Grandia Xtreme Updated Preview
We've got hands-on impressions of Grandia Xtreme for the PlayStation2 from the retail version recently released in Japan.
The Grandia series has come a long way since the release of the first installment on the Sega Saturn back in 1997. The game received critical acclaim in Japan, where the press praised its innovative battle system and engaging gameplay. Unfortunately, US gamers weren't able to find out what the fuss was about until two years later, when the PlayStation port finally hit the States. Although the game didn't sell incredibly well, those who played it respected its innovation. The next installment, Grandia II, came out on the Dreamcast in 2000 in the US and Japan and was also recently released for the PlayStation 2 in both territories. As interest in the game has grown, developer Game Arts has moved to widen Grandia's exposure. In Japan, the third installment of the series, entitled Grandia Xtreme, was recently released on the PS2, and we're here to bring you the lowdown on the game.
You will take the role of a novice earth mage boy named Evan, who is forced to lead an investigation to find out what's happening inside natural disasters called elemental overdrives. You can pick three other members--Sgt. Brandol and First Sgt. Carmine of the Notis army; Teit and Lutina from the Alcadas; and Miam from the Hazma tribes--to form a party in every mission. Each of the supporting characters has different strengths and weaknesses. The game is somewhat reminiscent of such role-playing titles as Sting's Evolution on the Dreamcast and Blizzard's Diablo on the PC, in which you have only one town providing you with weapons, spells, and items, while the rest of the world map is made up of dungeons to explore (albeit nonrandomly generated dungeons).
The dungeons are presented from a third-person perspective, as in Eternal Arcadia and Legend of Zelda. On the lower right part of the screen, you'll find the "Xtreme gauge," which signals you that an enemy is nearby. The more the gauge fills up, the more it turns red and trembles, indicating that enemies are stronger. If enemies are not visible nearby, it could also mean that a treasure chest is possibly in the vicinity. You'll be able to make your way through the dungeons in two ways. The game's default movement for your character is a run, but holding on to the X button lets you walk at a slower pace inside the dungeon. You'll probably want to walk most of the time, since it will give you a higher chance of striking enemies first when engaging in battle. If you prefer to take a risk and run through the dungeons, be prepared for enemies to initiate the first strike in combat--and quite often.
When exploring the 3D dungeons, you'll find the camera angles don't seem to catch up to the characters quick enough. As a result, you'll often have to adjust the position of the camera as you are moving inside dungeons. Pressing the L1 or R1 shoulder buttons rotates the camera, while pressing R2 switches the camera direction to where your character is facing. Oddly enough, the controls are pressure-sensitive, so you'll be pressing these shoulder buttons hard most of the time, since the camera rotation is rather slow.
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