Grandia III (2005) (VG)

Directors:

Hidenobu Takahashi
Yukio Morimoto

Writers:

Kunio Aoki (townspeople scenario: scenario)
Takahiro Hasebe (main scenario)

Release Date:

14 February 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Fantasy | Mystery

Plot Keywords:

Comfort | Sadness | Search For Lost Relative | Boat | Fortune Teller

Cast

Chieko Baisho	...	Griff (voice: Japanese version)
Takashi Hagino	...	Emerius (voice: Japanese version)
Shinji Kasahara	...	Dunkel (voice: Japanese version)
Shingo Katsurayama	...	Alonzo (voice: Japanese version)
Haruka Kinami	...	Alfeena (voice: Japanese version)
Ayaka Maeda	...	Hecto (voice: Japanese version)
Massaya Matsuzake Ono	...	Yuki (voice: Japanese version) (as Masaya Matsuzake)
Takeru Shibaki	...	Ull (voice: Japanese version) (as Shibaki Takeru)
Mayumi Wakamura	...	Miranda (voice: Japanese version)
Sayaka Yoshino	...	Daana (voice: Japanese version)

Country:

Japan

Language:

English | Japanese

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

USA:T

Company:

Game Arts Co.

Trivia:

In the Japanese version of this game, the ending theme song was performed in Japanese by the Japanese pop artist, Miz (real name Mizuki Ito). For the US version however, it was in English and also performed by Miz because she's fluent in Japanese and English.

Quotes:

[Emelious and Raven clashes their swords at each other and as they perform the finishing attack, Emelious got Raven first as Raven is fatally wounded]
Emelious: Raven. I'm afraid you weren't cut out to be a God.

Movie Connections:

Follows Grandia (1997) (VG)

Soundtrack:

In The Sky

Enjoyable game with one of the most insipid female characters ever...

Intruigingly, this is the only Grandia game not to be released in the UK (Unless you count Grandia Xtreme). Fortunately, thanks to the wonders of ebay, I was able to purchase a copy AND find a way to play it on my PAL PS2. The other two games in the series were fantastic (especially the first) so I had high hopes for this one. Is it up to scratch? Well, the battle system is still as good as ever, and there are plenty of items to find that increase the longevity no end. It is spread over two discs so expect a huge adventure, and the graphics are the best yet. But...

Who wrote the story?! It cribs from virtually every other RPG ever made and would almost pass as a parody of clichéd plot lines from the genre. Let's see... wannabe pilot befriends mysterious pointy-eared girl and together they set out on an adventure that COULD DECIDE THE FATE OF THE PLANET AS WE KNOW IT (TM). I suppose the pilot's mother joining you at first in the quest is someone original, but she soon disappears.. eloping with a scummy sailor you run into, leaving you with, in addition, a dragon-riding demi human (CHECK) a magic user with a HUGE cleavage (CHECK) and a pink haired girl who doesn't say much (CHECK). Together, they are embroiled in a storyline involving GUARDIANS and TEMPLES as they fly around the world RIGHTING WRONGS and generally being humourless clean-cut GOOD GUYS. ZZZZZ.... come on, how about for once we get a main character who kills the townsfolk, burns the houses and releases the EVIL SPIRIT THAT DESTROYS THE PLANET. Okay, maybe I'm just kidding but honestly, the amount of formulaic story elements here beggars belief.

Anyway, I won't harp on about it for too long, as the game has a far bigger problem. It has blonde hair, brown eyes, a sappy voice and goes by the name of ALFINA. Apart from being called something that a trans-sexual might think of being referred to as after his operation, this girlie is one of the most annoyingly drippy protagonists in an RPG EVER. This is a person who is always upset, never stops talking like a little kid and spends all her time whining and crying. Fine, the history of RPGs is littered with people who have their own personal traumas and demons to conquer, but this individual seems to be ENJOYING her depression and consequently, gets our hero to do EVERYTHING for her. I cannot emphasise enough how much I HATED this snivelling, pathetic character, and by implication her 'boyfriend' (i.e you) who never objects for one minute to her behaviour and put his foot down to her constant stupid requests. Thankfully, I haven't played up to the point where they share their first kiss ( Inevitable, really ) because once they do, I have a feeling I will need a new television set.

As I said, at face value the game is more than enough fun. Perhaps the faults that I found with it are my opinions alone, but I don't think so. All over the internet, this is generally accepted as the weakest of the trilogy, and I don't think it was any great loss it never turned up on ol' Brittanias shores. I would still recommend it to RPG fans, but don't expect anything to rival the previous two installments. Could do better, guys. 7/10