White Knight Chronicles International Edition: A Shades of Grey Gaming Experience

Over the years there have been a slew of Role playing Games (RPGs) developed for the various Playstation gaming systems. Some have been absolutely awesome, and others not so good. One of the first RPGs to be released in 2010, White Knight Chronicles (International Edition) for the PS3, falls right in the middle. Pre-release screen shots and video trailers for the game had a promising look. However, the reality is, the game arrives in players hands below expectation.

The story begins as the Magi have placed a raid on the castle of Balandor. The player character, Leonard, must then save the princess. The story takes Leonard in pursuit of the leader Dregias, who has the ability to turn into the Dark Night. It just so happens, that Leonard of course, has the ability to become the White Knight after coincidently unleashing the powers of a mysterious suit of armor. The plot has its predictable elements, its ups and downs, and sometimes seems a bit fabricated for the sake of it. Yet, imperfect as things may seem, it is after all, a game set in the world of fantasy.

The game play could use some tweaking. Combat, which is the core of the game, isn't all that exciting and is missing some variety . It is a turn based game, and for the most part, selecting the same attack from your arsenal over and over to use against your enemies accomplishes battle victories easily. Don't expect all of your fights to be fair either. Although the game takes place in an imaginary environment, reality is severely bent as enemies can strike you blindly, and from quite an unexpected and seemingly unfair distance.

Standard progression of character abilities and power are achieved leveling. In typical RPG fashion, the game allows the player to control any single member of the party, while the others are in the meantime controlled by the AI. The adventure takes place in third person, and allows for single or multiplayer mode. Multiplayer mode allows for the completion of online sub-quests, and for the player to create an avatar and "town" on Level-5's "Geonet."

There are memorable and stunning environments. The game delivers high on this aspect, and developer Level-5, has had renown success in this area before. Interesting NPCs, and intriguing character dialogue contribute to this positive aspect of the game.

Pointing out issues doesn't mean it's horrible. However, compared to others in the same genre, and the developers previous efforts, it isn't spectacular either. White Knight Chronicles has its high points, but many lows as well, leaving this game as a slightly above average title. Gamers may want to give the title a test run as a rental before deciding if it is worthy to add to their collection.

White Knight Chronicles International Edition, published by Sony Computer Entertainment, is available for the Playstation3 (PS3) game console, and has a rating of "T" for Teen. Estimated retail price is $59.99. Supports USB keyboard for online use.