Grandia (PS1)-
Now available on the Playstation Store, Grandia stands as one of my favorite PS1 RPGs. Though it's graphics seem dated, and it's story simplistic when compared to the more convoluted storylines of modern RPGs, Grandia's still has a charm to it that few modern RPGs possess.
It has a lighthearted feel to it, and as being told from the perspective of a young boy who craves adventures, the simplistic storyline is forgivable. Sometimes I think RPGs get a little too heavy on the story elements that they forget to polish other elements of the game. The story may seem lighthearted and simple, but the gameplay is not. This is far from being a kid's RPG game.
The visuals are a mix of 3D polygonal worlds and 2D character sprites, and have a charm to them that the static pre-rendered backgrounds that were standard in the PS1 era lack. As good as RPGs like FFVII were, their worlds felt dead by comparison. The beauty of 3D world graphics, is that you could zoom the camera in and out, and the worlds just felt more lively to me.
The battle system in the game is still essentially turn based, but it's done in it's own particular style that makes them feel more exciting, and gives them a more strategic element. If you hit an enemy before he hits you it knocks his attack back down on the attack meter. It's hard to explain, you really just have to play it, and you really should.
I only have one complaint about the game, and that's the insane amount of battles it throws your way. They aren't exactly random battles, you can actually see your enemies, and can avoid some of them, but in the end, you'll still have to grind your way through thousands of battles in the game. It's great if you're the type to level grind in games, but another small complaint is the small amount of experience each fight gives you. Leveling up take a while. Overall it's a small complaint for such a great PS1 RPG.
If you have a PS3, and are an RPG fan, pick this game up from the PlayStation store. I would also recommend the PS1 version if you feel like paying the going price for it on ebay. The game was also on the Saturn, and I hear the Saturn version runs better, but it was import only, so unless you know Japanese, or want to play with a translation guide, I'd stick to the PS1 version.
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