The battle system is excellent like this:
Your magic comes in discrete units which you can absorb from enemies and from natural springs in the world. This is actually called "paramagic" in comparison to "magic" which is what a breed of women called sorceresses are inherently able to use and is not discrete. paramagic is basically science attached to your head.

This doctor scientist invented a way to attach the paramagic to your brain by entering into arcane agreements with mystical beasts. In doing this, you are able to jump high, look better, and perform better in bed. The battle system is centered around this beast/mind arrangement; they allow you to use commands other than 'attack', passively use magic to focus your strength, vitality, health, spiritual defense, and provide elemental and status barriers as well.

The discrete units when absorbed (or "Drawn") are added to a pool, and when that pool is attached to a specific statistic, the more that is in the pool, the more your stat is augmented, giving you amazing free reign to develop your characters as you'd like.

The card game is addictive because 1) it is simple to pick up and 2) it behooves you to become addicted to it, for purposes of gaining items.

the politics are intricate because they begin from the very first hour of the game in obscure references in text books and govern almost every single event of the game, instead of being a mystical quest arbitrarily set by some vague demiforce. You are children of fate, but that fate takes a large form in the governments of the world.

The outer space is sexcellent.