Ar tonelico II: Melody of Metafalica Critic Reviews

It’s a big time commitment and it’s really text heavy, but if you’re even remotely into JRPGs, Ar Tonelico 2 is easily worth it. Then again, if endearing, well-written characters and well-crafted turn-based battle systems aren’t your thing, well, it’s your loss.

Maybe it is not the best time to launch the game on the PS2, but genre fans should be happy to receive an RPG which has all the features of the classics of the genre.

There is so much depth and attention to detail in this game that anyone who is remotely a fan of classic turn-based RPGs would be doing themselves a disservice to ignore it.

Ar tonelico II is a great JRPG with a unique, though not exactly cutting-edge presentation, great combat, and an interesting, well-paced story.

There's no excusing the game's bugs and sloppy localization, but the rest of the experience is such a joy that it at least makes them tolerable.

It's become a cautious recommendation of a game that would've otherwise been a huge recommendation. As it stands, Ar Tonelico II is still a brilliant RPG -- albeit one with some borderline creepy bits and plenty of giggle-worthy dialogue -- but in this case, buyers most definitely should beware.

Ar Tonelico II is easily representative of what makes JRPGs so alluring. From an incredible soundtrack to endearing characters, Ar Tonelico II could have been easily one of the best RPGs on the PS2 aside from Final Fantasy X and the Persona series.

Good game, great music, bad localization.

A great continuation of a solid RPG franchise, Ar Tonelico 2 is worth the time and effort you'll put into its lengthy quest.

Eminently playable, even for RPGamers who missed the first installment in the series. While the bugs and slowdowns were constant companions, this reviewer was able to look past them for the personality underneath; others may not be as forgiving.

Ar Tonelico II: Melody of MetaFalica provides JRPG fans with a very cool combat mechanic that is entertaining enough to sustain you throughout the lengthy quest. There isn’t enough in the way of exploration and the emphasis on Song Magic makes everything feel a little one-sided, but the concept is solid.

The game itself is fun, even if the combat does seem to be a bit like random button pushing at times, the voice acting is very solid, the music is incredibly good, and the art is mostly good.

As it is, it is only middle-ground, very much a "what could have been!" Metafalss is an interesting place where you'd perhaps like to spend a weekend, but hardly anything more.

It’s a real shame, too, because NIS America has brought some great games to our shores, and I’m sure they will do so again in the future. Ar Tonelico 2 would have received a higher score if not for a technical problem that easily could have been avoided with proper testing.

AT2 features the turn-based combat of RPG yore, albeit broken into offense/defense phases with a rewarding, real-time scheme.

Combat is overly long and easy, and once you get the correct IPDs, the only reason you'll take damage is because of the annoying lag. The plotline is fairly boring and predictable, and most of the characters are humdrum clichés or have no personalities at all.

Pretty girls? Check. Effeminate guy? Check. Enthralling experience? Mehhh, not really.