THE OLD:
I would finish the game, but the game is 15 hours so far and I don't think that anyone got 2 hours into it. It is disproportionately difficult at the start which is why I put the choice at the beginning as to play the game with handicaps or not. I did try to justify it as the game should get easier as time goes on. Being that you can do as you please with the game, it felt too free so that you did not have to advance the main quest. You had to advance the main quest to get off of the first continent, but no one bothered to :-) (at least I assume from the nothing I am told).
THE NEW:
I am 40 minutes into Maia 2K7. It follows the same storyline as before, only now the main quest is a lot more goal oriented. It is *much easier* and there is no confusion as to what to do. There are reminders of quests. Lets say you enter a cave to kill egg poachers. Each time you enter that cave you are reminded to do something about the egg poachers.
The original Maia floundered around, where you needed 3000 GP to remove the leg braces... so you could do anything you wanted to get the 3000 GP. Hence where the game lost focus. All while you had to find a way to get to Pringo Island (the first island).
In Maka here is how things were.
1. Escape the governor's mansion
2. Speak with Locksmith...
3. Realize the Locksmith's son is missing (its never stated you need to find the missing posters).
4. Find the Locksmith's son (this was vague too).
5. Get 3000 GP to have the key made.
6. Make the key.
In Maia 2K7 there is a clear cut series of steps to do.
1. Escape the governor's mansion (in a box)
2. Buy disguises (so towns people won't run and guards won't chase you)
3. Tailor will not talk to you cause you are criminals.
4. Save the Tailor's son from a well (this branches into what can be a series of side quests).
5. Tailor is happy, but the disguises have been taken by a crotchity old man.
6. Elusively steal the costumes at night avoiding to make any sound.
7. Put on the costumes / disguises (this is where you CUSTOMIZE YOUR CHARACTERS)
8. Set off to the Locksmith who will not just sell you the key.
9. Locksmith has you find who killed his wife (series of events that I will not spoil).
10. Locksmith sells you a key for 3000 GP (the price could change)
And with the need for 3000 GP, you can join guilds or go back to do side quests.
So far Maia 2K7 there are 7 quests, that take me 40 minutes. There are even puzzle rooms, where you do the puzzle for a treasure, but the puzzles completed also count up. 4 main quests, 3 side quests, 3 puzzle rooms, 1 village, 1 town, 1 mansion, 1 side area (pond), and 1 egg mine.