There are not ALWAYS quick-jumps, but there are several. The most notable ones are after the final dungeons of each respective Character Quest, and there are various others (another one to point out being during chapter six, you don't have to go through a single dungeon twice to get in or out). To be fair, it's at least half the game (the Main Quest, at least) that doesn't require you to go back. If need be, I'll create a list starting from Lumen Spring to the Cradle of Time.
As for landmarks, I have a habit of using the Chaotic Zones for that. If you get lost, check back to see if there's a Chaotic Zone leftover. If you aren't seeing any in sight and you're at a dead end, you've gone the wrong way (also assuming you take the chance to fight the monsters within them). Chaotic Zones appear as you make your way through the dungeon. Some are off to the side as extras, but are still within the forward path. You just get them as you go along. If you go through the Zones and defeat the monsters, and you wind up going backwards, you'll notice - you won't find any Zones. Although this only goes for dungeons, to be fair, there's a path on the World Map that will almost always (if NOT always) lead you in the right direction. If you start going off from your original destination, you'll be stopped a character's dialogue telling you not to go that way (in the Main Quest). For the case of the Character Quests, you've got all the locations down, and therefore all the ducts are open, meaning traveling on foot to get from one location to the next is no longer necessary. If you're off trying to find treasure and you get lost, you've just gotta memorize the area enough and work your way back to the dirt path.
This is simply advice and knowledge from someone who has played the game more than enough times.
I liked all the characters, too (although Shirley got on my nerves a few times).
I love Shirley. So there.
Though, to be honest, all the characters can get on one's nerves at times. But I like that about them; it makes them feel human. It's just like the cast of Final Fantasy VIII, who are disliked for similar reasons but liked by me for them.
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Well, it's certainly not the best, but it's still worth one playthough
The thing to understand about Legendia is that it is not the best Tales game. In fact, out of the four Tales games I've played, it's the worst. Even so, it's still a good game, and was still better then quite a few other RP Gs I've played.
What Legendia's really got going for it is music, background and setting, and just general awesome atmosphere. Go Shiina's music is a different style than the other games, but it fits the new setting, and damn if it isn't awesome. It's my 2nd favorite soundtrack of all time, beaten by Katamari Damacy (dur) and beating Tales of the Abyss and Pokemon Black&White. The scenery is nothing short of Scenery Porn. (Like this
,this
, and this
. Note that NONE of those are even final dungeon graphics, just plain ole, regular dungeons and town.) Both music and scenery make for a fantastic overall atmostphere.
As for the characters and story itself, well, the story wasn't anything special for me, until it got to the Character Quests, at which point it got REALLY interesting. I liked all the characters, too (although Shirley got on my nerves a few times). But I've heard people profess their hatred for both, so there you go. It is very annoying that there's a severe lack of side quests, a feature I'd always loved about the Tales games.
The gameplay is where things really suffer, though. The dungeons are basically long roads of scenery porn with no real puzzles to play with or landmarks to keep yourself from getting lost with. What's worse is that you'll probably have to trek back and forth two or three times through each LONG dungeon (and they're all long) over the course of the game, with no quick jump. T_T For the battle system, well, it's similar to Phantasia, with a 2D version of the basic Tales battle system. For me, it was bearable at best, since getting special moves was way more complicated then it should've been and almost all spells were nerfed.
So basically:
Pluses: Fantastic music, scenery porn, and storyline
Mehs: Characters
Minuses: Dungeon length, lack of side quests, and battle system