"The sequel to the popular Arc the Lad series in Japan is finally out!!! [Any publisher, interested in bringing it over to US???]"

I loved Arc the Lad II and i am glad to say that Arc the Lad III has lived up to its name as a worthy sequel. So, will Arc the Lad III reach the United States? Hopefully so, because it's such a great game.

The story is basically a continuation to Arc the Lad II. The event takes place a few years after Arc the Lad II when Alec loses his kins during a disaster. Along the way, he meets many friends like Ruts, Teo, Cyeryl etc and embarks on an adventure to destroy the evil forces.

Just like before, if you have a save data in Arc the Lad II, you can choose to convert and transfer the existing character datas over.

The combat system is basically the same as before. Battle is still fought in real-time strategy and combat takes place like a chessboard, where characters move in turns along square grids. But a few things separate it from its predecessors.

You won't expect any random encounters with monsters like before and where the monsters will appear, are in specific locations. Gone is the ability to recruit enemies that is incorporated in Arc the Lad II. Instead of recruiting enemies, you can summon monsters. How you summon a monster is very simple! During battles, there is an option which allows you to turn a monster into card. Of course, the lower the monster's HP is, the chance will be higher for you to turn him into a card. So, anytime during a battle, just use the card and you will summon the monster temporarily to fight. Once the battle is over, the monster will disappear again. Very innovative, i will say!

The world looks quite similar as before. Quite similar to the overworld you see in games like Mario Bos 3, Robotrek, Breath Of Fire III but it gives a 3-D feeling with a more realistic world. Unlike the past two incarnations, the game is splitted into scenarios. Each scenarios, of course has certain missions which require you to complete it. A few mini games have been introduced as well!

The graphics, in my opinion, has improved. Characters look more proportionate in sprite-based. [They seem to look taller and skinny.] And, during battles, the camera will zoom in during every single attack. Spells are more flashier and prettier. Just like the past two incarnations, the gameplay hasn't changed much as the enviroments are still 2-D, with some very realistic prerendered backgrounds and overhead perspectives.

From what i have observed, there are more CGs than Arc the Lad I and II. The CGs are not as good as Final Fantasy VIII quality but are many times better than those CGs you see in Final Fantasy VII.

Considering its predecessors, you can expect that the musics and sound are top-notch. There are quite a few tunes taken from the past Arc the Lad, as well as some good new ones. Most importantly, the tunes do fit the atmosphere.

There are a wide variety of monsters and enough challenges to keep you occupied. Mini-games, sidequest..you name it and it's probably there. Gameplay is excellent, just like before. Honestly speaking, i don't really like the character design. [Even though they look more proportionate, they look very skinny and puny as they are more taller.] Of course, in terms of details, Arc the Lad III is better.

Overall, i will still recommend it to any other RPG fans. But beware that Arc the Lad III is a Japanese game and getting stuck in certain areas are sometimes quite frequent. Arc the Lad III is asolutely a masterpiece and a classic.

However, considering that the first two games didn't hit the United States, it is very likely that Arc the Lad III will remain only in Japan, just like the other two. Hopefully, there are some publishers who are interested in bringing it to the United States.

Story : 8.0/10.0
Graphics : 9.0/10.0
Concept : 9.0/10.0
Control : 7.5/10.0
Music : 8.5/10.0
Sound : 7.5/10.0
Gameplay : 8.0/10.0
Replay : 7.5/10.0
Overall : 8.0/10.0

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 02/15/00, Updated 12/16/02