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

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

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

Amazon.com Product Description

This latest Tales centers on the realm of Eternia, a place where the surfaces of two worlds meet. Inferia is home to our heroes, and Celestia is the world of the skies above. Inferia is rich in academia, art, history, and culture. Celestia is inhabited by the uncivilized (by Inferian standards). A girl shrouded in mystery, finds her way to Inferia and crash-lands her spaceship in a nearby forest. Nothing is known of her except that she has come with a message of impending doom. Here, the adventure begins. Tales of Destiny II is a real-time action RPG that takes place within two massive worlds. Its engaging storyline presents a huge cast of characters, each with distinct personalities and abilities. Intriguing subworlds and countless minigames lie within this quest to provide over 60 hours of gameplay. Hundreds of arcane items, powerful spells, and enchanted weapons are at a player's disposal. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Great game!!!!
I didn't think it was all that great at first because of the poor english voice actings, but once you really get into the game, it's no problem at all! The small faults wouldn't affect th game-play too deeply, and after all, fortunately, the voice acting gets better as you advance in the game. The voices do match the characters well, although.

Anyways, like I said, don't let the voices get to you, after all, it's an honest to goodness, excellent game!!! It's one of the most memorial ones I've played, even though I've been through many rpgs. Once you've completed the game, it'll have you thinking, "Why does it have to end!" Lol.

The main plot is quite alright, although it wasn't one of the strong points of this game. The character developement and the events that take place within the whole main plot makes up for it big time though. Although to repeat again, the main plot isn't that bad anyways.

The little morals and dialogues in the game are so touching. One of the strong points of this game.I found myself trying to stop tears when Meredy questions Reid what good memories really are. This game also brings a good point to discrimination.

The characters are simply brilliant. You get to really understand them and they're great. The character developement is great. In fact, this was what motivated me to write this review even though I'm not that sort of person, really. You'd think a 15 year old would have better things to do. But I thought I really should to put in my compliments for this game. And yeah, the characters are simply lovable.

The battle system is excellent. This game really sticks out from the rest of the rpgs how getting into battles can be also fun too, not like the others how you'd wish you could run away from all the annoying, boring battles. The voices in the battles aren't that bad, in fact, with the full awesome animation of swordsman techniques and spell casting for each character, simply excellent. The awesome battle music gets you going too.

The graphics of this game was pretty satisfactory I guess. Even though it's 2-d, it's still beautiful. I don't get what people were complaining about. After all, animes are 2-d. the backrounds have a nice, crisp look to it in my opinion.

The music wasn't that bad either. Even though the tunes weren't THAT catchy, it still has depth and feeling in it. It also has mood in it. I should know, I love music. Like Reid's hometown music, it has a homey, gentle feel to it. Oh yeah, and the battle music. Awesome. But not to be biased, I've played other rpgs too, and yeah, theirs isn't bad either. Still, the battle music for this game is GOOD.

Oh yeah, and not to forget about the mini games. They are fun. The game developers sure know what fun is. I've found myself playing Meredy's dancing thing over and over, trying to continously beat my own record. Lol.

The anime intro in this game was so cool!! It looks great. You should see it.

Anyways, I think I'm done. Ps. A very memorial game. I recommend it. Even for rpg haters. The battles system is so much better!

talesofdestinty2
I think tales of destinty is a great game for playstation one. The grapics are real good.And the is good also. I like the charcters backgrounds and story line.

So-So
It's not terribly good, but it's much better than the first one.I actually had something that resembled fun while playing it.

Best RPG Ever!
This is the absoulute best RPG I have ever played. It has beautifful graphics and loveable characters. I love the characters because they are all so uniquie and quite funny at times, you begin feeling like you know them and how they would act in different situations. The battle style is one of the games best features. No time limit, you can place the characters in the order you want, and there are some really wicked combos you can pull off. Another great thing about the game is when you leave a town or even that world to go to another, when you revisit you usually find something new. The story is basically never ending and very realistic. The only thing about the game I didn't like was that the name of the game was changed from Tales of Eternia to Tales of Destiny II when it reached the states. If you love RPG then you definatley need to get this game. I also bought the stratagey guide to go with it and it helped a lot.

32-bit Transition of Great Series
The first of Tales series, Tales of Phantasia was such revolutionary RPG for SNES/SFC, it was pity not to make in US.When they introduced the second series, Tales of Destiny, with slightly tweaked Phantasia engine, there were no doubt that turned many gamers.
This time, they got it right (well, mostly).I still can't forgive some bonehead at Namco for changing name from Eternia to Destiny II, but otherwise, this is fine RPG.
Graphic has been improved to 32-bit level without losing its uniqueness.With bit of 16-bit simpleness, it distinguishes from others.
Battle system is where this game shines.Improving its trademark single plane, full time (no timebar) battle system, battle is more enjoyable than other RPGs.While others might dismis this as simple button masher, it is not.It takes great reflex of 2-D fighting game, and bit of strategy before the battle to maximize effectiveness.For instance, assigning character's battle position, their battle method, and attack point increases your survival.
Also, it doesn't hurt to point out that the first Tales was developed by Wolf Team (from Namco), which later defected to become tri-Ace (yes, the creator of Star Ocean series).It explains the similarities.
Weakest part of this game is Music Score.They do their job, but also very forgetable.I've played more than 50 RPGs including every Final Fantasy series, Star Oceans, Chronos, Lunar, Grandias, Persona 2, Manas, Sagas, Phantasy Stars, but this is the only time I couldn't remember any tune while playing.
If you can find one (I got lucky at local store), you should give it a try.However, if you are NOT RPG fan, I wouldn't recommend it. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Hours of sadistic fun
I love this game to death. I want to be buried with it. It's flawed, but my love is unconditional.

Deception 3 takes the basic structure of the second installment, Kagero, and adds oodles more options and ways to torment your enemies (the heroine [?] isn't as scantily clad, though). You create traps by adding "emblems" such as lightning, cold, and chaos to core components like falling rocks and arrow slits. Furthermore, each trap can be upgraded by boosting its range or damage or by shortening the length of time it takes to charge up, and also by adding magic rings to add effects such as summoning (foes are drawn to the trap's location, making it ever so much easier to butcher them). There are several different buildings in which you run amok, each boasting its own assortment of rooms, some of which have built-in traps of their own such as electrified walls and pillars that can be knocked over to crush the unwary. Your adversaries include typical fantasy RPG types like thieves, knights, and witches, but Deception 3 is far more dark and grim than a standard game of Dungeons & Dragons. The death cries of your foes conjure up images of voice actors in a recording studio, frothing at the mouth with their eyes ready to pop out of their heads, and the non-linear storyline (with multiple endings, I might add) nicely illustrates that a human being can be a far more sinister, bloodthirsty monster than some lame dragon or werewolf.

The graphics during actual gameplay do a nice job contributing to the morbid atmosphere, but, admittedly, are a little dated by more modern standards. However, the images for the between-chapter menu screens are still mighty cool. Similarly, the music is lacking in variety, but what is there has a superb gothic feel and really enhances the mood of the game. Controls are simple and tight, and the challenge level is, for the most part, fairly low, but not so low that you'll be able to breeze through the game with your eyes closed (especially when you're up against a HellKnight...not only are they bad news with a capital B, they truly do look menacing enough to make you think twice about staying in their vicinity).

Few games give you such a great sense of "completeness." Deception 3 is undoubtedly the best game in the series. Its main story mode sustains its deliciously dark tone from start to finish, and the trap license mode, where you must accomplish tasks such as killing an enemy with a specific trap or racking up a certain number of points within a certain amount of time, adds to the replay value signifiantly. It's a real feast for the senses if your tastes lean towards the dark side.

Good game that will keep you hooked
I wasn't sure about this game at first since you can only use the D pad.It turned out to be a lot of fun and really kept me intrested.it has 4 diff. endings and even though it is kind of a sad story, it takes a lot of thought and skill.I really liked it.

it's time to get bad
this is one of the best games of all times for many reasons such as there are hundreds of traps you can choose as to kill an invader or monsters that will destroy the invaders instantly.you ask why do you need these items tokill people because your bad to the bone and this time the bad team isgonna triumph over all.if you have ever played deception 1 or kagerodeception 2 you already knows how the game plays,but if your a first timekiller than this is how you play=you get a view as if you were the killerseyeballs and you have to set traps and build on to your castle as well asupgrade your trtaps and monsters to be more lethal and deadlier.trust methis is one game that you gonna get hooked on.DECEPTION AWAITS

Great game, but sluggish story.
As far as game play Deception 3 is exceptional with more traps, more places to place them, more interactive environments, and a new "jump to the side move".The graphics even look better, but the story istedious; now in Japan they get voice actors and a pretty cool movie, but weget subtitles, which diminishes the story greatly.The game is great, butthe load time is horrific, and a slow story with subtitles that can't beturned off only makes it worse.

Killer of a game....
The Tecmo people have put a very interesting twist into there latest game, Deception 3, by allowing you to be the "bad guy". If you are tired of the traditional " conquer the castle" type of game youwill love this game.In here you can keep coming up with more and moreimaginitive ways to kill off the "invaders" of your castle. Anincredible game very much enjoyed by my husband and I, but may not besuitable for small children or squemish people. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

A review from a prudent Dragon Warrior Fan.
I have played so many RPG's, of many platforms.I picked up this game, originally because I LOVE the Dragon Warrior series, and also own all three Gameboy, DW Monster titles.It was something for my collection.
Having said that, let me tell you what this game is like.
If you have played a game called Azure Dreams, then you will feel right at home, here.It uses the same dungen generation interface, leveling system, and trap system.If you've not played Azure Dreams, then I'll explain briefly:
Dundgens are randomly generated, so they are somewhat different each time you enter them, even the same ones.Now, your character level only increases while inside a dungeon, then reverts to level one upon exiting.. so the only way to get stronger permanantly is to find (also randomly located) better weapons/sheilds (yes, only two items to eqip for attack/defence).Some items are eaiser to find in certian dungeons then others, and infact some only appear in certian dungeons.
The story isn't consistant with Dragon Warrior IV (I can't seen when this adventure took place, or even if it's in the Kingdom of Endor *shrugs*) but is still entertaining.I won't lie, it's not exactly the best title out there, and infact I don't recomend it unless you loved, or liked, Azure Dreams, or are willing to attempt something new.
There are many things to unlock in the game, giving it potential replay value, but they are mearly only for enjoyment after the fact.Making it through and beating the game really isn't that strenuous.
Do I like it?well, yes.. but that's just me.Many won't enjoy it at all.PLEASE rent this game if you can.. though I'm not sure if it's even carried by Rental places anymore.Though in retrospect, it's very cheap to find used if you just want something to pass time by.

Stellar game
I love this kind of game as it reminds me of Fatal Labyrinth on the Sega Genesis. It plays more similar however to Chocobo's Dungeon 2 on the Playstation. However this time around you play as Torneko the middle-aged looking, chubby man with a bushy mustache and beanie instead of the yellow Squaresoft bird.

For those of you who have never played Fatal Labyrinth, Chocobo's Dungeon, or even Azure Dreams, the game works like this, it's a semi-overhead view of a field and everyone in it gets their turn when you take yours. So, if you don't move or attack, chances are no one else does either, unless you are sleeping or have some other status ailment. You have to actually get close to your enemy to attack unless you have arrows or magic. You level up as in any traditional RPG but the levels do not carry over each time you enter a dungeon. This may make it sound difficult, but each of the entry floors are rather easy and get more difficult as you progress throughout that dungeon. In later dungeons after the practice ones, there are invisible traps laid out on the floor that you can find by waving your weapon over them, or by means of a certain scroll. There are stores within the dungeon randomly placed wherein a Gargoyle guard watches over. There are several ways to steal from the store, however, which the game even goes over if you speak to the right person in town. Also, if you die in a dungeon before you complete it or find alternate means of leaving (having a priest teleport you, outside scroll, etc.) you lose all items and gold you had on you in the dungeon. Finally, As time passes you gain regain lost hp, but if you spend too much time on one floor (2,000 turns) a gale force blows you out as if you had died.

All in all, a typical turn based random/mysterious dungeon game, but a good one in my opinion. If you liked Chocobo's Dungeon 2, you will probably like this game. Also, it's nice to fight some of Akira Toriyama's Dragon Warrior monsters, though they appear pre-rendered 2-d. The level-up music is nostalgic to me, also.

The reviews did this game justice!!!
I had already bought this game and THEN read the reviews before I opened it.Since I have two younger children, haven't been playing the "newer" console games that long and can put up with some less than perfect graphics -I thought that we would like this even though the reviews said it was bad.The pictures on the front of the game and the description make it sound like any normal battle the little monster game with a little storyline. They showed cute little characters in the movie part that introduced the plot.Even when the game began, the characters looked similiar to Fisher Price Little People toys.
and then....it began.This has to be the most annoying attempt at a game that I have ever seen.If any of you remember the game DigDug, that is what this reminds me of.Your adventures all look the same - like a green rat maze that creates itself as you go along.They do give you a map on the screen so you'll find your way but its not like you're gonna get to go anywhere outside of the little rat trap.I'm thinking that dig dug had the right idea, if I had a tire pump and a little energy I would attach it to this game and blow it up.
Please read these reviews, take them seriously, this is horrible!!!

*stunned silence*
I wouldn't give this game a second glance if it had a sign saying it was cased along with $1,000,000. Garbage.

Amazing!
Torneko: The Last Hope is amazing. This game's great graphics, wonderful music, driving plot, and fun engine make this game a sure bet. In case you didn't know, Torneko was the merchant in Dragon Warrior IV, and this game expands greatly on him and his whole style of play. ... Read more

Features

• Intense combat action
• Melee based combat
• Special fighting moves
• Enhanced technology
• Dozens of intriguing characters and personalities

Reviews (7)

great story short game, leaves something lacking
The game has a great story and great cutscene graphics, but the shortness of the game drove the overall game way down.The cutscenes are awesome, but had the game had some special moves (instead of chop, chop, chop) and about two more discs and a more involved storyline, this game cold have acheived greatness.

BOO
I bought this game because it had a catchy action style name and looked pretty descent in the magazine reviews. It just goes to show that looks are deceiving. Folks Im gonna get straight to the point THIS GAME [stinks]! Boring repetetive gameplay with little reward for the ammount of blistering finger smashing you have to do when fighting an enemy. Gameplay is slow Cheapshots from enemies are common and difficulty is to hard with no reward for your troubles. Man am I glad Funcoland buys used games.

Warriors my...
I bought this thinking it would be like Crusaders, it was similar but warped. You couldn't chose your runes on your weapons for example and the spells were weaker. The enemies were ok, i guess. The worst part is I paid [money] for 2.5 hours of pointless, storyless, crap. Don't waste your money, wait for Crusaders 2 to come out.

DON'T EVER BUY THIS !
First of all they flat out lied.12 hours of intense gameplay my but! I beat it in two and a half.A whole arsenal of intense spells.How about 7 or 8 spells.The story made little sense.and the battle was weird.The first of three bosses you fight is harder than the last.and a enemy who you caN't hurt fears him?Don't buy this game.Pitty those at 3DO who spent good time making it

Good 20.00 game
This game was good but to short, and even though you did not really need all that much skill to play it, it did offer some interesting challenges. I wouldn't really call it a RPG, it was more like an action game. Other Might and Magic games are more thought out and more complicated, ie.. "Warriors of Might and Magic" does NOT have a map or a FLYING spell to get around with. Unlike other M&M PC games that do. Warriors does have some really cool movies that further the plot and are, combined with the game, worth the 20.00. but if you can get it cheaper it would be better. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Stay the hell away
The ONLY reason I bought this game, is because it is getting harder to find, and I collect rare games. This has got to be the worst game on the playstation. Well, besides Bubsy 3-D. Nuff said, I gotta go.

Shadow Tower
Quite frankly, as far as the Kings Feild series is concerned, Shadow Tower has the best graphics, animation, and gameplay... this includes the fun ,but comparably lifeless efforts on PS2... it's a very pretty dungeon crawl and well worth owning if you like these kinds of games.

Give this Game a Chance!
I've played all the playstation games, and this was by far the best of them all.Although I never thought it possible, this game is actuallybetter than the classics, King's Field and King's Field II.Even thoughit's a very long, involved game, I wish it was MUCH MUCH longer.Sure,some things could have been improved, such as the dialog and having morechoices at the shop, but these are VERY minor drawbacks compared to theheart-pounding thrill of entering each level, not knowing who or what'sgoing to come at you or where to turn.Also, I'll admit that many of theenemies could have been made powerful and cunning, but again, this gameplays great, plain and simple.Buy it, and give it a chance!

The Worst Game For the Playstation
This game is just so bad, I have barely anything to say about it since I played it for so little time.Combat is run up and hit the enemy, go back, do these same two things again until you're bored out of your mind.All ofthe sound effects are really weird, and just plain annoying.There is nodual shock support, analog control, and the loading times are evennoticeable.Plus, the graphics are just filled with glitches to the brim.Even navigating around the little menu is a chore.I know there are somebad games out there, but only a few are truly horrible. Shadow Tower is oneof them.

Terrible Remake of "King's Field"
I've played King's Field 1 and 2, and the Games was realy fantastic games with wonderful Sound, near a real Movie. And I've buy the new Game "Shadow Tower". The Graphic is terrible, tedious, only newMonster and great Dungeons. No, NOT 5 STAR'S. This Game is simply bad. TheGraphic have more Pixel than Tomb Raider, and this in a Game from1998/1999. I'm in the fifth Level - all only in Underground. "ShadowTower" is an disappointment. ... Read more

Features

• Rid the world of undead monsters in this fantasy RPG
• Nine different regions of trouble
• Very action-oriented for an RPG
• Tons of gear and spells to choose
• For 1 player

Reviews (8)

this game is ok,but it could be better
I thought that this game was pretty cool during the first three levels, but after that things really went down hill.I also thought that it got too difficult too fast.The first three levels were extremely easy, then i got to level four and it took me like three hours to beat.It seemed like the enemies got tougher and Drake stayed the same.Although, I am new to the RPG scene, so maybe it's just me.

tough to play, bad ending
There wasn't enough choice in direction for the game and became extremely to almost impossible to finish levels as you went. Not enough magic choice and the system of obtaining magical items was also near to impossible and gave very little reward in return.

OK, but short
This game was OK.The spells were good and the weapon enhancements were a pretty cool idea.While it was possible to do different moves with the shield and weapons to make combos of a sort, it ended up being easier to just block the enemies' 2 attacks and attack, block and attack.It is very repetitive.

Perhaps I've been spoiled with RPG games lately, but the character interaction in this game seemed so limited that it brought the entire game down.The entire game was very small and I got through it in about 3 sittings.The best thing going for the game was the voice acting.The storyline was limited by the very small character interaction.Also, I couldn't help feeling like I was playing a bad version of Soul Reaver the whole time.That, or a mediocre clone of King's Field, which was mediocre in its own right.

If you find this for cheap, it may be worth it, but don't be expecting amazing graphics and sound.

PLEASE DON'T PLAY THIS GAME!
To make a long story short the game is terrible.The game has terrible graphics and bad gameplay. All you do is walk around and hit things with a stick. The best part of the game is the opening movie scene, it is actually pretty cool. Then it all goes downhill from there.... I made the mistake of renting it but that doesn't mean you have to make the same mistake. Remember what I said.Ok?

Waste of time and money..........
I have always been a fan of the M&M series.Every game that I have played seemed to involve you into the story.This game on the other hand for Playstation was a total waste of time and money.The game last about 4hours, that is even if you aren't very good a role playing games.Thegraphics need to be improved, and the voices of the characters are a totaljoke. ....... ... Read more