Arc the Lad II

"The PERFECT sequel..."

After Arc 1, I think we ALL were expecting more of Arc 2, and guess what they gave us? They gave us what we wanted. With updated graphics, improved battle system, and a lot of little extras and new(and returning) characters.

Graphics-n/a to me, 7 to probably everyone else...
Graphics dont mean squat to me when it comes to RPGs, but for those who MUST have eye candy, they're pretty good. There is nothing you have to squint at, but its nothing to write home and tell your momma about. They are 2d graphics which are pretty nice.

Gameplay-9
Unlike Arc 1, there are dungeons, not seperate battles. When you roam dungeons, if you walk into a certain areas, monsters will emerge and you will engage in a battle. This is an improvement over the first.
A new feature in this game are hunter missions. You, the main character can sign up for missions to gain merits. This little sidequest is great to side step from the main game. If you get a lot of merits, you will, well, I dont want to give away, but you'll be satisfyed.

Sound-10
The sound effects are very nice and add a whole lot to the battles. I'll admit, Japanese voices can be annoying, but are also very endearing. The music is above par and adds more emotion to the situation. If only Working Designs added a soundtrack to the collection...

Story-10
The KEY in RPGs, and I must say, this one rivals the best RPGs(exept Xenogears). You play as Elc(not Arc) and you are a hunter. You have a foggy past, which will unravel right into Arc's quest. Im telling you, it only gets better as it goes along. There are also great characters. Tosh, Iga, Gogen, and all you're other favorites(even Choko!) return with a new cast of characters for one hell of a game.

Control-10?
How do you rate control. I dont know, lets just say they werent confusing at all :)

ARC ARENA- Maybe one of the best features in the game. I spent hours upon hours, finding new monsters, trying to win the best prizes, and learning new spells. You wont be dissappointed with Arc Arena...

Overall-10
A great sequal, an instant classic, and worth the 70 dollars by itself. You should definatly try it out, even if strategy RPG's arent your thing. I think almost anyone can appreciate this game for what it is for its time. If only Arc 3 were as good as its predeccesor...

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 08/25/02, Updated 08/25/02