Slow Story And A Fast-Paced, Addictive Battle System

2009-10-13T17:17:00Z

In Magnacarta 2, Korean developer Softmax introduces players to the war-torn continent of Lanzheim, where a conflict between northern and southern forces spreads violence kingdom-wide. The game has a plot entirely unrelated from its predecessor, Magna Carta: Tears of Blood, and a revamped battle system that will keep you on your toes.

The story follows Juto, a midriff-bearing warrior with no memory of his past, and Zephie, a sweet but powerful princess, as they battle alongside a group of characters fighting for their convictions. Though the plot takes a few interesting turns, it’s nothing we haven’t already seen.

The intricate, real-time battle system is where Magnacarta 2 shines. Each battle requires a degree of strategy mixing both standard attacks and special skills earned through customizable weapons. No two battles are ever fought the same way keeping each encounter fresh. You can toggle between characters on the fly, and if timed correctly you’ll start a chain between characters, which unleashes devastating attacks and keeps combat moving at a fast-pace. Keep in mind, this is no button masher. Constantly hitting the A button to attack causes the active character to “Overheat,” which immobilizes him or her until the Overheat gauge diminishes. More than one party member in Overheat mode could spell trouble. This is annoying and can be difficult to avoid in the heat of combat without practice. Battle tutorials continue even after 20 hours of gameplay to add new moves to your arsenal, so there is plenty to keep you locked in until mastered.

Awkward camera angles and occasional AI issues make keeping track of non-active party members a challenge. You’ll switch to a party member and find they strayed away from the action and became trapped behind an object on the field. In large scale battles this not only slows down battles, but can also lead to defeat. Thankfully, this didn’t occur often enough to derail the combat experience.

With classic role-playing elements and addictive combat mechanics, Magnacarta 2 is a solid game for RPG veterans looking for a new challenge.

Complex Group Battle Mechanics Shine In Magnacarta 2

2009-09-29T21:34:00Z

Magnacarta 2 opens without breaking any expectations, but evolves into a deeper and more complex role-playing experience with each passing hour. In the beginning, few things help the game stand out from the dozens of RPGs that arrive on shores from over the Pacific every year. The early hours are dominated by familiar fetch quests and a simplistic battle system reminiscent of traditional MMOs. It’s only after that tedious introduction that players will encounter the real meat of the game experience – the complex and enjoyable group battle mechanics.

When navigating a single character through the world, monsters are visible on the field, and you engage them with a simple mix of standard and special attacks, while being careful not to exhaust the character and overheat. Once multiple characters join the party, Softmax makes a fun dynamic out of the constant switching between party leaders. Complete the process correctly, and you chain your attacks together between characters for damage boosts and other advantages. Since each character has a unique suite of powers and abilities, the juggling act of character switching engages you immediately.

The gameplay variability is further enhanced through a number of customizable features for the characters. Every character has two types of weapons, such as a hammer and axe, which they can use in battle. Each weapon style has its own set of upgradeable skills. In addition, every weapon can receive special enhancements to further craft your fighter’s abilities. The game world is also filled with free-floating magic called Kan. The level of Kan for a particular element, like fire or water, is different in every area, so choosing the right character and abilities for each situation pays dividends in challenging fights. Taken together, the game gives you a lot of optimization details, without overwhelming you with a feature set that must be mastered to allow progression.

Magnacarta 2’s story involves a sprawling fantasy world in the midst of a devastating civil war. Familiar tropes, like the amnesiac main character and the dutiful but sweet princess, could be done without. Clichéd characters and familiar plotlines abound, and the script is sometimes embarrassing, but at least the world is well realized. That world is all the more interesting thanks to a fully voiced script throughout. In addition, Korean artist Hyung-Tae Kim has contributed art to the game, lending an attractive (and frequently buxom) manga style to the proceedings.

Our playtime with an early build showed a lot of promise, though the early hours weren’t as exciting as we might have hoped. We’re eager to learn whether the later sections are as involving as the many customizable systems suggest they are.

Magnacarta 2 - Xbox 360

Slow Story And A Fast-Paced, Addictive Battle System

Complex Group Battle Mechanics Shine In Magnacarta 2