Together Retro: Grandia

[darsparx]

I'd recommend this: http://grandia.wikia.com/wiki/General_Baal it sums up what i was trying to say in the first paragraph

[BogusMeatFactory]

Beat the one of the bonus dungeons and fuuuuuuucccckk I was unprepared. Leena's weapon was absolutely worthless in the fights and I lost a key character in the boss battle, but was able to get all the loot and exit a little worse for wear. Taking a break tonight, because that dungeon seriously took me about an hour and a half to two hours to complete.

[BoneSnapDeez]

MANA EGGS

fyi, by my calculations there are at least four extra ones.

More if you never loaded up Sue's magic.

So missing a few is fine. You can even sell the surplus eventually.

Another thing I was thinking about today: so right in the start of the game, even before Justin and Sue are introduced, you find out about General Baal and his ominous military of obvious evil. What I'm wondering is... what the hell country are they supposed to be the military of? Parm and New Parm? Even though there are NO other civilizations that they've supposedly made contact with? How did they get so much funding?? How did he attract so many recruits and, Leen aside, where did they come from?
I KNOW I KNOW I'm probably overthinking it. But still, I'm curious...

You also have to love how the bad guys always have guns and supercomputers and airships or whatever. And the good guys have, uh, swords and shields.

Beat the one of the bonus dungeons and fuuuuuuucccckk I was unprepared. Leena's weapon was absolutely worthless in the fights and I lost a key character in the boss battle, but was able to get all the loot and exit a little worse for wear. Taking a break tonight, because that dungeon seriously took me about an hour and a half to two hours to complete.

Was it...

Soldier's Graveyard?

That one is a bastard. Especially with the ONE savepoint near the start and shitloads of enemies.

Leena's weapon was bad? I feel like I've been using mostly magic for the last 15 hours or so. When I use weapons it's with "moves" combined with magic.

Anyway, I'm 51.5 hours in. The end seems kinda-sorta near. Like, I think I have 3-4 more play sessions. Hope to be done by the weekend.

[BogusMeatFactory]

Oh it was indeed the place with which you mentioned! The problem I was coming across was that her whip does almost nothing to anyone, even if it is the most up to date weapon you can purchase. I think it really was based on the fact that my characters were not fully prepared for that dungeon. I was tackling it at level 25-ish and didn't have many items that benefited going into a deep dungeon.

I was able to get out fine, but it was a struggle for sure.

I am definitely starting to feel the RPG burnout. I feel myself ping ponging back and forth between playing this and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City to help level out that desire to just give up! I have to complete it, regardless of how much regular combat has become a chore for me as I am genuinely interested in the story and how everything is playing out. There is a good mystery building up and I feel it coming ever closer to a climax.

[alienjesus]

I'm thinking I'll probably just leave the bonus dungeons for another time.

Are they missable?

[noiseredux]

I am definitely starting to feel the RPG burnout.

haha, me too and I'm not even at the end of the first disc yet. Which is not to say anything against this game. I still think it's great - but even Grandia II, which I loved, I played on and off for like 6 months (and still haven't beaten). Basically any RPG that's longer than 12 hrs (so pretty much anything post-8/16-bit) I have trouble focusing on all at once and end up playing in spurts. I can see myself playing Grandia between things in the months ahead. But there's no way I could finish it this month.

[BoneSnapDeez]

I'm thinking I'll probably just leave the bonus dungeons for another time.

Are they missable?

They all become missable after awhile, as the game doesn't allow much in the way of backtracking.

I wouldn't tackle the first two right when you get to them. I'd recommend at least getting to the next town, buying new equipment, and then going back.

From what I can tell the third one is tough to the point where you'll need to go back several hours after you first stumble upon it. I didn't bother to finish it and I'm now past the point where you can.

As for the game being too long - I agree 100%. 40 hours of casual play would have been nice. I always find 5+ gen games to be way too lengthy. I don't need my RPGs to be 55 hours, and I certainly don't need my action games to be 8 hours. Yet another reason I stick mostly to 8/16-bit stuff.

[BoneSnapDeez]

I beat it!

Final dungeon + bosses are pretty epic, though not particularly difficult.

Here at my stats at the final save point, though I did also level up some during the final boss fights.

Justin
Level 42
Sword 82
Mace 43
Ax 51
Fire 75
Wind 35
Water 32
Earth 54

Feena
Level 39
Knife 30
Whip 31
Fire 28
Wind 26
Water 34
Earth 25

Rapp
Level 39
Knife 26
Sword 28
Throwing 31
Fire 19
Wind 12
Water 24
Earth 11

Liete
Mace 14
Fire 18
Wind 22
Water 18
Earth 25

Time at final save point:
53 hours, 58 minutes, 33 seconds
As noted I chose not to attempt the third and final bonus dungeon, which would have added several more hours of play time.

The ending is adorable. You will especially enjoy it, BMF.

Just make sure not to shut the game off when the "Presented by GAME ARTS" screen appears. The ending will continue about 15 seconds later.

I'll write some cumulative thoughts in the Games Beaten thread later and continue to watch this one to see how the rest of yous are coming along.

[BogusMeatFactory]

I beat it!

Final dungeon + bosses are pretty epic, though not particularly difficult.

Here at my stats at the final save point, though I did also level up some during the final boss fights.

Justin
Level 42
Sword 82
Mace 43
Ax 51
Fire 75
Wind 35
Water 32
Earth 54

Feena
Level 39
Knife 30
Whip 31
Fire 28
Wind 26
Water 34
Earth 25

Rapp
Level 39
Knife 26
Sword 28
Throwing 31
Fire 19
Wind 12
Water 24
Earth 11

Liete
Mace 14
Fire 18
Wind 22
Water 18
Earth 25

Time at final save point:
53 hours, 58 minutes, 33 seconds
As noted I chose not to attempt the third and final bonus dungeon, which would have added several more hours of play time.

The ending is adorable. You will especially enjoy it, BMF.

Just make sure not to shut the game off when the "Presented by GAME ARTS" screen appears. The ending will continue about 15 seconds later.

I'll write some cumulative thoughts in the Games Beaten thread later and continue to watch this one to see how the rest of yous are coming along.

Congratulations on beating the game. I have to play the game in short bursts, because, for some deeply concerning reason, it is starting to give me severe headaches when I play. After an hour or so, they disappear, but it is starting to freak me out.

[Exhuminator]

it is starting to give me severe headaches when I play. After an hour or so, they disappear, but it is starting to freak me out.

It's Takeshi Miyaji taking his ethereal revenge because you said his game was too long.