First off, this game is a Squaresoftgame, so you that there has to be "something" about the game that is great...
If you come to this game expecting Final Fantasy, Chrono Cross or Vagrant Story class.....you're going to be dissapointed. This game is nothing like them, SF2 if reminiscent of old school rpgs, well atleast in the way it looks!
Lets look at the details.
Graphics-
Most hardcore rpg gamers willtell you that graphics don't matter thatmuch in an rpg, try telling square that! They've barely produced an ugly game, SF2 is no exception. You've never seen anything like this before! The backdrops are beautiful, hand drawn...and get this water-coloured! Yup and they look awesome! The characters are 2d sprites, the PS's low resolution means they get a bit yucky when things zoom in...but all in all the graphics are great! It gives the game a cartoony feel and somehow....the atmosphere and this feeling of..being submerged in medievil times is almost greater than that of FF games......the graphics really have that great an effect on you..on me atleast.
Sound
Well....aside from the menu track which i found to be a bity weird in places...the music is good. The only real problem i have is that
a) Some tracks are quite superb but there seem to be instances when the track tries to pick up the pace.....and somehow it kinda of ruins things, especially true for the opening track!
b) There are quite a few tracks but you'll find that most tracks are re-mixes of another tune
The music is goodand goes with the setting, battle effects are good, no voice overs, don't expect Chrono Cross excellence inthe music department!
Gameplay-
Well thisis the most important part. You can play at specific moments in the lives of both Will Knight and Gustave (a banished prince) ....you can either ones scenarios at anytime you please, a map has both their lives scripted into scenarios, it's upto you to choose.
Ofcourse both characters lives inter-mingle at points. Thesotry to be honest, is good, Gustaves in particular, who is banished because he does not have Anima....a basic magigal power that even animals posses...he along with his mother is banshed....and the story is how he moves on after banishment.....something a bit differant in terms of story line. Will's story is quite interesting too.....ofcourse idont want to spoil anything.
The Batlle system is turn-based and involves the use of Axes, Swords, Staffsa etc. You also have elemental powers like Fire, Water, Wind as well as Stone and Sound. Liek any RPg you have characters with specialities and you have to level them up as you progress. You have some new additions like an LP bar which allows you to refresh your HP during each turn in a battle, this is really handy and therefore keeping your LP high is vital in big battles (one LP unit ccan heal about 3/4 of a characters health).
The Inventory is ok but you might have space issues, money, "crowns" can also be a bit hard to come by unless you explore thoroughly.
There's a neat quiksave feature which lets you save your progressat any point at the press of a buttom,,,ofcourse all data is lost when you turn you r PS off. Memory cardsaving is also possible at any spot, a pleasant change!
Overall-
The game has between 20-30 hours of gameplay, two characters to play with merging storylines, the characters are suprisingly lovable and you find yourself getting attached to them, atleast the main characters! You'll love the graphics and the4 setting. If you've played just about every RPg there is and you need another one to challenge you...this is the game for you..it's a bit hard mind you!....Lots of levelling up!
If you need the class and polish of FF and CC, hate 2d graphics....turn away.
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