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MagnaCarta 2 review

Game: MagnaCarta 2
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: RPG (Fantasy)
Developer: Banpresto
AKA: MagnaCarta II (EU), Magna Carta 2 (JP), MagnaCarta II (AU)

Staff review by Zigfried

November 10, 2009

Is it moral to stand up for the oppressed, if doing so may hasten the downfall of your own nation?

Is it immoral to sacrifice other people, if that's the only way to preserve paradise?

Could such a world, a world full of pleasure, plentiful harvests, and beauty, even be called a paradise if it's built upon the blood of others?

Those willing to set jaded prejudices to the side and play along with MagnaCarta 2's ambitions will find a world of passionate youth and unfeeling beasts, wrapped up in a conflict that's not really about good versus evil. It's a study on the concept of sacrifice for the supposed greater good; national leaders are quick to sacrifice others while the idle populace, safely watching the war from home, praise their heroes' noble deaths. MagnaCarta 2 puts players in the role of those chosen to nobly die, and explores the consequences when heroes decide they actually want to live.

Unfortunately, like a 300-page novel with a 250-page prologue, the game takes a while to get to the point. Up until the final act, players must endure the cliche tale of "young spiky-haired male seeks revenge, teams up with other people seeking revenge, and tries to save the world from a very mean man". The spiky-haired male has a mysterious past, but can't remember anything due to amnesia. One of his companions is a rebellious princess on the run from a corrupt kingdom. There's also an annoying childish elf who is supposed to be cute and funny. These elements are not new; some of them fall under the heading of Gamers are Sick of This, and some fall under the heading of Cool JRPG Cliches. I personally appreciate the inclusion of attractive, spunky princesses. Amnesia I could do without.

The amnesiac's name is Juto, and he's a lazy islander who is afraid of steel swords. He's not afraid of wooden swords, nor is he afraid of steel knives (used for sharpening wooden swords). Once Juto overcomes his amusingly specific phobia and starts fighting to protect the island, MagnaCarta 2 begins its slow but steady shift from "stupid" to "fun". Similar to Final Fantasy XII, Phantasy Star Online, and Crystalis, combat takes place in real-time with visible enemies. To deal with the wizards, werewolves, and armored soldiers they'll come across, every character wields two weapons -- such as the adorably brusque ninja's shuriken and katana -- and learns numerous skills for each.

The real-time combat works because it's both responsive and dynamic. When mashing the attack button, I watched the screen for special "counter-attack" cues that could shatter opponents' weapons, while swinging my sword and waiting for an opportunity to unleash the ostentatious Celestial Crusher . . . . .

Heroic warrior Juto and his target disappear from sight, only to reappear inside an alternate reality. Stars circle the lonely battlefield.
"I NEED MORE POWER!"
Juto hulks up! His blade roars with flames!
"LET'S GO -- GET READY!"
Imbued with power, Juto takes two practice swings.
"HUA! HUA!"
Blades of energy strike the vicious [Poison Worm] for 5,400 damage!
*** NINE-HIT COMBO! Damage 70% up! ***
"THIS IS IT!"
Juto dashes towards his immobile opponent, culminating in a heroic leap!
"HYAAAAA!"
The blade spirals downwards at the [Poison Worm], dealing 14,000 damage!
*** TWELVE-HIT COMBO! Damage 120% up! ***
As the poison worm cowers in the corner, Juto turns his back and casually walks away like the world's ultimate badass.
"I have things that I have to protect."

Not since Final Fantasy VIII have I seen such gaudy, unskippable cinematic attacks. Sensible players will reserve these techniques for bosses.

After using up all of his stamina, Juto started panting and heaving, unable to lift his sword. Fortunately, I could switch to a teammate and divert the remaining worms' attention. This constant involvement in the action helped MagnaCarta 2 feel very much like a game, and a fun one at that.

It's a good thing combat is stimulating, because advancing the storyline couldn't be more brainless. Orange markers on the map identify the next event; simply follow the dots from beginning to end, slaughtering the wicked king's minions along the way. These orange markers are precise, leading directly to the specific person players need to speak to or the exact door that needs to be opened.

A slew of sidequests -- over a hundred -- add some much-needed adventuring to what would otherwise be a storybook with interactive battles. Participating in these quests yields money, experience, and gems that imbue weapons with new abilities (some of which actually increase gold or experience earned). As a certified master of fetching, I enjoyed these diversions . . . but those who roll their eyes at collecting ingredients to make potions, and instead focus solely on the main quest, will likely be put off by its marked linearity.

That's assuming you weren't already put off by the fat birdman carrying a blunderbuss.

Hyung-Tae Kim's divisive character artwork -- with large perky bosoms and wide mammoth hips -- has been toned down for the digital product, resulting in competent character models that provoke neither lust nor laughter. Blunderbird is a thankfully rare exception. The creatures that Juto encounters project appropriate levels of menace, although they could stand to be a bit more varied in appearance.

Unfortunately, the sparsely-populated cities and countryside don't feel nearly as "alive" as environments from other recent RPGs. Those of you who have been around a while may recall the 16-bit era, when RPG world map water actually started to move. Back in the day, that was pretty cool! MagnaCarta 2's water is static. It's just a shiny, translucent texture; there's no flow, no ebb, and no ripples when you wade (because you can't wade). Despite years of development, I can only assume that this game was produced on a shoestring budget. Numerous glitches -- such as characters getting trapped in the pitch blackness of "what the hell just happened to my screen, and why won't any of the buttons work" -- certainly don't help.

In short, MagnaCarta 2 is not an easy game to recommend. It feels small-time, it looks small-time, amnesiac heroes are stale, and the PS2 fiasco left a bad taste in many peoples' mouths. Despite all of those issues, I would still suggest JRPG fans give it an honest chance. The dynamic combat alone kept me playing long enough to appreciate the subtleties of the storyline, its complex moral study, and the believable maturation of its hero. It's not a powerhouse title, but a lot of prettier, slicker games could learn something from MagnaCarta 2.

//Zig

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