Publisher:	505 Gamestreet
Developer:	Softmax
Released:	01 Jan 1970
Genre
Platform

Kicking off just the way a classic role-playing game should – with a village burned to the ground and a main hero in turmoil – Magna Carta begins with a bang and doesn't let up. Painstakingly crafted by Korean developer Softmax, Magna Carta is an epic RPG with gorgeous visuals, exciting heroes, a sweeping orchestral score and a unique and enthralling battle system.

Your name is Calintz, a mercenary from the military unit known as "Tears of Blood". Your aim is to exact revenge against a powerful race of human-like creatures called the Yason. During your path along the mystical land of Efferia - a land of nature and powerful magic ravaged by the Human-Yason war - you'll experience battles, friendships, and new encounters with mysterious strangers. One such meeting is somehow the key to your journey. A young woman called Reith, suffering from a strange amnesia, seems to have a special link with your mission of vengeance and a connection with the Magna Carta – an intense magical ritual that has the power to turn the tides of war against the Tears of Blood.

Being a member of a hardened military unit, battles feature heavily in Magna Carta. The game's unique and comprehensive battle system offers players a dazzling array of fighting styles, magical spells and combo effects with which to devastate your rivals in battle. Innovations include a mixture of real-time and turn-based combat and a Leadership meter, where the more respect your recruits have for you, the higher your leadership will be and the more frequently you can act in battle. Leadership and respect are gained by protecting your friends, encouraging them regularly and even by giving them gifts.

Magna Carta also features an innovative "Dash or Detect" system for exploring the field, which eliminates random battle encounters. When exploring towns and non-hostile areas it's safe to use Dash mode, but where danger might be lurking, a press of the R1 button switches to Detect mode which widens the field of view around Calintz, allowing players to see enemies at a greater range, spot treasure chest and secrets, as well as ambush enemies from behind in surprise attacks.

In addition to the exciting battle system and compelling exploration, Magna Carta features sky-high production values, with two high-profile artists on board: character artist Hyung-Tae Kim and landscape and concept designer in-Jung Jang. Towns and cities are brought to life with vibrant colours and minute attention to detail and there is a rich cadre of beautifully drawn characters to meet and recruit to your cause.

With its epic themes of friendship through adversity, the hardships of war and the mystery surrounding the Magna Carta ritual itself, Magna Carta is a powerhouse of an RPG. It offers accessible yet highly rewarding gameplay and an extensive quest, set against a gorgeous backdrop drawn from the minds of expert designers. Magna Carta is without a doubt an RPG force to be reckoned with, and releases on 7th April, priced £29.99.