Epic RPG for the XBOX 360
"Epic Battles = Epic Game!"
The Last Remnant is the latest RPG from Square Enix. It's hook was the ability to have huge battles between two opposing armies. And they did that right. The battles can get BIG. 15 party members vs. 20-something monsters? No problem. That's within the first few hours, and it only gets bigger from there.
Story:The Last Remnant's story is a bit cliche, but it gets the job done. Brother and sister Rush and Irina Sykes get a letter (actually, a hologram) from their Mom and Dad telling them to come live in the town of Elysion. Mom and Dad (who work at the Academy) have been researching Remnants for a while now, and haven't had time to come home. Just as the letter ends, Rush and Irina are attacked, and Irina is kidnapped! Rush is bound and determined to find her, no matter what the cost!
...Yeah, like I said. Cliche, BUT there are a few twists along the way, making it enjoyable.
Gameplay: This is where I was hooked. Don't let the instruction manual scare you, gameplay is easy to understand. Characters are placed in groups called Unions, and each union combines it's HP, AP, strength, defense, and all stats into one. Just think of a union as one character.
So, you set up your unions into formations (battle stances that give certain bonuses), and go fight some monsters. Battles look complicated, but it's not. The first screen shows you your union status, enemy unions, and commands. The commands are general orders, such as "Attack using Combat Arts! (special moves)," or "Keep your HP up!" that require AP (Action Points) to use.
Depending on which order you give your union, the characters will act accordingly. For example, tell a Union to Attack using Combat Arts, and some characters will use a special moves, while others will attack normally. Don't worry, though, the AI isn't stupid. If you tell them to heal themselves, they will (so long as you have the items if you use Item Arts).
But wait, I'm not done yet! You can gain the advantage of every battle using strategy. If an ally union attacks an enemy union, they're engaged in a Deadlock - that is, they must fight to the death. While a Deadlock can be broken, it is NOT recommended. Anyway, if union A and B are in a Deadlock, and union C joins in to attack A, then a "Flank Attack" occurs, and union C does extra damage. This sounds complicated, but an hour of gameplay and you'll have it down!
And now, critical triggers. At random times throughout the battle, whether you're attacking or dodging/blocking, the action will slow down and a button will appear on screen. Press the button as soon as it lights up, and you'll do extra damage or counterattack (depending on the situation). If you can't get the timing down, don't worry - you can set it to auto to make it easier.
Be careful, though: This game is hard. Not impossibly hard, but make sure you take your time. Else, you'll be seeing that "Game over" screen a lot.
Take all of that and put it into every battle and you have one very exciting (and epic) game!
Sound: The sound is very good. Getting hit by a sword SOUNDS like getting hit by a sword. And if an attack is supposed to hurt, it sounds like it'll hurt! The sound is very well done.
As for the music, WONDERFUL. The music pumps you up for battles, and fits the mood of the moment. I can't wait to start a battle, just so I can hear that awesome music! And the longer a battle goes, the more the music pumps up!
The voice acting is...okay. It's not stellar, butRead full review
