(continued from previous page) ...The average party size for each encounter seems to be fixed at 5, although for later stages I would be surprised if this still proved to be true.
Jeanne is a very unique character in and of herself.

The mystical and holy armlet that she acquires in the first stage of the game serves many purposes beyond just driving the story. The armlet gives Jeanne access to many powers. One of the initial powers involves calling on the armlets power to encase Jeanne in a suit of holy armor. Not only does this have the effect of raising the armor class of Jeanne; it also bestows another ability on her as long as the armor is maintained. Whenever Jeanne strikes a deathblow while in the armor, she gets to move again. Thus, a strategic player can set the stage for Jeanne to invoke the power of her armor, and then through successive moves and deathblow, clear the entire enemy force in just one turn. Although this sounds extremely powerful, it does take some thinking to use to its full potential. Additionally, the armor may only be called upon once per battle, and it only lasts for a set number of turns.

Graphically speaking, Jeanne D’Arc is middle of the road. While it is no slouch in the visual department, it is certainly nothing to write home to your mother about either. Characters are somewhat reminiscent of the bobble-head models that adorn many a dashboard. This is not unheard of in the tactical RPG genre. Levels are well done, offering graphics that reflect the local well. The configuration on each level also offers players many strategic decisions to make, based on where choke points are, where their escape route lies, and through control of higher elevations. Elevation not only affects how a unit can move, but also provides bonuses in combat; thus management of this is key to victory.

All in all, Jeanne d’Arc surprised me. I began playing expecting a hum-drum experience along the same lines as LOTR: Tactics. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised. The battle system takes a well-refined formula and tightens it, allowing for ease of use as well as strategic depth. The storyline isn’t passable, and with the addition of animé cut scenes to help move it along, it does an adequate job of engaging the player. Bringing together history and fantasy, Jeanne d’Arc could very well be a sleeper hit for the PSP this year.