The battle system in XII certainly looked different, but apart from the freedom of movement (which is basically irrelevant) it didn't really play a whole lot different than the old ATB system from FFVII. I thought it was more of an amalgamation of the best parts of the ATB system and the turn based system of FFX. Actions are taken in real time so it isn't really turn based, but you can also pause the action at any time and switch characters or select your next action from the menu like in a turn based game.  

The gambit system seems to be the most disliked addition to the game. I found the gambits useful because they allow for a decision to be made once, instead of forcing you to choose the same action over and over again. If the gambits were automatically configured that would be one thing, but the player gets to set all of the gambits. So each time a party member takes a gambit based action it is still an action that the player chose. I thought the gambits kept the pace of the game moving along smoother, and allowed for much less time to be wasted when battling weaker enemies. If the player doesn't like the gambits or doesn't want to use them at a particular point, (like boss battles) they can always be turned off.

I did think the battle system really needed an option to assign actions for all of your party members without having to exit and re-enter the menu. During many battles I was constantly double tapping x when executing a command so that I could get back to the menu and choose actions for my other characters. Meanwhile little bits of time were usually lost because the characters were already initiating their gambit commands.

What I would really want is to have a selectable mode where all gambits are turned off, and each time a party members action meter fills, the battle automatically pauses and brings up the menu for that character. That way you have full control over all actions being taken, and no time is wasted trying to override gambit actions or having characters stand idle while waiting for commands. Being able to queue actions for party members would also be cool as opposed to relying on gambits.

While the FFXII battle system has plenty of room for improvement, to me it was a move in the right direction, especially the elimination of random battles and separate battle screens. At a time when most "innovation" in rpg battle systems seems to mean throwing hack and slash combat into them, I am just glad to see new innovation in the genre that doesn't water down the strategy which makes rpgs so enjoyable.

If you have already hooked up your PS2 to your new tv and are happy with the results, then I would recommend the component cables because they should make things look even better. Otherwise, I would recommend hooking it up with your s-video cable first to see what you think of your games at 50" before buying any new cables.

With the exception of one game that I know of, (GT4) 480p is the highest resolution you will get with a PS2. This is only available on the relatively few games that have progressive support. The majority of PS2 games (including many of the best ones) support neither 480p or 16:9 widescreen, so the graphics will be slightly blurrier, and you will either have to stretch or pillar-box the image for a widescreen display.

If you have ever seen a magazine under a microscope you know that it starts to look more like a bunch of dots than a clear image. PS2 games are similar, and some of them don't hold up well when enlarged beyond certain sizes. At 50" the graphics are probably going to look chunky and pixelated the same way 320x240 PSX games do on normal tvs.

I'm not saying its all bad, even with magnified flaws, games like Shadow of the Colossus, God of War, or Burnout on a big widescreen hdtv are going to be awesome. It may end up being a trade off between the few games that are really fun to play that large, and the other games that may not look as good.

I personally think the PS2 looks best on small standard resolution (480i) tvs, but then again that's also something I tell myself so I wont be tempted to spend money on a better display.

EDIT: I think EDTV means 480p maximum, which will display progressive scan signals but not HDTV resolutions (720p, 1080i). As far as I know component cables do all function on the same level, (although some may have slightly better signal quality than others) and like Terami said, should transmit any signal between 480i and 1080p.

I prefer rpg battle systems that heavily emphasize strategy, so turn based systems definitely get a "yay" from me. Rpgs with turn based battles like FF Tactics, Chrono Cross, Disgaea, and FFX hold my attention much longer than rpgs with action battles because they keep my brain constantly working instead of just keeping my thumbs moving.

Most rpgs that I have played which try to mix action gameplay with classic rpg strategy end up failing at both. The strategy elements are usually overshadowed by the action, and apart from the boss fights the action is usually too dull and shallow to be fun on its own. I gave up on Rogue Galaxy several times, not because it was too difficult, but because by about halfway through the game the combat had become so excruciatingly boring and repetitive that it felt like a chore to continue playing.

On the other hand, action games which incorporate some rpg elements (like the inventory and stat based upgrading systems in RE4) tend to be some of the best in the action genre, but that's for another topic.

I thought one exception to the usual shortcomings of action rpgs was KH: Chain of Memories for the GBA. It managed to combine the dodge and strike style of a 2d fighting game, the strategy of a card game, and lots of the familiar skills and summons into a fast paced battle system that sent your brain bouncing all over the place. The boss fights felt about as stressful as juggling knives while riding a unicycle down a mountain, but it worked well because both the strategy and action components were equally balanced and necessary.

On a final note, is the ATB system of games like FFVII considered turn based? Although it is totally menu driven everything happens in real time and actions aren't taken in turns; the same goes for FFXII. I'm not really sure, but either way I like their battle systems a lot too.

Shadow of the Colossus

The whole story was cool, and the ending was far more intriguing than anything I usually expect to see in a video game.