Video game review: 'Black Sigil' has delightful story line, characters

"BLACK SIGIL: Blade of the Exiled" by Studio Archcraft, for Nintendo DS, rated "E" for Everyone; reviewer's rating: 7 (out of 10)

The knight Kairu lives in Bel Lenora, an icy world where people survive because they have literal magic.

Years before, a single soul who lacked magic lived there and was viewed with such suspicion and derision that he grew evil and twisted, to the point that the knight's father, a general, had him banished.

The problem for Kairu is that he, too, has no magical powers and the people are viewing him with fear and suspicion, as well. And he, too, is eventually banished, supported only by his sister Aurora, who helps him find a portal to a land where things are reversed and he finds himself on a journey to save the world from evil.

This role-playing game is plot-heavy and delightful for that very reason. It's actually surprising how much you can grow to care about 2D characters when you can get to know them. But that also means it is slow-moving early on, which will put off some gamers.

The game play: In "Black Sigil," game play takes a back seat to the story line, which is really exceptional. But those who pick up a video game for the play — and that's the vast majority — are not apt to go bonkers over this. Those who want to immerse themselves in a story and who love the feel of a more traditional, older RPG will likely be thrilled.

It is annoying, however, to encounter so many random battles. You can run away, by the way, a fact that the manual forgot to mention. Just hold down the B button. When you discover that accidentally, things pick up considerably.

You travel with a handful of characters, and some of the dialogue is delightful. Who you bring along makes a difference to what happens. They can each carry a few things, although this is not an annoying collect-this-and-that game.

And there's one more pesky annoyance: It's not easy to find save points, so you do a fair amount of dying and repeating.

Graphics: They're actually not bad for the little DS screen and the fact that everything's 2D. The monsters could be brighter and more detailed, but overall, the graphics are fun and colorful and you can become quite immersed in it.

Audio: I hardly noticed it.

The wrap-up: This game will be well-loved by fans of a traditional RPG who like Chrono Trigger or even the Zelda franchise. And the dialogue and plot are better. But that still leaves a lot of other gamers, who won't necessarily be wowed by it.

Parent's take: This game really is for everyone. The violence is mild and unrealistic enough to quell worries that younger kids will take it to heart. But they likely won't get the plot's nuances, either.

Final word: It's easy to get lost in this one because the plot sucks you in and drags you along.

E-mail: lois@desnews.com