Lord of Arcana

 PSP
Metascore
53

Mixed or average reviews - based on 45 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 45
  2. Mixed: 28 out of 45
  3. Negative: 15 out of 45
Buy Now
Buy on
  1. GameFocus
    Feb 21, 2011
    73
    All in all, if you enjoy the idea of spending tons of time fighting, collecting and grinding your way to power, you should definitely give this game a shot. If that doesn't sound like your cup of tea though, skipping it may be a better option.
  2. 3DJuegos
    Feb 2, 2011
    72
    Lord of Arcana is a Monster Hunter like action game. A right tittle if you like this specific JRPG genre.
  3. RPG Fan
    Jan 26, 2011
    72
    Lord of Arcana, at its core, is a solid title with lots of potential.
  5. Game Informer
    Mar 6, 2011
    70
    Carves its own identity. [Mar 2011, p.98]
    All this publication's reviews
  6. Impulsegamer
    Feb 23, 2011
    70
    In the end, Lord of Arcana doesn't break out of the traditional RPG formula and has quite a few parallels with Monster Hunter, although Monster Hunter was far superior in terms of an overall gaming experience.
  7. games(TM)
    Feb 20, 2011
    70
    It's the hulking great monsters that steal the show. [Issue#106, p.108]
    All this publication's reviews
  8. Da Gameboyz
    Feb 24, 2011
    66
    As negative as I might sound about Arcana's problems, there is probably a niche group of gamers that could enjoy this game. However, it should only be considered for veterans of the genre that simply can't wait for the next Monster Hunter Portable iteration to come to the West.
  9. Play UK
    Feb 20, 2011
    65
    It's online dungeon crawling by the numbers and could get dull quite quickly. [Issue#202, p.92]
    All this publication's reviews
  10. 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.
  11. 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.
  12. Pocket Gamer UK
    Feb 27, 2011
    60
    Fans of Monster Hunter are in for a decent alternative to their favourite action RPG, but a lack of imagination traps Lords Of Arcana on a plane of relative mediocrity when compared to its bigger cousin.
  13. Meristation
    Feb 9, 2011
    60
    Lord of Arcana has the same mechanic like Monster Hunter, but it's too simple and has a frustrating experience on single play.
  14. Eurogamer Italy
    Jan 4, 2011
    60
    Lord of Arcana is a Monster Hunter like action game. The Capcom franchise, anyway, looks much better than this Square Enix experiment. Lord of Arcana is graphically flat, and the lack of a wi-fi multiplayer is a huge problem for this kind of title.
  15. Games Master UK
    Feb 14, 2011
    58
    A basic hack-'n'-slasher that won't keep you entertained for long. [Mar 2011, p.97]
    All this publication's reviews
  16. Digital Chumps
    Jan 30, 2011
    58
    Lord of Arcana is one of those games that you probably either love or hate. If you like this specific JRPG genre, you should definitely give it a look. But if you don't, there isn't anything about Lord of Arcana that will change your mind.
  17. PSM3 Magazine UK
    Feb 13, 2011
    55
    Best stick to Monster Hunter. [Mar 2011, p.96]
    All this publication's reviews
  18. Gamers' Temple
    Feb 8, 2011
    55
    As amazing as having a lock-on option is, it just can't save Lord of Arcana from the depths of mediocrity. The "warp battles," lack of online play, a slightly boring grind system and some just plain weird design and control choices keep this one from being great.
  19. Everyeye.it
    Feb 3, 2011
    55
    Lord Of Arcana is a title that betrays its own philosophy. The fun is directly proportional to the PSP and copies of the game available. Buy it only if you have friends to play whit it, and if you love games like Monster Hunter.
  20. TotalPlayStation
    Mar 24, 2011
    50
    Mediocrity is a death knell for a game that is very shallow to start with. Lord of Arcana copies a lot from the Monster Hunter series, but failed to understand that the depth of combat was always the focus and thus fails at being fun.
  21. Hardcore Gamer
    Mar 23, 2011
    50
    Lord of Arcana has got more problems than being a clone of a better game can account for. It's boring, repetitive, tedious, and only rarely fun.
  22. GameOver.gr
    Mar 4, 2011
    50
    Although it uses a tried and successful gameplay design - that of the Monster Hunter series - Lord of Arcana feels like a rushed, poor-man's version of Capcom's games. There's almost nothing original here and the few and far between clever ideas are wasted by some awkward design choices.
  23. Eurogamer Sweden
    Feb 24, 2011
    50
    Lord of Arcana tries a little too hard to be Monster Hunter, and ends up as a repetetive, soulless grinding feast. You may appreciate the game if you really love the genre, but there are way better alternatives out there.
  24. Game Revolution
    Feb 17, 2011
    50
    For a portable game, it's a time sink that shouldn't be because there's really nothing to it but the pure grind.
  25. Eurogamer
    Feb 17, 2011
    50
    It's barely got any good ideas, and the few it does have are not its own. It could have been a Monster Hunter Lite, with more emphasis on big bosses and gory finishing moves and less on collecting raptor talons and moss to make into a hat – but instead it's just a hollow, characterless echo of the game it's trying to be.
  26. GameShark
    Feb 14, 2011
    50
    Without additional players, it's extremely tough to enjoy the game or make much progress, so I can't quite recommend it in place of the far better offerings out there.
  27. SpazioGames
    Feb 8, 2011
    50
    In the end, Lord of Arcana becomes sadly boring and repetitive, due to some controls and balancing issue.
  28. Gamekult
    Feb 7, 2011
    50
    Often more frustrating than pleasant.
  29. Gamer.nl
    Feb 7, 2011
    50
    Lords of Arcana is the most fun when you have a couple of friends at hand that play the game as well. On your own, the game feels unbalanced and repetitive.

Awards & Rankings

26
#26 Best PSP Game of 2011
14
#14 Most Discussed PSP Game of 2011
13
#13 Most Shared PSP Game of 2011

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
7.2

Mixed or average reviews- based on 34 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 22 out of 34
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 34
  3. Negative: 6 out of 34
  1. 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 reviewsLord 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.    … Full Review »
  2. DrebinSlevin
    Jan 27, 2011
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click full review link 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.… Full Review »
  3. 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.    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    … Full Review »
See all user reviews »