Adding clever, original ideas to Chrono Trigger's on-map fights, Grandia boasts the best combat system since ATB's introduction, and in many ways feels like a natural evolution. Combat largely revolves around turn interruption, an aspect that provides strategic depth thanks in large part to an active turn order bar and enhanced by its on-map battles. Players are now encouraged to estimate factors beyond mere attack placement and resource management, from enemy distance to turn order, to time required. The combination of active decision making and quirky turn manipulating skills and status effects added layers of depth to a genre known for its passive combat. Although the game's second disc largely disposes of that style in favor of AoE spells and their use-based progression system, its ties with resource management at least kept dungeons and boss fights interesting.
Its achievements were not only mechanical, as the game injects a great dose of humor and whimsy to each of its characters, towns, and dialogue. And its plot - while not particularly innovative, is chock full of memorable moments enhanced by a largely playful, whimsical atmosphere. With this release, GameArts effectively coined a new branch of JRPG.
Its achievements were not only mechanical, as the game injects a great dose of humor and whimsy to each of its characters, towns, and dialogue. And its plot - while not particularly innovative, is chock full of memorable moments enhanced by a largely playful, whimsical atmosphere. With this release, GameArts effectively coined a new branch of JRPG.
+ Characters develop / grow
+ Battle system takes the best of both action and turn based combat
+ Battle system provides replay ability
+ Adventure is Romanticize / feels like one
+ Story isn't traditional / interesting
~ Voice acting in english is decent at best
~ Pacing can be off putting at first
~ Not really challenging
- Constant loading times between certain menus
- Can't skip attack animations
- Literal backtracking seems more like padding
+ Battle system takes the best of both action and turn based combat
+ Battle system provides replay ability
+ Adventure is Romanticize / feels like one
+ Story isn't traditional / interesting
~ Voice acting in english is decent at best
~ Pacing can be off putting at first
~ Not really challenging
- Constant loading times between certain menus
- Can't skip attack animations
- Literal backtracking seems more like padding
I played this game when I was 10 (it was a present on my 10th birthday back in 2000) and I've finished it a LOT over the years. On PS1, on PS3, on Vita, on Switch, and most recently on Steam. Previously it was difficult to tell what was "100% completion," though a few runs I've done everything there was to do and maxed out levels. So I'm going to set my completion date to 06 April 2021, because that was when I finally got around to 100%ing all achievements for the game on Steam.
Anyway, to this day this is my favourite game of all time. I absolutely adore it. Nothing will ever beat it. Unbelievably charming and brimming with peak 90s JRPG energy.
Anyway, to this day this is my favourite game of all time. I absolutely adore it. Nothing will ever beat it. Unbelievably charming and brimming with peak 90s JRPG energy.
amazing game! it has it flaws but even then its an awesome adventure
This review contains spoilers
A really charming classic JRPG. Grandia doesn't have a mindblowing story or particularly good combat but it does carry a strong sense of adventure, likable cast of characters and really nice soundtrack. Normally I'd hate having to play as a kid, it took a long time to warm up to Rex in xenoblade 2, but I found Justin and Sue to be really likable straight away and I think Justin's naivete fit really well with the tone of the story. Feena was really cute and the other party members that swap in and out throughout the game were pretty solid too. The story has several nice moments like Justin and Feena chillin' at the seaside and watching the spirits, Justin's departure on his grand adventure and leaving his mom, and the part where Justin loses his way was really well-done. While the combat is very simple and a lot of boss fights are made easier by just spamming normal attacks, the animations have a pretty satisfying whack to them so I didn't mind it much.
手紙のシーンは号泣しちゃう。
I adore this one.
Grandia is such a nice and cozy game with such fun characters and a nice world to explore alongside a fun battle system, It's just fantastic.
One problem I had with the game is that the levels always felt a little bit too short for my liking, but that's not to say the levels were bad or anything, just wished they were longer.
The game is also somewhat easy, but can still kick your ass when you aren't paying attention and the final boss is also pretty challenging.
Overall thoughts, I should watch Nadia: The secret of blue water
Grandia is such a nice and cozy game with such fun characters and a nice world to explore alongside a fun battle system, It's just fantastic.
One problem I had with the game is that the levels always felt a little bit too short for my liking, but that's not to say the levels were bad or anything, just wished they were longer.
The game is also somewhat easy, but can still kick your ass when you aren't paying attention and the final boss is also pretty challenging.
Overall thoughts, I should watch Nadia: The secret of blue water
Slow start but Grandia has an incredible sense of adventure. The clear highlight is the main duo, Feena and Justin, which makes the game bigger than the sum of its parts. The dungeons and maps are great, the soundtrack is pleasant, and the pace of the game is not bad, it's a shame that the gameplay system is still quite immature compared to the two sequels. The last third also loses a little bit of steam but it is still worth playing.
so much SOUL holy fucking shit
This game captures the innocence of adventure that I find not often portrayed as well as it does in this. The detail in the towns, dialogue, and bosses was fantastic and I highly recommend this game if you are looking for a great RPG from the golden era.
The battle system is different than other RPGs but it works so well that it makes me wish more games did something similar. This game being available with it's sequel on the Switch makes it a lot easier to play this.
The battle system is different than other RPGs but it works so well that it makes me wish more games did something similar. This game being available with it's sequel on the Switch makes it a lot easier to play this.
Review in progress:
Excellent combat system, but the lack of challenge means that it's never utilized to its full potential. Dungeons are pretty underwhelming.
The story and characters aren't anything to write home about. Why did the protagonist have to almost immediately outshine his love interest who's supposedly an experienced adventurer? Why couldn't they learn and grow from each other?The villian is also generic as hell. The voice acting is some of the worst I've ever heard. Subpar anime bullshit.
It's a shame this will never be remade. There's a great game somewhere inside.
Excellent combat system, but the lack of challenge means that it's never utilized to its full potential. Dungeons are pretty underwhelming.
The story and characters aren't anything to write home about. Why did the protagonist have to almost immediately outshine his love interest who's supposedly an experienced adventurer? Why couldn't they learn and grow from each other?The villian is also generic as hell. The voice acting is some of the worst I've ever heard. Subpar anime bullshit.
It's a shame this will never be remade. There's a great game somewhere inside.
By Far my favourite rpg/jrpg and I absolutely loved everything about this game. The characters, the story, the music and the gameplay were ahead of it's time. You really have to play this game to know how good it is.
Also, Sue which is a character in the game has much more emotional pull then any character in any video game ever.
Also, Sue which is a character in the game has much more emotional pull then any character in any video game ever.
Grandia é muitas coisas. É divertido, charmoso, engraçado, mas também é longo, chato e em último caso é também decepcionante. O que começa como uma aventura leve com duas crianças em busca de um mundo pra desbravar, tomas os caminhos mais questionáveis e sem sentido no seu desenrolar que não condizem em nada com as expetativas que são levantadas no começo.
O jogo deixa de lado personagens importantes para dar holofotes a uma relação romântica que não funciona, rebaixa suas personagens femininas protagonistas a papéis de apoio emocional à figura muito centralizada de Justin que arranca desproporcionalmente no desenvolvimento de personagem enquanto Feena é reduzida a um interesse romântico e momentaneamente até mesmo à donzela em perigo, quando todas as outras personagens femininas são removidas do grupo, com exceção da que fica que é totalmente desprovida de necessidades dramáticas ou mesmo de personalidade, entrando no grupo para preencher um vácuo que não deveria ter sido aberto pra início de conversa com a saída de Sue que não só não faz sentido nenhum como joga no lixo muito do que havia sido levantado nas primeiras horas de jogo.
A maioria dos elementos que se tornam centrais em dados segmentos da história perde relevância pouco tempo depois e o mundo, mesmo que vasto e encantador, torna-se aos poucos uma concha de retalhos com personagens decepcionantes e um caminhar muito vacilante.
Junto a isso, a estagnação total da dificuldade do jogo devido a inimigos que não desafiam o potencial estratégico do jogador e o desperdício de um sistema de combate preenchido de possibilidades, combinações e opções que não tem aplicabilidade no decorrer da experiência. Tendo uma grande ênfase temática no imagético da aventura, a gameplay do jogo consiste em enfrentar um rico bestiário e explorar uma infinitude de lugares variados, cheios de diferentes povos e culturas. O que se sobressai na exploração é com certeza a forma como os muitos povos são integrados naqueles ambientes e como isso elabora um mundo muito rico e detalhado, mesmo que com muito pouca coesão no que diz respeito a certos elementos da história de sua formação, como por exemplo o papel da parede do Fim do Mundo, que é abandonado pela história. Mesmo assim, a vida dos que habitam o mundo de Grandia é interessante o bastante pra que se converse com a maioria dos npc's, inclusive mais de uma vez. O que não é muito prazeroso no entanto é a exploração das masmorras onde se encontram inclusive os combates. Labirinticas, visualmente pobres e majoritariamente homogêneas em aparência, todos esses elementos convergem num grande problema que é a péssima navegabilidade desses ambientes, que piora quando se acrescenta a inutilidade quase total da bússola conforme as estruturas se tornam mais e mais elaboradas. Atravessar aquelas áreas enormes e infestadas de inimigos, indo e voltando em meio a lutas sem propósito de tão fáceis, rapidamente me cansou e fez das mais de cinquenta horas dessa experiência, algo dolorosamente maçante.
Em geral, Grandia começa dando largos passos à frente e regredindo cada vez mais em meio a eventuais avanços. Um rico sistema de combate e de progressão com uma grande variedade de habilidades e magias, que não são postas a uso pois a maioria esmagadora dos inimigos são facilmente derrotados com força bruta. Uma grande história a princípio que abre mão de certos elementos em detrimento de outros que não desenvolve bem. Um mundo rico e interessante de se descobrir, mas doloroso de se atravessar. É lindo, rico, lúdico e grandioso. É chato, maçante, grande e tedioso também.
O jogo deixa de lado personagens importantes para dar holofotes a uma relação romântica que não funciona, rebaixa suas personagens femininas protagonistas a papéis de apoio emocional à figura muito centralizada de Justin que arranca desproporcionalmente no desenvolvimento de personagem enquanto Feena é reduzida a um interesse romântico e momentaneamente até mesmo à donzela em perigo, quando todas as outras personagens femininas são removidas do grupo, com exceção da que fica que é totalmente desprovida de necessidades dramáticas ou mesmo de personalidade, entrando no grupo para preencher um vácuo que não deveria ter sido aberto pra início de conversa com a saída de Sue que não só não faz sentido nenhum como joga no lixo muito do que havia sido levantado nas primeiras horas de jogo.
A maioria dos elementos que se tornam centrais em dados segmentos da história perde relevância pouco tempo depois e o mundo, mesmo que vasto e encantador, torna-se aos poucos uma concha de retalhos com personagens decepcionantes e um caminhar muito vacilante.
Junto a isso, a estagnação total da dificuldade do jogo devido a inimigos que não desafiam o potencial estratégico do jogador e o desperdício de um sistema de combate preenchido de possibilidades, combinações e opções que não tem aplicabilidade no decorrer da experiência. Tendo uma grande ênfase temática no imagético da aventura, a gameplay do jogo consiste em enfrentar um rico bestiário e explorar uma infinitude de lugares variados, cheios de diferentes povos e culturas. O que se sobressai na exploração é com certeza a forma como os muitos povos são integrados naqueles ambientes e como isso elabora um mundo muito rico e detalhado, mesmo que com muito pouca coesão no que diz respeito a certos elementos da história de sua formação, como por exemplo o papel da parede do Fim do Mundo, que é abandonado pela história. Mesmo assim, a vida dos que habitam o mundo de Grandia é interessante o bastante pra que se converse com a maioria dos npc's, inclusive mais de uma vez. O que não é muito prazeroso no entanto é a exploração das masmorras onde se encontram inclusive os combates. Labirinticas, visualmente pobres e majoritariamente homogêneas em aparência, todos esses elementos convergem num grande problema que é a péssima navegabilidade desses ambientes, que piora quando se acrescenta a inutilidade quase total da bússola conforme as estruturas se tornam mais e mais elaboradas. Atravessar aquelas áreas enormes e infestadas de inimigos, indo e voltando em meio a lutas sem propósito de tão fáceis, rapidamente me cansou e fez das mais de cinquenta horas dessa experiência, algo dolorosamente maçante.
Em geral, Grandia começa dando largos passos à frente e regredindo cada vez mais em meio a eventuais avanços. Um rico sistema de combate e de progressão com uma grande variedade de habilidades e magias, que não são postas a uso pois a maioria esmagadora dos inimigos são facilmente derrotados com força bruta. Uma grande história a princípio que abre mão de certos elementos em detrimento de outros que não desenvolve bem. Um mundo rico e interessante de se descobrir, mas doloroso de se atravessar. É lindo, rico, lúdico e grandioso. É chato, maçante, grande e tedioso também.
Lo retomaré en la versión HD de Switch.
Perfect back then, perfect today. I may or may not have a shrine dedicated to this game but it's one of my favorite games to play time and time again. The story is nicely paced, the later half scales up really hard, but it's doable. Play it with the Japanese dub or German!
Gute Story, gutes Kampfsystem, gute RPG-Element, gute Dungeons, aber herausstechen tun hier ganz klar die Dialoge.
Denn diese werden hier wirklich geführt. Alle Parteien unterhalten sich, statt einem leblosen NPC, der 3 Zeilen von sich gibt und einem stummen Protagonisten, der sich das alles kommentarfrei anhört.
In kurzen Abständen finden Gespräche innerhalb der Gruppe statt, die sich immer super lesen lassen.
Wieso sich das nie einer abgeguckt hat, ist mir ein Rätsel.
Denn diese werden hier wirklich geführt. Alle Parteien unterhalten sich, statt einem leblosen NPC, der 3 Zeilen von sich gibt und einem stummen Protagonisten, der sich das alles kommentarfrei anhört.
In kurzen Abständen finden Gespräche innerhalb der Gruppe statt, die sich immer super lesen lassen.
Wieso sich das nie einer abgeguckt hat, ist mir ein Rätsel.
Classic RPG, oozes so much charm that by the end you'll be left feeling ":)))))" (Dub is better btw)
Man, what a ride
Pocos juegos transmiten tan efectivamente la sensación de aventura característica del género. Hay que jugarlo.
beautiful game. would love to pick it back up someday soon if i ever have the excuse.
1/4 SMTDR
Boy, this is just Lunar 3, isn't it? Loving what I've played so far.
This review contains spoilers
Go from sneaking into an archeological dig site to fighting a world-consuming evil alongside the last member of an ancient civilization, all while some very pleasant music plays in the background.
i have a strong urge to cry the happiest tears every time i look back at my experience with this game
This was a game I wanted to play back in the PS1 days, but I just didn't have the funds (pocket money). Fast forward to 2021, and I finally got around to playing Grandia from beginning to end. It took me ages but I did it.
As so many others have pointed out, Grandia really does excel at capturing that feeling of going on an adventure. Much more so than the vast majority of games these days. Playing as these kids, throwing caution to the wind, taking on the whole world and revelling in it all while they're doing it, it's all quite wonderful. Sure, there are some dramatic moments scattered here and there - with one particularly poignant scene involving Sue that I won't spoil for anyone who hasn't played this yet - but for the most part, Grandia maintains a sense of humour and joviality. Such levity makes for a refreshing change of pace given how po-faced JRPGs often are.
The turn-based combat is mostly too easy to be considered 'engaging', but it is passable. The game is also maybe a tad too long for its own good. Some dungeons towards the end definitely tested my patience. But for the most part, Grandia is a delightful romp that gets by on the strength of its own convictions. There was clearly a lot of love poured into this game, from its barnstorming soundtrack to its busy towns (so many NPCs!) to the vast amount of attention poured into bringing the central cast to life and making the player care about them. Its enthusiasm is contagious, and I hope one day I'll get around to playing the sequel.
(Played using the patch that replaces all the Western voice acting with the original Japanese audio tracks... thank god.)
As so many others have pointed out, Grandia really does excel at capturing that feeling of going on an adventure. Much more so than the vast majority of games these days. Playing as these kids, throwing caution to the wind, taking on the whole world and revelling in it all while they're doing it, it's all quite wonderful. Sure, there are some dramatic moments scattered here and there - with one particularly poignant scene involving Sue that I won't spoil for anyone who hasn't played this yet - but for the most part, Grandia maintains a sense of humour and joviality. Such levity makes for a refreshing change of pace given how po-faced JRPGs often are.
The turn-based combat is mostly too easy to be considered 'engaging', but it is passable. The game is also maybe a tad too long for its own good. Some dungeons towards the end definitely tested my patience. But for the most part, Grandia is a delightful romp that gets by on the strength of its own convictions. There was clearly a lot of love poured into this game, from its barnstorming soundtrack to its busy towns (so many NPCs!) to the vast amount of attention poured into bringing the central cast to life and making the player care about them. Its enthusiasm is contagious, and I hope one day I'll get around to playing the sequel.
(Played using the patch that replaces all the Western voice acting with the original Japanese audio tracks... thank god.)
I've done everything this game has to offer, and I have easily beaten it over 10 times...once without having a single character faint for the entire run with only 2 resets.
This is my favourite game. You should check it out if you're into JRPGs with turn-based combat. This game does it the best.
This is my favourite game. You should check it out if you're into JRPGs with turn-based combat. This game does it the best.
There's an extremely fine line for stories that are clichéd in premise to either drown in prejudice or overcome it. The adventure genre has been so overdone that its original roots feel almost lost outside the inherently obscure JRPGs of today. The original roots being—to go; to seek adventure. To witness the majesty of the unknown, to discover outlandish worlds—And ultimately, to tell it.
Grandia represents the purity and soul of adventure. It's the reason why so many opinions reinforcing everyone's love for this game are so emotionally driven. It taps into a place in your mind akin to how you feel about superheroes, giant robots and kaiju as a kid. It makes you believe there's real heroism in not just humanity, but in all life. That there's purpose in doing what you want.
This feeling may not apply to everyone, but for me and many others it was a life changing experience. That's what Grandia is. I'm not saying the storytelling is bad, but it clicks far harder for a certain type of person. It may be an overall easy game and the camera control can be little cumbersome to navigate making some maps more maze-like than intended but the feeling it gives you of going on a grand adventure is unmatched. Not to mention even if the gameplay is easy it's one of the best action battle systems I've seen in a JRPG. Very important game to me and probably will forever stand as my favourite PS1 JRPG.
Grandia represents the purity and soul of adventure. It's the reason why so many opinions reinforcing everyone's love for this game are so emotionally driven. It taps into a place in your mind akin to how you feel about superheroes, giant robots and kaiju as a kid. It makes you believe there's real heroism in not just humanity, but in all life. That there's purpose in doing what you want.
This feeling may not apply to everyone, but for me and many others it was a life changing experience. That's what Grandia is. I'm not saying the storytelling is bad, but it clicks far harder for a certain type of person. It may be an overall easy game and the camera control can be little cumbersome to navigate making some maps more maze-like than intended but the feeling it gives you of going on a grand adventure is unmatched. Not to mention even if the gameplay is easy it's one of the best action battle systems I've seen in a JRPG. Very important game to me and probably will forever stand as my favourite PS1 JRPG.
One thing I have noticed upon finishing this game, is that the main theme that played a lot during the first half of the adventure, only plays one final time at the very end. It's basically a genius way of telling the players that the real story starts in disc 2 and now it's impossible to give this game anything lower than a 10/10. Absolute masterpiece that everyone needs to play.
Despite having the worst voice acting in any video game ever produced by human minds, the story and gameplay are very enjoyable. It has a very unique ATB-style combat system where hitting an enemy can either delay its turn or cancel its turn depending on what type of attack you use and when you use it. It's incredibly satisfying to master, as you can reach a point where you can defeat a boss without it getting a single turn.
I never managed to beat it, but I probably will eventually.
I never managed to beat it, but I probably will eventually.
Grandia is a very solid JRPG classic that has a lot to love about it, but a few sizeable detractors to keep me from loving it.
Let's start with the good - the combat system is one of the most rewarding I've seen in a game, especially of its time. It takes the ATB fundamentals I enjoy about classic FF and adds even more depth. The characters ended up being quite fun and enjoyable as well. The story was overall simple and fairly predictable, but I don't see that as a necessarily bad thing.
What did put me off though was some of the writing and pacing. There are moments where I feel like some plot points have too much padding in-between them, and on the flipside exists moments where certain things felt like they didn't have enough time to settle or flesh out.
The music, while pleasant, was forgettable. A select few tracks stood out to me, while a lot of others feel like average anime background tracks. Despite having much better production quality in the sound department than other games of its time, the compositions themselves went in one ear and out the other for the most part, which is a shame.
Ultimately I enjoyed Grandia for what it is! I didn't love it as much as I wish I did, but it gave me a good time nonetheless. A definite recommendation for JRPG enthusiasts.
Let's start with the good - the combat system is one of the most rewarding I've seen in a game, especially of its time. It takes the ATB fundamentals I enjoy about classic FF and adds even more depth. The characters ended up being quite fun and enjoyable as well. The story was overall simple and fairly predictable, but I don't see that as a necessarily bad thing.
What did put me off though was some of the writing and pacing. There are moments where I feel like some plot points have too much padding in-between them, and on the flipside exists moments where certain things felt like they didn't have enough time to settle or flesh out.
The music, while pleasant, was forgettable. A select few tracks stood out to me, while a lot of others feel like average anime background tracks. Despite having much better production quality in the sound department than other games of its time, the compositions themselves went in one ear and out the other for the most part, which is a shame.
Ultimately I enjoyed Grandia for what it is! I didn't love it as much as I wish I did, but it gave me a good time nonetheless. A definite recommendation for JRPG enthusiasts.