Just as Earthbound and Persona, Grandia uses the same system.

If you start the encounter by surprise you get the first hit. If they ambush you, they do.

Ah, see I knew the system was too good for it to go almost completely unused in other games.  Thanks for the tip.

this is an awsome Review.  Umm, I have to ask you though, how would I get my friend into this game.  I've told her about a million times how she should try the game and play it but she's actually quite quick to shoot me down when I talk about games (however, she can talk about FF7 till there is no end.  Still have not played that game and I already know more than most who have.  Scary huh?)  So what would I have to do to get her to at least try to play the game.  I think this review would be a bit to long to just make her sit down and watch it.  I've actually told her that she owes it to herself to play it (seeing as she is an RPG fan.) and she still shows little interest.  Anything I culd say that would at least get her attention sure fire?  I dunno, maybe I should just tell her Cloud or Sephiroth is in it.  Then while she's beatting the crap out of me cus she played the game all the way through and found no trace of either or, she'll realize it's a great game. 

Sorry for the rambling on.

So yeah, that ramble aside.  I think the reason Earthbound has some issues re-releasing is because of the type of music.  They refrence the beatles an awful lot and from what i understand (I could be wrong) the Apple Record company is real clingly and sue happy towards the Beatles.  again, I could be wrong seeign as htis is only a rumer I've heard a while back, but, it would make sense if the case were true.)

If shes an RPG fan, i don't see why she wouldn't like to give it a try. Have you showed her some pics of the game? Or maybe YOU should play it in front of her for maybe an hour. Thats what hooked me anyway. I watched a friend play it and i wanted to try doing something that she did differently. Anyway hope that it works out for you!

well I will tell you this.  If I got someone else to tell hjer aboutthe game she would play it.  thats how she got into games like Legend of Zelda, Mario galaxy, and the DotHack games.  Each and every time I talked the world aboutthose games and she said "no Im not interested" yet someone else told ehr about the game and "OH MY GOD THIS IS AMAZING!".  Ticks me off each time. 

Well, Maybe thats what I should do, just sit her down and play it for an hour and see when she gets interested. 

good review compared to some of those other one's where the people are obsessed with graphics and violence.