Why has it been so hard for developers to produce an above average original RPG on the PSP? I'm not even talking about an amazing, genre-defining classic either, as that would seem to be too lofty a request! I just want an enjoyable RPG fix on the go. The Game Boy Advance was home to more excellent RPGs than some consoles, and the DS seems destined to continue that trend, but the baby PS2 continues to stumble. Namco Bandai realized our needs and have brought the fifth game in the Dragon Slayer series over to Western shores, in the guise of Legend of Heroes III: Song of the Ocean. For what it's worth, I'd rather just lob this one back to the dolphins, as the only standout aspect of this average to a fault RPG is that the wait for Namco Bandai's summer release of Tales of the World: Radiant Mythology just got that much harder to withstand.

Song of the Ocean continues the Legend of Heroes series with a standalone story about Forte, a blue-haired musician with a famous band-leading, adventure-taking grandfather McBain. When rumor of McBain's desire to head out on the road one final time makes the rounds, as he wants to discover the secret of the Magic Map and the lost Water Melody, Forte, along with his childhood friend and secret admirer Una and loyal pup Jan, decide to join up with him to create a traveling band of musicians. Sure it's an interesting enough idea, but don't expect that enthusiasm to stick around, because stale dialogue, flat characters and grammatical errors swipe away the majority of enjoyment that the story attempts to provide, leaving it as 'just another group of people wandering a fantasy world.' Only in small doses is the story bearable enough to not just skip straight through.

Prospects don't improve as we move onto the gameplay either. Exploration, whether it is around town or out in the wilderness, is simple and straightforward, which will either have you relieved that it's extremely difficult to get lost or claustrophobic because movement is set on such a linear path. Battles are not random, as with the other games in the series, with enemies appearing on the map, waiting for you to bump into them, or them into you, to begin a fight. Once inside a fight you'll find a perfect cure for the insomnia blues, as it would take a strong person to be able to stave off the slumber that the battle system induces. This game may as well have been developed in the early Nineties ('Dear Tony: Since you seem to be naïve to the origins of the series you are attempting to review - poorly I might add - the Dragon Slayer series actually did get its start in the early Nineties, with this game actually being originally released in 1999. Hating you always, DrgnSlyrFn4vr'), as the tried-and-true turn-based menu and following actions are represented in 2D, just like the Super Nintendo used to make!

If the art direction or graphics were mildly intriguing then these archaic battles might just tickle the part of my brain that tells me, "this is fun," but that is just not the case. Uninspired 2D sprites move in four directions to shake hands or hug foes - I can't squint hard enough to tell which one -as if the PSP 'obviously' lacks the ability to animate anything beyond three frames. But if your object is standing still, or is water, then the graphical quality leaps up to, gasp, impressive. Mountains, grass, trees and other items of nature are rendered in a very detailed 3D, while manmade objects are created using no less detailed 2D, almost as if they were hand drawn. The quality is truly of a high caliber, making it that much harder to swallow the primitive looking characters.

As music is a big part of the story, it comes as no surprise that it is a big part of the game. The characters play real world instruments solo and in groups, with songs for each; not to mention those songs that are a part of the actual score. I especially found enjoyment in the pieces actually played by the characters, as they have a classical, refined sound to them, as if they have been around for decades. You might not find yourself humming these to yourself, but there is no reason to keep the volume down.

As for lasting appeal, Song of the Ocean will go as far as you want it to go; but once it's over, don't expect it to entice you for a second round. The main quest is around forty to fifty hours in length, and if you space out your playing sessions that could translate into two or three months of gameplay. Fans of the first two PSP games that still have save data on their memory stick can access special arenas known as 'scenes', where you can reacquaint yourself with characters from the past two games (assuming that you have unlocked them on your saves). Finish enough of these scenes and you can gain these old characters as usable party members, which greatly tips the scales in your favor for the remainder of the game and is a very neat touch.

Legend of Heroes III: Song of the Ocean jumped into the sea of PSP games and produced a splash the size of a potato, disturbing very few people outside of the fans waiting eagerly for its appearance. I am still completely dumbfounded as to the reason why Namco Bandai continue to push such forgettable, mediocre drudge our way when the vastly superior and already translated into English Tales of Eternia [Released in Europe but not in the US at time of writing. Ed] is left just out of our reach. Do yourself a favor - just import Tales of Eternia (or pick it up at import-friendly stores such as Fry's) and leave this legend for Davy Jones' locker.

Reviewed by Tony Peters for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).