Games for Lunch: Luminous Arc 2
In a nutshell: So ... many ... awesome ... CHARACTERS!
11/18/2008 6:39 PM | 1 Comments | Page 1 of 3
Developer: imageepoch
Publisher: Atlus
Release Date: Nov. 18, 2008
System: Nintendo DS
ESRB Rating: T
Official Web site
0:00 I have no idea what to expect from this one -- I've barely even heard of the first
Luminous Arc. Still, the embargo date for this dev build is up today, and I have to play
something for lunch, so...
0:01 Japanese singing over an anime cut scene of guys with big swords fighting. A shot of a blue sky and the title appears. A girl sits sullenly on a bench in a garden with petals flying by. A girl in a beret is approached by a pikeman, then runs to someone else. More blue sky. More sword-fighting. Two beautiful people reach for each other through a blinding light. A bunch of flying people pose. More petals flying in the air as a bunch of characters look out over a ledge into ... the blue sky again. Wow, that was incredibly generic. And so many characters!
0:03 "Prologue: Carnava, the Grand Kingdom." Armored knight Gaston comes on screen. "The preparations for the fireworks seem to be going well," his text dialogue reads. A random knight reports that the fireworks display is on schedule for the start of the Star Flower festival. There's a "Witch Conflict" going on, but Gaston says it's still important to have festivals in these trying times.
0:05 Quote of the moment: "Let those manly tears flow!" I swear it made sense in context.
0:06 "Your Majesty ... brighter and more full of life than the sun itself," says Gaston upon reporting to the queen. This part is actually spoken through some over-the-top voice acting. The queen is wearing a skimpy white bustier. Doesn't seem very regal ... "I have waited for you, Gaston," also spoken. Grimm, the head of the info bureau, is there too. Richter, the head of a defense squad, is out defending the city. Grimm gives a report on the Shadow Frost Witch battle.
0:10 Bespectacled Wendell from Engineering arrives late. He has a suitably whiny voice. Steiner, leader of the Stinger squad, is also here now. Sheesh, how many characters are there?!
0:11 Steiner reports that the "beta version" of the Runic Engine is complete. They had beta in those times? Anyway, they need to test it on a human subject. Steiner volunteers to be the guinea pig. What could go wrong?! "I live to serve our Queen!" he yells for no good reason.
0:13 Suddenly the speech turns off as the characters continue to discuss Steiner's brave/foolhardy volunteering through text. Meanwhile, a random knight comes in to announce the arrival of a girl holding a document from the Brilliant Witch. Apparently she's an enemy of the Shadow Frost Witch.
0:15 Deep thought of the moment, from the queen: "... the world changes ... it cannot be stopped."
0:16 Outside, in the training area, the spoken dialogue comes back. "Fool! Are you blind? That strike could have killed you!" says Steven, who then proceeds to assault Rasche. "Gah! Don't kick me there! That's not fair!" We don't actually see where the kick landed, so let's assume he was kicked in the ... knee. Blue-haired Roland walks in. "Ouch! That looks like it really hurt!" So Steven sucker-kicks Roland in the ... knee ... as well. "You bastard!" Rina pops in, upset to hear they'll be patrolling during the festival. "Aww, I was looking forward to enjoying the festival..." For the record, that's FOUR new characters in a couple of minutes!
