[REVIEW] Mana Khemia: Student Alliance on PSP

Mana Khemia: Student Alliance PSP Cover

Last summer vacation, my PSP-addict hands found its way pushing on the buttons diligently on but one game: Mana Khemia: Student Alliance. I found myself, being alone in a room, trying to complete all the characters’ Grow Book *grins* \m/^_^\m/

So what is this all about???

Mana Khemia is a role-playing game mainly focusing on alchemy. The story jumpstarts with a boy named Vayne Aurelius, whom is invited to enter the Al-Revis Academy to learn alchemy. Together with his Mana, Sulpher, he faces his new found friends, teachers, and foes on his journey to unravel what is stored for him in the world of alchemy.

What’s HOT?!?!

Cute Character Sprites – this is the first thing that interests me when it comes to choosing a game. The sprites appears to be typical, but simply irresistable. ^_^ The graphics of the game is neatly integrated with the interface of the game. Just feels like you are entering a university on a weekly basis.

The Grow Book – if there is anything about this game that really intrigued me, it is the Grow Book. Each character has its own’s Grow Book. As you create a new item through alchemy, each character’s Grow Book will activate an item and will enable you to fill up AP points on the corresponding orbs that increases stats, battle efficiencies, and skills.

Synthesis – this is the essence of the game itself. The fun part here is that you have to dig thru the map in search of hidden treasures, or make sure you are in the right timing to catch fishes for item synthesis. also, synthesized items can be used to be a part of synthesizing a new item. There are two types of synthesis on this game:

• Use of Athenor – this is where you make your character’s equipment. You will have to see to it that the material you are synthesizing for your equipment will give you the ether effects that you’re character will use. I usually gave Jess the healing and heavy strike ether effects for character support.
• Use of Workshop – this is where you mix the materials to make new ones. In the game story, Flay recruits the rest of the gang to his workshop, like some kind of a club in our normal schools. Anyway, the tricky part on using the workshop is that you will have to compute for the possible outcome of the synthesis depending on the element outcome of the mx and the Ether levels of each characters that may add or subtract ether points on your product synthesis.

Chain Attacks- once you master this skill you will be able to use all your characters to strike your opponents and increase your gauge for Burst Finisher, which deals a lot of damage to your enemy.

Flay, Vayne, and Anna's Variable Strike as seen in the Game play

Flay – Flay is so cute on his comic character on this game. Imagine a hunk with a “heroic” deed on the school grounds roming around in mask @.@

What’s Not???

Multi-Story Ending – *Spoiler Alert* Depending on the character you are most likely interested, you will have to choose which character you are going to help on the game. Then the story ends with that character’s story.

Isolde’s Love Story- I dunno, i just hate love stories in games and anime @.@

Overall Rating: 8 (Jam’s Rating that is ^_^)