A formulaic RPG story meets a highly entertaining battle system in Arc the Lad: Twilight of the Spirits.
In a future where humans and Demios have the whole Israeli/Palestine thing going on, Kharg is the village of Yewbell's own personal John Connor, with his mother Nafia playing the part of Linda Hamilton. Unbeknownst to Kharg, however, there is another…his brother, born into a life of slavery among the Demios. It may sound like a mix of clichés, but once the story gets started, it's actually deep enough to keep you interested.
But what's really deep, is the combat system – while you won't find anything on the level of FF7's Materia junctioning, the battles in Twilight of the Spirits take place in a very entertaining RTS/RPG hybrid format, in which fights against enemies feel more like a game of chess than long, drawn out selections on a text menu. There is more strategy and tactical thinking involved here than in a game like FFX, which certainly adds appeal for veterans, yet it is easy to pick up and play for newbies, and is very addicting once you do so. Many RPG combat systems feel like an intermission between plot twists, but that is not the case with Twilight of the Spirits. You can't give any higher praise than that.
Graphically, the game won't be dethroning Square anytime soon, but it does stand up on its own, and has a very natural, lush, and alive look to it. If you are tired of looking at the standard "angsty boy with big hair in a futuristic building/school/military facility" that has become the trademark of the genre since FF7, Arc the Lad feels much more personable and involving on a visual level. If there is a weakness with the game, it is the sound – while the music is creative and catchy, the voices are nothing short of obnoxious. They can be turned off with ease, however.
Arc the Lad: Twilight of the Spirits is a fine choice for any RPG gamer, young or old, new or inexperienced. It's just a good game.
-George
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