Stella Deus – Consumer Guide

According to ESRB, this game contains: Suggestive Themes, Violence

Parents might have some concerns over the game's T rating, but again I find this one of those instances where the ESRB has erred on the side of conservatism. If there's any reason to keep younger gamers from popping Stella Deus in the PS2, it's that the game can be slow and difficult, and not that it has much in the way of objectionable material.

Strategy RPG Fans will buy and play this regardless of what the review says. Despite the problems, Stella Deus is still worth not only playing, but owning if you're a gamer into the whole "fantasy chess" thing. Besides, this is an Atlus game, which means in a year from now it will be impossible to find, and fetching obscene prices on eBay.

Casual gamers aren't likely to enjoy this game. It's slow and methodical, and the amount of depth is sure to intimidate anyone who can't sit down and sink hours at a time into the title. This is, quite honestly, the antithesis of a casual game.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing gamers will miss out on the title's music, but all the dialogue (including the passages that feature some of the most horrific voice acting I've heard in awhile) features full subtitles.