Best RPG on the GBA
Tales of Phantasia is the story of Cress, a teenager who one day happens on something unusual while out on a hunting excursion with his best friend. By the time he returns home, his life will have changed forever, so he embarks on a journey to right the wrongs of the present by changing the past.
The combat system seems purposely intended to defy role-playing conventions. Rather than take turns trading blows with your enemies, battles in Tales of Phantasia are action-oriented, putting you in direct control of Cress
Tales of Phantasia does a solid job with the rest of its RPG trappings. There's a lot of different equipment and items to find and use, and each one has its own unique picture and description, giving you the sense that this is real stuff and not just ways to upgrade your stats
Tales of Phantasia is probably a little more open-ended than most Japanese RPGs