Grandia 2
- Gorgeous real-time 3D graphics and over 20 minutes of high-resolution CG graphics.
- Innovative, highly customizable combat system – part real-time, part turn-based.
- Fully 3D world with hundreds upon hundreds of people to cooperate with.
- Includes additional CD of Grandia II music as selected by composer Noriyuki Iwadare.
Product Description
Grandia II marks the return of GameArts’ classic franchise. Offering a wide array of characters, a deep and involving storyline and a combat system above and beyond all others, Grandia II harnesses the potential of the PlayStation 2. You’ll cooperate with hundreds of characters as you work to stop the rebirth of Valmar, the God of Darkness. Watch as the tale unfolds owing to cinematic cut-scenes with voice-over. Grandia II is an RPG of epic proportions that no honest gamer should miss.Amazon.com Review
See if this tale line sounds familiar. You’re part of an outcast mercenary class that upstanding folk don’t want around until there’s distress. You’re sent on a mission alongside an innocent, idealistic woman with whom you don’t immediately get by the side of. Forces of darkness, safely contained until recently, have escaped and are threatening a world-ending clash with the forces of light unless you successfully intercede. This is one of the safest templates for console role-playing sports meeting, and it pretty much covers the tale in Grandia II.
Thankfully, everything else in the game is fresh and provides hours upon hours of fun. The backdrops and character designs are colorful without being flashy, the game has a splendid pace (for an RPG), and players never have to stand around too long looking for the next thing to do. Even the writing, within its cookie-cutter plot, is smart, well translated, and occasionally amusing.
The game’s strongest element, but, is its battle system. Taking the best of turn-based and real-time battle engines, Grandia II forces you to choose your moves carefully with respect to timing and position. The battles are very unadorned in the beginning, but grow increasingly complex as you fight larger numbers of monsters with a growing party of allies. How you meet your encounters–whether you initiate the fight, are ambushed, or meet head on–affects both the timing of the blows and the positions of the contestants. Battles emphasize counterattacks and combination blows, but you’ll soon find that movement and defense keep you alive against the tougher enemies. Elemental magic, items, and skill books are just icing on the cake. Even if the battles do grow ancient, the random fights are honestly simple to avoid, and a versatile AI option lets you use cruise control owing to the rest.
Grandia II may be just the traditional role-playing game for which Dreamcast owners have been waiting. The question of whether it’s too traditional doesn’t matter, as it offers a better experience than most that have come before. –gatekeeper B. Hall
Note: This review refers to the Dreamcast version of the game.
Pros:
- Battle system makes fascinating, complex fights
- Solid, traditional role-playing game for a system with few others in the genre
Cons:
- Predictable plot and characters
Amazon.com Product Description
Your name is Ryudo, and you’ve been sent to protect a young priestess journeying to a distant land to participate in a special ceremony. Grandia II, the new tale-based RPG, features an innovative battle system that is partially turn-based, partially real-time. The entire world of Grandia II is rendered in 3-D, with over 1,000 characters to cooperate with. Audio voice-overs accompany cinematic cutscenes and serve to underline the strong cast of characters.
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This game is just terrible.That is all i have to say.
Rating: 1 / 5
I just brought this game and what first hit me was that it is
just like the PSX version. The graphics are a bit “softer” and rounder but other than that it’s gameplay and stylishness is not much off. I am bout 1/4 of the way owing to (2hrs) and just brought the approach guide. From looking owing to the guide this game doe snot seem to have much to offer in length or replay.
I brought this looking for something like FFX (graphic, gameplay, and storywise) and it does not even come close. Still it’s not a terrible game, I’d wait till the price drops some before buying it though.
Rating: 3 / 5
If you are an rpg fan, please stay away from this one. The tale line is one dimensional, and does not adequately develop characters. The main character, Ryudo, is insulting to all things RPG. The script is childish, and the plot pushes you in a specific management, rather than allow you to follow on your own. Weapons upgrades are honestly automatic, as it takes you a certain number of battles to get to a new city to buy weapons, and when you do, you can always afford them. You are always more powerful than your enemies, even the bosses, and unless the storyline demands that you die, you never do. Therefore there is no challenge. Even the soundtrack is repetitive.
The only reduction grace is the real-time/turn based battle system. This is a very excellent merger of a tactical turn based/approach driven action system, and a hack and slash real time combat system. It could rely more heavily on approach, as counter-attacks are not determined by proximity to the target, but rather initiative, which is inane. In effect a counter attack occurs before the attack in fact takes place (begging the question, How, then, is it a counter attack?). Do not buy this game, I’m very troubled that I did.
Rating: 4 / 5
Well, where do I start? I’ve played many RPG’s in my gaming life, but i have never come across one so unimpressive and disappointing as Grandia II. Yes, I know that this is a port from an grown-up version, but that’s no excuse for the mundane audio and visual aspects of what could have been a decent game. This game visibly does not utilize the full potential of what the PS2 can accomplish. The voice-acting where horribly done, and the graphics appear like the unadorned N64 could’ve pulled it off. The tale wasn’t that splendid either, and this is a key aspect in making a excellent rpg. The battle system but, worked honestly well. It provides a nice change from the average “stand still, attack, go back to position, wash, rinse, do again.” It did, but, go a bit too slow for me. All in all, you’re better of with the Final Fantasy series. This one’s a rental.
Rating: 1 / 5
Stay away from this game! It is not the same gorgeous fun game that came out on the Dreamcast. It suffers from a bloched rush job syndrome. The gorgeous graphics are now gone. The really cool looking spell animations are also missing from this version. Also brake is a majior conundrum. Get this for DC.
Rating: 1 / 5