Grandia 2 Review - VGLN.com PC Reviews

One of three quality Sega RPGs released during the hey-day of the Dreamcast Gaming Console, Grandia 2 may quite possibly be the best RPG of its generation as it makes the jump to PC.

In the few years I have been reviewing videogames, I've become accustomed enough to recognize what makes a game simply fail, or what makes a game fairly good. However, to this day, it still mystifies me as to what exactly makes a game, great. I'm talking about the next higher level above a "simply good game". That special something. We all have our own ideas and even then, we can't put it to words, but regardless, we all know it when we see it. It's like a Michael Jordan, you don't really stop to think why he is so good, you just enjoy it. I don't think anyone can tell you what that "special something" exactly is, but I do know that Grandia 2 has that special trait.

Along with Skies of Arcadia, and Phantasy Star Online, Grandia 2 is one of the three RPGs Sega had planned to release this year to reassert their presence in a genre dominated by companies such as Squaresoft, and Enix, among others. Recent Squaresoft titles such as Final Fantasy 10 have sold in the millions and as a result have injected life into the aging Playstation game console. This newfound revitalization of the console RPG stems from the increased competition between RPG developers to bring out a better, fresher gameplay experience. This is leading to better quality games within the genre, but more importantly, is raising the standard by which RPGs will be judged by, meaning better quality RPGs for us, the consumer. Although this past year has shown us fantastic RPGs such as Chrono Cross, Skies of Arcadia and Final Fantasy 10, all of them excellent games upon their respective releases. Grandia 2 compares favorably with either of the games mentioned above, and surpasses them in certain aspects. Grandia 2 gives you a good idea of what a "great" RPG is.

As a console game Grandia 2 was excellent. I believe this is true to a certain extent now that Grandia 2 has reached the PC. One of the immediate things one will notice is that the graphics will take a huge jump if you have a computer that can run it well. A Pentium 600mhz and GeForce2 MX card should do the trick just fine. Besides visuals though, Grandia 2 has a storyline that is magical much in the way a fantasy book might be. Couple this with the charming art design that only a Japanese RPG could bring and it's obvious you have a winner on your hands. No insult to Baldur's Gate or Diablo, but the small bitmapped characters don't hold a candle to Grandia 2's lovely polygonal models.

These upside down ice cones are save points. Use them often.

The story behind Grandia 2 isn't exactly groundbreaking, however, it is varied enough with its sub-quest, and other diversions, that it still manages to come off as being "fresh and new". Basically, thousands of years ago, a being named Valmar, known as the darkness in the game, reigns terror on the people. His ideas of greed, violence, and overall chaos influence the world early on, until The Great Granas comes along and destroys Valmar with a legendary blade known as the "Granasaber" (yeah I know it sounds corny but it's a kick butt sword). Once Granas forcibly asserts his authority over Valmar, he divides Valmar into three pieces and buries each piece deep under the ground, in separate locations. He then seals these places with his personal seal. Time forgets about Valmar, and Granas goes on to become a God in a time yet unknown. They worship the legendary hero of ancient times, relying in their faith in him to provide happiness in life. However, things start to go awry when an unknown force begins to tamper with Granas' seals. It is obvious that evil forces plan to reawaken Valmar (like I'm really giving anything away). This is where you jump, and begin your journey in the game.

The Cast

The main characters of Grandia 2 are extremely creative and charming. Each has their own special characteristics and unlike many lesser RPGs (*cough* Revolution), these characters find a way to "stick in your mind", as they are easily identifiable, in a stereotypical sort of way as far as RPGs go. Here is your main party.

Ryudo

A Geohound (monster hunter, fortune hunter, etc.) by trade, Ryudo is a very cynical individual who rarely shows tact when dealing with others. However, under the cynical, tough guy image, Ryudo is a kind hearted individual who will go out of his way to defend those who are the victims of injustice.

Elena

A Granas Songstress, Elena is exceedingly kind and always aware of the pains and troubles of others. This kind and giving deposition often puts her at odds with the more cynical Ryudo throughout the game. Elena is an obvious choice as the white magic user in your party.

Roan

Only 14 years old, Roan exhibits extraordinary intelligence for a boy his age. Well-mannered, optimistic, and cheerful, Roan represents Ryudo's complete opposite. Being sheltered as a child, Roan finds interest in many things in the world. His inquisitiveness helps out the party many times in the quest.

Mareg

Mareg is a huge beast-man who roams the land looking for the man who killed his entire village. The only one of his village to survive, Mareg stalks the world hoping for the time he may be able to extract his revenge upon the man who killed his friends, family, and way of life. Mareg is the muscle of the party and does well in melee combat.

Tio

Tio is a remnant of the ancient war between the darkness and the light (Valmar and Granas). She is completely automated, meaning she's a robot. Tio lives a bittersweet life, knowing she will never die, but also never being able to comprehend emotion. When confronted with humans who exhibit emotion towards her, Tio often becomes confused and seeks advice from those around her.

Combat System

The battle system employed by Grandia 2 is one of the most polished and well balanced of any RPG I have ever had the pleasure of playing. Put simply, it's smooth as ice, and twice as nice. Unlike in Skies of Arcadia or Final Fantasy 9, doing battle never becomes a chore. In Skies of Arcadia, the standard "hit a random spot on the map and a random enemy will engage you" system is employed. Grandia 2 does away with this all together and allows you to see your enemies on the map while you travel. Should your enemy see you, it will grow a bright red and chase after you, running far enough away will halt its pursuit. Should you sneak up and touch the enemy from behind, you will gain the initiative when you attack, giving you first strike capabilities. However, this also applies to you, so watch your back for enemies at all times. Once in battle, the IP meter takes over (similar to "time gauge" in Final Fantasy 9) and it determines whether it is your turn to attack. The IP meter in Grandia 2 is quite different from any "time gauge" you've probably seen in any RPG. First off, once your IP meter reaches the point where you are allowed to execute a move, you can pick whether to fight, run, or use an item. When you do choose an action for your character to do in the battle, the IP meter reserves a little of its length to determine how long it will take to actually execute that move. So even if you have chosen an action, it doesn't just execute instantly or is the move 100% assured of going through. Keep in mind that more complex, powerful moves take longer to execute. In Grandia 2, you can be knocked out of a move, reducing your IP bar, forcing you to wait again until your IP bar fills again before you can execute another move. This is done in two ways. Enemies and player characters have an option called the critical hit. It's one of two melee attacks that you can choose (the other being "Combo"), and packs more punch in it's single hit than the combo option. However, it only hits once, and doesn't do as much overall damage as the combo which hits twice, especially if you equip someone (Mareg) with a most valuable item called the "Demon Tear" which allows three hits (hint hint).

The combat system also takes into account the distance you from an enemy. Each character has movement points, enemy or player. You use these movement points up when you go chasing an enemy across the screen to bash its head in. Sometimes a scenario will pop up where an enemy will be too far and your character will run out of movement points (indicated by a sweating character), and you'll simply stop short of completing your attack. This new element of having to gauge distance allows for some intriguing real-time action elements. The battles become more tactical now as you can choose to run away to a part of the battleground to recover than return to engage (if you have the movement points to do so). It's very unique and Grandia 2 gets big plus points here for this.

The magic system is handled in a way similar to Espers that we have seen in Final Fantasy 3 (6 in Japan) on the Super Nintendo. There are these "Mana Eggs", each has a special element which they follow. By equipping an egg, the chracter will be able to lean the spells in the book and power them up by using "magic coins". Magic coins are earned after each battle, along with special coins, gold coins and experience points. For instance the "Chaos Egg" is more fire-based of the four main mana eggs. So anyone who equips this egg will learn spells like "Burn". Special coins allow your characters to learn special moves, kind of like limit-breaks from Final Fantasy 7 on the PSX. These moves are very powerful, and unlike magic points, special points (which are needed to execute special moves) are refilled slowly during battle. You earn a few points for every action you do in battle. It still runs out rather quickly though so keep a few Blueberries on hand to refill your points. Skills books add another element to the customization of your characters. Skill books are books found, usually when you beat a boss or important enemy, that allow you to learn skills that improve attributes of your characters. Whether it be your health points, your dexterity, or speed, you can do this by powering up that skill with special or magic points. Keep this in mind if you have a weak character (Roan) and their defense is lacking, you should probably give them skills that make them more durable in battle. This aspect of customization is very unique and adds so much versatility to your characters should you spend the time to customize them.

The menu is neat and intuitive. Good job Game Arts!

The Grandia series saw it's American debut on the PSX, although the Saturn was the first platform to carry the title, Sega never saw fit to bring the first one out here to the states (Grrr). While graphically pleasing on the PSX, and the Dreamcast, the PC version is absolutely stunning. I've seen them all, Diablo 2, Chrono Cross, and Skies of Arcadia. Grandia 2 is just a step above those games graphically. Grandia also features CG movies, that are about on par with the Final Fantasy CG movies but not nearly as abundant, a good or bad thing depending on how you look at it. During gameplay the player will be treated to perhaps one of the most prettiest looking RPGs around. The towns are done in high-resolution textures that really show off the distinct theme of the town, highly-technological, or a drab desert town. Everything here is done in 3D as well, no pre-rendered backgrounds, this is actually polygons being rendered on the fly, as a result little interactions are possible within the gameworld. For example if your running around town, you can knock garbage cans over if you're running too fast. Nothing against Final Fantasy and its pre-rendered locales, however Grandia 2 just looks vibrantly alive. Grandia 2 comes off almost as some big time movie when you play it, full voice-overs (for important events in the game) and anime character pictures within the dialogue boxes that change expression depending on your characters mood. The subtle little things your characters do on screen such as hugging each other and getting angry, really add a touch of life not seen in many RPGs.

Another high point in the game is its stunningly first-rate sound track. The tracks are often memorable and epic. One example that comes to mind is the music in the church areas, fantastic chorals mixed with wind instruments. Mirumu Village also has a great music theme to it. There's so many to remember, I can't possibly name them all. Definitely top quality. That's okay though, because even if I can't remember them, the package comes with a Soundtrack CD. Yup, no joke here, part of the excellent package that is Grandia 2 comes with the music CD right in the case along with techno-remix and regular versions. Believe me, as a game reviewer, Grandia 2 gets BIG points in my book for such a gesture to the consumer. While other companies force you to order CDs from Japan to get their soundtrack music (*cough* Final Fantasy *hack*), Grandia 2 makes it part of the package. It's a trend I hope more game companies start to employ, as it adds significant value to a package without too much cost on the part of the companies. Good job Ubi Soft.

If you've made it here, you probably know what's coming next, the customary "Excellent game, great visuals, etc." Well, I feel like being eccentric. Grandia 2 is one of those games that will go down in videogame history as a great game. Notwithstanding the excellent graphics, epic music and absolutely charming story and characters (d'oh I did it anyway), Grandia 2 has that special something that games like Zelda 64, Metal Gear Solid, and Sony's ICO (Oh I had to plug this game) have. Ultimately, reviews are supposed to serve as "buying recommendations", and I can't remember when I have ever been able to make such an unreserved one.

--- Jolex Del Pilar

P.S - We here at VGLN.com would like to thank Clint Hayashi at Ubi Soft for putting up with our shoddy package receiving system (I.E-Leave it at the front door because no one will be here to sign for it when you deliver). It's PR manager's like Clint that epitomize the word "dedication". For that we salute you Mr. Hayashi!

	Gameplay: [9.5] Truly epic. Story is contemporary, but the experience all but makes up for any lackings. You will enjoy this game.
	Graphics: [9.8] Colorful and vibrant, full of life. This game is alive !! Fully 3D, spell effects are great and "over the top".
	Sound: [9.5] Truly epic soundtrack, full voice-overs in some areas. This game has it all in this area. Did I mention the music was great ?
	Presentation: [9.8] CG cut scenes, when used, are high-quality. Nice menu driven system and the music CD comes in the package
	Replay Value: [7.5] Linear as all RPGs, but the story is charming, although not original although it wouldn't be a push to say that some of you would play through it again.
	Global Score: [9.4] The whole game just comes together. It's a complete package, and as a result, Grandia 2 is a great RPG for your PC.

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