Breath of Fire - Game Boy Advance

The story is standard, but solid, fare--you are Ryu, a member of the White Dragon clan, and your task is to save the world from the Black Dragon clan. In times past, the two clans were actually one clan, but split in a horrendous war due to an evil and meddling goddess. While the White clan has maintained peace since then, the Black clan hasn't. Get the drift?

While the story is fairly black and white (pardon the pun), the gameplay itself is where the game shines. Each character has unique skills and abilities that unlock special areas of the game. For example, Ryu can fish if he finds a fishing pole. Later in the game, he can transform into a dragon during battle. Another character can walk through forests unimpeded and shoot animals for food. What's neat about this system is that as you gain companions with different skills, you can go back to earlier parts of the game to unlock areas that are only accessible via their skills. This adds to the replay value and depth of the game.

The battle system is the standard turn-based, random-encounter biscuits and gravy that most console gamers have come to expect. While not as engrossing as, say, Golden Sun's battle system, the shape-shifting at higher levels adds some enjoyment while fighting the ubiquitous nasties. Two added feature for the GBA version are automatic fighting, which is good for when you don't want to go through all the motions of turn-based combat, and an ability to swap items with a friend's version of the game through the separately sold link cable.

The graphics and sound are decent, but largely unimproved from the original SNES version, so they will seem dated. However, if you are into 16-bit, 2-D role-playing games, you'll find that the graphics look good on the GBA's screen. The sound is a faithful reproduction, but can sound tinny at times. --Bryan Karsh

Pros: Fun skill system that allows you to unlock hidden areas in the game Link option to trade items with friends Auto fighting option for those endless battles A nice story and a huge world to explore Cons: Too many random battles Graphics are dated Sound is a little tinny

Amazon.com Product Description
You control the fate of Ryu, a young warrior and descendant of the Light Dragon Clan. Along with your mystical friend Nina, you must search for magic spells and mysterious secrets in a dark land. Along the way, you'll gain experience and skill as you battle strange monsters and uncover valuable secrets that will help you on your adventure and unlock the secrets of the Dragon Clan. You will need all your combat and exploration skills on your quest--you'll even learn to fish! Hundreds of magic spells help characters transform and combine into dragons and other beasts. You can exchange items with your friends by linking up two Game Boy Advance systems using the Game Link cable.