What can I say about Grandia? Let's see, only that it's one of the best games ever made. It made me laugh and it made me cry, and everything in between. I suppose the game is sort of a mixture of every RPG I have ever played, and it certainly had its bad parts as well as the good. However, much like Final Fantasy 8, it seems like no matter what people may say about it, no matter what aspects are less than perfect, Grandia can do no wrong. The game has captured my heart and my mind. I really liked every aspect of it.

First, and most importantly, the story is absolutely fantastic. It seems so cliche at first, but it soon becomes apparent that that was the intention of the developers. It almost seems like they were trying to add a third dimension to a tried and true plot. I must say that Game Arts was successful. The game revolves around a stereotypical youth named Justin who, like so many RPG heroes these days is very determined to follow in his father's footsteps. He plays "Adventurer" in the streets of his town with his friend Sue. He seems so childish at first, but learns the importance of life and love, ect. The real strength of the plot is in the characters. All of them are very generic, but they are also very good. The game's plot is simple, yet breathtaking, and at times very emotionally heavy. The only other game I can really compare the nature, and quality of the plot to is Final Fantasy VIII, which is also simple, but character development heavy.

The graphics are much like Xenogears, nothing special, but effective none the same. The character portraits that appear during dialogue scenes add A LOT to the game. You really get a good view of how a particular character feels. The battle graphics are the same, with some somewhat impressive spell effects, but overall once again, nothing special. The FMV in the game is top notch, but not quite on par with Square's masterpieces or Lunar. Overall, the game looks very attractive, despite the relative simplicity. The game was originally a Saturn title, so what can you expect?

The music is sometimes annoying, but during the particularly melodramatic scenes it really shines. I love the character themes and especially Mullen and Leen's, but the town and dungeon, and even boss music is just plain bothersome. It is very atmospheric, with drums and strange instruments. I can appreciate what the composer was going for, but on the whole, the music is somewhat bland. However it is good when it needs to be and that is what counts.

The gameplay is the best ever. The dungeons are huge, and the battle system is truly unique. I wonder how on earth they thought up such a great way to fight in an RPG. Battle is truly a joy, instead of the chore that it is in most games. I won't go into the system here, but it takes a hefty amount of strategy to fight effectively. The experience system also rocks.

Overall Grandia is a fantastic game. You will love this game no matter what. It appeals to everyone. This is what RPGs are all about, and right off the top of my head the only games that best Grandia are Square's own Final Fantasy games, and MAYBE Xenogears. This is a timeless classic that NO ONE should miss, and quite frankly, the only excuse for not playing it is not having the money.