Luminous Arc was not on my list of games to pick up as I'm not a huge fan of strategy, but I'm glad I gave it a shot.
This game was extremely predictable to those who have played a lot of RPGs. You've got your group of scoundrels - witches this time around with colorful personalities - up to no good and your team of do-gooders out to stop their plans. There's twists that I won't mention as I'm not a fan of spoiling, but they're fairly predictable as well. Despite this, the story does manage to grip you in a way reminiscent of a normal JRPG. It was clear that was the right way to go because it's enough to attract a casual gamer as well. In the 20+ chapters of this game, never did I feel bored with the direction the story was taking.
Characters - 8.5/10 but Voices - 4/10
There's no doubting that Luminous Arc had a very colorful cast - stereotypical as they may have been. You've got your male pervert with no restraint, your goody-goody protagonist brainwashed into following his teachings, the powerhouse of a womanizer with restraint, and the kid brother who is a little too innocent to name a few. These stereotypes are all good and fun, and there was no issue with likability - until they opened their mouths. I am not a person who seeks out the original japanese voices or whatever, but I do recognize horrible voice acting when I see it. The voices won't grate on your ears, but they don't exactly fit all of the characters and it's very noticeable. I couldn't stand one of the characters and whenever he opened his mouth - the game died a little more for me. Mute it and you're good to go!
Gameplay - 9/10
The gameplay was extremely addictive. I have played two strategy games in my lifetime, though I never really quite got into them. For some reason, that was not the case in Luminous Arc. Quite possibly, it could have had to do with how they handled the difficulty level. It's perfect for a new player just getting into strategy and not difficult enough that you'll be jotting down tactics on grid paper or absolutely needing to go back and grind. There is only one route to your destination, so there is no way to avoid battles and sometimes this can be a bit annoying especially if you ever - for some reason - would like to retrace your steps. Occasionally it will give you the option of not entering a battle, but only when you've already played through it and even then not all the time. I still haven't figured out what was going on with that.
Sound - 8/10
It's pretty obvious that they tried to tie the music into whatever was happening at that time, though there are occasions where the music just doesn't fit. I found myself muting the effect sounds as they were giving me a migraine. Not much to say about this, though I have to admit the generic battle music was perfect as it manages not to be too distracting and better for background music as you planned out your strategies.
In the end, this was a great game. It was worth giving a shot.