There sure are a lot of RPGs available on the PSP system. Too bad so many of them are incredibly underwhelming. Potentially great games like Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth are plagued by horrific load times that make games seem more like work than play. Legend of Heroes III, the latest installment of Bandai Namco's RPG series, is technically sound on almost every level: it's fairly eye-catching, has some great music, and best of all: features no load times. Then, why is it that the game fails to inspire?


I'm sure you've read the Grand List of Console Role Playing Game Cliches. It lists over a hundred commonplace themes of Japanese RPGs, and you'll find that Legend of Heroes III doesn't stray very far from that list. The fact that we're on a third Legend of Heroes game in less than two years should attest to the undeniable truth that it's much too easy to create a fantasy world and have teenagers run around saving the world (with an animal sidekick to boot).

Legend of Heroes III feels completely cookie-cutter, from beginning to end. The characters feel uninspired, with forgettable designs, and even less memorable personalities. Unfortunately, every character and town is named, and many quests involve you having to find a specific person. Will you be able to remember where generic character X is? I hope so, because you won't be able to progress in the game without completing these arduous tasks (and they are quite numerous!).

There simply isn't enough motivation for you as a player to continue on your quest. In fact, you'll constantly have to remind yourself what the quest actually is. You control Forte, the standard run-of-the-mill nice guy that comes from a quaint village. You're accompanied by the bumbling girl Una, who has a crush on you; and your surprisingly vigorous grandfather. Inexplicably, all of you have the innate ability to fight the various monsters that come in your way in your quest to ... uh, find music? You're on the look-out for Resonance Stones, which will unlock the mysterious Water Melody. Yay?


The story and the characters won't do much to keep your interest, and neither will the gameplay. The battle system feels extremely antiquated. It's a turn-based battle system that has little to no quirks that keep your interest. Where's active battle time? Not here. Where's an extensive magic system? Team commands? Anything? You'll find your choices to be surprisingly limited. However, it's not like anything else is really necessary: you can simply press X continuously to simply attack over and over again to get the job done. Because there isn't any strategy in the game, each battle becomes more of a chore than a challenge of wits. Although the battles aren't necessarily engaging, you'll find yourself going through hundreds, simply because you level up at a snail's pace throughout.

Unfortunately, leveling up also feels antiquated and limited. You can't assign attribute points, or customize your character in any significant way. You can, of course, buy predictably stronger armor and weapons throughout the game. There's also some magic, but don't expect the depth of a title like Final Fantasy III on the DS (and that's based on a game that came out more than a decade ago!).

At least the game looks pretty solid, and sounds even better. The environments are bright and colorful, and the character models that appear in conversations look sharp. Unfortunately, the sprites for the in-game characters leave a bit to be desired, as they move stiffly, and seem to feature limited animation. The exploration controls also feel a bit finicky, with your movement never feeling as precise as it should. Word to the wise: play with the analog nub over the D-Pad, as the D-Pad doesn't seem to allow for diagonal navigation. Strange.


Conclusion
Legend of Heroes III may be simplistic, but that may be part of its charm. It's highly accessible for players, especially because the story is completely independent of its predecessors. RPG gamers will enjoy the colorful, bright graphics, and the excellent soundtrack. The lack of load times, and ability to save anywhere in the game is a great feature that all PSP games should feature. While the complete lack of originality has certainly disappointed me, fans of the genre may appreciate the game's adherence to conventions. There are far more frustrating RPG games available on the PSP, and Legend of Heroes III's welcoming atmosphere may hit the spot. Younger gamers may especially appreciate the easy-going nature of the game. However, the rest of us won't lose any sleep over missing this game.

PSP Fanboy Score: 6.0