069 This is a game I highly recommend if you are like me and love final fantasy tacticsish games . The dialogue and plot can be a bit cheesy at times . . . but overall , for a video game , its somewhat engaging . The real gem is is the gameplaying itself . I like the fact they are no specific classes more than anything , because it means less worrying about stats and more about the battles themselves . Highly recommend if you are anything like me , and really like games like final fantasy tactics !
094 I love this game , I wish it was longer , I want to keep playing ! I was on the fence for a while about buying this , but now it's the only psp game I play at the moment . Someday I will dust off crisis core and continue with that , but for now Jean D'ARC is my game . I do recommend this title to anyone who likes strategy RPG's .
114 finally I have the pleasure to play a tactic's game with the same caliber as final fantasy tactic's for the ps1 . I recomended this game to those who are know for the genre . graet game
119 like Joan of arc it tries to follow what happens in history as best it can while mixing in elements of fantasy . It was well done . I think the only drawback is that it does not have strong replay value and the game is over pretty quickly - less than 20 hours .
075 I went out on a limb when I bought this game , I'm very picky about the games I play . So when I bought this one I was hoping it would be fun , I did all the research on the internet , I watched video's on it also , so I finally bought it . WOW let me say that this is the best game I've ever bought for my PSP It's really fun and very addicting once you get in to it . It's a Tactical or Strategy RPG which ever one you would want to call it . My only problem with it so far is there is a limited variety in fighters . I wish there could be a way to have a more different variety in characters and weapons . But I'm only on Chapter 5 so it might get that way the more I get into it . But the game is very fun , easy to control , and understand . If you've never played a T-RPG or S-RPG then give this game a try . It has a great story and you'll be amazed .
081 It's a decent , fun strategic RPG that has many fundamental similarities to the Fire Emblem series , it's a shame that the story was so poor crafted due to some cheesy , over-the-top dialogue translations and some bad voice acting .
116 I have almost completed this game now , and it has been the most fun I have had with an SRPG since Advance Wars DS . It reminds me of Final Fantasy Tactics as well , as the story and game mechanics are very well done . I would certainly recommend this game to anyone who has played and loved the two titles listed above .
128 This is my first PSP RPG so I don't have anything to compare it to . I do think the gameplay has potential . What I do find annoying however , is the goofy anime-esque characters and the mechanical cut-scene animation . But all in all , it seems to be a solid game . I think WOW has popularized this new breed of cartoon-ish RPGs and I'm more in favor of traditional RPG settings .
126 This game is wonderful and a fresh new feel on the strategy rpg titles for PSP . The game itself has a very interesting story that is illustrated through anime-style cutscenes and sprite , turn-based , battling . I think fans of games such as Final Fantasy Tactics and Tactics Ogre will find that this game has a lot of similar or interesting elements to offer as far as gameplay . I hope everyone gives this game a try because it's definetly worth buying .
101 This game is one of the funnest games I've played for the PSP . It has great anime cinema scenes and the graphics are just beautiful to look at . If you like games like Arc the Lad or Fire Emblem , then you will definitely love this game . I would definitely recommend this game to anyone .
106 This is the type of games that is perfectly suited for the PSP . Love the strategy involve during the battles . Story is good but it slows toward the middle of the game . The game is a little easy as you can level up pretty easily and there is no grinding involve . This game is very similar to Final Fantasy Tactics as it is a SJRPG .
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
In terms of strategy games , it's kinda a lightweight . Mainly , you have three elements , that are sorta like rock / paper / scissors , Sola ( sun ) , Luna ( moon ) , and Stella ( star ) , with sun weak to moon but strong to star , etc . You can boost abilities or use techniques , by equipping skills that you find in battle to slots , or buy them in shops . There's a few problems though . The slots aren't separate for abilities and skills , so you need to choose between having heal and having defensive abilities . The MP meter fills each turn , but always starts at 0 , making battles a pain in terms of special abilities . But what made this thing ridiculous , to the point that I quit playing was the limited turns system . You have a certain number of turns the battle is to be finished ( sometimes this makes sense , but usually it really doesn't ) . Ultimately , I stopped around the point where I not only had ten turns but was supposed to protect these two soldiers ( ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FIELD ) . Soldier 1 died on the first enemy turn , Soldier 2 died at the beginning of my third turn .
I like the anime style graphics , but they're often absurdly cute . The monsters shown in the opening scene , the skeleton in the army looks like a lego style one , and the big bad demon is just a dark shadow , that possesses the prince ( who looks suspiciously more like a girl , and here you thought Jeanne was a crossdresser ) . The conversation is trite in places , and inconsistent ( Jeanne's friend Lianne is the only one in France apparently that has a noticeable accent ) . It's certainly funny , but not at all fun after the third battle .
036 In terms of strategy games , it's kinda a lightweight . Mainly , you have three elements , that are sorta like rock / paper / scissors , Sola ( sun ) , Luna ( moon ) , and Stella ( star ) , with sun weak to moon but strong to star , etc . You can boost abilities or use techniques , by equipping skills that you find in battle to slots , or buy them in shops . There's a few problems though . The slots aren't separate for abilities and skills , so you need to choose between having heal and having defensive abilities . The MP meter fills each turn , but always starts at 0 , making battles a pain in terms of special abilities . But what made this thing ridiculous , to the point that I quit playing was the limited turns system . You have a certain number of turns the battle is to be finished ( sometimes this makes sense , but usually it really doesn't ) . Ultimately , I stopped around the point where I not only had ten turns but was supposed to protect these two soldiers ( ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FIELD ) . Soldier 1 died on the first enemy turn , Soldier 2 died at the beginning of my third turn .
I like the anime style graphics , but they're often absurdly cute . The monsters shown in the opening scene , the skeleton in the army looks like a lego style one , and the big bad demon is just a dark shadow , that possesses the prince ( who looks suspiciously more like a girl , and here you thought Jeanne was a crossdresser ) . The conversation is trite in places , and inconsistent ( Jeanne's friend Lianne is the only one in France apparently that has a noticeable accent ) . It's certainly funny , but not at all fun after the third battle .
086 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
I got this game maybe a month ago and I love it . Its very addicting and will keep you busy on a long ride . The story is neat and different . Its not your traditional srpg story . Its actually based on Joan of Arc . To be honest I really didnt care much for Joan of Arc stories during history class , but this game made it way more interesting even though it has fictional monsters in it . Its a really simple SRPG system as well . One of the better things I liked about it was that dialog wasnt just portraits of characters talking to each other all the time with a lame picture of scenery ( which I cant stand ) . It actually shows character models with body language in 3d . The anime cutscenes are very well animated too .
The game can get frustrating though . . . I just cannot stand the escort missions . You will not get to control whoever you escort . Sometimes they end up walking straight towards enemies , end up getting killed and MISSION FAILED !
All in all I like this game alot and its totally worthy of a buy .
087 I got this game maybe a month ago and I love it . Its very addicting and will keep you busy on a long ride . The story is neat and different . Its not your traditional srpg story . Its actually based on Joan of Arc . To be honest I really didnt care much for Joan of Arc stories during history class , but this game made it way more interesting even though it has fictional monsters in it . Its a really simple SRPG system as well . One of the better things I liked about it was that dialog wasnt just portraits of characters talking to each other all the time with a lame picture of scenery ( which I cant stand ) . It actually shows character models with body language in 3d . The anime cutscenes are very well animated too .
The game can get frustrating though . . . I just cannot stand the escort missions . You will not get to control whoever you escort . Sometimes they end up walking straight towards enemies , end up getting killed and MISSION FAILED !
All in all I like this game alot and its totally worthy of a buy .
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
Jeanne D'arc is one of those games that I initially blew off . The cover art and basic premise of the game left me really skeptical about the quality of game that was contained within . I have to say that I am glad one of my friends showed this game to me because I otherwise would have ignored it .
Basically , Jeanne D'arc is a fantasy retelling of the Joan of Arc legend and the 100 years war . I'll admit , it took a bit of getting used to seeing the great deal of liberty taken with the story , but overall it is quite good . The game is a turn based strategy game a la Final Fantasy Tactics , Tactics Ogre , Vandal Hearts , and Fire Emblem games . As far as turn based strategy games go , I have to say this game ranks among the best and fans of the genre should pick it up .
Pros :
+ Vibrant graphics ( usually )
+ Compelling ( albeit quite weird ) storyline told with animated cutscenes .
+ A deep character customization system that doesn't require users to micromanage for hours on end to build the perfect party .
+ The ability to go into free-battle mode on a number of maps in order to gain treasure and experience .
+ Individual battles are usually fairly quick , ideal for portable play .
+ Some absurd but funny French and English stereotypes .
Cons :
- The frame rate is kind of jerky at times
- For history buffs , seeing Joan of Arc fighting orcs , lizardmen , and dark elves takes a little bit of getting used to .
- Some levels have atmospheric effects such as fog that look just plain ugly .
- Some absurd stereotypes and a few really annoying character designs that make you say Hmmmmmm . . .
- The menu controls are not as intuitive as other games in the genre
- Battles usually limit you to a small number of characters on the battlefield . On the plus side , battles don't drag on forever and ever .
Overall , this is an excellent game and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys the strategy RPG genre . The game obviously contains some very religious overtones due to the source material ( Joan of Arc ) but approaches the subject in a relatively inoffensive manner .
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Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
I carefully read reviews before purchasing this game and am shocked by how many people claim this game is fun . By the final boss battle I couldn't bare to play it for more then ten minutes without setting it aside to take a break .
If your compare this to some other games avialable in the same genre for the PSP , it's clear this game is a joke . The animations is cartoony and makes it hard to take the game seriously . The plot is boring and predictable .
The gameplay is even worse . You get none of the complexity in item selection , character building , and job selection that you get with a game like Final Fantasy Tactics . Each character has a very narrow role they can play , and with a maximum of 6 abilities per characer ( some of which are passive , so you do nothing with them ) you end up using the same moves over and over again . Furthermore , you start each battle with 0MP , so you essiently have to wait several rounds before you can use the good abilities while you wait to accumulate enough MP .
I would not buy this game . Buy final fantasy tactics war of the lions .
019 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
I carefully read reviews before purchasing this game and am shocked by how many people claim this game is fun . By the final boss battle I couldn't bare to play it for more then ten minutes without setting it aside to take a break .
If your compare this to some other games avialable in the same genre for the PSP , it's clear this game is a joke . The animations is cartoony and makes it hard to take the game seriously . The plot is boring and predictable .
The gameplay is even worse . You get none of the complexity in item selection , character building , and job selection that you get with a game like Final Fantasy Tactics . Each character has a very narrow role they can play , and with a maximum of 6 abilities per characer ( some of which are passive , so you do nothing with them ) you end up using the same moves over and over again . Furthermore , you start each battle with 0MP , so you essiently have to wait several rounds before you can use the good abilities while you wait to accumulate enough MP .
I would not buy this game . Buy final fantasy tactics war of the lions .
031 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
Jeanne D'arc is one of those games that I initially blew off . The cover art and basic premise of the game left me really skeptical about the quality of game that was contained within . I have to say that I am glad one of my friends showed this game to me because I otherwise would have ignored it .
Basically , Jeanne D'arc is a fantasy retelling of the Joan of Arc legend and the 100 years war . I'll admit , it took a bit of getting used to seeing the great deal of liberty taken with the story , but overall it is quite good . The game is a turn based strategy game a la Final Fantasy Tactics , Tactics Ogre , Vandal Hearts , and Fire Emblem games . As far as turn based strategy games go , I have to say this game ranks among the best and fans of the genre should pick it up .
Pros :
+ Vibrant graphics ( usually )
+ Compelling ( albeit quite weird ) storyline told with animated cutscenes .
+ A deep character customization system that doesn't require users to micromanage for hours on end to build the perfect party .
+ The ability to go into free-battle mode on a number of maps in order to gain treasure and experience .
+ Individual battles are usually fairly quick , ideal for portable play .
+ Some absurd but funny French and English stereotypes .
Cons :
- The frame rate is kind of jerky at times
- For history buffs , seeing Joan of Arc fighting orcs , lizardmen , and dark elves takes a little bit of getting used to .
- Some levels have atmospheric effects such as fog that look just plain ugly .
- Some absurd stereotypes and a few really annoying character designs that make you say Hmmmmmm . . .
- The menu controls are not as intuitive as other games in the genre
- Battles usually limit you to a small number of characters on the battlefield . On the plus side , battles don't drag on forever and ever .
Overall , this is an excellent game and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys the strategy RPG genre . The game obviously contains some very religious overtones due to the source material ( Joan of Arc ) but approaches the subject in a relatively inoffensive manner .
052 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
I played this game a few years ago , and I thought that it was about time that I added my voice to the chorus of praise here . If you liked
Advance Wars
,
Fire Emblem
, or
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Shadow Wars
, you'll like this . The production is top-notch and the mix of unit types / opponents makes for some pleasantly difficult battles . The PSP display size and graphical power definitely improve the experience over the GBA / DS / 3DS . I have a lot of games in my would like to play if I had time pipeline ;
Jeanne D'arc
is one of the very few games that I have already played yet would consider playing again .
053 I played this game a few years ago , and I thought that it was about time that I added my voice to the chorus of praise here . If you liked
Advance Wars
,
Fire Emblem
, or
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Shadow Wars
, you'll like this . The production is top-notch and the mix of unit types / opponents makes for some pleasantly difficult battles . The PSP display size and graphical power definitely improve the experience over the GBA / DS / 3DS . I have a lot of games in my would like to play if I had time pipeline ;
Jeanne D'arc
is one of the very few games that I have already played yet would consider playing again .
089 Just the best . . . great game and value . I was addicted to this game after the first 30 min . Thanks and Enjoy
103 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
The game is great , I love the 3 - D views and rotation so im able to see everything on the battle field . The story is entertaining and the graphics are sweet . I love RPG's , although I did enjoy it , I wish it was just a little more complex to play . Its a intermdiate level game play with lots of text and animation . Over all a good buy , and I recieved it within five days with no problems .
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Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
This game is really well-made and I highly recommend buying it ! You can really tell that the game developers put in a lot of time to create a game that has a cohesive storyline , beautiful graphics ( especially the anime cut-scenes ! ) , and intuitive gameplay !
The game is basically broken up into different battles . After you finish one battle , there's a video which leads you into the next destination battle . You have a number of different characters to choose from to support Jeanne in freeing France . And while the gameplay is just these RPG battles , the amount of choices you have as the player is endless . You have to choose who is best suited to support Jeanne and how to allot their skills ( i.e - assigning Flash Strike to a high-damage Rogue for a really high damage hit against opponents ) .
I don't really have anything negative to say about this game , except that it doesn't lend itself to being played for short bursts ( 10 - 15 minutes ) . If you're home and you have half an hour , sit on the couch and play the game . The game is kind of like a console game rather than a portable one , because of how developed it is with the story line videos / cut-scenes .
110 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
This game is really well-made and I highly recommend buying it ! You can really tell that the game developers put in a lot of time to create a game that has a cohesive storyline , beautiful graphics ( especially the anime cut-scenes ! ) , and intuitive gameplay !
The game is basically broken up into different battles . After you finish one battle , there's a video which leads you into the next destination battle . You have a number of different characters to choose from to support Jeanne in freeing France . And while the gameplay is just these RPG battles , the amount of choices you have as the player is endless . You have to choose who is best suited to support Jeanne and how to allot their skills ( i.e - assigning Flash Strike to a high-damage Rogue for a really high damage hit against opponents ) .
I don't really have anything negative to say about this game , except that it doesn't lend itself to being played for short bursts ( 10 - 15 minutes ) . If you're home and you have half an hour , sit on the couch and play the game . The game is kind of like a console game rather than a portable one , because of how developed it is with the story line videos / cut-scenes .
115 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
I have almost completed this game now , and it has been the most fun I have had with an SRPG since Advance Wars DS . It reminds me of Final Fantasy Tactics as well , as the story and game mechanics are very well done . I would certainly recommend this game to anyone who has played and loved the two titles listed above .
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
Jeanne D'arc , the name being an obvious play off of Joan of Arc , is the story of a French peasant whose village is burned by the English and decides to wage her own war against the English . Her friends join the fight , and she finds others along the way that fight with her to liberate France .
Set in the time of Joan of Arc , being an RPG it is obviously infused with many fantasy elements , such as magic ( spells ) , the ability for Jeanne to transform herself via a mysterious bracelet she finds or rather chooses her ( she herein becomes France's Savior ) , and of course monster warriors that the English use as part of their army .
STORY 8
The story is not incredibly original , however , it uses the fantasy elements well to enhance it . It includes corruption on both sides - English and French , and other twists that make it engaging and never boring . The cut scenes are beautifully done - excellent graphics and sound , and are just enough that you never get the sense that there are too many .
GRAPHICS 9
The cut scenes graphics are beautifully animated . The rest of the game is played on the battlefield , looking at the world map , or from menus . I would have enjoyed the opportunity to enter the actual towns outside of battlefield play . . . instead , you can choose to SHOP which takes you to a menu where you can purchase items , weapons and spells from the town that you are occupying on the world map . As far as graphics go , though , the world map is also well illustrated .
SOUND 9
As I said , the sound in the cut scenes is excellent . . . the voices sound real , and outside of the cut scenes the music is never annoying , whether in battle or world map .
GAMEPLAY 7
I separate battle play ( next ) from gameplay because the battle part of the gameplay deserves a higher rating . Like I said , I would have enjoyed the opportunity to enter actual cities outside of just battlefield play instead of just a menu . The other reason gameplay gets a 7 instead of an 8 or 9 is because the game is too linear . There aren't many opportunities to deviate from the storyline that has been set for you , such as random exploration or side quests . This is one of the most fun parts of an RPG for me , and one of the only big things that makes Jeanne D'arc less than perfect .
On the positive side , you'll see that battle play gets a 10 below , and also , the element of Open Combat is great . . . after clearing certain levels , you can go back to those towns and engage in open battle play for the sake of leveling up your characters and aquiring gold , items , spells , and other treasure .
BATTLE PLAY 10
Battle takes place on a grid , and harmoniously unites turn based play with strategy . You're goal is usually either to defeat all enemies or to reach a certain point without either being wiped out , or , sometimes you have to make sure not a single ally dies . You spend turns moving and attacking , and making strategic choices with regards to the placement of your army . When you have allies on adjacent squares , it aids in your defense , however it can also work against you if you , for instance , have a large group in a row and an enemy has a spell like Impale which allows them to slice through any and all characters lined up in a row ( you can get the impale spell as well ) .
Like I said , it is an excellent melding of turn play combat with strategy based battle . Also as mentioned before , you have spells , and the main character ( as well as another character met along the way early in the game ) have the option of transforming into a stronger warrior based on their bracelet and what gems they hold to enhance their transformation .
Open combat is another great addition , as stated before , to level up your characters and gain gold to buy new weapons , spells and equipment .
OVERALL 8
There are not enough great RPGs for the PSP , and this is one of them . My only major complaints are the story / gameplay being too linear , and no tangible towns to walk around in , outside of the battlefield . Aside from that , Jeanne D'arc is an excellent SRPG for the reasons given above that most of you RPG'ers will enjoy .
047 Amazon Verified Purchase
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This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
Jeanne D'arc , the name being an obvious play off of Joan of Arc , is the story of a French peasant whose village is burned by the English and decides to wage her own war against the English . Her friends join the fight , and she finds others along the way that fight with her to liberate France .
Set in the time of Joan of Arc , being an RPG it is obviously infused with many fantasy elements , such as magic ( spells ) , the ability for Jeanne to transform herself via a mysterious bracelet she finds or rather chooses her ( she herein becomes France's Savior ) , and of course monster warriors that the English use as part of their army .
STORY 8
The story is not incredibly original , however , it uses the fantasy elements well to enhance it . It includes corruption on both sides - English and French , and other twists that make it engaging and never boring . The cut scenes are beautifully done - excellent graphics and sound , and are just enough that you never get the sense that there are too many .
GRAPHICS 9
The cut scenes graphics are beautifully animated . The rest of the game is played on the battlefield , looking at the world map , or from menus . I would have enjoyed the opportunity to enter the actual towns outside of battlefield play . . . instead , you can choose to SHOP which takes you to a menu where you can purchase items , weapons and spells from the town that you are occupying on the world map . As far as graphics go , though , the world map is also well illustrated .
SOUND 9
As I said , the sound in the cut scenes is excellent . . . the voices sound real , and outside of the cut scenes the music is never annoying , whether in battle or world map .
GAMEPLAY 7
I separate battle play ( next ) from gameplay because the battle part of the gameplay deserves a higher rating . Like I said , I would have enjoyed the opportunity to enter actual cities outside of just battlefield play instead of just a menu . The other reason gameplay gets a 7 instead of an 8 or 9 is because the game is too linear . There aren't many opportunities to deviate from the storyline that has been set for you , such as random exploration or side quests . This is one of the most fun parts of an RPG for me , and one of the only big things that makes Jeanne D'arc less than perfect .
On the positive side , you'll see that battle play gets a 10 below , and also , the element of Open Combat is great . . . after clearing certain levels , you can go back to those towns and engage in open battle play for the sake of leveling up your characters and aquiring gold , items , spells , and other treasure .
BATTLE PLAY 10
Battle takes place on a grid , and harmoniously unites turn based play with strategy . You're goal is usually either to defeat all enemies or to reach a certain point without either being wiped out , or , sometimes you have to make sure not a single ally dies . You spend turns moving and attacking , and making strategic choices with regards to the placement of your army . When you have allies on adjacent squares , it aids in your defense , however it can also work against you if you , for instance , have a large group in a row and an enemy has a spell like Impale which allows them to slice through any and all characters lined up in a row ( you can get the impale spell as well ) .
Like I said , it is an excellent melding of turn play combat with strategy based battle . Also as mentioned before , you have spells , and the main character ( as well as another character met along the way early in the game ) have the option of transforming into a stronger warrior based on their bracelet and what gems they hold to enhance their transformation .
Open combat is another great addition , as stated before , to level up your characters and gain gold to buy new weapons , spells and equipment .
OVERALL 8
There are not enough great RPGs for the PSP , and this is one of them . My only major complaints are the story / gameplay being too linear , and no tangible towns to walk around in , outside of the battlefield . Aside from that , Jeanne D'arc is an excellent SRPG for the reasons given above that most of you RPG'ers will enjoy .
048 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
Jeanne D'arc , the name being an obvious play off of Joan of Arc , is the story of a French peasant whose village is burned by the English and decides to wage her own war against the English . Her friends join the fight , and she finds others along the way that fight with her to liberate France .
Set in the time of Joan of Arc , being an RPG it is obviously infused with many fantasy elements , such as magic ( spells ) , the ability for Jeanne to transform herself via a mysterious bracelet she finds or rather chooses her ( she herein becomes France's Savior ) , and of course monster warriors that the English use as part of their army .
STORY 8
The story is not incredibly original , however , it uses the fantasy elements well to enhance it . It includes corruption on both sides - English and French , and other twists that make it engaging and never boring . The cut scenes are beautifully done - excellent graphics and sound , and are just enough that you never get the sense that there are too many .
GRAPHICS 9
The cut scenes graphics are beautifully animated . The rest of the game is played on the battlefield , looking at the world map , or from menus . I would have enjoyed the opportunity to enter the actual towns outside of battlefield play . . . instead , you can choose to SHOP which takes you to a menu where you can purchase items , weapons and spells from the town that you are occupying on the world map . As far as graphics go , though , the world map is also well illustrated .
SOUND 9
As I said , the sound in the cut scenes is excellent . . . the voices sound real , and outside of the cut scenes the music is never annoying , whether in battle or world map .
GAMEPLAY 7
I separate battle play ( next ) from gameplay because the battle part of the gameplay deserves a higher rating . Like I said , I would have enjoyed the opportunity to enter actual cities outside of just battlefield play instead of just a menu . The other reason gameplay gets a 7 instead of an 8 or 9 is because the game is too linear . There aren't many opportunities to deviate from the storyline that has been set for you , such as random exploration or side quests . This is one of the most fun parts of an RPG for me , and one of the only big things that makes Jeanne D'arc less than perfect .
On the positive side , you'll see that battle play gets a 10 below , and also , the element of Open Combat is great . . . after clearing certain levels , you can go back to those towns and engage in open battle play for the sake of leveling up your characters and aquiring gold , items , spells , and other treasure .
BATTLE PLAY 10
Battle takes place on a grid , and harmoniously unites turn based play with strategy . You're goal is usually either to defeat all enemies or to reach a certain point without either being wiped out , or , sometimes you have to make sure not a single ally dies . You spend turns moving and attacking , and making strategic choices with regards to the placement of your army . When you have allies on adjacent squares , it aids in your defense , however it can also work against you if you , for instance , have a large group in a row and an enemy has a spell like Impale which allows them to slice through any and all characters lined up in a row ( you can get the impale spell as well ) .
Like I said , it is an excellent melding of turn play combat with strategy based battle . Also as mentioned before , you have spells , and the main character ( as well as another character met along the way early in the game ) have the option of transforming into a stronger warrior based on their bracelet and what gems they hold to enhance their transformation .
Open combat is another great addition , as stated before , to level up your characters and gain gold to buy new weapons , spells and equipment .
OVERALL 8
There are not enough great RPGs for the PSP , and this is one of them . My only major complaints are the story / gameplay being too linear , and no tangible towns to walk around in , outside of the battlefield . Aside from that , Jeanne D'arc is an excellent SRPG for the reasons given above that most of you RPG'ers will enjoy .
049 Jeanne D'arc , the name being an obvious play off of Joan of Arc , is the story of a French peasant whose village is burned by the English and decides to wage her own war against the English . Her friends join the fight , and she finds others along the way that fight with her to liberate France .
Set in the time of Joan of Arc , being an RPG it is obviously infused with many fantasy elements , such as magic ( spells ) , the ability for Jeanne to transform herself via a mysterious bracelet she finds or rather chooses her ( she herein becomes France's Savior ) , and of course monster warriors that the English use as part of their army .
STORY 8
The story is not incredibly original , however , it uses the fantasy elements well to enhance it . It includes corruption on both sides - English and French , and other twists that make it engaging and never boring . The cut scenes are beautifully done - excellent graphics and sound , and are just enough that you never get the sense that there are too many .
GRAPHICS 9
The cut scenes graphics are beautifully animated . The rest of the game is played on the battlefield , looking at the world map , or from menus . I would have enjoyed the opportunity to enter the actual towns outside of battlefield play . . . instead , you can choose to SHOP which takes you to a menu where you can purchase items , weapons and spells from the town that you are occupying on the world map . As far as graphics go , though , the world map is also well illustrated .
SOUND 9
As I said , the sound in the cut scenes is excellent . . . the voices sound real , and outside of the cut scenes the music is never annoying , whether in battle or world map .
GAMEPLAY 7
I separate battle play ( next ) from gameplay because the battle part of the gameplay deserves a higher rating . Like I said , I would have enjoyed the opportunity to enter actual cities outside of just battlefield play instead of just a menu . The other reason gameplay gets a 7 instead of an 8 or 9 is because the game is too linear . There aren't many opportunities to deviate from the storyline that has been set for you , such as random exploration or side quests . This is one of the most fun parts of an RPG for me , and one of the only big things that makes Jeanne D'arc less than perfect .
On the positive side , you'll see that battle play gets a 10 below , and also , the element of Open Combat is great . . . after clearing certain levels , you can go back to those towns and engage in open battle play for the sake of leveling up your characters and aquiring gold , items , spells , and other treasure .
BATTLE PLAY 10
Battle takes place on a grid , and harmoniously unites turn based play with strategy . You're goal is usually either to defeat all enemies or to reach a certain point without either being wiped out , or , sometimes you have to make sure not a single ally dies . You spend turns moving and attacking , and making strategic choices with regards to the placement of your army . When you have allies on adjacent squares , it aids in your defense , however it can also work against you if you , for instance , have a large group in a row and an enemy has a spell like Impale which allows them to slice through any and all characters lined up in a row ( you can get the impale spell as well ) .
Like I said , it is an excellent melding of turn play combat with strategy based battle . Also as mentioned before , you have spells , and the main character ( as well as another character met along the way early in the game ) have the option of transforming into a stronger warrior based on their bracelet and what gems they hold to enhance their transformation .
Open combat is another great addition , as stated before , to level up your characters and gain gold to buy new weapons , spells and equipment .
OVERALL 8
There are not enough great RPGs for the PSP , and this is one of them . My only major complaints are the story / gameplay being too linear , and no tangible towns to walk around in , outside of the battlefield . Aside from that , Jeanne D'arc is an excellent SRPG for the reasons given above that most of you RPG'ers will enjoy .
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
Just to be clear , my 5 - star overall rating is NOT because it's a perfect game , but because I personally found it to be very fluid , fulfilling , and very enjoyable . Also , just to be fair , I've racked up many hours of gameplay , but have not completed the game yet ( still in the process haha ) .
I have played several SRPGS of a similar blend ( namely Fire Emblem ) and have found them quite enjoyable . But after playing another SRPG called Valkyria Chronicles 2 , the whole traditional chess turn-based system ( which I will refer to as TBSRPG ) kinda felt tame and almost boring to me , generally speaking . I didn't expect to find another TBSRPG that could win me .
BUT ( wait for it . . . cheesy line coming ) GOOD THING I WAS WRONG . . .
HISTORY ( AND STORYLINE )
Story , alone , makes or breaks games for me . You can have the best gameplay in the world , but if the game's story is not up to par , it's hard for me to take it seriously . The story CAN seem generic , but for one familiar with the history of the real Jeanne D'Arc , this game ended up being a field day . History aside , the story maybe generic at points , but it is still very engaging . After all , Bible does say , there's nothing new under the sun , so being generic is not an immediate bad thing for me . They blended historical fact / accounts ( such as her being led by the voice of God , important key battles & events , a huge cast of many of her real life comrades and enemies ) with fantasy embellishments ( elves are running around , Therions [ u'll know what they are in game ] , demon king being freed , etc . ) . To be sure , this IS NOT an accurate account of her life , but IS a very interesting ( and well done ) parallel to it . The plot is a little slow in the pre-chapter , but by chapters 2 & 3 , it really begins to pick up . Also , need I mention , all the characters are important in some way to the story . . . even ones you don't use too much . So you do get a sense of growing with them . Some of the plot twists are quite amusing , too .
GRAPHICS
Personally , I think the graphics are phenomenal . . . are they PS3 graphics ? Nope , but seriously , are we going to compare apples to oranges ? What they did to the characters and environments in both the in-game graphics and anime cutscenes really added a special charm and mystical feel befitting the storyline . Also , the in-game characters and they're anime cutscene counterparts actually coincide with each other closely . Also , I love how you can control the camera angles to a huge degree . It can make the battle animations look more epic , or in those instances you need a better view to move the troops accurately ( or at all ) , you can get that better view .
SOUNDS
I'm not a good judge of game sounds because , for me , a gunshot in one is still a gunshot in another . BUT the music is quite beautiful and adds to it . I've even got a few favorites and will go back to previous levels just to listen haha . The voice acting ( for the anime cutscenes . . . text for everything else ) are not bad at all . I did kinda have to get used to hearing French accents , though . . . but I applaud them for keeping it culturally savvy . English are English , and French are Frenchmen / women speaking English in a French accent haha
GAMEPLAY
The overall combat is basically a typical TBSRPG . But they do add slight variants to it which actually helped me enjoy it more . For one , the direction you face your character can make a difference on the battle field . The direction from which you attack is also influential . Also , the way you move your men and women as a whole is important . . . the formations you land them in , keeping them together or separating them - they all matter . Also , the character customization is simplified enough to understand , but complexed enough to be prominent . It's also fun mixing together skill stones to make a stronger one ( or a terrible one that you didn't want haha ) . Also , environment is realistically a maker or breaker . In other words elevation can hurt or help your archers , you can take cover behind trees and such , etc . The game play definitely was solid . BTW characters don't permanently die during battle . The tutorials themselves hold in game value , and are virtually unintrusive to the atmosphere of the game . When they teach you something new , the make it a smooth part of the game .
DIFFICULTY
Well , this is subjective . Some say it's difficult , others say it's easy . It's all in how you play . It is a free-roam ( you can go back and do previous battles , freebies , and colliseum fights ) so if you grind a lot . . . obviously you can overwhelm the enemy easy . If you don't , the enemy can overwhelm you sometimes . I think the balance is pretty decent . Most enemies are tough enough to pose a threat ( i have lost characters in battle ) , but not enough to be discouraging ( unlike another game called Rondo Swords . . . great game , but terribly difficult in the latter 3 / 4ths of the way ) . In fact , even when one of your special characters takes on their ultimate form , they become powerful enough to be a major advantage , but not enough to turn them into demigods . Also , stupid mistakes on the battlefield can cost you or open up a better possibility that you did not originally plan . I personally enjoy a little struggle in the fight and I got it here . Also , you do have a max turn cap ( usually 20 turns unless specifically stated different ) . This helps to really force you to plan each move strategically and think forward . . . instead of doing the old wait - ' em-out-until-they-are-spent tactic . All in all , it forced me to really plan out my combos so as to maximize the hurt i deliver while minimizing the pain I receive . . . it teaches you to not only play , but play smart .
OVERALL
I enjoyed the game . It's story was engaging , the history phenomenal , the embellishments felt natural , the characters were memorable . This game is nothing too revolutionary to the genre , but it is solid and can even get your heart pumping or your eyes tear-shedding sometimes ( well , almost ) . As a narrative , it can be quite inspiring , even . Historical buffs will definitely get a huge kick out of this title , while those who are not so familiar will be introduced to a decent enough portrait of one of France's foremost warriors and Saints . . . perhaps even raise a greater interest in history , the people that made it , and its relevance to both the present and the future . By the way , a friendly tip if you do decide to get the game , don't count Collette out too soon . Even he can turn the tide of battle haha .
002 With so many great looking RPG titles coming to my favorite handheld ( the PSP ) these past few months I have certainly had my hands full trying to play and complete them all ( Hope I don't get fired from my day job ) . Catching my attention this time is a Level 5 PSP exclusive title by the name of Jeanne D'Arc . This game is everything a Strategy RPG ( SRPG ) should be and more . Outstanding graphics , an intriguing story and an unbelievably easy pick up and play control scheme . So let get in to the particulars of this wonderful title . . .
Story : 8.0
The story , which is based very loosely on the story of Joan of Arc , because it is so loosely based on the real story , it is very entertaining . Jeanne D'Arcs ' story blends history and fantasy beautifully , it starts with a Young King Henry getting possessed by some demonic power . His father who possesses one of the five armlets that were created to defeat these demons centuries ago , tries to save him but is too late as the demon consumes King Henry . Then enter Jeanne a girl who witnesses her village being attacked by demons , comes across one of these armlets and also believes she hears a call from God instructing her to kill the demons that rampage her village . This ancient armlet is said to be able to transform it's wearer into a great armored warrior . The story progresses mainly with three characters , Jeanne and her two friends Lianne and Roger . Many other characters throughout their journey are introduced and play apart in the main plot , but the majority of the time they are expendable at best . It is the three main characters and their interesting personalities ; however that keep the story very interesting .
Graphics : 8.5
Jeanne D ' Arcs ' graphics are in a word , amazing . The 2D cel-shaded graphics used to bring the colorful and vibrant characters to life are absolutely gorgeous . The developers really impress by creating a product that can really show what the PSP is capable of . To start the adventure and throughout players are treated to some very beautiful anime cut-scenes , which are worthy of praise by any anime fanboy alive . This coupled with gorgeous backgrounds , magic spells , and Jeanne's ' armlet transformations are enough to satisfy anyone craving some PSP eye candy . You honestly have to see this game in action to truly appreciate it ; online screenshots do not do it any justice .
Sound : 7.5
Every thing as far as background music and battle sounds like arrows whipping and other attack sounds were great . If I was a little disappointed about anything though , it would have to be the voice acting or the lack there of . It would have been nice to here them shout out some of their battle cries as opposed to having to read them in a little bubble . This is a VERY minor complaint though ; it just would have been nice to hear seeing as how the voice acting in the anime cut-scenes were so great . It is also a little unfortunate that the anime cut-scenes don't include subtitles , because you'll miss a lot of the story if you play with the sound off .
Gameplay : 10
This area is where Jeanne D'Arc shows that it belongs amongst the handheld Strategy RPG greats . I could not find any flaws in the gameplay , I repeat no flaws in the gameplay what so ever . This game competes with other Strategy RPGs , by using what has always worked . You'll have at your disposable by mid game a small army , but in most cases you will only be able to take 6 in to battle . In some cases you may have less to choose because some characters are default depending on the battle . This of course adds to the tactical experience as to what members you want on the field and where to place them so you are victorious . Thankfully though the game allows you to re-visit some of the places you fought battles to make sure you can get to level up everyone in your party .
Like in any good SRPG these battles take place on a grid , and players are limited to a number of spaces they can move with an attack or use of an item / spell ends that characters turn . As players begin to find different characters with different weapons and abilities , the tactics will continue to change . Lancers , for example , can hit two spaces ahead of them , instead of one and Archers can attack from long distances causing more damage from above .
During battles , players can attack , use skills or cast magic spells . These skills can be added by collecting skill stones which players get when they defeat an enemy . Your characters can only carry six of these stones at any one time once again adding to your decision process before going in to battle , because there are more than a hundred of these stones in the game.With these stones you can choose different skills and put the on each of the characters before each battle . These skills can range from making stronger regular attacks , alter stats , or attack a number of enemies at once . Some stones can only be used by specific character types , so choose carefully .
Later in the game you will come across a character that will allow you to combine these stones . By combining two skill stones , a new one is created which will give you even more powerful abilities . This is the main reason I loved this game the customization is so deep , but yet so simple to use . Some of the new abilities created will allow players to counter enemies before they attack you , run longer distances , instill massive damage , and more .
There are also two neat and innovative features in this game that have not been seen in others . These effects are called the Burning Aura Hotspot and Joint Defense .
With the Burning Aura Hotspot a hotspot will appear behind any enemy that is attacked and any party member who stands in that will get an attacking boost . If the Burning Aura falls on a character already occupying the space , the Aura will move with the character , giving them the ability to use the damage bonus elsewhere .
The other feature is Joint Defense , which when characters are no more than one space apart , they will combine their defensive abilities reducing the damage caused by enemies significantly . This feature is especially useful when fighting a tough boss .
Bottom Line :
With Jeanne D'Arc's simple , and easy to understand battle system it is amazing how much depth there is here . Anyone with half a brain cell can pick this game up and start playing with out any frustrating with menus , customization , gameplay . I am betting most SRPG fans are probably awaiting the two other great SRPG's on the horizon for the PSP in the way of Final Fantasy Tactics and Disgaea for PSP . Both are due out this year and are sure to be better than excellent . But , Jeanne D ' Arc is a new and original title no one has seen before on any system and should not be missed by any PSP owner . Lastly let me say that after having tried almost all the SRPG's available for the PSP I was left disappointed after every one . So what do I have to say about Level 5 s latest addition to the PSP Library ? Just two words to them . . . Thank YOU ! !
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Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
There isn't many tactics fans remaining , for the few us that remains , this is a great pickup . Since finishing up Advanced Wars on DS ( which was awesome by the way ) , there hasn't been a good tactics yet .
Got the PSP just for this game . Jeanne D'arc doesn't break any new grounds , but everything it does , it does well . Music , Voice , Story , Controls , all very smooth and interesting , best of all , it brings back the good ol ' memory of FF Tactics .
Update - Just finished the game .
Wow , what an experience . One of the few games I've had the patience to finish thru completely . At first , the characters seems a bit bland , once you get past about level 20 , then there is plenty of customization to do . Especially when you get the Bind Skill function , it adds a new level of customization .
Pros :
* Excellent story
* Controls are accurate , the rotating camera saves the day
* Plenty of customization
* Decent length , though when you play a good game , it's never long enough
* Bargain price at $29.99 , save $10 compared to the usual PSP releases
Cons : ( it's very minor )
* Kind of slow - The constant loading and final boss battle
* Some characters were never used , it was repetitive with others so that made them less useful
* Weapon - Whip , did anyone get to use this ?
* Could of used few more extra side quests , battleground should of been a bit deeper .
Overall this is a great buy , now it'll be really hard for D & D Tactics & FF Tactics to justify charging $10 more .
004 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
There isn't many tactics fans remaining , for the few us that remains , this is a great pickup . Since finishing up Advanced Wars on DS ( which was awesome by the way ) , there hasn't been a good tactics yet .
Got the PSP just for this game . Jeanne D'arc doesn't break any new grounds , but everything it does , it does well . Music , Voice , Story , Controls , all very smooth and interesting , best of all , it brings back the good ol ' memory of FF Tactics .
Update - Just finished the game .
Wow , what an experience . One of the few games I've had the patience to finish thru completely . At first , the characters seems a bit bland , once you get past about level 20 , then there is plenty of customization to do . Especially when you get the Bind Skill function , it adds a new level of customization .
Pros :
* Excellent story
* Controls are accurate , the rotating camera saves the day
* Plenty of customization
* Decent length , though when you play a good game , it's never long enough
* Bargain price at $29.99 , save $10 compared to the usual PSP releases
Cons : ( it's very minor )
* Kind of slow - The constant loading and final boss battle
* Some characters were never used , it was repetitive with others so that made them less useful
* Weapon - Whip , did anyone get to use this ?
* Could of used few more extra side quests , battleground should of been a bit deeper .
Overall this is a great buy , now it'll be really hard for D & D Tactics & FF Tactics to justify charging $10 more .
005 There isn't many tactics fans remaining , for the few us that remains , this is a great pickup . Since finishing up Advanced Wars on DS ( which was awesome by the way ) , there hasn't been a good tactics yet .
Got the PSP just for this game . Jeanne D'arc doesn't break any new grounds , but everything it does , it does well . Music , Voice , Story , Controls , all very smooth and interesting , best of all , it brings back the good ol ' memory of FF Tactics .
Update - Just finished the game .
Wow , what an experience . One of the few games I've had the patience to finish thru completely . At first , the characters seems a bit bland , once you get past about level 20 , then there is plenty of customization to do . Especially when you get the Bind Skill function , it adds a new level of customization .
Pros :
* Excellent story
* Controls are accurate , the rotating camera saves the day
* Plenty of customization
* Decent length , though when you play a good game , it's never long enough
* Bargain price at $29.99 , save $10 compared to the usual PSP releases
Cons : ( it's very minor )
* Kind of slow - The constant loading and final boss battle
* Some characters were never used , it was repetitive with others so that made them less useful
* Weapon - Whip , did anyone get to use this ?
* Could of used few more extra side quests , battleground should of been a bit deeper .
Overall this is a great buy , now it'll be really hard for D & D Tactics & FF Tactics to justify charging $10 more .
006 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
Jeanne D'Arc never tries too hard , and that's what I found ultimately disappointing about the title .
The story , to begin with , never quite knows what it wants to do with itself . It begins by squinting at history and putting an interesting new fantasy spin on the old tale of St . Joan , but then decides to forget all that and obsess over a generic fantasy story replete with magic rocks , elves , and demons . Bizarre and imbalanced , you have tragic deaths alongside talking purple frogs , and historic acts of atrocity explained away by vaguely described rogue demons . While the characters are generally interesting and there's a bit of growth as the story goes along , there's no one in the cast we haven't seen before in other games and stories .
The battle system is your standard SRPG fare , and rather watered down . Equipped elemental gems affect offense and defense but there are only three of them , reducing the system to an elementary game of rock , paper , scissors . Very simplified , the game lacks Disgaea's geo panels and FFTactic's job system , reducing customization to freely interchangeable stat stones that either give a spell , a special attack , or affect stats . The different characters have different base stats but deficiencies are pretty easily made up for with items that permanently raise certain stats . With battle so streamlined and options so very limited , the system seems like it was designed for younger gamers , making battles a breeze for anyone who's finished FFTactics or Ogre Tactics . There's an attempt to introduce artificial difficulty by limiting the number of turns available to finish a battle , but I never once reached this time limit .
Nevertheless , the game's pretty fun thanks to very nice visuals and a catchy score . I'd recommend the game to anyone looking for a lighter , less strategic SRPG - an SRPG that can be picked up and played for ten minutes at a time while waiting for a bus .
007 Jeanne D'Arc never tries too hard , and that's what I found ultimately disappointing about the title .
The story , to begin with , never quite knows what it wants to do with itself . It begins by squinting at history and putting an interesting new fantasy spin on the old tale of St . Joan , but then decides to forget all that and obsess over a generic fantasy story replete with magic rocks , elves , and demons . Bizarre and imbalanced , you have tragic deaths alongside talking purple frogs , and historic acts of atrocity explained away by vaguely described rogue demons . While the characters are generally interesting and there's a bit of growth as the story goes along , there's no one in the cast we haven't seen before in other games and stories .
The battle system is your standard SRPG fare , and rather watered down . Equipped elemental gems affect offense and defense but there are only three of them , reducing the system to an elementary game of rock , paper , scissors . Very simplified , the game lacks Disgaea's geo panels and FFTactic's job system , reducing customization to freely interchangeable stat stones that either give a spell , a special attack , or affect stats . The different characters have different base stats but deficiencies are pretty easily made up for with items that permanently raise certain stats . With battle so streamlined and options so very limited , the system seems like it was designed for younger gamers , making battles a breeze for anyone who's finished FFTactics or Ogre Tactics . There's an attempt to introduce artificial difficulty by limiting the number of turns available to finish a battle , but I never once reached this time limit .
Nevertheless , the game's pretty fun thanks to very nice visuals and a catchy score . I'd recommend the game to anyone looking for a lighter , less strategic SRPG - an SRPG that can be picked up and played for ten minutes at a time while waiting for a bus .
009 Jeanne D'arc is the first PSP RPG from developer Level 5 ( Dragon Quest VIII , Dark Cloud 2 ) . This time they tried their hand at the tactical role-playing genre , instead of their usual action-RPG and standard turn-based offerings . The result is successful in all respects . The combat system works well and offers plenty of tactical options . The special attacks , spells , and other abilities equipped by characters via skill stones that are dropped by enemies or purchased in shops ; are varied , and have a significant effect on combat . The game-play balance is well-tuned to the mid-range . Experienced players will rarely have to play a stage more than twice , but the difficulty level won't frustrate those playing a grid-based tactical RPG for the first time . Except for enemy reinforcements that magically appear in inconvenient places in a couple of stages , Jeanne D'Arc never feels cheap ; but you feel as though you earned your victories . The story isn't epic , but its fanciful take on the
hundred-years war and the tragic figure Jeanne D'Arc , is more than interesting enough to give you a reason to keep playing through the stages .
If I was going to recommend a grid-based tactical RPG to someone that never played one before , this is the one that I would recommend ; more for the things that it doesn't do , than the things it does do . The developer generally steered clear of a lot of the more tedious game-play elements of well-established tactical RPGs like Final Fantasy Tactics , Fire Emblem , and Disgaea ; making it a good introduction for new players .
For example :
There is very little need for level-grinding in Jeanne D'Arc . Maps completed in story mode often become Free Combat stages that can be used to level up and accumulate gold , but it really isn't necessary . Free Combat stages usually have different enemies , and item drops , than they did when they were visited during a mission ; so they are worth visiting again , but only once . Completing the stages to advance the story , and completing each Free Combat stage once ; will provide about all of the experience points that you need to complete the game . Occasionally it may be useful to play a handful of free combat stages to level-up a rarely-used character , but even characters that are never used in combat receive significant experience points . None of the characters are generally more than 7 or 8 levels behind any other character , and they will close the gap quickly if used for a few battles .
There are no character deaths in Jeanne D'Arc , except ones that are scripted as part of the story . Characters that fall in battle are all full revived when the stage is cleared . If you don't clear the stage , the game is over anyway . That means that you don't have to replay stages that you've cleared , over and over , until you get through them with all of the characters that you want to use later still alive . There is , on the other hand , no way to revive fallen characters during a battle .
Gold-farming is almost pointless in Jeanne D'Arc . You can get plenty of cash by selling unneeded skill-stones dropped by enemies , especially if you use the skill-stone binding system to combine common skill-stones into rare ones . Past the mid-point of the game you will rarely buy anything from the shops except for healing items . All of the really good items are acquired free as rewards when you complete certain combat stages the first time . You don't have to play stages over and over again , just to get enough gold to buy the best armor and weapons . I finished the game with over 15000 gold pieces , and over a hundred spare skill stones left ; without making any effort to accumulate money . There just wasn't anything else to buy .
There is no wandering around the game-world for hours trying to find the one location to visit , or one person to talk to ; that will move the story forward , and open up the next area . In Jeanne D'Arc , pressing the Objective button from the world map display at any time will tell you exactly where you should go next to advance the story . You are free to visit any location that is visible on the world map , but you always know where to go when you are ready to move on . This removes the exploration aspect that is important to some RPGs , but most tactical RPGs don't place much emphasis on exploration anyway .
Overall , once you start Jeanne D'Arc , the game tries not to give you a reason to put it down and play something else for a while ; which is a good thing .
From a technical perspective , everything is fine . The graphics are similar to PS2 tactical RPGs , and the music is serviceable ; if not inspiring . Most of the cut-scenes have no voice-acting , but the voice-acting that is there is very good . The animated cut-scenes are also well done . Not as impressive as Valkrie Profile Lenneth , but still very good for a game that isn't from Square Enix . Jeanne D'Arc isn't a long game by RPG standards , but it is reasonably long for a PSP game . There
are about 40 hours of solid game-play , and the game shouldn't require more than 50 hours to complete . With a list price of $29.99 , the game is an excellent value .
People that have spent 100 hours or more grinding their way through games like Disgaea and Final Fantasy Tactics will probably find Jeanne D'Arc too short and basic for their taste ; but everyone else Jeanne D'Arc is a well-made game , with an interesting story , that is an excellent choice for newcomers to the tactical RPG genre . It is also one of the best titles in the PSP library .
012 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
I always see reviews on tactics games and there is always at least one that says if you like final fantasy tactics you'll like this one . . . . well its very rarely the case . I am a big fan of tactics games , especially FF tactics when that was first out and there are maybe a few games that maybe come close . I would say Jeanne D'Arc is the closest yet . It has a great story , great game play and finally psp is actually making an RPG that is 3D and not an old 16 - 32 bit port . The graphics remind me of Dragon Quest and the overall look and feel of the game would make you think Square was the one who released it . I almost didn't buy it because there are a bunch of games coming out in the next two months for PSP like FF Tactics , Disgaea and Silent Hill and figured buying this one would make it to the unfinished pile , but I am defintely glad of the moment of boredom that pushed me to just go pick it up . I play it more than any PSP game i have owned to date and will definitely have it completed at the rate i am going . Its really enjoyable , challenging at times but never has frustrated me to the point of shutting it off . I just hope the the tactics games coming out can live up to this one now , and to top it all off the price tag on it is better than almost all PSP games releasing at forty bucks when they first released .
017 Pros :
+ Gorgeous Graphics with some great anime cutscenes
+ An engrossing storyline
+ Really loveable characters
+ Easy to become acquainted with
+ Surprisingly large amount of customization
Cons :
- For those looking for innovation they won't find it
The PSP has slowly been gaining a lot of RPGs and tactical RPGs . In late 2007 we saw the release of three Strategy RPGs in particular . Final Fantasy Tactics : The War of the Lions , Disgaea : Afternoon of Darkness and Jeanne D'arc . While Final Fantasy Tactics and Disgaea were two fine ports from two fine systems , Jeanne D'arc stands on its own as an original creation . The result is a beautiful , simple SRPG that while it doesn't change the face of the genre , it's a game that manages to be fun nonetheless .
The story of Joan of Arc has been told numerous times . However , it's never quite been told like this . That is to say the story itself mixes in Fantasy with History . In short , any student hoping to use this game has an interactive history lesson won't find it . On the other hand , though , the story is well told through some fantastic Anime cutscenes that are by far some of the best to grace the PSP thus far . There are some great characters to accompany you on your travels as well . It also helps that the game has some spectacular voice acting with French accents that aren't overdone , but aren't too tame either . The cel shaded graphics looks absolutely astonishing as well . The environments are enormous and detailed . The enemies are also pretty detailed as well . In terms of production values , Jeanne D'arc exceeds by being both artistic , and showing what the PSP is capable of doing . It's very rare when a game does both very well , but Jeanne D'arc does .
A beautiful game can't stand alone without some good gameplay to go along with it . Luckily , Jeanne D'arc has some good gameplay too . It doesn't reinvent the wheel , but the simplicity of the game makes it so that there is no need for overly long tutorials that plague a few other tactical RPGs . While this can be a little annoying for those who dwelled into more complex SRPGs such as Final Fantasy Tactics and Disgaea , it does have a few traits that make it overall fun to play . As usual , you'll control characters on a grid and there are a set of objectives . In some missions the goal is to defeat the enemy leader while making sure a specific character doesn't fall . In other missions it's simply to crush all the bad guys . The game adds a twist on this as well . You must finish the battle in a certain amount of turns or its game over . While this is a nice twist it's hardly something that merits being included . You'll finish most battles long before you get that warning telling you how many turns are left .
Much like other SRPGs you'll have a set of commands to attack your enemies and use skills . Unlike many SRPGs , though , the counter attack rate in Jeanne D'arc is through the roof . The good news is that this makes the battles go faster . That may be one of the things that helps this game out . In many SRPGs battles are slow winded and last for a long time . In Jeanne D'arc they go relatively fast . In between turns you'll also see enemies and allies shout things out . For a moment this is alright , after a while it gets annoying .
There are skills at work in battle . You can equip certain skill stones to let you do things like cast healing spells or perform special attacks in battle . Equipping skill stones doesn't just grant you abilities or status enhancements . It's also there to raise affinity with the three spirits , Luna , Sol and Stella . There is no one spirit greater or more powerful than another . This works in a Rock-Paper-Scissors , fashion . One spirit is stronger than one but weak against the other . This puts a lot more emphasis on strategy . Some attacks deal far more damage based on which spirit you are affiliated with . The same thing works for your enemies .
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of Jeanne D'arc is that the games transformation system . Jeanne can transform once she has enough SP . This gives her a significant boost to her stats . It also gives her the ability to take another turn immediately after killing an enemy . This is great , but because of the increase in stats in some areas it makes the game unreasonably easy . That doesn't mean the entire game itself is easy . You'll find that in many maps you're outnumbered . And that a mishap or two in your strategy can cost you the battle . Jeanne D'arc may be a simple game to learn but it can be a bit tough to master .
Jeanne D'arc also sounds masterful . The soundtrack is beautifully orchestrated . While at some points the music can be repetitive ( particularly hearing the Enemy Phase music over and over again ) , it still sounds absolutely fantastic . If there was anything holding Jeanne D'arc back , it would be the games lack of voice acting . While you hear a lot in the animated scenes , you don't hear them that much beyond that . It'd be nice if some of their battle callouts , for example , were screamed out . This is a minor problem and in no way detracts from the game itself , though .
Any PSP owner looking for a fun , engrossing SRPG ought to look to Jeanne D'arc . It's incredible story , simple battle system and good use of customization and balance make it an engrossing adventure . It may not reinvent the wheel , but that keeps the game from being a needlessly complicated endeavor .
020 I carefully read reviews before purchasing this game and am shocked by how many people claim this game is fun . By the final boss battle I couldn't bare to play it for more then ten minutes without setting it aside to take a break .
If your compare this to some other games avialable in the same genre for the PSP , it's clear this game is a joke . The animations is cartoony and makes it hard to take the game seriously . The plot is boring and predictable .
The gameplay is even worse . You get none of the complexity in item selection , character building , and job selection that you get with a game like Final Fantasy Tactics . Each character has a very narrow role they can play , and with a maximum of 6 abilities per characer ( some of which are passive , so you do nothing with them ) you end up using the same moves over and over again . Furthermore , you start each battle with 0MP , so you essiently have to wait several rounds before you can use the good abilities while you wait to accumulate enough MP .
I would not buy this game . Buy final fantasy tactics war of the lions .
021 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
This was my first introduction into the RPG world , and i loved every minute of it . The game came highly recommended and it didn't disappoint considering the only type of games i had previously played were action ( God of War ) , shooters ( Syphon Filter ) and platformers ( Daxter , Ratchet & Clank ) . I never spent more than 100 hours on my other games combined !
The Turn-based strategy will stimulate your mind so that you feel like you are sometimes playing a game of chess . Beating it feels like a great accomplishment . The graphics are tremendous ( way better than FF Tactics , and Disgaeia ) , and the story line is creative .
For $20 , this was a great investment . If you own a PSP , and never played this game , do yourself a favor and try it .
022 This was my first introduction into the RPG world , and i loved every minute of it . The game came highly recommended and it didn't disappoint considering the only type of games i had previously played were action ( God of War ) , shooters ( Syphon Filter ) and platformers ( Daxter , Ratchet & Clank ) . I never spent more than 100 hours on my other games combined !
The Turn-based strategy will stimulate your mind so that you feel like you are sometimes playing a game of chess . Beating it feels like a great accomplishment . The graphics are tremendous ( way better than FF Tactics , and Disgaeia ) , and the story line is creative .
For $20 , this was a great investment . If you own a PSP , and never played this game , do yourself a favor and try it .
025 This game is a bittersweet mix . The good parts include compelling , beautiful cutscenes , a fun and flexible character customization system , and combat that has a lot of enjoyable elements . But the quality of the game is cut short by sub-cutscenes with meaningless , cheesy dialogue , an overly large party , a lack of plot elements , and some glaring limitations in the combat system .
The cut-scenes are by far the most beautiful piece of the game . They are done in very professional anime and have excellent voice acting . It's a joy to watch . Unfortunately , right after one of those scenes ends , there's usually a follow-on cutscene that uses blocky , bobble-head characters speaking in dialogue bubbles . Often the bubble-encased dialogue goes like this :
Jeanne : Roger !
Roger : . . . !
Jeanne : . . .
Roger : What the . . . ?
Jeanne : ! ! !
And so it goes on ad nauseum , ad infinitum . The sub-cutscenes play like they were written not for children , but rather BY children . It's disappointing and annoying . The characters end up more like characitures ; historical figures are portrayed in an embarassingly childish manner . This really hamstrings any potential drama , intensity , or impact the story could have .
The character customization system is good . It's fun to play dress-up with one's party and get them outfitted with the most battle-specific toys . Unfortunately , that's really what the game ends up being : you outfit your party for battle and fight , then comes a terrible bobblehead sub-cutscene that is painful to read , then occasionally a nice anime cutscene . There are no real plot choices , there's nothing to do outside of battle , and since the battles are turn-limited you can't even really explore the battle map thoroughly for hidden treasures . This really is a game of combat .
The combat itself is fun to a large degree , but the maps can get quite large or hard to navigate , and the characters can only move a few tiles at a time . This makes for annoyance rather than excitement , and sometimes you'll lose a battle just for the sake of time running out .
Another negative aspect to the game is the party , over which you have no control who comes and goes . You may spend the whole game developing a character , only for that character to die in a cutscene or just up and leave . There are also so many characters ( most of whom you won't use ) that the experience points are stretched rather thin .
I was looking for a solid RPG for the PSP , and this is definitely not it . It does get quite addictive though , and if you can ignore the shortcomings it can be good entertainment .
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This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
Lets face it , even some of the greatest JSRPGs of all time can be a bit slow . ( FFT , Disgaea ) Jeanne D'arc also suffers from this issue , the problem is magnified however by the CPU AI taking a very long time to complete even the most basic of turns like a wait , wait , move 2 squares , wait , attack etc . . .
The game has very sharp and cute graphics one would expect from this noted developer . Unfortunately we are stuck with only 2 perspectives , far away , and very far away . This results in a sometimes obstructed view of the battlefield .
Another issue , while there is auto leveling of characters you do not use , they don't level nearly enough and you will find yourself either completely ignoring 2 - 5 characters or wasting time leveling up in free combat .
The game does provide customizable characters in a sense that you have skill slots and the ability to fuse skill gems into other skills . The problem is the first time you fuse 2 , you don't know the outcome . This can often result in a final gem that you don't want or need and a wasted powerful / useful gem .
This is further magnified by the inability to change class types . I had many fighter types , far more than I needed by chapter II and no ability to change them to casters . You can slot them w / caster abilities and it works ok , except you won't have access to the staff weapon type which also allows more caster abilities .
I am really nitpicking and you can see how the developers really focused on balance . Battles have a turn limit . No more infinite leveling up like in FFT etc . . . , you must finish the battle in say 12 or 20 turns ( larger battles allow more turns )
Many of these battles can become too easy once you discover fusing skill gems . Unfortunately the process of fusing skill gems consists of selecting one gem , selecting a second , pressing a button and then watching the animation of a frog swallow , chew and spew a new one . This animation can take a few seconds each time . It doesnt sound like much , but when you want to create say a + 100 hp gem and are starting with + 25 it can quickly add up to a sizable amount of playtime for a portable game .
By the time you are done binding skills as the game calls it , your train ride may be over .
Even tho I find these flaws a real drag to the pacing , overall this is a very addictive , visually pleasing and fun game w / a neat spin on one of histories most classic war fantasies of a young girl called by god to liberate a nation .
Throw in some monsters and anthropomorphic beasts and its a very Dragon Quest looking RPG that can be quite cute and enjoyable .
Definitely a game for JSRPG fans only , and those with patience for battles that are slowed down by pointless CPU AI not moving quickly enough .
029 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
Lets face it , even some of the greatest JSRPGs of all time can be a bit slow . ( FFT , Disgaea ) Jeanne D'arc also suffers from this issue , the problem is magnified however by the CPU AI taking a very long time to complete even the most basic of turns like a wait , wait , move 2 squares , wait , attack etc . . .
The game has very sharp and cute graphics one would expect from this noted developer . Unfortunately we are stuck with only 2 perspectives , far away , and very far away . This results in a sometimes obstructed view of the battlefield .
Another issue , while there is auto leveling of characters you do not use , they don't level nearly enough and you will find yourself either completely ignoring 2 - 5 characters or wasting time leveling up in free combat .
The game does provide customizable characters in a sense that you have skill slots and the ability to fuse skill gems into other skills . The problem is the first time you fuse 2 , you don't know the outcome . This can often result in a final gem that you don't want or need and a wasted powerful / useful gem .
This is further magnified by the inability to change class types . I had many fighter types , far more than I needed by chapter II and no ability to change them to casters . You can slot them w / caster abilities and it works ok , except you won't have access to the staff weapon type which also allows more caster abilities .
I am really nitpicking and you can see how the developers really focused on balance . Battles have a turn limit . No more infinite leveling up like in FFT etc . . . , you must finish the battle in say 12 or 20 turns ( larger battles allow more turns )
Many of these battles can become too easy once you discover fusing skill gems . Unfortunately the process of fusing skill gems consists of selecting one gem , selecting a second , pressing a button and then watching the animation of a frog swallow , chew and spew a new one . This animation can take a few seconds each time . It doesnt sound like much , but when you want to create say a + 100 hp gem and are starting with + 25 it can quickly add up to a sizable amount of playtime for a portable game .
By the time you are done binding skills as the game calls it , your train ride may be over .
Even tho I find these flaws a real drag to the pacing , overall this is a very addictive , visually pleasing and fun game w / a neat spin on one of histories most classic war fantasies of a young girl called by god to liberate a nation .
Throw in some monsters and anthropomorphic beasts and its a very Dragon Quest looking RPG that can be quite cute and enjoyable .
Definitely a game for JSRPG fans only , and those with patience for battles that are slowed down by pointless CPU AI not moving quickly enough .
030 Lets face it , even some of the greatest JSRPGs of all time can be a bit slow . ( FFT , Disgaea ) Jeanne D'arc also suffers from this issue , the problem is magnified however by the CPU AI taking a very long time to complete even the most basic of turns like a wait , wait , move 2 squares , wait , attack etc . . .
The game has very sharp and cute graphics one would expect from this noted developer . Unfortunately we are stuck with only 2 perspectives , far away , and very far away . This results in a sometimes obstructed view of the battlefield .
Another issue , while there is auto leveling of characters you do not use , they don't level nearly enough and you will find yourself either completely ignoring 2 - 5 characters or wasting time leveling up in free combat .
The game does provide customizable characters in a sense that you have skill slots and the ability to fuse skill gems into other skills . The problem is the first time you fuse 2 , you don't know the outcome . This can often result in a final gem that you don't want or need and a wasted powerful / useful gem .
This is further magnified by the inability to change class types . I had many fighter types , far more than I needed by chapter II and no ability to change them to casters . You can slot them w / caster abilities and it works ok , except you won't have access to the staff weapon type which also allows more caster abilities .
I am really nitpicking and you can see how the developers really focused on balance . Battles have a turn limit . No more infinite leveling up like in FFT etc . . . , you must finish the battle in say 12 or 20 turns ( larger battles allow more turns )
Many of these battles can become too easy once you discover fusing skill gems . Unfortunately the process of fusing skill gems consists of selecting one gem , selecting a second , pressing a button and then watching the animation of a frog swallow , chew and spew a new one . This animation can take a few seconds each time . It doesnt sound like much , but when you want to create say a + 100 hp gem and are starting with + 25 it can quickly add up to a sizable amount of playtime for a portable game .
By the time you are done binding skills as the game calls it , your train ride may be over .
Even tho I find these flaws a real drag to the pacing , overall this is a very addictive , visually pleasing and fun game w / a neat spin on one of histories most classic war fantasies of a young girl called by god to liberate a nation .
Throw in some monsters and anthropomorphic beasts and its a very Dragon Quest looking RPG that can be quite cute and enjoyable .
Definitely a game for JSRPG fans only , and those with patience for battles that are slowed down by pointless CPU AI not moving quickly enough .
032 Jeanne D'arc is one of those games that I initially blew off . The cover art and basic premise of the game left me really skeptical about the quality of game that was contained within . I have to say that I am glad one of my friends showed this game to me because I otherwise would have ignored it .
Basically , Jeanne D'arc is a fantasy retelling of the Joan of Arc legend and the 100 years war . I'll admit , it took a bit of getting used to seeing the great deal of liberty taken with the story , but overall it is quite good . The game is a turn based strategy game a la Final Fantasy Tactics , Tactics Ogre , Vandal Hearts , and Fire Emblem games . As far as turn based strategy games go , I have to say this game ranks among the best and fans of the genre should pick it up .
Pros :
+ Vibrant graphics ( usually )
+ Compelling ( albeit quite weird ) storyline told with animated cutscenes .
+ A deep character customization system that doesn't require users to micromanage for hours on end to build the perfect party .
+ The ability to go into free-battle mode on a number of maps in order to gain treasure and experience .
+ Individual battles are usually fairly quick , ideal for portable play .
+ Some absurd but funny French and English stereotypes .
Cons :
- The frame rate is kind of jerky at times
- For history buffs , seeing Joan of Arc fighting orcs , lizardmen , and dark elves takes a little bit of getting used to .
- Some levels have atmospheric effects such as fog that look just plain ugly .
- Some absurd stereotypes and a few really annoying character designs that make you say Hmmmmmm . . .
- The menu controls are not as intuitive as other games in the genre
- Battles usually limit you to a small number of characters on the battlefield . On the plus side , battles don't drag on forever and ever .
Overall , this is an excellent game and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys the strategy RPG genre . The game obviously contains some very religious overtones due to the source material ( Joan of Arc ) but approaches the subject in a relatively inoffensive manner .
034 Ever since I played Vandal Hearts and Suikoden on the original Playstation , I've been looking for a similar gaming experience . I enjoy strategy games that have an easy to understand battle system without requiring too much input on fussy little details . It also helps if the story and characters are engaging .
I am delighted to say that Jeanne D'Arc has all the things I've been looking for . You can start playing without having to pore through the manual because there are NPCs sprinkled throughout the game that offer helpful hints and explanations .
It's perhaps a bit on the easy side for seasoned strategy RPG vets , but for anyone looking for a fun experience without the hassles , consider adding this to your PSP game library .
044 I was real excited when i finally got my hands on this game .
perhaps its because i enjoyed final fantasy tactics so much that i found this game to be easy in every aspect imaginable . character customization is a joke ; you can put on any suit of armor ( but character clothing never changes its appearance ) , you can put on shield . . . for about four characters out of fourteen , and a weapon .
i was dissappointed by this strategy game but i will admit it kept me occupied , however i cant stand to see such a subpar game get so much acclaim .
Story : 5 out of 10
for the first . . . third of the game , the story is bland . in fact for the ten to fifteen levels i often was repulsed by the story and just wanted to get back to the gameplay . however it does redeem itself further into the game when certain ( and unexpected ) characters either die or leave your ranks .
i must admit i expected the story to be lame due to the fact that it was fantasy and i had to fight demons but i did expect a little more than a final fantasy rip off story . ( I'm not a fan of the ff series but i can tell when its being ripped off , collecting heroes with jewel armlets and ending an oppressive evil . . . real original )
Graphics : 7 out of 10
characters look cartoony and ridiculous ( their heads are the same size as their bodies ) , background looks fine though . i mentioned earlier that the armor the characters wear remains constant throughout the game regardless of changing it add that to the cons section .
Sound : 7 out of 10
sfx are fine , the voice acting fits the characters , no subtitles is lame for those who dont play with the volume at max . , voice acting only occurs on random cinematics the rest of the game is read then hit x to continue which is fine i guess but if you already have the voice actors why not enhance the experience and have them speak at all times . ( perhaps im spoiled by the newer games on the psp )
Gameplay : 6 out of 10
a strategy game a toddler can play is the best way to describe this game . the only real strategy in this game is not using up your set amount of turns and not letting you leader fall in combat , besides that its so ridiculously easy . even the boss battles were boring .
I must say this game hardly brings anything new to the table . i think the only things of note were the combined defense which at times was useless and the burning auras which made an easy game easier .
one major thing that bothered me from start to finish is the elements , lunar stella and sol which in translation is moon star sun . which one is weaker to another ? it wouldve been fine to just make it water fire and lighting but instead the game chooses to make one subtle and annoying difference .
the skills were about the only worth while customization , my only complaint is that you quickly gain extra boxes to fill earlier in the game and then it abruptly stops after a few levels .
another complaint is the load time everytime you need to enter the menu , its not a major thing but it does become annoying especially since every submenu takes as much time as well .
if i can say what really hurt the game was that the ability to have many turns with the main heroes after killing opponents , i often won a battle towards the middle of a battle in one phase ( i believe at one point i defeated an entire 6 enemies ) .
more often than not the usual strategy is use the bowmen and three strongest fighters to quickly eliminate the enemies from afar while they mindlessly charge into your strongest men while taking arrow hits .
overall score : 7 out of 10
its a decent game , not great but still something to take up time . if you are above the age of twelve and arent afraid of a little bit of challenge then I'd recomend final fantasy tactics . however if you dont want any challenge at all and just want an easy tactics game then i suggest this game because you rarely run into a difficult situation .
if you already beat final fantasy tactics then check out disgaea ( or any other tactics game ) first before coming to this game .
045 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
Just to be clear , my 5 - star overall rating is NOT because it's a perfect game , but because I personally found it to be very fluid , fulfilling , and very enjoyable . Also , just to be fair , I've racked up many hours of gameplay , but have not completed the game yet ( still in the process haha ) .
I have played several SRPGS of a similar blend ( namely Fire Emblem ) and have found them quite enjoyable . But after playing another SRPG called Valkyria Chronicles 2 , the whole traditional chess turn-based system ( which I will refer to as TBSRPG ) kinda felt tame and almost boring to me , generally speaking . I didn't expect to find another TBSRPG that could win me .
BUT ( wait for it . . . cheesy line coming ) GOOD THING I WAS WRONG . . .
HISTORY ( AND STORYLINE )
Story , alone , makes or breaks games for me . You can have the best gameplay in the world , but if the game's story is not up to par , it's hard for me to take it seriously . The story CAN seem generic , but for one familiar with the history of the real Jeanne D'Arc , this game ended up being a field day . History aside , the story maybe generic at points , but it is still very engaging . After all , Bible does say , there's nothing new under the sun , so being generic is not an immediate bad thing for me . They blended historical fact / accounts ( such as her being led by the voice of God , important key battles & events , a huge cast of many of her real life comrades and enemies ) with fantasy embellishments ( elves are running around , Therions [ u'll know what they are in game ] , demon king being freed , etc . ) . To be sure , this IS NOT an accurate account of her life , but IS a very interesting ( and well done ) parallel to it . The plot is a little slow in the pre-chapter , but by chapters 2 & 3 , it really begins to pick up . Also , need I mention , all the characters are important in some way to the story . . . even ones you don't use too much . So you do get a sense of growing with them . Some of the plot twists are quite amusing , too .
GRAPHICS
Personally , I think the graphics are phenomenal . . . are they PS3 graphics ? Nope , but seriously , are we going to compare apples to oranges ? What they did to the characters and environments in both the in-game graphics and anime cutscenes really added a special charm and mystical feel befitting the storyline . Also , the in-game characters and they're anime cutscene counterparts actually coincide with each other closely . Also , I love how you can control the camera angles to a huge degree . It can make the battle animations look more epic , or in those instances you need a better view to move the troops accurately ( or at all ) , you can get that better view .
SOUNDS
I'm not a good judge of game sounds because , for me , a gunshot in one is still a gunshot in another . BUT the music is quite beautiful and adds to it . I've even got a few favorites and will go back to previous levels just to listen haha . The voice acting ( for the anime cutscenes . . . text for everything else ) are not bad at all . I did kinda have to get used to hearing French accents , though . . . but I applaud them for keeping it culturally savvy . English are English , and French are Frenchmen / women speaking English in a French accent haha
GAMEPLAY
The overall combat is basically a typical TBSRPG . But they do add slight variants to it which actually helped me enjoy it more . For one , the direction you face your character can make a difference on the battle field . The direction from which you attack is also influential . Also , the way you move your men and women as a whole is important . . . the formations you land them in , keeping them together or separating them - they all matter . Also , the character customization is simplified enough to understand , but complexed enough to be prominent . It's also fun mixing together skill stones to make a stronger one ( or a terrible one that you didn't want haha ) . Also , environment is realistically a maker or breaker . In other words elevation can hurt or help your archers , you can take cover behind trees and such , etc . The game play definitely was solid . BTW characters don't permanently die during battle . The tutorials themselves hold in game value , and are virtually unintrusive to the atmosphere of the game . When they teach you something new , the make it a smooth part of the game .
DIFFICULTY
Well , this is subjective . Some say it's difficult , others say it's easy . It's all in how you play . It is a free-roam ( you can go back and do previous battles , freebies , and colliseum fights ) so if you grind a lot . . . obviously you can overwhelm the enemy easy . If you don't , the enemy can overwhelm you sometimes . I think the balance is pretty decent . Most enemies are tough enough to pose a threat ( i have lost characters in battle ) , but not enough to be discouraging ( unlike another game called Rondo Swords . . . great game , but terribly difficult in the latter 3 / 4ths of the way ) . In fact , even when one of your special characters takes on their ultimate form , they become powerful enough to be a major advantage , but not enough to turn them into demigods . Also , stupid mistakes on the battlefield can cost you or open up a better possibility that you did not originally plan . I personally enjoy a little struggle in the fight and I got it here . Also , you do have a max turn cap ( usually 20 turns unless specifically stated different ) . This helps to really force you to plan each move strategically and think forward . . . instead of doing the old wait - ' em-out-until-they-are-spent tactic . All in all , it forced me to really plan out my combos so as to maximize the hurt i deliver while minimizing the pain I receive . . . it teaches you to not only play , but play smart .
OVERALL
I enjoyed the game . It's story was engaging , the history phenomenal , the embellishments felt natural , the characters were memorable . This game is nothing too revolutionary to the genre , but it is solid and can even get your heart pumping or your eyes tear-shedding sometimes ( well , almost ) . As a narrative , it can be quite inspiring , even . Historical buffs will definitely get a huge kick out of this title , while those who are not so familiar will be introduced to a decent enough portrait of one of France's foremost warriors and Saints . . . perhaps even raise a greater interest in history , the people that made it , and its relevance to both the present and the future . By the way , a friendly tip if you do decide to get the game , don't count Collette out too soon . Even he can turn the tide of battle haha .
046 Just to be clear , my 5 - star overall rating is NOT because it's a perfect game , but because I personally found it to be very fluid , fulfilling , and very enjoyable . Also , just to be fair , I've racked up many hours of gameplay , but have not completed the game yet ( still in the process haha ) .
I have played several SRPGS of a similar blend ( namely Fire Emblem ) and have found them quite enjoyable . But after playing another SRPG called Valkyria Chronicles 2 , the whole traditional chess turn-based system ( which I will refer to as TBSRPG ) kinda felt tame and almost boring to me , generally speaking . I didn't expect to find another TBSRPG that could win me .
BUT ( wait for it . . . cheesy line coming ) GOOD THING I WAS WRONG . . .
HISTORY ( AND STORYLINE )
Story , alone , makes or breaks games for me . You can have the best gameplay in the world , but if the game's story is not up to par , it's hard for me to take it seriously . The story CAN seem generic , but for one familiar with the history of the real Jeanne D'Arc , this game ended up being a field day . History aside , the story maybe generic at points , but it is still very engaging . After all , Bible does say , there's nothing new under the sun , so being generic is not an immediate bad thing for me . They blended historical fact / accounts ( such as her being led by the voice of God , important key battles & events , a huge cast of many of her real life comrades and enemies ) with fantasy embellishments ( elves are running around , Therions [ u'll know what they are in game ] , demon king being freed , etc . ) . To be sure , this IS NOT an accurate account of her life , but IS a very interesting ( and well done ) parallel to it . The plot is a little slow in the pre-chapter , but by chapters 2 & 3 , it really begins to pick up . Also , need I mention , all the characters are important in some way to the story . . . even ones you don't use too much . So you do get a sense of growing with them . Some of the plot twists are quite amusing , too .
GRAPHICS
Personally , I think the graphics are phenomenal . . . are they PS3 graphics ? Nope , but seriously , are we going to compare apples to oranges ? What they did to the characters and environments in both the in-game graphics and anime cutscenes really added a special charm and mystical feel befitting the storyline . Also , the in-game characters and they're anime cutscene counterparts actually coincide with each other closely . Also , I love how you can control the camera angles to a huge degree . It can make the battle animations look more epic , or in those instances you need a better view to move the troops accurately ( or at all ) , you can get that better view .
SOUNDS
I'm not a good judge of game sounds because , for me , a gunshot in one is still a gunshot in another . BUT the music is quite beautiful and adds to it . I've even got a few favorites and will go back to previous levels just to listen haha . The voice acting ( for the anime cutscenes . . . text for everything else ) are not bad at all . I did kinda have to get used to hearing French accents , though . . . but I applaud them for keeping it culturally savvy . English are English , and French are Frenchmen / women speaking English in a French accent haha
GAMEPLAY
The overall combat is basically a typical TBSRPG . But they do add slight variants to it which actually helped me enjoy it more . For one , the direction you face your character can make a difference on the battle field . The direction from which you attack is also influential . Also , the way you move your men and women as a whole is important . . . the formations you land them in , keeping them together or separating them - they all matter . Also , the character customization is simplified enough to understand , but complexed enough to be prominent . It's also fun mixing together skill stones to make a stronger one ( or a terrible one that you didn't want haha ) . Also , environment is realistically a maker or breaker . In other words elevation can hurt or help your archers , you can take cover behind trees and such , etc . The game play definitely was solid . BTW characters don't permanently die during battle . The tutorials themselves hold in game value , and are virtually unintrusive to the atmosphere of the game . When they teach you something new , the make it a smooth part of the game .
DIFFICULTY
Well , this is subjective . Some say it's difficult , others say it's easy . It's all in how you play . It is a free-roam ( you can go back and do previous battles , freebies , and colliseum fights ) so if you grind a lot . . . obviously you can overwhelm the enemy easy . If you don't , the enemy can overwhelm you sometimes . I think the balance is pretty decent . Most enemies are tough enough to pose a threat ( i have lost characters in battle ) , but not enough to be discouraging ( unlike another game called Rondo Swords . . . great game , but terribly difficult in the latter 3 / 4ths of the way ) . In fact , even when one of your special characters takes on their ultimate form , they become powerful enough to be a major advantage , but not enough to turn them into demigods . Also , stupid mistakes on the battlefield can cost you or open up a better possibility that you did not originally plan . I personally enjoy a little struggle in the fight and I got it here . Also , you do have a max turn cap ( usually 20 turns unless specifically stated different ) . This helps to really force you to plan each move strategically and think forward . . . instead of doing the old wait - ' em-out-until-they-are-spent tactic . All in all , it forced me to really plan out my combos so as to maximize the hurt i deliver while minimizing the pain I receive . . . it teaches you to not only play , but play smart .
OVERALL
I enjoyed the game . It's story was engaging , the history phenomenal , the embellishments felt natural , the characters were memorable . This game is nothing too revolutionary to the genre , but it is solid and can even get your heart pumping or your eyes tear-shedding sometimes ( well , almost ) . As a narrative , it can be quite inspiring , even . Historical buffs will definitely get a huge kick out of this title , while those who are not so familiar will be introduced to a decent enough portrait of one of France's foremost warriors and Saints . . . perhaps even raise a greater interest in history , the people that made it , and its relevance to both the present and the future . By the way , a friendly tip if you do decide to get the game , don't count Collette out too soon . Even he can turn the tide of battle haha .
051 This game combines the tactical positioning one can find in OgreBattle 64 with the turn based found in older style Final Fantasies . The graphics are typical to the first games released on the 64 ( yes , I realize this is a Sony platform game ) and so far the plot isn't too bad .
It gets difficult at first to understand that you can level up without progressing to make the boss encounters a little more manageable . Before the tutorial showed me how I could level up , I was frequently dying through the first 5 or so boss fights .
Don't take history into account when playing this game . The real Joan of Arc was in no way a tactician and often wouldn't actively fight so much as stand as a banner to encourage moral . But an interesting fantasy take on this historical figure make the game worthy as a stand alone .
056 Jeanne d'Arc is a great game . There , I said it .
Let me start off by saying I am a Level 5 fan . I own several of their games ( Dragon Quest VIII , Dark Chronicle ( aka Dark Cloud 2 ) , Rogue Galaxy , Professor Layton , . . . ) and I love their attention to detail and all the little tweaks they put into their games . They always manage to put in a little extra that doesn't really add a lot to the gameplay , but it gives the game a soul and makes you , the gamer , feel like they gave their all just to make it the best game ever .
With that out of the way , Jeanne d'Arc revolves around the historical character of Joan of Arc , a young girl that lead the French to some victories during the 100 - year War against the English . The game however does another take on these historical facts . Turns out previous to that great war , there was another war , the War of the Reapers , where humankind defeated a fiend and hordes of underlings . Five legendary knights , each with a holy armlet , lead mankind to victory . Now , one of these armlets comes into the possession of a smalltown girl named Jeanne . It not only gives her some amazing powers , but she also starts to hear voices . They are telling her to drive the English out of her country and so she sets out on a journey through medieval France .
Jeanne d'Arc is a turn based strategic role playing game . Most of the time you'll spend on grid like battlefields . During the player phase you move the characters in your party a number of squares , and either attack the enemy physically or magically , heal or wait . Within a certain amount of turns you are to reach the stage's goals ( like defeating all enemies , without losing a single member of your party ) . During battles you gain experience , gold and skill stones . Outside of the battles , you can equip your party members , go to shops or bind skills . Skills are found in skill stones that you can equip or bind into new skills . Through this mechanism a whole selection of new , oftentimes more powerful skills will come to your disposition .
Your party members are the typical RPG standard fare : a sword and axe fighter , a mage , a bowman , . . . but each character has its own unique traits which are demonstrated while the story is told in the numerous cut scenes in between battles . You get easily attached to at least some characters , and so you hate to have them fall in battle , even though that doesn't mean they are lost forever ( like in Fire Emblem for Nintendo systems ) .
The graphics in Jeanne d'Arc are anime inspired , as the beautiful box art already suggests . Although most of the cut scenes are done with the in game engine , there are also a number of anime sequences that help mend the story together . ( There is also an anime library where you can review all of these anime sequences . ) The character models are cute and detailed . The English in this game are portrayed as funny pig and lizard like creatures . The character animations are nice and the magical effects are neither impressive nor underachieving .
The voice overs are very well done . Most voice actors speak english with a french like accent , which gives everything a little more authenticity .
The music is for the most part excellent . The battle themes are very nice and the sound in the game menus is great too . Only the song in the opening screen grew old on me quickly , but who ever stays long on that screen ?
So , in short : if you're looking for a PSP RPG : Get This Game .
058 Jeanne D'Arc is a fabulous game . Everything about it just shines . It is true it doesn't stretch the genre ( Tactical RPG ) or provide anything really new or innovative . That's o.k . with me because I just wanted to have loads of fun with a game and not with figuring out a new idea or concept . After Avalon Code for the DS ( which was very new , unique , and innovative although not a tactical game ) I was ready for some good old fashioned tactical gameplay . Jeanne delivers in spades .
The graphics are excellent . The cut scenes were extremely well done to include the voice acting ( not so much common in RPG's ) . The story was interesting - - it started off more historical but then threw a bunch of fantasy components in - - so those who want a true historical game will be disappointed . Killing trolls , ogres , and mages ? Count me in as I'm all sorts of good with that .
Gameplay is truly where this beauty of a game shines - - the controls are exceptionally tight . The menu and battle systems are top notch - - clear , easy to understand and use , and fairly intuitive . My only ( admittedly minor ) complaints would be shopping for equiptment and weapons requires you to use the L / R button to scroll through characters and feels a bit awkward at first and that sometimes the little box on the left ( your characters stats and info ) that appears on the screen when you select that character for movement obscures your view of the field ( they would have been better putting it on top left instead of bottom left ) .
I found it easy to get into - - with a little more meat than some others - - there is some story you have to get through the first hour or so and I recommend when you start you allocate like 2 hours for play time . After that it is not difficult to pick up and play for whatever period you can - - there are regular saves on the map and a quick save in battle . A note that , like other tactical RPG's , the battles can be short 10 minute affairs or longer 25 - 40 minute affairs - - depends on a variety of factors so consider this aspect as well .
The difficulty level is not really high - - but there were places where underleveling could cause you major issues . I had a very tough time with the escort mission around Stage 10 but I went and leveled up and then it became doable for me .
At the current pricepoint this game would be my top pick ( along with the 2 Star Ocean games and Brave Story ) for the PSP in the field of RPG that someone without a ton of RPG experience should pick up . Do yourself a favor and don't miss out on this one !
060 Reviewed for Big Boss Games By : Tim
The Story ( taken from the instruction book ) :
Another Story of the battles of St . Jeanne D'arc
A long time ago , there was a battle known as the War of the Reapers . The Reaper , led by a demon lord possessed with the great power of darkness , invaded the human world with their armies of demons . The humans pooled their battle strength , and it extended into a long conflict . In order to seal the evil , five chosen warriors of battle created five armlets and , using their power , sealed the demon lord and the reapers into sacred jewels .
Time passed until the dawn of the 15th century , and territory disputes between France and England are ongoing .
In the middle of a festival held in the small French village of Domremy , the town is beset by attacks from demons like nothing the citizens have ever seen before . Suddenly a girl in the village , Jeanne , hears a voice from heaven telling her to defeat the enemies . She picks up her sword , and destroys them all .
On her right arm was an armlet quite like the ones used by the warriors of the War of the Reapers .
Guided by a voice from heaven , Jeanne , along with the young girl Liane and former mercenary Roger , heads for the castle of Charles the Dauphin . But , the destiny of Jeanne and her friends , who embark on a long journey into battle to save their mother country , has yet to be determined .
Story : 4.5 / 5
Almost perfect . . . this story is not for anyone under 13 years old .
You start out as a young girl that finds a magical armlet that lots of people are looking for and will kill many people to get it . This game has good guys that lose it and become monsters themselves . This game also has a good old fashion witch burning . Also , your friends are never what they seem .
Sound : 4.5 / 5
What a great musical score from such an adult game .
Graphics : 5 / 5
The opening , closing and cut scenes are movie quality . WOW ! I was so drawn into the story that I didn't notice that the game had begun . The art style that Level - 5 used to tell this dark tale was perfect !
Game-play : 4 / 5
Turn-based strategy , I really liked the battle system in Jeanne D'Arc because as soon as the game starts to feel worn and tired out , they toss you some new skill or magic attack that will draw you back . Also , the FROG is super cool ! Feed him well .
Replay Value : 1 / 5
I'm truly afraid to replay this great game . I'm not sure that I can handle the bonfire scene again . . . This game is not for little kids and any adults that have issues with death , destruction and lots of drama .
Overall : 4.5 / 5
This drama filled adventure into pseudo history is one that will haunt your nightmares for many a night . Jeanne D'Arc is one of the most memorable games I've ever played . I will never forget this game . This game will leave you with more questions than answers and that is ok because that allows us to fill in the blanks . I've kept this gem of a game in my personal collection . I recommend this game for any story driven RPG fan that likes drama .
Again , this game is not for kids . . .
063 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
I'm a fan of RPGs and after playing Final Fantasy Tactics years ago I became an even bigger fan of these tactical RPGs . What always bugs me is the cheesy dialog and whining Japanese anime style acting . In Jeane D'Arc there is definitely a bit of this but its greatly overshadowed by a creatively twisted plot , serious dialog and somewhat more succinct delivery . It's still got plenty of reading but not as long winded and it's Nintendo counterparts .
I first noticed the graphics are bright on the PSP and really pop . The music and sound are also top notch but most importantly the gameplay is deep and intuitive . The game constantly rewards you with new skills , magic , weapons , etc . . but it never becomes a grind and the story always stays center to you're attention .
The characters offer a good amount of diversity and so do the enemies and levels .
Overall I liked it more than Final Fantasy tactics . I found it less overwhelming , and more intuitive but the game does feel a bit smaller . Maybe not in length but just in the amount of things that are thrown at you which might be a good thing .
I took my time and the game took 41 hours to complete . I never considered not finishing it either . I highly recommend .
One last note , I played the DD version of the game .
064 I'm a fan of RPGs and after playing Final Fantasy Tactics years ago I became an even bigger fan of these tactical RPGs . What always bugs me is the cheesy dialog and whining Japanese anime style acting . In Jeane D'Arc there is definitely a bit of this but its greatly overshadowed by a creatively twisted plot , serious dialog and somewhat more succinct delivery . It's still got plenty of reading but not as long winded and it's Nintendo counterparts .
I first noticed the graphics are bright on the PSP and really pop . The music and sound are also top notch but most importantly the gameplay is deep and intuitive . The game constantly rewards you with new skills , magic , weapons , etc . . but it never becomes a grind and the story always stays center to you're attention .
The characters offer a good amount of diversity and so do the enemies and levels .
Overall I liked it more than Final Fantasy tactics . I found it less overwhelming , and more intuitive but the game does feel a bit smaller . Maybe not in length but just in the amount of things that are thrown at you which might be a good thing .
I took my time and the game took 41 hours to complete . I never considered not finishing it either . I highly recommend .
One last note , I played the DD version of the game .
066 If I reviewed this after the first day I bought it , the game would have gotten 5 stars . It starts amazingly with a good story , lots of action and a perfect tutorial on how to use the system .
However , once you get a good ways in here is what is wrong with this game .
1 . Every battle has a time limit . This means if you want to slowly advance on the enemy you can't , you will run out of time . You have to charge in always so the odds of one of your party members dieing is very high .
2 . Some battles have you protect someone ( who doesn't fight ) . You have to guide them to the finish line . BUT you can't control them . The idiot just runs in as fast as he can . So you have to charge in to protect him . So the odds of him dieing ( and thus game over ) , or lots of members of your party dieing are very likely . I really hated this part of the game . As a result you will have to replay some levels numerous times to know the correct way to beat it . This then makes it feel more like a memory / puzzle game then a strategy game . I mean in reality wouldn't the guy you are protecting want to stay back ? ?
3 . The dialogue between battles is the worst . You WAIT and WAIT and WAIT .
4 . The battles become repative after a while . The game needs more variety here . You mostly pick the same party members everytime , and they do the same sort of attacks .
5 . Game is too long . I have beaten nearly 20 stages now and I see no end in sight . I'm just getting bored now .
The game is worth beating though so I will be putting more time into it . But the replay value is 0 .
085 Jeanne D'Arc is a very good tactical rpg . I am not gonna go one about every detail like others do , there are a ' few ' flaws , but all games have them . But , what I can say is , this game has an engrosing storyline , together with very addictive gameplay and is just very well put together .
To all those pointy-hat rpg fans out there ( like me ! ) considering buying this game ; you know when you play an rpg and you are left with that ' oh i so want more ! ' or ' when's the sequel ? ! ' feeling when you complete it , well thats what Jeanne D'Arc gives you .
088 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
Just the best . . . great game and value . I was addicted to this game after the first 30 min . Thanks and Enjoy
090 Amazon Verified Purchase
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This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
If you're looking a great SRPG for your PSP after you beat Final Fantasy Tactics , Jeanne D ' Arc is the game you're looking for !
This game is beautiful , a real masterpiece from the guys of Level 5 , the history of this game is the well known history of Jeanne D'Arc , but this time you can add monsters and posesions to the formula and the history gets even better . The graphics are too good for the PSP ( Better that the ones from Disgaea ) , as an RPG it has some pros and cons , maybe FFT and Disgaea has a lot of history and experience behind them as SRPG ( Square Enix and Nippon Ichi aren't noobs ) but this is a great first try for Level 5 , well , let's see the pros and cons of this game :
Pros : - Beautiful story and solid charachters .
- Great anime cutscenes .
- A very easy to understand gameplay .
- The transformations mode add a lot of strategy to your battles .
- The leveling system is easy to understand .
- It has some sidequest that add more play-time to your quest . The colisseum is a tricky place if you want to beat it completely .
- A lot of skills to use , and the combine system add some fun to it = P .
Cons : - You can't create charachters , only the history ones , but you're plenty of them .
- If you have an enemy at your side and you attack , you can't move . To me a critical error . In most SRPG you can move and attack or attack and move .
If you like SRPG's this game is for you . And now you can buy it via PSN too !
091 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
If you're looking a great SRPG for your PSP after you beat Final Fantasy Tactics , Jeanne D ' Arc is the game you're looking for !
This game is beautiful , a real masterpiece from the guys of Level 5 , the history of this game is the well known history of Jeanne D'Arc , but this time you can add monsters and posesions to the formula and the history gets even better . The graphics are too good for the PSP ( Better that the ones from Disgaea ) , as an RPG it has some pros and cons , maybe FFT and Disgaea has a lot of history and experience behind them as SRPG ( Square Enix and Nippon Ichi aren't noobs ) but this is a great first try for Level 5 , well , let's see the pros and cons of this game :
Pros : - Beautiful story and solid charachters .
- Great anime cutscenes .
- A very easy to understand gameplay .
- The transformations mode add a lot of strategy to your battles .
- The leveling system is easy to understand .
- It has some sidequest that add more play-time to your quest . The colisseum is a tricky place if you want to beat it completely .
- A lot of skills to use , and the combine system add some fun to it = P .
Cons : - You can't create charachters , only the history ones , but you're plenty of them .
- If you have an enemy at your side and you attack , you can't move . To me a critical error . In most SRPG you can move and attack or attack and move .
If you like SRPG's this game is for you . And now you can buy it via PSN too !
092 If you're looking a great SRPG for your PSP after you beat Final Fantasy Tactics , Jeanne D ' Arc is the game you're looking for !
This game is beautiful , a real masterpiece from the guys of Level 5 , the history of this game is the well known history of Jeanne D'Arc , but this time you can add monsters and posesions to the formula and the history gets even better . The graphics are too good for the PSP ( Better that the ones from Disgaea ) , as an RPG it has some pros and cons , maybe FFT and Disgaea has a lot of history and experience behind them as SRPG ( Square Enix and Nippon Ichi aren't noobs ) but this is a great first try for Level 5 , well , let's see the pros and cons of this game :
Pros : - Beautiful story and solid charachters .
- Great anime cutscenes .
- A very easy to understand gameplay .
- The transformations mode add a lot of strategy to your battles .
- The leveling system is easy to understand .
- It has some sidequest that add more play-time to your quest . The colisseum is a tricky place if you want to beat it completely .
- A lot of skills to use , and the combine system add some fun to it = P .
Cons : - You can't create charachters , only the history ones , but you're plenty of them .
- If you have an enemy at your side and you attack , you can't move . To me a critical error . In most SRPG you can move and attack or attack and move .
If you like SRPG's this game is for you . And now you can buy it via PSN too !
096 Great game for any RPG Fan . And a must have for PSP RPG Fans . Loading times and cut scenes can be a bit annoying , but all in all a great game . Simple to pick up and learn . Fun to play , easy to follow and understand . Great graphics .
Also a big plus in my book is the ability to put the game down for awhile , then pick it up later and not be lost . Which happens a lot with RPG's .
All in all Great game .
097 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
This has to be the best SRPG I have played since Final Fantasy Tactics on the PS1 . The controls are simple and the game is very polished .
I cannot recommend this game enough . If you are a SRPG fan or just an RPG fan you owe it to yourself to get this . Do not take my review lightly as I only review games I adore . Its definitely in the top 3 portable games out . Crisis Core , FFT and this game make the PSP platform an RPG heaven .
Pros :
+ Modern Graphics
+ Good Story ( man tears unavoidable )
+ Memorable characters
+ Refined simple Gameplay
+ Best SPRG after Final Fantasy Tactics ( also available for the PSP )
Cons :
- A bit on the easy side .
Final verdict : Buy this game . Don't have a PSP , then buy one with this game . If you like meaty games that will suck you in and leave you wanting more , than this is for you .
098 This has to be the best SRPG I have played since Final Fantasy Tactics on the PS1 . The controls are simple and the game is very polished .
I cannot recommend this game enough . If you are a SRPG fan or just an RPG fan you owe it to yourself to get this . Do not take my review lightly as I only review games I adore . Its definitely in the top 3 portable games out . Crisis Core , FFT and this game make the PSP platform an RPG heaven .
Pros :
+ Modern Graphics
+ Good Story ( man tears unavoidable )
+ Memorable characters
+ Refined simple Gameplay
+ Best SPRG after Final Fantasy Tactics ( also available for the PSP )
Cons :
- A bit on the easy side .
Final verdict : Buy this game . Don't have a PSP , then buy one with this game . If you like meaty games that will suck you in and leave you wanting more , than this is for you .
111 This game is really well-made and I highly recommend buying it ! You can really tell that the game developers put in a lot of time to create a game that has a cohesive storyline , beautiful graphics ( especially the anime cut-scenes ! ) , and intuitive gameplay !
The game is basically broken up into different battles . After you finish one battle , there's a video which leads you into the next destination battle . You have a number of different characters to choose from to support Jeanne in freeing France . And while the gameplay is just these RPG battles , the amount of choices you have as the player is endless . You have to choose who is best suited to support Jeanne and how to allot their skills ( i.e - assigning Flash Strike to a high-damage Rogue for a really high damage hit against opponents ) .
I don't really have anything negative to say about this game , except that it doesn't lend itself to being played for short bursts ( 10 - 15 minutes ) . If you're home and you have half an hour , sit on the couch and play the game . The game is kind of like a console game rather than a portable one , because of how developed it is with the story line videos / cut-scenes .
130 I don't typically think graphics should figure to much into a game , but I don't like the graphics . I like the anime cut scenes , kind of , but then I hate the character design .
I find almost all the characters are ugly , and then the stark contrast with the humorous demons is unpleasant . I don't understand what the need to make pure evil look like Looney Tunes characters , but it was a bit of a killjoy for me . Then , when you finally escape the first cut scene , you go into an FMV sequence . It's a jolt since the style just barely matches the anime scenes , and it's so sudden .
The in game cut scenes are rather bad . They tend to be a mix of badly crunched dialogue boxes , really awkward character animation , and music that doesn't fit the tone of the scene . The animation of the character movement is really late PS1 . I also dislike the lack of subtitles in cut scenes , because I really just prefer to read rather than to hear the voices .
On to the actual gameplay .
There is A LOT of cut scenes . I often found myself skipping them by the first half hour , because the first half hour was almost entirely cut scenes . I also found myself wondering how much this really channeled any of Joan of Arc ( the answer of which , is not much ) .
The actual battle was alright , but pretty lacking . It took a long time for the computer to do anything , from moving to just changing turns .
There's also a time limit in turns for each stage . Different people seem to have different feelings about the time limit , but I dislike it . It feels like yet another attempt to make strategy RPGs move faster , or action orient them . It could be said that it forces more strategy , but you don't really need strategy in this game . There is almost no balance .
In early stages I found myself between evenly matched , then suddenly I have some unexplained transformation sequences that no one told me would run out , and I'm god , and then I find myself facing some boss that can one hit kill all my allies .
Now some of this stuff may be explained , but the tutorials come in little pictures that can easily be skipped via pressing X . I know I skipped at least two , because I was still button mashing my way through dialogue when they came up .
The view of the map goes from eye squintingly far away , to slightly less far away but even more obscured . It's just not fun to look at the battle map .
Overall , the game is just really mediocre in my opinion . The plot even diverges into pretty much generic fantasy story after a while , and I honestly didn't care enough to finish the game . You may ask how can you rate something you didn't finish ? Because I played through a few hours of the game , got my impressions of it , and didn't care enough to finish .
Not 100% Completing a game , or even finishing the story mode , does not exclude you from giving your thoughts on it despite what some people may say . If the game had been better , I would of played through further .
If you're wondering if you should buy the game , the only real answer is that it depends on just how high your standards are set .
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
Pros :
+ Gorgeous Graphics with some great anime cutscenes
+ An engrossing storyline
+ Really loveable characters
+ Easy to become acquainted with
+ Surprisingly large amount of customization
Cons :
- For those looking for innovation they won't find it
The PSP has slowly been gaining a lot of RPGs and tactical RPGs . In late 2007 we saw the release of three Strategy RPGs in particular . Final Fantasy Tactics : The War of the Lions , Disgaea : Afternoon of Darkness and Jeanne D'arc . While Final Fantasy Tactics and Disgaea were two fine ports from two fine systems , Jeanne D'arc stands on its own as an original creation . The result is a beautiful , simple SRPG that while it doesn't change the face of the genre , it's a game that manages to be fun nonetheless .
The story of Joan of Arc has been told numerous times . However , it's never quite been told like this . That is to say the story itself mixes in Fantasy with History . In short , any student hoping to use this game has an interactive history lesson won't find it . On the other hand , though , the story is well told through some fantastic Anime cutscenes that are by far some of the best to grace the PSP thus far . There are some great characters to accompany you on your travels as well . It also helps that the game has some spectacular voice acting with French accents that aren't overdone , but aren't too tame either . The cel shaded graphics looks absolutely astonishing as well . The environments are enormous and detailed . The enemies are also pretty detailed as well . In terms of production values , Jeanne D'arc exceeds by being both artistic , and showing what the PSP is capable of doing . It's very rare when a game does both very well , but Jeanne D'arc does .
A beautiful game can't stand alone without some good gameplay to go along with it . Luckily , Jeanne D'arc has some good gameplay too . It doesn't reinvent the wheel , but the simplicity of the game makes it so that there is no need for overly long tutorials that plague a few other tactical RPGs . While this can be a little annoying for those who dwelled into more complex SRPGs such as Final Fantasy Tactics and Disgaea , it does have a few traits that make it overall fun to play . As usual , you'll control characters on a grid and there are a set of objectives . In some missions the goal is to defeat the enemy leader while making sure a specific character doesn't fall . In other missions it's simply to crush all the bad guys . The game adds a twist on this as well . You must finish the battle in a certain amount of turns or its game over . While this is a nice twist it's hardly something that merits being included . You'll finish most battles long before you get that warning telling you how many turns are left .
Much like other SRPGs you'll have a set of commands to attack your enemies and use skills . Unlike many SRPGs , though , the counter attack rate in Jeanne D'arc is through the roof . The good news is that this makes the battles go faster . That may be one of the things that helps this game out . In many SRPGs battles are slow winded and last for a long time . In Jeanne D'arc they go relatively fast . In between turns you'll also see enemies and allies shout things out . For a moment this is alright , after a while it gets annoying .
There are skills at work in battle . You can equip certain skill stones to let you do things like cast healing spells or perform special attacks in battle . Equipping skill stones doesn't just grant you abilities or status enhancements . It's also there to raise affinity with the three spirits , Luna , Sol and Stella . There is no one spirit greater or more powerful than another . This works in a Rock-Paper-Scissors , fashion . One spirit is stronger than one but weak against the other . This puts a lot more emphasis on strategy . Some attacks deal far more damage based on which spirit you are affiliated with . The same thing works for your enemies .
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of Jeanne D'arc is that the games transformation system . Jeanne can transform once she has enough SP . This gives her a significant boost to her stats . It also gives her the ability to take another turn immediately after killing an enemy . This is great , but because of the increase in stats in some areas it makes the game unreasonably easy . That doesn't mean the entire game itself is easy . You'll find that in many maps you're outnumbered . And that a mishap or two in your strategy can cost you the battle . Jeanne D'arc may be a simple game to learn but it can be a bit tough to master .
Jeanne D'arc also sounds masterful . The soundtrack is beautifully orchestrated . While at some points the music can be repetitive ( particularly hearing the Enemy Phase music over and over again ) , it still sounds absolutely fantastic . If there was anything holding Jeanne D'arc back , it would be the games lack of voice acting . While you hear a lot in the animated scenes , you don't hear them that much beyond that . It'd be nice if some of their battle callouts , for example , were screamed out . This is a minor problem and in no way detracts from the game itself , though .
Any PSP owner looking for a fun , engrossing SRPG ought to look to Jeanne D'arc . It's incredible story , simple battle system and good use of customization and balance make it an engrossing adventure . It may not reinvent the wheel , but that keeps the game from being a needlessly complicated endeavor .
016 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
Pros :
+ Gorgeous Graphics with some great anime cutscenes
+ An engrossing storyline
+ Really loveable characters
+ Easy to become acquainted with
+ Surprisingly large amount of customization
Cons :
- For those looking for innovation they won't find it
The PSP has slowly been gaining a lot of RPGs and tactical RPGs . In late 2007 we saw the release of three Strategy RPGs in particular . Final Fantasy Tactics : The War of the Lions , Disgaea : Afternoon of Darkness and Jeanne D'arc . While Final Fantasy Tactics and Disgaea were two fine ports from two fine systems , Jeanne D'arc stands on its own as an original creation . The result is a beautiful , simple SRPG that while it doesn't change the face of the genre , it's a game that manages to be fun nonetheless .
The story of Joan of Arc has been told numerous times . However , it's never quite been told like this . That is to say the story itself mixes in Fantasy with History . In short , any student hoping to use this game has an interactive history lesson won't find it . On the other hand , though , the story is well told through some fantastic Anime cutscenes that are by far some of the best to grace the PSP thus far . There are some great characters to accompany you on your travels as well . It also helps that the game has some spectacular voice acting with French accents that aren't overdone , but aren't too tame either . The cel shaded graphics looks absolutely astonishing as well . The environments are enormous and detailed . The enemies are also pretty detailed as well . In terms of production values , Jeanne D'arc exceeds by being both artistic , and showing what the PSP is capable of doing . It's very rare when a game does both very well , but Jeanne D'arc does .
A beautiful game can't stand alone without some good gameplay to go along with it . Luckily , Jeanne D'arc has some good gameplay too . It doesn't reinvent the wheel , but the simplicity of the game makes it so that there is no need for overly long tutorials that plague a few other tactical RPGs . While this can be a little annoying for those who dwelled into more complex SRPGs such as Final Fantasy Tactics and Disgaea , it does have a few traits that make it overall fun to play . As usual , you'll control characters on a grid and there are a set of objectives . In some missions the goal is to defeat the enemy leader while making sure a specific character doesn't fall . In other missions it's simply to crush all the bad guys . The game adds a twist on this as well . You must finish the battle in a certain amount of turns or its game over . While this is a nice twist it's hardly something that merits being included . You'll finish most battles long before you get that warning telling you how many turns are left .
Much like other SRPGs you'll have a set of commands to attack your enemies and use skills . Unlike many SRPGs , though , the counter attack rate in Jeanne D'arc is through the roof . The good news is that this makes the battles go faster . That may be one of the things that helps this game out . In many SRPGs battles are slow winded and last for a long time . In Jeanne D'arc they go relatively fast . In between turns you'll also see enemies and allies shout things out . For a moment this is alright , after a while it gets annoying .
There are skills at work in battle . You can equip certain skill stones to let you do things like cast healing spells or perform special attacks in battle . Equipping skill stones doesn't just grant you abilities or status enhancements . It's also there to raise affinity with the three spirits , Luna , Sol and Stella . There is no one spirit greater or more powerful than another . This works in a Rock-Paper-Scissors , fashion . One spirit is stronger than one but weak against the other . This puts a lot more emphasis on strategy . Some attacks deal far more damage based on which spirit you are affiliated with . The same thing works for your enemies .
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of Jeanne D'arc is that the games transformation system . Jeanne can transform once she has enough SP . This gives her a significant boost to her stats . It also gives her the ability to take another turn immediately after killing an enemy . This is great , but because of the increase in stats in some areas it makes the game unreasonably easy . That doesn't mean the entire game itself is easy . You'll find that in many maps you're outnumbered . And that a mishap or two in your strategy can cost you the battle . Jeanne D'arc may be a simple game to learn but it can be a bit tough to master .
Jeanne D'arc also sounds masterful . The soundtrack is beautifully orchestrated . While at some points the music can be repetitive ( particularly hearing the Enemy Phase music over and over again ) , it still sounds absolutely fantastic . If there was anything holding Jeanne D'arc back , it would be the games lack of voice acting . While you hear a lot in the animated scenes , you don't hear them that much beyond that . It'd be nice if some of their battle callouts , for example , were screamed out . This is a minor problem and in no way detracts from the game itself , though .
Any PSP owner looking for a fun , engrossing SRPG ought to look to Jeanne D'arc . It's incredible story , simple battle system and good use of customization and balance make it an engrossing adventure . It may not reinvent the wheel , but that keeps the game from being a needlessly complicated endeavor .
043 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
I was real excited when i finally got my hands on this game .
perhaps its because i enjoyed final fantasy tactics so much that i found this game to be easy in every aspect imaginable . character customization is a joke ; you can put on any suit of armor ( but character clothing never changes its appearance ) , you can put on shield . . . for about four characters out of fourteen , and a weapon .
i was dissappointed by this strategy game but i will admit it kept me occupied , however i cant stand to see such a subpar game get so much acclaim .
Story : 5 out of 10
for the first . . . third of the game , the story is bland . in fact for the ten to fifteen levels i often was repulsed by the story and just wanted to get back to the gameplay . however it does redeem itself further into the game when certain ( and unexpected ) characters either die or leave your ranks .
i must admit i expected the story to be lame due to the fact that it was fantasy and i had to fight demons but i did expect a little more than a final fantasy rip off story . ( I'm not a fan of the ff series but i can tell when its being ripped off , collecting heroes with jewel armlets and ending an oppressive evil . . . real original )
Graphics : 7 out of 10
characters look cartoony and ridiculous ( their heads are the same size as their bodies ) , background looks fine though . i mentioned earlier that the armor the characters wear remains constant throughout the game regardless of changing it add that to the cons section .
Sound : 7 out of 10
sfx are fine , the voice acting fits the characters , no subtitles is lame for those who dont play with the volume at max . , voice acting only occurs on random cinematics the rest of the game is read then hit x to continue which is fine i guess but if you already have the voice actors why not enhance the experience and have them speak at all times . ( perhaps im spoiled by the newer games on the psp )
Gameplay : 6 out of 10
a strategy game a toddler can play is the best way to describe this game . the only real strategy in this game is not using up your set amount of turns and not letting you leader fall in combat , besides that its so ridiculously easy . even the boss battles were boring .
I must say this game hardly brings anything new to the table . i think the only things of note were the combined defense which at times was useless and the burning auras which made an easy game easier .
one major thing that bothered me from start to finish is the elements , lunar stella and sol which in translation is moon star sun . which one is weaker to another ? it wouldve been fine to just make it water fire and lighting but instead the game chooses to make one subtle and annoying difference .
the skills were about the only worth while customization , my only complaint is that you quickly gain extra boxes to fill earlier in the game and then it abruptly stops after a few levels .
another complaint is the load time everytime you need to enter the menu , its not a major thing but it does become annoying especially since every submenu takes as much time as well .
if i can say what really hurt the game was that the ability to have many turns with the main heroes after killing opponents , i often won a battle towards the middle of a battle in one phase ( i believe at one point i defeated an entire 6 enemies ) .
more often than not the usual strategy is use the bowmen and three strongest fighters to quickly eliminate the enemies from afar while they mindlessly charge into your strongest men while taking arrow hits .
overall score : 7 out of 10
its a decent game , not great but still something to take up time . if you are above the age of twelve and arent afraid of a little bit of challenge then I'd recomend final fantasy tactics . however if you dont want any challenge at all and just want an easy tactics game then i suggest this game because you rarely run into a difficult situation .
if you already beat final fantasy tactics then check out disgaea ( or any other tactics game ) first before coming to this game .
065 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
If I reviewed this after the first day I bought it , the game would have gotten 5 stars . It starts amazingly with a good story , lots of action and a perfect tutorial on how to use the system .
However , once you get a good ways in here is what is wrong with this game .
1 . Every battle has a time limit . This means if you want to slowly advance on the enemy you can't , you will run out of time . You have to charge in always so the odds of one of your party members dieing is very high .
2 . Some battles have you protect someone ( who doesn't fight ) . You have to guide them to the finish line . BUT you can't control them . The idiot just runs in as fast as he can . So you have to charge in to protect him . So the odds of him dieing ( and thus game over ) , or lots of members of your party dieing are very likely . I really hated this part of the game . As a result you will have to replay some levels numerous times to know the correct way to beat it . This then makes it feel more like a memory / puzzle game then a strategy game . I mean in reality wouldn't the guy you are protecting want to stay back ? ?
3 . The dialogue between battles is the worst . You WAIT and WAIT and WAIT .
4 . The battles become repative after a while . The game needs more variety here . You mostly pick the same party members everytime , and they do the same sort of attacks .
5 . Game is too long . I have beaten nearly 20 stages now and I see no end in sight . I'm just getting bored now .
The game is worth beating though so I will be putting more time into it . But the replay value is 0 .
129 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
I don't typically think graphics should figure to much into a game , but I don't like the graphics . I like the anime cut scenes , kind of , but then I hate the character design .
I find almost all the characters are ugly , and then the stark contrast with the humorous demons is unpleasant . I don't understand what the need to make pure evil look like Looney Tunes characters , but it was a bit of a killjoy for me . Then , when you finally escape the first cut scene , you go into an FMV sequence . It's a jolt since the style just barely matches the anime scenes , and it's so sudden .
The in game cut scenes are rather bad . They tend to be a mix of badly crunched dialogue boxes , really awkward character animation , and music that doesn't fit the tone of the scene . The animation of the character movement is really late PS1 . I also dislike the lack of subtitles in cut scenes , because I really just prefer to read rather than to hear the voices .
On to the actual gameplay .
There is A LOT of cut scenes . I often found myself skipping them by the first half hour , because the first half hour was almost entirely cut scenes . I also found myself wondering how much this really channeled any of Joan of Arc ( the answer of which , is not much ) .
The actual battle was alright , but pretty lacking . It took a long time for the computer to do anything , from moving to just changing turns .
There's also a time limit in turns for each stage . Different people seem to have different feelings about the time limit , but I dislike it . It feels like yet another attempt to make strategy RPGs move faster , or action orient them . It could be said that it forces more strategy , but you don't really need strategy in this game . There is almost no balance .
In early stages I found myself between evenly matched , then suddenly I have some unexplained transformation sequences that no one told me would run out , and I'm god , and then I find myself facing some boss that can one hit kill all my allies .
Now some of this stuff may be explained , but the tutorials come in little pictures that can easily be skipped via pressing X . I know I skipped at least two , because I was still button mashing my way through dialogue when they came up .
The view of the map goes from eye squintingly far away , to slightly less far away but even more obscured . It's just not fun to look at the battle map .
Overall , the game is just really mediocre in my opinion . The plot even diverges into pretty much generic fantasy story after a while , and I honestly didn't care enough to finish the game . You may ask how can you rate something you didn't finish ? Because I played through a few hours of the game , got my impressions of it , and didn't care enough to finish .
Not 100% Completing a game , or even finishing the story mode , does not exclude you from giving your thoughts on it despite what some people may say . If the game had been better , I would of played through further .
If you're wondering if you should buy the game , the only real answer is that it depends on just how high your standards are set .
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
This game is a bittersweet mix . The good parts include compelling , beautiful cutscenes , a fun and flexible character customization system , and combat that has a lot of enjoyable elements . But the quality of the game is cut short by sub-cutscenes with meaningless , cheesy dialogue , an overly large party , a lack of plot elements , and some glaring limitations in the combat system .
The cut-scenes are by far the most beautiful piece of the game . They are done in very professional anime and have excellent voice acting . It's a joy to watch . Unfortunately , right after one of those scenes ends , there's usually a follow-on cutscene that uses blocky , bobble-head characters speaking in dialogue bubbles . Often the bubble-encased dialogue goes like this :
Jeanne : Roger !
Roger : . . . !
Jeanne : . . .
Roger : What the . . . ?
Jeanne : ! ! !
And so it goes on ad nauseum , ad infinitum . The sub-cutscenes play like they were written not for children , but rather BY children . It's disappointing and annoying . The characters end up more like characitures ; historical figures are portrayed in an embarassingly childish manner . This really hamstrings any potential drama , intensity , or impact the story could have .
The character customization system is good . It's fun to play dress-up with one's party and get them outfitted with the most battle-specific toys . Unfortunately , that's really what the game ends up being : you outfit your party for battle and fight , then comes a terrible bobblehead sub-cutscene that is painful to read , then occasionally a nice anime cutscene . There are no real plot choices , there's nothing to do outside of battle , and since the battles are turn-limited you can't even really explore the battle map thoroughly for hidden treasures . This really is a game of combat .
The combat itself is fun to a large degree , but the maps can get quite large or hard to navigate , and the characters can only move a few tiles at a time . This makes for annoyance rather than excitement , and sometimes you'll lose a battle just for the sake of time running out .
Another negative aspect to the game is the party , over which you have no control who comes and goes . You may spend the whole game developing a character , only for that character to die in a cutscene or just up and leave . There are also so many characters ( most of whom you won't use ) that the experience points are stretched rather thin .
I was looking for a solid RPG for the PSP , and this is definitely not it . It does get quite addictive though , and if you can ignore the shortcomings it can be good entertainment .
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Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
This game is a bittersweet mix . The good parts include compelling , beautiful cutscenes , a fun and flexible character customization system , and combat that has a lot of enjoyable elements . But the quality of the game is cut short by sub-cutscenes with meaningless , cheesy dialogue , an overly large party , a lack of plot elements , and some glaring limitations in the combat system .
The cut-scenes are by far the most beautiful piece of the game . They are done in very professional anime and have excellent voice acting . It's a joy to watch . Unfortunately , right after one of those scenes ends , there's usually a follow-on cutscene that uses blocky , bobble-head characters speaking in dialogue bubbles . Often the bubble-encased dialogue goes like this :
Jeanne : Roger !
Roger : . . . !
Jeanne : . . .
Roger : What the . . . ?
Jeanne : ! ! !
And so it goes on ad nauseum , ad infinitum . The sub-cutscenes play like they were written not for children , but rather BY children . It's disappointing and annoying . The characters end up more like characitures ; historical figures are portrayed in an embarassingly childish manner . This really hamstrings any potential drama , intensity , or impact the story could have .
The character customization system is good . It's fun to play dress-up with one's party and get them outfitted with the most battle-specific toys . Unfortunately , that's really what the game ends up being : you outfit your party for battle and fight , then comes a terrible bobblehead sub-cutscene that is painful to read , then occasionally a nice anime cutscene . There are no real plot choices , there's nothing to do outside of battle , and since the battles are turn-limited you can't even really explore the battle map thoroughly for hidden treasures . This really is a game of combat .
The combat itself is fun to a large degree , but the maps can get quite large or hard to navigate , and the characters can only move a few tiles at a time . This makes for annoyance rather than excitement , and sometimes you'll lose a battle just for the sake of time running out .
Another negative aspect to the game is the party , over which you have no control who comes and goes . You may spend the whole game developing a character , only for that character to die in a cutscene or just up and leave . There are also so many characters ( most of whom you won't use ) that the experience points are stretched rather thin .
I was looking for a solid RPG for the PSP , and this is definitely not it . It does get quite addictive though , and if you can ignore the shortcomings it can be good entertainment .
024 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
This game is a bittersweet mix . The good parts include compelling , beautiful cutscenes , a fun and flexible character customization system , and combat that has a lot of enjoyable elements . But the quality of the game is cut short by sub-cutscenes with meaningless , cheesy dialogue , an overly large party , a lack of plot elements , and some glaring limitations in the combat system .
The cut-scenes are by far the most beautiful piece of the game . They are done in very professional anime and have excellent voice acting . It's a joy to watch . Unfortunately , right after one of those scenes ends , there's usually a follow-on cutscene that uses blocky , bobble-head characters speaking in dialogue bubbles . Often the bubble-encased dialogue goes like this :
Jeanne : Roger !
Roger : . . . !
Jeanne : . . .
Roger : What the . . . ?
Jeanne : ! ! !
And so it goes on ad nauseum , ad infinitum . The sub-cutscenes play like they were written not for children , but rather BY children . It's disappointing and annoying . The characters end up more like characitures ; historical figures are portrayed in an embarassingly childish manner . This really hamstrings any potential drama , intensity , or impact the story could have .
The character customization system is good . It's fun to play dress-up with one's party and get them outfitted with the most battle-specific toys . Unfortunately , that's really what the game ends up being : you outfit your party for battle and fight , then comes a terrible bobblehead sub-cutscene that is painful to read , then occasionally a nice anime cutscene . There are no real plot choices , there's nothing to do outside of battle , and since the battles are turn-limited you can't even really explore the battle map thoroughly for hidden treasures . This really is a game of combat .
The combat itself is fun to a large degree , but the maps can get quite large or hard to navigate , and the characters can only move a few tiles at a time . This makes for annoyance rather than excitement , and sometimes you'll lose a battle just for the sake of time running out .
Another negative aspect to the game is the party , over which you have no control who comes and goes . You may spend the whole game developing a character , only for that character to die in a cutscene or just up and leave . There are also so many characters ( most of whom you won't use ) that the experience points are stretched rather thin .
I was looking for a solid RPG for the PSP , and this is definitely not it . It does get quite addictive though , and if you can ignore the shortcomings it can be good entertainment .
050 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
This game combines the tactical positioning one can find in OgreBattle 64 with the turn based found in older style Final Fantasies . The graphics are typical to the first games released on the 64 ( yes , I realize this is a Sony platform game ) and so far the plot isn't too bad .
It gets difficult at first to understand that you can level up without progressing to make the boss encounters a little more manageable . Before the tutorial showed me how I could level up , I was frequently dying through the first 5 or so boss fights .
Don't take history into account when playing this game . The real Joan of Arc was in no way a tactician and often wouldn't actively fight so much as stand as a banner to encourage moral . But an interesting fantasy take on this historical figure make the game worthy as a stand alone .
084 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
Jeanne D'Arc is a very good tactical rpg . I am not gonna go one about every detail like others do , there are a ' few ' flaws , but all games have them . But , what I can say is , this game has an engrosing storyline , together with very addictive gameplay and is just very well put together .
To all those pointy-hat rpg fans out there ( like me ! ) considering buying this game ; you know when you play an rpg and you are left with that ' oh i so want more ! ' or ' when's the sequel ? ! ' feeling when you complete it , well thats what Jeanne D'Arc gives you .
093 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
I love this game , I wish it was longer , I want to keep playing ! I was on the fence for a while about buying this , but now it's the only psp game I play at the moment . Someday I will dust off crisis core and continue with that , but for now Jean D'ARC is my game . I do recommend this title to anyone who likes strategy RPG's .
127 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
This is my first PSP RPG so I don't have anything to compare it to . I do think the gameplay has potential . What I do find annoying however , is the goofy anime-esque characters and the mechanical cut-scene animation . But all in all , it seems to be a solid game . I think WOW has popularized this new breed of cartoon-ish RPGs and I'm more in favor of traditional RPG settings .
132 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
Fun ? ! ZERO
Since I can't properly rate this , I'll have to rate it here in the commentary .
How much fun is this game ? . . . . . . . . . . ZERO ZERO ZERO ZERO ZERO
How do you rate this game overall ? ZERO ZERO ZERO ZERO ZERO
The story may be fine in my opinion of what little I've seen in this bought game , but the game mechanics itself is AWFUL ! You're allowed only a set of a few turns on every map and I'll understand that if the map's conditions require it . Like if I have to get out of the area before backup for the bad guys show up and such . . .
But EVERY STICKING Map has this turn limit in IT ! ! ! I truly enjoyed the PSX Final Fantasy Tactics , because the creators knew of that idea and limited the turn limit to a few nerve racking stages . Good Lord those d'arc idiots didn't have the common sense to have a menu selection option to shut down this insane concept !
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Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
when i first picked this game up , it was a blast . the graphics are pretty , battle grounds are very detailed , and adding a fantasy twist to a part of history anyone who took high school history should be familiar with added to the charm of this game .
but , several hours into the game , i was getting annoyed with jeanne's constant complaints about how everyone is a coward and such . i understand she was a passionate lass in a man's world having to fend for herself , but still . . .
also , the tactical element of the game didn't quite satisfy my appetite . i mean , you can be as tactical as you want , but you don't always have to be . simply put , jeanne d'arc is one of the easier tactical rpgs i've played so far .
i definitely recommend this game for those of you who want to try out the tactical rpg genre though . if any game will get you hooked to the genre , jeanne d'arc would be it . it is beautiful and a lot of fun , but for hardcore tactical rpg fans , i think this game would leave you wanting more as it did me .
014 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
when i first picked this game up , it was a blast . the graphics are pretty , battle grounds are very detailed , and adding a fantasy twist to a part of history anyone who took high school history should be familiar with added to the charm of this game .
but , several hours into the game , i was getting annoyed with jeanne's constant complaints about how everyone is a coward and such . i understand she was a passionate lass in a man's world having to fend for herself , but still . . .
also , the tactical element of the game didn't quite satisfy my appetite . i mean , you can be as tactical as you want , but you don't always have to be . simply put , jeanne d'arc is one of the easier tactical rpgs i've played so far .
i definitely recommend this game for those of you who want to try out the tactical rpg genre though . if any game will get you hooked to the genre , jeanne d'arc would be it . it is beautiful and a lot of fun , but for hardcore tactical rpg fans , i think this game would leave you wanting more as it did me .
015 when i first picked this game up , it was a blast . the graphics are pretty , battle grounds are very detailed , and adding a fantasy twist to a part of history anyone who took high school history should be familiar with added to the charm of this game .
but , several hours into the game , i was getting annoyed with jeanne's constant complaints about how everyone is a coward and such . i understand she was a passionate lass in a man's world having to fend for herself , but still . . .
also , the tactical element of the game didn't quite satisfy my appetite . i mean , you can be as tactical as you want , but you don't always have to be . simply put , jeanne d'arc is one of the easier tactical rpgs i've played so far .
i definitely recommend this game for those of you who want to try out the tactical rpg genre though . if any game will get you hooked to the genre , jeanne d'arc would be it . it is beautiful and a lot of fun , but for hardcore tactical rpg fans , i think this game would leave you wanting more as it did me .
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My little girl wanted this game because the hero was a girl . I watched her play this many times and played it for myself once she was done . I am not a big game person but I will admit I was hooked for a few days . I played an entire saturday away when I didn't have anything to do . The story is really good for a PSP title and the game played like a chess type feel . If you like adventure games with a good story this is a good pick up .
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Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
My little girl wanted this game because the hero was a girl . I watched her play this many times and played it for myself once she was done . I am not a big game person but I will admit I was hooked for a few days . I played an entire saturday away when I didn't have anything to do . The story is really good for a PSP title and the game played like a chess type feel . If you like adventure games with a good story this is a good pick up .
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Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
Others have already offered detailed reviews of this game , but simply put , it's my favorite PSP game so far . This is a challenging and deep SRPG , but it's still pretty accessible for newbies to the genre . Beautiful graphics and cut-scenes , interesting characters , a certain sense of charm and whimsy . . . all just as you'd expect from a Level - 5 game . If you like SRPGs at all , this is definitely a must-play .
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Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
Others have already offered detailed reviews of this game , but simply put , it's my favorite PSP game so far . This is a challenging and deep SRPG , but it's still pretty accessible for newbies to the genre . Beautiful graphics and cut-scenes , interesting characters , a certain sense of charm and whimsy . . . all just as you'd expect from a Level - 5 game . If you like SRPGs at all , this is definitely a must-play .
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This is a game I highly recommend if you are like me and love final fantasy tacticsish games . The dialogue and plot can be a bit cheesy at times . . . but overall , for a video game , its somewhat engaging . The real gem is is the gameplaying itself . I like the fact they are no specific classes more than anything , because it means less worrying about stats and more about the battles themselves . Highly recommend if you are anything like me , and really like games like final fantasy tactics !
068 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
This is a game I highly recommend if you are like me and love final fantasy tacticsish games . The dialogue and plot can be a bit cheesy at times . . . but overall , for a video game , its somewhat engaging . The real gem is is the gameplaying itself . I like the fact they are no specific classes more than anything , because it means less worrying about stats and more about the battles themselves . Highly recommend if you are anything like me , and really like games like final fantasy tactics !
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Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
I went out on a limb when I bought this game , I'm very picky about the games I play . So when I bought this one I was hoping it would be fun , I did all the research on the internet , I watched video's on it also , so I finally bought it . WOW let me say that this is the best game I've ever bought for my PSP It's really fun and very addicting once you get in to it . It's a Tactical or Strategy RPG which ever one you would want to call it . My only problem with it so far is there is a limited variety in fighters . I wish there could be a way to have a more different variety in characters and weapons . But I'm only on Chapter 5 so it might get that way the more I get into it . But the game is very fun , easy to control , and understand . If you've never played a T-RPG or S-RPG then give this game a try . It has a great story and you'll be amazed .
074 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
I went out on a limb when I bought this game , I'm very picky about the games I play . So when I bought this one I was hoping it would be fun , I did all the research on the internet , I watched video's on it also , so I finally bought it . WOW let me say that this is the best game I've ever bought for my PSP It's really fun and very addicting once you get in to it . It's a Tactical or Strategy RPG which ever one you would want to call it . My only problem with it so far is there is a limited variety in fighters . I wish there could be a way to have a more different variety in characters and weapons . But I'm only on Chapter 5 so it might get that way the more I get into it . But the game is very fun , easy to control , and understand . If you've never played a T-RPG or S-RPG then give this game a try . It has a great story and you'll be amazed .
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This game is definitely one of the best games I have ever played . I highly recomended it rpg and srpg players will love it .
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Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
This game is definitely one of the best games I have ever played . I highly recomended it rpg and srpg players will love it .
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It's a decent , fun strategic RPG that has many fundamental similarities to the Fire Emblem series , it's a shame that the story was so poor crafted due to some cheesy , over-the-top dialogue translations and some bad voice acting .
080 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
It's a decent , fun strategic RPG that has many fundamental similarities to the Fire Emblem series , it's a shame that the story was so poor crafted due to some cheesy , over-the-top dialogue translations and some bad voice acting .
082 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
Bought this game when Circuit City was closing - and knew nothing about it . What a pleasant surprise ! Very fun turn based battle system , awesome weapon / spell creation skill binding feature . Perfect length , great graphics and sound - a sleeper hit ! Don't miss out on this one !
095 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
Great game for any RPG Fan . And a must have for PSP RPG Fans . Loading times and cut scenes can be a bit annoying , but all in all a great game . Simple to pick up and learn . Fun to play , easy to follow and understand . Great graphics .
Also a big plus in my book is the ability to put the game down for awhile , then pick it up later and not be lost . Which happens a lot with RPG's .
All in all Great game .
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This game is one of the funnest games I've played for the PSP . It has great anime cinema scenes and the graphics are just beautiful to look at . If you like games like Arc the Lad or Fire Emblem , then you will definitely love this game . I would definitely recommend this game to anyone .
100 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
This game is one of the funnest games I've played for the PSP . It has great anime cinema scenes and the graphics are just beautiful to look at . If you like games like Arc the Lad or Fire Emblem , then you will definitely love this game . I would definitely recommend this game to anyone .
105 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
This is the type of games that is perfectly suited for the PSP . Love the strategy involve during the battles . Story is good but it slows toward the middle of the game . The game is a little easy as you can level up pretty easily and there is no grinding involve . This game is very similar to Final Fantasy Tactics as it is a SJRPG .
107 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
I owned around PSP games and frankly this is , by far , the best game I've seen . Great and engaging story , excellent strategic game and wonderful graphics . A great pleasure to play , I spent 50 hours to finish it and I am sad it is over .
To any PSP fan , this is the MUST game you have to have .
108 I owned around PSP games and frankly this is , by far , the best game I've seen . Great and engaging story , excellent strategic game and wonderful graphics . A great pleasure to play , I spent 50 hours to finish it and I am sad it is over .
To any PSP fan , this is the MUST game you have to have .
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finally I have the pleasure to play a tactic's game with the same caliber as final fantasy tactic's for the ps1 . I recomended this game to those who are know for the genre . graet game
113 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
finally I have the pleasure to play a tactic's game with the same caliber as final fantasy tactic's for the ps1 . I recomended this game to those who are know for the genre . graet game
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like Joan of arc it tries to follow what happens in history as best it can while mixing in elements of fantasy . It was well done . I think the only drawback is that it does not have strong replay value and the game is over pretty quickly - less than 20 hours .
118 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
like Joan of arc it tries to follow what happens in history as best it can while mixing in elements of fantasy . It was well done . I think the only drawback is that it does not have strong replay value and the game is over pretty quickly - less than 20 hours .
120 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
I Loved Final Fantasy Tactics , probably my favorite game actually so I tried Jeanne D'arc and I was not disappointed . great game
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if you're a fan of the genre ( turn based strat / rp ) you owe it to yourself to get this . it's one of the reasons i bought a psp , and i absolutely love it . wish there were more cut scenes but it's still a blast .
123 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
if you're a fan of the genre ( turn based strat / rp ) you owe it to yourself to get this . it's one of the reasons i bought a psp , and i absolutely love it . wish there were more cut scenes but it's still a blast .
125 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
This game is wonderful and a fresh new feel on the strategy rpg titles for PSP . The game itself has a very interesting story that is illustrated through anime-style cutscenes and sprite , turn-based , battling . I think fans of games such as Final Fantasy Tactics and Tactics Ogre will find that this game has a lot of similar or interesting elements to offer as far as gameplay . I hope everyone gives this game a try because it's definetly worth buying .
133 Fun ? ! ZERO
Since I can't properly rate this , I'll have to rate it here in the commentary .
How much fun is this game ? . . . . . . . . . . ZERO ZERO ZERO ZERO ZERO
How do you rate this game overall ? ZERO ZERO ZERO ZERO ZERO
The story may be fine in my opinion of what little I've seen in this bought game , but the game mechanics itself is AWFUL ! You're allowed only a set of a few turns on every map and I'll understand that if the map's conditions require it . Like if I have to get out of the area before backup for the bad guys show up and such . . .
But EVERY STICKING Map has this turn limit in IT ! ! ! I truly enjoyed the PSX Final Fantasy Tactics , because the creators knew of that idea and limited the turn limit to a few nerve racking stages . Good Lord those d'arc idiots didn't have the common sense to have a menu selection option to shut down this insane concept !
> :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
With so many great looking RPG titles coming to my favorite handheld ( the PSP ) these past few months I have certainly had my hands full trying to play and complete them all ( Hope I don't get fired from my day job ) . Catching my attention this time is a Level 5 PSP exclusive title by the name of Jeanne D'Arc . This game is everything a Strategy RPG ( SRPG ) should be and more . Outstanding graphics , an intriguing story and an unbelievably easy pick up and play control scheme . So let get in to the particulars of this wonderful title . . .
Story : 8.0
The story , which is based very loosely on the story of Joan of Arc , because it is so loosely based on the real story , it is very entertaining . Jeanne D'Arcs ' story blends history and fantasy beautifully , it starts with a Young King Henry getting possessed by some demonic power . His father who possesses one of the five armlets that were created to defeat these demons centuries ago , tries to save him but is too late as the demon consumes King Henry . Then enter Jeanne a girl who witnesses her village being attacked by demons , comes across one of these armlets and also believes she hears a call from God instructing her to kill the demons that rampage her village . This ancient armlet is said to be able to transform it's wearer into a great armored warrior . The story progresses mainly with three characters , Jeanne and her two friends Lianne and Roger . Many other characters throughout their journey are introduced and play apart in the main plot , but the majority of the time they are expendable at best . It is the three main characters and their interesting personalities ; however that keep the story very interesting .
Graphics : 8.5
Jeanne D ' Arcs ' graphics are in a word , amazing . The 2D cel-shaded graphics used to bring the colorful and vibrant characters to life are absolutely gorgeous . The developers really impress by creating a product that can really show what the PSP is capable of . To start the adventure and throughout players are treated to some very beautiful anime cut-scenes , which are worthy of praise by any anime fanboy alive . This coupled with gorgeous backgrounds , magic spells , and Jeanne's ' armlet transformations are enough to satisfy anyone craving some PSP eye candy . You honestly have to see this game in action to truly appreciate it ; online screenshots do not do it any justice .
Sound : 7.5
Every thing as far as background music and battle sounds like arrows whipping and other attack sounds were great . If I was a little disappointed about anything though , it would have to be the voice acting or the lack there of . It would have been nice to here them shout out some of their battle cries as opposed to having to read them in a little bubble . This is a VERY minor complaint though ; it just would have been nice to hear seeing as how the voice acting in the anime cut-scenes were so great . It is also a little unfortunate that the anime cut-scenes don't include subtitles , because you'll miss a lot of the story if you play with the sound off .
Gameplay : 10
This area is where Jeanne D'Arc shows that it belongs amongst the handheld Strategy RPG greats . I could not find any flaws in the gameplay , I repeat no flaws in the gameplay what so ever . This game competes with other Strategy RPGs , by using what has always worked . You'll have at your disposable by mid game a small army , but in most cases you will only be able to take 6 in to battle . In some cases you may have less to choose because some characters are default depending on the battle . This of course adds to the tactical experience as to what members you want on the field and where to place them so you are victorious . Thankfully though the game allows you to re-visit some of the places you fought battles to make sure you can get to level up everyone in your party .
Like in any good SRPG these battles take place on a grid , and players are limited to a number of spaces they can move with an attack or use of an item / spell ends that characters turn . As players begin to find different characters with different weapons and abilities , the tactics will continue to change . Lancers , for example , can hit two spaces ahead of them , instead of one and Archers can attack from long distances causing more damage from above .
During battles , players can attack , use skills or cast magic spells . These skills can be added by collecting skill stones which players get when they defeat an enemy . Your characters can only carry six of these stones at any one time once again adding to your decision process before going in to battle , because there are more than a hundred of these stones in the game.With these stones you can choose different skills and put the on each of the characters before each battle . These skills can range from making stronger regular attacks , alter stats , or attack a number of enemies at once . Some stones can only be used by specific character types , so choose carefully .
Later in the game you will come across a character that will allow you to combine these stones . By combining two skill stones , a new one is created which will give you even more powerful abilities . This is the main reason I loved this game the customization is so deep , but yet so simple to use . Some of the new abilities created will allow players to counter enemies before they attack you , run longer distances , instill massive damage , and more .
There are also two neat and innovative features in this game that have not been seen in others . These effects are called the Burning Aura Hotspot and Joint Defense .
With the Burning Aura Hotspot a hotspot will appear behind any enemy that is attacked and any party member who stands in that will get an attacking boost . If the Burning Aura falls on a character already occupying the space , the Aura will move with the character , giving them the ability to use the damage bonus elsewhere .
The other feature is Joint Defense , which when characters are no more than one space apart , they will combine their defensive abilities reducing the damage caused by enemies significantly . This feature is especially useful when fighting a tough boss .
Bottom Line :
With Jeanne D'Arc's simple , and easy to understand battle system it is amazing how much depth there is here . Anyone with half a brain cell can pick this game up and start playing with out any frustrating with menus , customization , gameplay . I am betting most SRPG fans are probably awaiting the two other great SRPG's on the horizon for the PSP in the way of Final Fantasy Tactics and Disgaea for PSP . Both are due out this year and are sure to be better than excellent . But , Jeanne D ' Arc is a new and original title no one has seen before on any system and should not be missed by any PSP owner . Lastly let me say that after having tried almost all the SRPG's available for the PSP I was left disappointed after every one . So what do I have to say about Level 5 s latest addition to the PSP Library ? Just two words to them . . . Thank YOU ! !
001 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
With so many great looking RPG titles coming to my favorite handheld ( the PSP ) these past few months I have certainly had my hands full trying to play and complete them all ( Hope I don't get fired from my day job ) . Catching my attention this time is a Level 5 PSP exclusive title by the name of Jeanne D'Arc . This game is everything a Strategy RPG ( SRPG ) should be and more . Outstanding graphics , an intriguing story and an unbelievably easy pick up and play control scheme . So let get in to the particulars of this wonderful title . . .
Story : 8.0
The story , which is based very loosely on the story of Joan of Arc , because it is so loosely based on the real story , it is very entertaining . Jeanne D'Arcs ' story blends history and fantasy beautifully , it starts with a Young King Henry getting possessed by some demonic power . His father who possesses one of the five armlets that were created to defeat these demons centuries ago , tries to save him but is too late as the demon consumes King Henry . Then enter Jeanne a girl who witnesses her village being attacked by demons , comes across one of these armlets and also believes she hears a call from God instructing her to kill the demons that rampage her village . This ancient armlet is said to be able to transform it's wearer into a great armored warrior . The story progresses mainly with three characters , Jeanne and her two friends Lianne and Roger . Many other characters throughout their journey are introduced and play apart in the main plot , but the majority of the time they are expendable at best . It is the three main characters and their interesting personalities ; however that keep the story very interesting .
Graphics : 8.5
Jeanne D ' Arcs ' graphics are in a word , amazing . The 2D cel-shaded graphics used to bring the colorful and vibrant characters to life are absolutely gorgeous . The developers really impress by creating a product that can really show what the PSP is capable of . To start the adventure and throughout players are treated to some very beautiful anime cut-scenes , which are worthy of praise by any anime fanboy alive . This coupled with gorgeous backgrounds , magic spells , and Jeanne's ' armlet transformations are enough to satisfy anyone craving some PSP eye candy . You honestly have to see this game in action to truly appreciate it ; online screenshots do not do it any justice .
Sound : 7.5
Every thing as far as background music and battle sounds like arrows whipping and other attack sounds were great . If I was a little disappointed about anything though , it would have to be the voice acting or the lack there of . It would have been nice to here them shout out some of their battle cries as opposed to having to read them in a little bubble . This is a VERY minor complaint though ; it just would have been nice to hear seeing as how the voice acting in the anime cut-scenes were so great . It is also a little unfortunate that the anime cut-scenes don't include subtitles , because you'll miss a lot of the story if you play with the sound off .
Gameplay : 10
This area is where Jeanne D'Arc shows that it belongs amongst the handheld Strategy RPG greats . I could not find any flaws in the gameplay , I repeat no flaws in the gameplay what so ever . This game competes with other Strategy RPGs , by using what has always worked . You'll have at your disposable by mid game a small army , but in most cases you will only be able to take 6 in to battle . In some cases you may have less to choose because some characters are default depending on the battle . This of course adds to the tactical experience as to what members you want on the field and where to place them so you are victorious . Thankfully though the game allows you to re-visit some of the places you fought battles to make sure you can get to level up everyone in your party .
Like in any good SRPG these battles take place on a grid , and players are limited to a number of spaces they can move with an attack or use of an item / spell ends that characters turn . As players begin to find different characters with different weapons and abilities , the tactics will continue to change . Lancers , for example , can hit two spaces ahead of them , instead of one and Archers can attack from long distances causing more damage from above .
During battles , players can attack , use skills or cast magic spells . These skills can be added by collecting skill stones which players get when they defeat an enemy . Your characters can only carry six of these stones at any one time once again adding to your decision process before going in to battle , because there are more than a hundred of these stones in the game.With these stones you can choose different skills and put the on each of the characters before each battle . These skills can range from making stronger regular attacks , alter stats , or attack a number of enemies at once . Some stones can only be used by specific character types , so choose carefully .
Later in the game you will come across a character that will allow you to combine these stones . By combining two skill stones , a new one is created which will give you even more powerful abilities . This is the main reason I loved this game the customization is so deep , but yet so simple to use . Some of the new abilities created will allow players to counter enemies before they attack you , run longer distances , instill massive damage , and more .
There are also two neat and innovative features in this game that have not been seen in others . These effects are called the Burning Aura Hotspot and Joint Defense .
With the Burning Aura Hotspot a hotspot will appear behind any enemy that is attacked and any party member who stands in that will get an attacking boost . If the Burning Aura falls on a character already occupying the space , the Aura will move with the character , giving them the ability to use the damage bonus elsewhere .
The other feature is Joint Defense , which when characters are no more than one space apart , they will combine their defensive abilities reducing the damage caused by enemies significantly . This feature is especially useful when fighting a tough boss .
Bottom Line :
With Jeanne D'Arc's simple , and easy to understand battle system it is amazing how much depth there is here . Anyone with half a brain cell can pick this game up and start playing with out any frustrating with menus , customization , gameplay . I am betting most SRPG fans are probably awaiting the two other great SRPG's on the horizon for the PSP in the way of Final Fantasy Tactics and Disgaea for PSP . Both are due out this year and are sure to be better than excellent . But , Jeanne D ' Arc is a new and original title no one has seen before on any system and should not be missed by any PSP owner . Lastly let me say that after having tried almost all the SRPG's available for the PSP I was left disappointed after every one . So what do I have to say about Level 5 s latest addition to the PSP Library ? Just two words to them . . . Thank YOU ! !
008 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
Jeanne D'arc is the first PSP RPG from developer Level 5 ( Dragon Quest VIII , Dark Cloud 2 ) . This time they tried their hand at the tactical role-playing genre , instead of their usual action-RPG and standard turn-based offerings . The result is successful in all respects . The combat system works well and offers plenty of tactical options . The special attacks , spells , and other abilities equipped by characters via skill stones that are dropped by enemies or purchased in shops ; are varied , and have a significant effect on combat . The game-play balance is well-tuned to the mid-range . Experienced players will rarely have to play a stage more than twice , but the difficulty level won't frustrate those playing a grid-based tactical RPG for the first time . Except for enemy reinforcements that magically appear in inconvenient places in a couple of stages , Jeanne D'Arc never feels cheap ; but you feel as though you earned your victories . The story isn't epic , but its fanciful take on the
hundred-years war and the tragic figure Jeanne D'Arc , is more than interesting enough to give you a reason to keep playing through the stages .
If I was going to recommend a grid-based tactical RPG to someone that never played one before , this is the one that I would recommend ; more for the things that it doesn't do , than the things it does do . The developer generally steered clear of a lot of the more tedious game-play elements of well-established tactical RPGs like Final Fantasy Tactics , Fire Emblem , and Disgaea ; making it a good introduction for new players .
For example :
There is very little need for level-grinding in Jeanne D'Arc . Maps completed in story mode often become Free Combat stages that can be used to level up and accumulate gold , but it really isn't necessary . Free Combat stages usually have different enemies , and item drops , than they did when they were visited during a mission ; so they are worth visiting again , but only once . Completing the stages to advance the story , and completing each Free Combat stage once ; will provide about all of the experience points that you need to complete the game . Occasionally it may be useful to play a handful of free combat stages to level-up a rarely-used character , but even characters that are never used in combat receive significant experience points . None of the characters are generally more than 7 or 8 levels behind any other character , and they will close the gap quickly if used for a few battles .
There are no character deaths in Jeanne D'Arc , except ones that are scripted as part of the story . Characters that fall in battle are all full revived when the stage is cleared . If you don't clear the stage , the game is over anyway . That means that you don't have to replay stages that you've cleared , over and over , until you get through them with all of the characters that you want to use later still alive . There is , on the other hand , no way to revive fallen characters during a battle .
Gold-farming is almost pointless in Jeanne D'Arc . You can get plenty of cash by selling unneeded skill-stones dropped by enemies , especially if you use the skill-stone binding system to combine common skill-stones into rare ones . Past the mid-point of the game you will rarely buy anything from the shops except for healing items . All of the really good items are acquired free as rewards when you complete certain combat stages the first time . You don't have to play stages over and over again , just to get enough gold to buy the best armor and weapons . I finished the game with over 15000 gold pieces , and over a hundred spare skill stones left ; without making any effort to accumulate money . There just wasn't anything else to buy .
There is no wandering around the game-world for hours trying to find the one location to visit , or one person to talk to ; that will move the story forward , and open up the next area . In Jeanne D'Arc , pressing the Objective button from the world map display at any time will tell you exactly where you should go next to advance the story . You are free to visit any location that is visible on the world map , but you always know where to go when you are ready to move on . This removes the exploration aspect that is important to some RPGs , but most tactical RPGs don't place much emphasis on exploration anyway .
Overall , once you start Jeanne D'Arc , the game tries not to give you a reason to put it down and play something else for a while ; which is a good thing .
From a technical perspective , everything is fine . The graphics are similar to PS2 tactical RPGs , and the music is serviceable ; if not inspiring . Most of the cut-scenes have no voice-acting , but the voice-acting that is there is very good . The animated cut-scenes are also well done . Not as impressive as Valkrie Profile Lenneth , but still very good for a game that isn't from Square Enix . Jeanne D'Arc isn't a long game by RPG standards , but it is reasonably long for a PSP game . There
are about 40 hours of solid game-play , and the game shouldn't require more than 50 hours to complete . With a list price of $29.99 , the game is an excellent value .
People that have spent 100 hours or more grinding their way through games like Disgaea and Final Fantasy Tactics will probably find Jeanne D'Arc too short and basic for their taste ; but everyone else Jeanne D'Arc is a well-made game , with an interesting story , that is an excellent choice for newcomers to the tactical RPG genre . It is also one of the best titles in the PSP library .
013 I always see reviews on tactics games and there is always at least one that says if you like final fantasy tactics you'll like this one . . . . well its very rarely the case . I am a big fan of tactics games , especially FF tactics when that was first out and there are maybe a few games that maybe come close . I would say Jeanne D'Arc is the closest yet . It has a great story , great game play and finally psp is actually making an RPG that is 3D and not an old 16 - 32 bit port . The graphics remind me of Dragon Quest and the overall look and feel of the game would make you think Square was the one who released it . I almost didn't buy it because there are a bunch of games coming out in the next two months for PSP like FF Tactics , Disgaea and Silent Hill and figured buying this one would make it to the unfinished pile , but I am defintely glad of the moment of boredom that pushed me to just go pick it up . I play it more than any PSP game i have owned to date and will definitely have it completed at the rate i am going . Its really enjoyable , challenging at times but never has frustrated me to the point of shutting it off . I just hope the the tactics games coming out can live up to this one now , and to top it all off the price tag on it is better than almost all PSP games releasing at forty bucks when they first released .
033 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
Ever since I played Vandal Hearts and Suikoden on the original Playstation , I've been looking for a similar gaming experience . I enjoy strategy games that have an easy to understand battle system without requiring too much input on fussy little details . It also helps if the story and characters are engaging .
I am delighted to say that Jeanne D'Arc has all the things I've been looking for . You can start playing without having to pore through the manual because there are NPCs sprinkled throughout the game that offer helpful hints and explanations .
It's perhaps a bit on the easy side for seasoned strategy RPG vets , but for anyone looking for a fun experience without the hassles , consider adding this to your PSP game library .
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Jeanne d'Arc is a great game . There , I said it .
Let me start off by saying I am a Level 5 fan . I own several of their games ( Dragon Quest VIII , Dark Chronicle ( aka Dark Cloud 2 ) , Rogue Galaxy , Professor Layton , . . . ) and I love their attention to detail and all the little tweaks they put into their games . They always manage to put in a little extra that doesn't really add a lot to the gameplay , but it gives the game a soul and makes you , the gamer , feel like they gave their all just to make it the best game ever .
With that out of the way , Jeanne d'Arc revolves around the historical character of Joan of Arc , a young girl that lead the French to some victories during the 100 - year War against the English . The game however does another take on these historical facts . Turns out previous to that great war , there was another war , the War of the Reapers , where humankind defeated a fiend and hordes of underlings . Five legendary knights , each with a holy armlet , lead mankind to victory . Now , one of these armlets comes into the possession of a smalltown girl named Jeanne . It not only gives her some amazing powers , but she also starts to hear voices . They are telling her to drive the English out of her country and so she sets out on a journey through medieval France .
Jeanne d'Arc is a turn based strategic role playing game . Most of the time you'll spend on grid like battlefields . During the player phase you move the characters in your party a number of squares , and either attack the enemy physically or magically , heal or wait . Within a certain amount of turns you are to reach the stage's goals ( like defeating all enemies , without losing a single member of your party ) . During battles you gain experience , gold and skill stones . Outside of the battles , you can equip your party members , go to shops or bind skills . Skills are found in skill stones that you can equip or bind into new skills . Through this mechanism a whole selection of new , oftentimes more powerful skills will come to your disposition .
Your party members are the typical RPG standard fare : a sword and axe fighter , a mage , a bowman , . . . but each character has its own unique traits which are demonstrated while the story is told in the numerous cut scenes in between battles . You get easily attached to at least some characters , and so you hate to have them fall in battle , even though that doesn't mean they are lost forever ( like in Fire Emblem for Nintendo systems ) .
The graphics in Jeanne d'Arc are anime inspired , as the beautiful box art already suggests . Although most of the cut scenes are done with the in game engine , there are also a number of anime sequences that help mend the story together . ( There is also an anime library where you can review all of these anime sequences . ) The character models are cute and detailed . The English in this game are portrayed as funny pig and lizard like creatures . The character animations are nice and the magical effects are neither impressive nor underachieving .
The voice overs are very well done . Most voice actors speak english with a french like accent , which gives everything a little more authenticity .
The music is for the most part excellent . The battle themes are very nice and the sound in the game menus is great too . Only the song in the opening screen grew old on me quickly , but who ever stays long on that screen ?
So , in short : if you're looking for a PSP RPG : Get This Game .
055 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
Jeanne d'Arc is a great game . There , I said it .
Let me start off by saying I am a Level 5 fan . I own several of their games ( Dragon Quest VIII , Dark Chronicle ( aka Dark Cloud 2 ) , Rogue Galaxy , Professor Layton , . . . ) and I love their attention to detail and all the little tweaks they put into their games . They always manage to put in a little extra that doesn't really add a lot to the gameplay , but it gives the game a soul and makes you , the gamer , feel like they gave their all just to make it the best game ever .
With that out of the way , Jeanne d'Arc revolves around the historical character of Joan of Arc , a young girl that lead the French to some victories during the 100 - year War against the English . The game however does another take on these historical facts . Turns out previous to that great war , there was another war , the War of the Reapers , where humankind defeated a fiend and hordes of underlings . Five legendary knights , each with a holy armlet , lead mankind to victory . Now , one of these armlets comes into the possession of a smalltown girl named Jeanne . It not only gives her some amazing powers , but she also starts to hear voices . They are telling her to drive the English out of her country and so she sets out on a journey through medieval France .
Jeanne d'Arc is a turn based strategic role playing game . Most of the time you'll spend on grid like battlefields . During the player phase you move the characters in your party a number of squares , and either attack the enemy physically or magically , heal or wait . Within a certain amount of turns you are to reach the stage's goals ( like defeating all enemies , without losing a single member of your party ) . During battles you gain experience , gold and skill stones . Outside of the battles , you can equip your party members , go to shops or bind skills . Skills are found in skill stones that you can equip or bind into new skills . Through this mechanism a whole selection of new , oftentimes more powerful skills will come to your disposition .
Your party members are the typical RPG standard fare : a sword and axe fighter , a mage , a bowman , . . . but each character has its own unique traits which are demonstrated while the story is told in the numerous cut scenes in between battles . You get easily attached to at least some characters , and so you hate to have them fall in battle , even though that doesn't mean they are lost forever ( like in Fire Emblem for Nintendo systems ) .
The graphics in Jeanne d'Arc are anime inspired , as the beautiful box art already suggests . Although most of the cut scenes are done with the in game engine , there are also a number of anime sequences that help mend the story together . ( There is also an anime library where you can review all of these anime sequences . ) The character models are cute and detailed . The English in this game are portrayed as funny pig and lizard like creatures . The character animations are nice and the magical effects are neither impressive nor underachieving .
The voice overs are very well done . Most voice actors speak english with a french like accent , which gives everything a little more authenticity .
The music is for the most part excellent . The battle themes are very nice and the sound in the game menus is great too . Only the song in the opening screen grew old on me quickly , but who ever stays long on that screen ?
So , in short : if you're looking for a PSP RPG : Get This Game .
057 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
Jeanne D'Arc is a fabulous game . Everything about it just shines . It is true it doesn't stretch the genre ( Tactical RPG ) or provide anything really new or innovative . That's o.k . with me because I just wanted to have loads of fun with a game and not with figuring out a new idea or concept . After Avalon Code for the DS ( which was very new , unique , and innovative although not a tactical game ) I was ready for some good old fashioned tactical gameplay . Jeanne delivers in spades .
The graphics are excellent . The cut scenes were extremely well done to include the voice acting ( not so much common in RPG's ) . The story was interesting - - it started off more historical but then threw a bunch of fantasy components in - - so those who want a true historical game will be disappointed . Killing trolls , ogres , and mages ? Count me in as I'm all sorts of good with that .
Gameplay is truly where this beauty of a game shines - - the controls are exceptionally tight . The menu and battle systems are top notch - - clear , easy to understand and use , and fairly intuitive . My only ( admittedly minor ) complaints would be shopping for equiptment and weapons requires you to use the L / R button to scroll through characters and feels a bit awkward at first and that sometimes the little box on the left ( your characters stats and info ) that appears on the screen when you select that character for movement obscures your view of the field ( they would have been better putting it on top left instead of bottom left ) .
I found it easy to get into - - with a little more meat than some others - - there is some story you have to get through the first hour or so and I recommend when you start you allocate like 2 hours for play time . After that it is not difficult to pick up and play for whatever period you can - - there are regular saves on the map and a quick save in battle . A note that , like other tactical RPG's , the battles can be short 10 minute affairs or longer 25 - 40 minute affairs - - depends on a variety of factors so consider this aspect as well .
The difficulty level is not really high - - but there were places where underleveling could cause you major issues . I had a very tough time with the escort mission around Stage 10 but I went and leveled up and then it became doable for me .
At the current pricepoint this game would be my top pick ( along with the 2 Star Ocean games and Brave Story ) for the PSP in the field of RPG that someone without a ton of RPG experience should pick up . Do yourself a favor and don't miss out on this one !
059 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
Reviewed for Big Boss Games By : Tim
The Story ( taken from the instruction book ) :
Another Story of the battles of St . Jeanne D'arc
A long time ago , there was a battle known as the War of the Reapers . The Reaper , led by a demon lord possessed with the great power of darkness , invaded the human world with their armies of demons . The humans pooled their battle strength , and it extended into a long conflict . In order to seal the evil , five chosen warriors of battle created five armlets and , using their power , sealed the demon lord and the reapers into sacred jewels .
Time passed until the dawn of the 15th century , and territory disputes between France and England are ongoing .
In the middle of a festival held in the small French village of Domremy , the town is beset by attacks from demons like nothing the citizens have ever seen before . Suddenly a girl in the village , Jeanne , hears a voice from heaven telling her to defeat the enemies . She picks up her sword , and destroys them all .
On her right arm was an armlet quite like the ones used by the warriors of the War of the Reapers .
Guided by a voice from heaven , Jeanne , along with the young girl Liane and former mercenary Roger , heads for the castle of Charles the Dauphin . But , the destiny of Jeanne and her friends , who embark on a long journey into battle to save their mother country , has yet to be determined .
Story : 4.5 / 5
Almost perfect . . . this story is not for anyone under 13 years old .
You start out as a young girl that finds a magical armlet that lots of people are looking for and will kill many people to get it . This game has good guys that lose it and become monsters themselves . This game also has a good old fashion witch burning . Also , your friends are never what they seem .
Sound : 4.5 / 5
What a great musical score from such an adult game .
Graphics : 5 / 5
The opening , closing and cut scenes are movie quality . WOW ! I was so drawn into the story that I didn't notice that the game had begun . The art style that Level - 5 used to tell this dark tale was perfect !
Game-play : 4 / 5
Turn-based strategy , I really liked the battle system in Jeanne D'Arc because as soon as the game starts to feel worn and tired out , they toss you some new skill or magic attack that will draw you back . Also , the FROG is super cool ! Feed him well .
Replay Value : 1 / 5
I'm truly afraid to replay this great game . I'm not sure that I can handle the bonfire scene again . . . This game is not for little kids and any adults that have issues with death , destruction and lots of drama .
Overall : 4.5 / 5
This drama filled adventure into pseudo history is one that will haunt your nightmares for many a night . Jeanne D'Arc is one of the most memorable games I've ever played . I will never forget this game . This game will leave you with more questions than answers and that is ok because that allows us to fill in the blanks . I've kept this gem of a game in my personal collection . I recommend this game for any story driven RPG fan that likes drama .
Again , this game is not for kids . . .
061 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
I just brought my PSP earlier in 2007 , so I have not played and completed too many games . However , of the 5 I have purchased and completed , this is by far and away the best . Nice graphics and character special effects . Anime feel to cutscenes . Fun , since characters fight hard , but have a sense of humor . Nice twist on tactical strategy turn based game . Character movement , special skills , and position very important during combat phase . Fun ability to create or bind your own special skills . A nice variety of easy , and progressively harder enemies and bosses . Took me 45 hours to complete . Short load times . Nice music . Overall , highly recommended for any PSP user . Would love to see Jeanne D'Arc Two in a few years .
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This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
Jeanne D'Arc manages to deliver on all fronts , from the presentation to the fast paced and streamlined open-ended battles and skill binding mechanics . Everything in this game is polished , pretty , highly functional and fun . At the end of the day it's hard for me to complain about anything in this game .
071 This review is from :
Jeanne D'arc ( Video Game )
Jeanne D'Arc manages to deliver on all fronts , from the presentation to the fast paced and streamlined open-ended battles and skill binding mechanics . Everything in this game is polished , pretty , highly functional and fun . At the end of the day it's hard for me to complain about anything in this game .
072 Jeanne D'Arc manages to deliver on all fronts , from the presentation to the fast paced and streamlined open-ended battles and skill binding mechanics . Everything in this game is polished , pretty , highly functional and fun . At the end of the day it's hard for me to complain about anything in this game .
