“One life is all we have and we live it as we believe in living it. But to sacrifice what you are and to live without belief, that is a fate more terrible than dying.”
~ Jeanne d’Arc, excerpt from her trial transcripts circa 1431.

A French specious sweetheart gets special powers, as suspicious storied bad guys somehow summon supernatural monsters, in this Tactical Turn-Based RPG originally for the PSP. Beautiful anime cutscenes grace this title, with its character models having decent artistic details in combat and scenes. It isn’t quite your average game for the genre, and where it diverges can on occasion be game breaking, yet it makes it unique. If you are a fan of Tactics-style games, you will find familiarity and comfort.

Your motive to fight is because your village and people were burnt to the ground! Your hope is to deal with the Duke of Bedford and dethrone a possessed child named Henry? Jeanne d’Arc’s premise is loosely based on Joan of Arc from history and legend, including the religious aspects. If you cut your hair short, maybe you can figure out why Roger has Amnesia, and find what the British and French Nobility are up to? Evil forces manipulate everything from the shadows, so motives are vague or imposed, either way the soldiers and Therion beast-men are just following orders.

Buy gear rarely, grind previous battles again for minimal experience and ability drops, save most places, listen to the same few songs and those sweet muffled sound effects, and get confused about who to make a healer (I chose… poorly). Laugh or cringe at the cheesy written lisps, accents, and alliterations, because there is no voice acting in Jeanne d’Arc besides its cutscenes. Transform into Ultimate Valkyrie versions of some of your characters for 2 turns, healing them fully, then unleash powerful attacks, but they can only be used once per battle.

A mysterious purple frog named Cuisses can synthesize new abilities, but you’ll probably want a walkthrough for that, otherwise you’ll have to guess. And yes, it is a Frog in France, that irony was not lost on me, and the pejorative term is used by several bad guys. There are no reinventions in the combat here besides being able to equip a spell you find or make to anyone, as Job Classes aren’t precisely in the game. This makes it difficult to figure out how to set up each character, though they do start out equipped in certain ways. I found it helpful to have a ranged spell and healing spell when possible on melee characters for reach and support. Once past the middle section of the game things get less difficult, but it is not an easy game.

I loved the game, but I could have done without the turn limits in battles, particularly ones spanning larger distances. There are a few annoying escort missions in some battles with only a couple of soldiers allowed. You will want multiple save files beyond the traditional two alternating, in case you need to backtrack, either for optional paths and recruitable characters, or in case of units leaving and possibly returning. I had several characters over level 70 before beating it, and I did most trophy fights, which also drop rare weapons and armor. Overall, I am very glad I found a new Tactical RPG, with its flavorful writing, plot twists galore that don’t hold back, beautiful sometimes moving cutscenes, and traditional gameplay.