Grandia II

"The Dreamcasts first epic RPG"

Grandia II is a remarkable title, not only for the Dreamcast but for the RPG genre. While the game has room for improvement, it manages to bring a lot to the table.

Graphics 7/10:
Grandia II brings its world to life in full 3D. The towns look absolutely gorgeous and vibrant. They are full of colour and detail...which is why it is such a shame that the same can't be said for the characters. Not only are the character models composed of a low number of polygons, but they lack detail in some areas. Faces have no mouths, leaving the characters void of expression. And often, monsters will look simpler then they should. The CG sequences are also a bit disturbing. Just imagine a second generation CG found in a Playstation or Saturn game and you get the idea. They are kind of grainy...so it gives them a dated feel. Overall the graphics suffice for their purpose, but the DC hardware is capable of better.

Sound 9/10:
The soundtrack is something else for Grandia II. It does not consist of typical ''game'' music or even music that would seem to go with the style of the game. Rather Grandia II offers a soundtrack that lends to the mood of the game. From the up tempo battle themes to the profound Granas song that is sung by Elena. The game leaves you feeling complacent to listen to its fully orchestrated soundtrack rather then blasting something else on your stereo. To add to things, the game features voice over sequences. If you are a hardcore gamer like myself you might even recognize the voice of Cam Clarke who plays Ryudo (he has also done the voice for Puck in Sword Of the Berserk). While the voice acting isn't on par with the likes of Soul Reaver, it is substantial for a video game. So no need to worry about people sounding too lame.

Gameplay 9/10:
The battle system is what caught my attention with this title. It is a mixture of real time and turn based combat that adds a deep level of strategy not found in other RPG's. Things such as enemy distance and speed all account for a good battle strategy in this game as you must decide to evade, attack or counter attack. The one let down to all the strategy is that Grandia II is such an easy title. Even beginners will find their way through this title with little to no trouble at all. Most of the same combat strategies can be used again when battling certain bosses and the items are a bigger help in this game. For those who play Final Fantasy, you may know what a Phoenix Down is...this item revives characters but only gives them 1 point of health...well in Grandia II this is no problem at all because revival items restore everything in this game. So sometimes strategy is not really needed when using combo the whole time is just as effective. In essence it wastes such a beautifully crafted battle system.

Story 10/10:
Now I am sure that plenty will disagree with me on this. But I think that some people chose to focus too much on minor story elements that may come off as cliche such as love issues and morals found in the story. As the case is with any RPG, it is always a battle of Good vs. Evil. In Grandia II's case, this battle has been elevated by being based around the deity Granas and the Deity Valmar. They go hand in hand like Yin and Yang. The story picks up some hundreds of years after a rendition of the Ragnarok. Ryudo is a Mercenary (called a Geohound in this universe) who gets paid to be the bodyguard of a songstress. From there the story picks up and other elements come into play. Such literary devices as Man vs. Man and Man vs. Self come into play. But the story goes above and beyond these minor cliches. The true emphasis lies with will and reason. As the story develops, major conflicts about the will to live and a reason to be start to come to light. In my opinion the story is crafted in a fashion in which it tries to provoke thought in the gamer. So if you can get past the cliches, then you will find a marvelous tale of Good vs. Evil from a spiritual level to a personal level.

Overall 9/10:
While cliches are abundant (but then again, what game doesn't have them?) and the graphics are not what they could be,Grandia II delivers an entertaining experience. And at the heart, a game should be just that...entertaining. As long as you are not too analytical, this game is as easily enjoyed as it is played. This is a title truly worth your time if you are looking for a good RPG on a console in which RPG's are a scarce breed....

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 08/11/02, Updated 08/11/02