Developer: Game Arts
Publisher: Square Enix
Genre: RPG
Region: NTSC
Format:
Release Date: 14 Feb 06

Score 10 (Best) 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 (Worst)

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Overview

I have said it several times, but since I like to repeat myself, I will say once again that there are a ton of great RPG's on the Playstation 2. Out of the three current generation consoles, if you're looking for RPG's you are the most likely to find them on the Playstation 2. There is no real reason technically why the PS2 has more RPG's, but I suspect Sony's close relationship with famous Japanese RPG developers might have played a pretty significant role. Today we are checking out yet another RPG from Square Enix, this one which comes from the very popular Grandia Series, which is entitled Grandia III. So can the third time for the series be the charm? Read our full review to find out!

Gameplay

When you talk about the Grandia series, you are talking about one of the most underrated and under-appreciated RPG's out there. Next to Dark Cloud from Sony, I would say that the Grandia series has always put out good games with good storylines, and it is unfortunate that it has been overlooked by many RPG enthusiasts. With Grandia III I felt like more people were interested in it, and more people heard about it. So could Square Enix capitalize on this?

One question I do have for RPG developers is, why do we always have to play as kids? Once again in Grandia III, you take the role of Yuki a small tyke who wants very badly to become a pilot. Without getting too far into a very deep and rich storyline, he ends up finding this girl who is being chased by the bad guys and this has a chain reaction that links this all into a very climatic storyline. I don't want to give the storyline away because it is very rich in detail and enjoyable. I do however still not understand why the kid couldn't be older as playing as little kids in these big adventures just doesn't feel as satisfying. Call me weird, but I just want to play as big kids in big kid adventures.

So the story is really good other than my small rant about small kids in RPG's, Grandia III really has by far the best story out of the three games of the series. So with that being said, can the turn based combat manage to continue to do in its third iteration? The combat in the game works very similarly to what we have seen in the previous games, which means more of the turn based combat which has faired rather well so far. My experience with this games system seems to be a pleasant one with a feature called the IP Gauge which is a neat little innovation that gives out a lot of information about your battle.

I must say that the battle system itself is sound and simple. I like what the developers did with the IP Gauge as it really allows the pace of the battles to move in a timely manner without making this a button masher or a senseless game of checkers. I just want to say that the ability to really pull off some great strategic maneuvers with your teammates is a big accomplishment for this game. I just was so impressed with the effective approach that the developers took in making this game's combat system, because it surely works.

The only real problem I had with the gameplay was found later on in the game, when things became more and more repetitive. I say this because the game just never manages to really vary it up in the end. The game starts on a path and sticks with a very straight line from start to finish. In the end, Grandia III is still an amazing RPG that only begins to suffer later on in the experience. Grandia III has a very innovative and effective combat system that I enjoyed immensely and a story that although not perfect, was engaging.

Graphics

Visually Grandia III has a very sleek style to it that I really enjoyed, and I think most will agree with me to say this is a great looking RPG. The use of color in the game is one of the stronger points of the visual style. I should also say the character models and environments don't look to shabby as well, with a good deal of detail and a very varied and interesting look that works well throughout the game. I wouldn't say this is the best looking RPG out there, but it just manages to keep things very fresh and entertaining throughout the experience. I give a good thumb up for the developers on the visual aspect of the game.

Fun Factor

I really enjoy all video game genres, and although the RPG genre is not on the top of my list, I still found a lot of enjoyment out of this game. I think what the developers managed to accomplish was bringing in a storyline that was very interesting and managed to develop a very immersive and strategic combat system that all blended together very nicely. I did mention earlier that the game does manage to feel repetitive in the later part of the game, but even then the game still flows nicely and is just a lot of fun to play. If you enjoyed Grandia I & II, then you are really going to enjoy III.

Overall

Grandia III is just a good solid RPG that has all the makings that you need to enjoy this sort of game. I have enjoyed the previous games in the series, but Grandia III by far offers up the most comprehensive package, and I would highly recommend it to any fan of the series. If you have not checked out the series before you would not be disappointed by renting this game, it has a lot of great elements to offer.

Gameplay
8.0

Graphics
8.0

Fun Factor
8.0

Overall
8.0

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