Jeanne D'Arc Review

By Simon Parkin Published 4 October, 2007

Sacre bleu.

Version tested: PSP

The Independent recently reported on a survey's findings that 50% of the British public do not believe in the historical reality of William Wallace. The same survey revealed 57% of UK citizens think King Arthur was real, 27% are convinced Sherwood Forest really was once darkened by a Robin Hood, while a small, but endearingly hopeful 5% believe Conan the Barbarian actually existed. One percent (that's around 607, 762 people if we do the maths for you) apparently believe the TV series Xena the Warrior Princess is a biopic.

Far more terrifyingly than all of this, 11% of Britons are certain Adolf Hitler is a fictional character, a more shameful display of ignorance and damning indictment of the British populace one can scarce imagine outside of Southend high-street on a Saturday night.

Concerned historians hoping that Level 5's latest Strategy PSP, focused upon the life and times of 15th Century French freedom Fighter Joan of Arc might help redress our pitiful lack of knowledge of this country's past will be sorely disappointed.

The game plots the story of how the young King Henry VI was possessed by a legion of demons summoned by the incantations of a wild-eyed Duke of Bedford. While the Duke of Bedford was the man responsible for burning a 19-year-old Joan of Arc at the stake for heresy there's been a mighty dollop of creative license in painting him as an occultist mastermind - particularly one whom can only be defeated by way of a magical gold amulet and a talking frog. Who says videogames are lowbrow?

Jeanne D'Arc is a Strategy RPG, which for the uninitiated, is a type of game that requires its player to manoeuvre a handful of troops, turn by turn around a grid-based environment in an effort to overcome an opposing handful of AI controlled units. The game's visuals are, as you might expect coming from Level 5, sumptuous and colourful but the underlying mechanics are decidedly vanilla to veterans of the genre. There is none of Nippon Ichi's extrovert complexity here and the game is far closer (and in many ways more conservative) than the decade old Final Fantasy Tactics which also debuts shortly on the handheld.

'Jeanne D'Arc' Screenshot 1

There are around 150 different skill stones to be bought and discovered. The most powerful skills in the game require the combining of two individual stones to create a devastating hybrid.

But that isn't necessarily cause for concern because the mechanics the game is built upon are mature in the sense of being solid and reliable rather than rusty and broken. Which is just as well as there's not much else to hold your attention here: no multiplayer modes, mini-games or bonus quests to distract your attention from delivering the French people from the tyrannical grip of a boisterous and demonically augmented English military. Instead, you work your way from point to point on the London tube-like interconnected map, driving the narrative forward with cutscenes before playing out the self-contained mission. It's possible to revisit stages to level up your 14 characters in between the main thrust of the story but this will not be necessary for the most part as the game is, to put it bluntly, easy.

That's not to say it's not fun and doesn't require some strategising (after all, this is the reviewer who beat the director of Final Fantasy Tactics in a head-to-head match in Japan earlier this year -- though we don't like to mention it all the time or anything). Turns are, in the Advance Wars style, divided into two parts. You move a unit then you choose an action which is then immediately executed. Actions vary from the delivery of a potion to heal a teammate through to the jabbing of a man in the neck with your spear. Whatever you choose for your move you earn experience points which then level up your character making them stronger. Once you fell an enemy, he'll probably leave behind some money with which you can purchase some stronger armour and sharper weaponry.

The deeper level mechanics are equally straightforward. When you attack an enemy the square behind the target aquires a swirling animation. Manoeuvre another character into this mini-tornado and they'll gain a temporary attack upgrade. Attack an enemy from behind and you'll inflict greater damage while positioning your characters next to each other will earn a defence up in a very, very diluted take on Nippon Ichi's work in Disgaea.

'Jeanne D'Arc' Screenshot 2

Jeanne is depicted as a pretty, blonde 17-year-old French girl. The English are presented as slow-witted, lumbering, devil worshipping ogres. Time's quite the healer.

Characters also have skill slots which you can fill with spells or specific special moves. These skill moves require the use of MP which, contrary to convention, must be built up from the start of a stage, each move you make filling your gauge bit by bit. Lead protagonist Joan can, in another example of the developer taking a liberal view of history, change form into a Valkyrie-like angel of death once per match. This transformation allows her an extra move per turn should she fell an enemy and generally makes her hard as 6-month-old brie.

Environments are bright and lush and look fantastic on the machine. Animations are a little disappointing, displaying a weightless but overly exact quality that bespeaks tight budgets and short deadlines. Nevertheless, the overall look and feel of the game is exemplary and the a-hoh-hee-hon French voice acting does a good job of pulling you in to the narrative to the point where you'll soon be siding with the French underclass as they rail against the evil bastard invading Brits. The music is good but not nearly as good as Final Fantasy Tactics' and, while this game stands out as the stronger title visually in a direct comparison, almost every other element pales next to the majesty of Square's forthcoming classic.

That said, this is an excellent videogame. The Strategy RPG suits travelling play very well and, the easy going, clear and detailed presentation make Jeanne D'Arc an excellent buy for the PSP. Unfortunately that mightn't be so easy. The news last week that Sony has dropped the game for European release, forcing gamers to import the multiregional US version, is sad. This is exactly the kind of title the system needs to be promoting, even if, in all likelihood, it wouldn't sell very well.

But for those willing to put a little effort in to tracking down a copy this is a worthwhile experience. The storyline, while clearly bonkers, makes a refreshing change to the standard RPG fare, if only because it draws at least superficially, on historical characters and events. Likewise the mechanics are deep enough to be enjoyable for veterans while also serving as an excellent introduction to what is one of gaming's least approachable genres. If nothing else, at least the game might account for some decidedly more colourful and rip-roaring GCSE coursework in the coming months.

7 / 10

Read the Eurogamer.net scoring policy
Picture of Simon.

About Simon Parkin

Simon Parkin is an author and journalist on video games. A regular contributor to Eurogamer since 2005, his work has also appeared in Edge, The Telegraph, Gamasutra and Boing Boing.

Read more articles from Simon by visiting the Simon Parkin archive page.

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Comments (55) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • drumbaby #1 4 years ago

    Cross.

  • deepmenace #2 4 years ago

    Buns.

  • Mudo #3 4 years ago

    Anyway, rubbish game.
    Edited by 1 at 04/10/07 @ 07:55

  • NegativeZero #4 4 years ago

    Sounds like this is going to have some serious trouble competing against FFT and Disgaea when they turn up.

  • bunglebonce #5 4 years ago

    The Independent recently reported on a survey's findings that 50% of the British public do not believe in the historical reality of William Wallace.

    I bet if it was the Daily Record, it would be up to about 90%.

  • Steroyd #6 4 years ago

    what What WHAT they ditched the European release f**king hell. >:|

  • mkreku #7 4 years ago

    What a weird review. It sounded like the reviewer was trying his hardest to NOT like the game, despite it being so good that there was eventually no denying it.

  • betahoven #8 4 years ago

    Post deleted at 09:36:16 17-12-2011

  • Kami #9 4 years ago

    "If nothing else, at least the game might account for some decidedly more colourful and rip-roaring GCSE coursework in the coming months."

    Going back in the review...

    "The game plots the story of how the young King Henry VI was possessed by a legion of demons summoned by the incantations of a wild-eyed Duke of Bedford. While the Duke of Bedford (was) the man responsible for burning a 19-year-old Joan of Arc at the stake for heresy, there's been a mighty dollop of creative license in painting him as an occultist mastermind - particularly one whom can only be defeated by way of a magical gold amulet and a talking frog. Who says videogames are lowbrow?"

    ... I want to be marking those History papers now...

  • rumbo #10 4 years ago

    I have to be honest, I really like this site for its good (critical) reviews, but I really think the reviewer didn't do a good job here. Personally, and having played a LOT of games on my PSP, this game is one of the best PSP games out there. Really nice AI, a whole lot of replay value and secrets to discover (though certainly not as much as the superb disgaea), nice artistic style....

    I certainly had the most fun with my psp since it got out.... and think this game deserves a 9/10...certainly not a 7/10

  • Charroux #11 4 years ago

    MATH?

  • Steroyd #12 4 years ago

    No seriously... they DITCHED the European release.

  • therev #13 4 years ago

    EASY? EASY?!?!?!

    I'm very stuck and I'm only chapter two. And that's after spending at least half my playing time levelling up.

    And it's quite complicated and deep enough for me, thank you very much.

    Hmpf.

    Anyway, it's excellent. Add on two marks if you're not a superhuman SRPG god.

  • Murbal #14 4 years ago

    Given the time I've spent on it certainly seems 7 is a ilttle haarsh. FFT tomorrow and Disgaea in the States at the end of the month? Brilliant.

  • PeterM #15 4 years ago

    That's right Sony, we need fewer PSP releases...

    Fuckn' spastics.

  • ccfb #16 4 years ago

    Quote your survey sources please, else it's all bollocks.

  • trav #17 4 years ago

    "Far more terrifyingly than all of this, 11% of Britons are certain Adolf Hitler is a fictional character..."

    The British educational system strikes again.

  • crazyhorse174 #18 4 years ago

    The Independent recently reported on a survey's findings that 50% of the British public do not believe in the historical reality of William Wallace.

    I bet if it was the Daily Record, it would be up to about 90%.

    Sure you've not read that wrongly as "...50% do believe..." as opposed to "...do not..."??

    Still...I want to meet someone from the 5% who believe Conan was real! Brilliant!

  • BeheretiK #19 4 years ago

    Spent a lot of time with this game recently (30+ hours) and I must say I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. It is (IMO) very easy though and I only ever had a tough encounter, where I absolutely needed to go back and level up, at the final stage...

    8/10 for me

  • thedaveeyres #20 4 years ago

    I did fancy this... cheers EG for easing the pain on my overburdened wallet! :)

  • Steroyd #21 4 years ago

    THEY CANCELLED THE EURO RELEASE.

    Jesus as much as I like bitching about getting stuff late at least I have an Idea how long I have to complete my back catalogue.

    I have no money right now so I can't import financial planning is something else I benefit from Euro delays. :(

  • immateriaux #22 4 years ago

    So a game about French and British characters gets no European release. What the fuck is that about?

    Sony certainly has some twits employed in the decision making department. I was looking forward to getting this but the PSP deserves to crash and burn the way Sony are fumbling with it.

  • pjmaybe #23 4 years ago

    I loved this. I reckon a 7's fair though because it's got a lot of mundane bits in between moments of brilliance.

    Still a far nicer experience than D & D Tactics

    Peej

  • Rirekon #24 4 years ago

    King Arthur was real, good job Daily Mail

  • cooper #25 4 years ago

    The lack of a euro release isn't a problem.
    You can get it from the US for less than €25 delivered (hint: cduniverse.com).

  • VicViper #26 4 years ago

    First off, the main story is not so easy, you need to free battle allot to get your level up to make its possible, particular on on battle where if someone dies game over and if you don't get your party to the other edge of the map in time game over.

    I would have given this a 8 maybe at a push 9, the story is very well persented, I did import it about a month ago and due to Riverea : The promised land, haven't got as far as i like. Though in saying that having preordered FF tatics and planning on importing (unless there a EU release in th works and even then i would probaly still import)disgaea: afternoon of darkness because portable leveling to 9,999 yeah thats going to awsome/time consuming
    Edited by 1 at 04/10/07 @ 09:28

  • SeesThroughAll #27 4 years ago

    Did it get a -2 on the score because of the "devil Brit bastards" storyline?

  • Bigglesworth #28 4 years ago

    I guess they couldn't justify spending out on the over 9000 languages now required for a European release. I blame the EU.

  • thejeek #29 4 years ago

    Hang on, so Conan *isn't* real then? But he's in the game with boobies?! Are the boobies not real either?

  • DodgyPast #30 4 years ago

    Anyway, it's excellent. Add on two marks if you're not a superhuman SRPG god.

    +1

    Also good preparation for FFT and Disgaea for those of us that feel a bit out of practice.

    I think and 8 would be the fairest mark so they can still give Disgaea and FFT the 9's we know are coming.

    At about 35+ hours and coming to the end of it. Really enjoyed it and I haven't had a game cost me so much sleep in a long time.

  • goz #31 4 years ago

    I don't get the anguish in the comments here - 7/10 is a good score. The text says that this is 'an excellent videogame' but the fact is that, compared to rival titles in the genre for the system (Final Fantasy Tactics, Disgaea) it's an extremely straightforward and vanilla example.

    That's not just opinion, it's empirically obvious because, in an SRPG, all of the mechanics and complexities (or lack thereof) are clearly visible in the squares and numbers...

  • smurphs #32 4 years ago

    Played the original FFT recently, and although Jeanne D'Arc doesn't have the depth it is a great example of handheld gaming. Where FFT requires you to stop and level-grind for 3 hours at certain points this just gives out lovely dollops of sweet strategy goodness at a nice even pace.

    I love the armlet business, where if you play a level right you can take down loads of the bad guys in one move, which is very satisfying. Arranging attacks to make best use of the power-vortexes also adds to the tactics.

    I'm surprised by the review, if you like SRPGs this is a must in my opinion.

  • samk #33 4 years ago

    I've played about 30 hours of this. Really good game, but a tad too easy like some others have stated.

    They really needed to increase the amount of standard enemies in each mission by about 50% so you couldn't gang up on individual enemies as much. I'm now up to Chapter 7 (I think) and even with only having played a handful of 'Free Combat' battles my crew are slaughtering all the bog standard enemies no problem.

    Does anyone know if a harder skill level is unlocked upon completing it, much like games such as Fire Emblem?

  • SBfistfun #34 4 years ago

    Freakin' frogs

  • Xerx3s #35 4 years ago

    Jeanne is depicted as a pretty, blonde 17-year-old French girl. The English are presented as slow-witted, lumbering, devil worshipping ogres. Time's quite the healer.

    Nothing has changed since then. ;p

  • Nithron #36 4 years ago

    I always wonder how many of the people that respond with such ridiculous answers in these surveys just say those things for a laugh. Y'know, all sarcastic like.

    Surely nobody's dumb enough to think Hitler was fictional?
    except Jade Goody, but really, we need to ask ourselves, is she actually a human at all?

  • spimmy #37 4 years ago

    Hmmm be thinking of geting this but final fantasy tactics war of the lion is out soon :(

  • Spectral #38 4 years ago

    why not get both if you like strategy games? Neither full price if you shop around. I picked up this for £15 and FFT is on its way for £17.99. I've only had a brief look at Jean D'arc so far but it seems good. Going to make a proper start on it as soon as I finish the game I'm currently playing through.

  • mingster #39 4 years ago

    its not that easy im on level 15 now and ive seen the game over screen about ten times now i love the swearing in this game and the anime cut scenes are lush

  • simiankid #40 4 years ago

    The word "multiregional" should be banned, IMHO. It's so ugly sounding.

    /shudders

  • dirigiblebill #41 4 years ago

    This is exactly the kind of title the system needs to be promoting, even if, in all likelihood, it wouldn't sell very well

    Errr, so why is it the kind of title the system needs to be promoting, then?

    (Changing people's perceptions, sort of thing?)

  • MightyPenguin #42 4 years ago

    Talking of SRPGs (TRPGs, surely?), are we getting FE: Radiant Dawn? Soon? Ever?

  • ilmaestro #43 4 years ago

    SRPGs, if you want to stay with the Japanese convention. 'Simulation' is the word you're looking for, not the slightly confusing (and, as you surmise, wrong) 'strategy'.
    Edited by 1 at 04/10/07 @ 12:15

  • chudders #44 4 years ago

    "A more shameful display of ignorance and damning indictment of the British populace one can scarce imagine outside of Southend high-street on a Saturday night"

    Living in Southend I can confirm that is the case.

    Or as the locals like to call it, 'Saaarfend'.



  • YourMessageHere #45 4 years ago

    I expect no-one will understand or care but here goes anyway; given that the screenshots gallery is broken I can't really be sure but it looks like they stole Jeanne's character design straight from Alice Malvin in Pumpkin Scissors. I saw the review thumbnail and thought "oh no, a Pumpkin Scissors game!".

  • retr0gamer #46 4 years ago

    Had this game a while now and love it. Really good SRPG although it is very easy. It's not a patch on FF Tactics (well what is other than Fire Emblem) but as an alternative there isn't anything better on the PSP. Far better than shitty FF Tactics Advance anyway.

  • steveb07 #47 4 years ago

    Im really enjoying it and also have FFT coming in the post, whenever they decide to go back to work...
    So Im using this as a practice for FFT, sort of starter before the main course.

    The cancelled Euro release IMO is all down to multi language support.

  • ilmaestro #48 4 years ago

    Hehe, wrong thread.
    Edited by 1 at 04/10/07 @ 18:50

  • Cheapshot #49 4 years ago

    This game is a fucking 9 out of 10 and that's that.

  • stormuk #50 4 years ago

    Ive played it and I think its one of the better games on the PSP Id say more an 8 tbh

  • DjWhizzkidd #51 4 years ago

    Going by scores on Metacritic, Eurogamer has given it the lowest score out of 30 odd reviews.
    Edited by 1 at 04/10/07 @ 23:32

  • HiddenAway #52 4 years ago

    I was about to post in the Jeanne d'Arc discussion pages on Pocket Gamer, saying there won't be a European release. They actually got news ages ago that it was not coming anyway.

    /disappointed
    /waits for US import

  • steveb07 #53 4 years ago

    I will also agree that this game is no way a 7/10. A 8.5 or 9 IMO but since EG don't do .5 I would say its a 9.

  • dirigiblebill #54 4 years ago

    Having fired this up again after a week of D&D I'm more inclined to agree with that 7. The battling hasn't evolved in the course of eight hours of play- I'm using the same strategy on every map (keeping the party bunched till I get Jeanne or another amuleteer into a position from which they can chain-kill everything on the map). What's there is well-balanced but there's a disappointing lack of creative scope.

  • adfegg #55 4 years ago

    "The same survey revealed 57% of UK citizens think King Arthur was real, 27% are convinced Sherwood Forest really was once darkened by a Robin Hood"

    I think a lot of them are historians!