Good game, its not the best ever but its good nontheless.
Standard ATB system, 3 characters available in battle at a time. Depending on the materia you have equipped there can be a lot of different commands in the command box. Everything from magic and summoning to manipulate and throw. After you take a certain amount of damage your limit gauge fills and you are able to unleash a limit attack, for the most part they are one attack, but for Vincent its a transformation that lasts the rest of the battle (I think).
Graphics:
Unheard of for the time it came out. This is what originally drew a lot of attemtion to it. Graphics really don't matter much to me though.
Story:
Interesting plot, Square doesn't let down in this game. I'm kinda jaded when it comes to the game though cause it gave birth to Sephiroth whom I now hate with a passion due to the number of people who obsess over him. Seph aside, its the tale of a dying world with a small group of people trying to make a difference. The company Shinra is sucking Mako from the planet which is basically the life-force of the planet. This attempt to stop Shinra releases a whole bunch of demons they had been trying to hide (both literally and figuratively speaking). In the midst of this chaos Sephiroth feels that he needs to become a god, of course, its up to you to stop this crazed maniac while trying to save the world. Like with my other story descriptions I won't say much else, just in case you plan on playing the game (I don't know who hasn't at this point in time).
Gameplay:
Lots a side-quests big and small. Riding motorcycles trying to out-run Shinra soldiers, snowboarding down a mountain, piloting submarines even breeding chocobos (thank god they never brought this major, but almost vital annoyance back in any other games). Gameplay is similar to most RPGs the only thing I would like to add is the a certain mountain you have to defend that plays kind of like a real time strategy.
Overall a solid game, a little overrated for my tastes, but it certainly deserves much of it praise.