Arc the Lad II was developed by Sony Computer Entertainment in 1996 for the Sony PlayStation.  Sadly, it was only released in Japan.  It didn’t reach American shelves until 2002 as part of the Arc the Lad Collection.  This caused the game to go largely unnoticed; the PlayStation 2 had been released two years prior.  It became available for digital download on the PlayStation Network in 2010.

Story

The story follows a young hunter named Elc whose flashbacks gradually reveal his troubled past.  His childhood happens to coincide with a fiendish plot to turn gifted children into Chimeras.  As the plot progresses, a looming threat is determined to unseal The Dark One, an entity that would bring the world to ruin.  Elc must band together with the hero Arc in order to preserve the future of the planet.

Score: ★★★

Gameplay

This is where the game truly shines.  From its engaging tactical battle system with spikes of difficulty as the story rolls on to a bevy of Hunter Jobs that keep you immersed into this world and allows you to move forward at your own pace, Arc the Lad II delivers in spades if you’re a fan of role-playing games.

This game features a strategy-based battle system in the vein of Tactics Ogre, Final Fantasy Tactics, or Shining Force.  What sets this game apart from those classics is the fact that outside of battle, what you are playing is a traditional RPG complete with a world map, sidequests, various towns, and dungeons.  If you are not a huge fan of tactical role-playing games, this would be the one I would suggest in order to persuade you into giving the sub-genre another chance.

While some characters are not fully realized within the story, they are all unique in battle.  This gives you the freedom to shape your party in a way that suits your play style while also providing you with more reason to have subsequent playthroughs.

Score: ★★★★★

Music

Great themes give you a better understanding of the character, and that’s what the tracks for Eliza and Mariel accomplish.  A soundtrack that transports you emotionally to where you were when first playing is something that I have always valued highly in a game.  Arc the Lad II offers a wide variety of different styles like the funky, upbeat “Scrap Iron Town,” the mysterious woodwind and stringed arrangement of “Woods of Illusion,” and the trumpeting sounds of “Romalia Castle.”  The music brings more life to the world, and it makes the experience in playing all the better.

Score: ★★★★

Overall Rating: 24/30