The same menu used for the Catacomb of Trials also offer access to other places of interest like shops and guilds. All of these options, as well as character development and equipment screens, are menu driven. The town menu is also menu driven with some slight graphical window dressing that fits in nicely with the game. The shops in the game are very straightforward, and allow players to outfit any entire team of warriors, cleric and archers with relative ease. The shop is a no-hassle feature that makes it pretty easy to buzz in and out quickly without wading through multiple menus.

The other town stop is the guild, where players can fuse items and take on side quests. Side quests are a mix of random text-driven events, time sensitive map-specific battles and tasks, and a place to get extra information. All of the quests are straightforward, and the battles tend to give nice rewards like additional characters that will join the team.

The other guild option, Item Fusion, allows players to fuse together all manner of items to create more powerful items. Since some items can only be obtained through using this system it's important to spend a small amount of time messing with it. Item Fusion requires two items to work, and the game does a great job of telling you what you will create, so you don't waste your time creating items you already have. Overall the Item Fusion works nicely and is a great way to enhance your characters' stats even further.

The Final Verdict

Graphically Stella Deus doesn't break any technological barriers on the PlayStation 2. The game combines colorful artwork, character animations, adult themed language, and a very mature storyline that gives the game a nice overall feel that fans of the genre will appreciate. While the game does use 2D art for everything, the developers have done a great job of creating an appealing game world and characters. The spoken dialogue and text in the game also does a great job of moving the storyline along, and is, for the most part, engaging and interesting.

While Stella Deus isn't going to win any awards for innovative gameplay or flashy presentation, it is nonetheless a solid and entertaining tactical RPG that delivers everything you'd expect. If you are in love with this genre then Stella Deus is a sure bet to burn the midnight oil with.