While the story abandons much of the original game, Golden Sun 2 is otherwise very similar to the original. The battle system is fast and beautiful again, but doesn't seem to show a lot more variety beyond what was seen in the first game -- the same spinning angles and some very familiar effects. Graphically, there are no great leaps in design for the main game quest engine either. However, even though Camelot hasn't reinvented the game for the sequel, there was not one thing wrong with the original, and the return of those same dazzling effects and beautiful landscapes means another stunner set in the land of Wayard. With active shores and colorful cities, the game does look even better than the original, and while the super-deformed characters still remind you of the kiddie original quartet, this group is older and are drawn with slightly more edge to them.
The US version won't hit until early 2003, so importers may be enticed to pick up the sequel early to see where the story goes before the translated version hits in almost 6 months.
Source: pocket.ign.com
