Grandia II

 PlayStation 2
  • Publisher: Ubisoft
  • Release Date: Jan 28, 2002
  • Also On: PC
User Score
8.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 61 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 51 out of 61
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 61
  3. Negative: 4 out of 61
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  1. FFallen
    May 2, 2013
    10
    I loved this game, I couldn't put it down once the story picked up. The characters, battle system and story really held my attention and made this a game I played constantly, I'm looking forward to picking up more in the Grandia series someday.
  2. RPGROB
    May 18, 2011
    10
    This is one of the best RPG games I've played. Without giving away too much, you go around destroying different parts of an evil god. He needs to absorb all of these pieces to become whole again. Where the game really shines is the battle system. Your characters and enemies are constantly moving around, though the game pauses to give you a chance to give commands to your characters.This is one of the best RPG games I've played. Without giving away too much, you go around destroying different parts of an evil god. He needs to absorb all of these pieces to become whole again. Where the game really shines is the battle system. Your characters and enemies are constantly moving around, though the game pauses to give you a chance to give commands to your characters. Depending on how far away a character is from an enemy depends on how long it will take to attack them. You can use "critical" attacks to cancel out an enemy's move if timed carefully.

    You should know this is a Dreamcast port, so the graphics are Dreamcast era. This is one of those games that would have been better by not using 3-D real-time graphics. However, the characters are animated well, doing everything from scooting out of bed to going into an angry pose while speaking.

    For people that like to read, the characters consistently have outrageous and funny puns to say. An alter ego of one of the characters flirts with the main character, who likes to think of himself as a tough guy, but he eventually softens up. The dialogue reminds me of that written for Disgaea.

    It would be unfair of me to rate the game lower because of the technical flaws, but it's way TOO noticeable. The graphics clip in and out constantly, there's MASSIVE slowdowns within towns and a few dungeons. Fog and reflection effects double the slowdown. There's even glitches that affect the menus and text sometimes, but they are not deal breakers. Gold coins that appear after defeating enemies turn black half of the time. To be fair, the game never froze once. I give this game a 10 despite its technical flaws, which I feel shouldn't detract from the game. It's definitely worth trying, but pickup the Dreamcast version if you can.    … Expand
  3. JasonC.
    Mar 19, 2003
    1
    This has to be the worst RPG I have yet to play. Predictable in almost every respect and ugly too. With the exception of the Boss creatures all fights could be switched to auto which turned the whole game into a bad cartoon with minimal interactivity. Only play this if you've never played any other RPG and can't get hold of one.
  4. NatashaB.
    Oct 7, 2004
    10
    I loved it it has a fantastic story and the characters were awsome.
  5. SolidSnake
    May 2, 2002
    9
    Don't listen to the "it doesn't have good graphics" bullsh.t. This is an outstanding rpg, that every fan of the genre should play. The story is so compelling and the battle system is so great, you won't care that it doesn't have "good graphics."
  6. HitomiK.
    Jul 23, 2002
    10
    Even though the graphics were quite poor, the storyline and the battles make up for it and it is the only game where i like the love scenes. Also the fights between ryudo and skye really cheer me up.
  7. CloudStrife
    Apr 10, 2005
    9
    I really like the game even if the graphic are not that good. But when we play a RPG we leave the graphics to be the last one. The game has a Very good story. one of the best i can say but i believe that the Dreamcast version is much better than PS2. PS2 machine is just another slowdown invention by SONY! i cant wait now for Grandia 3!!!! :D
  8. GreenDay
    Feb 23, 2002
    8
    Innovative battle system, vivid colors, and good voice acting.
  9. TomJ.
    Mar 21, 2002
    10
    A masterpiece of an RPG!
  10. Thebest
    Nov 16, 2006
    9
    As a RPG Grandia is as good in the battles as they get. FF battles feel boring and slow after this masterpiece. The story keeps you on track, and brings up many suprises. The end games big pile of bosses are too easy to beat, but whoever you look at it, the battles are so amazing, the all not-so-good parts are forgotten and hidden under the chair.
  11. mcikes
    Jul 25, 2012
    7
    I would have given this game a 10 if not for the sloppy PSX port. The game is choppy and load times are excruciating. This is the best battle system in the history of RPG's. The story was great and was in my opinion was ripped off for the storyline of FFX, some of the characters were ripped off as well. This game is hard, but maybe not worth playing on the PSX if your an impatient person.
  12. iKen
    Apr 11, 2020
    9
    Played on PlayStation 2.
    Gameplay: GREAT.
    Story: GREAT.
    Graphic: GREAT.
    Control/Voice Acting: GREAT.
  13. Rox22
    Mar 15, 2013
    8
    An absolutely charming JRPG and a fine example of its genre. This game could not be any more JRPG if it tried. Great and memorable plot that is really clever. Charming characters. Fun and innovative combat. I totally enjoyed this game and would recommend it to anyone who is looking for the JRPG experience.
  14. Kai82
    Jan 8, 2022
    10
    A really good sequel that fully delivers for me. It looks like they want a more „Adult“ look for the sequel which is strange as Grandia dealt with a lot of serious motives later on. However I like both games and the cast and ideas of Grandia 2 won me over. Like the Final Fantasy sequels Grandia 2 is set in a different world, with new characters and new lore while having some similarities.A really good sequel that fully delivers for me. It looks like they want a more „Adult“ look for the sequel which is strange as Grandia dealt with a lot of serious motives later on. However I like both games and the cast and ideas of Grandia 2 won me over. Like the Final Fantasy sequels Grandia 2 is set in a different world, with new characters and new lore while having some similarities. Also there are some improvements compared to the first game. Story: A long time ago Granas the god of light and Valmar his evil counterpart clashed. While Granas won he was seriously weakened and Valmar was not destroyed but neutralized. However this has happen very long ago. At the present Ryudo and his eagle partner Skye are working as Geohounds (Soldiers). They are tasked to escort Elena who is a Songstress of the church of Granas to an old tower for a regular cleansing ritual. They do not know that this is the start of a great adventure that will challenge them and the world. I wont spoil the story and end it with this set up. I like the story and the characters. There are genuine developments, twists, backstories, reveals and conflicts that always kept my interest high. Even after many years I remember the story and many emotional scenes. The characters are excellent and won me completely over. The main trio of Ryudo, Elena and Millenia are so enjoyable and became my favorites. It ended not there as Zera, Tio, Roan, Tio, Mareg and Melfice are also really good. Together with the story this is a strength of the game. Also the humor is spot on and it was entertaining too. Like Grandia 1 there are many good jokes, quirks and humorous situations. Gameplay: Grandia has a bit of a unique turn based battle system. You can see enemies and depending how you engage or the enemies vice versa can get the initiative (Touch them behind and avoid the opposite). Then the battle starts. It is close to the Final Fantasy active time turn based battles but with a twist. There is an IP bar that shows which party member or enemy will act next. If you reach a marker you can input your command. The twist is that you have to reach the next marker to execute the command. This gives tactical options as special attacks and powerful magics take longer to perform. It is possible to cancel attacks or delay your enemies and vice versa. For this you have a fast and strong normal basic attack. Some special attacks and magic will also do the trick. It total this was a good system that added tactical depth to the battles. Each character has unique abilities he / she can use. The magic system was improved. In Grandia you had to find fairy eggs that unlock one element for 1 character (out of 4). Here fairy eggs have spells on them. You can develop those and switch to different eggs. I like this a lot better. It is more of the improved same. Presentation: I fully admit that the graphics have not aged that well but the art style is still good. Maybe it was not on the highest level back then. However I say it is not ugly. The soundtrack is amazing and still worth listening. Especially Elenas song is remarkable but the rest also delivers. Luckily we got a good cast of voice actors and a better translation. Bugs / negatives: I had no bugs or glitches during my playthrough. I see no mayor negatives but the battle system got a bit repetitive towards the end. Overall I see this as a really great game but must warn you that I am influenced by nostalgia. Worth a try a least for RPG fans.… Expand
  15. Fransilver1
    Jan 9, 2016
    9
    Very good battle system, interesting plot, charming characters.
    The difficulty level maybe is a little low.
    I enjoyed this game and recommend it to people who likes RPG games.
  16. shootingstars99
    Jul 10, 2019
    9
    Cool character design and an interesting, albeit slightly creepy story scenario. The plot picks up quick and leaves you wanting to play for hours on end once it really gets going. Very few people are as they initially appear in Grandia 2, and the holy may not be as holy as they let on...

Awards & Rankings

58
#58 Most Discussed PS2 Game of 2002
94
#94 Most Shared PS2 Game of 2002

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
71

Mixed or average reviews - based on 19 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 19
  3. Negative: 1 out of 19
  1. Electronic Gaming Monthly
    40
    Inexplicably horrible graphics completely ruin an otherwise splendid title. [Feb 2002, p.156]
  2. TotalGames.net
    69
    An above average RPG when released on the lesser Dreamcast system, on the PS2 it is merely average.
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  3. GameSpot
    74
    Grandia II may not look like much from a technical standpoint--disappointingly, the game actually looks a bit worse than the original Dreamcast version--but its visual design is well done.
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