Arcana Heart 3 – Limited Edition (PS3)

Arcana Heart 3 is the latest installment in the popular Japanese 2D all-female arcade fighting game series from developer Examu. While the series might not be well known outside of Japan, players who take the time to dig into this heavily anime-influenced game will find a fast and fun fighter with a surprising amount of depth. While the game was released as a full-priced disc version in Japan, the North American edition of Arcana Heart 3 is available exclusively via PlayStation Network download for a reduced price of $29.99. The low cost is certainly appealing, but many potential players are likely to get turned off after seeing the cast of characters, which consists almost entirely of youthful anime females in sometimes skimpy outfits. There are certainly some stylish character designs in the mix, like the pigtailed, pistol-packing Petra, but some may find beating up characters like grade-school artist Eko ethically questionable. Overcome these qualms, though, and you’ll find a good game underneath the morally ambiguous surface.

Arcana Heart 3: Limited Edition Includes:

• Exclusive soundtrack CD
• 12 beautiful character and Arcana art cards with fighting move reference guides
• Original Japanese 144 page art book containing sketches and concept art
• All presented in a beautiful iconic box