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.