Tales of Symphonia has all of those gameplay qualities.  And in this rare case the gameplay turned out to be the most compelling thing about it.

Namco is a good storyteller, but Tales of Symphonia doesn't start out very exciting.  I don't care how good your story is, you never start it by saying, "Once upon a time."  Nonetheless, the characters have likeable designs, the settings are gorgeous, and the music is very good.  These things – along with the way-better-than-average voice acting – make it easy to overlook the silly intro and look forward to the journey that lies ahead.

Lloyd is the star and the young man you'll control at the beginning of the game.  He's a student, as are his friends, Genis and Colette.  The world is not entirely unlike our own: different people from different lands battle over hate, greed and power.  The hope is that a Chosen One will come and regenerate the world, saving it from all this evil.  When Colette turns out to be the Chosen One, she accepts her responsibility, but puts her life at risk in the process.  Lloyd couldn't possibly let her go off on her own, nor could Lloyd's friend Genis.  Thus the journey begins.  Other characters quickly join the quest, including Raine (Lloyd's professor) and Kratos (a mercenary hired to protect the Chosen One).

Not too exciting, huh?  Never fear – the quest does get more interesting.  If that's not enough for you, don't bail on the game just yet.

Tales of Symphonia's gameplay almost left me speechless.  It's the best in the series and is the most fun I've had with a GameCube RPG (unless you consider The Wind Waker to be an RPG – I don't).  Once that sunk in my speech came back, and I realized that I had a million things to say about the game.

The combat varies between each playable character but has a unifying theme of hack-and-slash.  This does not mean that Tales of Symphonia is like Gauntlet Legends or some other arcade game.  What I would compare it to is a fighting game with fewer combos and more magic spells.

Combos can be linked and created in awesome ways.  Even though there isn't an actual 20-hit combo, you can strike the opponent(s) enough to score 20 hits.  This increases your grade level, the amount of damage dealt, and in Lloyd's case it can award him a new title.

For the most part combos are a two-button foray.  The game uses the analog stick to extend the combo possibilities.  The A button is used for typical strikes; B is used for special attacks.  Combining them (A, A, B) enables you to unleash a more powerful combo.  Combining them with the analog stick (A, A, down+B) adds even more variety.

Some characters are all about sword-to-flesh combat, others are more about casting magic spells.  This changes the way that combos are performed, how the game plays, etc.

And the best part is that each one of the characters in your party can be controlled during combat.  Choose Kratos if you want a powerful warrior.  Slash your enemies to pieces, and let the computer-controlled Colette heal you.  Or you can play as Colette and let the computer control Kratos and two other party members.  Each party member can be changed before battle to attack in the way you wish.  The default settings are quite effective, so I'd recommend beginners stick with them and experiment after playing the game for 10 - 20 hours.

Want to share the RPG experience with others?  Each of the four characters can be controlled by a player.  Plug in four controllers, grab a few friends and you're all set.  Only the first player can control what goes on outside of battle, but you could always save those functions for when your friends aren't around.  Believe me – there are plenty of battles to keep you and your buds occupied.

Battles occur frequently but not to the point where you'll get annoyed.  Health can be a major concern in this game, so if you're dying, or if you're sick of repeated battles with the same desert monster, simply avoid enemy encounters.  "Simply" might not be the best way to put it, because some enemies will chase you down.  All they have to do is touch you to activate the battle, shattering the screen like class, taking you to the battle arena.  Likewise, if you want to engage in combat, all you have to do is touch the monster.

Some battles are unavoidable.  Boss battles must always be fought (how could the story advance if you don't defeat your enemy?).  Every now an then you'll be trapped into a battle.  I opened a box, hoping for valuable items, but instead encountered a very difficult enemy.  He didn't provide too many experience points, but his fierce actions forced me to waste a few health replenishing items.

The weapon upgrade feature is great.  Instead of scrapping old weapons or selling them to shops for financial gain, Tales of Symphonia lets you combine them with specific items to create powerful weapons.  You have to go to a weapon upgrade shop in order to do this, but there are many in the game, so finding one isn't a problem.  It's not easy to acquire the necessary items though.  Pay close attention to the list of required items and be on the lookout for them. 

Gameplay: 8.5
Tales of Symphonia is somewhat of an action/traditional RPG.  It's an action/RPG because you have freedom of movement (on a 2D battlefield), and the combat is 100% real-time.  It's a traditional RPG in the sense that battles take place outside of the main game world.  There's a Final Fantasy-style world map to explore; tons of missions to go on; and a number of item acquisition and weapon upgrade features that add a classic feel to the game.

Graphics: 9
Tales of Symphonia is like a watercolor painting come to life.  The artistic designs are gorgeous.  The colors and textures are unlike anything I have ever seen before.  During battle the characters look great -- outside they look a little funky, which is typical among characters in an RPG.  That one minor flaw, however, is not enough to detract from the rest of the game.  Tales of Symphonia is a beautiful game that is almost as fun to look at as it is to play.

Sound: 8.7
Good voice acting, good sound effects, excellent music.  Tales of Symphonia hits all the right notes in all the right places.

Difficulty: Medium/Hard
Get ready for a good challenge, RPG masters!  The unique, real-time combat will take some time to master.  Even when you do, don't expect the game to become a cakewalk.

Concept: 8
As far as the story goes, Tales of Symphonia is entertaining, but not exactly original.  It's not the darkest story, which might make it harder for older gamers to get into.

The gameplay is an innovative expansion of the previous Tales games.  It's faster, more action-oriented, and involves a lot more choices.  Not only do you have to worry about money and EXP, but battles also award (or take away) grade points!

Multiplayer: 7.9
I'm scoring this as if I weren't the main player of the game.  Only the main player can dictate the course of action outside of battle, giving multiplayers few options.  Multiplayer games are fun, but the player who gets to call the shots will ultimately have the most fun.

Overall: 8.5
Tales of Symphonia is a symphonic masterpiece.  Such a statement may sound repetitive, but when an RPG is this good you can't help but repeat yourself.

My friend keeps bugging me, "You're the expert – when's a great RPG coming out?"  And I keep telling him, "Other than Final Fantasy XII there doesn't appear to be any."  After playing Tales of Symphonia, I demanded that he stop asking questions and buy a GameCube.  He already missed out on The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles and other great games, all because they're exclusive to the console he doesn't own.  Well gamers, it's time to cave.  The system is only $99.99.  I paid $200 for mine and it was worth every penny.