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ýIt Pains Me Not To Appraise Grandia II With 5 Starsý

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 4 / 5
Date: January 07, 2002
Author: Amazon User

Grandia, originally for the Sega Saturn, is the essence of an out-and-out, underground landmark. Riding along the celestial gamut with the likes of Chrono Trigger and Super Mario RPG, the first Grandia bought forth a skillfully representation of the hero struggle and an extraordinary battle engine. However, GameArts' second attempt to reinstate their own Grandia principles doesn't rank up as climatic as the original. Their dagger to live up to the name of Grandia II is simultaneously sharp and dull. GameArts manages to rejuvenate the reincarnation of an unparalleled battle system and a fiercely polished graphical trimming, then leaving their previous strong points on plot and characters in the gutters of RPG degradation.

Let's not dwell on the fact that Grandia II has a few shortcomings in its story presentation. First, let's invest time on a breakdown on why Grandia II is noteworthy and slightly distant from a humdrum RPG. What serves as its vantage side is the impressive and addictive hybrid of real-time and turn-based clash. Ballooned on the screen are the selected combatants in a full-sized hoedown with enormous fiends. Grandia II's system is based on a bar found at the bottom of the screen. The bar contains Faces of each individual participating in the battle, enemies included. Adjoining on it are the three segments of WAIT, COM, and ACT. After the WAIT portion, a specified Face hits the COM, and an action for a character is selected. The Face then advances to the ACT sector, where the command is initiated. Technical actions such as skill moves or screen-bursting spells entail a longer delay to reach the ACT segment. Each hero has his or her identifiable imperfection and assets. Ryudo is best for fighting, Elena is ideal for healing the battered party, Millenia keeps an implicit armory of black magic, Roan attacks in impeccable speed, and the ferocious Mareg is frequently sent to deliver heavy duty damage. Grandia II warrants a blessing for employing such strategic order.

Gladly, monsters are visible throughout the game. The player may choose to charge head-on or avoid and hurriedly confront the huge boss. At times though, its mandatory to have a smack down with enemies when pulling some type of switch, but it sure beats the vexing randomness of countless RPGs. Moreover, learning and acquiring skills are caught in a breeze. Stockpiling MP and SP points from victories, the player determines the desired skills from Mana Eggs and Skill Books. In general, the fighting is easy to manipulate and is an unqualified joy to take a womppin' on.

On its graphical viewpoint the colors are crisp and super-clean. The involvedness in dungeons are good, and works well with the line of heroes plowing through it. In the battle shot, spells are among the most awe-inspiring and not as time-consuming as Square's ridiculous incantations. A mix of polygons, extreme lighting effects, and animation is truly something still fresh and worth the mention. Implemented on a quickie, non-sticky battle pace, Grandia II is pomp of what the Dreamcast could handle, but further indicates the force of the PS2.

And onto the dark side of Grandia II. To those who plan to seed hours on any RPG, it's estimated to read or watch a story of great magnitude unfold, but GameArts fails miserably. Nowhere near the past scenario, Grandia II is an entirely new tale featuring a mercenary and his conquest to escort a Songstress to slay an evil called Valmar (with all the sidequests in between). Slowly progressed, the story is a strain to watch and to scoop into. The central hero, Ryudo, seems like a mixed bag of Cloud from FFVII and Squall from FFVIII. Personally, I would love to see Cloud rip Ryudo from flesh and limb with his Limit Break, the Omnislash. For Squall -- well, who really did like him? The unceasing baddie, Melfice, though is not even worth a mention with his weak voice-over and boring intentions. And don't get me started on Roan and his "little secret." It's been duplicated so many times that the astonishment was not intended for the character but for GameArts who actually had the balls to comprise the hackneyed bombshell. And what's more irksome than predictable twists and the shortage of suspense is the dialogue that tries to be funny, clever, and philosophical. The poor construction of reworked characters and plot robbed Grandia II of its ancillary star.

Although feathery on the challenge, the weighty amount of dungeons will chain players down with the bulk of time gorged on quests and dialogue. About 45 hours will shed off your ticking machines. With all the hype and hope I had going for it, it pains me not to appraise Grandia II with 5 stars, but with all the chinks in its plot, justice has been served. Grandia II is a marvel to play but a nuisance to read. When all is said and done, the only thing that can really sweeten the Grandia pot is the wait for Grandia Xtreme, which is due later this month in Japan. Hopefully, GameArts will take their tight spots into account and nurture a Grandia that revolves on the "third time's a charm" tradition.

Pre review based on Dreamcast

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 6
Date: January 07, 2002
Author: Amazon User

I had an old dreamcast back in the day, and this game is the SOLE reason I had it! If you enjoy true RPG's, this is the game for you. If you like psuedo hackenslash-RPG's (Diablo2) move along. Otherwise, you should know this game has ncredible depth and luster, and the story is excellent! The end is very suprising, as you are led to think in so many different ways during the game that you cannot be certain until you see. And of course, I can only assume that Sony will upgrade the game for it's new platform as they have in the past (Anyone out there remember LUNAR when it was on Sega CD? heheh). I expect this will be the best competition for Final Fantasy's new release.

this is not the dc version!

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 0 / 6
Date: January 07, 2002
Author: Amazon User

Stay away from this game! It is not the same beautiful fun game that came out on the Dreamcast. It suffers from a bloched rush job syndrome. The beautiful graphics are now gone. The really cool looking spell animations are also missing from this version. Also slowdown is a majior problem. Get this for DC.

^____^

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 4
Date: January 10, 2002
Author: Amazon User

This Game is my Fav. game out of many games I have played. The graphics rock my socks. Even though I have only played it for Dreamcast I am sure that the graphics will be 10 times better. I must get for any TRUE RPGer

NO FINAL FANTASY BUT STILL GOOD.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: January 16, 2002
Author: Amazon User

If you have the choice between this and Final Fantasy X. I would definitely tell you to go with FFX but after FFX is over and you want something along the same lines as it but don't mind the plot being a bit less compelling by all means give this one a try. As for the graphics there's not going to any big improvement to the graphics on PS2 version than the Dreamcast version like some other people said. It's basically a direct port of the Dreamcast version with a new opening and ending movie. By the way, in case you didn't know you can pick up the Dreamcast version from here for $... if you still have a Dreamcast.

Just like the PSX Version

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 0 / 6
Date: February 07, 2002
Author: Amazon User

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 style is not much off. I am bout 1/4 of the way through (2hrs) and just brought the strategy guide. From looking through 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 bad game, I'd wait till the price drops some before buying it though.

3.5 stars, fun and brisk gameplay, bad graphics.

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 1 / 7
Date: February 20, 2002
Author: Amazon User

I just finished with Final Fantasy X, and was looking for another RPG, and seems Grandia II is the only next Gen RPG that is a good and real rpg (A lot of games claim to be RPG, but they are really action adventure games).

The battles are brisk, there isn't a lot of frustrating like some other RPGs (i.e. you don't have to constantly looking for enemies to fight to level up.) There is no random battles, which kinda bogged down FFX. The characters seems cute and fun in typical Japanese Anime kinda of way.

However, the reason I am giving it a low score is because the graphics are simply horrible. I am not expecting graphics on the level of FFX, but The character models are not nearly as good as character models in Final Fantasy 9 which is on PS One. The character models are tiny, can't see any details. Granted, FF9 have prerendered backgrounds, but in Overworld, FF9 do have real time 3-D enviroments, and the 3-D enviroments in Grandia 2 are simply not as good looking as the FF9's 3-D overworld, which is unforgivable, considering, Grandia is on PS2.

The people at Game Arts may have good artists and good gameplay designers, but they need to learn some more programming skills. Right now, their programming skills are not good enough.

GrandiaII deserves a lot more credit than it has, a LOT MORE

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 9 / 12
Date: March 11, 2002
Author: Amazon User

This game is thee best game made for the PS2. It combines a great storyline/story with the most well thought out fighting system ever developed. With real-time fighting and deep'n'rich graphics, its no wonder It's Final Fantasy's first rival.

The battle system is great, as well as the ability to create your own players skills, magic, and moves, with coins and books. The Ready voices are quirky and fun to hear, as well as the dialouge, hilarious!!

But the thing that just blew me away was the nonstop action between fighting and story. For instance, I'm trapped in a tower, so the main charecter descides, "Well heck, I think I'll jump out the window on a rope with my princess by my side, while my eagle flies close behind me. Weeeeeeeee," I mean it doesnt get more exiting. Welll except when you enter a battle.

All in all, this game is a must have and you are missing the best game made of all time if you don't buy it. Buy it and you may never stop playing. "Are you game enough?"

a game of mediatory

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 0 / 4
Date: April 03, 2002
Author: Amazon User

This game is one that strived for the middle of the road and got there. There is no really great aspect of the game as well as there is no real hinderance. It tells the story of a mercenary that is cought up with the church, therefore needing to save the world but never quite makes you really get involved in the game. All in all it is simply a good diversion from what you do not want to do in the first place.

Grandia 2. The best RPG made for any system

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: April 07, 2002
Author: Amazon User

Grandia 2 is the best RPG ever made. This game was produced by Sega originaly, so you know the graphics and gameplay will be great. This game is also very addictve. I played for 3 and a half hours non stop and 15 hours in 3 days. The plot is very interesting and has a few turns that you would never expect. This game has everything you are looking for in an RPG. If you're looking for a great game, look no further because Grandia 2 is the game for you...

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