This game is saved by its skill/combat system.
A word about the story which is not really that good. At the beginning it's interisting and all but the problem is that as soon as you travel to "old" Roark it's like the main plot is completely out of the game ! You don't hear anything about the main goal of te party, as they are involved with other characters in other stories in this "old" Roark. And only at the end of game you'll hear again about what was the real purpose of that travel in the past. That, I think was disappointing !
Then I think the game really lacks some life, there aren't so many towns and places to explore, actually there's only one real dongeon which is not from the main quest in the entire game. Beside there won't be any boat, or flying ship that you'll get and be able to go anywhere like in most RPG, here you'll have at the best a kind of babbit that will just prevent fights on the world map and move faster then your character by foot.
There's also this graphic style for landscape/backgrounds in ths game that make it looks like it's frozen ! There's a town I cant remember the name, where you see water but completely not moving and with the reflection of your character ! So I know it's just 2D but games like Tales Of Eternia really gives a living feeling from its graphics, but in SOFD it's like "disconnected" from the characters. Quite special, but still beautiful.
The gameplay now is just plain fun, exept for the slow movement on the world map. Otherwise the fight system is great, and the skill/tiem creation/speciality system is just awesome and full of possibilities !
By the way, I selected "just right" for the difficulty, but actually I can't really say, cause I was level 90+ when I was at Ionis in the game (like maybe 1/3 of the game) thanks to counterfeit medals... so the rest of game has been quite easy for me. But again that just shows the possibilities you have with the skills... I know exeplain them all.
The game sounds good even if the music are not very loud unfortunately.
The game is not so long, 20/25 hours to beat the game "normally", knowing that there's a surprise after the boss, and 255 levels to reach per character.
Well the bottom line is that SO:FD really tastes like old school RPG in some ways, but thanks to the combat/skill systems of SO2 the game got young again, and after a graphic lifting that everyone won't appreciate the game is very enjoyable to watch.
If you prefer a good gameplay to a good story, just go for it. If t's the opposite, just walk away.
And that's the bottom line cause Stone Co... rmh... I said so !!