"Famitsu" called the original version's gameplay a "stressless experience", praising the game's size and saying the action-oriented battle system made it "a very different "Final Fantasy"". "Dengeki PlayStation" similarly praised its size and the tense combat, though the review found aspects of the navigation less appealing. Hindman was generally positive about most aspects of gameplay and the high replay value, but found faults with the scripted opening of the overworld and the real-time strategy segments. Van Duine said the gameplay encouraged immersion and was harsh on novices; she praised several aspects of gameplay, but described the leveling system as "tricky". The multiplayer functions were universally praised in Japan. Opinions were divided on the original camera, with "Famitsu" praising its movement, while Van Duine and "Dengeki PlayStation" found issues with it getting stuck in the environment or impeding visibility. The character AI also received criticism for being unresponsive or wayward.