I just got to Roak, and I have very mixed feelings. On one hand, the gameplay is amazing. It probably has the bast battle system of any 3D action RPG that I've played. Item creation is addicting, and I enjoy the massive scope of the planets and dungeons. The private actions, as always, are entertaining as well.

I haven't progressed far enough to really have an opinion on the story. So far it's passable, with nothing that really made me think "Wow, that's cool"

What has soured me so much are the characters and the dialogue. I don't mind Bacchus, Reimi or Faize, but Edge, Lymle and to a lesser extent Meracle, are honestly unbearable, especially Edge "straight arrow" Maverick, who's whinefest after what happened on Alternate Earth was pathetic.

The dialogue is terrible, without much flair whatsoever. Much of is corny to the point that I can't bear it, and I'm honesly beginning to feel like skipping the cutscenes.

So far, this game doesn't even come close to Lost Odyssey, Blue Dragon or Tales, and that pains me to say, considering that Star Ocean 2 is probably one of my favourite games of all time. Hopefully the second and third discs surprise me, because as of now, the Gamepro review is the one which I agree with the most content wise.

well i would have to disagree with you on the combat. it was pretty lacking in my opinion and have way more fun with tales games combat.

as for him being all a little bitch about blowing up the earth was super gay as you said, but he gets over it sometime on disc 2. I didn't notice anyone pissing me off besides how you said Edge was all gay during that point and Lymle being so f*ing weird. The others were all fine in my opinion.

And yea story takes forever to even know what is gonna be the story. you are for a while just doing something on each planet that isn't connected to one another.

I had rented the game which was a bad choice by me cause i started to dislike the game because i was rushing through it later. I would have loved to spend timing getting 100% on each creature, spending more time crafting weapons, and doing sidequests on the planets. Also being able to use the other characters more. I HATE how RPGS still haven't gotten past the 4 teamates. I hate not being able to use everyone, or at least 6 of them usually. There is usually a couple taht i dislike or could care less about. But then there are also a couple that I want to use relaly bad too, but can only use 4.

Why did HD generation have to be just that HD (and not even that, usually barely 720 and low frames per second). They should use that extra power the systems have to let us use more characters at a time fighting. fight more enemies at a time. Better transition into battles, many things. If all those things were amazing, I could easily be stuck playing FF9, or 8 graphics wise. But no we just get stuck with better graphics and same old gameplay, and limitations.

Those are the things that I almost enjoy the most in RPG's now a days. The stories are all been done and predictable enough that there just there to give the game a purpose.

Interesting..I have the game, I just have yet to play it..

However, I've known the voice acting was horrible..I don't really mind that much except for that stupid little girl......'kaaay?!' *smack smack* 'shut up bitch or I'll...!' sorry..damn whoever made that thread a day or two ago.

What you said about gameplay has me pretty interested though, cuz the most important thing about a game is the gameplay. Hell, I played the Halo's so story can't be that important=P

well about the gameplay it is basically like tales game, except you can jump how and what not. The jumping is like a dodging move basically only. can't jump over them.

OH AND THE SHITTIES THING EVER. You can not target which enemy you want. You are stuck on the one it puts you on till it is dead, or you run around enough to have it switch to another that is somewhat close. Makes it really hard to help out allies if they in a pinch. Cause even if you run over to help if it doesn't switch to that enemy by pushing attack you will turn and run towards the enemy that is YOUR target and then finally only swing when you get in range of them to attack.

and also the further you get into the game the more you realize how shitty your teammates AI is. It seems like if you don't have every enemy targeting you they will die, and quickly. Which that dying quickly is kind of nice. Always hated when enemies do like 100 damage to your 4000 health. Now if you get sloppy and get attacked by a few enemies all at once (especially those damn phantoms) you almost die just there.

edit: sounds like i'm just hating on the game, but its always easier to talk about htings that piss you off than good things.  Don't get me wrong you will enjoy this game.

This is how I feel as well. It's a good game, possibly great, it's just that there's so much bad mixed in.

Anyway,

I just met Sarah, who has brutal voice work. Her and Lymle can fight it out in that category for worst in the game. Ughhhh.

Oh well, back to the game.

Lol, yes the game will get better. The thing is, the game isn't an amazingly complete package like Vesperia was. It has amazingly great things about it, and amazingly bad things about it. It isn't as well rounded as Vesperia, or as good a game, but I thought(after fully finishing it) that it was a fantastic JRPG.