The new “White Knight Chronicles II” brings the best of both the RPG and MMOG worlds. The game’s story takes place one year after the end of the first “White Knight” game.

The main character of Leonard seeks to stop Magi from finding the fifth arch knight and thus cause the final awakening. The game invites those new to the series as well as fans with a remastered version of the first game included on the system. Despite the effort to engage new players, the game remains PS3 exclusive for now. Those who already played the first game or who just don’t wish to play it can just as easily skip the first one with or without save data.

The largest change to the game is in its battle system, which gives the game a quicker pace. These changes go beyond the action gauge refilling faster. Following true role-playing game mode the type of character will also affect gameplay. The new attention on accuracy is an example of the changes. Distance and range will matter for characters to deal damage as well as what type of weapon the character employs. Attention to areas such as this has even led to new skill sets to meet with the ways of combat, such as lightweight characters being able to dash up to an enemy to strike. Weight class of characters will as well determine how easy it is for them to be knocked down. This method promotes teams, as heavier characters will best for charged attacks, which require build-up time, while lighter characters can attack more often but also be more vulnerable. This becomes increasingly important in the online version of the game.

The online component makes an interesting addition to the RPG-styled game. Players cannot play with main storyline characters in the online version, but the studio promises that through abilities and items, one can make similar characters. The game does allow the player to transfer from “White Knight Chronicles,” however, their character along with money, equipment and guild ranks. One of the most interesting parts of online play is that players design their own arch knight with a wide choice of ways to customize – from their choice of weapons, body types, color schemes and looks. Playing along with six others (an upgrade from four) allows players even more choices of how to best battle enemies, as two players in a group can use their knights at a time.

Other changes to online play are an increase in the number of guild ranks and online voice chat. It will be interesting to see which becomes more popular: the game’s RPG side or the online MMOG.