GungHo Entertainment has come out to remaster the classic beloved JRPG series Grandia, sparking some intrigue in old and new Grandia fanatics alike. Both Grandia I and II are remastered with new HD graphics available for users to play on PC and Nintendo Switch.
Sound
Background music and overall gameplay noises are probably as good as one would expect from a game that was originally intended for Dreamcast and PlayStation 2. Certainly not the most incredible and enchanting gameplay music, but even from someone who is not familiar with the Grandia franchise, it still provokes a sense of nostalgia from gamers who remember playing older consoles when they were still popular.
Graphics
After some research into how Grandia was originally animated in its previous versions, it should come as no surprise that the remaster does not stray very far from them. It is indeed more HD and well adapted to processing well on PC. The graphics that result from some of the battles are also the same, but are executed with a more modern brightness and feel to it — which is an excellent, modernized touch.
I will admit, it would probably be more refreshing to see the animation of the characters’ movement be upgraded. Seeing a PS2 graphic styled game with HD movements was hard on my eyes for quite a few reasons. The 1-2 second lull in between character reactions and movements were simply awkward to watch so sharply. During battles, however, the characters were more fluid in movement, so I would suppose that a good amount of focus was put on the battle interactions by the developers.
Plot
Taking place in feudal era Japan, the player plays as the protagonist Ryudo, a mercenary Geohound tasked to protect a young priestess named Elena, who is from the Church of Granas. Elena and Ryudo later team up — along with other special characters — to form a magic-yielding force of good, set against ancient forces of evil.
Its roots and settings are reminiscent to the anime and manga Inuyasha, which makes its plot feel especially endearing to follow, depending on whether you are fond of Japanese feudal society-based plots. Like Inuyasha, Grandia takes advantage of enchanting legends that play on traditional Shinto practices during Japan’s feudal era.
The beginning of the gameplay plot is admittedly quite plain, and nothing too particularly get excited about right away. The plot tensions do build over time as the game progresses, though some players might stop playing due to lack of sufficient buildup during the introduction. So, this probably would not bid well with gamers who hold a strong preference to faster paced plots.
Gameplay
Just like its developers intended, Grandia II HD Remaster has established immensely smooth ease in control. Its relatively archaic gameplay is to be expected of an old, remastered JRPG. However, I do believe the gameplay control translated a bit poorly to PC — it was confusing trying to understand and get a hold of the proper controls to get around, which was exceedingly frustrating (for me). I would imagine that this would be easier to understand if I were to have a traditional controller, but the PC keyboard is not exactly structured as such. Nintendo Switch players might benefit far more by the way gameplay control is structured.
Reviewer’s Opinion
I did have the impression that since Grandia II HD Remaster had a similar gameplay and feel to Final Fantasy that I would be quite fond of it, but perhaps playing so many modern games has soiled my taste in older games. Like FF, I would suggest that Grandia begin upgrading their graphics and gameplay to keep up with newer animations; old ways of gaming phase out for a reason. However, I do realize this is meant to be an HD remastered version, so I digress.
Check out the Grandia II HD Remaster Trailer:
GRANDIA II HD Remaster is available for PC for $19.99 via Steam.
Steam Review
I am an arts and sciences student always looking for new games to sink most of my time into. Some of my favorite series include Ace Attorney, Final Fantasy, Shin Megami Tensei, and Persona. Don't hesitate to reach out for some friendly gamer banter.
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