| Arc the Lad Collection | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Working Designs |
| Publisher(s) | Working Designs |
| Series | Arc the Lad |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation |
| Release |
|
| Genre(s) | Tactical role-playing |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, Multiplayer |
Arc the Lad Collection is a 2002 video game compilation developed and published by Working Designs. It is the first English release of Sony Computer Entertainment's Arc the Lad RPGs for the PlayStation. Development started after the release of the original games, but the compilation was not released until 2002, extremely late into the console's lifespan.
The games form a trilogy with a continuous story throughout each. Although Arc is the primary protagonist, each game features a new lead character. Arc the Lad (1995) sets the stage for the next two games and follows Arc and Kukuru as they discover a plot to restore the Dark One. Arc the Lad II (1996) introduces Elc, a young Hunter that becomes tangled in the plot and eventually joins the battle against the Dark One. Arc the Lad III (1999) features Alec, a young Hunter with a mysterious past.
Each game expands on the previous one. Arc the Lad II features a much larger and less linear world than its predecessor, and it brings back the cast of the first game in addition to featuring a new group of characters. Arc the Lad III features an upgraded graphics system, replacing the sprite backdrops of the first two games with three-dimensional backgrounds.