RPGs.  Role Playing Games.  What do you think of that?  Bit of a cheer, bit of a moan?  Guy in a cloak, kidnapped princess, turn-based combat – bit of a snooze?  Bit of a “Yes Please”?  Not really your sort of thing, perhaps? 

Well my dearies, whichever one of these camps you find yourself falling into, lend me your ears – because I might just have something new for you.  Let’s face it, that’s often the way it goes with RPGs – you either love ‘em or hate ‘em.  Cherish them or despise them.  Like Marmite.  However much some may adore their little genre (and believe me, I am part of that group), one must admit that RPGs have never quite achieved the mainstream acclaim that other genres and titles have.  The heady queues when Halo 2 was released, the adoration of the Grand Theft Auto series… Of course there are exceptions, but despite being popular in Japan and fairly successful in the US, RPGs in the UK just haven’t crossed over very well into popular play.  One could argue there are many reasons for this – that the UK just doesn’t have a taste for slow-paced, rarely competitive, story-led games.  Another is that the genre itself is not very good at re-inventing, re-energising or evolving itself, thus making it difficult to grab the attention of those who are not already convinced.  This in turn leads to another argument:  that this isn’t down to the genre, but down to the fact that generally poor RPG sales mean our shores don’t receive receive many quirky original RPGs, leading the poor sales to continue ...

And so it continues.  But from today (Friday), we’re getting not only an original, innovative RPG that’s new to our UK shores, but one that’s new to all shores – the RPG, RTS Lost Magic.

Yes, you’ve read that correctly – an RPG with RTS battle mechanics.  Don’t see many of these around, eh?  And if that isn’t exciting enough, let me tell you that Yoshiharu Sato (who was the animation director on My Neighbour Totoro) had a hand in the artwork.  Allow me to explain…

Anyone who has had the misfortune of asking me what I’ve been playing recently will know that I’ve been a rabbiting like a drunken fool about the wonders of Dragon Quest: Journey of the Cursed King.  So, when Lost Magic popped through my letterbox, let’s just say I was not all that fussed.  Indeed, the first twenty minutes of playing it had me screaming and shouting at my DS, before promptly burying it underneath a cushion.

The reason for this is that, despite the traditional storyline of “Evil-Tries-To-Take-Over-The-World, Boy-Fights-Evil”, the battle-system contained within is unlike anything I have personally experienced with an RPG.  It’s fast-thinking, highly responsive, and (dare I say it) slightly stressful. 

You play Issac, the luckless hero.  Your parents have most probably been bumped off by your usual psycho queen, and now you’ve got to save the world with Sooty’s magic wand (okay, so it isn’t TECHNICALLY Sooty’s, but it could be!) But here’s where the first big difference comes in – using your wand is not merely scrolling through a menu and selecting a spell, but scrawling out a rune or shape using your DS’s stylus to unleash it.  I can say with confidence that the developers have thankfully allowed a degree of error for those with poor scribbling skills (and they’ve even included a left-handed option for the sinistral among us), but the more accurate your conjuration is, the more powerful the spell.  Not only that, but whilst you’re scribbling away like no tomorrow, your enemies aren’t sitting around patiently for you to finish – they’re running towards you wielding a club with your brain’s name on it. 

So far, so interesting, but the real RTS element comes into play by a Pokemon-esque element of being able to capture your enemies and make them work as your bodyguards.  Your squads can be equipped with items and whiz up levels just as you do, and controlling them over the map towards the enemy can be done as easily and simply as dragging a box around them and pointing - Command & Conquer style.  Guide them well and you’ll never even have to get your hands dirty, but don’t take enough care and your squad will soon be destroyed, and you with them.  The cuteness of this game conceals a relatively tough difficult level.  And as always, your reaction speeds play a key part in victory.

For an RPG fan who is tired of turn-based combat and wants something a little more reactive, then this is for you.  For those who are usually put-off by the standard RPGs and might have had an occasional bash at Advanced Wars, then this is your next step.  Lost Magic offers something new and different for everyone, whether you’re a weathered RPG veteran or a pessimistic noob.

And don’t forget, Lost Magic also allows you to play against your friends using Wi-Fi, as well as supporting download play, so for those of you still not convinced (you picky little swines), can nag someone who does purchase the game to give you a bit of a taster without having to borrow my copy!