What’s this, a chance to bore you all with my nostalgia?  That’s right: Legend of Dragoon is hitting the Playstation Network today, and for the affordable price of $5.99 — that works out to about $1.50 a disc, which is mere pennies per enjoyment-filled hour.

Legend of Dragoon had no infallible brand attached to it in an era when epic JRPG sequels dominated the console landscape.  Yet it came alive via a highly imaginative world with a deep and sordid history (Joel and I spoke at length regarding two aspects of the game’s history on DVGH).  The lifeblood of the game’s world was without a doubt its cast of characters — their stories sometimes hopeful, sometimes unflinchingly tragic, but always memorable.

LOD’s battle system was the first I’d ever experienced that made use of timing mechanics.  I was no longer on the sideline watching my avatars slap each other with swords — no, I was the one telling them how to do the slapping.  Finally, a masterfully executed transformation system raised the bar for boss battles, keeping the game balanced yet challenging.  And so I completed Legend of Dragoon (multiple times no doubt), resigning it to a special spot among my collection of treasured games never to be forgotten.

I haven’t revisited the game since the days of the Playstation, so I am eager to get it on my PSP Go and experience it once more through new eyes.  If you’re a fan of PS One era JRPGs, dragon lore, and changing discs like a Jersey Shore DJ, I can’t recommend Legend of Dragoon enough.