Overall, it's very creative with the creatures, but lacks in controls and character plots, and storyline.
When you start out with any character, you go through a very basic tutorial, though it doesn't cover everything you need to know, and along with the synthesizing, it just all gets rather frustrating and maybe confusing. The controls are very basic, but the camera is horrible. Even the menus are basic, and are lacking a bit of inspiration.
Limits on carried items should have been expanded, since being able carrying only 5 large potions in your inventory makes it hard to survive tough fights. Though the idols' storage (where you store items for later use) makes an okay place to keep more potions. It too could use some work.
The minimap gets confusing on those multileveled regions, but it's not horrible. Though going through regions over and over can be a pain, but it puts more into the idea of the RPG of being a grinding hack 'n slash game.
-Combat-
Some combat isn't satisfying. Mostly just button mashing, same combo over and over. Combos would have been nicer if the two weapons at hand could actually mix combos together, creating cool chains of moves....but that doesn't happen.(Reigner's chain especially is a major dissapointment. Its just appears only when you swing, and it doesn't look like much. How about having it hanging from his arm when unused? Is it so hard for that?) Abilities are neat also. The more SP you have, the more damage, or chaos you can make. Though there are some pointless abilities, such as Self-Destruct or Self-Injury. But the only real annoying part of fighting is the ranged enemies, and magic enemies....or just enemies period that just somehow make you stagger in the middle of a strike. No matter how little damage they may do, you still stagger. A problem with the magic is the constant, or near constant, staggering of your character. This makes it so hard to get away when you're low on HP, or have stumbled upon a rather overwhelming force, it makes more sense for you to stagger when you're on fire, etc. But to completely stop in your track...That just makes the getaway harder, or just trying to finish something off. A strange occurance is the blocking. Some how, an enemy can just block an attack. Some enemies even block attacks just by position, which make for a time consuming hack and slash event, just trying to find out where to hit it to cause damage. Even though it is an all out hack n slash, it just makes it more difficult to grind. And when you kill enemies on or over edges, you loose what loot they drop. Not so pleasing.
-Leveling-
The leveling is very basic. You are given points to place in either HP, SP (used for attacking/abilities), or Luck. The most needed area would be SP, though HP is good for staying alive longer, and Luck is good for getting better drops. So the choice goes to the player's idea, or needs.
-Items/Idols-
Items change according to level. The looks change from plain, to unique. Certain enchantments are in wrong items in drops, but can be placed accordingly with synthesis. That is done with Idols, which are good for getting rid of useless item for the gold needed for improvement. Though they also have items, the usage of Skill Points(SP) on the items are based on your level, even if it's low damage. basically almost useless. Each idol sells different types of items, but they aren't that different. Two Idols sell the same things, while one is completely different.
-Scenery-
The graphics Are still good for the most part. The environments of each region give different feelings with their uniquenesses. Characters and creatures alike are great too. The details are good. The names are a bit different, and some sounds that they make are a little odd...and some disturbing, but they seem alright. Although each map randomizes every time you turn it on, it isn't all different. There are set types, and the just come together a little different. Helps with the repetition somewhat.
-Forest- The first region is a good way to bring the player into the game. The environment setup is great. The visuals are nice too. Probably the best region.
-Bad Lands- This region is alright, not missing much, and not filled with much either. It's just a baren plain with ruins.
-Halls-This area was neat, though it gets very crowded. Nothing really needs to be redone here, since it's already a cool region.
-Frozen Valley- Not much different from any place except the valley walls and the snow and ice, and occasional hot springs with frozen trees here and there and stalagmites and stalagtites. Like a frozen wasteland. or atleast a frozen wasteland's valley.
-Cave- A more...hot environment. Magma pits, magma falls...and magma. Though the magma could use a little work, the idea is recieved. It sets up the player for the upcomming boss. It's a big cave with magma monsters and scorched monsters....that burn you...or poison you.
-Road- The most random and idiotic idea....but almost brilliant. It's called the Road of Chaos, but there's nothing "chaotic" about it. It should be called Road of Torment or something similar since it's a floating road of bones, blood, and flesh with a red sky in the background.
-Story-
The storyline focuses on the Hero. Though the booklet is the only way to get a good enough backstory on the heroes, the game lacks some cinematics. Why call it an RPG when it lacks what really makes it one? The action is repetitive, but it's not horrible. It's just a good ol' grinding game.
It's set up as a battle of light and dark, though every character does the same thing.
-Bosses-
The bosses you fight, the very few there are, should have at least an explanation behind why you fight them, and at least get a cinematic after defeating them and picking up the values to see how you get where you're going, instead of just appearing in the next region.. Each boss you fight is very unique, though given a look into some, a few are quite annoying to fight. Each fight is in a circular room or area. Each with unique features.
-Forest Boss-The first is alright. Just a big monster, (the biggest) which is expected of a boss. 5 heads are harder than one...
It tends to climb up every now and then and drop back down. It's not hard to kill, you just have to hack it's heads off, the shoot it's belly when it climbs. A good way to introduces ranged weapons? Or was it a set-up for bosses to come? Using multiple types of weapons...
-Bad Lands Boss- I haven't even found it yet....Character Kendal is needed for it....when you progress through story line, he gets a key to the door located somewhere on the map....way later...
-Halls Boss-The second was a surprise, and kind of random. the boss is your heighth, and is a....robot or a cyborg of some sort? It's still a very creative design.
First it just goes round spinning, or charging at you, then stopping to shoot some lightning at you. You have to actually break it's armor down to it's final stage with ranged weapons. It's final stage is so different. It jumps up and down making noise and casts lightning EVRYWHERE. It even leaves a trail of oil that seems to still hurt even after it just fades. The worst part is it becomes immune to ranged, which at first it's immune to melee. It's hard enough getting close to it and once you swing, you begin to stagger. Though it's all relieving once it's down....then there's it's head. That I found amusing. Just smack it, and you get an achievement. The only upside to the battle besides the riches....
-Frozen Hills Boss-The third was not as odd. They brought back the Ice Maidens....as the boss. They don't even seem like older ice maidens. They're bird-like, and not so much attractive.
A strange part of the battle is when the area becomes surrounded by frozen statues of Ice Maidens with random ones containing...spectres of them? When touched or Embraced, by one, you just see a forest and sky for almost minutes, which is so weird. This boss is one without stages.
-Cave Boss-The fourth will always at first or second be frustrating. This beast is called a balrog, but doesn't look a thing like one. It has the head of a WoW troll covered with bone armor and spikes down its back, and it's hands....shoot at you...or near you..and it's barely twice your size. The design is still a great one, but the name should be changed.
The draw back here is you're in a lava pit with little land. At certain points the lava draws back, giving you a ring of land to walk on....while the beast is climbing the walls. After shooting, or slashing, the beast each arm will eventually blow up....enraging it. This is the most annoying stage I had witnessed, besides the second Boss. The beast charges you like a bull, and you haven't much time to stagger it with a shot to the head. If you had good timing, you'd have the ring of land to run on, if not, you'd be destroyed quickly since it can so easily follow your moves and run you into the lava, staggering you. Once it goes down, the pillar of fire in the middle damages you as you pick up the riches, wasting time...
-Road/Dreamworld- This boss is a storyline boss, only reached by certain characters that have advanced in their not-so-great-story. This knight is pretty cool, but pretty much not fun to fight since it ends up regenerating by linking itself with the destroyed clocktower. It's a neat boss idea, though still there isn't alot of background to it, except for what you are told by the quest giver.
-Road [Final] Boss- This boss basically is the most random one ever. Almsot has the shape of an "invisible", and has two forms. One is white, only hurt by spells. the second is black, hurt by weapons of both ranged and melee.
The setting is a ball of gunk, which may be flesh and other organs. Though you're still on an invisible platform, just floating in the air. The ball is constanly spinning, which would mess with every one's head, and even make someone sick.
It's final stage is even more strage. The boss pulls the walls surrounding you, into a ball that only surrounds him, as a shield. It's hard enough landing hits on an enemy when he's flying and jumping around everywhere, throwing things at you and shooting spells all over the place, and now you have to hack away at a ball? Another problem here is when you hack a chunk off the barrier, a light beam spike of some sort comes out....while it's spinning, creating a bad scenario even for tank players.
All together, this game is still fun to play. What little changes it could use, the game has brought back classic fun, with unique features. Multiplayer makes it all more worthwhile. Though still, if you like it solo, it's a good game.