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Dark Arms is a 2D, top-down action RPG, but unlike similar games, the combat and movement are fully eight-directional, which takes some getting used to. Graphically, this is a real treat for a handheld and and the music is fairly good and non-intrusive while building tension. Combat is fairly tactical as you balance the need to clear your screen, stay alive and collect beasts while your weapons run out of power and take time to recharge. The learning curve is reasonably shallow at first, but steepens nicely once you've got to grips with the game and can't be faulted. There are loads of different weapons to upgrade and plenty of baddies too. The overall flavour is dark and mysterious, with just a hint of the occult as you battle against zombies, werewolves and demons. The menu system is a bit quirky and some of the translations are a bit Japlish, but this aside there really isn't a lot to fault this game for. Fans of 2D action RPGs need look no further.
Decent graphics and a genuinely 3D graphics engine which allows you the freedom to roam are the two major pluses of Ehrgeiz. It's a projectile and hand weapon-based fighter with a few too many add-ons and too little attention spent on the main event for its own good. Although the motion capture is better than your average beat 'em up and the backdrops are impressive and varied (including split-level jobs), the bouts themselves are no-brainer affairs, even though the special moves (and there aren't too many of these) are difficult to access. The game comes with some Final Fantasy characters, four little mini-games and a little RPG, but these extras only serve to make Ehrgeiz a strange curiosity more than anything else. Innovative, but there are better beat' em ups out there.
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