Legend of Legaia is one of my favorite RPGs of all time!  This PS1 RPG far exceeds most RPGs in a few aspects and offers any RPG fan some familiar story driven gaming greatness.  I'll make this review short by saying, if you own a playstation, and you've played an RPG before, get this game! This game offers a few unique properties to an RPG game so it won't be like playing every other one.

The plot of this game is pretty damn good too.  It's a little different in how the common story is things are good, then things get bad and you have to save the world.  Well in this game, you start off and things are hell; the whole world is in ruin and all you know of is the small village you live in for sanctuary.  The world is filled with mystical creatures from another world called Seru which at one time were benefitial for people.  Now the world is covered in this 'evil' mist which causes the seru to go mad and kill people.  However, you find that there are 'good' seru called ra-seru which are uneffected by the mist.  So basically, you attach one to yourself like a bracelet and run around the world clearing the mist.  You'd have to play it to believe me, but the mist is the coolest thing, it's almost like a progress meter.

This RPG has the basics, levels, HP/MP, magic, story, NPCs, sidequests, bosses, etc.  But a few things are different.  The battle system is a turn based battle but it is extremely unique.  When it is your deciding turn, you input a combo with attacks high, low (kicks) and arms (weapon), seru (other hand).  The length of your combo is determined by your speed; i.e. at level 1 you will have 3 hits to enter, but at later levels you can have a dozen!  Now the game presents a fighter-style game feature where you can input a 'move' command like 'left left down' and you can perform an 'art' which is basically like a fightin game special move.  Each character has their own list of arts and they range from 3 inputs to 6.  These arts cost AP(ability points) which quickly refill by getting hit or attacking, so you don't have to worry about saving your MP (for magic).  Also don't worry about being bad at fighting games, you have all the time in the world to think it over and input your combo.

The fighting style of each character differs and changes many times through out the game depending on weapon they hold (for arms) and boots (for kicks) equipped! For example, your character may do a roundhouse to the head of the enemy with Fighter Boots equipped, but as soon as you equip Warrior Boots (I'm making these up) he will perform a spinning crescent kick!  It's a very fun fighting system that keeps changing.  The programming is great too as there are flying enemies where most low attacks will miss and short enemies where high attacks will miss.  The interesting thing here is remember how I said their attacks differ between characters and equipment? Well 2 of your main characters may kick over a short enemy but your third character may actually land a high blow on them dependant on their equipment.

Besides from your normal arts, you have hyper arts which are character specific 'super' like moves involving their element.  If that wasn't kick ass enough, you also have Super Arts which you can achieve when you string together a bunch of your smaller arts to get a unique move involving them all! Wait, there's more! Towards the end of the game you get Miracle Arts which is like a unique move stringing together all your Hyper arts. Sheesh!  About the magic, it's more like pokemon where you gotta catch them all.  Your seru attached to your arm absorb the powers of other seru when you kill them (kinda like enemy skill for you FF fans).  You can then level your magic by casting the same spell over and over.

I've spent too many words describing the differences in this RPG but there is so much more to write about on the greatness of this game.

Graphics: 9/10
Although play field is polygony, it's a PS1 game, what do you expect?  Awesome battle graphics though! Characters change appearance on every different armor, headgear, boots, and weapon you equip.  Also, their seru attached on their arm grows in size throughout the game and towards the end take up almost your whole arm.  Very impressive indeed.  Also includes some playstation like movies throughout the play of the game.

Sound: 10/10
Awesome soundtrack! The music was made by the female equivilent of Nobuo Uematsu (FF music guru).  The sound effects are very nice quality and the overall sound of the game is loud and crisp.  The game still uses japanese voices in battles but at least they match and they don't sound bad at all, in fact they're great! Nothin' wrong here if you ask me, and go download the soundtrack.

Gameplay: 9/10
Very fun RPG and a very unique one at that which will keep you far from bored with RPGs.  You will love the enjoyably long boss battles who will give you a challenge in Lunar1 style or even if you're overpowered, at least offer you a long fight.  You'll love everything you find in RPGs in this game. However, if you're looking for great character story, you'll find in this game it is present in the people of the world, not YOU.  In other words, your characters don't have as much plot twist and deep stories to interest you in, but everyone you run into does.  It is very very good for it's time, but I hear you should stay away from the sequel.

Overall: 9/10
Nothing big at all to complain about this game.  If you like RPGs, and can stand an old PS1 game, you'll absolutely love it.  It's not even that bad for an oldie either.  I wrote too much, but trust me, it kicks anus.

Meth