White Knight Chronicles II

Gameplay

White Knight Chronicles II is like its predecessor, a role-playing video game presented in a third-person perspective. However, some changes to improve game play in all aspects have been made, such as new battle system mechanics, more combos, new armor and weapons to make, new enemies and new dungeons.

Georama

The Georama system, an online mode that lets the player create their own town, is back with various changes. Now players can play with their friends online in quests of up to 6 characters.

Story

The games begins with a prologue in Faria, where the Farian general Scardigne is trying to get the Farian Princess Miu out of the city safely due to a civil war. They manage to escape the city but are pursued. The game then cuts to where Princess Cisna has summoned Leonard, Eldore and Yulie, she tells them that they need to go to Faria and speak with Father Yggdra. The group goes to Faria where they encounter Scardigne and Miu and save them from Ban Nanazels forces. The group then learns that the Yshrenian Empire supported Ban Nanazel. They travel back into the city and fight and defeat Ban Nanazel and save Father Yggdra who Ban Nanazel was attempting to destroy. Father Yggdra was once a person but when he became a tree he also became the only protector of the Moon Maiden, the final incorruptus from the war between Yshrenia and Athwani. For their reward, Father Yggdra gives them a book to go in the past, which they use to travel to the day the Yshrenians attacked Balandor castle. They attempt to save the Archduke of Faria (Miu's grandfather) but fail. However, he gives them an insignia, which upon coming back they learn from Father Yggdra that they need to get three of. Knowing this they head to Greede. Once there, they learn that Greede's citizens are being poisoned by a purple mist. Once they find Caesar, their old friend and current ruler of Greede, they learn that a black dragon is causing the mist. They once again travel to the past where they learn they need a lance to defeat the dragon. Once they retrieve the lance and defeat the dragon, they learn that the desert town of Albana was taken over by Yshrenia. Leonard and co manage to oust the Yshrenians. As reward, the Avatar is awarded with a mysterious stone. This stone technically allows the Avatar to become the sixth pact maker and bestow the ability to summon an incorruptus of their own also able to modify their knight to become equal to the other five. With Albana safe once again Leonard and party decide it's time to go against the now reborn Yshrenian army that has resided on a volcanic island in earnest of spreading once more.

Back at Balandor things have gotten worse as Grazel and Shapur in their knight forms alongside their army have begun attacking the city in hopes of weakening them. Leonard, knowing this and the fact he cannot use his knight no longer without having part of himself damaged, still goes against them to a point as him to become unconscious. Yulie believes the help of the Moon Maiden hidden inside Father Yggdra will help but requires the Ark of the knight to become it's pact maker. Searching through the tunnels she eventually finds it and becomes the soul of the last knight and appears before the battlefield in earnest using her bow to destroy all the enemy ships and damage the Sun King and Black Knight with help. Defeated, the team regroups and begins to set for the Redhorn Isle, location of the Magi and Yshrenian army. Knowing they cannot use their knights unless desperate for they must save their strength for Grazel and Shapur they reside in the flying ship whilst the army of Balandor sails alongside the Windwalkers who pay their debt in the war. On the ship Queen Cisna prepares all of Balandor for attack, although in battle a majority of the Balandor knights are destroyed, and it is by the help of Faria that they are able to turn the tides and begin winning the new war.

Grazel sees this beginning of failure in the war as a chance to test the new weapon, The Hand of God, a large island cannon powered by the volcano and magic combined. Aware of the destruction it can produce, Cisna asks Leonard and company to land on the island and destroy its power supply before they can make land to assist. After succeeding at this, Grazel traps the group with a large lava monster, Brimmflame, which once defeated begins to release the remaining volcanic substance upon the island forcing a retreat from both the new Yshrenian army and the Balandor/Faria alliance. Frustrated, Grazel with High Priest Ledom and Shapur appear before the island on their true base of operations, Garmatha Fortress, a large floating castle that begins to head for Balandor with the plan of destroying it since all guards are on the battlefield.

However, this is halted thanks to the Demithor, the beast the Free City of Greede rides upon, which turns itself to frozen stone to pause the Garmatha. With this advantage Leonard and friends instantly head for the fortress in hopes of finishing what started all those millennia ago. Once, fought past all guards and creatures in league with the Magi and Yshrenian army they finally reach Grazel alongside Ledom and Shapur. Ledom reveals to be a fellow time traveler similar to Eldore who plans to join the knights to bring forth his former Lord and Master, Emperor Madoras, from the past to establish a new empire and finish of Queen Cisna who carries the spirit of Queen Mureas of the Athwan Empire. Grazel, knowing this believed to be the reincarnation of the Emperor only to be betrayed by Ledom to reveals that Leonard is actually the true reincarnation, becoming apparent as the five souls of the knights join in Leonard, revealing Madoras.

Without the knights, the Emperor becomes the most powerful until the party weaken him to a point at which Cisna with the soul of Queen Mureas uses her power to separate both Leonard and Madoras, causing the Emperor to disperse in the air. With Yeshrenia defeated everyone returns to Balandor as the fortress begins to crumble under itself and into the ocean. Although defeated, it is apparent Madoras survived the ordeal and resides in the rift readying himself to return in his own form without need of another's body.

Reception

White Knight Chronicles II received "mixed" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. Famitsu gave it a score of one eight, one nine and two eights, with the reviewers criticizing the story but praising the updated gameplay features. The game sold 107,655 on its first day in sales and 162,289 in the first week, which was below expectations, given first-week sales of the first game. GameTrailers said, "It's hard to overlook White Knight Chronicles' flaws the second time around. The subtle improvements don't have a huge impact on the bottom line, and the game lacks the refinements expected of a sequel. If you're looking for an RPG that delivers both a lengthy single-player mode and comprehensive online component, there are far better choices available." GameSpot praised the improvements to combat and the multiplayer, but criticized the single player. Game Informer said, "Where the game falls depressingly short is in Level-5 ignoring the many valid criticisms of the first game and churning out a cookie-cutter sequel that is even more of a rehash than the average yearly sports title or shooter franchise."

The A.V. Club gave the game an A−, saying that "The rewards for engaging, learning, and conquering Chronicles II are many, especially for those who enjoy falling into the sticky trap of co-operative online roleplaying games, where loot is hard-earned with time and skill." 411Mania gave it a score of 7.5 out of 10, saying that "In the end, White Knight Chronicles II is hard to recommend. If you liked the first game, then the sequel's improvements might be enough to make it a must have. If you like JRPG's like me, then you will find some enjoyment. But here is the catch: if you want to play offline only, SKIP THIS GAME. The online is the best part about the game and the single-player feels like an afterthought, like something you need to do in order to make online more fun. Thumbs in the middle, but leaning down." Digital Spy gave it a score of three stars out of five, saying that "The quests and upgrades feel poorly applied, meaning the game struggles to establish its true purpose and identity. Stripping away all the extra elements brings just a pretty standard JRPG that offers little really to get excited about."