Great gameplay, characters, and story. A great way to start off a year of RPGs.
Gameplay: Simply amazing. The battle system is linear 2D, and resembles more of an action rpg in the sense that you move your lead character left and right, and get to attack, or use different moves whenever and however much you want. You can adjust settings to Easy, Normal, and Hard, and switch during the game whenever you like. Grades at the end of battles accumulate and let you buy things with them at the end of the game. Plus, Legendia rewards you for a job well done: you get bonus experience for landing combos. Power-levelling is unnecessary, as the battles you encounter throughout the game are enough to get you through. But if you choose to do so, the engaging battle system won't bore you. One of the best aspects of the game.
Characters & Plot: Once again, one of the best aspects of the game. There is a massive amount of voice-acting in this game, and it is superbly done. Characters have a hefty amount of interaction in the main game, with tons of skits and cutscenes that help flesh out their personalities. There's even a large amount of battle quotes that accomplish the same thing. Add the second half of the game, the character quests to this, and the amount of character development triples.
The plot is also quite engaging, and progresses at a fair pace. All characters have involvement in the plot, and don't just serve as accessories.
Graphics: Good, but not outstanding. The game is very bright, and the character designs are very interesting. Overall, however, the graphics are very simplistic. They aren't a flaw, but they're aren't awe-inspiring either.
Music: I personally did not like the music of this game. While others may disagree, no particular track stands out and the battle music can get annoying fast. Put the mute button to use if you find it grates on your nerves. It's not terrible, however, you won't find yourself wanting to hear more of it.
Overall: If Tales of Legendia is a sign of what's to come, then 2006 will be an amazing year for RPGs. Do yourself a favor and do not miss out on this game, because you will find yourself falling in love with it.