Growlanser: Heritage of War

 PlayStation 2
Growlanser: Heritage of War Image
Metascore
60

Mixed or average reviews - based on 7 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 45 Ratings

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  • Summary: On an island continent shrouded in darkness and bounded on every shore by an impassable veil, war rages among desperate inhabitants fighting for survival. A mysterious famine has ravaged the land, leaving its denizens to struggle over what little fertile land remains. There is no safe haven;On an island continent shrouded in darkness and bounded on every shore by an impassable veil, war rages among desperate inhabitants fighting for survival. A mysterious famine has ravaged the land, leaving its denizens to struggle over what little fertile land remains. There is no safe haven; land that war has left untouched is still threatened by the Screapers, fierce and powerful monsters steadily encroaching on the cities of men. Hope is fading - who will rise to save this dying land? Growlanser: Heritage of War features a sweeping story arc spanning 5 chapters, with additional chapters to unlock. The story unfolds through hand-drawn animation and character portraits by artist Satoshi Urushihara. Strategic Party-based Combat: Use an advanced troop command system to give orders to your allies – smart tactics are the key to victory. Manage Your Character's Ability Tree: Change your character's abilities based on the needs of the situation. As your character levels, so too do your Ability Plates. With the Friendship and Personality Rating System, your personality can either limit or enhance your interactions with others; the outcome of your encounters depends entirely on your behavior. Mold a protagonist as ill-tempered or good-natured as you desire. And if you're brave enough, reveal your true feelings to a companion; if they come to feel the same way about you, you'll be rewarded with a bonus hand-drawn character-specific ending animation that puts the icing on the cake. [Atlus USA]… Expand
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 7
  3. Negative: 0 out of 7
  1. RPG Fan
    65
    Save your money (or spend it on "Persona 3," Atlus fans!) and skip this mediocre mess. [Import]
  2. GameSpot
    60
    A decent strategy RPG that ultimately gets weighed down by some frustrating game mechanics.
  3. IGN
    60
    With an extremely weak story, annoying battle system and bland visuals, Growlanser: Heritage of War is perhaps the most disappointing chapter in the franchise.
  4. PSM Magazine
    60
    Ultimately, Heritage of War is a solid game, but it does little to differentiate itself from the many other RPGs already on the market. [Dec 2007, p.89]
    All this publication's reviews
  5. GamesRadar+
    60
    If you can handle bad presentation and clunky gameplay at times, then the story just may be enough of a reward. Growlanser: Heritage of War is a long game in the end, and while the flaws are obvious and often irritating, it is still by no means despicable.
  6. Cheat Code Central
    60
    Heritage of War can easily last you a 100 hours if you want to explore all aspects of it. There's a lot less filler than with your average RPG, but if you're the impatient type, you're still going to experience a lot of frustration. Especially when you have to level-up new playable characters.
  7. AceGamez
    50
    Fans of the series will probably find something to like in Growlanser: Heritage of War's forty or more hours of gameplay and selection of extras that include a battle arena and fairy contest; for the rest of us though, there is little to be found here other than an extremely average RPG that seems to do its best to exasperate its already lengthy list of shortcomings.
    All this publication's reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 3
  3. Negative: 0 out of 3
  1. SetsunaSeiei
    Apr 3, 2011
    9
    Technically poor, Growlanser even so manage to stand on its own among the many rpg clones out there. Its story has pathos and a deep meaning,Technically poor, Growlanser even so manage to stand on its own among the many rpg clones out there. Its story has pathos and a deep meaning, and the way it's comunicated to the player through multiple prologues and twists make it really interesting to play. The combats are also intelligent and innovative, having the charm of an action game with the scope of a strategy game. Urushihara's artworks are also really beautiful, even if I prefere some of his earlier works.… Expand
  2. Vocarin
    Dec 20, 2007
    8
    Though this game certainly as cutting-edge as FF XII or it's Atlus counter-part, Persona, it certainly goes far utilizing an old-school Though this game certainly as cutting-edge as FF XII or it's Atlus counter-part, Persona, it certainly goes far utilizing an old-school feel and system. With an intriguing story with twists and turns that keep you guessing, an enjoyable battle system, and an excellent music score, Heritage of War is for the FF IV generation, and can be considered an acquired taste as compared to Persona's blockbuster qualities. Older, but certainly no less impressive.… Expand
  4. ChrisC.
    Oct 24, 2007
    8
    This game isn't nearly as bad as the critics are saying. Just, it's a bit archaic because it's a port of an older game, and This game isn't nearly as bad as the critics are saying. Just, it's a bit archaic because it's a port of an older game, and it's one of those Atlus games oriented at their core niche audience. With bad graphics and quirky niche appeal, critics must almost feel obligated to trash it.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

77
#77 Best PS2 Game of 2007
77
#77 Most Discussed PS2 Game of 2007
20
#20 Most Shared PS2 Game of 2007