"Gameplay needs work, but this is surprisingly well done for an anime adaptation"

With all of the success that the Fullmetal Alchemist anime series has seen both in the US and Japan, it was only a matter of time until somebody made a game for it. For fans of the series, Broken Angel's story could realistically take place somewhere between episodes 17 and 18 (even though it is technically not part of the anime story arc).

One of the game's main strengths is, not surprisingly, the alchemy system. Using alchemy, Edward Elric can "transmutate" just about any object he finds into a useful weapon or object. The sheer number and variety of weapons you can produce is staggering, ranging from swords, spears, and knives to cannons, tanks, and crossbows for himself and his brother, Alphonse, who assists him for most of the game. In addition, many weapons can be imbued with elemental powers like wind and fire, making them even more powerful. In addition to weapons, Ed uses alchemy to create solutions whenever the brothers' path is obstructed.

The story, for the most part, is quite original. There are some lacking sections (mainly the opening train sequence and a VERY repetitive and tedious sequence toward the middle of the story), but it is overall a fresh and very enjoyable plot, with a nice blend of drama, action, and comedy. Many of the main characters from the show make appearances and are accurately represented, and even the new characters have their own charm, particularly the young girl Armony.

Where the game really hurts itself is in the fighting. Despite the immense amount of creativity you can implement with alchemy, it is often wasted on the clumsy battle system. You cannot block enemy attacks (Ed can transmute small stone walls anywhere that block projectile attacks, but these take too long to produce to be useful), there is no lock-on function (which makes aiming long-ranged weapons very difficult), and the dodging ability is all but useless. Al's AI leaves a lot to be desired, as he often serves as little more than a punching bag, especially in the game's more difficult boss fights. The boss fights themselves are somewhat repetitive, as you fight the same boss twice in a row (in the same town), and you fight three previous bosses again, only all at the same time the second time around. The camera is also hard to manage sometimes, as enemies attack from off-camera and it is sometimes impossible to tell where the attack came from.

Essentially a good game from a standpoint of story and creativity (being able to unlock movies and artwork on the second playthrough is a nice touch), but needs a LOT of work with the fighting and camera. With a sequel already on the way, perhaps this will get fixed.

STORY - 8/10
GAMEPLAY - 5/10
VISUALS - 8/10
SOUND - 8/10
SWING - 7/10

OVERALL - 7.2/10

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 08/21/06