A great RTS that deserves the title "Fuzzy Bunny Craft."
The Bad: simplistic RTS system, no saving mid game, one type map and no custom maps, one player, so damn cute!
This is about the closest game to Age of Empires II or Starcraft that I've found for the PS2. Despite GrimGrimoire's extremely cutesy appearance and story, the fighting is far more engaging and furious than compared with other real time strategy games like it. Like AoE or Warcraft, you will be harvesting resources, searching for unique items and creating a perimeter for producing various fighters, however, this is done by a much simpler and paired down system. Unlike AoE, you will be harvesting one resource, rather than three. There is no economy, alliances, wonders or trade that I'm aware of yet either. The amount of unit types is much less, although, they are still upgradeable and include gatherers, healers, archers, melee, flying, etc. With its emphasis more on action, there is no use of a wide top down view of battles or "towns" created. You're rather placed in a 2D environment of stairs and levels to explore with the soul purpose of pumping out "familiars" while counteracting and eliminating enemy familiars. You will be scrolling along a large area to manage many fronts in an effort to command attacks or order defensive patrols. Leveling up and familiar creation is accomplished at a much faster rate with it's only limitation being the amount of mana you collect. Mana is everything. Your reaction to quick unit production and utilization of specific unit types not only makes this enjoyable, but it makes it simple to overlook any absences of traditional RTS game features. In fact, I find it to be a refreshing new way of playing while maintaining traditional characteristics on the PS2.