"Not up to standards, but great none the less."

Legend of Legaia for the PSX will always be one of the most memorable RPG's for its innovative combat system. So when I heard that a sequel was in the works I soaked in the hype and drooled for months. Now that its here and in my Legaia hungry PS2 I have to say that I'm not as impressed as I was with the first installment. But not too worry. It's still a solid RPG, but don't expect too much innovation.

One of the things that disappointed me was the very cliche story. You take the role of Lang who lives in the village of Nohl. Nohl flourishes through the power of some water stone called an Aqualith. One fateful day some dork with a muscular build decides he wants to take over the world and steals all of the stones.. Vahn, who was knocked around like a rag doll by this man, sets off on a quest to find him. The story is very predictable any plot twists are not very twisty at all.

The Tactical Arts System (TAS) which made the first Legaia so great is back with some new additions. Mystic Arts are like magic skills. In the first Legaia you had to absorb monsters to learn their magic. Now it has its own arts system. Variable arts is another great addition. Kind of like the dual-techs in Chrono Trigger where you combine the arts with your other team mates.

For those of you who don't know what the TAS is let me give you a quick run down. You basically have four methods of attack. High, low, right, left. You input as many attacks as you have art blocks. Certain combinations yield art attacks. And with 5 different categories of arts you can see the potential for some fun battles.

Although graphics take a back seat to gameplay in my opinion others may be disappointed by Legaia 2's visual aspect. The character models are on the blocky side. Although not nearly as bad as its prequel, but still it could use more work. Also the enviornments are very boring and lack detail.

The music is nothing to complain about, but its not one of Legaia 2's strong points either. Background melodies are very generic. After awhile you wont even notice them anymore. The voice acting is not that bad of what little their is. However, I could of sworn Lang had 2 people doing his voices since at times he sounds like a nerd.

Overall Legaia 2 gives me a nostalgic feeling. Playing it reminds me of old school Final Fantasy. Cliche story and towns that lack detail will remind you of that right away. Even the villagers follow scripted paths unlike other RPG's out on the market today. However don't let this stop you from picking up this title. There is still much to be enjoyed.

Would Grand Admiral Rent or Buy? RPG guru's will definitely enjoy and appreciate this game. Newcomers beware and rent first.

Grade: 7 (C+)
+TAS is back and greater then before
+That old school feeling
-Which means bland graphics
-And a forgettable story

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 10/11/02, Updated 10/11/02