Forum > Gaming Discussion > Arc Rise Fantasia - Not just another recycled and cliched JRPG
Arc Rise Fantasia - Not just another recycled and cliched JRPG
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Wed, 13 Jan 2010 07:11:40
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You know how we've been talking about the typical JRPG formula and discussing its evolution and comparing them to WRPGs. The fire was flamed even more with BioWare saying that statement about JRPGs never evolving.

Let's not talk about that, but let's talk about this game here: Arc Rise Fantasia.

From the screenshots of the game (posted below), it does look like the same ol' anime inspired JRPG, and I'm sure it is. But what caught my interest is what the producer said about the game's story, saying it won't be just another "saving the world plot," but will focus on the characters and their personalities. He also said that they're shaking up the traditional turn-base battle system and challenged themselves to do something more strategic and different.

Here's the interview with the producer of the game from GI. He said this when they asked him what separates Arc Rise Fantasia from other JRPGs.

"Arc Rise Fantasia doesn't have a classic RPG story where a hero saves the world by defeating a demon or whoever threathens to destroy it. The world in Arc Rise Fantasia still has swords and magic, but we tried to focus on the bonds between the characters by carefully depicting their personalities."

That's a pretty good sign that this game won't be just another JRPG. I personally believe that good characters make a good story, so this is refreshing to me. I've played so many JRPGs and lately, the characters have been pretty bland. So this looks promising so far.

And here's what he says for the turn-based battle system:

"The classic orthodox turn-based combat has been used in big JRPG titles and people feel comfortable with it, we all know that. Arc Rise Fantasia has been challenged to make a new one which is much more strategic and still simple enough for anyone to understand."

I don't know what that means or what they've done, but hopefully it's cool!

When you look at the screenshots and character designs, it does come across as just another JRPG. But after reading these comments, I'm feeling more hopeful about this game now. It still might be more of the same, but I'm glad to hear a smaller JRPG developer team is trying something different with the given formula. It's cool how he acknowledges these common cliches in JRPGs and is trying to challenge themselves to do something different.

It's a good start.

This game comes out later this spring, and I'm looking forward to it! I think it'll be one of the best JRPGs for the Wii, and it'll be much better than that disappointing FF Crystal Bearers!

Some screens:

Arc Rise Fantasia ScreenshotArc Rise Fantasia PictureArc Rise Fantasia PictureArc Rise Fantasia PictureArc Rise Fantasia Picture

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Now Playing: Golden Sun Dark Dawn, God of War Ghost of Sparta, and DKC Returns

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Wed, 13 Jan 2010 10:24:14
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I hear it got decent Famitsu scores, not 9s or anything but solid 8s.

It looks okay but kinda unappealing. I think the best RPGs at least in Wii terms will be Monado:

Monado: A Nintendo First Party RPG from Monolithsoft and FFXII's Matsuno?

And Tales of Graces which is billed as a mothership title. I like the idea of a story that isn't the same old save the world from evil dude plot though. I would like an rpg like Bully. You play as a Japanese schoolkid and your turn based battles involved battles of wit with teachers and throwing insults at other kids as well as teen love melodrama and even sports events turn based battles. That is cool.  

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Wed, 13 Jan 2010 18:01:36
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i haven't researched this as deeply as you have so this is not by any means a well founded opinion (more of a hunch) but i think this game will be pretty standard fare jrpg when it's all said and done even if it does some little things to differentiate it from the rest.

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Thu, 14 Jan 2010 02:36:36
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"Arc Rise Fantasia doesn't have a classic RPG story where a hero saves the world by defeating a demon or whoever threathens to destroy it. The world in Arc Rise Fantasia still has swords and magic, but we tried to focus on the bonds between the characters by carefully depicting their personalities."

Sounds like a JRPG to me.
The thing people hate about JRPGs now is not the quality of the depiction of the characters but how effeminate they are and how big their sword is.

Balthier was not better realised than any of the other characters in FFXII, but he was less a standard JRPG character so he was loved. All those characters up there look like standard JRPG charactesr to me.

And for the record Balthier sucked as much as everyone else in FFXII. Nyaa

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Thu, 14 Jan 2010 03:09:35
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Foolz said:
And for the record Balthier sucked as much as everyone else in FFXII. Nyaa

The reason Balthier is recognized is that he's the only one in the game with any character whatsoever.

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Thu, 14 Jan 2010 05:33:58
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Yodariquo said:
Foolz said:
And for the record Balthier sucked as much as everyone else in FFXII. Nyaa

The reason Balthier is recognized is that he's the only one in the game with any character whatsoever.

.1% of character compared to 0% of character is pretty much as bad as no character to me.

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