I couldn't find a thread for this game but it just came out yesterday. I'm about 2 hours in and I can tell that this one is going to suck away a lot of my free time.

The graphics look excellent even if it wasn't a hand-held game. I'm still trying to fully understand how the fighting works with the slot-machine style for leveling up and performing limit breaks. Anyone else pick it up?

$40 is too much for this game. I'll wait till it drop down $25 someday "Amazon Deal of the Day" or It'll be GH version

......must resist urge to buy PSP for this.

$40 is definitely not too much for this game (IMO of course). Especially when you consider some of the shit that comes out on 360/PS3 for $60.

I kind of felt I should ignore this comment. Still I guess I'll point out that if one orders it online at Circuit City and uses coupon code R8ALNAJAD9, the game would be $36 and come with a $10 GC. Net cost $26 + tax

Even though X-Play gave this game a 2/5, I'm still really interested in it. I usually take their reviews with a grain of salt anyways. I mean, they did give "The Bigs" a 2 and that was badass.

I'm going to pick it up today.

The game has an aggregate score of 86.4% on Gamerankings.

GamePro 4/1/2008 4.75 out of 5 95.0%
Play Magazine 4/1/2008 9 out of 10 90.0%
GameSpot 3/25/2008 9 out of 10 90.0%
Thunderbolt 3/23/2008 9 out of 10 90.0%
Gaming Age 3/19/2008 A- 90.0%
GameZone 3/19/2008 9 out of 10 90.0%
PSW Magazine UK 11/28/2007 9 out of 10 90.0%
Electronic Gaming Monthly 4/1/2008 86.67 out of 100 86.7%
1UP 3/19/2008 B+ 85.0%
IGN 3/18/2008 8.5 out of 10 85.0%
GameAlmighty 3/21/2008 8.3 out of 10 83.0%
RPG Fan 10/10/2007 82 out of 100 82.0%
GameTap 3/21/2008 8 out of 10 80.0%
GameSpy 3/19/2008 4 out of 5 80.0%
Game Informer 4/1/2008 7.25 out of 10 72.5%

I see what they're saying, and they didn't care for the story so that's a minus for em (Xplay)

This and God of War are reasons why I want a PSP, as the reviews for this has been solid and i still dig the FF7 story.

Picked it up today and hope to play it tonight. CC charged $27 ($30 - 10%) + $10 for the GC = $37 + tax, so it worked out to be $1 more than I had anticipated. Anyway, it does look fairly awesome.

Fumanstan : GoW is really great, an awesome portable game achievement, but nothing that tops the PS2 games. I wouldn't recommend getting a PSP just for it -- the experience is too similar to the PS2 games. Still if you had a PSP, I'd say definitely get it even though it's pretty short. It's fun enough to replay several times.

I'm liking it so far, an hour or so in. This is clearly the one decent FF7 follow up, so anyone who's been on the fence waiting for a decent FF7 themed game should jump off and buy it.

Slight spoiler but awesome.

Any real need for a game guide on this one. I'd hate to get stuck, but the thought of a game guide for a portible game seems really silly to me.

~ mod snip ~ The game is great, the DVM (the pictures a la slot machine) are completely random. They spin the whole time your in battle, sometimes the numbers will match up and you'll get stat boosts like infinite mp, invincibility, etc they'll show it in the center of the screen. when two pictures of the same character happen at once the screen changes into the slot machine, and if you get a third face you get a limit break. Also, the "777" combo is a free level up.

This is a prequel to FFVII, not a sequel to my understanding because Sephiroth is still with SOLDIER.

It's a prequel, as is the Japan only "Before Crisis." Then FF7, followed by Advent Children and Dirge of Cerebrus.

I'm sure he meant follow up as just another -anything- based on FF7.

I gotta agree, Dirge of Cerebus and Advent Children, the only two I've played/watched, sucked.

Yeah, I'm a little puzzled by the design choice there. I'm still very early on in the game, and I guess every RPG has some randomness in it, but I'm not really enjoying the system all that much... it doesn't help that the slot machine limit breaks in other games were some of my least favorite.

edited to add: I guess leveling up isn't totally random...