Thousand Arms

"Put aside the hype, relax, and enjoy."

The first thing I heard about Thousand Arms was that it was voted worst game of the year by Videogames.Com, and that only crazy anime fanatics could possibly like it. Being a crazed anime fanatic I checked out some screens, then went out and bought it. You know, people are being way to hard on this game. Not every RPG is trying to be the next Final Fantasy. I have never been a Final Fantasy fan for one reason: despite the series' technical brilliance, I have never felt like the games ever really take on a life of their own. Now here's Thousand Arms. While obviously not attempting to be a serious RPG (good thing too, because it fails) it is awash in brilliant character design, charm and humor. To me the most important thing in a game is not ''How many supporting cast members have dramatic deaths'', or ''How does this game compare to Xenogears''. It's ''Did I enjoy it?'' With Thousand Arms, the answer is a resounding yes. Pardon me if this review sounds a bit defensive, but I am basically defending Thousand Arms against the people who have unjustly slammed it due to the supposed hype surrounding the game.

Graphics: 9.5
I honestly don't know what people find so offensive about the graphics here. There is no glitching, the special moves look incredible (espicially Muza's tornado moves!) and everything has a distinct anime flavor to it. Granted, if you can't stand big eyed anime characters, looking at this game will be like chalk screeching against a blackboard. Still, I loved it. The best effect is probably the one-on-one fight sequences (which I will get to in the Gameplay section) that looked like something directly out of Bastard or Lodoss Wars.

Sound 7: This works fine. The music is generally pleasant and unobtrusive. The opening and closing themes are nice, and at one point you can find this record player that plays a little bit of hip-hop, which was pretty cool. The voice acting is a bit better than your average anime dub, pretty good, although Muza's Keanu Reeves accent and some of the other voices got old fast. Admittedly Meis' footsteps can be annoying at times, but if you hold the square button and walk, you don't hear them (also, his walk is kind of cool looking). I must give credit, however, for the massive amount of voice recorded for this game. It really lets you identify more strongly with the girls as you date them (more on this in Gameplay).

Gameplay: 7
Thousand Arms is basically divided into exploring/battling sections, and town/dating sections
The game's most maligned feature, the battle system, has its weaknesses and takes getting used to. In Thousand Arms, battles are essentially one-on-one, with the front character being the only one able to attack and use offensive magic, while the backup characters support and use items. You may think that this sounds stupid, but before you dismiss the game because of it, let me say some things in it's defense. First of all, battles do NOT take three times longer just because you have 1/3 of the characters attacking. Individual attacks are stronger than in other games, so battles are basically the same length. Also, remember that most RPG's eventually devolve into attack, attack, attack, heal, attack, etc. anyway. So the one attacker issue is really not a problem. Also, you really will need the backup characters' help during boss battles (although in most dungeon battles they'll just be on standby). The advantage to this set up is the ability to provide a fresh strategy that isn't like every other RPG, and a great view of the action (from the side, with 2D characters hacking at each other in true anime fashion). I found the battles, while not as exciting as in Grandia or Crono Trigger, at worst passable and at best really exciting.
Also, those people who complain about the random enemy encounters should wake up and smell the frappucino. More than half of the RPG's on the market use the random encounter system (even Final Fantasy). I dislike random encounters, but I've come to expect them, and we should hold all games to the same standard.
My big complaint with the battle system, is that some characters are CLEARLY better overall than others, leading me to use Meis and Muza constantly, and almost never using Sodina or Nelsha. This could be remedied if we had any incentive to play with the weaker characters. Perhaps it would have been nicer if only the characters in-use got experience (except in boss battles). Oh well. I suppose it doesn't really matter. I just wish that I could have used Nelsha a bit more (she's so cute!)
Now the game's main claim to fame, the dating simulation. In order to gain strength and new attacks, you must not only fight monsters, but go on dates with the women you meet. You sit them down at some restauraunt, they ask you questions, and you answer them. Admittedly it's not like this in real life and the dialogue is anything but realistic. Still, it's loads of fun to do this, especially after an hour battling demons. It's also a great way to learn more about the character's personalities. Downsides? Well, the questions do recycle a lot, and some of the girls ask the same questions only worded slightly differently. But the right answer is not always the same for all every girl, and you have to think ''What would this particular girl want me to say?'' before answering. Also, there are some shallow mini-games that are just there for some side amusement. I haven't made this sound as fun as it actually is, but I was very entertained.

Story: 6.5
OK. I'll concede that the story isn't original in any way. The Dark emperor is gaining power blah blah blah five sacred altars blah blah blah you are the chosen one blah blah blah. Still, I didn't really care. If you want a great emotional story, play the mighty Grandia (Surely the best RPG of recent years). Thousand Arms keeps everything light and cheerful, and generally breaks little ground doing so.

Overall: 7
I liked Thousand Arms a lot. But it is sure to alienate far more than it satisfies. You might want to rent it first. But if you love anime, or just don't take the game too seriously, you probably like it. If you are looking for an epic RPG in the style of Squaresoft, look elsewhere. This game is a happy whif of fresh air in a densely populated (and rightly so) RPG market. Come to it with an open mind, and you won't be disapointed.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 04/22/00, Updated 04/22/00