This game is a fairly average game but a great improvement from the first. it is still very exciting and fun to play esp
Grade:C+
3 out of 5
Review: This game is a fairly average game but a great improvement from the first. it is still very exciting and fun to play especially if your a fan of the series.You get to once again play as the Elric brothers to resume your quest for the Philosophers Stone to try to return Alphonse' soul to his body an to restore Edwards limbs to flesh. You get to use alchemy to make weapons from the ground or transform existing objects to make new ones. This is a great ability and a pivotal part of game play an the storyline.
Graphics:The graphics are cell shaded in this game and they are very well done. The characters come to life and the surrounding fell like the Anime. They look perfect for the type of game and feeling the game provides but the levels are a little linear and you cant explore or be involve with much of the back ground.
Characters:The main characters are Edward Elric (state alchemist) and his brother Alphonse(enchanted suit of armor). You control Edward through out the entire quest and Alphonse always tags along. through out the journey some of the others join up during the storyline to assist you such as 1st Lt. Hawkeye and Roy Mustang(the flame alchemist)you even get to train(once) with the strong armed alchemist Alex Louise Armstrong. StoryLine:This is this games weak point. This is where it falls from greatness. The story line isnt at all like the anime series other than the first 3 chapters. After that i goes into slow boring detail about creatures(golems) and a ridiculous cliche plot. It isn't anything like the great emotional action paced adventures in the anime. They are nothing alike so don't get them confused. The first game (FMA:and the Broken Angel) Had a great mix of storyline and a very interesting and intriguing plot where this when clearly fails. there sadly isn't much more to say. It is ok to go through once but it doesnt have a great replay value but the extras you can get are very nice if you are a fan of the series. There is however some interesting places you can go just not many.
Battle System: This is where it gets interesting. You press the x button for a normal attack and can follow up but either pressing the X button 1-3 more times for a combo,press the (triangle) button for a added alchemical boost to your weapon or transform your auto-mail into a short blade. You can also press the O button to add a stone spike(multiple depending on your level) using alchemy. You can now also press(hold down) the R1 button to leap (have Al throw you)into the air for a rage attack when your meter is full. Press the R1 button to make Al start using combos(martial arts). You can also use the art of alchemy by pressing the O button near a transmutable object. The objects can be alchemied into different weapons based on what type of item they previously were(equivalent exchange-bases of using alchemy)As an example I mean a large street light(mostly metal) could be transformed into a machine gun or maybe a canon.
Conclusion: In conclusion this game is a rent. It is a must have for any Full Metal Alchemist fans but for the average gamer it only goes for a decent game to hold you over till the next big RPG like Final Fantasy 12. If this sounds interesting then get it. It has decent gameplay and nice graphics.