Jeanne d'Arc

"Most definitely one of the best RPG games EVER MADE, fans MUST HAVE"

PSP is a system that is always being overshadowed by the DS system, and no doubt that PSP has fewer games and few of matching quality comparing to the DS. But of course, once in a while a really good game comes along and make the PSP shines in its own right. Behold, here comes the heroine - Jeanne d'Arc.

Storyline - 10/10
Most people would be familiar with the story of Jeanne d'Arc - the heroine saves France but died in the end for her country. The game at first seems to follow that story with England attacking France and Jeanne going to join the army to save her home land. But then on the way she meets many interesting supporting characters who help her battle the evil force against England. The outcome of the story is also different, which is what made this game unique from the original story. It is a history based fantasy story with enriching details that will easily get the interest of most rpg fantasy.

Gameplay - 10/10
The game play is fairly easy to get used to - you take turns and the objective is either to defeat monsters or escape from one part of the map to the other. The style is similar to Final Fantasy Tactics and Fire Emblem series. It is very easy to get used to and master. Players will have many characters to choose from, from the historic heroine Jeanne to fantasy beasts. The selection of weapons, magic, and skill stone also create many strategies and many different choices to choose from.

Graphic/Sound - 9/10
The 3-D graphic is exceptionally well done comparing to other similar PSP games. All the playable characters and enemies are easily identified with plenty of details. Players can also easily rotate the camera angles to see map perfectly from every view. The anime style cut-scene is also beautifully directed, but there are only few of them and the game could use a little bit more to help enhance the story. The only problem I had is with the poor English voice-over. If only they included the Japanese version with English subtitles then the whole thing would flow perfectly. Instead the poor accented voice-over with no subtitles sometimes did not match the enchanting fantasy story that is being told.

Play Time/Replayability - 9/10
To finish the normal storyline will take about 30 hours, then there is also the bonus stages after the final story boss battles and getting the best equipments. There are plenty of character you can choose to level to fight post game battles. So a total of 60+hours is no surprise.

Overall - 10/10
It is about time PSP proves it can create solid RPG games just like the DS. And Jeanne d'Arc does more than making that happen. The unique and thrilling fantasy story and brilliant gameplay, combined with stunning graphics and anime cut-scenes, Jeanne d'Arc mark itself as a superb RPG that remains to be the best RPG of all time. Highly recommended to old and new RPG gamers alike. You will definitely find a masterpiece in your collection once you play this game.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 04/01/09

Game Release: Jeanne d'Arc (US, 08/21/07)