Mix Majora's Mask, several RPGs, and a dash of good humor. You suddenly have an outstanding experience.
The Bad: Button mashing bogs the battle system; Two paths to take (Not a mistake); Teasing overworld; God awful endings...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Story: Absurd. That's the story. This game's story is hilarious, it never takes itself seriously, and it somehow manages to win over gamers. How? Jack Russell. He's the protagonist in this 'Story.' He's a boy who wants to be a knight, but he's let into the Radiata Knights because his dad's famous. That's it. Jack's an idiot, and so are many of the people he meets; friend or foe. You've got an eggheaded buffoon of a captain, the stubborn royal girl, this westerner bum who works for the church, a fire breathing man, a nerdy, self proclaimed genius, and a good 160+ more characters with agendas and absurd lives. Think Majora's Mask w/o the 3 day system. Alot goes on within this story, and there is some meaningful plot that eventually takes place. It's not a bad thing that the world isn't threatened until long into the game (Grandia did that, and it was awesome), in fact, that's a good thing. Jack Russell drives this plot forward through his idiocy. Eventually, the story will pick up, and you're forced to choose a side. I won't say what I mean by 'side,' but you basically choose a path that leads the story into a different direction. In the end of either Jack Russell will still have matured, and he'll have suffered a great deal. The two way thing's cool, but there are problems. Some people just might not feel compelled to start over and choose the other side, and there IS the option of making two files. But that depletes the replay, and either way, both endings are extremely weak. The two story thing also ruins the chances of a sequel, which this game deserves. Death is a common thing; if different people die on both paths, how can you make a sequel? Release two games? That angered me.
Gameplay: Combat leaves alot to be desired. It's just button mashing w/ Jack Russell, and it lacks the variety of Star Ocean: Till the End of Time. There are some cool features, Limit Breaks, and other stuff, but it can't help a slightly stale combat mechanic. Exploration is nice, but it teases the hell out of you. You're confined to a path. That's right, ONE path. You see this huge, colorful background and you're dying to explore it. But you can't, and that sucks. Going into new regions is awesome, b/c you never really know what kind of area you'll find. Kicking people and objects is very entertaining. This is how Jack interacts. (He also punches doors instead of just knocking, LOL) People will react to these assaults no matter how nice they seem. If you kick them once, they warn you. Kick em again, and it's on. You need to be careful with who you fight, b/c there are several characters who could kill Jack in one blow. Well, it won't be game over, but still... If you train Jack enough, whether it be on missions, the main quest, or just fighting; you could beat any character you want. Kick to challenge. Overall, the gameplay isn't awful, it's just not polished.
Graphics: Beautiful, picture book style, colorful environments and character models. This world is alive. Living proof that screen shots don't mean a thing. You need to play the game to fathom its beauty. Sound: Awesome Grandia style music in some areas and battles. The tunes are well composed, and worthy of being stuck in your head. Tri-Ace gathered some extremely quality voice actors too, because they sound exceptional. Humor is even inserted in simple tones of the voice. There are some characters that are just funny to hear speak. Immersive sound quality; very, very nice.
Value: Replay seldomly hampered, and naturally; if your PS2 is brand new, your disc will last. Tilt: I think my relentless praise says it all...