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I expected more....

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 14 / 19
Date: October 18, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Only people that live and breathe to play Strategy RPG's should RENT this game only. Don't get me wrong I love a good portable SRPG they are a great way to pass some time (Try Field Commander, LOTR) but this game was unbearable.
First the CONS:

1. HORRIBLE!!!!! Save feature requires you to create a new save file every time unless I am doing something wrong.
2. Dry story never pulled me in, I expected a little more from Atlus
3. Long drawn out load times
4. nothing in the gameplay grabbed me and made me want to explore more.
5. Graphically bland

Now the few PROS:

1. The gameplay isn't all THAT bad, but the story, save feature, and loooong load times make the gameplay really hard to see.

Please RENT this game at best, but if you don't I firmly believe you won't be missing anything.

Against The Grain

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 9 / 12
Date: March 08, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Contrary to the reviews on this website and underrated coverage of this game on gaming sites, this game is really excellent. I'll be unbiased enough to admit that the load times are rather dreary, but once the game gains momentum, you will not want to put it down. This game is unique, I'm not as much into RPGs as shooters or action adventure, but I know how to enjoy a good RPG.

I'm here to give this game justice! Apart from the load times as aforementioned this game has extremely-excellent gameplay. It's turn-based like final fantasy, and even plays like the tactics series of Final Fantasy. If you enjoyed Final Fantasy Tactics and have looked for a sequel or counterpart, THIS IS IT!!

I'll try to cover the aspects of the game as well as I can, considering I don't want to be too elaborate, just persuasive.

Maps - Grid-based topologies, nothing too fancy but the graphics are nice for the environments and there are destructible elements of the maps which usually provide essential items to the synthesis process.

Synthesis - There's a part of towns where you can go, kind of like a magic foundry where you can augment your weapons to improve their features (increase strength, magic, other magic support, OR you can increase the damage, range, even ADD more moves to your character's repertoire), you can invent skills, provided you have the right scrolls (which list the ingredients required to invent skills, items, etc.) and then there's the synthesis process which is what you use to create, enchant, and produce more powerful items. You can arbitrarily combine items as the game recommends or wait 'til you get the scrolls with directions for what items to combine to produce more powerful items (best part of the game). I just found a list online so I didn't have to wait for the scrolls in the game. The synthesis process is basically what will motivate your quests. You'll want to find the item drops required to produce or "synthesize" the best weapons, armor, and other items in the game.

About the three-army selection: It's not so much that you pick and choose at your whim, although ultimately you will choose which army is victorious, the concept of the three armies being playable is to immerse the player into the multi-faceted storyline. You don't just get one biased perspective of the story--you get aspects of the story from each army, little by little and it actually develops quite well once you get passed the first couple of battles for the armies.

This game is extremely immersive and provides a lot of control for how your characters develop. As you level, you are given an amount of points to allocate to each of your character's attributes as you see fit.

Then there's the battle system, with the combos available that you combine between character's special attacks to provide even greater attacks (think synergy) and these are called chain skills. They're really freaking cool, the best ones are the ones combined after the characters have been assaulted, they then get these unique skills to use like kamikaze or last effort attacks that are violently powerful--if you combine different last effort attacks between the characters, you get these insane chain skills which are quite pleasing to pull off (but rare unless you play the strategy right).

The game is very diverse and more than delightful if you enjoy strategy and turn-based RPGs, never played Diablo, don't want to--there's a good reason why and this is probably why I like this game so much. It's EFFING GREAT!!!

I really wanted to like this game...

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 7 / 10
Date: November 27, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I got excited when I heard about this game via Nippon Ichi America's website. I really enjoyed Disgaea and anxiously awaited (and still do) a PSP RPG of like caliber. Mechanics-wise, this game has a lot going for it, and the combo system could have been a lot of fun. The major problem, though, are the load times. I didn't want to believe that they absolutely killed the experience as has been mentioned in major reviews, but they really did. Expect to wait two or three seconds every time you want to do anything. Any move in battle, any aspect of field menus. Even when trying to read a tutorial! It's really inexcusable, given that there are games out there that are more graphically intensive and faster-paced that don't have any such issues with constantly needing to load more content. This could have been something very special, but instead I will be waiting until the spring for Elder Scrolls and Valhalla Knights. I recommend that you do the same if you're waiting for a prime PSP RPG.

Outstanding Tactics-style Fun

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 4
Date: April 13, 2007
Author: Amazon User

If I had to describe Spectral Souls as quickly as possible I would say: "Suikoden II + FF Tactics". You have plenty of characters to develop a la Suikoden which are divided amongst armies with basically seperate storylines. The scenarios play out in a fairly linear manner, but occasionally you are presented with a "take the land route"/"take the sea route" style choice, adding to the interest and replay value a bit.

Character designs are intersting and unique, and new characters for each army are constantly being revealed throughout the course of the game. Customization beyond experience and weapon level-up can be a chore by the somewhat awkward and expensive synthesis system, but you do pick up items from the battlefield and optional "Otherworld gate" experience booster fights. Voice acting is in English, but is generally not distracting or tacky for all of the major characters. The translation is well-executed with no serious grammatical mistakes and maintains a consistent narrative tone.

I do admit that loading issues DO exist when playing directly from the UMD. This is mostly due to poor compression / data organization on the physical disc. I would strongly recommend playing this directly from the Memory Stick through an image of your UMD disc, which eliminates 99% of the loading delays.

I have to agree with the others

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 2 / 4
Date: February 13, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I was really looking into who made the game more than anything else when I purchased this. I heard that Disgaea was very well done and so, I purchased this to play on the road. Man, that was a poor decision.

I love strategy, can't get enough of it. But I must say, this is just not fun to play.

Load times are atrocious. Story is very boring. And after you have finished your first few battles and sat through about 30 mins of 32bit story text, you are moved to a map. I can't say I've gotten further. I don't know what to do, and controlling 3 different armies that have different goals just doesn't set right with me. Throughout the game is dozens of tutorials, but I've yet to find one that assists me in what or where to go next once I'm on the map.

Oh well, after that $40, I forget about it and await for the new up and coming D&D Tactics. D&D Pen and Paper on the PSP? I can't wait. And I hope I'm not disappointed.

best game in the world? just maybe.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 4
Date: December 03, 2007
Author: Amazon User

i didnt have a psp until i saw this game. spectral souls. even the name evokes a sense of greatness. i bought it for 40 dollars but i wouldve willingly paid three times the amount. didnt have a psp to play on so i bought that too. played it twice over within a week and almost dropped out of college, it was THAT addicting. i dont know why other people are bashing on this game, its one of the most enthralling, captivating, rollercoaster of thrills and chills ever. take advantage of this price cut. A+++++++++++++++++++++ Would play again.

Load time is ridiculous

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 1 / 10
Date: April 15, 2007
Author: Amazon User

The load time for this game is absolutely unacceptable. This is because of poor game design.

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