Magna Carta: Tears of Blood

If you are looking for an RPG (role playing game) that is a bit different than the traditional RPG’s then you are in luck!  Fans of the RPG genre have been taking a swing at the newly released Magna Carta:  Tears of Blood. 

The story starts out in the land of Efferia.  Here, humans and the native Efferians co-exist only because they have to.  This is a time of endless war.  A young man has a hatred for some of the native Efferians and wants revenge.  He meets a young girl who has lost her memories.  This is where the dramatic story unfolds.  If you are concerned that this story has a cute and lovey-dovey theme, you are in for a great surprise.  The tale is quite dark with some unexpected twists.

The characters in Magna Carta were designed by world renowned Korean artist Hyung Tae Kim.  Each character has its own unique look and is quite impressive to look at.  In fact, most of the artwork in the game is very beautiful and compelling. 

The soundtrack of the game is not the best.  However, there are various cut scenes that include voice dialogue.  The dialogue is very easy to understand and clearly spoken.  Even though the music isn’t the greatest, the dialogue from the characters more than makes up for it.

The best part of this game is also what makes it so unique from most other RPG’s.  Magna Carta features a battle system in which you must time your attacks perfectly in order to execute them against an enemy.  If you do not press the buttons just right, you miss your chance to hurt the baddies!  It is quite similar to that of the timed attacks you had to execute in the games Legend of Dragoon or Shadow Hearts.  This takes some time to learn, but it is very efficient once you master it.

Magna Carta features a real time battle system that allows you to place your characters anywhere on the battlefield.  The battles are not just about perfect timing and killing enemies.  You also consume energy with each attack, so you need to learn how to properly utilize your energy and strategically plan your attack methods.  You also must focus on learning new techniques and attacks.  Aside from this, you can upgrade your weapons and participate in various side missions.

The only downside to Magna Carta is that it loads often in between each and every attack during battle.  Also, each time you defeat an enemy, it does not return for quite some time.  This makes it difficult to gather experience and develop characters.  But aside from all this, the captivating storyline and the unique battle system makes up for it all!

Magna Carta is available on Playstation 2.  It has an ESRB rating of T for Teen.  This is because the game features fantasy violence, language, and suggestive themes.