Great story....bleh gameplay...
This game picks up exactly where Episode I left off, so if you haven't played that game, prepare to be a little lost. However, there is something available to you in the beginning to help recap what went on in the first game, though I would highly recommend only venturing into this game if you've played through and completed Episode I. This installment of the game reveals connections not known in the first game, though will still leave you with many unanswered questions and eagerly waiting the third and final installment.
Gameplay:
There are many issues here. The gameplay mechanics are quite different from the first game, and most are not a change for the better. You'll no longer have to worry about money or finding shops, for you'll find none of either in this game. Which means hold onto the items you find and win in battle, because you won't be able to buy any for yourself. I definitely prefer being able to buy healing items. You'll never have to worry about battles becoming repetitive. Each enemy and boss has a specific pattern to be defeated. If you perform this pattern correctly, the enemy will enter break status, where they become susceptible to being knocked up into the air, or knocked down to the ground. When they're either aired or downed, they are very weak to attack. Unfortunately, this state only lasts for one turn, so you must boost characters into the turn as many times as you can in order to take advantage of this weakness. However, I felt this method of battling was very inefficient an unforgiving. Even fights against regular enemies could become a deadly situation if you weren't careful. One mistake can throw the pattern off, and all that time spent preparing your assault is wasted and you must wait for another window of opportunity. It's also incredibly inefficient against multiple enemies. Battles become long and tedious. Tech attacks from the first game are gone and are replaced with double techs that two characters together can perform. However, these don't damage nearly as well as the break status patterns, so thus they are useless. I only used them to see what they looked like. Beatiful and interesting animations, useless attacks. I wouldn't call it a horrible battle system, but it definitely wasn't the best. Also, if you enjoyed the lengthy story and cutscenes of the first game, then don't expect that here. Considering how many dungeons you're forced into, you get very little story in this game, except for the beginning and end, which left the middle area go by very slowly.
Graphics:
The graphics were great. The only problem I had was that they changed graphical styles between the games. I think they should have left it one way or the other. The shift makes it a little awkward to go from playing one game to another and see some of your characters looking so different.
But other than that, the graphics were still very gorgeous.
Sound:
The soundtrack wasn't bad, but it was nothing at all like the first game. Instead of beautiful orchestral tracks, you'll find tecno, electric tracks. For the most part, they fit the scene, but they just didn't have the impact. However, there were still good tracks in the game. Also, if you got the Limited Edition strategy guide from Bradygames, you'll have a nice compilation of the best sounds heard (and not heard) in the game. Also, there was a change in voice actors for most of the characters. Some weren't too bad, but some (Shion, KOS-MOS) took a lot of getting used to.
Value:
If you played the first game, then you really must play this game. The storyline is fantastic, and it should bridge nicely into Episode III. Most of this game's value lies in the fact that it's part of an amazing trilogy that you can't skip around on.
Overall Experience:
Despite all of its shortcomings, I still really liked this game. I'll put up with just about anything as long as there is a good storyline driving me along and that is one department where this game really delivers. This game is truly a good game. However, as it is another installment of a series, you can't help but compare it to the original, and that is where it lacks it's flare.