How big is the game world and are there a lot of side quests and mini games?

Why don't you just play the [censored] game? Where's the fun in everyone telling you about every aspect of the game before you even play it? Especially with a new thread for every game you play.

It's fun talking about it with other fans of the same game/genre while I play the game at the same time. It spices things up and it also gives a better understanding of the game and might even find/do something you may have overlooked.

Because some people like talking about games that they're playing. Hence, gaming forums. No need to be so negative about it.

The game is phenomenal. One of the best JRPGs ever released.

One of my 3 favourite games of all time, and the inspiration for my username that I've had for 10 years.

The soundtrack is also phenomenal. The composer (Yasunori Mitsuda) is actually just about to release a new orchestral remix album for it. There is still that huge demand for the music even though the game has been out for 12 years.

I didn't think it was a particularly difficult game, and don't know what 'early boss' was meant earlier in the thread. Just make sure to buy new weapons etc for your characters as they become available, and upgrades for your gears etc. No different to any other JRPG - you have to upgrade your stuff as you progress.

It may be worth grabbing a guide from gamefaqs.com if you don't want to 'overlook' anything. The game has lots of interesting secrets that can easily be missed (forever); secrets that give you good stuff, or reveal more about the story.

The story is brilliant, and isn't hard to understand. There is a lot of stuff to keep track of, but it's not convoluted. You do have to read a lot, and pay attention, but it's worth it. If you have played Chrono Cross (Kato/Mitsuda's other PS1 masterpiece), you can rest assured that it is much easier to understand than Chrono Cross is. Nevertheless, if you haven't played Chrono Cross - get that too.