Arc the Lad: Generation Hands-On

TOKYO--At the Tokyo Game Show, Sony Computer Entertainment featured a playable demo of Arc the Lad: Generation, which is slated for release in Japan on November 3. While previous installments of the Arc series were role-playing games, we learned firsthand that Arc the Lad: Generation is actually a much more action-oriented experience in which players must fight their ways through various missions packed with numerous foes. The game will include an all-star cast of characters from the Arc the Lad series, although unlike the demo we got to play, the shipping product presumably won't allow you to select all of the different characters from the beginning of the game.

We were able to check out Arc the Lad: Generation's fighting stages in the demo at SCE's booth. The basic method of playing the game involves having to vanquish all the enemies in one area of the mission stage to progress to another area. In this fashion, you'll explore each stage until you find the end-level boss and defeat it.

When you're close to an enemy in Arc the Lad: Generation, your best way of fighting seems to be the normal attack, which can be pulled off by using the X button. Dodging away from enemies is possible via the square button, which makes your character quickly hop forward or backward. Pressing and holding R2 allowed for the magic menu to pop up, which you can then use to execute various spells by pressing one of the four face buttons on the controller. Stronger magic tends to take longer to cast, so it's not a good idea to try to use a powerful spell unless you have good enough distance from your enemies. Using magic depletes your magic meter at the bottom of the screen, so it's necessary to wait for it to recover to cast another spell, unless you're just going to use weak magic that doesn't require much power. You can also hold down L2 to target a certain enemy on the screen, which is useful for when you're trying to take out a particular opponent either with normal attacks or with magic. Also, the circle button unleashes a special attack that can be used to capture certain enemies in the game, such as bosses, which earns you bonus points.

Although we didn't actually get to see it during the show, it's been revealed that Arc the Lad: Generation will also features a card-collecting system in which you'll be able to collect various cards that grant you special abilities and allow you to unlock additional characters in the game. The game will also support online play, so you'll be able to compete against your friends as well as help each other out while clearing missions. For more updates, be sure to check GameSpot's coverage of the Tokyo Game Show 2004.