The game has changes from the PC counterpart, but is the game even any good?

Japanese Game Front

Alicia Is A Character Exclusive
To The Playstation Version Of
Romance Wa Ken No Kagayaki II.

Ten Babes, One Guy, 100% Japan-Only.
Characters Starting From The
Top-Left Row Going Down:
Left: Lyukia, Rina, Rion, Janet
Mid: Alicia, Keith, Elfarcia
Right: Sharon, Poppuru, Spica, Eris

Several genres have been tapped into on Gaming Sanctuary so far, but we have yet to talk about a dating sim game. Well folks, love is in the air with this one, or should I say...romance? Yes, romance is a better term to use in this case...and Romance wa Ken no Kagayaki II is another addition to a genre that is full to the brim in Japan.

It is said that the original RWKNK released on Japanese PCs was a far better game and it was a hentai RPG. Oddly enough, people say the sequel isn't a hentai game...which is somewhat incorrect. Hentai is just the act of being perverted, and there is still some kinky stuff. The game doesn't have any nudity though. In an even more ironic twist, the sequel was ported to the Playstation in limited quantities and has altered content plus an exclusive character to the PS game, Alicia. Once I popped this baby into my Playstation, I was rewarded with a fairly typical (though nice) anime opening with a spirited female singer and all. I would imagine the PC cutscene is different since the PS game adds Alicia in several instances during the cutscene. While all these things are interesting extras, how is the game?

In this game, you assume the role of Keith, a pretty boy and a skilled thief who resides in the fine city of Barran. His father (known as "Shadow Blade" in the manual) wanted to find the secret of the "Tower of Daidalos" and so Keith wants to finish what his father started. One night, he meets a girl named Elfarcia (and he accidentally gropes her) and she tells him that she lost a precious gem called the "Silver Rainbow". To my surprise, she doesn't end up slapping him in the face...however, the meeting between Keith and Elfarcia is obviously governed by fate and the adventure begins soon afterwards. Keith will run into many strange characters and beautiful women in his travels. While Keith can be a little perverted at times, he is often viewed as a kind individual and he will eventually end up doing a lot more than helping babes in need and vanquishing the occasional villian.

The game certainly doesn't earn any rewards for its outdated presentation. The environments and towns look WAY too similar...to the point of being eerie. I sometimes would go to a new town just to say "Have I been here before?" Yes, it's that bad, and the game has little variation or style. Things like lava and water are almost completely static, the battle graphics are unimpressive, and the only thing worth mentioning here is the nice illustrations throughout the game. The PC version of this game looks much better, though still admittedly outdated. The audio is also highly uninteresting, sans the opening cutscene. This game's graphics is sparse and the audio is lackluster. The PC game doesn't have voiceovers, but the PS game does. However, the voiceovers are pretty standard stuff.

The gameplay is the only interesting part about this game, but that isn't saying that it's good. RWKNKII's gameplay (or "Romance is the Shining of the Sword" as one once put it) can best be described as a REALLY poor man's Thousand Arms without a blacksmith hooligan. You get to travel to various locations doing quests while meeting girls and RWKNKII is not quite as straightforward as the original RWKNK. You'll easily find yourself getting lost right from the start if you don't know any Japanese. You can buy gifts for girls and must often answer questions that will make or break your relationship with the ladies. In this regard, the game isn't much different from a dating sim/text dating sim. However, combat is a bit more diverse. The game allows you to use four characters in combat (RWKNK is said to use 6) and there are minor tactical elements involved since you can move characters and position them on the field, not to mention seeing foes on the map ala Lunar. The game gives you a fair deal of customization over character growth, such as using exp. to boost different categories. This would be nice if the game didn't make it so obvious as to which stats to raise.

The game further proves this by using a sort of class system, broken up mainly according to Fighter, Mage, or Mixed. Because each stat requires a different amount of experience points to raise, Fighters can raise stats like Strength and Defense easier than stats like Intelligence. Mages are the opposite. Mixed characters are more versatile, but don't excel at anything. This game also has a few weird (or mostly useless) characters who kinda break the rules, such as a Fighter type with high intelligence (and suffering at what they really need). Fighters don't really learn magic, but have special moves that require "MO" (morale) to use. The PC version of this game has more strategy elements during combat, while the PS game is a lot more generic. Why did they do this? Hell if I know.

When all is said and done, RWKNKII is an underwhelming game with some pretty pictures and not much else. This game tries to be a good RPG and a nice dating sim, but isn't quite up to par at meeting either of those standards. It's not the worse game I've played, but it certainly isn't a great PS RPG, and was more presentable on Japanese PCs. At least it has loads of replayability due to all the different endings and multiple paths you can get with the ladies...provided you can finish it the first time around. I think it has a little charm...I play it in small doses, but dating sim fans might like it. Unfortunately, the PS game seems to be very expensive. One final thing to note...is that this game makes mention of the PS2. I don't know if it has any special upgrades when played on a PS2, but I'll get back to you if I ever find anything out. I'm assuming it has something to do with the PS2 Memory Card since it mentions "8MB" on the box.

- Written by Bel Cain The Eternal -