Features

• Play with a team of up to six characters, each with unique skills and powers
• Strong 2-D graphics
• For 1 player
• RPG fantasy adventure
• Collect the 108 stars of destiny to defeat the evil prince

Reviews (73)

251.51 for a cd?
I think Suidoken is great game, i highly reccomend all their work, but unless they plan on delivering the cd via viking boat themselves, the price is a bit too steep.

I'll assume the price is a error, and this is my half-assed attempts at humor.

So, once it's fixed do yourself a favor and order it.

A great game but.......
Suikoden 2 is a great game, and I'm glad I grabbed a copy way back with the guide, maybe I should sell my copy and take a tropical vacation. Seems that these rare games are developing into collectors items more than games now. If you really want to spend $100+ on a game your bordering on nuts,but buy suikoden part 1 cause its vital to fully enjoy this game. However this game is beautiful, deep, and captivating. I have played it thru several times, you can even load your original suikoden data if you gathered the 108 stars in that game to add storyline and events to this title. Greatest Rpg series ever a must for a true rpg fan/collector.

New type of RPG
I ran across this game (...)right when it first came out, and I picked it up more as a fluke than for any other reason.I am glad I did.Graphically this game is in 2D, but it is done very well.Each person is easily recognizable, and there expressions come across quite clearly (with emotions appearing above the characters heads in little bubbles!).

As far as normal random battles goes, suikoden is fairly straight forward.6 people can join in fights, with a front line and a back line.Different people have different weapons that have different attacking abilities.Ie. weapons like bows can attack the enemies from the front and back row, staffs can attack only the front line of enemies, but they can be positioned in either your front or back row, and swords/axes can only hit the front line of the enemy, and only from the front line of your ranks.

One nice ability for later on is the option to choose 'let go'.If your party is crossing an area of the world map, or if you are re-exploring a dungeon from much earlier in the game, the option to 'run' is taken away, and the option 'let go' is placed there instead.Basically it is a means to escape the tedium of random battles that wouldn't provide enough experience of money to make the time of fighting it worthwhile.Plus it works 100% of the time. :)

The most interesting part of the game though is that fact that it incorporates more than just standard random battles, it also has full army battles that involve most of your fighting party members broken up into groups of 3.Each group has its own attack, defence, and special abilitys.Most of the time the battles are very enjoyable, however there are a few battles that rely on luck, so you just have to keep plugging away at them for a while until you finally manage to beat the enemy.

Also the game features a third battle system called duels, which are (just as the name emplys....) 1 on 1 duels.There aren't that many duels during the course of the game, and they are conducted in a rock paper scissors manner.

The best part of the game though is just playing through the story and becoming the hero of legend.Nothing is quite as satisfing as walking through your castle (which starts out run down and dilapidated and ends up quite spectacular) and talking to all the various people that have come to live there because of their firm (and very vocalized) belief that YOU are the one person capable of being a hero.

Suikoden may have a funny name, but it is a game that you would be a fool to bypass.

MUST PLAY
Betrayal between a country and its armed forces. loytalty between two friends, cant overcome ones loyalty to his country. This is Suikoden II. One of the all time great playstation games. the story line is basic just as the first one is. but there is more to do here in the land of highlands than in the scarlet moon empire. the castle really takes form and you can have cook offs and also fish with yam koo and tai ho (yep they are back). with many characters from the first suikoden included you will have hours of fun in this game. also yuber makes another mysterious appearance in another installment. this is a must play and its worth the $100 dollars you are going to spend to get it.

Final Fantasy???Suikoden!!!
I have to count myself as one of the skeptics when it came to an RPG with 108+ characters.And I definitely never thought an RPG series could ever hold ranks with Final Fantasy.But the moment I finished the first Suikoden I was a believer that there could actually be an RPG that surpasses Final Fantasy--at least in some aspects.

Okay, so the graphics are 2D, but it was back in the PS1 days.But the graphics are NOT what makes this game so amazing--It's the story.The STORY, because it's worth repeating.

The Story (Repeated for the Third time) deals with familiar themes of family, friendship, loyalty, etc...But it's the level in which they are handled, and the skill at which they are portrayed that makes this game really special.Who can forget the final scene, the duel between the Hero and Jowy.I don't even want to say much more because I'll ruin it for those who haven't played it.

You just won't get the opportunity to play another game like this, and for those who haven't bought this title already, good luck.It's expensive, because it's EXTREMELY rare.If I didn't own it already, I would gladly pay the $99 asking price though, because it's the story you will want to experience OVER and OVER and OVER again.It takes what I LOVE about the first Suikoden and brings it all to something even better in Suikoden II.

Oh, and this is worth mentioning.The whole Luca Blight Battle Sequence had to be my most favorite RPG moment in both story, scene progression, and battle play.It was SO AWESOME!Just remember to level up good before it and use the power of the "Tank" characters.

I'm just a really big fan of this series (can you tell?) and I could go on all day about how good this game is, and how it's worth playing, but I won't.I'll leave it up to you.But in my opinion, it's worth the money, BUY IT NOW!That is, of course if you can open your mind to 2D graphics, and throw away your old Final Fantasy ways (The Magic System is Totally different--No Lit3 or Cure4's here).(LoL) ... Read more

Reviews (622)

Open Mind
Hey guys.I love this game, flat out.It has great characters, a good plot, a good system, and fantastic music.A lot of people think that the game is boring, or maybe they don't like the plot, but I think that those people need to just give it a chance.This was the 7th Final Fantasy I have beaten, and now I have finished 1-9, and this game is in my top four.

There are some problems with this game, but I don't think they are very critical.Most of them affect the first couple hours, but they are nothing toreally have too big a problem with.First of all, the begining is slow.There are about 4 battles in the first hour, and you finish only about 20-50 in the first few hours.Also it takes a little getting used to to get into the gameplay.Characters gain magic and abilities based on what equipment they have on.

Anyways, I put this in my top list of games, which are in order of which is most important to play

Final Fantasy VI
Chrono Trigger
Final Fantasy VII
Earthbound
Final Fantasy IX
Chrono Cross
Xenogears

Play those RPG's and you will have experienced the best games ever made.

This is to the people
Look, I realize you are entitled to your opinions, as am I.So, let me get my two cents in.This is to the people who do not like FF( because only mages can use magic(like cure, fire, etc.).Stop complaining!Not only can Garnet and Eiko cure, but Amarant uses Chakra to cure, Freya uses a skill to cure, and so can Quina.This game DOES return to the roots which has only certain characters use magic.It makes it harder.Now, to those who claim this game is childish because of certain things.I am twenty-four years old, and I like this game a lot.My friends like this game.Even my twenty-eight year old brother likes this game.None of us think it is too childish.
To those who complain about the storyline, claiming a thirteen year old could do better.I've read the fan fictions people of such age write about the Final Fantasies; trust me, they ARE NOT BETTER.If you think you could do better, try it.By the RPG Maker, and DO IT!Betcha can't, though.If thirteen year olds COULD do better plots, you would think that such companies as Square Enix would hire them.Duh.

Great Game, despite all other opinions
First of all, I'd like to point out that I haven't played many other Final Fantasy Games, so I'm not going to compare them.

On to my thoughts about FFIX. It was the first real RPG Playstation game that I ever bought and it's the one that got made me love the genre.
Plot: 4/5 Great plot, however they fail to really explain some crucial details (for example: why does Zidane sees Garnet's memory?). A little more explanations would be nice for my lack of brain cells.
Characters: 5/5 You really do get attached to Zidane and Garnet, you laugh at Amarant's oblivious and cynical nature, and just want to shoot Thorn and Zorn. The point is, the characters are interesting and have a personality.
Gameplay: 4/5 At first it's hard to understand how to train the characters and use different accessories to learn attacks. However, once that is settled, the gameplay is great. Also, it took me forever to realize that pressing Select on the world screen brings up a map: VERY USEFUL! You'll get lost if you don't use it. Other than that, good gameplay.
Graphics: 6/5 :) Gotta love the grahics. Squaresoft created different cultures/architectures for each different country. Gaia is absolutely gorgeous. The FMVs are amazing. Two thumbs way way up for the graphics.

Overall: Though it required a lot of time training to beat Kuja and the final bosses, the game is really fun. The minigames range from "fun-for-two-seconds" (Jumprope Vivi) and "takes-forever-but-gotta-love-it" (Chocobo Hot and Cold) and the game itself is great, long and never boring. Five stars out of five it is, then. Great way to get yourself in the world of Final Fantasy.

Possibly the greatest game of all time.
Yes, i admit that I have taken risks in writing the title of this review sincem after all the title was highly opinionated, but here me out. Ill look at it from a reasonable angle.

When Final Fantasy IX (FF9) was released, it was very differant than it's predecessors, Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy VIII. It had gone from a harsh 'sci-fi' feel to a soft 'fantasy' feel. The main character was not a silent and melencholy introvert. And overall, the game had a very prelavent tone of charm and whimsy, whereas VII and VIII had, for the most part, more depressing tones. Like I said, very differant from its predecessors.

For anyone who doesnt like simple RPGs, this isnt for you. Everything in this game has been made slightly more simple. No Junction or Materia systems here. Every character has unique abilities that only he/she/it can learn. While I enjoyed VII and VIII's systems, XI's felt more believable. Believe it or not, this simplification adds some serious challenge to the game. Because not everyone can learn 'cure' or 'revive' you will have to be careful on forming your groups. and since you can't junction switch at all, you'll find that keeping all of your characters at high levels is a good idea. You cant simply put 'curaga' on someones hp and have it skyrocket. youll have to do alot of levelling up. This doesnt mean that Final Fantasy IX is impossibly hard. In factm if I were to rate its difficulty level, I would say it was 60%.

these differances in abilities add to the very well written characters. Each character feels alive, and you believe what it says. In past final fantasies some characters, although important to the story line, just didnt feel real (Cait sith, anyone?) but in Final Fantasy IX, each character seems 100% believable. Their dialoge matches their personalities seamlessly. some scenes which have no importance to the story are written in just to make you 'feel' the character. Such as when Eiko scolds Vivi for looking the wrong way and vivi says "I was just looking at the mountains".

And then you have the games visuals. Are the graphics breakthrough? no. What you have in Final fantasy IXs visuals is emotion. For example, when playing Final fantasy VIII and you look at a floor tile, it just looks like some-old floor tile. But in Final fantasy IX when you look at a floor-tile,you feel a story behind it. It looks unique to each culture's lifestyles and beliefs. You feel a bit of what the "tile maker" felt when creating it. Yes, every blade of grass in Final Fantasy IX is a work of beauriful art.

One mustn't forget the music. Final Fantasy IX lives up to the high standard of its predecessors when it comes to music. Each song is beautifully well written and perfectly placed. Cooky and silly songs play where there is a village of quirky dwarves, sullen and sad music plays in a destroyed city, and so on. Some people (myself included) would get tired of certain songs after awhile in the past final fantasies. For instance, in FFVII when I was in the gold Saucer, although the music was good, it did get tiresome and I muted the volume. Same with Finl Fantasy VIII in Balamb garden. But with Final Fantasy IX i would often just sit and listen to songs re-loop so that I coud hear and feel them again.

The storyline in Final Fantasy IX is beautiful. I wont say anything to ruin it, but trust me. Its amazing.

Out of all this, why do I say that it is possibly the greates game of all time? Well, i'll explain myself.

Does anybody remember Halo? No no, not Halo2. Halo. just plain Halo. It was revolutionary. I remember that everyone played it. everyone who had an XBOX owned Halo. (partially because after awhile XBOXs started coming with a copy of Halo, but still) it was a great game. But now, with the arrival of Halo2, it has just faded out. Even big fans of the origional have said 'Man, there really isnt any reason to play the first halo anymore." Sadly, this is how it is with alot of games. Beautiful and wonderful games slowly fade out when shiny sequals come out. Yes, Final fantasy IX felt some of this when Final Fantasy X came out, but still many many fans play final fantasy IX because of its greatness. In other words, Final fantasy has lived on despite the release of more advanced graphics and things like that.

So, I urge you,(haha, I sound so devoted) if you havent played Final Fantasy IX before, play it. Make sure you buy it, because Ive been noticing that its harder to find at Game stores than it used to be.

Finally, ill leave you with one thing. You may hate this game despite everything i've said. Guess what, people are differant. If you try this game and for some unearthly reason you loathe every second of it, well then at least you gave it a shot.

Not a masterpiece, but still a great game...
I wouldntgo as far as to say FF9 is as good as the recent FF games,or most of the games for that matter, but it is still a great game. The atmosphere of this game is a far cry from FF8's romantic, adult atmosphere. Everything is more comedic and cartoonish, but the graphics are still up to par with recent RPGs, but not very innovative. (They basically look the same as FF7 or FF8). Anyway, I'll break this review down...

Graphics- 9/10 Like I said, they are up to par with games of its time, but are not very innovative. Then again, the Playstation is very limited graphics-wise. But that's what I love about the Playstation one, the games were not all about graphics, unlike the PS2(I am not a fan of PS2 at all, or the recent FF titles.)Anyway, the character designs are a lot more old-school, especially the black mage which looks pretty cool.

Sound- 7/10 This is one of the low-points of this game, the sound isn't that amazing. FF4, 6, tactics, 7, and 8 all have amazing soundtracks, not to mention 5 as well, but this one just doesn't amaze me. After playing through this game several times and mastering it several times, I still don't really remember any tracks in the game. FF8's soundtrack blew me away, so I was hoping for the same here. The only highlights for music are on the start screen, and the world music is pretty good, as well as the battle music.

Gameplay- 10/10The setup is pretty good, making you choose abilities from items that are equipped and learn them. The junction system in FF8 was in my opinion, one of the most innovative systems ever for a video games. This games isn't very innovative, but it's still a great idea that is fun to do. Also, there's synthesis shops now, where you combine items to make armor. (much like FF8s weapon system, except now you can also buy weapons and armor as well.) Overall, this game has a great system that is a lot of fun. The card game isn't nearly as fun as FF8's in my opinion, though. In ff8, you collected cards and then could card mod them, which was also an amazing idea, but in this game the cards seem to do absolutely nothing for the player, other than giving them knowledge that they completed the game 100%, and achieved the highest card collecting level, which is also pointless. Overall, the card game is just a lame re-hash of FF8's Triad game, so dont expect a blast playing cards here, look to ff8 for that.

Controls-10/10 Basically the same controls as in every other ff game. Now there's an exclamation mark which appears over Zidanes head if you are near an item, which was a pretty good idea.

Story- 6/10 This is the games biggest weak point. In my opinion, FF9 has the most forgettable story out of any FF game. Sure, it has its high points( The idea of having summons attack the town was a great idea,and was pretty sweet to watch) But other than that, it didn't leave me feeling amazed. FF4, 6, 7, 8, tactics and heck they all had great storylines, but FF9's is pretty lame. You go after some little guy wearing a thong, and thats about it, it isnt deep like the other titles, although at times it may appear that way. It wasnt the worst storyline, but definitely not up to par.

Overall- 8/10 I have spent a good deal of my life playing this game, since it took a while to master my characters levels and find all the items, and it was definitely worth it. This is a wonderful game that all RPG fans should play. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Showcasing enhanced versions of the Super Nintendo classics FinalFantasy IV and Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy Chronicles is amust-have "retro" bundle for the serious role-playing game fan.

Originallyreleased in the U.S. in 1991 as Final Fantasy II, the groundbreakingFinal Fantasy IV introduced the "Active Time Battle" combat system thathas since become a staple in the series. In addition to new computer animationsequences and minor gameplay enhancements, this reissue sports a new dialoguetranslation that is more faithful to the Japanese version and fleshes out thepreviously pared-down story of a conflicted knight and his quest forredemption.

Although not as well known as Final Fantasy IV--and noteven part of the Final Fantasy series, for that matter--1995's ChronoTrigger is a nonlinear adventure game where players must travel across timeto save a princess (and the world in the process). New Japanese cartooncutscenes from animator Akira Toriyama (creator of Dragonball Z) gracethe updated Chrono Trigger, and an extras mode (filled with game-relatedgoodies that must be unlocked) has been added, increasing the already highreplay value of this title with multiple endings.

Admittedly, the games'two-dimensional graphics and simplistic sounds are quite "lastgeneration," which may turn off some younger gamers and recent converts to thegenre, but their solid gameplay, deep storyline, and memorable characters arestill first-rate by today's standards. --Joe Hon

Pros:

• Brings together two classic Super Nintendo role-playing games
• Retranslated text of Final Fantasy IV more faithful
• Extras mode increases Chrono Trigger's replay value
• New animated "movie" sequences

• In-game graphics and sounds are quite dated

Reviews (139)

The Best Role-Player AND How To Fix the Load Time Problem
I've noticed a couple people complain about the load times (especially during battles).There's a quick and easy fix for PS2 owners: In the main menu under the PS1 Driver, there's a setup option for "Fast Loading".When you turn that on, the game will load as fast as the original cartridge did.Problem solved.

.

And now for the game: Chrono Trigger is one of, perhaps even *the best*, role-playing game ever made.Final Fantasy 6 is my favorite in that series, but Chrono Trigger has a stronger appeal for me, personally, because of the time travel/sci-fi theme.You and your characters travel across several thousand years (from medieval times to a distant, robotic future), in your quest to beat back the bad guys.The battle system allows you to chain your characters together for extra-powerful attacks, which is a unique innovation.Finally, how the game ends is never the same.Like a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure, the ending varies depending upon how you play the game.Chrono Triggers offers lots of replayability, and is a true masterpiece.


As for FF4, the game is somewhat weak.Many call FF4 their favorite final fantasy, but I was not too impressed.I'd put it somewhere in the middle.It was originally designed to run on the 1980's 8-bit Nintendo, but at the last minute FF4 was upgraded to run on the just-released 16-bit Super Nintendo, and it comes across as primitive, both in graphics and story.Not as good as what came later (FF anthology).


Bottom Line: Buy Final Fantasy 4/Chrono Trigger right now... mainly for Chrono Trigger, but also to satisfy your curiosity about FF4.If you're like me, you'll cherish it forever.

2 for the price of 1. YEAH BABY! (Long, but worth reading)
Final Fantasy Chronicles is such a great game, I don't Know where to start.(!Attention!, If you have a Super Nintendo and have Final Fantasy 4 and Chrono Trigger you don't really have to bother buying this game, unless you want to check out the added features).FF4 is just like the SNES version only its been enhanced with new magic, monsters,items, and CG(computer generated)cinemas and more stuff. I might be wrong, but I heard somewhere that the Playstation version is much harder than the SNES version. This game is quite entertaining, and the storyline is was one of the best I've seen. In my opinion, I thought Final Fantasy 7 was better in every way. Even though FF7 is better than 4. 4 is still a pretty good game. that's about it for FF4.
If you liked Dragonball Z, then your gonna LOVE Chrono Trigger cause it's made by the "Great" Akira Toriyama (you know the guy who made the characters from DBZ).I thought Chrono Trigger was better than FF4 in terms of gamplay,and graphcs. In my opinion, it ties between FF7.(only FF7 has better graphics). Chrono Trigger is the prequel to Chrono Cross. I thought Chrono Trigger was better than Chrono Cross.(Chrono Cross's graphics were much better).Chrono Trigger has VERY little to do with Chrono Cross. Chrono Trigger is about a red haired boy named Crono(NOT CHRONO), that travels through time along with his friends to save the world.
The only thing bad about these two games is that the graphics are quite dated and that it takes a long time to load in Chrono Trigger when you pull out the menu sceen. I don't think Graphics that are a decade old shouldn't bother most gamers. If it does, then I'll beat you up. This game cost less right now than any of those two games did when they where brand new, especailly now in 2005. Chrono Trigger was a rare, hard to find game at that time that usually sold somewhere around $60. right now, it doesn't cost more than $20. To me, FF4 is like an added bonus to Chrono Trigger in the final fantasy chronicles package. It would take a lot more to fully describe this game. I hope this review was helpful to you

P.S. Get Final Fantast 7 while you're at it.

Final Fantasy Chronicles
Even though that most people will overlook this game because it's a PlayStation game that's a re-release of a 16-bit game during a time when we've already moved on to the 128-bit generation, if you're an RPG fan that has yet to play either of these classics, it's a must-have title. With the multiple endings and fantastical game design and lovable characters, Chrono Trigger alone is worth the full price of admission. Add in Final Fantasy IV and you have an astonishing deal that you simply shouldn't pass up.

Chrono Trigger Yesss
I remember as a kid (not that long ago) and playing Chrono Trigger on my friends Super NES and how friggin awesome it was. When I found out that it was later released for the playstation I wasted no time in ordering it and popping it into my PS2. (Note you MUST have a PS1 memory card in order to save) Other than this there is no problem in the translation of this game to the Playstaion. Also added to the Playstation version are amazing new cut sequences.

I have yet to play the FFIV but I will eventually. These games are both classics and a must have for all seriouse RPGers.

A welcome, but slightly flawed, re-release collection
I love it when companies re-release classic games on newer systems for those of us who grew up with them and like to walk down memory lane, and FF Chronicles collects 2 great games in one. I have many blissful memories of playing FF 4 (2 at the time) when I was much younger and it was newly released. My obsession with Final Fantasy started with number 1, and was established without doubt after playing 2. It is a phenomenal, albeit very dated game. The characters and storyline are among the best in FF history, and the gameplay (though straightforward) remains very fun. The graphics and sound of the game were top notch when released. The graphics remain very colorful and appealing even now, and the music is good if rather "cheap" sounding compared to modern games. I sometimes wish they would have spiffed these games up a bit (improving the instrumentation of the music, adding some bonus features, etc.), but I can also respect getting the games in their original form without alteration (except for the CG scenes, of course).
That is one area of major disappointment for me, the CG movies they added to FF 4. They exhibit the worst graphics I have ever seen on the PS1. A big disappointment, especially coming from the masters at Square. It looks like someone with no experience just threw them together at the last minute. I would rather they just not added them. Furthermore, I wish they could have maybe spliced them into the game instead of just having them at the beginning and end. That really misled me.
Still, a great, faithful remake of a wonderful game from the days of old.

I never played Chrono Trigger on the SNES, so it was a new experience for me, and I did wish once playing it that I had played it in my youth, as it is a phenomenal game that, although I enjoyed it, I would have appreciated much more when I was younger. Great graphics for the time, and about the best music I've ever heard in a video game. The story and game play really pull you in, and the world is one, like any great fictional place, where you find yourself wishing you could just become part of it.
Also, in contrast to FF 4, I really enjoyed the CG movies they added. They are in the anime style by the guy who did Dragonball Z, are spliced into the game at the appropriate parts,and are really very good.
I am disappointed however, as many others on here have stated, that this game has painfully long load times that really decreased my enjoyment of the game. Every time you get into a battle or bring up the status screen, there is about a 3-5 second wait, which may not seem like a big deal, but believe me, it gets annoying real fast. Still, if you're patient, it is a good game.

I find myself wishing that they had released FF 3 on this compilation instead of Chrono Trigger, though. I mean, it is FF Chronicles. If they had put 3 on here, we could have had the entire FF series on the PS. As it is, 3 will likely never be available in a form I'm willing to acquire and play, and thus it will eternally remain a hole in my FF experience. If they had put FF 3 on here, maybe they could have done another 2 disc compilation with Chrono Trigger and Secret of Mana. Now that would have been awesome.

Sadly, I can only give this 4 stars overall, and thats me being realistic as opposed to overly nostalgic. They are both great, classic games, and I'm glad to have them, and I did enjoy them. But, this collection is flawed in several ways that just a little bit more work from Square could have prevented, and made this truly worthy of 5 stars. ... Read more

Features

• Futuristic role playing game
• Fight your opponents either bare handed or in giant robots
• Full 3D environment
• Innovative battle system and immersive storyline
• For 1 player

Reviews (247)

Best game of all time
This is by far my favorite game ever. It has an incedbly deep storyline focusing on religion, but having many other elements as well. The character development was phenominal, better than any other RPG I've played(I have played many). However, this game is not for everyone. It is very, very long (it took me 80 hours on my first playthrough), and a lot of that time is spent reading cutscenes. If you do not have patience this game is not for you.

a timeless story of fighting for what is right (and love)
After playing Xenosaga, I was quite eager to pick this game up in some way.Unfortunately, somehow Crash Bandicoot made the greatest hits collection, and great games like Xenogears are forgotten, but I was fortunate enough to drop the name near a kid who had a cousin who had a copy, which I was glad to purchase, since the cousin didn't like it.

I must admit, I was somewhat disappointed with the battle system.Although it can be fun at times, it lacked the luster that the Materia and Sphere Grid systems had in the world of Final Fantasy, simply making battles mediocre button pushing.The slightly dull combat system wouldn't have been so bad if battles had taken any strategy, but, for the most part and with a few exceptions near the very end, battles are mostly just using your strongest combo and healing yourself when necessary.Once you get Billy in your party, you become practically invincible, since he is able to heal the entire party for more than 300 HP for a paltry 4 EP.The best aspect of the game's combat system, however, would be the gear system.Although not used as well as in Xenosaga, Xenogears makes gear combat fun by separating it from the status of the characters, but also giving the gears abilities based on the abilities of the character riding them.Fighting in gears, however, is always done in a way that you can't win without them, or you can't use them.The only times you'll have access to your gears is on the world map and in places with large enemies that would crush a party on foot.This is once again a place where SquareSoft could have added strategic elements (benefits of battling in gear Vs. on foot, an element used brilliantly in Xenosaga), yet decided to opt for simpler battles for a more complex story line.

The music in Xenogears, composed by the brilliant Yasunori Mitsuda of Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross fame, was terrific for it's time, but with the quality sound that the PS2 is able to put out, Xenogears music will just get dull, especially to the ear of one who has played Xenosaga.Also, like in many other RPGs, Xenogears music is extremely repetitive, especially during the second disc.The theme song for this game was done by Joanne Hogg, and is very
similar to the theme songs from Xenosaga, using the exact same instrumentation and style, yet Hogg's voice just has that enchanting quality which I haven't yet tired of.

Xenogears' story is where it shines, and earns its entire five stars.Xenogears takes elements of religion, fantasy, and sci-fi and mixes them to create the uplifting, suspenseful story of young
Fei's search for the truth (and escape from it) in a world of lies.Enter the character of Elhaym, the beautiful soldier who happens to stand at odds with Fei due to her birth and origin, who changes Fei forever by showing him the joy of love.Each character has his or her individual motive, from the villains to the heroes, each trying to find what they most desire.Some wish for power, others for love, and others simply answers to life's most difficult questions.From the beginning of the first disc, you are propelled from Fei's quiet existence in a small village in the woods toward the flying cities of Shevat and Solaris to the paradise Mahanon.The second disc, unfortunately, falters, as the action is greatly reduced, and the game becomes almost a series of monologues telling us what happened and how.For a good example, imagine if the scene where
Luke and Han rescue Princes Leia in Star Wars were replaced with Luke and/or Han sitting in a chair saying, "We then traveled to the Death Star to save the Princes.We found out that she was being held in a certain cell and saved her, but on the way out, we encountered some guards (picture in background of the heroes and storm troopers engaged in fighting), we only survived by jumping down a hole into a trash compactor..." etc.This gets somewhat obnoxious, but I'm sure that this was only done to save space and avoid the obvious irritation of having a third disc for the end movies.If you're completely into the game's story, you won't mind the dialogue bits too much, since they allow you to skip over some annoying bits that would keep you from getting to the incredible conclusion.

For those Xenosaga Fans out there, this game will make a great hold over until Feb. 15, when Episode 2 comes out.I know I'm going to be at Wal-Mart at opening to get my copy.

Amazing Story and Great Game Play
This RPG has one of the most intricate and interesting storylines I have ever played.You are introduced to a number of characters with complex storylines and realistic emotions.I would go into more detail, but i don't want to give any away.But let's just say that it involves warring nations, genetic engineering, and the destruction of GOD.One of the interesting aspects of the game, however, is the fighting style.Unlike the Final Fantasy Games, or Star Ocean types, this fighting style involves three types of attacks: strong medium and weak.Through combinations of attacks, you can create special moves that deal extra damage.Also, fighting occurs either in hand to hand combat or in gears, which are giant fighting machines that have limited fuel.I don't know what else to say, but trust me that you will not regret playing this game.Also, this game takes awhile, but it's a blast.The unique fighting style also adds a lot to the game and the animated sequences enrich the story.

My favorite RPG of all time
Xenogears is one of the best RPG that I have ever played. The unique use of anime, romance, tragedy, and music all come together to create a great gaming experience. This story has a lot of plot twists and every time that you think that you might have discovered some truth in the game, you get surprised when you find out more details that you were not previously aware of.

The music is great and I enjoyed it so much that I got the soundtrack. All the main characters in the game have their unique histories and perspectives that keep the story going. Expect to spend about 80 to 100 hours to complete this one.

My favorite videogame of all time
I'm at the point of my life where videogames are becoming more and more pointless.The golden age of turning onto entertainment is changing for me.If there is one videogame that stands as best videogame of all time goes, for me this is the one including Chrono Trigger. ... Read more

Product Description

In an interesting mix of side-scrolling action and role-playing games, Valkyrie Profile will have you scouring the ranks of the dead in search of suitable warriors for Odin, the Norse god of gods.But before these dearly departed can be entered into Odin'seinherjar, or heavenly army, you've got to train them in the right battle skills. ... Read more

Reviews (37)

PERFECT....
Is she not perfection... this game was amazing. GREAT STORY, good game play, interesting combo attack system. Maybe the most enjoyable game I have ever played.Several endings based on how and when you do events. Very expensive now but if your up to spending for these overpriced playstation games this is the one to get.

Love the ending
I just completed this game, I played it twice because ending B left me longing for more so I tried for the A ending, and wow I'm surprised, so much drama I loved it. Hoping for a sequel, if you read the reviews on this site you will notice how different this game is, I wish I would have bought this game when it came out in 2000, it's 2005 now, I truly regret not buying it, this game is amazing, so amazing I rank it up there in my list 1.Xenogears 2.Final Fantasy Tactics(tie)Valkyrie Profile 3.Chrono Cross. If your tired of the same boring stuff like the Final Fantasy Series I suggest you get this game, it has a good storyline which the FFS (except FF3)lack. Like Xenogears this game will become an underground classic beloved by those who have it and played it.

Who needs Final Fantasy when you can have the real deal?
Much like one of the lost souls in this game that are recruited and trained, Valkyrie Profile has been given a chance for life again in the secondary market.Although it was hugely successful in Japan, this American version bombed stateside.It is only now that the game has faded into oblivion that gamers have caught on to the charm and appeal that it offers.Valkyrie Profile will surely go down in the annals of video-gaming history as one of the best (and best-loved) RPG's ever to hit the market.

I can't remember much hype surrounding the release of this title, as it came out in the wake of the genre-redefining Final Fantasy VII and its sequels.And that is such a shame, because there are so many positive things to say about this game.Although it is billed as an RPG (role-playing game), Valkyrie Profile effortlessly combines elements of the best side-scroller, action, and adventure games that even the most casual of gamers will recognize.

In the tradition of the Final Fantasy series, Valkyrie Profile creates a cohesive and compelling storyline that pulls you in and keeps you there until the final credit has faded.It has characters that you literally grow to love as you, as the eponymous Lenneth Valkyrie, gather and train lost human souls to fight as Odin's einherjar at Ragnarok, the cataclysmic battle at the end of time.

The segments of the game where you control your character and roam around complex, confusing dungeons are reminiscent of the ever-popular Super Mario games.These side-scrolling adventures are the meat of the game; in them you encounter not only monsters to engage in battle but also characters that become your party, and ultimately, the einherjar.When you initially encounter each character, a flashback sequence kicks in and tells you how and why that character died.Then your job as Odin's army recruiter begins and you convince them to join your party.From then on it's off to run into monsters and level up!

Like Diablo and its sequel Diablo II, how you equip the members in your party determines how powerful they are and how quickly they level up.As Valkyrie, it is also your job to make sure each member is adequately equipped with armor, weapons, and accessories.You choose three einherjar to fight by your side at any given time.If you have more than three einherjar, you are given the choice of whom to put in your party.And this is where Valkyrie Profile sets itself apart from other RPG's:not only is it important about whom you put into your party, but it is also important where you place them in your attack formation and when you have each character attack the enemy!Given all these options in battle, it is no wonder playing this game is so much fun!

The game's visuals are just stunning and the sounds are music to your ears.You have about 15 minutes to look and listen to the first cinematic sequence that opens the game.In this time you can soak in the majesty of the images that were used to illustrate the story and its characters, and you can lie back and hear the carefully composed instrumentals that emphasize the mood of each scene.(Incidentally, you can even buy the soundtrack to this beautiful game!)

Obviously, a lot of time and thought went into the making of this game; do yourself a favor and experience it.The secondary-market prices may be a bit steep, but they're a testament to the complexity and replayability this game offers.So, pick up this title that fell by the wayside, give it a good working-over, and make it a prized part of your video game collection--before Ragnarok comes!

Eternal Shine
When I bought this title a few years ago, I really didn't expect anything overly special. This is one of the few times I will gladly report that I was dead wrong. I am not a big gamer, but this is the only RPG I have played where you fully control your own destiny. Not only are there three main ways to play (easy, medium, hard), but every thing you do and every decision you make counts for something here. The designers did themselves and everyone else the greatest of favors by paying attention to the slightest details, in the gameplay and in the graphics. Overall, a wonderful experience that won't lose it's shine no matter how many times you play.

Man! Some games really cost big bucks!!!
This one is worth it, though! I was lucky; I got mine for twenty bucks from a Walmart a few years back. An interesting and unique title which I still put in and play today, Valkyrie Profile will disappoint you if you can get a hold of it. Personally, I wouldn't let my COMPLETE, MINT game go for less than two hundred, though (that is to say, you ain't gettin' it!).

Valkyrie Profile follows the last days before ragnarok, the end of the world. You play as Lenneth, one of three valkyries who must gather the souls of the powerful slain to fight for the Aesir in their final struggle against the Vanir (yeah, I know, they were SUPPOSED to fight the giants, but give 'em a break). Along the way, however, you may uncover clues to your own clouded existence (the choices are up to you), and in any case, you will meet many reprehensible characters who will fight by your side.

The games development system mirrors that of Star Ocean 2 (another fine game from the same makers), and the combat is incredible. Unbelievably enough, an RPG finally understood that yes, combat and levelling up COULD be interesting. In fact, no part of this game is boring. Strategic combat, good storyline (the intro is a little lengthy, however), multiple endings, choice-driven role-playing - what more could anyone ask?

But apparently, many people DID want more. This game bombed over here (unfortunate, since obviously the makers had sequel in mind, judging from the endings), but you would be very lucky to play this now. So let me say: Should this game ever find its way into your local used game store, snap it up! You'll be quite happy you did. ... Read more

Features

• Return to the world of Lunar, in the completely reworked 32-bit version of the classic game
• Journey back to a place where dragons yet live, and magic is valued above all else
• Join young adventurer Alex as he tries to save the land from the crushing advance of the Magic Emperor
• Explore dungeons, fight terrifying monsters, and gather information from the locals
• For 1 player

Reviews (108)

A Lost Classic
*Please note I am reviewing Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete, they are basically the same games, but just with a few new additions.Thank you*

Every once in a while the classics return updated.Working Designs has done a phenomenal job restoring the classic Lunar: Silver Star onto the Playstation as Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete.The game is very enjoyable and while the game is considerably short compared to other RPGs, it works well.The dungeons test the level of your characters but never exhaust them into a need to train excruciatingly to move from place to place which is the type of flow that is much needed to enjoy an RPG rather than just play it.Also the inclusion of ability to use the joy pads makes moving easier than pressing down on the control pad.
The artwork and cut scenes are done beautifully, however the majority of the time the game characters are sprites.The gameplay is enjoyable but if you don't have the patience or want to strategize you will find yourself throwing down your controller, dying, or asleep.The game itself never is frustrating if you take the time to train your team and not just run from every threat.Each boss has strengths and weaknesses and if you take the time to observe them you can defeat them without much of a problem, but not to say they are easy.Though no one boss will kill off your entire party with just one blow.
The writing is some of the best I've ever seen in a game.The sharp wit of the characters and comedic dialogue is balanced so well that it never gets stale or reused.The game can also be very serious to the point you can relate your own emotion to the characters to laugh and even cry with them while playing this game.The cut scenes are something you will look forward to rather than just wish you can skip from the rich opening to the enjoyable ending.
However this game was made back in 1999.While it can be pretty to look at, if you are a fan of rich cell shaded 3-D environments and characters... well lets just say the game never looks better than the animé on Saturday mornings.It also can get tedious, as some dungeons seem to go on and on and on...
Even with some of its shortcomings, RPG veterans and those new to the series should pick up this title for a good time.Lunar: Silver Star Story is the lost classic and sleeper hit of the end of the millennium.I proudly give a game that has become my favorite a perfect score.

A lost classic
*Please note I am reviewing Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete, they are basically the same games, but just with a few new additions.Thank you*

Every once in a while the classics return updated.Working Designs has done a phenomenal job restoring the classic Lunar: Silver Star onto the Playstation as Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete.The game is very enjoyable and while the game is considerably short compared to other RPGs, it works well.The dungeons test the level of your characters but never exhaust them into a need to train excruciatingly to move from place to place which is the type of flow that is much needed to enjoy an RPG rather than just play it.Also the inclusion of ability to use the joy pads makes moving easier than pressing down on the control pad.
The artwork and cut scenes are done beautifully, however the majority of the time the game characters are sprites.The gameplay is enjoyable but if you don't have the patience or want to strategize you will find yourself throwing down your controller, dying, or asleep.The game itself never is frustrating if you take the time to train your team and not just run from every threat.Each boss has strengths and weaknesses and if you take the time to observe them you can defeat them without much of a problem, but not to say they are easy.Though no one boss will kill off your entire party with just one blow.
The writing is some of the best I've ever seen in a game.The sharp wit of the characters and comedic dialogue is balanced so well that it never gets stale or reused.The game can also be very serious to the point you can relate your own emotion to the characters to laugh and even cry with them while playing this game.The cut scenes are something you will look forward to rather than just wish you can skip from the rich opening to the enjoyable ending.
However this game was made back in 1999.While it can be pretty to look at, if you are a fan of rich cell shaded 3-D environments and characters... well lets just say the game never looks better than the animé on Saturday mornings.It also can get tedious, as some dungeons seem to go on and on and on...
Even with some of its shortcomings, RPG veterans and those new to the series should pick up this title for a good time.Lunar: Silver Star Story is the lost classic and sleeper hit of the end of the millennium.I proudly give a game that has become my favorite a perfect score.

This game is a labor of love!
This game has what I fear RPGs are losing: a true sense of adventure. A true adventure not only changes the world in the game but the characters themselves (one of the greatest examples being Final Fantasy VI). Some games have tried to portray love in a passionate sense, but they really fail to grasp the way people are drawn together and instead the love seems rushed. But not with this game! This game really brings home the point of how powerful a love for someone can be without being too over-dramatic. The charaters are great. They all are more charming and fun than the average RPG. In conclusion if you love RPGs that offer more than just great graphics and complicated features than I really really recommend this to you. Out of the many RPGs I've played including all of the Final Fantasy games, this one is definitely one of my top three, with only Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy VII being higher. Old-School gamers or gamers who love a good plot should definitely check this out!

Old Fashioned RPG
This is an old fashioned RPG that may not appeal to those who have only known the likes of Final Fantasy X, FFX-2, and Xenosaga.There's not a lot of cutscenes here to help tell the story.No fancy soundtrack.Very little voice acting, which is a shame considering the voice actor for Ghaleon did a wonderful job. There's nothing like an elaborate prologue or ending that you got out of Xenosaga. Instead, gamers will have to depend on lots of reading and playing to make the story unfold.

Battles are quite challenging.Basically, you plan the moves for all of your characters and then turn control over to the battle system.There is also an option to have the battle system fight for you, but this mode is not recommended.

This game's story is very mild and shallow compared to the other RPGs mentioned above.LSSS's strong points are definitely fighting and solving puzzles.The story is a lightweight.And definitely not for those looking for something along the lines of "epic".

The best game ever
Lunar games are the best games ever. They have indepth story lines. There more fun than most PS2 games. Lunar Silver Star is the best game besides Lunar Enternal Blue. It's the best game ever i will play them and beat them and then play them all over again just because they are the best game ever. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Lunar 2: Eternal Blue is old-school role-playing goodness at itsvery best. From the story to the simple battle system, it doesn't bore playerswith the details that can make newer role-playing games unbearable. No, Lunar2 won't impress anyone with its likewise old-school graphics, but that's notthe point. This game is fun.

The story in Lunar 2 doesn't take itself as seriously as otherrole-playing games, which contributes to the fun. The game's hero, Hiro, and hissidekick Ruby must help a young girl locate the goddess Althena. The quest turnsout to be long, spanning three disks, most of which hold full-motion videocutscenes.

The video sequences in Lunar 2 are probably the best part. They mixJapanese anime with computer graphics and are completely stunning. The in-gamegraphics, on the other hand, are ported straight from the 16-bit Sega CD, with afew enhancements, so those who like eye candy should consider themselves warned.--Robb Guido

Pros:

• Light and fun
• Super movie sequences that mix anime and computer graphics

• Outdated graphics

Reviews (101)

FLAWLESS!!!!!!!!!!
This game is really something else. the scheme of the battles are quite tactical and where you really have to think whats going on the the game. its amazing how that characters talk during the cut scenes, you really know what is going on. it exceeded past their first game Lunar: Silver Star Story complete. i cant wait to try thw one for the game boy advance!!!!!!!!!!!

FLAWLESS!!!!!!!!!!
This game is really something else. the scheme of the battles are quite tactical and where you really have to think whats going on the the game. its amazing how that characters talk during the cut scenes, you really know what is going on. it exceeded past their first game Lunar: Silver Star Story complete. i cant wait to try thw one for the game boy advance!!!!!!!!!!!

THE GREATEST GAME OF ALL TIME
when i first played this game i was amazed even though it was sorta poor graphics not the best graphics but still good onesthis game is a old school rpg i figured out about this game my friend brought it over and he was playing it so after he was done playing i wanted to try it when i first played most of the beginning of the game i was amazed i got pretty far then my friend left after a week or so i bought lunar 2 eternal bule complete i was amazed of the story of the game and how you battledthe key to playing and beating most bosses on lunar 2 is haveing tacticsif u can do that u will have a lot more easy time beating the game well that's all

To be played into the wee hours of the morning.
The games of the past truly are marvelous accomplishments.They know nothing of the modernized games we have today, and their quality is more focused and mature.With the harness of gaming graphics pretty non-existent in Lunar, the game has more power and depth, and certainly more room to grow than recent titles do.With each passing moment, Lunar does not become old and boring, it just becomes more charming and impressive.Lunar is a game that only gets better in time.
Since Lunar is a relatively old game, it was free to run with a complicated story, rather than just display some appealing eye candy as you drag a character through another repetitive task.The fact that Lunar is so different than other games is what really drew me to it.Here you are, in a massive world, with a hole mess of party members, when you realize that you've just embarked on an unforgettable and hilarious adventure that you would be foolish to hope to find in any other game.Lunar's story is touching and it doesn't insult you with the old cliché's and stereotypes.Just when you think it's all over, you always seem to find another important task at hand.When you finally DO finish this game, your left with an indescribable feeling of accomplishment and you finally understand just why everyone loves this 'old-school' game so much.
Lunar's charm washes over you completely from the moment you insert that first disc.It's filled with characters that you just love to interact with.When your away from the battlefield you don't always find yourself worrying about what boss is next, sometimes you just want to talk to the townspeople and see what hilarious thing Ronfar or Ruby or ANY of your party members will say.It's great that there's an rpg out there that's not all 'business', Lunar is just plain FUN!!!
Lunar is a light-hearted, but DEAD serious game, and you can always appreciate what's going on.In one scene you'll be laughing your guts out, then the next second your back to business when something HUGE happens!!!The game is soo exciting, and it's just awesome to play it.
If there is a thing that Lunar lacks, it absolutely makes up with it tenfold with it's laughable dialog, interesting story, and massive amount of extra goodies.Lunar is a game that you'll love forever, and you'll never EVER regret playing it.So, if you haven't already experienced what a true rpg can be, don't waste another precious moment, PLAY LUNAR!!

Great no matter what!
Whether your a long time resident, or a new-commer into the magical world of lunar, you have to admit that it was A LOT more than you expected!LUNAR may bea quite an old game, but that doesn't mean it's charm is in any way outdated.If you ask me this game just gets better with time.
I actually played this game before I played the first one--which is also an awesome game.You can play these games as a set, or idividualy, it makes no difference, you'll love em just the same!!^-^
I won't go into explaining the story, everyone else has already done that for me.You look at all the reviews this game gets and they're all either positive or they're negetive and nobody votes for them!!It's pretty obvious that this game is very crowd pleasing.And with all it's little quirks, it's just a pleasure to own it.
Anyways, I played this game like two years ago now, but i'm still not tired of it, and I don't think I will be any time soon!!Oh and by the way if anyone has information on the infamous "lunar 3" PLEASE PLEASE e-mail me, I'll really apprecieate it!!!

~have fun!!! ^o^ ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

You don't have to be a hard-core gamer to notice that innumerable--not tomention impressive--role-playing games (RPGs) have been released for the SonyPlayStation. Although the fourth installment in the Breath of Fire seriesis a fine RPG, it's doesn't quite hold a flame to the best of the aforementionedalternatives.

Breath of Fire IV is a single-player game that continues the story withthese "dragon people," who gave their lives to eradicate the evil goddess andrestore peace in their world. This time around, battle has broken out betweentwo powerful continents, and the fair Princess Elena has disappeared during atour of the war-torn region. The princess's sister, Nina, who reigns o'er theWindia Kingdom, vows to retrieve her missing sibling. She meets Ryu along theway, who joins the epic quest.

Breath of Fire IV's gameplay is refreshingly simple, with only a fewminor additions to its predecessor's battle system. Most noticeably, a new combosystem lets spells dish out more damage than when cast alone, by working inconjunction with other spells. As before, Ryu can transform into a dragon orhybrid half-human, half-dragon creature to gain special attack powers. The partywill pick up other drifters throughout the game, some of whom have the power totransform.

Each town opens up a new set of subquests and minigames (yup--there's anotherfishing game here, folks), both of which add longevity and replayability toBreath of Fire IV, although not everyone will appreciate the mandatorynature of these diversions.

Like many Japanese-bred RPGs, the musical score and crisp sound effects areexcellent, but there is very little voice talent in the game. In all, Breathof Fire IV is a solid, although not fantastic, RPG. --Todd Mowatt

Pros:

• Solid story
• Effective battle system
• Extraordinary musical score

• Average graphics
• Sometimes-awkward control and camera angles

Features

• Search the war-torn regions to find the princess in this fantasy RPG
• More than 200 spells to learn and master
• Higher resolution characters in a vast 3D world
• Two epic intertwining storylines
• For 1 player

Reviews (33)

A Grave Disapointment
When I bought this game I expected something as good as BOF III or better. Sadly it turns out this game is the Mystic Quest (for those familiar with the Final Fantasy series) of the BOF RPG's. Since I only paid 16 dollars including shipping I don't feel too bad, but I can recomend this game only for completist collectors unless you can get it for what I paid or less. If you have an old Super Nintendo game box and don't have BOF and BOF II, get them first, they're better.

Breath of Fire Review and conclusion (By Steven Lawrie)
For a PS1 game this rules! Graphics are good (For a PS1 game) loads of spells to learn, hundreds of enemies to beat, good storyline, can carry loads of items, lots of possibiltes and the list goes on! Plus the game is long not a puny 5 level game and that's it! this game lasts! A must have!

This is a very fun and cool game...
I'd say that this is a very fun and interesting game. The sidequests are good, because it makes the game even longer. The only thing about this game that many people don't like, is the camera settings. People say that they can be very frustrating. The music for this game is great. The themes for the variety of towns is fantastic! The battle system is pretty good too. You can learn different abilities from enemies by gaurding. If the name of the attack appears in blue, then that means it can be learned, but it may take some time to learn it. All the characters in this game are all skilled fighters, so you might want to rotate which ones you'll use. Also, everyone will get the same amount of experince points (EXP) after a battle. Hope this review helped!

To me, this is one of the best games I have ever played! I hope you buy it, becuase you'll love it!

Improves with Age...
When I bought BOF IV on its release, I was thoroughly unimpressed with the simple plot and rather poor graphics.

However, being (as I am) temporarily broke, with the prospect of any new PS 2 games being but a distant horizon-blip, I decided to give it another go, and I have to say, I am delighted I did.

BOF IV is not a game about technical bedazzlement or complicated quests with much philosophising. It is not a Final Fantasy game! Nor, in fifteen years' time, will it be remembered as a Classic, like the FInal Fantasies. But it's still an excellent homage to the early days of RPGs like Shining Wisdom, the original Zelda, and The Legend of Oasis games.

Briefly, the plot: Cray and Princess Nina are investigating the disappearance of Nina's sister Elina, when they run across Ryu, a strange boy with no past and no direction. Their quest to find Elina and give Ryu a life takes them across several continents, accumulating a cast of memorable characters and unravelling a plot that involves Dragons, Civil War and theological Entities.

What I am most impressed with is the simplicity and clarity with which BOF IV plays. Stylishly retro, the graphics are actually rather good - with more frames of animation and bigger, brighter characters than before - and some lovely spell effects. Everything is drawn in real-time, and the option to rotate the camera a full 360 degrees compensates much for the lousy camera angles one often runs across.

The control system, too, is very easy to get to grips with and user-friendly - spells and abilities are learned and interchangeable - and the Combo system is a nice, innovative touch.

The characters are decent, well-thought out personalities, but lack diversity. So far, so good.

Sadly, BOF IV, like Onimusha after it, is just a little too far entrenched on the side of 'mundane' to be a truly memorable classic. It does take a good three or four hours of play time before the plot and characterisation picks up and by this time, you may well be unable to forgive the game its rather uninspiring opening. Similarly confusing, and dull, are the playable early sections starring Fou-Lu, the Laguna Loire to Ryo's Squall. Like the rest of the game, thankfully, these sections get progressively better, and by the end, you'll have formed an affectionate attachment to BOF IV.

All in all, an excellent little title with one or two sadly fatal flaws that keep it from being a Classic, BOF IV is a definite reccommendation if you can get it cheap...

a cool game
this game is almost like Suikodin in this game you is two different kind of people one of the side are good the other side is evil that's becuase both of them saperate form each other and they both are dragons. ... Read more

Features

• Fight combinations of characters from all over the Marvel and Capcom universes
• Marvel characters include: Spider-Man, Captain America, and Wolverine
• Capcom characters include: Street Fighters Ryu, Chun Li, and Zangief
• Choose from 22 characters
• For 1 or 2 players

Reviews (36)

A Quality Playstation port of the arcade
Don't listen to most bashing this game,most are only doing so because they are trying to compare this title Nose-to-nose with the perfect arcade and dreamcast versions.Indeed this version cannot compete with those but its still a decent conversion and a TRUE feat of the Playstation hardware,considering its limited abilities due to lack of RAM.

Flashback to around 98' with the release of X-Men Vs StreetFighter for the PSOne,indeed it was'ent too great.Nevermind the lack of tag team the characters also had a limited amount of animation and there was slowdown.The title was still very playable but they could've done much better.

Since then Capcom learned their lesson and fine-tuned the PSOne to run such games smoothly.Marvel SuperHeroes Vs StreetFighter was an especially nice port and so is MvC.

The graphics are colorful and flashy with most of the backgrounds and effects during supermoves retaining much of their animation.The characters themselves look great and are also given a nice amount of animation.The gameplay is Fast and fun with little to no slowdown of any kind,even during screen filling supermoves.

Had the game retained true tag-team play this title would definitly be a winner as the graphics and action are all Excellent.But unfortunitly even the best game developers can only do so much with the systems limited RAM.As in Previous Vs games the main battle mode only allows 1-on-1 fighting.Though its still very fun for those who can look past the tagteam gameplay.

However there is crossover mode-Which allows Tagteam gameplay with the only difference being that you have to choose the same two characters as the CPU.It can get old fighting mirror versions of your two fighters but the mode otherwise replicates the Arcade versions gameplay very well.

While its no substitute,this version actually contains features not found in the otherwise Perfect dreamcast version.The PSX port allows you to play as Onslaught in both normal and giant forms! Very cool. The game also lets you save and view character endings for later and there is a section that allows you to view and get a good look at each of the special partner characters like Authur and Unknown Soldier.

Overall Marvel Vs Capcom for the PSOne,is a polished,Nice-Quality port retaining about 85% of the Arcade version.If you have a dreamcast you obviously won't want to bother with this port but if you don't have a DC and own a Playstation/PS2,this game is still a fine substitute.

Awesome
Ok let me tell u now this game is awesome. I played it in a arcade and i got hooked and begged my parents to get me it off the net.And trust me when i got it a year ago rite off amazon it was not cheap (50 bucks!!)anyway this game is alittle different from the arcade because you dont have a team with two people its just another guy that does a little attack every time u call them in.SOme of u might say thats the best part and ur right but its still a great game get this game if u can!

Not all that great
If you've played any of Capcom's 2D fighter CPS2-to-PlayStation conversions lately, then you already know what to expect from the PlayStation version of Marvel vs. Capcom. While the arcade (and, subsequently, the arcade-perfect Dreamcast conversion) supplied a four-fighter tag-team battle, the PlayStation's RAM limitation limits the battle to two fighters. Also, many frames of animation have been chopped out, particularly those for larger characters. Marvel vs. Capcom is the latest incarnation of Capcom's Street Fighter vs. series. But here, instead of limiting the characters to X-Men or Street Fighters, Capcom has taken characters from all over the Marvel and Capcom universes. Marvel is represented by new additions like Venom and Onslaught, as well as fighting-game veterans like Spider-Man, Captain America, and Wolverine. Capcom's lineup includes Street Fighters Ryu, Chun Li, and Zangief, but also nonfighting characters like Captain Commando, Strider Hiryu, and Mega Man. The result is an ultimate (albeit a bit condensed) lineup of fighters from all over the place. This cross section of comic-book heroes and video-game characters gives the game a truly new and diverse feel, even if the gameplay hasn't changed too much since the last Capcom vs. fighting game, Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter.
Some remnants of the tag battle remain. You still select a second character, but that character's only influence on the battle is in the form of short, special attacks. The arcade game actually had you select three fighters, one of whom served as a helper character that you could call on at any time for a quick attack. Now, you select your main fighter and then choose if you want one of these helpers, or a second normal fighter that will join up with you and perform team super combos, should you issue the command to do so. To make up for the loss of the tag action, the ability to link multiple super combos has been added. This lets you really rack up the multihit combos and do a lot of damage to your opponent, to boot. Graphically, the game really doesn't look too bad, taking into consideration the limitations of the hardware. The game is colorful, and the backgrounds are nice. New to the PlayStation version is a quick zoom that occurs during throws. This is a little disorienting, and the characters get pretty pixelated up close as well. The audio portion of the game is troublesome. Everything sounds extremely tinny, and the trebley sound and music will get on your nerves almost immediately.If you're looking for the arcade version, you really need to go to an arcade or pick up the Dreamcast version. The PlayStation version may have the same moves as the original game, but the shell surrounding those moves is completely different. Rent this one first.

Old, but awesome
If you're going to waste your life playing 2-d fighting games, and can't find Marvel vs Capcom 2, waste your life on this game.It rocks.

Arcade Style Fighting.
Marvel VS Capcom is an arcade style fighting game featuring some of the biggest names from the worlds of Marvel and Capcom.Everyone from Mega Man to Spiderman.For someone who wants to just sit down and fight it out with some amazing moves, this is the game for you!I will admit that fighting the computer can be difficult at times.The special moves allow some characters to just cream you in 30 seconds or less.Other than that, the graphics are great, the sound is good, and the choice of characters is absolutely amazing.This is a must-have for any Playstation gamer. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Vagrant Story is one of those games that wows you at thestart--a big "WOW!" in this case--but maintains only a tenuous hook inthe long haul. In this mix of action/adventure and fantasy role-playing,players are cast as a Riskbreaker (think one-man army) namedAshley Riot, whose pursuit of a villainous cult leader takes him to themysterious city of Lea Monde.

The highly stylized graphics in Vagrant Story are easily some ofthe best ever seen on the PlayStation, and give the game a gorgeous,distinctive look to match its somber tone. Cinematic story sequencesblend in almost seamlessly with gameplay, which takes place in 3-Denvironments (viewed from a third-person perspective) that can berotated to provide the best angle.

Vagrant Story features a rich battle system that's built on bothstrategy and quick reflexes. In addition to character statistics,weapons and armor have detailed numbers of their own and can bedisassembled, assembled, or even combined to create new items. Hand/eyecoordination factors heavily into combat, as Ashley develops offensiveand defensive battle abilities that require perfectly timed buttonpushing in order to be used.

Unfortunately, it's all too easy to get bored with VagrantStory. The painfully linear gameplay here doesn't rise abovekilling enemy after enemy in room after room, and (oh boy!) solvingpuzzles by manipulating boxes. If not for the wholly intriguing (butsparsely littered) plot, one would be strongly tempted just to leaveAshley to rot in the catacombs beneath Lea Monde. --Joe Hon

Pros:

• Highly stylized graphics
• Rich battle system
• Intriguing plot

• Shallow, linear gameplay

Features

• Good mix of action/adventure and fantasy role-playing
• Rich battle system
• For 1 player
• You are Ashley Riot, in pursuit of a villainous cult leader
• Highly stylized graphics and cinematic story sequences

Reviews (96)

Best Dungeon Crawler that i've played
If you want to know if this game is good or not without having to read paragraph upon paragraph just read this review. Bottem line is is that if you have some sort of Dungeon crawler fetish this is your thing. It's a dungeon crawler with heavy RPG elements and thats it. So if you like box puzzles (many many) and demons and such (many many). Not to mention that all you ever do is do the to of the above (no mini-games or diversion or nothing!) then this games for you (only one paragraph! ha:)

One of the Greatest Games Ever Made for Fantasy Fans
Recently on G4 Tech TV I was watching "Filter", and they were counting down the top 10 underrated games of all time, and to my amazement and joy, Vagrant Story was rated the #1 most underrated game ever. There could be no title more worthy, and it saddens me that it has a 4 star average here on Amazon, though it's not really suprising.

Vagrant Story was one of the final Square games to come out for the PS1, and went by almost unnoticed. I didn't actually play it until it was a couple of years old. The graphics are without doubt some of the best ever seen on the PS1. I wish we could have had voice overs in this game, but such things were still pretty uncommon on the PS1. The sound is very good, light on music and heavy on creepy, atmospheric sound effects that really enhance the feeling of being lost in the huge mazes of buildings, tunnels, and dungeons.

As it is, the dialogue is absolutely exceptional, and the story is complex, twisting, and really makes you think. Good and evil end up not being quite what you think they are. The story has a heavy emphasis on a religious, crusader/inquisition type group of characters, as well as incorporating sorcery and magic. I could never explain how great the story and characters of this game are...it's just magical. The world just sucks you in.

The entire game takes place in an old abandoned ghost town on an island called Lea Monde. It is one of the most phenomenal environments ever created for a game. Much of the game takes place underground in old tunnels, vaults, caves, storage areas, and a huge variety of buried rooms, but there are also many areas where you emerge and have to explore the city aboveground. The feeling of the game is very lonely, and the old abandoned town of Lea Monde is amazing to explore.

The amount of detail that was put into this game is just incredible, and it is evident at every moment just what a labor of love it was for those who made it. Not only is the game itself exceptional, but the plethora of details they incorporated makes it an all time classic. For example, on the map screen, every single room in the game (and there are a lot) has it's own unique name. There is one dungeon where every room (and there are at least 30) is named after an implement of torture! It's just great.

There is a huge variety of enemies, and an in game encyclopedia that fills up as you encounter them. Combat is very difficult, and it seemed to me at first even too difficult, but once you get the hang of it, this game has one of the most fun, and definitely most unique, combat systems ever devised. With each swing you take, you can choose where to aim on the enemy (left or right arm, legs, body, or head!), and depending on the enemy, armor, and what type of weapon you are using, you will have a different %chance of hit and damage. There are about 6 or 7 types of weapons (blunt, piercing, slashing, etc.) and a HUGE variety of different weapons within these categories. Within this there are different gems that can be attached to your weapons to make them more efficient against certain types of enemies, give them elemental attributes, etc.
Truly, this game has an almost intimidating amount of detail, but that's what makes it so great. You can armor all parts of your body, and every single weapon and every single piece of armor is customizable by combining lesser weapons and armor in workshops that can be found among Lea Monde. Materials range from course materials like wood and iron early in the game to silver and platinum materials later. Weapons have to be created and specialized in for different creature types. For example, I usually had a spear I used against dragons, a holy mace and a holy dagger for undead and zombies, and an axe that was most effiecent against humanoid creatures. Plus, you can actually name every weapon you create, which adds an awesome finishing touch to your arsenal.

There is so much about this game that is great that I could go on for another hour and hardly scratch the surface. This game is thought provoking, its deep, and it is CHALLENGING. Not for wimps! There is so much to explore, so many hidden features, such endless customization, this game just never gets old. And, it has a new game plus feature, so you can replay it with all the skills, equipment, and magic you've acquired. Damn, I didn't even touch on the magic...there is a huge variety of magic spells you can learn as well!
I've played through it probably 3 times over the past few years, and it remains fun every time I play, and I still haven't maxed out Ashley Riots potential.

This game may not be for everyone. It is hard, confusing, and very deep. But for those of you that love fantasy games, a good story, great characters and dialogue, tons of character/equipment customization, and a big challenge, give this game a try. You can get it for cheap now, and even though it's a little dated, it may be one of your best game purchases in quite awhile.

On a final note, I'm thrilled to know that the people who are responsible for this game and for Final Fantasy Tactics are the main creative force working on Final Fantasy XII right now. It should be phenomenal! I can't wait.

Both Good and Bad
I hardly even know where to begin when it comes to an overrated game that turns out to collect dust in my room.I bought Vagrant Story over a year ago.Tried it, like the battle system, and then found myself hating it.

The game play goes as follows: You start in a dungeon...there are cut scenes from time to time, but none of them make any sense...you run around by monsters and fight.You see the monsters as you are fighting them as there are no random battles.A menu pops up after you click near a monster such as, Head: 0, 100%, Right Leg: 2, 85% and so on.From there you choose which part of the body you want to attack.Sometimes you make NO hit points against the monsters because you have to work up your weapons for each type of monster.And it is impossible to make a master weapon against all monsters.More than one weapon has to be leveled up for different monsters, and many times weapons have to be changed in midst battle which is annoying.The other complaint I had in this game is that the only way you can heal yourself is either finding a save point or using a curing item.This doesn't sound so bad, but curing items CANNOT be purchased.Instead they only can be found fighting monsters.I never seemed to have enough curing items.By the end of the game, things still didn't seem to make sense.The conclusions were unsatisfying and overall pain in the neck.

The last complaint I have of this game is the feeling I got from playing it.The color scheme is bad.Everything was shades of brown or blacks and occasional greens and reds.It was a depressing feel to it, and it seemed like I never saw the light in that game.

However, I can still give this game some credit.I believe that it was an attempt of a good thing.There were bad qualities about it that if only fixed a little, this game could've been great.The battle system was actually fun at times, but when things got tough and a new type of monster approached, it took way too long to level up a weapon.
I thought for its time, the cut scenes looked nice.There are no special movies throughout the game, just a short one as an intro before you start your game up.

It is possible to enjoy this game.I found myself struggling through it, but I knew a couple who actually half ways liked it.It isn't a masterpiece in my eyes, but it had potential I think that didn't see the light of day.

Pros:
Innovative battle system
Well done cut scenes for its time
New Game Plus + feature

Cons:
Dull game, hardly any change of scenerybesides dungeons and boxes
Confusing Plot - (yet it was deep)
Bad color scheme: browns, browns, tans, green,and more browns
Annoying weapon level up system

Estimated time to complete game in a quicker runthrough: 20 - 30 hours.
Detailed gameplay estimated time to complete: 30 - 50 hours.

Wonderful story, lots to do and challenges Plus
Vagrant Story is the story of Ashley Riot, a Riskbreaker withsupressed memories.As you progress through this game you acquire memories, not only of battle skills and break arts but of your past.But are those memories of your family reliable?Were they planted, but by whom and why?VS's story will grab you by the throat, twist and turn and still have you wondering what happened at the end.
To some, the idea of making your own armour and weapons sounds tedious, but the reality of it is something else. It's great to see something you've created in action against a knight, a dragon a tough Boss.So take the time to read up on this part of the gameplay.
The graphics, although somewhat dated now, are still excellent.The music is captivating.I would, however, have preferred actors to play the character's voices and thereby imbue them with life rather than having to read every nuance and gasp.
My only negatives of this game are the slot-machine way of increasing skills and the beatability of it. Without a doubt it's the most difficult game I've ever played and, I felt, needlessly so.Don't get me wrong, I like a challenge, but I'm not keen on impossibility, which in all honesty I felt it was - in fact I couldn't complete VS game without cheat codes.And that, for me, was a decided negative and why I didn't award it 5 stars.
So if you like a good game with a great story that's a challenge to your skills as a player Vagrant Story will cover all that and more.

Most fun to be had on Playstation
For me this is easily the best game on playstation. Though we have moved on to the next generation of videogaming, it is hard to not go back to this game. The story is deep, the game mechanics are genius and the graphics out do all other psx games out there.

This game differs from your standard rpg in sense of how the game is played. There is no leveling up, no towns to visit, or world map to explore. Also the fighting system allows you to have total control. Knowing your opponent is key to beating them. The enemy is divided into classes and you must fight according to their strengths and weaknesses. For ex. if your opponent is a dragon you will have to beat through their tough scales or find a way around them and find a weak point. The enemies aren't your average cannon fodder either. They hit and run, cast spells and play keep away. They will draw into a corner and gang up on you or get you in the open area for an ambush.

With enemies that actually use brains and brawn you have to be prepared. This is where the game shines. The weapon and attack system. You start with your basic weapons and armor. As you progress you pick up better stuff and eventually be able to make new weapons and armor. Combining your old stuff you can literally make a new item. I've spent hours combining weapons and armor. Realistically as you use weapons and as your armor takes damage it loses its' strength. At the shops you can also make repairs to your inventory. The battle sysstem is tedious but fun once you get the hang of it. You draw your weapon and a sphere surrounds you. Depending on distance and SIZE of enemies and the range of your weapon you can target body parts. Taking out legs can slow and in some cases immobilize the enemy. Warning this does work both ways so protect yourself. You can cast spells on the fly by use of a quick pop up menu activated by pressing a few buttons. Also as you defeat more enemies you gain break arts, attack and defensive draws that will keep you alive in close battles.

My only complaint is that this game is not for everyone. Many will get bored with the slow beginning or find the weapon system to complex to get involved. Most of all that there is no voice acting. I personally favor the text reading but most will find that outdated. In any case this game is hard to fault once you really get involved and is hard to put down. It never got the publicity it deserved, so few will tell you that they have heard of the game. But do not let that discourage you by any means. If you can find a copy get it. If you have the patients to get through the first hour for mainly learning the gameplay mechanics you will not be disappointed. ... Read more

Features

• Cool background and setting art
• More hours of gameplay than most RPGs
• For 1 player
• RPG featuring kids on their own
• Real-time battle system keeps things interesting

Reviews (34)

Love This Game
This game was great. Not only is it multi player but the battles are actually fun while keeping them quick. The story is one of the best for an rpg that i have played through and the characters are quite entertaining with very funny dialogue. One of the first rpg's i ever bought for 15 bucks actually too bad it didnt come with a manuel.
Great game though but if anyone is welling to sell me a game manuel i will pay u however much u want for it ^_^. thank u and buy this game now!!!

This may be a very old game but it is FUN
The graphics might look bad compared to current day game graphics but this rpg is just plain fun. There are slightly different versions but they are all basically the same thing. As for the story line, some people love it and others don't but it's not one of those 'nothing goes wrong' story lines, you will want to get through the tough parts of the game to see what will happen next.

It's quite an average length for a game but it can take some people a while to figure out what to do, luckkily it is not hard to find free online guides that will help you through the game if you can't figure it out. There is only one aspect of the game that just isn't so wonderful, the world map, it has a terrible worl map but atleast it gets the job done.

This makes a unique rpg because you can put things in you 'food sack' that could raise or lower some of your characters abilities or status effects, but they will not starve if you leave it empty. Also there are plenty of side quests and tasts you can complete for people as you make your way through the story, including a secret ending which hardly anyone knows about (try doing a search for it)

The battle system is simply incredible, many things can go on at once and there's even a special way to get more than one player to join you in battle. It's a real time battle system that gives you a fun experience with plenty of beautiful spells and special abilitys to stare at. You can command certain characters to only focus on weak or strong enemys, defence, or to just heal. While the other three characters either do the spells or abilities on their own or do what you told them to, you use your codtomized controller buttons to use certain abilitites. A god example is that eventually you cna throw your sword at and enemy cause damage but then all you can do is kick and punch until you retrieve it. And if you ever get tired of the same voices saying the same spells then you can switch their 'swordians' and hear whole different voices for different spells during the battle.

You can always change any character's name anywhere during the game, that way you dont have to be stuck with the original names like in final fantasy.

This game is very enjoyable even if the characters are semi-small almost anyone can enjoy playing it and I highly reccomend that you buy it! it is an excelent game that may be rated T for teen but i played around when I was nine years old so i dont thinkyou really need to worry about that too much. If you're considering it for your children then it would be a good idea because there's alot of reading so they won't be completely lazy. (im a 'child' myself ^_^)

Just buy the game, its fun, its cheap (i saw a copy in stores for $120 because tis kinda hard to find) and its just worth buying

Very nice
This was the first non-Square RPG I really got into, and I've loved every minute of it.This game has several things that I personally enjoyed the most:
1) It's a cartoon- I've always preferred cartoony, anime-style characters to realistic characters.The appearance of the people lightens some of the darker parts of the story.
2) Very innovative- The battle system is a mixture of good old fashioned spell menus and item lists and fast-paced roughhousing with button combinations; it's like mixing "Final Fantasy" with "Street Fighter."
3) Awesome story- The story isn't anywhere near as developed as something like "Final Fantasy Tactics," but it's solid and ensnaring.I was on the edge of my proverbial seat the entire time.
4) Voices- This game hasn't been butchered by lousy English voice actors, and everyone's sound bites are still in their original Japanese. For some reason, game voices sound cooler when you don't know what they're saying.

So, if you're looking for a great game, this is definitely for you.I extremely recommend this one.

An aswome RPG
This game ROCKS! Even the graphics and story rocks! And the game
is 2 player compatible(4 players possible with multiplayer adapter).

The best part of the game is the battle system, even though its like Tales of Phantasia's(Another Japanese Rpg made by namco) battle system its still fun to play. Expecially the
4 player battle system rocks.There are tons of attacks and spells
to choose from and the battle is real time sidescrolled, like you
can slice, jab, uppercut with you controlling the character and moving around. There are a lot of weapons and armor to choose from.

...P>Now I wont spoil the story/plot but I'll give you a 10/10 rating for the game.

Thanx for reading I'm Raed.N.Enany.

An aswome RPG
This game ROCKS! Even the graphics and story rocks! And the game
is 2 player compatible(4 players possible with multiplayer adapter).

The best part of the game is the battle system, even though its like Tales of Phantasia's(Another Japanese Rpg made by namco) battle system its still fun to play. Expecially the
4 player battle system rocks.There are tons of attacks and spells
to choose from and the battle is real time sidescrolled, like you
can slice, jab, uppercut with you controlling the character and moving around. There are a lot of weapons and armor to choose from.

And if you are talking about the graphics, the might be 2D, but there still enjoyable enough...

Now I wont spoil the story/plot but I'll give you a 10/10 rating for the game... ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

The top-selling PlayStation game in Japanese history makes its way tothe U.S. in Dragon Warrior VII. Its creators include a trio of Japaneserole-playing-game legends--game designer Yuji Horii, music composer KoichiSugiyama, and character designer Akira Toriyama (who also created the popularDragonball and Dragonball Z cartoons and comics). At its heart,Dragon Warrior VII is an old-school RPG that eschews flashy graphics andsound effects in favor of a good story and dozens of gameplay hours. In somecases it succeeds in capturing the nostalgia of old NES and SNES RPGs, but inothers it hangs on too dearly to obsolete conventions. Still, this is one of themost value-packed games on the market, as it easily offers more than 100 hoursof gameplay.

Graphically, Dragon Warrior VII will not impress anyone. Even compared tofirst-generation PlayStation games this one comes off as ugly. The sound is amix of nostalgic MIDI bits from previous Dragon Warrior games andbeautiful new compositions by Sugiyama. The story progresses in a linearfashion, as the main character discovers new lands, each with its own mysteries,characters, and adventures. The job system adds immense depth to characterprogression, as players can learn skills from more than 50 classes, includingwarriors, clerics, jesters, rangers, dragoons, teen idols, and more.

As deep as the job system is, progress is hindered by laborious combat andinventory-management systems. It would have been nice if the development teamtried to implement modern gameplay mechanics with the rich Dragon Warrioruniverse. Because of its archaic aspects, the game will scare off those thataren't familiar with older RPGs. However, persevering gamers and longtime fanswill enjoy one of the deepest adventures on the market. --Raymond M.Padilla

Pros:

• More than 100 hours of gameplay
• Extremely deep job system
• Memorable characters

• Horrible graphics
• Poor interface
• Dull combat

Reviews (60)

This game makes Baby Jesus cry
The perfect one-word description of this game is "torturous". Yes, there are some cool parts every now and then, but they're buried beneath so much inane garbage that instead of making the game less terrible, they simply compel you to keep playing through this epic abomination. It's really not a good sign when I've played over 20 hours into the game and I still couldn't care less what happens to the main characters. They're a rather one-dimensional bunch, and to be honest, it strikes me as a bit strange how those chosen to "awaken the world" (or whatever you care to call the insipid, convoluted plot) could be so damned boring.

Ah yes, the plot. Some kids discover some ruins that take them back in time to where the world contained more landmasses, and one by one, they bring the land masses into the present. It could have been quite fascinating, but the different areas just don't feel at all connected. After you've "raised" the first few islands, no one in your hometown seems to care anymore. Basically, instead of being one fully involved story, it ends up being a bunch of half-assed little tales that I couldn't bring myself to care about. I've read that eventually the "Demon Lord" somehow gets involved, but I really have no desire to pick this garbage up again. I suppose the cut scenes are also worth mentioning. Like most of the game, they're quite awful. They make the characters look mildly deformed, at best.

On to the gameplay...repetition is the order of the day. The battle system in itself isn't that bad, but it does begin to grow quite tiresome. The class system, which could have been very cool, is executed rather sloppily. For one thing, the classes aren't exactly balanced, especially since a character's class has no bearing on the equipment they can use. Want a wizard wielding a huge sword and wearing immensely heavy armor? You can do it here. Also, I don't think the classes have any permanent effect on stats, i.e. there is a set number of points in each stat for all the characters and classes that is governed by level. As a result, a character who has been a wizard for most of the game will have an enormous strength increase if he transitions to a soldier. Unfortunately, his intelligence will plummet as well.

If this was all I hated about the game, it would at least be tolerable. Unfortunately, I've yet to metion the most banal aspect of it...the way new islands are unlocked. If you thought lame fetch quests were exclusive to platforming games, this game will prove you sorely wrong. Of those 100+ hours you'll spend playing this pompous trash, at least half of that will consist of seeking map shards that you will quickly come to loathe, as you have to collect the right ones in order to unlock new islands.

Now, this wouldn't be a big deal if they were all in meaningful places, such as being obtained after defeating a boss. However, they're not. Oftentimes you'll find them in such idiotic and annoying places, as in a bag in some random house, caught in a broken robot in a town sewer, etc. Sure, the game offers some guidance, but the trek back to the fortune teller (whose hints can sometimes be rather vague) grows tiresome quickly. As a result, the game is as much a sleep-inducing scavenger hunt as an RPG.

Assume from this review that I hate RPGs done in the "old-school" style, as that is not the case. Dragon Warrior II through IV were quite enjoyable games. In fact, they're a lot better than this snoozefest, so play them instead.

Why did I waste my money?

Do not waste your time (130 hours is what i spent) or your money ($50) on this game.Buy a good game, like FF Tactics or Xenogears, or do something productive with your money.I cannot believe that this is the best selling game in Japan.I have played every single FF game, and Xenogears as well as every other US released DW game.With all of the hype before this game, I had my hopes up for a decent game with old-school graphics.What I got was a story written by a third grader, a battle system that made me want to kill myself it was so boring, and no point of playing the game.Horrible.Pathetic.

A great game!
If you like involved RPG's, this is a great game for you.It's packed with tons story and side quests.Some reviews complained about the graphics, but they're not all that bad.It's what I'd expect a 3D Dragon Warrior game to look like.Besides, the music more than makes up for the slight lacking in the graphics department.The characters are fun and there's a bit of Japanese humor strewn about (I'm glad the translators left it in!).There are also some puzzles throughout the game, which helps break up the monotony of the random encounters.Anyone who has played the previous Dragon Warrior games on the Nintendo will probably experience a little nastalgia.Some elements of the game haven't changed much at all (slimes, clubs, leather armor, cheesy sound effects when using stairs, etc...).All in all, I highly recommend this game!

Dragon Warrior 7
Dragon Warrior 7 is filled with classic old school roleplaying based on the actual gaming experience as opposed to watching movies and cinematic breaks on many other newer games. This game retains the same battle engine and same format as the original 4 NES games only slightly tweaking and improving it. The graphics are slightly improved just enough to stay with the times as well. But Dragon Warrior was never about graphics, it was about the gameplay experience. This game has a great story, lots of play value(over 100 hours) and brings back that nostalgia of palying the originals.

Dangerously underrated and underappreciated.
At first glance when the average gamer starts this game, they wonder about this game's expectations.It boasts a hundred hours of gameplay, so that must mean that the graphics must be really good, right?Well, most gamers take one look at the graphics, fiddle around with the game for a little bit, and give up completely.I warn you, this game is not for those who are only out for the flasy graphics or the gameplay that's so simple any five-year-old could complete it in their sleep.This game is not simple-minded.No, it's not Final Fantasy:It's Dragon Warrior, and having a game that just screams "old school" and boasts about it for a ridiculously long time is absolutely fine with me.

As I already said, at first glance, this game is not particularly pretty to stare at.But if anybody spends enough time with the game, you'll tend to ignore this little minor detail.That's right: minor.This is Dragon Warrior, and the focus is on gameplay here, not making everything look pretty.The majority of the game focuses strictly on battle, where your strategic wits are most needed.Instead of today's "Attack, heal, repeat" strategy, you'll have to dig deeper if you want to come out of the battles alive.In other games in which spells that increase your attack and defense are practically useless, in Dragon Warrior VII, they are all but required.

As well, at first glance, the plot seems as linear as it could be.As the heroes of the game, you have decided to embark on a quest to recover lands lost due to an unknown evil via time travel.This may seem like a pointless game where it all seems like all you have to keep doing is go back in time and rescue the helpless people, then go to the next land, save it, and do it over and over again.However, the more time you spend with the game, the more this seemingly linear plot unfolds.The more lands you restore, the more you learn about this unknown evil.That seems to be the basis of most video games in general, but for some reason, this one seems that much different.Not to mention there is this one cruel and sadistic plot twist that will leave your jaw dropping and frozen in that position for an indefinite length of time.I will not mention what it is, for that would be spoiling things.

One thing that I haven't mentioned that should really be noted is of course the musical score.Koichi Sugiyama is the go-to guy, and has written the scores for the previous Dragon Warrior games.While the music for other games has a blatant techno-new age appearance, Sugiyama has decided to stick with a much more traditional, orchestral-based sound, and to me, that creates a really powerful emotional tool during crucial points of the game at times.It's really a great score, and really adds to the experience.

In conclusion, all I have to say is to give this game an honest chance.Don't dislike it because it isn't Final Fantasy, and it isn't as attractive-looking.Because of this misjudgment, most gamers are missing out on this remarkable, innovative gaming experience.You should play the game to experience what old school is all about, and will possibly be as close to an actual journey to rid evil as anything will ever be.Don't be one of the several gamers who have turned their backs on this game for trivial reasons.This game is that and much more.

You're missing out.Big time. ... Read more

Features

• Basic actions, Killer moves, linked combos, and spells for recovery and attack
• Learn skills and build up specialties
• For 1 player
• Join a group of young adventurers exploring mysterious happenings in deep space
• 3 battle modes: Standard turn-based combat, Semi-Active for intermediate players, and Full Active for advanced control

Reviews (89)

The best rpg of all time
This game has so many items (over 11000)! the graphics are really good for the time period it was made. the story is easy to understand. there are many characters to unlock while you travell around two vast worlds! you can always choose your battle type which makes this game more fun. there are three battle types full control no control and semi-control. these make the battles suit the person playing the game. once you start playing you wont want to stop thats a guarantee!

WOW
I love Final Fantasy, it has everything other games have, story and gameplay, but something on it wan't right, battles. Star Ocean, surpasses in every way, the conection of the story with Earth and not only imaginary world. Thect that humans have such an impact in the universe, the detail of the UP3. I'm not that far yet, still going to Aquios, but DAMN. its awesome, easier to control your health, of course if u use certain special moves u lose HP, but only makes an impact in the beginning while ur still weak. His character in the beginning seems kind a retarded but i'm starting to see a change, into a more competitive, no-rule-stuck up guy. I approve it, manufacturing, real battles, MAZES, HUGE... not like Final Fantasy that all u have to do is follow the trail... BUY, u wont regret it,
sorry this is for the new one...

An RPG with something that many lack...
All gamers have had the experence of playing a game (be it an RPG or anything else) they felt had its fair share of flaws, but has that one, very bright redeeming quality that makes all those flaws take a backseat to that one positive.

Star Ocean: The Second Story is one of those games. Star Ocean's appeal (at least in my case) can be summed up in a single word: combat. Star Ocean's combat system is probably the game's most notable feature. The real-time battle system, which has a very arcade-like feel to it, is a very enjoyable change than your standard-fair RPG battles. It's just so much fun to destory enemies with a volley a special attacks from you and your allies. The skill system is also a plus as well, increasing characters stats and developing other usefull, non combat skills.

Unfortunately, the rest of Star Ocean's elements aren't quite up to par when compared to the hustle and bustle of battle. Graphically, Star Ocean is behind the times no matter where you turn (excluding the FMV's). Actually, the game's graphic engine is very simular to a 1998 Square-Enix title, the often overlooked and bashed-to-no-end SaGa Frontier (one of my favorites - yes, I'm serious). The fact the game uses most of the same graphical tricks empolyed by a game two years earlier underlines this fact.

Storywise, Star Ocean 2 suffers another, slightly smaller blow. While the story is generally good, it seems to drag on until you reach the second disc, where you do more exploring and fighting and the story begins to unfold more. Characters aren't as developed as well in Star Ocean compared to other RPG's such as Final Fantasy or Wild Arms, though the game tries to make a very obvious effort to do this though the use of the private actions system (where you enter a location and your characters split up and you can talk to them on a one-on-one basis to discover more about them - this affects the outcome of the game in various ways). I will give the developers credit for trying though.

Musically, Star Ocean 2 has it's ups and downs. Some of the tunes can be quite annoying, but no game score is without it's duds. However, when you hear the battle themes played near the end of the game for the final bosses, which mainly are of heavy rock/metal variety, all is foregiven. Soundwise, the characters various soundbites during battle are cute at first, but become annoying really quickly (how many times can you remember Claude saying "that's around 50 points" after a battle - too many to admit when I'm sober).

Even with it's flaws, Star Ocean: The Second Story is an above average RPG. While I'm not sure if I would call it a "classic",I would recommend it to anyone who had the time or showed interest in the genre.

My Favorite Game
I love this game because of its great battle system and the characters you lern to love! I beat this game twice once with Claud and Once with Rena. Rena is a far better choose since u get Diaz. But the best charocter is Ashton. The story is sort of slow at first but once you get into things you should love it to.I am waiting for number 3 to come out and i just hope it's just as good as this one and i don't want to be disapointed.

GREAT!!!!!
This game is one of my most favorites. I haven't made it all the way through yet, but I simply love it.

The game has a few flaws. The voice acting is kind of lame, the story is WAY too boring at the beginning, and it seems pretty difficult at times.

The item creation part is the coolest. You can get tons of great items, foods, and weapons through this. In fact, the skills are so great that it's surprising the whole thing could fit on one disk long with the rest. Truly a great game. ... Read more

Features

• Caried and extremely colorful characters and backgrounds
• Music ragnes from house to disco and just about everything in between
• For 1 or 2 players
• Control one of several dancers in an all-out dance-off
• Pull off moves in time to the beat via a series of onscreen controller commands

Reviews (25)

The Grooviest Game EVER!
My cousin came to live with us, and she brought this game with her. I came home one day and she was playing it, so i said i would play with her. It was really easy to learn, and i loved it! I think the most awesome character is Shorty, and her level is my fav! I love this game so much, it is fun and easier than those dumb footpad ones, cuz you use the controller! I LOVE THIS GAME!

omg! Amazing!!
This game is so much fun! I have been playing it for years, and I still love it!

Great!!
The game is set up like a 2-d fighting game. But instead of throwing punches, you dance. Sounds silly, I know. You can attack (only twice per stage), and the dance commands get harder as you play. The music is great though. There's J-Pop, Hip Hop, Techno, Disco, all sorts of genres. But all of it is great, I don't really like techno or pop, but I was singing along within minutes of listening.
The characters are also pretty interesting. Each has their own style of dance, and all are fun to watch. There's 10 characters (i think) and 4 more to unlock. They all have their own personality, attack, styles, etc, so it makes for a replayable and interesting game.
This is easily my favorite Playstation game I have ever played. I bought it 5 years ago and still play it to this very day. The game may be hard to pick up at first, but one you get the hang of it its a blast! ...

FANTASTIC
I BOUGHT THIS GAME FOR MY SON WHEN HE WAS ABOUT 13 YEARS OLD HE IS KNOW 18! AND GUESS WHAT I BOUGHT IT FOR MYSELF A WEEK AGO..I LOVED IT THEN WHEN I PLAYED WITH MY SON, LOVE IT KNOW THAT I HAVE MY OWN...I JUST ORDERED BAG2 FOR MYSELF AND CAN'T WHAT FOR IT TO COME.. MY FAVORITE IS GASO, KELLY, SHORTY, HEAT, STRIKE,TWO ALIENS.. I RECOMMEND THIS GAME TO ALL AGES AND ALWAYS REMEMBER TO BUST A GROOOOOOVE

BEST GAME EVER!
I was first introduced to Bust A Groove at a friend's house. I was immediately hooked. It's great fun w/ the best music you can ask for. I know all the songs and have them all on my computer! This is my all time favorite game and everyone should try it out. It's a little hard at first (especially if you don't play video games all that much) but you catch on pretty quick and it's a very addictive game. But that's ok cause it's awesome. The characters are cool too. I recommend it to anyone! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Twisted Metal 2 is a game fueled by pure testosterone. Thebasic idea is to use your car and its onboard weapons to destroy all of the othercars in the race, cruising around such backdrops as Los Angeles, Paris, andAntarctica. Think of Spy Hunter meets demolition derby. You can raceor choose to fight in tournament mode, where you don't advance until everyoneelse is destroyed. There are many cars and drivers to choose from, includingsome favorites like Mr. Grimm, Warthog, and malevolent ice cream clownSweet Tooth from Twisted Metal 1. All have an outrageous arsenal ofweapons. This is a must-play for anyone who has experienced road rage andwants to get even--virtually. --Allen Stewart

Pros:

• Wild cars, such as an ice cream truck, motorcycle, bulldozer, Indy car--even atank
• Diverse weapons such as missiles, napalm, and ricochet bombs
• 2-player game adds the joy of trash-talking

• No real storyline beyond driving around and blowing things up
• Complex controls

Features

• Drive to destroy, before your opponents destroy you
• Tournament and race modes
• New driving techniques
• Use a combination of Advance Attacks, special, and standard weapon pick-ups
• For 1 or 2 players

Reviews (67)

The best PS1 ever
This game is the first game I have ever played. It got me into video games into the first place. I don't care what people say but the graphics in this game rule! Next to Black, they are the best! TM3 and 4 had nice graphics but they were all dirty. The only flaw in TM2's graphics are simplicity and pop-up but give the game a break, it is 9 years old and it still doesn't look that bad! Plus, the game is really interactive with tons of landmarks. Also, there is a huge complex storyline only uncovered by beating TM1, 2 and Black.
Pros:
So fun!
Two player never gets old!
14 cars and 11 levels
inexpensive
complex story
huge levels
destruction!
Cons:
Outdated but still stands up to most PS1 games.

Best PS one ever!
This game really lived up to the sequal, with more modes, weapons, combos and so much more. It has very interesting battle grounds spreading all over the world, from L.A. to antarticia. A new boss is also here.

graphics-very nice looking. the cars have detail and aremore interesting. there are F1 cars and junk cars. it moves fast, and the levels are detailed and large. You can drive in subways, windmills, the Eilfel tower which can be blown up, a museum, office buildings, and even a swimming pool.

sound-the music is very cool,. it fits the place. people scream, and there are realistic sound effects like machine gun firing and missles. There is no sounds when choosing your carlike the first one though.

gameplay-fun, crazy, and phsyco. More weapons, and more. it has other stuff like a deathmatch, and more interesting specials, like a shockwave and a claw that slams your opponents. It's like the first one, but with more options.

replay-great game that will keep you playing. The multiplayer mode will keep you and your friends busy at parties and sleepovers

Overall, this game is worth getting the Playstation alone.

Cool stuff for all
Twisted Metal 2 is one of the best Twisted Metal games, I still like Black better. I liked the movie where Axel goes back to his father and rips his arms out of his machine. I hate the T rating. Buy this game NOW!

THE BEST GAME EVER!!!!!!!!!!
this is by far the best game ever made. although the graphics are a little slopy, the colours are bright and rich, the physics are perfect, and the wepons are creative.

also, no matter what you taste in cars is, there is a car that you will like. the variety is huge!

The Great Game I Can Win Easy!?!?!?
Hello,out of the other Twisted Metals,they are all the same(5 stars).The graphics did'nt matter but as long as I had fun it was great.That's all I have to say. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This entirely unique and thoroughly entertaining game, co-developed in Japan and the U.S.,features a hip-hop puppy animated in a whimsical, paper-thin style. PaRappa hopes to win the heart ofSunny, the object of his affection, by holding his own with an increasingly adept group of rap masters.

Players control PaRappa by rhythmically pressing the controller's buttons to repeat bits of rap songs in theproper order. The tunes and lyrics are catchy and clever, and the gameplay is completely original. Suitablefor children and appealing to adults, this is a must-have disc for PlayStation owners who want to smile.Woven into the storyline are positive messages about self-confidence and respect. Highly skilled playerscan try their hand at free-form rapping to gain extra points. While this game has inspired sequels andcopycats, it still holds up against the test of time. --Jeff Young

Pros:

• Lighthearted, zany graphics
• Clever songs and positive messages for children

• Can be frustrating for those without rhythm

Features

• Press the controller buttons to match the onscreen cues and rhythm of the song
• Kick it in reggae, house, pop, and old school rap
• For 1 player
• You are the love-sick puppy, PaRappa determined to win over the beautiful Sunny
• Rap your way into her heart with your distinctive musical talent

Reviews (20)

CLASSIC!!
I was about 20 when I first played this game and thought it was the weirdest thing I'd ever seen but the music was too catchy to resist. If you don't fall in love with this game then you don't have a pulse.

AWSOME
I would definitely say that parappa the rapper is the greatest game of all time|!!!

Unwhitting fun
This game was one that I thought would be another kids game. It's not, it's actually tons of fun. The game play thou basic can get very tricky. Hand eye cordination is tested to the max with this on. And the songs aren't bad either.

What's with the low average rating?
(I read over the reviews and there were only like 2 bad reviews...yet the average rating is very low. It must be a problem with the site.)

Man oh man is Parappa a cool game. I remember seeing commercials of this and being hooked on the spot. This could very well be the first music-type game released, and what a first game of its genre it is. There's nothing to hate here. The character designs are plain but original. Especially Joe Chin.

Parappa's gameplay is simple enough- you hit the buttons corresponding to the top of the screen: the buttons appear and you have to get the timing as to when to hit them to match lyrics. That's all there is to it really. But it gets much harder as you play along. Heck, the second level gives some people trouble even. The only real strategy for getting through the game is to tap your foot along with the music. That should make it easier on you.

Some people here have complained about "dumb graphics and story"...like either one of those matters. What matters is if a game is fun, and Parappa is definately fun. I don't know anyone that got sick of this even after playing through 5 times in one day. Actually, if you play the game via PS2 and set the graphics to "smooth", it looks a lot better, and there aren't any "jaggies" on the character designs.

Parappa also has one of the coolest soundtracks I've heard in a game. The songs'll get stuck in your head for days after playing through. Even the music between levels during the plot bits is catchy.

So give Parappa a chance to get a break from your silly rpgs where you just "care about the story". And pick up the game when you see it- as I think it's out of print. Just look at those insane used & new prices.

Cool but the levels should be longer than 6
Cool but the levels should be longer than 6 like Um Jammer Lammy ... Read more

Features

• Head-to-head 2-D fighting action
• 9 Street Fighter characters and 8 Marvel characters
• 5 play modes: battle, vs., training, hero battle, and crossover
• Incredible hit, kick, and chainable hyper combos
• For 1 or 2 players

Reviews (9)

color me green
why is it capcom never makes the hulk green he is always the wrong color on capcom games. thegame is fun animation good just the hulk's color is wrongthey either turn him pink or grey. good tagteam work ,i like the turbo and wolverine looks like the comicbook style not some asian styled version of wolverine. works well on the vibration sound is distorted but otherwise a fun game.

Pretty good
I've been a big fan of the Street Fighter series since its outset. And to be quite honest, playing Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter only reminds me of how great the series used to be. Sure, the game is mildly entertaining, but without the true tag team gameplay that the arcade version of the game had, it comes off as just another Street Fighter game with Marvel characters. The character roster totals out at 17, with nine from the Street Fighter universe and eight from Marvel. There are five modes of play including battle, versus, training, hero battle, and crossover. Battle and versus are your typical one- and two-player fighting game modes. Hero Battle is an endurance mode that separates the groups to see which has the stronger stable of fighters. Nothing special here. Crossover mode, however, is at least somewhat interesting. You see, in the original version of MSH vs. SF you could pick two fighters whom you could switch between at any time during the fight. This tag team style of fighting was first featured in the arcade version of X-Men vs. Street Fighter but couldn't make it into the PlayStation port due to the technical limitations of the PlayStation. Sadly, the tag team aspect of MSH vs. SF was also excluded for the same reason. Sure, you can still pick two characters, but you can only play as one of them. The second character only comes into play when you execute a team combo or team counter. Crossover mode tries to bring the game's main selling point home. This mode allows you to pick two characters, then the computer uses the same characters you picked. This limits the amount of information the PlayStation has to handle to two characters instead of four. If you are victorious in this battle, the computer swaps one of the characters each of you have for another. This is done so that you aren't playing with and against the same two characters each fight. It gives you the tag team experience of the arcade, but having to deal with the rotating character thing and having to fight mirror images of yourself is extremely weak. Visually, MSH vs. SF looks good. But when you compare it with its arcade counterpart, it simply fails. The colors aren't nearly as vibrant, and the game suffers from quite a bit of slowdown. It still comes across better than the PlayStation version of X-Men vs. Street Fighter, though, because not nearly as much animation was cut out. This is a major plus, since frames of animation not only affect the game's appearance but timing and gameplay as well.On the gameplay side, Street Fighter fans will definitely feel the typical Street Fighter gameplay. But in the end, it's all a question of how starved you are for another Street Fighter game. Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter is all about the tag team mode, and with the overall exclusion of this mode, Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter is just another Street Fighter game.

Great game, but graphics sort of sucks
The game is cool, but when you compare it to the arcade version, it's simply fails in comparision. The fighting and the hyper combos on their are tight and improved. Like Wolverine's Weapon X combo does more damage than on XvSF. If there are any availiable, comp this game cause it's hard as hell if you're a big Akuma fan.

The best fighting game ever (Shin Akuma)
The game is perfect in all ways.
The characters are good specialy Akuma.The music is the best I ever heard before.The combos are extremely Cool and hyper.The graphs are great in all ways.IS THE BEST FIGHTING GAME EVER!

You Will Loved More If You Are A AKUMA Fan!

It a secret!

AWESOME
WELL I CAN SAY THAT THIS GAME IS AWESOME IN A WAY THAT YOU WONT HAVE TO DEPEND TOO MUCH ON THE CHARACTER'S HYPER COMBO TO WIN A MATCH.(UNLIKE MARVEL VS CAPCOM IN MY OPINION.)AND THIS WILL BRING YOU TO A LENGTHY,BUT EXCITING MATCHES(WITH A WORTHY OPPONENT,THOUGH..)AND GOING UP AGAINST CYBER AKUMA IS MORE CHALLENGING THAN FACING ONSLAUGHT.THIS IS A MUST IF YOU'RE A STREET FIGHTER FAN,OR A MARVEL SUPER HEROES FOLLOWER.WHATEVER... ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

The Seven Sisters high school is the setting for a series of gruesomemurders, and it's up Maya Amano, a cub reporter for popular teen magazineCoolest, to get to the bottom of the murders. Yes, in the spirit ofScooby-Doo and many afterschool specials, when the police fail, it's timeto call in the high schoolers!

Seriously, though, Persona 2 is an interesting title. It is the sequel toa popular import with a story that is, for the most part, involving. Even intheir small sprite form, the anime characters in the game are very well done andblend nicely with the gaming environments. The character movements are a bitjerky, but it's still better than most role-playing games.

Unfortunately, the game's slow-moving story line and somewhat tedious characterinteraction ruin the game's early momentum. Things get back on track later inthe game--but obviously only for those gamers who have stayed on through the dryspots. Patient players are rewarded with 80 different persona summons, orspells, that can be unlocked throughout the game. You can also chat with themonsters, which is fun at first but grows tiresome. Also, the game'sstraightforward battle system lacks the strategic elements found in other gamesof this genre.

Perhaps Persona 2's most interesting gameplay element is the rumorsystem, which allows you to gossip about other characters in the game. Aproperly spread rumor can trigger in-game events and create whole new storyarcs. This adds considerable replay value and most RPGers should appreciate thisto no end. --Todd Mowatt

Pros:

• Great dialogue
• Eerie music sets appropriate tone for the game
• Rumor system lets you affect the game's story

• Talking to enemies gets very repetitive
• Too-simple combat scheme
• Poor pacing in the game's middle

Features

• Solve the crime in this gruesome high school murder mystery
• 80 different persona summons, or spells, that can be unlocked
• Rumor system allows players to gossip about other characters in the game
• Battle the monsters and talk to them too
• For 1 player

Reviews (21)

Very fun and challenging...
Persona 2 is another rare collectible rpg for playstation. A deep expansive battle summoning system is the core to this game. The setting is the modern day which is a nice change from the normal villages, blacksmiths, and potions of most rpgs. Solid graphics, great storyline, and challenging enemies makes this a well put together game. I would love to see a part three but its been awhile so perhaps we are out of luck. I reccomend this game for any rpg fan cause its just plan fun and interesting and thats what rpgs are all about, right?

A beauty of the Persona series
I played the original Persona and loved it. When I heard about a second one, I had to get it. Of course, many know there are three Persona games in the Shin Megami Tensei series:

Revelations: Persona
Persona 2 Innocent Sin (Batsu in Japan)
Persona 2 Eternal Punishment

Innocent Sin was never released here due to its very questionable content, but only those who played that one will know fully what's going on in Eternal Punishment. On the other hand, it's not difficult to comprehend what's going on in this story (but it can be if you don't pay attention to every single detail). The plus side is that if you played Revelations, then you'll get a real treat in this game. I know I did.

In any case, this Persona outclasses Revelations in quite a few things. The mighty Persona return to supply your characters with magical attacks against demons. However, they have improved on a few things. First, you don't have to have the Persona's exact level to equip it like in Revelations. You just have to be in range of the Persona's level. Second, the fusion spell system, the game's biggest battle highlight, makes combat a little less painful. By combining certain spells and elements to form powerful big magic, you can clear the screen of enemies in nothing flat. An even nicer bonus is that when you defeat monsters using fusion spells, there's a chance your Persona may mutate, giving it some kind of bonus such as two learning levels gained, a parameter boost, its hidden spell gets unlocked or the chance of turning into a completely new Persona. You can further customize Persona in the infamous Velvet Room, a place familiar to all Persona fans. You can add specific spells and even increase the parameters of a Persona upon its creation using magic cards before the process. Third, the battles are a bit more smooth flowing since range does not matter anymore. In the original, your members were limited to only certain actions depending on where they stood. Now, your party and the monsters jump all over a seemingly endless terrain. You can fight monsters with weapons or Persona, as well as negotiate with them using not only one person but as many as three people, making for entertaining compromises. Also, you can switch Persona if you're carrying extra ones without wasting turns, thereby allowing you access to several fusion spells at any given time. And even better, you can set the game to auto battle with specific orders so they can build Persona levels without you having to cycle through the commands over and over again (in the meantime, you can go read a book or get a snack).

Now on to what makes this Persona much greater in difficulty than Revelations. First, the dungeons. The many dungeons in this Persona become exceedingly huge and confusing after the first dungeon. Twists and turns galore (along with time limits in some of them and constant combat) can drive many RPG veterans crazy. Many dungeons take patience to finish, and there's even a feature where an Arab gentleman asks you to map the current dungeon on your list. If you can bearably map it all out, bring him the finished product and he'll reward you with items that can help you out in the Velvet Room. Second, many boss battles get very tough and sometimes impossible if you don't prepare properly. You need levels, lots of items, decent weapons and Persona with a variety of magic to win most of the boss battles with everyone intact. Since you have five people to prep, this gets time-consuming and expensive.

A nice side feature of this Persona is the rumor system. Spreading rumors to get certain monsters to appear, alter a dungeon's appearance or get a store to sell certain things it never did before are just some of the neat rumors you can spread. You can even make new Persona available when no other way is possible to get them.

The characters, story and music are excellent. Persona 2 stars the older characters from Innocent Sin as the heroes. Also, two of the many high school heroes from the first Persona can join your team, bringing back fond memories of that game. Many of them are actually seen and mentioned in this one, so it's a real treat for Persona fans. The story is only complex if you haven't played Batsu (which many of us haven't) but you don't need to play Batsu to comprehend it. There are lot of main points to keep an eye on, so watch for them. The music rules in every Shin Megami game. It mostly draws on the pool of techno, heavy metal and rock, mostly due to the fact that the game takes place in present day Japan, not a fantasy realm. This keeps the feeling that you're playing a "real world" game.

All and all, yet another great PS1 RPG and a reason to keep your fondness for the series strong. The game includes a very difficult extra dungeon that I myself have never finished because of the extreme length and monster madness. Don't let that stop you from trying. The end is a real surprise.

Quite possibly, my favorite RPG.
This is truly on of the greatest RPG's on a console. It has a modern setting, dark story, and truly challenging combat. Although the 'monster collection' aspect may turn off some. The endless mazes (although automapping is some help) do make the game a little tedious, as do the endless character voicings. But the beautiful interactions between characters (even at the end, I was stumped with regards as to who would pair up), the difficult combat that really requires strategy, and the huge amount of 'essential' items to collect make this one a must have.

Better than most RPGs
Let's see. an RPG where you can have modern weapons, bribe and haggle with monsters to have them leave you alone, and have the rumors you spread change the course of the game to make more equipment available, more monsters and challenges to face, and make items cheaper, well you can't really say this game is bad. Sure, the graphics arent the best, but hey, its got a gritty quality that murder stories sorta work with. And it has plenty of side jokes here and there to make things even more fun.

Wonderful Game
Persona 2 seems to revisit events that happened in Persona. Though and I didn't have the opportunity to play the first one, Persona 2 is an intriguing and complex game to play and new players are brought up to speed as the story and game unfolds....

Everything was going great for Maya Amano, an up and coming reporter for a teen magazine, until she meets Tatsuya Suou...

She becomes involved in the investigation of some murders at the Seven Sisters High School.These murders are said to be linked to a bizarre ritual, called the "Joker's Curse." A demon is called upon to grant you your wishes, however, it is said that whoever calls him is cursed to becomes a "Joker" as well.

As Maya investigates further, she is led down a path of darkness that will ultimately lead her to the truth about the twisted world called Persona.

Players have to follow a series of rumors to find out the truth and gain new allies to help combat the growing Joker menace.There are side quests to do, and as the plot deepens so does the stories around each ally where surprises and hidden pasts are revealed.

The animation sequences are beautifully rendered and add to the flow of the game. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Dance Dance Revolution: Disney Mix gets you out on the floor as one of your favorite Disney characters dancing to a Disney soundtrack that'll make you move. Choose to groove as Mickey, Donald, Goofy, and more. All you have to do is press the directional buttons on your controller or on the dance floor pad that correspond to the onscreen arrows. Sound easy? Just wait until the beat picks up and the commands get complicated. It's a fun, high-energy workout built on dynamic choreography, up-tempo music, and nonviolent gameplay, and it features a variety of gameplay modes. ... Read more

Reviews (24)

The Dancing is Fine, but where did they get these songs?
None of the songs used in this album were popular, recognizable Disney songs.They were all from Disney, but they were all rather obscur.I was majorly disappointed.

A lot of fun!
Of the two DDR game versions I own, Konamix and Disney, I definitely prefer Disney.I don't know what people are talking about when they review Disney as being "too easy"!Despite having spent much more time on the Disney version, I consistently have a harder time passing the 5-star beats such as "Mr. Bassman" and, surprisingly "It's a Small World, hardcore" in Regular Mode than I do any of the songs in Konamix on Maniac level.There ARE very easy songs on Disney, but even a lvl 1 becomes more difficult in Trick Mode, and "Maniac" can't be unlocked till you defeat ALL the Regular and Trick modes (a very difficult task).

You will find a challenge with the blazing speed (twice as fast as many songs in Maniac level of "Konamix") and difficult strings combos of Trick Mode.You will also find a beginner level of fun with the lower level songs such as "Mickey Mouse March" and the 9-step "Lesson" series to help a beginner get into the game (although a bit boring if you have played DDR at all before).

Also, there are quite a few "non-Disney" songs in the mix, but they are often good in their own right (several popular Oldies such as "Let's Twist Again" and "Mr. Bassman", as well as some favorites from other mixes such as "Midnight Blaze").

Also, the 2d-sprites in the background are less sophisticated than in other mixes, but I actually prefer this -- they are MUCH less distracting and I don't screw up a 100 perfect combo when a flash of light passing behind the arrows takes me by surprise.

All in all I highly recommend this for *all* DDR fans.. and especially those who are looking for a change of pace from the typical techno/trance genre of music that is featured in the other mixes.

A lot of fun!
Of the two DDR game versions I own, Konamix and Disney, I definitely prefer Disney.I don't know what people are talking about when they review Disney as being "too easy"!Despite having spent much more time on the Disney version, I consistently have a harder time passing the 5-star beats such as "Mr. Bassman" and, surprisingly "It's a Small World, hardcore" in Regular Mode than I do any of the songs in Konamix on Maniac level.There ARE very easy songs on Disney, but even a lvl 1 becomes more difficult in Trick Mode, and "Maniac" can't be unlocked till you defeat ALL the Regular and Trick modes (a very difficult task).

You will find a challenge with the blazing speed (twice as fast as many songs in Maniac level of "Konamix") and difficult strings combos of Trick Mode.You will also find a beginner level of fun with the lower level songs such as "Mickey Mouse March" and the 9-step "Lesson" series to help a beginner get into the game (although a bit boring if you have played DDR at all before).

Also, there are quite a few "non-Disney" songs in the mix, but they are often good in their own right (several popular Oldies such as "Let's Twist Again" and "Mr. Bassman", as well as some favorites from other mixes such as "Midnight Blaze").

Also, the 2d-sprites in the background are less sophisticated than in other mixes, but I actually prefer this -- they are MUCH less distracting and I don't screw up a 100 perfect combo when a flash of light passing behind the arrows takes me by surprise.

All in all I highly recommend this for *all* DDR fans.. and especially those who are looking for a change of pace from the typical techno/trance genre of music that is featured in the other mixes.

Fun, but really easy.
Sometimes I get a strong desire to play this, but it passes after about half an hour because there aren't many songs on this mix to begin with, and that leaves even fewer songs I really like.I have to say though, the soundtrack (Japanese release) is amazing, on it's own.

Not As Good As Other US Versions
While there may be the dual appeal for disney and Dance Dance Revolution fans, th truth is that this game is a sub par Dance Dance Revoultion wanna be.
Out for the box this game offers less than 20 songs, about 2/3rds are disney songs remixed to an annoying Eurobeat that gets old FAST.The other 1/3 of the songs are from other DDR mixes. In other words there are no original songs. Also unlike the other versions of DDR the characters DO NOT DANCE, and unlike the other DDR verions the backgrounds are not that of 3D dancing but 2D sprites.The sprites are not exciting either, there movements are relagated to two or three motions looped again and again until the song ends, that are move distacting then anything.

Often with Disney games in an attempt to make the game "easier" for a young audience the developers often manage to make it HARD.
Speed of the songs is faster then most songs on the DDR and DDR Konamix games. Making them hard for the beginner.To make up for this the letter grade system is VERY kind.But what is the piont of getting a B grade but missing more than 20 steps? Silly

In short:

Pros:
Disney Game
Dancing game
Good for "chubby" or "porky" youths

Con:
Graphics (the use of non dancing 2D sprites)
Sub par Music Selection
Limited Number of songs
Too difficult for true begginers
Boring songs
Limited Modes (no beginner or edit modes)

Thats why if gets on two stars.

A BETTER CHOICE:
The Original Dance Dance Revolution for PSone ... Read more

Features

• Innovative battle system
• Rich, epic soundtrack
• For 1 player
• Fully 3-D game world
• Wide variety of mini-games

Reviews (104)

a sweet game
this game is absoultly phoneomeal(or however u spell it) this is a must have it's a good game and doesn't take extreme experience to beat. but just cuz it's not hard doesn't mean it's not good.I strongly recomend this game, if u dont like it there's not gonna be many games u will like

Young Girl Defeats Evil Empire
Once upon a time in a land so far away that character names are nothing like they are today, the Seru came to the world of Legaia.Man discovered that he could use these benevolent creatures to wield tremendous powers.All was well.Or as well as it could be in a world where war was a commonplace and, sooner or later, someone figured out how to pervert the power of the Seru and turn them to evil.Those who wore the Seru became degenerate, and the world cowered before the onslaught of the mist.

Of course, the powers that write games couldn't leave an opportunity like this alone, and our heroes, Vahn the young hunter, Gala the monk, and Noa, an eleven year old girl with the power of 10 were packed off to end the mist, wearing special symbionts, the Ra-Seru.Their first task, to restore the great trees of the world.

This is a classic PS-One RPG.Not one of the greatest, but with enough play in it to keep your interest for the 40 to 60 hours it takes to play.The story line is straightforward - the long story arc is broken into a set of subquests, either the restoration of a tree or the destruction of a mist generator.The world is large, and you will spend a lot of time walking about in perpetual battle until faster modes of tranportation become available.

The battle system is based on combination attacks which can be layered together in increasing power.Magic is available via the Ra-Seru, who can absorb powers when certain foes are beaten.Like many systems, fighting can be as complex as you might like, but the truth is that you will find certain patterns that work consistently and those are what you will use.This is a flaw in most RPG's - power always trumps subtlety.

The game's only glaring flaw is that it is entirely too much a money game.You start out poor and stay that way, since no matter how many you kill, your funds always lag the prices until late in the game, when a variety of sub-games become available to generate cash and prizes.There is something vaguely unsatisfying about putting saving the world on hold in order to go 30 round in a boxing ring to get the cash for that nifty magic grail.Now every RPG has this problem, but in Legaia it is worse than usual.

My other gripe is the characters.Vahn and Gala are extremely two dimensional (Gala has a slight sense of humor).Noa, who gets most of the story development time, is a hyperactive, bloodthirsty eleven-year-old girl who is perpetually waving her arms and giving orders.She is also a stone killer.She may get my prize as the silliest hero to grace the Playstation.

Graphics are decent for the game's era, but music is a washout.This is a decent game, with fairly enjoyable play, but don't expect Final Fantasy level quality.If you like RPG's as a genre, then you will find the game entertaining for many hours.

This is the best rpg game in theworld
I like this rpg game becuase its awsome when u can capture any thing u kill's spirit and use it to kill otherthings.I'd like to buy this game becuase i have the money but i can't find anywere to buy it in my home town oneida. I really love this game to death it inspires me to be a game maker when i grow up to see if people would love the game i make as much as I love Legend Of Legia.

This is the best rpg game in theworld
I like this rpg game becuase its awsome when u can capture any thing u kill's spirit and use it to kill otherthings.I'd like to buy this game becuase i have the money but i can't find anywere to buy it in my home town oneida. I really love this game to death it inspires me to be a game maker when i grow up to see if people would love the game i make as much as I love Legend Of Legia.

This is the best rpg game in theworld
I like this rpg game becuase its awsome when u can capture any thing u kill's spirit and use it to kill otherthings.I'd like to buy this game becuase i have the money but i can't find anywere to buy it in my home town oneida. I really love this game to death it inspires me to be a game maker when i grow up to see if people would love the game i make as much as I love Legend Of Legia. If u could tell meif there is a store in my town oneida were i can buy a copy of the game Legend Of Legia please contact me at my e-mail cooldude51432@yahoo.com. PLEASE becuase i really love this game and need to have it i have only rented it at blockbuster but they got rid of the game for rental so please e-mail meand tell if you can find anything or not thank you. ... Read more