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To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the classic Final Fantasy series, Square have re-released some of the classic titles from the earlier years on PSP. Final Fantasy II is one of the games to receive such treatment, and it's a reminder of why the series became so popular.

First off, some limitations: this is much the same game that was released all those years ago with some minor graphical updates. Expect retro looks rather than those seen in, for instance, Crisis Core - the prequel to Final Fantasy VII that's also just been released.

Aside from that, though, this is a stunning RPG, and the retro graphics actually have heap loads of charm. There's the main quest, of course, but there's also other tasks to complete, levels to ascend and items to collect and equip. It's like a blueprint for the future of the genre and you almost feel like you're getting a history lesson simply by playing the game.

The plot is classic Final Fantasy - lots of tragedy, heroic actions and adventure wrapped into a classic scenario. The story, set in the Empire of Palemecia, revolves around impending war and the story of a group of orphans who, having been drawn into the conflict, resolve to sort it out themselves. It's a typical fantasy story - and many parallels can be drawn to Star Wars - but it just works.

The gameplay features many things that have become commonplace both within the Final Fantasy series and RPG games in general. There's items to win, Gil to collect and spend, and equipment to, well, equip. As usual, there are weapons to wield and levels to achieve, as well as quests to complete and monsters to vanquish. And it's all handled superbly.

Magic spells can also be deployed, and conversations with NPC characters can be memorised, so key terms can be used again - passwords for certain towns, for instance. There's also Chocobos, Cid with his airship and that battle-victory music.

If you're looking for an RPG to swallow hours on your PSP on long train journeys, then you could do a lot worse than investing in this classic. There's a huge amount of gameplay here - dozens, perhaps even hundreds of hours of adventuring. It's hard not to recommend this slice of classic retro gameplay thanks to its endearing graphics, absorbing story and brilliant design.