If Shining Force Exa only have the gameplay right and nothing else, then Rogue Galaxy is the exact opposite. It has everything but the gameplay right, and this, unlike SFE, renders the playing experience very poor, if not unplayable. The game's excessive difficulty means you either have to do some insane leveling up, or run around in a circle all day killing stuff from range. In a game that requires you to chug potions ala Diablo, you have to pause the game every time to drink a potion (suggestions don't cover the health you need at all) which brings the game flow to a halt every 3 seconds. Your AI friends are dumber than dirt, but whereas in a game like SFE your dumber than dirt allies are given mega HP and durability to make up for their stupidity, your allies are exactly as fragile as you are. I've found that it's easier to just let my two allies die because they do nothing except make you waste a lot of potions on them since they run into battle without any concern for evading enemy attack.
Which is a shame, really, because Rogue Galaxy is excellent in every other way except the one that counts the most.
Which is a shame, really, because Rogue Galaxy is excellent in every other way except the one that counts the most.
