The Seven Sisters high school is the setting for a series of gruesome  murders, and it's up Maya Amano, a cub reporter for popular teen magazineCoolest, to get to the bottom of the murders. Yes, in the spirit ofScooby-Dooand many afterschool specials, when the police fail, it's time  to call in the high schoolers!Seriously, though,Persona 2is an interesting title. It is the sequel to  a popular import with a story that is, for the most part, involving. Even in  their small sprite form, the anime characters in the game are very well done and  blend nicely with the gaming environments. The character movements are a bit  jerky, but it's still better than most role-playing games.Unfortunately, the game's slow-moving story line and somewhat tedious character  interaction ruin the game's early momentum. Things get back on track later in  the game--but obviously only for those gamers who have stayed on through the dry  spots. Patient players are rewarded with 80 different persona summons, or  spells, that can be unlocked throughout the game. You can also chat with the  monsters, which is fun at first but grows tiresome. Also, the game's  straightforward battle system lacks the strategic elements found in other games  of this genre.PerhapsPersona 2's most interesting gameplay element is the rumor  system, which allows you to gossip about other characters in the game. A  properly spread rumor can trigger in-game events and create whole new story  arcs. This adds considerable replay value and most RPGers should appreciate this  to no end.--Todd MowattPros:Great dialogueEerie music sets appropriate tone for the gameRumor system lets you affect the game's storyCons:Talking to enemies gets very repetitiveToo-simple combat schemePoor pacing in the game's middle