(Almost) Good Lord- Lord of Arcana Review

Traditionally, the Monster Hunter Freedom and Phantasy Star Portable franchises have forgone an elaborate back story, preferring to provide a rudimentary impetus during each game’s hand-on tutorial. Lord of Arcana doesn’t deviate from this trend, detailing a legend of mystical stones which can only be retrieved by the land’s most formidable fighter. After trekking through the game’s first stage with a burly, maxed-out character, the protagonist’s abilities and equipment are reset, and players begin their lengthy level ascent. Echoing the weapon-based classes of the genre, Arcana‘s arsenal includes five types of weapons, from nimble one-handed swords, far-reaching polearms, and projectile firing firelances. Each armament comes with its own set of strikes and decrees a particular play style. Whereas maces dictate a well-timed charged swing, two handed swords present brute power at the sake of agility. Expectedly, the quintet of weapons and mechanics complement each other in the title’s co-operative multiplayer mode. One ad-hoc match (sadly there’s no option for infrastructure play) abruptly ended when all four players carelessly rushed toward formidable boss, leaving no one behind to revive injured comrades.

In between missions, players will spend their leisure time in Porto Carrillo, which serves as a hub for players. Here, gamers may augment or manufacture weapons at the local blacksmith, synthesize potions at the alchemy shop, or check the slayer’s Guild for any available missions. Beyond some conversations with a the tiny beachfront village’s denizens, the game wisely keep the focus on combat and crafting, eliminating the need for superfluous dialog. While the game’s succession of weapon, armor, and card upgrades are certainly compelling, these pursuits are often slowed by the scarcity of a specific item. Repeating the same mission to gather the game’s elusive monster cores can quickly sap away the enjoyment of the game. Others who played the game expressed a dissatisfaction for the game’s arbitrary rule set. One example, the first mission ends once player defeat a three goblins. The next errand requires players to gather five red stones, but fails to alert gamers that the mission won’t end until the stones are placed in a storage crate.