You catch us at a bad moment. Unfortunately, we can't really afford the time to actually pen a review because we're still too busy twiddling our thumbsticks with Dark Chronicle. The game is just wonderful - an absolute delight to play on every level. Yes, at its heart the title's an RPG, and a fantasy one too, and that might send some of you running to the hills screaming, but this isn't just Dungeons & Dragons with a spot of Georama. It's wickedly immersing, genuinely diverse and utterly charming. What's more, there are none of those frickin' random battles.

So, you want to know the story? What, really? Now? But there's so much that we need to be doing. Just for starters, then, you can look at What's The Story (below) for the full yarn, because if we don't dispose of the Rainbow Butterfly guarding the final level in the spooky forest, all hell will break loose. Literally. And when the fighting in the forest is done and enough cash has been collected to buy the stove from Morton's 24/7 store back in the town, some fish have got to be caught for dinner. Make yourself useful and find some bait, this RPG party marches on its stomach.

Then there's the matter of maintaining and upgrading the weapons. Do you think a standard Work Wrench is going to upgrade to a monster-mashing Smash Wrench all by itself? No, it needs a lot of love and attention, so careful not to break it. Those fancy magic crystals that we've been tearing around collecting, they ain't for the Christmas tree. They have properties that enable you to build up your essential adventurer's kit. For example, you'll need a sackful of them if you want to equip your Ridepod, a mechanical monster-slaying machine called, er, Steve, with a new set of side-mounted cannons.

And don't even get us started on the Georama, the system used to rebuild the ravaged world that our heroes inhabit. Collect this, invent that, hunt out that magical stone, plant a tree here, build a house there - no, no, put it next to the stream, not facing a rock. It's enough to give you apoplexy. And there just isn't the space to mention the mini-golf competitions, the beguiling storyline, the time travel aspect and the host of supporting characters who flit in and out of your party.

All these elements (and more) combine to make for one of the richest, most involving and engaging games you could ask for. RPG fanatics will be in raptures, and even if you're not usually the sort to dabble in the genre, your heart would have to be made of stone not to fall in love. Yes, it'll take you months to finish and the amount of stuff to get your head around is almost bewildering, but when all too often you can complete an adventure in a weekend, Dark Chronicle is a ray of PS2 sunshine.

Now, if you'll excuse us...

Dark Chronicle is the sequel to Dark Cloud, which is probably best remembered for introducing the brilliant Georama, a construction system along the lines of Theme Park World and Sim City. On your travels through the dungeons you'd pick up all kind of raw elements which could then be used to build everything from lakes to libraries.

Thankfully, Georama also reappears in Dark Chronicle and although integral to the game, doesn't play quite such a significant role.

It was just an ordinary day like any other when suddenly...

A young lad called Max, who has never set eyes on the world outside his home town of Palm Brinks, is given a jewelled pendant by his father. Little does Max know that the stone holds immense power and is coveted by powers of great evil who look down from far away.

After narrowly avoiding a lynching at the hands of a troupe of killer clowns, Max's inquisitive nature leads him out of the town and into the world beyond. Here, he discovers the awful truth - evil walks abroad. The fate of the world - past, present and future - hangs in the balance. Together with Monica, a time-travelling princess-type he meets along the way, Max sets off to put things to rights.

Graphics 90%
Enchanting environments and great characters.

Sound 80%
The genteel music never bugs, unlike the US accents.

Gameplay 90%
Engrossing, complex and varied beyond belief.

Lifespan 99%
A virtual lifetime.

Overall 90%
If you've finished FFX and need a new fix, look no further. This is top-tier RPG fare. An essential purchase.