I have to admit that I enjoyed Magna Carta: Tears of Blood for the PlayStation 2 just as much as fellow reviewer Nick Valentino for the very reason he mentioned in his review. It was a traditional role-playing game with some good ideas but there was nothing that really makes the game feel as if you’re playing something new. A few years later and an all-new console later, Magnacarta 2 for the Xbox 360 plays like a classic RPG and that’s not such a bad thing … unless games like Fallout 3 and Mass Effect have spoiled you rotten with their innovation.

 
American Sports Fan: “So this is soccer, huh? I like it!”

Still, if you’re a dedicated RPG fan like myself and are able to look past the fact that Magnacarta 2 doesn’t offer anything innovative then there is bright spots in its solid cast of characters and a story that gets better after the first act. You see, the game revolves around a young man with amnesia named Juto who lives among the island folk with Melissa - a Highwind Island guard who becomes his surrogate sister. Life on the island is peaceful despite the fact that there’s a war going on between the Northern Forces and the Southern Forces led by a beautiful Princess who calls herself Zephie.

Oh, but peace never lasts, does it?  The war becomes a reality to Highwind Island’s inhabitants when Princess Zephie comes to contain a Guardian located somewhere on the island that the enemy is dying to get their hands on. Worried about Melissa, Juto goes to her aid only to unleash a power he never knew he had (or at least, doesn’t remember having) and defeats said Guardian. Then something tragic happens and Juto finds himself joining the Southern Forces’ Counter-Sentinel Unit to reclaim Highwind Island from the enemy’s clutches and get his revenge.

As I mentioned, Magnacarta plays like a classic RPG complete with text dialogue, treasure chests and numerous fetch quests. There’s very little that sets this game apart from other old school RPGs with the exception of combat, party actions and unique individual characters skills. You play as Juto in the game, following the story through his eyes and thoughts but you can also take control of the other members of your party during battles (we’ll get to that in a minute).

You can explore your surroundings in the game but the environments aren’t too massive even after you find yourself in new territory. Unlike the more traditional RPG, battles just don’t simply erupt nor does colliding with an enemy begin a battle. You can freely pull out your weapon or ready your magic spells with the left trigger and attack a nearby enemy at any moment and you can always pull away from a fight and return to give the enemy another beating.

 
“Now we’re in trouble, dude! She’s casting the ‘Ultimate Nagging Wife’ Spell!”

While combat is handled in real-time, there are limits to the amount of slashes or spells you can sling at your targeted opponent. Swing one too many times and you’ll consume too much stamina to the point that you’ll Overheat … which basically makes you unable to move or attack until the stamina gauge is filled again. You can chain attacks with a teammate and you can even go into Overdrive to unleash a powerful blow. Each character also has his or her own Signature Technique, for example, Juto has Skyward Hammer - a monstrous kick that can knock an enemy down or even disarm them. The good news is that you can always switch between characters while the AI takes care of the other characters in your party. 

There are also plenty of quests to tackle in this game including side quests that various NPC characters offer for Sid (this world’s currency). The side quests range from the simple fetch quest such as picking X amount of herbs for a healer to the slightly more complex such as escorting a merchant to another town. As a member of the Counter-Sentinel Unit, you will be teaming up with Zelphie’s friends like the beast-like Argo, the faithful Rue, the child-like Celestine and the magic-user Crocell.

You can also craft items you can use or sell to merchants throughout the world’s different locations and towns. Each character can also perform different skills unique to them such as harvesting plants or making Molotov cocktails by way of a short mini-game. They’re not too difficult or challenging but it’s good to find in a game that doesn’t really add anything new. At least the game is lengthy seeing as it takes up two discs!

 
Juto: “No, really, I’m a guy. What doesn’t anyone ever believe me when I say that?”

Visually, there are times when Magnacarta 2 will impress and there are times when it will certainly disappoint. The game’s character models look particularly striking at times and most specifically during conversations and cut scenes. It’s the backgrounds that don’t really do justice to the console, although the visual effects do look good.

There’s a great soundtrack that plays throughout the game and adds an epic feel to the story and cut scenes. Sure, it’s not as memorable as most Final Fantasy games but it does the trick nicely. There are also some decent sound effects in the game, although it’s not as detailed as you’d expect. What does work wonderfully is the voice acting that is performed by talented voice actors from a number of anime series (e.g. Johnny Yong Bosch, Laura Bailey and Yuri Lowenthal to name a few).

In the end, Magnacarta 2 for the Xbox 360 might not bring anything new to the table but there’s just enough here to keep loyal RPG fans pleasantly busy. Unfortunately, the genre has evolved in ways that the classic role-playing games of the past just feels out of place on a next-gen console like the Xbox 360 but if you don’t mind its old school mentality then do give Magnacarta 2 a try.

Gameplay: 7.0
Juto has no memory of who he is until a beautiful Princess comes to his small village when the enemy comes knocking on their door. The story might feel familiar but there are many quests and an interesting party of characters you can use on the battlefield. Crafting items and special skills spice up the game and combat.

Graphics: 7.5
There are some lovely visual effects in this game and you just have to love the character models during cut scenes but nothing about the game makes you really feel like you’re playing it on the Xbox 360. 

Sound: 8.5
The original score brings to mind the classic RPGs of old and that’s not such a bad thing, really. What does work are the sound effects and, more importantly, the voice acting that includes some of the best voice actors working in anime today.

Difficulty: Medium
Some of the most challenging enemies are the ones found later in the game or those that are a few levels higher than you. With combat being the most challenging element you’ll have to deal with in this game, the rest isn’t too hard.

Concept: 7.5
There are plenty of quests and side quests Juto and company can take on and there’s a lot of land to visit in this game as you go up against the enemy. Each character has his or her own unique skills as well. Other than that, there isn’t anything refreshingly new about this RPG.

Overall: 7.5
An epic that is packed on two discs, Magnacarta 2 doesn’t do anything particularly new or inventive but this adventure has a number of enjoyable moments worth experiencing. Yes, it plays like an old school RPG but great characters and a decent story will keep you interested enough to see the game through to the very end.