Perhaps Persona 2's most interesting gameplay element is the rumor system, which allows you to gossip about other characters in the game. A properly spread rumor can trigger in-game events and create whole new story arcs. This adds considerable replay value and most RPGers should appreciate this to no end. -Todd Mowatt Pros: Great dialogue Eerie music sets appropriate tone for the game Rumor system lets you affect the game's story Cons: Talking to enemies gets very repetitive Too-simple combat scheme Poor pacing in the game's middle.

With all the different names for the original 1991 release of the first title in this compilation (Final Fantasy IV in Japan, Final Fantasy II in the U. S. ), role-players new to the game may get confused. Make no mistake, though: Final Fantasy Chronicles marks the first time this pivotal installment of the cherished game series has ever been available on the PlayStation. In Final Fantasy IV, players take on the role of Cecil, a loyal captain who questions the orders of his king, and for it is sent to slay a mysterious beast in a nearby valley. In Chrono Trigger, Chrono must follow princess Marle's teleportation through time and locate her before an intergalactic parasite arrives to destroy the world. The original game, also on the PlayStation for the first time, was one of the first nonlinear role-playing games. The decisions that players make during the game will point them toward one of more than a dozen possible endings. These new versions retain the authentic Japanese SNES stories and characters while updating their graphics and adding new full-motion video sequences and other features.

The music is appropriate to the action and the controls are easy to use. But it's the graphics that make this a stand-alone title. A team of artists worked on this game to design seamless movement that is more like an interactive cartoon than a game. Novice gamers will enjoy this title for its ease of movement and challenging gameplay. Hardcore gamers will appreciate its hidden secrets and shortcuts. And how can you go wrong with Arabian cities, underwater worlds, medieval times, menacing frogs, pirate-head cannonballs, and creepy scorpions? Crash Bandicoot Warped is a goofy game with enough fun features to satisfy both diehard and beginning gamers. -Kasty Thomas Pros: Superior graphics Dual-shock capabilities fully utilized Hours of gaming Cons: None!.

The playfulness of the main character comes through in the exploration of the otherworldly levels using the new moves, including super high jumps, rapid underwater swimming, and extended flight and hovering maneuvers. Determined explorers are always rewarded-sometimes with an ice hockey match or other sub-game, sometimes with riches enough to learn a new move or uncover a new area. Simply put, Spyro: Ripto's Rageis one of the best action/adventure games for the system. Despite the fact that this game is a sequel, it manages to bring a fresh new look and feel to PlayStation gaming. -Jeff Young Pros: Massive, fun levels are completely navigable Cute and quirky sense of humor will appeal to all ages Responsive controls are an extension of Spyro's upbeat and exacting personality Cons: Camera angles can be problematic, but are completely adjustable.

Best of all, you can save your game in the warp room at any time (a big improvement over the original game's horrific save system).

-Kasty Thomas Pros: Large worlds provide hours of game playing Variety of scenarios Engaging graphics Cons: Low game skill requirements may prove less challenging for expert players.

Game tip: Secretly attach plastic explosives behind an enemy, sneak out of the room, and see what happens. -Allen Stewart Pros: Story well-integrated into gameplay Stealth favored over brute force Challenging puzzles Cons: Puzzles can be frustrating Torture scene too intense for younger gamers.

While necessary for advancing in levels, the battles occur with such frequency that they can grow annoying, making for a tedious game experience. The epic storyline spans four discs-over 40 hours of gameplay-and is based around a mercenary cadet who finds himself caught up with an underground rebel faction. He winds up in a plot to assassinate the sorceress who has just seized power from the president. You could complain of limited replay value, but this gripe is of no consequence: the game is such a satisfying experience, it doesn't require replay. Final Fantasy VIII is easily worth both the hype and the wait. You can't buy a much better game. -John Cocking Pros: A story to beat all stories Characters worth caring about Hey-it's from SquareSoft Stunning animations Cons: Too many random battles Combat is, as always, turn-based and offers minimal excitement Weak souls might give up after two or three discs of play.

If you are already a fan, pick it up to relive the magic once again. Showcasing two installments of SquareSoft's wildly popular role-playing game (RPG) series, Final Fantasy Anthology features the U. S. debut of Final Fantasy V, and reintroduces one of the best RPGs of all time, Final Fantasy VI, originally released as Final Fantasy III on the Super Nintendo gaming system. Both games are straight Super Nintendo conversions, so their 2-D graphics and 16-bit sounds are admittedly subpar by PlayStation standards. However, SquareSoft has added brand-new, beautifully animated movies for both titles, and has given Final Fantasy VI the star treatment it deserves by adding a bonus mode where gamers can access loads of supplementary material, such as artwork and data files on the game's monsters and items. While Final Fantasy V is one of weaker entries in the series, Final Fantasy VI alone is totally worth the price of Final Fantasy Anthology. Endearingly melodramatic characters, a genuinely epic story line, and rock-solid gameplay make Final Fantasy VI just as absorbing today as it was when it was Final Fantasy III. -Joe Hon Pros: Brand-new animated movies Reissues Final Fantasy VI, one of the best RPGs ever Lots of supplementary material for Final Fantasy VI Cons: Dated graphics and sounds may bother some gamers The previously unreleased Final Fantasy V may as well have stayed unreleased.

My only qualm with Chrono Cross is that, despite the complexities of the battle system, veterans will have an easy time with early battles. Still, there's much to like about this SquareSoft epic. -Robb Guido Pros: Lavish, vibrantly colored graphics Unique battle system involving elements and casting away role-playing clichés like experience and magic points Cons: Easy battles due to powerful offensive and cure elements For hours, players will be saying, "Get to the time travel stuff".

The copious story begins with Dart, a vengeful young man with spiky hair and red armor who embarks on a desperate rescue mission to break his childhood sweetheart out of a castle prison. The two join forces with a knight who is trying to end a war that's destroying the region. Dart soon learns that he is a Dragoon-a human who's privy to the spiritual power of dragons. Like all RPG heroes, Dart is up against impossible odds, but his newfound Dragoon magic and battle skills go a long way toward making the bet even money. And that's just the beginning. Grab a spare memory card and a comfy chair and be prepared to spend at least 20 hours getting through the first disk (there are three others just like it in the double-wide case). It's hard to sustain a player through this kind of time span, but The Legend of Dragoon takes chances and wins. For example, its battle system is turn based, so you can actually use some strategy, but it also features special "additions," or fighting combos that unfold if you match the X button to that addition's timing. When handling three players' additions, each with unique sequences, it can be quite challenging. You can increase the potency of the elemental magic up to 160 percent by quickly tapping X during your cast. Also, the perspectives often change between battles-players will direct the action from behind the heroes, behind the villains, looking down from above, and off to the side. There are a couple downsides to the game. First, the stylized transitions into and out of battle mode, while initially cool, quickly become exhausting-especially when running the gauntlet through lesser foes in the wilderness or lower ramparts of a castle. The game's story is built such that you're watching the sometimes goofy dialog as a spectator rather than participating in it. There are a few occasions when the game will prompt you to choose from two different responses, but often either response will bring about the same conclusion. That tightly controlled narrative, however, often works in the player's favor by keeping the game flowing instead of the wandering common in other RPGs, where players waste time looking to each townsperson for direction. Overall, the game's wonderfully illustrated sets, light exploration and problem solving, and a handful of jaw-dropping full-motion video scenes make The Legend of Dragoon fun to play and hard to put down. -Porter Hall Pros: Hours upon hours of story and gameplay Turn-based battle made more exciting by combo-attack-style "additions" Many different monsters, spells, weapons, and items Cons: Very linear gameplay offers no chance to affect outcome Stylish pre- and postbattle sequences quickly grow tiresome.