As a longtime RPG enthusiast who fondly remembers the days of my PlayStation, I find myself deeply enamored with the newly released Grandia HD collection. The original Grandia and its sequel have always held a special place in my heart, offering a unique blend of adventure, storytelling, and strategic gameplay that has been largely overshadowed by the ever-popular Final Fantasy series.
As a dedicated fan, I can’t help but marvel at the enduring legacy of Sony’s first PlayStation, fondly referred to as the RPG powerhouse. Games like Final Fantasy 7, Parasite Eve, Star Ocean, and many others, have solidified its reputation for housing an extraordinary library of role-playing games. Interestingly, the often overlooked Grandia series stands tall among them, offering some of the best RPG experiences this little 3D console has to offer.
1. In their time, Grandia and its sequel sold well, with the latter being later released on Dreamcast and even PS2. Yet, as years passed, these visually stunning RPGs from Game Arts have appeared less prominent compared to the ongoing series like Final Fantasy (our review of FF7 Rebirth is available here).
1. “Grandia HD offers modern control and graphical enhancements, enabling today’s gamers to explore the captivating universe of Grandia. Unlike comprehensive remakes such as Star Ocean: The Second Story or the upcoming Dragon Quest 3 HD, it isn’t a complete ground-up rebuild. However, it provides an updated experience for those interested. In my opinion, including a CRT filter could have added an authentic touch.”
1. The Grandia HD collection can be broken down into two distinct parts: the first game, Grandia, centers around Justin and his group of aspiring adventurers as they explore to find clues about the vanished Agelou civilization. Conversely, the sequel, Grandia 2, presents a mostly independent narrative that revolves around Ryudo’s struggle against the returning malevolent deity Valmar.
In simpler terms, both games contain standard RPG elements but surprise with intricate storylines that have been underestimated. Players of Grandia will recall its richly populated worlds filled with lovable characters and those who are disliked by the game itself.
As a longtime fan of JRPGs who grew up playing the original Grandia games on PlayStation and Saturn, I must admit that my initial excitement for the HD remastered versions was tinged with a touch of skepticism. You see, I have fond memories of those classic titles, their 2D/3D hybrid graphics and grandiose camera sweeps transporting me to fantastical worlds filled with adventure and wonder. So when I heard that Square Enix was releasing remastered versions, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of nostalgia mixed with a hint of trepidation.
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Additionally, the graphic and sound glitches persist in this HD collection’s initial and previous 2019 versions. We encountered crashes as early as the game’s beginning stages. On Xbox, we frequently faced problems with Quick Resume, as the title often failed to remain in memory and closed instead.
1. In the remastered version, the 2D characters from Grandia 1 set against a 3D backdrop work well, but the more 3D design of Grandia 2 offers a more impressive visual experience. Although Grandia doesn’t have the financial backing of some Square Enix’s Star Ocean remakes, it would have been fantastic to witness either Grandia 1 or 2 receiving the complete remastering treatment.
Although not without flaws, Grandia HD serves as an acceptable alternative for experiencing these titles. However, due to time constraints, we haven’t been able to thoroughly evaluate these remasters from beginning to end, considering each game clocks in at around ten hours or more. Early stages have already revealed significant problems.
If playing Grandia is your sole option and you’re passionate about classic RPGs that originated from older consoles, it’s worth giving it a try. Just keep an eye out for discounts when they come up.
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2024-07-30 14:10