Love the game, and I'm not even that into Final Fantasy!

User Rating: 9 | Dissidia: Final Fantasy PSP
When I heard that Square was releasing a fighting game that would pit the most popular characters against one another in combat, I pictured a Soul Caliur-esqe fighter with a fan service roster of the most memorable characters in the series. Having played many such games I was not at all excited to play this one, and half expected it to be a forgettable experience which only hardcore fans would be able to enjoy. However, when I saw a video of it on Youtube I was surprised to see that it was nothing like I'd expected.
The first thing I noticed when I turned the game on was that the production values are amazing. The graphics are stellar for a handheld game. The three-dimensional arenas, though somewhat simple in structure, are colorful and vibrant with occasional destructive elements thrown in for good measure. All of the characters are instantly recognizable and faithful to their original game art and/or character models. Attacks animate flawlessly with tons of flash and no slowdown to speak of. The music and sound are also on par with Square's best and includes lots of music from the various entries in the FF series.
Gameplay is sharp and the controls are responsive, though many of the attacks take time to execute and can't be stopped once they are started. The camera, does stumble occasionally, especially when it's trying to track rapid movement in a tight environment. However, I did not find this to be problematic enough to impair gameplay or keep me from enjoying the game.
The role-playing aspects of the game are very robust and include a great deal of unlockable items and equipment. There is also extensive instructional content for getting new players up to speed on how to play.
Overall, this game is flashy, fun, and unique. It is also chock full of fan service, though I don't think you'd have to be a die-hard fan to enjoy this game. Well worth the purchase price.