Quick, name the last Game Boy Advance game you purchased that wasn’t based on a sequel, a portable version of an old console title or based upon a television or movie license?  You might have a very short list of games simply because the GBA has been overlooked with the success of the Nintendo DS.  Even looking over your favorite retailers GBA listing probably doesn’t show you much originality when it comes to new games.  Well all is not lost or forsaken when it comes to original titles for the GBA.  Juka and the Monophonic Menace is an original action RPG that should please gamers looking for something new.

The story of the game centers upon your character Juka, an alchemist, and his journeys in the land of Obla.  The land of Obla had been torn apart by battles between a group called the Dark Alchemist and the rest of kingdom.  An uneasy peace has been in place for several years but recently some strange events have occurred.  It’s up to Juka to discover what or who is behind all of these strange events on his adventure.

The first attention grabber I noticed in the game is the visuals.  This might not be the best looking game on the GBA but it packs a great look with the typical 16-bit style look of older RPG games.  But you don’t have the usual anime look that is usually spewing over in this type of game.  All of the characters, especially in the in game dialog windows and cutscenes, are well detailed with bright and colorful visuals.  The regular gameplay is presented in an isometric 3D viewpoint with 2d sprites, which has been used in countless older RPG titles.  In fact I would say this game will remind older gamers of Landstalker and other classic titles from earlier systems.  

The story and presentation of the game do a great job of keeping the game flowing.  Story segments unfold every few minutes to keep you pointed in the right direction.  The game tries to limit you from backtracking by offering plenty of opportunities to keep Juka stocked with the necessary items at all times.  The game offers a solid story with great graphics that are complemented well by the rest of the gameplay in almost every aspect of the game.

The gameplay in Juka is a mixture of RPG/Adventure elements with action pieces but done with a twist.  You have the standard “let’s explore the whole country to find clues” seen in every action RPG game along with the typical spells and items you can use.  The spells play a vital role in the game since you use spells to help you progress through the majority of the game.  You have to find or learn different spells as you progress in the game and then pick up the necessary items to create the spells.  But to create the spells you must have the right Jars to collect the necessary ingredients needed for casting. 

You start off the game with a limited number of bottles and collect additional bottles as you progress in the game.  Creating spells is done by pressing the select button and then selecting the right amount of each ingredient required for each spell.  If you selected the right combination of ingredients then you will have your spell.  But if you made a mistake then you will need to start over and enter the correct spell. 

The twist of Juka that makes it a different game than other action RPG games is the action part.  You’re not actually fighting anything in the game with a sword or melee combat.  Instead all of the action in the game is done via spells or via your Sound Staff.  The spells are self explanatory since you can cast a spell to subdue the enemies to clear certain areas.  The Sound Staff combat is almost a mixture of solving a puzzle when fighting.  The way this feature works depends on you capturing the correct projectile fired off by an enemy first before you can attack.  For example you might run into a battle that requires you to capture two green ball shaped projectiles before you can launch an attack shot.  It sounds easy on paper and it was easy at first but it becomes progressively harder as you progress in the game. 

Soon you start facing off against multiple enemies at the same time who fire off a variety of different colored and shaped projectiles.  Then you start to face enemies that require you to capture several different patterns before you can attack them.  Sure this is a unique and interesting way of creating a combat system but maybe I should mention that if you accidentally pick up the wrong projectile you have to start the whole process over again.  Yep, one mistake and the combat is all for nothing because you have to start collecting the projectiles over again.  The game tries to offer assistance by letting you use a shield to prevent you from picking up the wrong projectile but sometimes this still isn’t enough.  One wrong slip up and the combat can become a stress fest. 

The other issue with the combat is the magic bullet.  You start noticing that some characters in the game have heat seeking weapons (magic bullets) that will follow you and hit you no matter how many moves you try to make.  The first couple of times you just ignore the magic bullets and use your spells to subdue the enemies.  But after a while I got sick of wasting precious spells on monsters just to avoid the magic bullets.  I’m not sure if I should put this blame on bad programming or just another feature of the game.  Whatever the culprit, the auto locking ammunition of the enemy becomes a big nuisance.

If you’ve been dying to play an original action RPG game for your GBA then look no farther than Juka and the Monophonic Menace.  The characters are great, the story is top notch and the gameplay is very unique.  This unique gameplay can become the biggest downfall of the game due to the issues I mentioned earlier about the combat.  However this shouldn’t stop gamers from trying out one of the few “original” titles available for the GBA. 
 

Gameplay 7.7 

If it wasn’t for the unforgiving Sound Staff combat and magic bullets than the gameplay would shine in Juka.

Graphics 7.5 

This is definitely a classic looking old school style game that looks great on the GBA.  Newer games might be put off by the 2D style visuals while older gamers might sing songs of praise for the graphics.

Sound 7.5 

Sound and music play a big role in the game by you finding a variety of music instruments in the game.  The music and sound effects in the game were well done and set a great tone for the game.

Difficulty Medium 

The game does a great job ramping up to a certain point at which the game seems to let everything out at you at one time.   

Concept 8.0 

Sure it might be a game that looks like a ten to fifteen year old title but it’s still an original title for the GBA.  That fact alone makes Juka stand out in the crowded GBA market.

Overall 7.7 

Juka is a good game that has a few faults, just like any other game.  If you’re up to the challenge of dealing with the combat issues then Juka shouldn’t disappoint.  Or if you’re just dying to play an original game for the GBA or want to play another old school style of game then Juka is your game.