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
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  1. GamingXP
    Feb 2, 2011
    82
    There's light and shadow: Missing variety, an awful balancing and a horrible camera setting meet lots of customization, six different fighting styles, a huge amount of monsters and equipment.
  2. Vandal
    Jan 31, 2011
    75
    Lord of Arcana will be liked by a very specific public who knows exactly what to expect from this game and its genre. It offers just what it promised, and nothing else: combat and hunting, and also exploration to find better items.

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

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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 »
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