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BATTLE SYSTEM
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INTERACTION
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ORIGINALITY
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STORY
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MUSIC & SOUND
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VISUALS
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CHALLENGE
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Very Easy
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COMPLETION TIME
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10 to 15 Hrs.
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OVERALL
2.0/5
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Rating definitions
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With Square Enix investigating the concept of cross-marketing,
a game based on the Fullmetal Alchemist series was to be expected. Fullmetal Alchemist
and the Broken Angel is set in between episodes 17 and 18 of the series, and follows the
exploits of Edward and Alphonse Elric, a pair of brothers who were mutilated in an attempt
to bring their deceased mother back to life through the power of alchemy. The brothers
now search for the Philosopher’s Stone, a mysterious item which is said to enable its user
to break the laws of alchemy, in order to return their bodies to their original states. The
game fails to do much of anything new or compelling, and although the story has its moments,
it by and large fails to do justice to the source material. There are a few bright points;
the ability to Alchemically transmute various objects in one’s surroundings provides for some
interesting tactical instances, and some of the boss fights are enjoyable, if a bit too easy.
Overall, Fullmetal Alchemist and the Broken Angel may appeal to people looking for a bit more of
the series, but its lack of any real creativity or passion will only serve to irritate those
interested in compelling gameplay.
The combat system of Fullmetal Alchemist starts with a very simple action
RPG base and adds the idea of alchemic transmutation, an ability which allows the player to transform
various objects on the field of play into weapons and other items. The player is put in full control
of Edward, with the ability to give basic commands to his larger brother Alphonse. Edward starts off
with only his prosthetic automail arm for very basic combos, but can transmute objects in his area, such
as lamposts, columns, and rocks, into a variety of weapons. These can be equipped by either brother in
order to increase their attack power and combo length, but Edward’s fighting style doesn’t change a whole
lot between weapons, and in the end the system comes off as being largely homogenous. Transmutation goes
a long way towards making combat more fun, but there isn’t enough variety to what things can be transmuted
into to sustain interest. The game does do some interesting things with boss fights, but it’s too little too
late. The lack of originality shown in combat design is echoed throughout the title; there just isn’t anything
very compelling about this game.
One of the more irritating things about the combat system is the way
item use is handled. The game forces the player to pause the game in order to use items, which is a design choice
that breaks up the action and makes it hard to get into combat to any great degree. Additionally, the camera
is a bit thick-headed and unresponsive, requiring constant realignment to keep enemies in view. Other than
that, the interface is reasonably well done, with solid if somewhat inattentive AI and a very good translation.
Expressive portraits and voice acting help the plot a great deal.
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The soundtrack, on the other hand, completely fails to satisfy. Mostly a collection of
hard rock noise interspersed with bits of classical for the cutscenes, the music is largely without impact
and slides more or less beneath notice. The voice acting, on the other hand, is extremely well done. A fine
performance by the series cast, the voice acting is serious without being heavy-handed, and adds a lot to the plot.
Being interposed in between two parts of the main series plot, Fullmetal Alchemist and the
Broken Angel couldn’t take too many wild plot twists for the very simple reason that it would screw up the
continuity of the series and cause all sorts of plot holes. While it is a valid concern, the end result of such a
conservative narrative philosophy is that, as there are no real twists or turns to the story, it’s largely without
a point. The characters are reasonably well-written and likeable, and the plot moves along at a decent clip, but the
story’s lack of purpose or meaning deals it a serious blow.
Anime cutscenes are this game's visual highpoint.
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Rather than using cel-shaded animation to mimic the animation style of the series, Fullmetal
Alchemist uses a fully polygonal graphics engine that would really be more effective in a series looking to emulate
reality. The anime style simply does not translate well to this kind of computer animation, and the end result comes
off as undetailed and lackluster. The character models and designs are reasonably good, and the character portraits
certainly work in their favor, but the lack of a style with any real impact makes the visuals come off as flat and uninspired.
In the end, Fullmetal Alchemist and the Broken Angel feels very much like a cynical and uninspired
cash grab. This is more or less to be expected, of course, as the Fullmetal Alchemist series has grown exponentially in popularity
since its stateside release. Game companies seem to see licenses as their own version of the Philosopher’s Stone, turning
leaden game design to gold with nothing but the phrase, "based on the hit series". However, this sort of trickery eventually
works against them, alienating and angering the fans they hoped would be easy to please. Fullmetal Alchemist and the Broken
Angel’s overall lack of impact is abetted by the level of difficulty, which is quite low, and by its time to complete, which
at 10 to 15 hours, is very short. Its lackluster visual style, forgettable music and careful, conservative plot all cause
further problems, and in the end, Fullmetal Alchemist’s first foray into gaming is simply bland and toothless, and probably
not worth playing.
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