Persona 2: Eternal Punishment - PlayStation

Seriously, though, Persona 2 is an interesting title. It is the sequel to a popular import with a story that is, for the most part, involving. Even in their small sprite form, the anime characters in the game are very well done and blend nicely with the gaming environments. The character movements are a bit jerky, but it's still better than most role-playing games.

Unfortunately, the game's slow-moving story line and somewhat tedious character interaction ruin the game's early momentum. Things get back on track later in the game--but obviously only for those gamers who have stayed on through the dry spots. Patient players are rewarded with 80 different persona summons, or spells, that can be unlocked throughout the game. You can also chat with the monsters, which is fun at first but grows tiresome. Also, the game's straightforward battle system lacks the strategic elements found in other games of this genre.

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