Grandia

Written by Tom Clare in PSOne Game Reviews, Tuesday 7 December, 2004

A captivating and magical R.P.G

Aren't nice surprises great? They certainly give Christmases and Birthdays a bit extra, that's for sure. Anyway, birthdays and surprises link in neatly with my acquisition of PSOne R.P.G Grandia.

For my 13th birthday, I went to Chester to empty my (parents) pockets and after scanning the shelves of GAME, I came across little-known role-playing title Grandia. I had a look at the box-art; nothing remarkable, and the screenshots on the back of the case were hardly what you would describe as divine polygon festivals. Recent reviews had been of the good-not-great kind and to cap it off, the game was £15 second-hand - not particularly cheap even in 2000.

I usually buy PlayStation games that are a) critically acclaimed or b) ridiculously cheap, and so with seemingly very little logic, I bought Grandia in what I can only describe as a moment of madness. Well, looking back, I wish I could have a few more of these 'moments of madness' - the “good-not-great” game I purchased would turn out to be one of the most enchanting and captivating adventures I have ever had the pleasure of playing.

Released on the PlayStation in 2000, I soon discovered the reason behind Grandia's rather dated looks - it had originally been released on the ageing Sega Saturn format 3 years earlier. Apparently, it had caused quite a stir, and in time, I would discover why…

Justin is a fifteen year-old wannabe-adventurer who lives in the sea-side town of Parm. Things begin in typically low-key fashion for the hero as his first task is to rescue best-friend Sue from the towns' bullies. It isn't long before the flame-haired rebel is aiming higher however, as he and Sue embark on their own little expedition, to the local Sult Ruins.

Adventuring is in Justin's blood - he is driven by the want to emulate his father, who in death left his son the mysterious 'Spirit Stone'. Whilst Justin is deep within the Sult Ruins, the stone begins to glow, and the image of a strange entity, known as Liete, appears before his eyes. Soon, the young lad learns that he may hold the secret to the ancient Icarian race. He is also informed of the legendary city of Alent, and sets off on an epic journey to the lost city so as to meet Liete in person and find answers to his questions.

Sadly for Justin however, it isn't all plain sailing. He becomes embroiled in a personal battle with the Garlyle Forces, a large army lead by the power crazed lunatic (there's always one, eh?) General Baal. The General has set his sights firmly on the last remaining shard of Spirit Stone held by Justin - as it would make him all-powerful and even more destructive. So as usual with role-playing games, the hero starts the adventure playing with plastic swords and ends it saving the world from imminent annihilation!

Whilst Grandia doesn't sparkle immediately, it is an instantly accessible game - the controls are near-perfect; simple navigation of your characters is helped immeasurably by one of the best camera systems ever to appear in gaming. Depending on your preference, you can use the L1/R1 buttons or the right analogue stick to rotate the camera 360 degrees around Justin and co. This clever feature allows you to view absolutely all of the close surroundings, and unlike many troublesome 3D viewers of the past, it's completely problem-free.

Like in pretty much every other R.P.G ever made, Grandia requires you to defeat a plethora of monsters as you explore the temples, mines and ruins that populate the world. Whilst it uses the tried-and-tested turn-based battles made famous by the Final Fantasy series, it craftily ditches the often-frustrating randomness in which they occur. Instead, enemies can actually be seen wandering around in the normal field of play, and consequently the player has a fair degree of influence over the battles. Running up to a baddie that is facing away from your party will award you with a 'pre-emptive' - or first attack if you will. Similarly, if enemies surprise you, your party will be 'Ambushed' and face a tricky battle with foes taking the first turn. Such a simple idea, but gloriously effective and fabulously implemented.

Despite what some would consider a forgettable start, Grandia soon reveals a quality that will mesmerise all fans of the role-playing genre. The sense of adventure and imagination is akin to that of a Disney epic; the characters are cute, the humour is subtle and every new place you visit has its own unique qualities. Discovering places such as the misty Luc Village hidden deep within a forest, and climbing atop the formidable wall at the End Of The World only to discover another huge, sprawling continent below are just two memorable moments. It may look like it's aimed slightly towards a younger market, but you'll find Justin's struggle with the Garlyle Forces and his complex and awkward relationship with the beautiful Feena make the game virtually unputdownable by the end of the first disc.

Visually, Grandia was never the prettiest game of its ilk. In fact, compared to the Final Fantasy's it is downright ugly. But although the character animations are poor and most of the scenery seems a bit low-fi, it is rescued somewhat by its technical excellence and retro charm. Towns/villages are beautifully crafted, and the 3D camera allows you to view the entire playing area around you.

On the audio side of things, the soundtrack in particular is simply wonderful; rather than proving individually memorable, each song creates a decent atmosphere in every area you visit, with excellent consistency. The battle themes are great, and Game Arts cleverly chose to change the theme completely for the second disc of play, just to add a bit of variety.

This R.P.G is spread across 2 discs, and took me just over 53 hours to complete first time through (roughly a months worth of play). Probably the biggest praise I can give it lifespan-wise is that I played it every single day from buying it to completing it - it was more addictive than even Final Fantasy VII. Replay value isn't great, although there are three fairly sizable sub-quests hidden within, that include a cool haunted house and the ominously-named 'Soldiers Graveyard'.

I'm very surprised it was rated 11+ by ELSPA as I feel the game is absolutely suitable for all ages. The difficulty setting is nigh-on perfect, easing beginners/youngsters into the action before producing a fair few challenging boss-battles, but rarely anything to stop the flow of the adventure for any length of time.

I simply cannot recommend Grandia enough. Perhaps if it had been blessed with shiny, high-resolution graphics it would have been deemed a classic. But as it is, many will fail to appreciate this hidden gem, which is a great shame. Find it and buy it - its absolute magic.

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