Grandia 1997

Is it still worth playing?

Game Arts' role playing game, the first Grandia, released for the Sega Saturn in Japan in 1997 and ported to the PlayStation in 1999. Justin, a young boy from the port town of Parm who dreams of becoming an adventurer like his father, inherits a magic stone that sends him east in search of the ancient city of Alent. The world is built for looking around. Its environments are 3D maps with characters drawn as 2D animated sprites, and the fully rotational camera follows the party, so turning it sometimes reveals hidden items or passages. Monsters are visible on the field and wander until the party gets close, and a battle starts when one touches a party member, with a preemptive strike if you reach it from behind. In battle, characters learn abilities by using weapons and spells again and again. Skills that grow with use still make trying new gear a reason to keep exploring today.