No other RPG for GC will ever be like this one.
Following the basic guidelines set by the beloved Final Fantasy series, Skies of Arcadia starts with Vyse, a young Blue Rouge sky pirate. Over the course of his adventures he will meet new people, gain new powers, and kill entire populations of random beasts. What makes Skies so much more than a FF rip off is the setting, a world of floating continents and powerful flying warships. Few games place the importance of exploring like Skies. You will literally need to fly into every corner of the map if yu expect to win the game.
Combat is a slight twist on the standard fare. Both ship and personal combat revolves around the idea of placing in commands then letting the move play itself out. Fastest charaters go first and slowest last. Its fun and useful and if you want to go get a drink, the action can continue without you. Ship battles are only slightly different but even more fun to watch.
The story in and of itself is a great one and will keep you well interested throughout. Although Vyse is placed on a very set path, at any time a player can leave it and go off in search of battles and "discoveries" which can be found by searching the skys. The new Wanted Battles also allow a bit more variety in movement and a new set of powerful foe. Although the ending is not nearly so twisted as FFVII, it is plenty interesting.
The only real problem with Skies is the high level of random encounters and their monotony. Though lower than the Dreamcast title, you still only have about 15-20 seconds to fly around before you are attacked by another dozen enemies. If you are trying to find discoveries or treasure chests, this can quickly become annoying. Fortunetly the new "moonfish" quest will give you a way out of this fairly early, if you should want.
Overall, this is the best RPG for the Gamecube to date. This is not suprising because Skies was the best RPG on the Dreamcast to date(minus Grandia II). If you like RPG's or even like a bit of flying around and exploring, I highly recommend this game for purchase. Like it, Live it, Love it.