Commentary on the gameplay centered almost exclusively on the combat. Leadbetter remarked that the game features "a wealth of different adversaries, each with different capabilities that make each confrontation a different tactical challenge." "Next Generation" and Crispin Boyer of "EGM" both praised the pixie system as adding further depth to the game. However, Boyer, along with Ward, also said that the enemy animations often drag on too long, slowing the pace of battle. Ward still had an overall positive impression of the combat, and asserted that "The game is well balanced and provides a fighting challenge without making it impossible to win scenarios." "EGM"s Shawn Smith disagreed, saying the enemy types get increasingly hard too quickly. In contrast, "GamePro" said the fact that players don't lose any of the items they've acquired when their party is wiped out makes the game too easy.