Lord of Arcana PSP
User Score
5.2 out of 10

Mixed or average reviews- based on 15 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 15
  3. Negative: 6 out of 15

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  1. DrebinSlevin
    Jan 27, 2011
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The critics just love to hate on games like this for the idiotic reasons. "Oh the graphics aren't the prettiest", and, "Oh it's just like Monster Hunter". Last time I checked they gave Monster Hunter low scores. Now that MH is insanely popular they give Monster Hunter sequels decent reviews. So don't listen to "professional" reveiws. The game is fun. If you like Monster Hunter or Phantasy Star Portable/Online, you'll enjoy this as it mixes elements from both and throws them into a fantasy based world. The story isn't the prominent ( another thing reveiwers bash this game for while now loving MH...) but it's the kind of game where the story isn't important. The action is much faster paced and the leveling sytem honestly work better for weapons in this than it did for Phantasy Star Portable. Instead of having to grind certain moves like in PH Portable, you gain proficiency points for the weapon style you use. A much better system. You can still craft weapons and armor like in Monster Hunter. You can also craft magical spells and summons out of the bosses you kill. This game is not for everyone. There will be grinding, but if you are a true fan of Monster Hunter waiting for Monster Hunter 3rd for your PSP, get this game. The camera works a bit better than Monster Hunter as it has a lock on mechanic. The downside to it is that you have to hold the "L" button while fighting. You get used to it though. It's still a tough as nails game so you have to prepare for each quest like you would in MH. Especially for boss fights. Overall a decent game not at all deserving of it's lower "pro" score.… Expand
  2. sakilla
    Feb 10, 2011
    10
    Lord of Arcana, for the demographic of gamers it is catering to, is an excellent game through and through. Never have I read so many reviews across the web and felt that so much wrong information was being published about this game. First of all, the game is hard, because that's the point. But you level up and get new gear and stay persistent, and soon those early enemies and bosses become fodder for your sword. The game demands patience from the player, but it moves along steadily (I'm about half way through at 30 hours or so, which is standard for an action RPG).

    Second, this game, though obviously heavily inspired by Monster Hunter, is quite different. It feels much more like a Square-Enix RPG, despite the fact that Square-Enix was the publisher, not the developer.

    Third, the graphics are really awesome. No, it's not the top of the stack for PSP games visually, but it is far prettier than most would lead you to believe.

    And possibly the most important point I can make: you can play this game solo. At least it hasn't given me a problem yet. Many complain that the lack of wireless connectivity doesn't allow you to conveniently play with others, but you can certainly play this game alone. I've been doing just fine...you just need to grind, loot, build new gear, level, and learn your enemies attack patterns.

    Overall, this is already going to be one of my favorite PSP games of 2011, so if you are on the fence, please by all means, pick this little gem up. Not many things are more rewarding than downing a monster after fighting him for 20 minutes.    … Expand
  3. FredIK
    Mar 17, 2011
    6
    Good ideas for a copy of Monsters Hunters, but graphics and storyline aren't really present...
    The fighting are confused, not a great Square-Enix product
  4. warpy
    Jun 1, 2011
    9
    it really isn't that bad, it has as much of (maybe more) a story as monster hunter and the graphics are at the very very least decent. comparing it to monster hunter, with which it shares a lot of similarities, it doesnt feel like its balanced as well and there isnt as much of a variety of non-boss monsters, on the other hand, youv'e got a bit more customisation and variety in your move set with battle arts and magic cards, and its a bit more streamlined, with no need for sharpening stones and similar items (i know some people like that extra complexity, but i can live without it). something i particularly liked was the unusually robust demo version you can give people without the game which puts most DS download games to shame, it lets them play up to the third chapter, and more importantly it lets them play with you in multiplayer missions.… Expand
  5. mikelim28
    Mar 18, 2011
    10
    This game is very similar to monster hunter game series, but theres nothing new to this game..
    The game is boring and no challenge at all..I like monster hunter than this kind of cheap low budget, boring game..
  6. DarkChaplain
    Oct 4, 2011
    1
    Did I enjoy my adventures in Horodyn?
    Not really. I did at first; the tutorial was nice, the boss battle was alright and it had some variety.
    The actual game, starting with a level one character turned me off.
    Some people might consider it fun to grind. And grind. And grind. And grind and grind and grind til they finally do a nice amount of damage, get some options and encounter more types     of enemies,
    but I surely do not.

    Grinding is a good part of RPGs, but in Lord of Arcana, it just doesn't pay off to spend hours and hours into playing something you aren't supposed to play alone.

    The multiplayer might be a hell lot of fun, but due to 'bringing gamers together in real life'-reasons by Square Enix, you won't be able to play with your friends using W-LAN.
    All you can do is sit together and play via AdHoc or connect your PSPs to a PS3 to simulate AdHoc.
    While playing together irl is fun, it is seldom possible, especially in world unified by the internet.

    First Publishers cut Split Screen from their games, and now they want Portable users to get together.
    I sure wouldn't get any of my friends to spend money on such an unpolished game, that's for sure.

    Full Review: http://darkchaplain-anotherstory.blogspot.com/2011/02/lord-of-arcana-review.html    … Expand

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
53 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 45 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 45
  2. Mixed: 28 out of 45
  3. Negative: 15 out of 45
  1. Worth Playing
    Sep 5, 2011
    60
    If you have friends who love the role-playing/action sub-genre and have already played through the other games of this type, give this one a try, as there is some genuine fun to be had. If you're a solo player who's just looking for a few creatures to slash, feel free to skip this one.
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  2. GameCritics
    Apr 27, 2011
    35
    Clearly, the guys at Access Games understand that games in the Monster Hunter vein are supposed to be punishingly difficult. What they didn't get was that the soul-crushing challenge should come from the gameplay and not poor design decisions. Throwing down your PSP in anger because a boss has outsmarted you is acceptable. Tossing it aside because a fight revolves more around beating the bad game design than the actual enemy is not.
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  3. Multiplayer.it
    Apr 6, 2011
    60
    Lord of Arcana tries to follow in the footsteps of Monster Hunter, but without success. The plot, which revolves around a magical stone and the "chosen one" who must retrieve it, fails to deliver, while the controls make cumbersome and uninspiring both the exploration and the combat.
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