So: D:TAG was a heck of a lot of fun to play. It preserves the epic sense from the first game (being able to go from flying around on a dragon to running around in tunnels within twenty seconds. The melee & bow combat remains essentially unchanged, although there is the welcome addition of spellcasting.

Even more welcome is an "RPG-lite" quality -- as you destroy baddies and finish quests, you gain experience and levels. And you can spend those levels on greater proficiency in melee, bow, and magic. There is also gold, and stores. That, combined with a number of side quests, hidden areas, and generally vast landscapes mean that the game has a greater sense of depth than its predecessor.

It's hard to gauge relative length, since I played the previous game a few years ago (and then put this game down for two months before finishing it in once crazed weekend push). Still, the sequel feels longer and more satisfying than the original. I'd guess there are probably around 20 hours of play to be had. My only real complaint is that I was hoping the sequel would more directly resolve certain events from the first game.

Once I got used to it, I actually preferred the PS2's controller to playing the original on the PC. For one thing, it's easier to use the PS2 controller for long stretches :). Also, the target lock strafing system makes more intuitive sense on a console than it does on a keyboard-n-mouse PC.

The graphics are overall a distinct improvement over the PC, although the PS2 continues to suffer slightly from low texture memory. That being said, the visuals are lush and vibrant, including some beautiful sky textures and effects.

I was still a little disappointed in the ending; mostly because the outtro is just a voiceover -- I'd hoped for a cutscene with a little more direct resolution. Still, I found this game overall to be a lot of fun and a worthwhile buy.  11:11:08 PM