PlayStation 2

Legaia 2: Duel Saga

If you were to sum Legaia 2: Duel Saga up in two words, it would be "plain" and "fun". Everything about Legaia 2 screams generic but despite that fact, the game proves to be a fun romp. A solid title, Legaia 2 is worth the time if you aren't looking for something fancy or flashy. Home-brewed goodness at its best.

With a novel approach to combat, branching plotlines and plenty of unique party sequences, Legend of Legaia 2 takes a new spin on RPGs. The Tactical Arts System, along with the introduction of Origins and the inclusion of menial tasks like gardening and cooking provides an inimitable gameplay experience. However, graphical and sound flaws might dissuade newcomers to the genre, most likely keeping it a game for diehard role-playing veterans or Legaia fans.

This is an enjoyable game that is combat laden with nice looking graphics and evolving storyline. Legaia 2: Duel Saga is a nice match for the PS2, and fans of RPGs, especially the older style of games, will enjoy this outing in the Legaia universe.

In spite of all my criticisms, Legaia 2 is a nice change of pace from the usual turn-based RPG fare. Much more interactive than the typical genre entry, there's enough ingenuity and exploration here to persuade fans to give it a try. It's a shame that more development time wasn't spent with this actually, as a closer view to the action and an adjustment to the battle frequency would have done wonders for the sheer playability of it all.

Not that the music is bad, but it’s just not as enchanting or unique as his past work. Instead of creating something with ingenuity like Chrono Cross and the Celtic themes, Duel Saga’s music seems to be created with basic orchestral instruments. No matter, the music fits the moods and environments and is more than completely sufficient for the game, or any game at that.

Legaia 2 is a good game that can be recommended to hard-core fans of console role-playing. But it's suitable only for that crowd.

Overall, the game is fun to play if you can deal with the constant encounters, and although it isn't based on pirates or even piratey at all save for one part, it still has enough pirate juice in it to make you let out half an "arrr."

Altogether, Legaia 2 shapes out to be a weekend rental. Though the story has a great moral, how it's shown through gameplay and style doesn't earn this RPG big points.