Game Reviews

Some of the elements of White Knight Chronicles come with little surprise. The bad guys are identified all too easily, and the heroes are overmatched, but what they lack in experience and armament, they make up for with gallantry.

It does begin innocently enough, though. A young man, Leonard, a player-created character venture off to fetch wine for the 18^th birthday celebration of the silent princess. The princess, Cisna, has not spoken for 10 years since witnessing the death of her mother – apparently at the hands of an assassin from Faria. The two kingdoms are attempting to forge a peace pact. Meanwhile, Leonard, a young woman name Yulie (who joins the party – there are up to three characters that can travel in the group; the rest are in reserve and can be switched out at logic stones) and the created character head back to the castle with the wine. What begins in joy soon turns violent as a dark monster, Pyredaemos, attacks the castle, under the control of the magi, which apparently have designs on taking the princess, securing an ancient artifact and stirring up the war again.

Several things are immediately apparent in the prolonged prologue. First, the game is a bit of a romance simply because Leonard loves the princess and would do anything to save her. Second, the game is rather linear and somewhat predictable. Third, the graphics are gorgeous and imaginative, but much like the second item noted, the narrative is obvious, forced and somewhat silly at times.But moving back into the story arc, after the king is slain, with the guards failing at subduing the Pyredaemos, Leonard tries to get the princess to safety beneath the castle. Just when it appears they are about to escape, the Pyredaemos shows up and gives chase. Leonard and Cisna are chased into the castle treasure vault where there is a shining, white suit of giant armor. More than merely armor, the armor is a weapon forged by the predecessors of the nations of the world, a race known as the Ancients. Lore states that only one deemed worthy can activate the armor. There is a glove, an ark, that connects to the armor, but to gain access to the armor, Leonard must fight an Umbral Spirit Phantom. Only after defeating the Phantom does Leonard enter in a pact with the Incorruptus. Within the armor of the White Knight, Leonard defeats the Pyredaemos, but as the battle ends, the Magi leader shows up and kidnaps the princess.