Very nice graphics and character models, but a hum-drum game nonetheless.
First of all, the graphics are quite nice--particularly the character models and their costumes, as GameSpot mentioned in their review. Also, the player gets to control three characters of their "family" simultaneously. I liked this feature at first, but there is really not much to it after all.
As you begin the game, you are given a home as headquarters for your family. You choose your surname and it is shared by all your characters. You can make up to eleven characters, with the ability to control three at a time.
"How does this work?" you ask? Well, it is an interesting feature, but nothing revolutionary: You can select all three and right-clic on the destination you want, and the three characters will make their way there. There are alternatives, too. You can hold the SHIFT key and the characters will head to that destination, but attack anything and everything along the way. You can hold the CTRL key and the three selected characters will pick up any and all loot along the way and at the destination.
You don't have to move all three the same way. You can select just one or two characters and give them directions, and then give separate directions to whomever is left. But you can't separate your active three characters by any great distance, so it feels pointless to split them up, which makes it feel as though you're really just controlling one characters who strangely has three bodies.
So, why is this game less than mediocre? Well, pretty graphics aside, the game is repetitive. Of course, many games are repetitive, but Granado Espada is exponentially more so ... and quite boring. The enemies spawn so quickly, you don't have time to pick up loot before you're forced to defend yourself. The monsters and wild animals, among other enemies, fade into existence about once second after their predecessor disappears.
Your characters have special abilities, combos, and spells but they all have the same feel and are not fantastical nor legendary by any means. Your gameplay often consists of skirting around the edges of wide open areas to avoid the large crowds in the middle. Failing to do this usually means a quick death ... for your characters!
Combat is far too short. One character can easily take care of one enemy, so three characters will quickly finish off a group of four enemies. This makes it feel as though the spells and combos--as well as the special abilities--are just added for the illusion of variety, since none of them are in fact necessary. You can just use the basic attack and defeat anything that isn't three or four levels higher than your highest-level character.
This very short combat encounter (less than once second, no exaggeration), coupled with the terribly frequent spawn rate, makes the average map feel like a frantic and ridiculous "run-around-like-a-chicken-with-its-head-cut-off" festival.
I was thoroughly unimpressed with "Sword of the New World: Granado Espada" and I do not recommend it. There are plenty of free MMOs out there that do a far better job of entertaining and immersion.