The Granstream Saga

The Granstream Saga (グランストリーム伝紀, Guransutorīmu Denki) is an action role-playing game for the PlayStation. The game was the first 3D title developed by Shade, a development team within Quintet led by graphic designer Kouji Yokota. It is an intended spiritual successor to their previous Super NES titles, Soul Blazer and Terranigma (involving Tomoyoshi Miyazaki and Masanori Hikichi).[3] The game was first published in Japan by Sony Computer Entertainment, then given a United States release by THQ.[4]

The Granstream Saga
Developer(s)Shade
Publisher(s)
Director(s)Koji Yokota
Producer(s)Ryoji Akagawa
Designer(s)Koji Yokota
Writer(s)Tomoyoshi Miyazaki
Masami Ohkubo
Composer(s)Masanori Hikichi
Miyoko Takaoka
Takako Ochiai
Platform(s)PlayStation
Release
  • JP: November 6, 1997
  • NA: June 29, 1998[2]
  • EU: February 26, 1999
Genre(s)Action role-playing
Mode(s)Single-player

The Granstream Saga is lauded as one of the first fully polygonal RPGs, as opposed to using polygonal characters with pre-rendered backgrounds, polygonal environments with scaling sprites, or other such combinations. The game features anime-style cutscenes by Production I.G. It is also somewhat unusual in that the characters the player meets in the game are faceless.

Gameplay

Gameplay consists of top-down RPG exploration and storytelling. When the player character is confronted or ambushed by an enemy, the camera angle shifts to a 45 degree angle, and combat begins. Combat consists of real-time one-on-one battles.[4] In real-time combat, the player utilizes several weapons and abilities, such as swords, daggers, axes, warhammers, and various spells. When not in combat, they spend a very large time exploring, gaining new weapons and armor, and conversing with the many characters of the different continents.

Plot

The game takes place after a short animated sequence where Eon and Valos cut a section of land off of Shilf. After discovering a young boy has disappeared, Valos performs locating magic to find the boy in an ancient cemetery. The spirit of the Wise Man speaks to Eon here, and asks him to find and help his daughter, Arcia, to use the Orb and recite the lifting verse to raise the land. Together they make it a goal to raise the other continents as well, and set off on a journey.

Reception

The game received average reviews according to the review aggregation website GameRankings.[5] Next Generation said that the game "isn't a bad effort; it's just an average one. Neither the gameplay nor the storyline elevates it into the same category as Square's Final Fantasy, Konami's Suikoden, or Capcom's Breath of Fire."[15] In Japan, Famitsu gave it a score of 31 out of 40.[9]

GamePro said the game was "one of the most enjoyable new role-playing games of the year", praising its intriguing storyline, enemies, and frantic fighting action. They considered the "voice-overs during most of the cut scenes" as "audio highlights" and concluded its blend of "classic RPG elements (puzzle solving, spells, saving mankind) with those of the action/fighter genre" make it a fun and challenging adventure.[18][lower-alpha 3]

Hardcore Gaming 101 gave it a positive retrospective review, commenting its combat system, story and presentation.[19]

Notes
  1. Three critics of Electronic Gaming Monthly gave the game each a score of 7/10, and another gave it 7.5/10.
  2. In GameFan's viewpoint of the game, three critics gave it each a score of 92, 84, and 90.
  3. GamePro gave the game three 4.5/5 scores for graphics, sound, and control, and 5/5 for fun factor.

References
  1. "THQ Brings Japanese Hit Game to U.S. Market With "The Granstream Saga"". Business Wire. Gale. March 10, 1998. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved May 18, 2015.
  2. "THQ AND SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT LAUNCH FUTURISTIC ROLE PLAYING GAME FOR PLAYSTATION". THQ. June 29, 1998. Archived from the original on April 16, 2004. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
  3. DeRienzo, David (2007). "Quintet". Hardcore Gaming 101. Archived from the original on March 25, 2008. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  4. "The RPG Revolution (The Granstream Saga)" (PDF). Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 106. Ziff Davis. May 1998. p. 87. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 1, 2023. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  5. "The Granstream Saga for PlayStation". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on March 25, 2014. Retrieved March 25, 2014.
  6. House, Michael L. "The Granstream Saga - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 15, 2014. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  7. Ricciardi, John; Boyer, Crispin; Smith, Shawn; Williams, Ken "Sushi-X" (July 1998). "The Granstream Saga" (PDF). Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 108. Ziff Davis. p. 139. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  8. Grant, Jules (March 8, 1999). "The Granstream Saga". The Electric Playground. Greedy Productions Ltd. Archived from the original on September 8, 2002. Retrieved September 11, 2023.
  9. "グランストリーム伝紀". Famitsu (in Japanese). Enterbrain. Archived from the original on September 10, 2023. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  10. McNamara, Andy; Anderson, Paul; Reiner, Andrew (July 1998). "The Granstream Saga". Game Informer. No. 63. FuncoLand. Archived from the original on September 14, 1999. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  11. Ngo, George "Eggo"; Mylonas, Eric "ECM"; Wakamatsu, Mike "Waka" (August 1998). "[The] Granstream Saga". GameFan. Vol. 6, no. 8. Metropolis Media. p. 16. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  12. Baldric (July 1998). "The Granstream Saga - PlayStation Review". GameRevolution. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on February 21, 2004. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  13. Kasavin, Greg (August 20, 1998). "The Granstream Saga Review". GameSpot. Fandom. Archived from the original on January 26, 2015. Retrieved July 6, 2015.
  14. Reyes, Francesca; Perry, Douglass C. (July 14, 1998). "[The] Granstream Saga". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on January 26, 2023. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  15. "[The] Granstream Saga". Next Generation. No. 44. Imagine Media. August 1998. p. 96. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  16. Moehnke, Mike (September 2011). "The Granstream Saga - Staff Retroview". RPGamer. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on September 9, 2011. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  17. Esque (August 9, 1998). "The Granstream Saga". RPGFan. Emerald Shield Media LLC. Archived from the original on March 30, 2023. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  18. Robinson Hood (July 1998). "The Granstream Saga". GamePro. No. 118. IDG. Archived from the original on September 28, 2004. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  19. "Quintet Heaven and Earth Trilogy". Hardcore Gaming 101. Archived from the original on July 8, 2017. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
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