Final Fantasy Tactics A2 is a souped up version of Tactics advance, neatly adapted to the DS and a great time.
Anyone who played FFTA will immediately recognize the music (which I believe is virtually the same as the last game), graphics, classes, fighting system, and controls and be able to jump right in. Even if you're new to the series, A2 doesn't have the steepest of learning curves in comparison to other Tactical RPGs.
I'm going to lay it out in list form like I sometimes do because it's more organized and objective that way, so forgive me if this isn't your style:
The Good
-Tons of classes to choose from
-Pretty graphics, great music
-Auction Houses are a nice added feature (but come after a long time assuming you've been doing every quest)
-Nice learning curve
-The Law/Judge system is toned down to a level where it's often more helpful than hindering
-Random encounters are less of a factor in this game than the last (in fact I have played more than 10 hours and have yet to see a bandit. So far just the odd monster)
-Loads of fun with quests ranging from easy to extremely difficult, but nothing is impossible
-Lots of little subplots and a great story
-Characters are easy to like (except Adelle)
-A solid entry into the Tactical RPG genre in every way; doesn't skimp in content
-Completists beware: TONS to do
-Hundreds of possibilities for your dream team, among my friends no two teams will be the same
-Addicting as hell. I was on a gaming binge recently and got sick of my DS so severely that I couldn't play any game for more than 10 minutes. But this game came out and i logged 8 hours the first night. That's a hell of a recovery.
The Bad
-Not enough new to set it aside from its predecessor
-graphics and music are recycled
-Battles can be extremely drawn out and offer very litle in reward
-Difficult to come across new recruits, and when you do, they're rarely the race you wanted, which makes creating your ideal team extremely tedious and challenging (not in a good way)
-Poor camera creates a need to be extremely careful where you click (you cannot rotate or zoom as in Tactics for the PSX)
-Sometimes you cannot help but break a law by accident (e.g. "Do Not Target Distanced Units" also considers getting a critical hit and knocking someone backwards "Targeting A Distanced Unit")
-While it doesn't quite wear out its welcome, you'll find yourself putting this one down every once in a while out frustration
-Monsters and rival Clans don't have to follow the laws, but you do
-Statistics aren't accurate. It is not unusual to miss 70% chance hits 8 times in a row. I've also seen a few 99% chances miss.
If I had to say "Fix One Thing" it'd be the camera problems. Beyond that, most complaints are shallow and don't actually demonstrate something totally wrong with the gameplay. The one exception is the example given under "Sometimes you cannot help but break a law".
Definitely pick this one up. It's better than the last game, even if it is more an expansion pack than a real sequel. I'm sure you'll all enjoy it.