Funny to think that before I even got to play this, I've already played FFVII, Wild Arms, Breath of Fire 3, and other RPGS circa 1997-98 and yet this game, I have to say, is my favorite among them all. A friend of mine had a copy and said it sucks but when I tried it, I was completely mesmerized over how awesome this game is, especially THE battles. I've tried all sorts of RPGS in the past but even up to now, I still consider the battles in Namco's "Tales" series to be the most action-packed and fun... the BEST for me to sum it up fully. ToD may have a slightly high encounter rate (which can be lessened by using a certain item) but what about it if the battles are exciting?