Golden Sun: The Lost Age thrust you right where the first game left off. However, this time you don’t play as group of heroes that you left at the conclusion of the first game; instead you play as the very people you were chasing in the first time around. Unlike the first chapter, The Lost Age doesn’t have to take its time building up the story; because the Golden Sun series is one of the first RPG series that truly feels cohesive giving you the feeling of truly being apart of an impressive tale. Golden Sun accomplishes this not by forcing you to watch hours and hours of cut scenes after cut scenes, but rather making you play through the story in such a way that you have no option but to feel apart of this grand saga.

Now, the gameplay in the Golden Sun series is what truly sets it apart from other games in its genre. The root of its gameplay mechanics will be familiar to anybody was has ever played a traditional, turn-based RPG. However, Golden Sun does differ from your everyday RPG. One of the most unique aspects of Golden Sun is the character development throughout the game. The character classes in Golden Sun are directly affected by magically entities found throughout the world called, Djinn. These little creatures affect your character development in many ways, as I mention before depending on which Djinn you have affixed on each character depends on what character class he or she is at that time. This also affects what powers he or she has during the time a Djinn is assigned to him or her. Furthermore, Djinn, also affect the characters attributes, everything from Hit Points to their Luck rating.

The basic combat system is Golden Sun is really quite simple, as with most traditional, turn-based RPGs. Combat is done through a series of menus, all actions are decided before the start of each “round”. Once the round begins all of the characters and monsters take their actions according to agility rating. However, there is a small twist in Golden Sun’s combat system compared to other traditional RPGs. That small twist is if two characters are attacking the same foe and one character defeats the foe. The other character defends for the rest of the round, instead of auto-targeting another enemy. All this really means is that you have to pay a little closer attention to your battle plan; no just pressing the attack four quick times and watching your characters mop up their enemies.

Of course no fantasy RPG would be complete without magic of some sort, and Golden Sun has that covered in spades. However, magic in the world of Golden Sun goes by a different title, something by name of Psyenergy; the concept behind Psyenergy is somewhat a cross between magic and psionics.

Psyenergy not only has to be used during combat, but it also is essential that you use it out of combat to solve many of Golden Sun’s dynamic and engrossing puzzles. The puzzles that you will encounter throughout the game is another aspect that sets Golden Sun apart from your cookie cutter traditional, turn-based RPG. The puzzles in Golden Sun are well thought out, and challenging; something one would expect from an action-RPG like Zelda, or the Dark Cloud series. A fine mixture of hunting and gathering, block pushing and Psyenergy using makes Golden Sun’s puzzles balanced and entertaining.

Graphically Golden Sun looks even better the second time around. Characters are even more detailed than before, and the battle landscapes have more variety than in the first Golden Sun. Unfortunately, the world map is still quite boring, with little detail or life; this makes moving between dungeons and towns quite laborious at times. However, there is nothing laborious or boring about the spell effects and summons in Golden Sun: The Lost Age; the spell effects and summons are utterly gorgeous, truly a sight to behold. Another small item that was improved in the latest chapter of the Golden Sun saga is the monster variation. With a full house of different monsters and critters to battle with, keeps the random encounters fresh and somewhat exciting.

For people that want to get this game but have not completed the first one. Have no fear, because the story catches you up with what you need to know right in the very beginning of the game. Also, there are optional tutorials for first time players to familiarize you with the controls and how combat and Djinns work. And for the fans of the first Golden Sun, if you have completed it you can transfer all of your old character data to the new game. Because who knows when the characters that you worked so hard to build up might just show up.

The Golden Sun series is hands down the best new series that has come out in the last five years. If I only had one word to describe the Golden Sun series that one word would be, epic. The Golden Sun saga breathes life back into the RPG genre. With a pleasant mix of a fantastic storyline, great character development, good pacing of action and adventure, pleasing graphics, and challenging, but fun puzzles, makes Golden Sun practically the “dream” game for fans of the RPG genre.