The game flowed along nicely, I can't remember any slow-downs at all. True, all of the things I've mentioned have been done better in later games. But I ask you to remember, this isn't FFIX , or a PS2 title. There are no voice overs, and the in-game sounds are mostly found on the battle screen. Otherwise the game is pretty spartan in this department, some footsteps, and a couple of other sounds.
Music is where the game makes up for it's lack of other sound effects.
Each piece seems to fit into it's place in the game. OK, OK, I'll admit, you can get a little tired of hearing the battle music over and over. Like most RPGs, there aren't really any control issues to discuss. Moving around the the screen is easy, as is accessing your item menu. Once you get the hang of the combat system it's a snap.