Grandia

GRANDIA
Copyright © Game Arts / ESP
Sega Saturn (2 CD-ROMs)
RPG
1 Player
T-4507G
¥4800
Available now in Japan
Where to buy
FAQ

—by Keith Rhee

Sometimes a promising title becomes a victim of circumstance. Back when FINAL FANTASY VII was taking the gaming world by storm, the creators of the LUNAR series announced a new role-playing game, to be set in a 3D environment. Saturn fans weary of the PlayStation fanfare were quick to rally around the title, claiming (and hoping) that it would become the FF7 killer for the Saturn.
Alas, by the time GameArts' GRANDIA was released on 18 Dec 1997, PlayStation had already won the console wars. GRANDIA became a victim of the Saturn's demise, doing poorly in stores and falling well short of FF7's triple-platinum record. A shame really, for GRANDIA turned out to be a decent game in its own right.
The story starts out rather humble: our protagonist Justin isn't some would-be hero out to save the day, but merely a boy who wishes to explore the world and become an adventurer. Justin's late father left him with an old pendant; suspecting that it may be from an ancient civilization, Justin strikes out together with his friend Suzie to find the place, unaware of the fact that the military is looking for the same place for their own purposes. Along the way, Justin encounters a mysterious girl whose heritage may be linked to the lost civilization that both Justin and the military are looking for...
Sound familiar? GRANDIA's tale is strongly reminiscent of Studio Ghibli's LAPUTA. There's an over-the-top story in the making, rife with plot twists, treachery, budding romances, and a gripping climax. But the initial emphasis of the story is placed on the wonders and joys of exploration and discovery. And unlike other games where the characters start out determined to save the world, there's an innocent quality in Justin's character as he sets out to see new sights and meet new people. It isn't until much later that Justin realizes what is at stake and what he has to do, and the fact that Justin's conviction comes as a result of his experiences and the bond he forges with the people he meets makes it much more believable.
Players who bemoan the loss of the 2D look in newer 3D RPGs will be pleasantly surprised by GRANDIA's environments, which retain the same bright and clean-cut look and feel of its 2D predecessors, but are fully realized in 3D, down to the small objects in the game! The use of 3D allows for some clever architecture and treacherous dungeons, and there are quite a few gimmicks and secrets hidden in the game (can you find the hidden Magic Tower?). To help the adventurer from getting disoriented, a compass points at the entrances and exits of the location you're at, and a nifty "zoom camera to orbit" serves up an instant map of the surroundings. (Where was this feature when I was playing XENOGEARS?)
Unlike traditional RPGs where your characters and opponents stand both neatly in a row facing each other, the battle system in Grandia lets the characters roam all over the battlefield, taking into account factors such as speed, travel distance, and weapon range. But while this system makes for some interesting, dynamic battle sequences, the battles themselves are on the easy side and, except for a few frustrating ones, don't pose much of a challenge. Also, the aforementioned 3D-construction, 2D-look of the game carries over to the magic spells as well, and though it preserves the 2D-look of the game, the end result proves rather bland for people spoiled by the spectacular displays in FF7. Last but not least, a good number of the enemies are recycled, varying only in color schemes and abilities. A bit more variety would've been nice.
As for story progression, gamers who criticized FINAL FANTASY VII for being linear should note that GRANDIA is even worse in this aspect. Not only does the game usher the player on a linear path, it even resorts to locking the player out of many locations that the player previously visited as the story progresses—cross an ocean, for example, and you can't go back to the previous continent. Ever. The game does offer 3 extra dungeons for those looking for tougher battles and better items and weapons, but they have nothing to do with the plot.
In the end, this isn't quite the FF7 competitor that many Saturn fans hoped it would be. But comparing GRANDIA and FF7 would be like comparing apples and oranges, and GRANDIA offers more than enough to stand on its own. Though the battles fall a little short on gameplay, the visuals are great, and the fantastic story and likable characters in particular makes this one a keeper. If you own a Saturn and play console RPGs primarily for their characters and story, then you owe it to yourself to play GRANDIA.
One last note: while the demise of the Saturn means that the title won't be released for the Saturn in the USA, there's the possibility that GRANDIA will be ported to the PlayStation and released stateside.

Rating: 8.5/10