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Enchanted Arms

EMAIL PRINT xbox360

7.1 User Score:

Mixed or average reviews

Based on 54 critic reviews
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Based on 28 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: From Software / Ubisoft

Developer: From Software

Genre(s): Role-Playing Game

Players: 1

ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Release Date: August 29, 2006

Summary

(Known is Japan as "[eM] -eNCHANT arM-") In Enchanted Arms, players embark on an epic adventure filled with unique characters and more than 75 special controllable creatures that players can unlock as they progress. Players take on the role of Atsuma, an Enchanter-in-training who will transform from a naïve student to the most powerful savior in a war 1,000 years in the making. As the story develops, players face increasingly difficult challenges and learn to master Atsuma's special fighting and magical abilities. [Ubisoft]

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What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

Gaming Age

With the Japanese dialog, the stunning visuals and the solid turn-based combat system it's the first game in a long time that sates my appetite for the old school RPG.

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Gamestyle

The game is unpretentious and makes no apologies for being exactly what it wants to be - and that is a game with a beautifully crafted storyline, intriguing characters, plenty of humour, and everything you want from an RPG. Forget the naysayers, this is really a class act.

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Digital Entertainment News

It's not "Oblivion," and it's not trying to be. Enchanted Arms is to Tactics-style RPGs what Oblivion was to action-RPGs. A solid next-gen effort from an underdog developer.

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XboxAddict

The apparently complex combat system and intriguing game world set up some solid groundwork for Enchanted Arms to continue to keep you entertained for a long time.

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eToychest

It’s well-paced, fun to play, and has some chuckle-worthy dialogue at times.

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Planet Xbox 360

Enchanted Arms is not perfect but it is very close and will keep JRPG lovers busy for quite some time (around 80 gameplay hours to be exact).

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GamingTrend

The combat system is different and requires more strategy compared to other RPGs.

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RPG Fan

From Software's older RPGs were barely playable, but this one was one of my favorite RPGs of the year. The eye candy is the game's defining feature, but it doesn't attempt to stand on that aspect alone.

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Extreme Gamer

I see the Live portion of Enchanted Arms as a pure bonus which is a start, and a glimpse into the future of more turned based online features.

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Play Magazine

[eM] is most impressive when placed in its proper context: From Software managed to craft a sprawling, 60-hour-long, traditional J-RPG on a next-generation platform in an incredibly short ammount of time....and it's actually pretty darn good. [Mar 2006, p.61]

Deeko

Meshing a well-told and captivating story with a strategic battle system, a bevy of collectable minions and a gorgeous world, Enchanted Arms is a great way to start of the JRPG tradition on the Xbox 360.

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Game Chronicles

It’s not a landmark adventure, but it is a worthy adventure.

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Gamers' Temple

I also found it strange that wherever Atsuma went there was always a cloud of dust at his feet. Not sure why this bothered me, but it did.

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Xbox World Australia

Enchanted Arms could best be described as a Japanese-style RPG for Dummies: it introduces players to the sort of Eastern RPG philosophies that games like Oblivion tend to shy away from: soap-operatic stories, linear narratives, turn-based combat, and lots and lots of collecting things.

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TeamXbox

It’s not even in the same stratosphere as Oblivion, but it does offer a futuristic, far Eastern flavor that Elder Scrolls lacks.

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IGN

The good options for auto fighting, fast forwarding through battles and scores of golems to hunt are brought down by several unfortunate shortcomings. The battle system is generic and battles occur far too often for their own good, making for gameplay that can get boring at times.

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Gamer 2.0

Enchanted Arms is a completely standard RPG with some charming gameplay and plot elements that make it slightly better than average.

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MS Xbox World

Enchanted Arms offers a compelling yet comical story that will at times make you laugh out loud or at the least, bring a smile to your face.

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Worth Playing

An excellent first foray into the next generation of RPGs for Microsoft. It's both beautiful to see and a lot of fun to play.

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GameBrink

[EM]-eNCHANT aRM- has a predictable, yet entertaining, plot featuring a small cast of likeable characters, a moderate sized world that will take about 40 hours to explore, and a good battle system. Sure the graphics are a mixed bag, music is strangely absent, and the encounter rate is high, yet it's still a nice start for next-gen rpgs. [JPN Import]

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Kombo

A solid Japanese RPG that fans of the genre will enjoy, but not quite superb enough to interest new players in the genre.

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GamingExcellence

While the overall freedom in the world in very limiting, the great character interactions and storyline make up for the deficiency.

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Games Master UK

Camp as Christmas and surprisingly fun, this quirky RPG is a decent enough romp. [Nov 2006, p.71]

DailyGame

Not a bad game by any means, but the slow initial pace combined with horrible voice work make for a game that most players won't want to make it past hour 5.

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GameSpot

Enchanted Arms is a capable and often enjoyable role-playing game, but it's also one that you'll likely forget as soon as you finish it.

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Gamezilla!

I wasn’t impressed much by the game’s visuals. They don’t seem to offer much beyond any other game, unless you like drab pre-rendered backgrounds and some remarkably not-stunning character designs.

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Next Level Gaming

As long as you change the voice-overs to the original Japanese dialog, the game will be tolerable. If you have been looking for a traditional, turn-based RPG for the Xbox 360, then this one is a nice option.

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Official Xbox Magazine UK

Perhaps the most likeable cult oddity on XBox 360. [Oct 2006, p.98]

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DarkStation

Ubisoft brings the Japanese RPG experience to the 360, but sadly doesn't dazzle us with truly next-gen visuals and revolutionary gameplay.

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Eurogamer

Fans of Japanese RPGs should bear in mind that behind the problems lies an extremely competent, if not terribly imaginative, RPG which will certainly fill a couple of dozen hours of your time in an entertaining and involving manner.

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GameTrailers

The colorful adventure is generic in every way except for the graphics, but it should sill be a fun experience for hardcore RPG fans. The world that you explore in real time looks as good as some cut scenes on PS2 RPG’s.

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GameSpy

Turns out to be a well-made game, but is so blatantly unoriginal that it may actually inspire resentment in players who are tired of the same old thing.

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VideoGamer

The biggest disappoint is how pitiful the narrative is.

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Jolt Online Gaming UK

With up to 50 hours of gameplay and the option of having rather straightfoward online battles, you’ll at least get your money’s worth; we’re just not sure that most Xbox 360 gamers have refined enough tastes to fully appreciate it.

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AceGamez

If you're looking for a game with legs and lifespan, Enchanted Arms is for you.

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GameCritics

If they had trimmed all the meaningless RPG fat and reworked Enchanted Arms into something more concentrated, the experience would have played to the game's strengths and been more successful for it.

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1UP

The decidedly traditional approach that permeates every part of the game makes the decision to develop this as a "new-gen" game all the more odd, to say the very least.

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PALGN

Enchanted Arms is something of a run-of-the-mill effort but it does enough differently and enough well to warrant a look.

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Electronic Gaming Monthly

For a Japanese role-playing game on the decidely un-Japanese 360, this turned out to be surprisingly predictable experience. [Oct. 2006, p.109]

Official Xbox Magazine

But ultimately, it's hard to whole-heartedly recommend this game to anyone but the most diehard turn-based--RPG fanatics. [Oct. 2006, p.73]

Xbox360Achievements

The story never really takes off and the characters are a bit one-dimensional, plus the lack of anything other than the main quest to occupy your attention is a let down.

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Xboxic

In true J-RPG fashion this game doesn’t have a lot of real gameplay and I accept that that’s one of the merits of the genre, however the battle system gets really old really fast.

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RewiredMind

If you come into Enchanted Arms looking for something as epic as the Final Fantasy series then there’s a hefty chance you’ll leave disappointed. That’s not to say this is a bad game at all. Enchanted Arms plays like most would expect - an average RPG. Nothing more, nothing less.

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Edge Magazine

It’s a unique offering for 360 owners – as it would have been for Xbox – certainly, but one who’s highlights can’t match those of the RPGs currently burning brightly on PS2. [Apr 2006, p.87]

Yahoo! Games

American role-playing veterans who aren't absolutely dying to do turn-based battles on their shiny new console are advised to wait for a true RPG killer app on 360 -- however long that's going to take.

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games(TM)

As it stands, it’s only eye candy that distinguishes Enchanted Arms from the wealth of tactical RPGs on PS2. [Oct 2006, p.130]

Game Informer

While not broken in any fundamental ways, this souless and cliched title tries to be too many things to many people, and in the end does none of them well. [Oct. 2006, p.104]

Game Revolution

A decent, if forgettable, RPG romp through familiar lands, with familiar faces, for familiar goals. Its surprisingly thoughtful and intelligent battle system mostly makes up for its weak character customization, lackluster graphics and overly linear world.

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Boomtown

If, like me, you’re vulnerable to anime/manga/JRPG cliché, then this game will be a guilty pleasure, but I’ll be surprised if you finish it.

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Sydney Morning Herald

Xbox 360 gamers will be pleased to have a grand RPG, but sadly it's not nearly as enchanting as it could be.

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360 Gamer Magazine UK

It’s average. It’s the sort of by-the-numbers fantastical nonsense you’ve played, completed and discarded a million times before and doesn’t offer anything new besides high resolution graphics and a slight reliance on the ‘A’ button.

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Games Radar (in-house)

If you absolutely must get your hands on a next-generation RPG now, give it a shot, but don't be surprised if these Arms feel weak.

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netjak

I can't even recommend renting this one just for the amount of time you're going to have invest for so little payoff. This is a game that tried to do everything by the numbers, and it missed even being able to accomplish that.

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X360 Magazine UK

A fundamentally flawed and boring RPG, Enchanted Arms might be steeped in Japanese charm but without any sense of fun or involvement, there's no reason to buy this. [Issue # 11, p.84]

What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 7.1 (out of 10) based on 28 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Storm F. gave it a10:
An excellent JRPG. For those reviewers that dislike it; as another critic has said, they seem to down rate it based on criticisms of the genre rather than the game it self. It's rather like giving the latest version of Tiger Woods or PES a bad rating because you don't like golf games or football games. This of course maybe the "fault" perhaps of Oblivion. This was many "new" gamers first introduction to RPGs and perhaps they think that it is representative of all RPGs, rather than being part of a sub genre of a greater genre. It is also, as far as I can remember, the first JRPG that you can actually switch the soundtrack to the Japanese - which oddly i find far better than the English one - like the difference between a subbed and English soundtrack Anime.

Matteo G. gave it an8:
despite poor graphics decent turn based combat and very good character deepness make this title very enjoyable

[Anonymous] gave it a9:
Ignore the reviews, if you like JRPG's then give this game a shot, i personally really enjoyed it, the story was different, the graphics were stunning and the dialog was interesting. The only flaw i found was that the random battles can get a bit tedious, but thats a flaw of having random battles altogehter, and is a flaw in any game that uses the random battle system. Overall, if you love JRPG's then you'll probably really enjoy this, if you don't enjoy JRPG's then chances are you won't enjoy it.

Daniel T gave it a9:
This is my first rpg for the xbox 360. The game starts off super slow, but once you put enough time and effort into this game, things really begin to pick up. The addition of "Golems" add a lot of interesting aspects to the game. Overall, I pretty good game.

Alex K. gave it a10:
The game is everything that an rpg should be and then some humor thrown in the mix.

Qian X. gave it a9:
The game has very good graphic and brings the old RPG in to the 360 systerm, and it has a great story.

Greg J. gave it a9:
Great battle system, intruiging story, interesting and humourous characters/dialogue and excellent graphics. Definitely one of the best gaming experiences I've ever had!

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Enchanted Arms

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What The Critics Said

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