It is very well done!
More than six years ago, I picked up a copy of a generic looking role-playing game. I expected it to be just another mediocre game but i was so wrong! It turned out to be one of the best role-playing game I have ever played! And that game was Grandia, on the PlayStation. Determined to be marveled again, I eagerly picked up Grandia III...
Story
In Grandia III, you take take control of an aspiring pilot named Yuki. He dreams of one day leaving his small quiet village to explore the world in an airplane. Yuki idolizes a legendary pilot called Sky Captain Schmidt ever since he was a little boy. Because of this, he has been trying to build an airplane that could fly and take to the skies like Schmidt! Unfortunately, all of the planes that Yuki had built were complete disasters until his #19 plane... For the very first time, he took to the skies and the adventure begins...
Game-play
The Grandia series features a unique battle system that combines both real-time and turn-based elements. A circular shaped indicator on the top left corner of the screen called an IP gauge will be displayed in battles. Your characters are represented by icons on the IP gauge and when it reaches the COM bar, you're able to issue commands. After that, the icons have to hit the ACT bar before they would make their moves. There is quite a bit of strategy involved in battles. Such as knowing when to use combo attacks or even critical attacks, which could cancel an enemy's move. On top of that, there are an array of impressive spells, special moves and aeriel combos to spice things up! You could also assign various strategy to your characters and they would follow automatically. Overall, the battles are fast-paced and often very enjoyable.
The only flaw is the lack of optional side-quests. But the game most certainly makes up for this.
Graphics/Sound
Grandia III is aesthetically gorgeous. The environment is detailed and exquisite. Expect to see lush greenery, clear blue skies, or being treated to a breathtaking sunset. Sounds are well executed and the voice acting is top notch. Both the graphics and sound department compliments each other wonderfully to produce a vivid and life-like world.
In conclusion, this review is only the tip of an ice-berg. Grandia III is truly an exceptional game that captures the imagination of what a great role-playing game should be like.