1000+ hours and I'm still only at level 173
I have been playing this game since back on the Dream Cast days and when I heard it was coming out for the Game Cube, I became excited all over again. This is a game that will keep you playing, regardless of whether you have every rare item or not. I have been playing for more than 1000 hours and I am still only at level 173. It is not because leveling is hard or even close to difficult, it is because helping lower level characters, online or offline, is just so much fun.
Characters have been balanced a lot more since the DC days as well. Only FOrce characters can use Reverser now (Spell to bring a dead character back to life) so everyone else has to resort to using Moon Atomizers. Three new character classes have been added, none of them are anything to get excited over though. There is a new female RAnger, a new male FOrce, and a new female android HUnter. Out of the three, the male FO is the best new character. Why? Because now you can have a FO who has a sense of fashion and does not look like a clown out of a bad sitcom (Clothing is improved, but still debatable).
The hardest part to learning this game is the timing. You will never get anywhere in this game if you try to mash the attack button like every Beat 'em Up game out there. Timed attacks will make all the difference in this game and can actually save your life on several occasions. After you get the hang of timing your attacks, this game becomes very har to put down.
The graphics have been improved quite a lot since the DC. If you are thinking about getting the component cables to help sharpen the image though, stick with a third party S-cable. The component cable is nice, but does not really improve what you are already seeing.
The soundtrack is remarkable, great scores with some really nice ambiance sound in the background. Unfortunately, you almost have to turn the music off completely to hear the ambiance.
All in all, I would strongly recommend purchasing this game, twice. Once for the offline game play and again for the monthly online gameplay. Just be careful when you play online, there are a lot of cheaters and hackers playing. Hacked items and mags are the most common cheat items you will come across. If you are careful of what items you accept though, this game can be a lot of fun online. Especially when you play the quest that allows you to play the last level of each area and get right to fighting the bosses quicker than if you were to play through the game normally.