Magical Starsign: - Fantasy and Magic Span Across The Universe

When Nintendo first announced the follow up to their ultra popular Gameboy, one title shown off with it was an RPG called Magical Vacation. Much to my disappointment, MV was never released stateside. This is why I was very surprised to hear years later that it's sequel for the Nintendo DS would in fact be translated for RPG fans outside of Japan. Magical Starsign is upon us now, but is it really all that 'magical'? Read on to find out.

I hate to start this review on a negative note, but the storyline isn't all that great. Basically you play as a boy (or girl) who is enrolled in the Will 'O Whisp magical academy with five of their friends, which include a salamander, robot, and rabbit girl. Very odd indeed. One day the professor leaves on a journey to stop her ex-pupil from committing evil deeds, but when she doesn't return, the students decide to travel to the various elemental planets to find her.

Magical Starsign is a random encounter turn based RPG. You command a party of six characters at once. What the game does differently though is it's magic system. Spells are the focus of combat, unlike most RPGs, and while your character can use physical attacks, they just aren't that useful. This is actually very unique, and though relying on magic in so much in an RPG may sound lame, Magical Starsign pulls it off in a refreshing way.

So basically you travel from planet to planet as you progress the storyline. The first part of the game is very linear and forces you to travel amongst them in a specific order, but later on you're given the reigns of your spaceship and can go where you please.

The first really cool feature of the game is apparent from the get-go. On top of being able to choose your main character's sex, you can also pick which element of magic you would like them to use; dark or light. Both have their advantages and will teach your character different spells, and this aspect gives Magical Starsign a ton of replay value.

The most profound feature however, is the celestial chart. This displays where each of the elemental planets are in their orbit in relation to the sun. When the elemental planets bathe in the corresponding light, the elemental magic in question will be stronger. Keep in mind, this also works for enemies, and that day and night system also effects specific elements. This feature alone provides more opportunity for strategy than most RPGs you'll find today.

Also put to good use is a timing system for attacks. If you tap your characters with the stylus right before their spell is cast, the effectiveness of it will be increased. You can also lessen damage your own characters take by tapping them right before an enemy strikes. The timing here is actually really hard to get down, but this is not a feature that you're required to master in order to be successful.

The graphics in particular are very nice. Everything is 2-D, detailed, and colorful. What's especially nice is that the battles span across both the top and bottom screens, making for some awesome effects with large monsters that fill both. Magical Starsign even contains a fair amount of FMV sequences, which are breathtaking for a handheld. The music, while not particularly amazing, gets the job done. The highlight is the upbeat battle music. The character grunts and battle cries are actually a bit annoying, but you'll get used to them soon enough.

Controls are a mixed bag. The game is based around the touch screen, and while you can use a more conventional control style, it's just too complicated. On top of this, battle commands and timed attacks can only be used via the touch screen. Bummer.

Final Recommendation
Magical Starsign is a very fun and very unique RPG. The gameplay is actually quite refreshing, and everything from exploring the different planets, to managing your characters to battling is quite fun. Highly Recommended.

This is an entry in the Lean-n-mean Five write-off.