This is the only game in this genre I've ever played where I've actually wished that there was more combat. Really, though, it's that battle system that makes me want to urge you towards The Last Story.

These characters rescue an overarching plot and setting that's a bit uninteresting on the surface, despite its variety. However, as far as I'm aware there's no option to play the game with the original Japanese soundtrack, which will disappoint some purists. It really emphasises the difference that good writing and translation makes it can turn characters from sterile, by-the-numbers stereotypes into loveable, vivacious personalities. The script is lively, colloquially translated and peppered with jokes you can tell that Nintendo's localisation team had a lot of fun adapting this for an English-speaking audience. Most of the bad guys have gravelly Cockney voices, where Syrenne – one of the main characters – is a cheerfully drunken, sweary Mancunian, and her fellow mercenary Lowell has a soft, Ewan McGregor-style Scottish lilt. This is helped greatly by superb localisation, with accents from every corner of the British Isles from Northern Ireland to Scotland to posh Southern England. None of them are that interesting on their own, but together they have great chemistry and banter that makes you want to like them - and believe in them, too. A largeish section of the game even takes place on various boats. The Last Story's locations are varied: a detailed city, smaller towns, volcanic caverns, forests, tombs. It familiarises you with its characters and themes gradually, leaving you to develop a bond with the core protagonists before introducing an overarching evil that threatens the peaceful Lazulis Island.

The game tells the story of Zael and his friends, a charmingly ragtag bunch of kind-hearted swords-for-hire that end up mixed up in something much bigger than their usual missions.

It tells a good story that incorporates familiar elements – the orphaned hero, a band of mercenaries who aren't what they seem to be, princesses with magical powers – without relying on them completely. It's among the best-looking games on the Wii its visual style and setting aren't as idiosyncratic as the colourful, vaguely surreal environments of Xenoblade Chronicles, but it handles huge bosses and detailed cities and busy action scenes confidently. The Last Story swirls the best of JRPG characterisation, presentation, customisation and storytelling together with third-person action combat and elements of stealth and real-time strategy.

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