Summoner 2

Maia, Queen of Halassar and the incarnation of the goddess Laharah, is the heroine of Summoner 2, the sequel to Volition's original PlayStation 2 launch title. The story line takes place in the realm of Halassar, 20 years after Joseph, the protagonist of the first title, ascended and became the god known as Urath. Knowing her destiny, but not the path that will lead her there, Maia embarks on a quest to fulfill the prophecy of her birth. Throughout the adventure, she is joined by seven unique characters, including the likes of Krobelus -- a young missionary -- and Sangaril, a Munari assassin.

However, only three characters (one of which must be Maia) can be in the party at any given time. Combat, a staple of any RPG, is decidedly action-oriented, with players assuming direct control over only a single member of the party at one time; the actions of the other two party members are guided by the CPU. The rudimentary behavioral patterns of the CPU-controlled characters can be tweaked by assigning them Melee, Support, Healer, or Caster functions. Also, should the player desire, a single button press allows them to assume control of any character of their choosing. The camera defaults to a third-person perspective, but can be manipulated during battle using the right analog stick.

Offensive maneuvers come in the form of combination attacks and powerful special moves that are unique to each character. The former can be performed by pressing the attack button multiple times. In addition to the melee combat offered, players can make use of a cornucopia of offensive and defensive spells in such categories as Fire, Cold, Necromancy, and Pain to name but a few. Able to write Aosi, the language of the gods, Maia possesses the ability to transform into creatures using the power of the Blood, Eye, Sand, and Tree runes. Each consists of three different levels for a total of 12 summons. The more summoning skill Maia possesses, the longer she is able to remain in her more powerful, summoned form. By increasing in experience level, characters' basic attributes are raised, while the player is given Skill Points with which to manually customize various character abilities and skills. ~ Gavin Frankle, All Game Guide