UNUSUAL AND UNDER-APPRECIATED
The cool thing about it is that there are really two elements of gameplay here. One involves the sim-side and it relies heavily on the mystery of the plot line (something happened to your friend while you were playing the game and you are trying to figure out what it was) As the game progresses, you receive mysterious emails from unknown parties who are trying to either stop you from continuing on, or help you discover what is up. The bonus anime DVD is included to help give you more insight as to what might be happening.
The other element of gameplay is the gameplay itself; travelling to different dimensions, meeting people, fighting battles, finding items, etc. The variety of worlds is pleasing, and the added challenge of having some worlds inaccessible until you achieve certain parameters. I also like that you have the option of visiting very hard worlds when you are just starting out, and weak, as well as vise versa - it is up to you.
The battles are somewhat repetitive, however, they do require some planning, and you can vary your party somewhat. There are two different "hub" cities to port out from, and the method of travel and choosing your location is extremely interesting.