You must be in the mood for this game
The music in this game at the times of its release was a wonderful change to the ears after hearing years of midi music. The music is pleasant and relfects the places you explore well at times though it is a bit calm feeling in the midst of a battle. The sound itself gets rather repetative and that can be annoying. When Azurik is attacking someone the sounds are always the same.
The battling in this game can get a bit repetative however it remains a challenge. You must chose which elements to use eventually, if any at all. It is also a bit annoying that the monsters come back if you leave an area and come back.
The powers you use are used in innovative ways and experimenting with the different combinations and where to use them is a great deal of fun initially. The game also improves on them gradually enough that there is always something worth going back to find in another area.
The heart and soul of this game are two elements. 1. You must run around and hunt for various items in order to complete the game or upgrade your character so the last level is not as life threatening. You are truly exploring for these items. Very few are simply handed to you. 2. You must solve some peculiar puzzles. Some of the puzzles are more intellectual and others involve jumping at the right time. So if you want some mild Myst like puzzles(very mild myst like puzzles) mixed with something vaguely Mario brothersish this is for you.
My two big complaints about this game is the repetativeness of the combat and the save system. I have never been a fan of save points. In the fire realm in particular I always wish I had more save points.
Overall this is a good game to sit down with occassionally and work through a bit. It is fun, but really should not be tried to play straight through. It is a lengthy game so you get your money's worth in that way even if it is a bit dated now--but that just means its cheaper.