PixlBit

My comment about the game's speed is highly subjective.  For the games I'm used to playing, which are mostly action-oriented rpgs, I might be somewhat sensitive to watching battle animations that I wish I could skip.  So, take my opinion with a huge grain of salt.

Also, I agree with you about the original graphics.  Actually, they should have done it one better and included either the PS1 remake or the Sega CD original (or both !).

I'm actually surprised they haven't released a collection of the side games yet.  Granted, a considerable amount of work would need to be done to port the PSP games over.  But, it would make the entire series (up until now) available on one console.  They would probably cut Snake's Revenge, unfortunately, because it was not sanctioned by Kojima.  Then again, maybe he would include it to poke fun at it.

I held off on the purchase of the PSP version of Lunar for a long time, too.  I originally had the premium edition preordered, but I cancelled it shortly after playing the demo.  There was something sluggish about the battle system, and some of its quirks were somewhat annoying.  I more or less walked away from the game until I decided to look at it again.  From what I read, the qualms I had with the game eventually disappear as the party grows stronger, and I ended up buying it last year.  It was incredibly inexpensive, too, which made the decision to buy it easier.

I don't think you have to worry about the Legacy Collection being limited in supply.  If Konami is good for one thing it's keeping the Metal Gear series available in its entirety.  That said, this is a very nice set.  I only wish the PS1 games were included with this set on the disc (even if it pushed the cost up another $10).  PS1 game discs still work on the PS3 regardless of the model you own, and it would have been a really cool extra.

Hmmm... that's unfortunate that you're missing Mana Khemia 2.  I'm guessing that one still eludes you at GameStop?

How are you doing for the Atelier Iris games or the .hack//G.U. trilogy?

For rpgs fans, the PS2 was the gift that kept on giving.  It's just unfortunate that the PS3 did not carry on its legacy.  That might be changing, though.  I've noticed a large swath of games coming out for it this year and the next (not counting the HD ports).  Time and Eternity, Dragon's Crown, Tales of Xillia, Disgaea D2, The Guided Fate Paradox, The Witch and The Hundred Knights, Ragnarok Odyssey Ace.  Then there are the games that might be localized like Drakengard 3, Battle Princess of Arcadia, Tales of Xillia 2, more Atelier games, and The Legend of Heroes.  On top of that, there is the possibility of Romance of the Three Kingdoms XII and the latest Daisenryaku game being localized (they might digital-only, though).

The rpg support might be late, but I suppose it's better than nothing.  Perhaps by the time you've acquired the system many of the aforementioned games will be out with many more on the way.

I suppose if you just want to collect this game and never play it, picking it up would be fine.  But, to be completely honest, the money that would be spent on this game could be put to far better use.  Perhaps towards La Pucelle Tactics or the Mana Khemia games?

If you can find this game for cheap, I say go for it.  But, be aware that this game has some serious faults.  First, the skill system offers you no control over what you learn, keep, or discard (new skills overwrite old ones, regardless if you liked them or not).  Second, battles take a very long time to complete.  Both your troops and the enemy forces have innate health regeneration that kicks in at the end of each turn.  If you don't gang up on individual units, you could very well trade blows with an enemy that will not fall.

That said, I bought this game when it launched back in 2008 for $40.  I thought it was going to be rare or worth something, considering that it was a jrpg and a GameStop exclusive.  But, that didn't work out.  The game's price eventually crashed and it started showing up at Amazon and other online retailers.  So, I wouldn't be surprised if you find this game at GameStop, used, for a few dollars.

That's good to know.  The game's balance was my biggest concern, because I don't want to be severly penalized if I can't aim fast enough.  I've already been there with the PSP's Battlefront games, where they expect you to play a twin-stick shooter - perfectly - without the second stick.  So, if the game has multiple difficulty levels I should be fine with it.  Thanks for the info!

Mega Man for the Game Gear was a good effort, considering that Capcom had nothing to do with it.  Yes, the music is... terrible, the aspect ratio causes significant problems (they should have copied the Game Boy versions), and Mega Man somehow lost a projectile.  But, it is still playable.  Anyway, it's one of those curiosities that I wouldn't mind owning.  I'm not going to part with big bucks for it, though.

As for the Rockman games, I was just curious to see what other imports or reproduced carts you had in your vast collection.  Other games like Rockman EXE WS and Rockman Megaword never had a proper Western release, and I thought you might have acquired them. 

Ah, Band Brothers.  That was a bit misleading due to its status as companion piece to the DS game.  If only I had remembered that it was one of the few releases that made use of both slots, because that was a dead giveaway to its identity. 

Hmm... your favorite DS import.  I'm not even going to go into how much of a wild guess this is (there is a metric ton of interesting DS imports to choose from), but I'm going to go with Game Center CX 2.

Finally, I'm glad to hear that you are playing your NGPC games.  How is Dark Arms, by the way?