DESCRIPTION

One of Japan䀙s longest-running role-playing game series takes its adventures onto Game Boy Advance in an enhanced remake of 1994䀙s Tales of Phantasia, originally released in Japan on Super Famicom. As in previous games in the Phantasia series, combat takes place in real time as both sides fight each other from a horizontal viewpoint. The main character is swordsman Cress Albane, who begins a quest to find those responsible for the death of his parents and the destruction of his village. Cress is joined by neighbor Chester Barklight and friend Mint Adnade, who both bring talents such as archery and healing to the party.

The structure will be familiar to most console role-playing game fans, as players explore their surroundings on a overhead-view world map, with random encounters appearing at various points along the way. Once a battle commences, players initiate attacks using the directional pad instead of navigating through menus. Other features include a monster dictionary, allowing players to track each creature encountered during their journey, and a cooking system that encourages players to create health- and magic-restoring recipes from ingredients found throughout the land. For its handheld debut, the game includes new dialogue, events, and other surprises. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide