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Magnacarta 2 Review
In Magnacarta 2, Korean developer Softmax introduces players to the war-torn continent of Lanzheim, where a conflict between northern and southern forces spreads violence kingdom-wide. The game has a plot entirely unrelated from its predecessor, Magna Carta: Tears of Blood, and a revamped battle system that will keep you on your toes.
The story follows Juto, a midriff-bearing warrior with no memory of his past, and Zephie, a sweet but powerful princess, as they battle alongside a group of characters fighting for their convictions. Though the plot takes a few interesting turns, it’s nothing we haven’t already seen.
The intricate, real-time battle system is where Magnacarta 2 shines. Each battle requires a degree of strategy mixing both standard attacks and special skills earned through customizable weapons. No two battles are ever fought the same way keeping each encounter fresh. You can toggle between characters on the fly, and if timed correctly you’ll start a chain between characters, which unleashes devastating attacks and keeps combat moving at a fast-pace. Keep in mind, this is no button masher. Constantly hitting the A button to attack causes the active character to “Overheat,” which immobilizes him or her until the Overheat gauge diminishes. More than one party member in Overheat mode could spell trouble. This is annoying and can be difficult to avoid in the heat of combat without practice. Battle tutorials continue even after 20 hours of gameplay to add new moves to your arsenal, so there is plenty to keep you locked in until mastered.
Awkward camera angles and occasional AI issues make keeping track of non-active party members a challenge. You’ll switch to a party member and find they strayed away from the action and became trapped behind an object on the field. In large scale battles this not only slows down battles, but can also lead to defeat. Thankfully, this didn’t occur often enough to derail the combat experience.
With classic role-playing elements and addictive combat mechanics, Magnacarta 2 is a solid game for RPG veterans looking for a new challenge.
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