets annoying listening to the same music over and over.

The main problem with Arc III is that Alec and his friends just don't quite have the personality of Arc, Elc, and the others. That, and the overall emphasis on bounty hunting just makes this game not quite as fun as before. Another problem is with the difficulty balance. Most of the game is fairly easy, but every once in a while, you will encounter a battle that suddenly forces you to build your character levels. These battles come without warning, so you're often not ready for them.

Overall, Arc III is still a good game, but it does not live up to the crown jewel that is Arc the Lad II. Perhaps Sony and G-Craft should have just stopped at II.

OVERALL SCORE: 7/10

ARC ARENA: MONSTER TOURNAMENT
ORIGINAL JAPANESE RELEASE: THURSDAY, JULY 31ST, 1997

Arc Arena is a spin-off title that is connected to Arc the Lad II. The basic idea of the game is to battle the monsters that you captured with Lieza, and battle them against a computer opponent, or with a friend.

You select from a boy or girl character, and then battle your monsters to the death against any opponent you can find. You transfer your saved data from Arc the Lad II, and whatever monsters you have captured. With a friend, you can both challenge each other's monsters, and see who is the best. This can be a lot of fun, and is more fun than playing against the computer, in my opinion.

Another cool feature of the game is that you can capture monsters in this game, and even transfer them into your Arc II data, so you can use them in that game. The game is mainly just a fun diversion, and a chance to build up your monster characters if they're having trouble in Arc II.

The graphics and music are pretty much the same as Arc II, as is to be expected. The entire game takes place at the arena, and the few shops that surround it, so there's not a lot of variety in the places you visit. The music is good for what it is, but pales in comparison to the previous titles, since it mainly revolves around the game's battle theme.

Overall, you can't really have a lot of fun with Arc Arena unless you can find a friend who is equal to you, and you have a strong party from Arc II in order to last in this game. It's a fun diversion, but that's about it.

OVERALL SCORE: 5/10

OVERALL PACKAGE

Well, this being a Working Designs deluxe package, there'd of course be some extras, right? Well, the extras are nice, but they just don't seem very useful. You get some analog stick covers to place on the top of your analog control stick, mini character standees of most of the major characters (Don't know why WD keeps on including these things with their games. What are you supposed to do with them??), a memory card holder, a 150 page hardcover instruction manual, and a video CD on the making of the game. Originally, a soundtrack CD was to be included as well, but the idea fell through early in the project.

As for the games themselves, Working Designs has done a capable job of bringing the Arc the Lad experience to America. The scripts are fairly faithful to the original Japanese version, from what I've heard, and there is very little of the trademark Working Designs humor that can be found in most of their games. The scripts are mainly serious, staying in tune with the darker and somber mood of the Arc series.

Overall, anyone who's been waiting for the Arc the Lad series is sure not be disappointed. It was a long wait, but it was more than worth it. Let's hope Sony of America will begin to consider releasing future PS2 Arc projects now that the US has been properly introduced to the series.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 05/27/02, Updated 06/09/03