Rogue Galaxy’s story is told episodically. The first half of the game introduces the game’s major players, as well as your party members. Once everything is in place, the story expands to include a military plot and the corporation that is seemingly behind every move it makes. The technique works, though some stories aren’t as good as others. In addition, it takes a while before you get to the meat of the plot, so for some time, things feel random.
You start out as Jaster Rogue, an orphan on the desert planet of Rosa that has been annexed by the Longardain Empire. The planet may not look like much, but it has the resources the empire needs. Jaster makes his living as a hunter, trading beasts he captures for food. Before long, a giant beast attacks the town. Jaster moves to save the town and, after defeating the beast, is mistaken for a great hunter. He is soon asked to join a rag-tag group of pirates. Jaster plays along, allowing him to finally travel the stars.
Battles take place in a system not unlike the one seen in Kingdom Hearts. Battles take place in real time, though they also have a menu-based component. As you wander through areas, you are attacked at random intervals, usually every 30 seconds to a minute. From here you (and your party) fight off the attackers using both ranged and melee attacks, as well as skills and potions. What makes the system different from other action-based RPGs is that a counter limits your attacks. Each action you take drains a skill meter just a little. If the meter is depleted, you must wait for it to refill. Although it may sound limiting, the system works and is very good. It adds a sense of strategy to fights normally seen in turn-based RPGs while also keeping action fast-paced without reducing it to a hack-fest.
At any time during a battle, you can use skills provided you have enough points in reserve. Skills are accessed through a menu that is accessed through a simple button press. Like many other elements in the game, the skill system works similar to systems found in other RPGs, though with changes that make it more accessible and allow it to easily integrate into the gameplay.
As you defeat enemies, they will randomly drop items that can be placed on your character’s skill grid. As these items are placed on the grid, which works like Final Fantasy X’s skill system, new abilities are unlocked. Unlocked skills are limited and are predetermined for your character. The skills are useful, though there isn’t that much freedom in how your character develops. Also, none of your characters ever learn a heal spell, which makes the act of healing a character a chore. You always have to have a stockpile of health items on hand and using them drains some of your attack meter.
You are usually joined in combat by two party members who you can take control of at any time. Each have their own combat skills and have their own uses in battle. The other two are controlled by a competent A.I. that will only bother you if they need to be healed, which you do by pressing one of the shoulder buttons. The member requiring help will usually call out your name and a big thought bubble will appear over your character’s head, so it isn’t too hard to know who needs help.
Completing the main story alone should take about 50 - 60 hours depending on restarts and leveling up characters. Outside that, there’s about 50+ more hours that can be derived from completing side tasks like becoming a top-ranked bounty hunter, capturing insects for a chess-like mini-game or any other various and assorted tasks.
