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Magnacarta 2

EMAILPRINTxbox360

Magnacarta 2
69
7.4 User Score:

Mixed or average reviews

Based on 49 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 23 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: Namco Bandai Games

Developer: SoftMax

Genre(s): Role-Playing Game

Players: 1

ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Release Date: October 13, 2009

Summary

Magnacarta 2 introduces an original new storyline driven by intense themes of love, hate, politics, betrayal and the ultimate question of choosing one’s own fate. Players are immersed in the world of the Lanzheim Continent, a conflict-ridden land deeply divided by a fierce civil war. Powered by the Unreal Engine3 and featuring character designs by famed Korean artist Hyung-Tae Kim, the game bears a striking visual style unlike any other RPG through its blend of photo-realism and Japanese manga influences. The deeply emotional story is driven by beautifully rendered CGI cut-scenes featuring fully voiced dialogue to draw players into the immersive experience. Delivering more than 40 hours of gameplay, Magnacarta 2 features a unique battle system which combines strategic turn-based battles and real-time gameplay, creating a fresh twist on the traditional RPG formula. The game seamlessly blends world navigation and battles as everything happens in the same environment with no load screens or abrupt changes in the action when a fight begins or ends. Players can utilize objects found in the environment to their advantage and likewise, creatures and field objects dynamically react to the player’s actions. A free roaming camera further adds to the unrestricted interaction with the world. Players are also given flexible control over their party with the ability to pre-assign attributes for each AI character and freedom to easily switch control between all the characters at any time. Magnacarta 2 features a variety of adaptable options to keep the action fresh throughout the game. By defeating monsters, players obtain Kamonds which can be used to enhance a variety of weapons as well as create new items. When players change their weapon, they take on a different fighting style that adapts all the related moves and skills to that weapon’s attributes. While normal skills can be performed by any player at any time, special moves require skillfully timed actions to exploit the rhythm of the battle to their advantage. The pinnacle of special moves is the over-drive mode where players can use the most powerful combination of skills at one time to perform devastating attacks to defeat enemies. KAN (magic), representing the four elements of nature (Wind, Water, Lightning and Fire), adds another dimension to gameplay whereby players generate KAN for use in battle and to affect environmental objects in various ways. [Namco Bandai Games]

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

90

Play Magazine

Magnacarta 2 has all the spectacle, expanse, drama, combat, and nuance of an epic turn-based RPG, and none of the worn out conventions. SOFTMAX’s seamless real-time battle and field systems, great ensemble cast and boundless character development make all the difference.

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90

RPGamer

The memorable story, and the way it was told, combined with an innovative, fast-paced battle system, is what truly makes MagnaCarta 2 stand out for me.

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88

Xbox360Achievements

Perhaps not as glorious as Lost Odyssey or Eternal Sonata, but it definitely keeps up with Tales of Vesperia and Blue Dragon. A unique, twisting story with likable, engaging characters and a deep, entertaining battle system. Highly recommended.

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86

Digital Chumps

Bottomline, it's a great game that is certainly worth your attention.

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84

GamingXP

Waiting for the next Final Fantasy? Magna Carta 2 is worth a try – you just have to get over the first hours – it is worth it!

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83

Game Informer

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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80

9Lives

Magna Carta II has turned out to be a fun game for the JRPG lovers out there. Realtime gameplay is handled well, there’s a lot to discover and it’s graphically adequate. Voice acting and story could've been done better, but it’s a common illness in this type of game. Whoever is looking for a fluent JRPG can add Magna Carta II to his wish list.

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80

ZTGameDomain

Magnacarta 2 is a traditional JRPG in every sense of the word. The clichéd story and predictable characters are not going to win any innovation awards, but they also manage to entertain just enough to avoid annoyance.

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80

MS Xbox World

Magna Carta 2 isn't the best role playing game ever, but is certainly a great effort and one that is captivating for the right reasons.

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80

Gamer Limit

Magna Carta 2 boasts some extremely interesting characters, combat, and set pieces, but doesn't present any new ideas that will sway JRPG haters.

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80

AceGamez

Still, if you're a fan of Eastern RPGs this is likely to appeal deeply to you, whilst the more westernized gamer will probably steer clear despite the obvious Western influences that Softmax has bravely taken on board.

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78

TeamXbox

It’ll take more of a giant leap, rather than a few baby steps, to truly catapult the JRPG into a league alongside its Western counterparts.

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78

SpazioGames

Magna Carta II is a pleasant surprise. The title does not revolutionize the genre, nor try to establish itself as a new landmark, but it can really offer a solid gameplay, vast and multifaceted. What's more, the unique combat system manages to be original in its own way and certainly is engaging. This also applies to the plot and especially the characterization of the characters, who will be able to absorb you in the magic world designed by Softmax. Never mind if technically we are back a few years of the competition, Magna Carta II is an enjoyable and durable game, that JRPG fans will certainly find rewarding and engaging enough, waiting the eternally delayed masterpieces.

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77

RPG Fan

In short, Magnacarta 2 is a competent, if forgettable, RPG.

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76

Everyeye.it

Magna Carta 2, event without excellence in any part of it, keeps the player's attention on for the 50 hours of gameplay. Narration is a little bit prosaic in the beginning but, after a couple of hours, it assumes a really interesting shape. It's really a pity that graphics are not so good.

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76

Cheat Code Central

All these niggling factors amount to a solid game that's just nowhere near as exciting you want it to be.

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75

Gaming Age

Well worth checking out.

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75

Official Xbox Magazine

Okay, so Magna Carta 2’s not a meticulously crafted masterpiece. But as long as you go in knowing what annoyances await, you should have a pretty good time kicking monster butt.

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75

Game Revolution

Despite its flaws, there’s nothing Magna Carta 2 does bad enough to keep me from playing. If you want to see what a JRPG from the olden days would be like if you gave it a modern overhaul, MC2 will form your responsum.

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75

Armchair Empire

There are some cool visuals, a combat system I like, plenty of save points, and just the right amount of Korean-cum-Japanese craziness and campy ellipses to be enjoyable.

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74

Extreme Gamer

It’s great to see more traditional styled RPGs find their way to the Xbox 360 console, and even though MagnaCarta 2 is a fairly standard affair, it has its enjoyable moments.

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73

Multiplayer.it

A really classical Jrpg with a good mix of strategy and action, recommended to all hardcore gamers. The main drawbacks are its average story and the too simple subquests.

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71

GameTrailers

Despite its unique combat system and all the alternatives it provides to tired old level grind, there are just too many flaws holding Magnacarta 2 back. Unless you're fine with enduring lots of slow moments, it's hard to recommend without reservation, especially given how many great RPGs there are on the 360.

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70

Official Xbox Magazine UK

You can almost hear the developer laughing manically as it adds yet another 50ft, bright pink, killer Angler Fish to the mix and forces you to sit through more pouting and tantrum-heavy dialogue. But it does have that combat system, detailed garish character designs and drags you kicking and screaming along for the ride - even if you have ridden it a hundred times before.

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70

Gameplayer Sweden

A old school jrpg with some new features that makes it one of the best in the genre for the Xbox 360. For example, the fighting system is great and creates a flow in the game. With a better story and a main character that wasn’t a boy that looks like a girl and has amnesia, it would have been even better.

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70

Worth Playing

MagnaCarta 2 is a reasonably fun, but rather flawed, RPG.

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70

Meristation

Despite its long development, MagnaCarta 2 has many flaws. It's not original, it lacks an ideal gameplay, and it relies on several features that are not so great. But, in the end, it can be an enjoyable experience, not a deep one, but an interesting one.

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70

Eurogamer Italy

With a solid length, an intriguing atmosphere and an engaging combat system, Magna Carta II is an RPG that should not be overlooked. Of course it is neither a revolution within the genre nor an epochal masterpiece, yet it's somehow fascinating: while waiting for Final Fantasy XIII, Juto and Zephie could surprise you with a game that's imperfect but enjoyable.

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70

XGN

Magna Carta II is a lot better than it's predecessor. Still, it is a pity that the quality of some factors, like the voice acting, differs so much. Because of this the game hasn't become what it could have been.

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70

GamePro

When all's said and done, MagnaCarta 2 isn't terribly unique, and you won't remember much about it a few months after you're done with it. But what lies at the game's core is an appealing, well-crafted charm I found very fun. MagnaCarta 2's twisting road doesn't tread much new ground, but it's still an engaging ride regardless.

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70

MondoXbox

Magna Carta II revealed to be a good J-RPG, especially thanks to the excellent combat system: pleasant, deep and never frustrating. Unfortunately a mediocre overall realization and quite boring dialogues pulled down our evaluation of the game. If you're used of this kind of games, you could be surprised by it.

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70

PALGN

An interesting marriage of RPG cultures, while Magnacarta 2 plays well and offers a lot, it suffers from a lot of the usual RPG follies.

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68

IGN

If you're fine with buying a game that will feel like you've probably played it before, by all means give Magnacarta 2 a shot. I'd say that newcomers would find more to like here, but the fact is that there are better JRPGs out there on Xbox 360 that I'd recommend as an intro to the genre before this middle of the road adventure.

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67

Xbox World 360 Magazine UK

A by-the-numbers JRPG punching above its weight thanks to decent borrowed ideas. [Christmas 2009, p.85]

65

Game Over Online

MagnaCarta 2 is a game with potential that is regrettably marred by its cliché storyline and characters.

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65

Vandal Online

Magnacarta 2 has ups and downs through all the game, and those tarnish the result of a promising game which doesn't fulfill its potential.

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65

Planet Xbox 360

In a time of scarcity, MagnaCarta 2 should find a safe home with a RPG fanatic.

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60

Boomtown

If unoriginal story line, repetitive fights and subpar AI don't bother you or if you have never played a JRPG before, then you may enjoy Magna Carta 2.

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60

GameSpot

Excellent visual style does little to mask Magna Carta 2's middling story and annoying AI.

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60

Video Game Talk

Overall Magna Carta 2 isn’t a horrible game, but it’s not one that really makes you stand up and cheer either.

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60

Kombo

MagnaCarta 2 is a generic RPG. If you want to play a RPG and want to indulge in a generic, very straightforward experience, then MagnaCarta 2 will give you some fun.

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60

RealGamer

Other than the ingenuous battle system there is little else to warrant praise in the game.

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60

Gamer.nl

Magna Carta 2 has potential, but doesn't use it properly. The battle system works well and with the real-time elements it shows JRPGs can be quick and action packed. It's sad the rest of the game doesn't match up with its characters, story and mission structure.

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60

Level7.nu

A game that follows the standard design of RPG’s. Characters and story are recognizable while the combat system makes the game worth trying if you like the genre.

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50

Strategy Informer

Veterans of the genre will probably find little new here to entice them, although if you really don’t care, then by all means try this out.

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50

X360 Magazine UK

With cliche after cliche dropped all over a poorly told story, there's not much to like if you want something new. [Issue#52, p.93]

42

1UP

Sometimes, stereotypes exist for very good reasons. Korean role-playing games have a reputation as low-rent incarnations of their more polished Japanese counterparts, and Magna Carta 2 does nothing to combat that perception -- instead, it embraces it wholeheartedly.

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40

games(TM)

There's just no thrill to the combat and no spark to the characters or story, which ultimately makes Magna Carta II a step backwards in an already static genre. [Dec 2009, p.103]

40

Edge Magazine

Sparsely scattered save points, un-skippable animations and cutscenes, and repeated locations and boss fights are anachronisms that will frustrate and alienate all but the most ardent traditionalist.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 7.4 (out of 10) based on 23 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

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