Grandia Xtreme

"Xtreme let-down"

There are two types of people: Those who have played Grandia and those who haven't. Unfortunatly, Grandia Xtreme will be a disappointment to both.

Graphics = 4 : For the most part, the graphics are up to par with those in the last games; however, considering that the last games were on the Dreamcast and this one is on the PS2 I definately get the feeling that the designers were not even trying. As I played, I kept turning to my friends and saying ''Children could have made this game,'' to which they replied, ''You mean they didn't?''

Sound = 4 : The Grandia series has a bad penchant for using a lot of bad voice acting. I spent most of my time playing with the sound off, until I realized they don't subtitle the FMV. Thanks guys.

Plot = 2 : This has to be the worst part about this game. Without giving anything away, let me just say that there are only two towns, one store and a handful of people to talk to in this bad boy. On top of that, you spend all of your time scrounging through annoying dungeons and for what? I can't tell you, but let me say that there's hardly any reason to put yourself through the tedium other than stubborness. My advice is to not even pick it up, because if you're like me, even though you hate this game, even though you will want to rip out your own eyes and jam your ps2 controllers analog sticks into the throbbing, bloody holes just to make sure you won't ever catch another fleeting glimpse of this game, you won't: instead, you'll sit there, hour after bowel rending hour, praying for death, but still unable to stop because, as I put it, ''The only way I can show my displeasure is to spank every damn thing in this game.''

Conclusion: Don't buy this game. even if you have loved Grandia in the past - DO NOT BUY THIS GAME. Do not rent it. Do not borrow it from a friend. Do not handle it or pick it up and look at the pictures on the back. If someone tries to hand it to you, kick them in the groin and run. If someone is playing it and you walk in the room, kick yourself in the groin (if done right, the pain should be so intense that you'll have no choice but to squeeze your eyelids together to hold back the tears of agony and shame) and roll back out the way you came. If you, while walking about in your life, somehow find that a copy of Grandia has been placed among your personal effects, get down on your knees and ask God for a cleansing fire from above. Yeah, you could say that Grandia sucks. Or you could do the smart thing and never admit it was created.

Reviewer's Score: 3/10, Originally Posted: 10/26/02, Updated 10/26/02