Grandstream Saga:
The Sinking Continents
Review by Chi Phan
Grandstream Saga is THQ first entry in the rpg genre. LIke with
most first rpg from a company, Grandstream Saga isn't a very good one. It's an
average rpg at best. It's quite amazing that this game can boast on it's resume
that it debutted at #1 in Japan. This tells you how much the japanese are into
their rpgs when a game like this debut at #1. Fortunately the japanese rpgers
aren't that stupid. Grandstream Saga quickly dropped way out of the #1 spot the
following week. Let's have a closer look at this game.
Story
Grandstream Saga feature a story about a boy name Eon. The continents
of Grandstream are sinking into the sea and our hero's quest is to stop this from
happening. Our hero then embarks on a journey towards the four continents of Fire,
Water, Wind, and Earth. This alone should tell you how short the quest is. Like
with all rpgs, there's at least one evil empire trying to stop the hero. In this
case, it's the evil Imperial Wizardry. The quest itself is fairly short and straightforward.
Go to each continent according to the story and solve the puzzles, fight the bosses,
and move on to the next destination. On the way you'll meet up with different
characters. Friends and foes alike. An unimaginative and uninspired story. At
times you'll feel bored with it all.
Score: 5/10
Characters
The games features quite a few selections of supporting characters.
Unforunately you don't really care much about them at all. Korky and Laramee are
too annoying. Arcia doesn't talk much. The only possible interesting character
is Slayzer. And he doesn't appear much in the game at all to be a real interest.
Score: 4/10
Graphics
The game uses anime cut scene with giant polygons figures in
a 3-D background environment. While the anime cut scene are nice, it sometimes
interrupts the flow of the game and storytelling. The polygons figures are big
with no details in them whatsoever. The background is dull and unimaginative.
While graphics don't make or break a game, it certainly doesn't help it if they
are bad. Again the only saving grace is the nice anime cut scene.
Score: 5/10
Music/Voice Overs
There's hardly any music in this game. The ones that are included
are quite forgettable. They didn't really put much efforts to the music and sound
in this game. The voice dubbing in the anime cut sene aren't much better. Sometimes
it's good while other times it's bad. Most of the time they tend to interrupt
the actual story flow of the game. Which can be a bad thing
Score: 3/10
Gameplay
Like with all action rpgs, Grandstream Saga is a puzzle solving,
hack and slash game. In each of the continents you have to spend time solving
the puzzles to get the items needed before you can advance onto the boss. Most
of the puzzles are fairly easy.
For the action, the game blends in combo attacks, magic attack with your regular
hack and slash attack moves. The problem with this, is that the combo moves are
pretty useless. They ended up more of a problem than helping you. Each combos
requires pushing in the right combonation of buttons inorder to get it off, like
with fighting games. By the time you finished inputting the correct codes, the
enemies will have you eating dirt by then. You be better off just using regular
attacks mixed in with your elemental magic attacks. Your hero (Eon) is slow and
hard to maneuver as well. This is do to the fact that he's a big block of polygon.
I found the gameplay to be boring and uninteresting.
Score: 5/10
Extras/Replay
Extras and replay?? There's absolutely nothing extra for you
to do in this game. No mini games and secret stuff whatsoever. Unless someone
tells me otherwise. The replay comes strictly if you love playing the game the
first time. Do you???
Score: 0/10
Overrall Grandstream Saga is an average action rpg that's strictly
for those die hard fans out there that must play every single rpg available, like
myself. Best to use the game as a rental. I would give this game a higher score
if they had added nudity in Laramee shower scene. LOL
Final Score: 4/10
~Chi
