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The most fundamental law in alchemy is that of equivalent exchange, meaning that for every action, an equal price must be paid. Our two protagonists, brothers Edward and Alphonse, learned this the hard way when they tried to resurrect their mother. Not only was the attempt a disappointing failure, but thanks to the law of equivalent exchange, Alphonse's soul was bound to a walking, talking, hollow suit of armor, while Edward lost an arm and a leg, eventually replaced with robotic equivalents. Hearing rumors of a Philosopher's Stone, a source of untold alchemical power that does not abide by the law of equivalent exchange, Edward and Al set off on a quest to regain that which they have lost. In time, their travels lead them to the desert city of Lior, which is where the game begins. This first chapter, based off an actual episode of the show, follows a cult led by supposed miracle worker named Leto. Essentially a training level, this roots the game in the Fullmetal mythology, anchoring the following events in the overall timeline. After exposing Leto's hoax, Edward and Al are left questioning the source of his power, a fake version of the fabled Philosopher's Stone. Combined with the recent appearance of strange, inky monsters, it's clear there's something amiss, and it's up to our two heroes to figure it all out. On the way, they meet up and fight alongside several characters from the show.
These fights, which make up the bulk of the gameplay, are a relatively simplistic affair, mostly reliant on button-mashing and preset combos. The system is set in real-time, playing out like the traditional beat 'em ups of old. Approach enemy, attack repeatedly, and so forth. As enemies are defeated players earn both items and experience points, which can then be used to power-up various aspects of Ed and Al. As the game progresses, Edward's repertoire of transmutable weaponry increases, growing to include a spear, sword and hammer. Ever the loyal companion, Alphonse follows Ed in a fashion similar to that of a puppy dog, obeying simple commands (attack, follow) and assisting Ed in reaching those higher platforms. Interspersed between these segments of gameplay are both in-game and animated cutscenes that further along the story, voiced by the same talents used on the show. It's these little touches that separate this title from a cheap cash-in with a license tossed on. A lot of effort has been made to bridge the gap between show and game, as reflected by the quality translation, voice work, cutscenes, music, and so forth. The cel-shaded graphics help to recreate the atmosphere and look of the show, and the implementation of transmuting common objects into weaponry and other useful items was handled well. Unfortunately, the high production values do little to resolve two of the title's more glaring flaws. At heart, Fullmetal Alchemist 2 is a simple beat 'me up, and the gameplay very rarely deviates from this. That means the game can get rather monotonous, tapping the same series of buttons over and over again. With the story, not the gameplay, driving players to continue, this means that the replay value isn't all that high. And since it's all over in less than ten hours, a simple rental should provide sufficient time for most to conquer Fullmetal Alchemist 2. Fullmetal Alchemist 2: Curse of the Crimson Elixir isn't a bad game by any means, but it's also not a great one. It's entertaining enough, even for those who aren't major followers of the show, but despite all it has going for it, the short length and repetitive gameplay keep Fullmetal Alchemist 2 from being anything more noteworthy than a weekend rental.
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