Virtual Journal #15: Granblue Fantasy: Relink
Tag: Virtual Journal »
Summary
Gushing about the Granblue Fantasy action RPG, and the series as a whole, before its expansion releases.
Content
Granblue Fantasy, the mobile turn-based RPG, has been out for more than a decade now. I’ve always been interested in it—with the way it presented its fantasy world and characters—but I kept bouncing off of it whenever I tried it out, perhaps due to the general game flow and the always-updating systems that felt overwhelming at times.
That’s why I was really excited when a 3D action RPG outside the mobile space got announced. Based on the few trailers I saw of Granblue Fantasy: Relink at the time, it felt like it had everything I’ve ever wanted from the series: You get to move around the game’s landscapes, play as different characters, and experience the stories from the original’s lifetime.
After playing for a while with heightened expectations, I realized that it wasn’t quite what I was hoping it to be, but it still delivered a relatively lasting impression—one that makes me think fondly of the game, despite having played it around two years ago by this point.
I figured it’s time to write about it, before the expansion, Granblue Fantasy: Relink - Endless Ragnarok, releases. It looks like you can upgrade from the base game for this one, unlike how they did it with Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising, which was releasing an entirely separate upgraded version that you had to purchase again. I’m still bitter regarding that, as I got the first version a few weeks before the new one was shown, haha.
This game receives a perfect score for its stylized environment work which manages to blend heaven and earth with such cohesion, flashy battle effects that kept the energy going in high-tension battles, and the character designs—even those of minor characters—that transitioned beautifully from 2D portraits to 3D.
The overall aesthetic of this series has always been a bit of a visual inspiration for me, so I frequently got lost staring at every detail, internally praising them on how they’ve made it so pleasing to the eyes.
In terms of the narrative, Relink has its own standalone tale to tell, not requiring knowledge of the main cast’s journey in the mobile game. I’ve only really known the beginning parts of it, but I was able to enjoy and follow along just fine.
A glossary can be easily accessed whenever there are new or unknown words in the dialogues. Aside from learning more of the game’s lore, it’s especially helpful when you keep forgetting what certain things mean.
The plot might be quite simple in retrospect, and the preliminary goal of having to save someone that I wanted to roam around with in the first place was a bit disappointing, but I feel like it was executed well enough to stand proudly on its own.
As someone who usually plays for only an hour or two in a day, I appreciate how the story was revealed through decent-sized chapters. After bouts of exploration with my party, and the adrenaline-filled boss fights that usually followed, I got to relax in the game’s hub areas and kind of just live in the world.
The little conversations of the townsfolk will accompany you in your moments of respite. Most of them progress as the main story went on, keeping you entertained. Some even offered side quests that would lead you into entering small, hand-crafted areas where you fight certain enemies.
What completed hooked you into the atmosphere was the game’s soundtrack. It just meshes everything so well together, casting a spell that makes you fall into this epic adventure that the game wants you to unfold.
Especially on some of the major battles, you’ll very quickly be put into a trance while dodging and weaving through many attack patterns, leading your party into a precise moment of counterattack.
It even incorporates several tracks from the mobile game, creating its own little spin to it—a welcome touch for fans that recognize them, adding to that feeling of stepping into a new yet familiar land.
If you ever felt like listening to a specific track in-game, there’s a music collection menu where you can replay them, as you look at the cute chibi art of the cast.
A large part of the game’s systems are reminiscent of those from the Monster Hunter series. I’ve only played a little of Monster Hunter Freedom Unite and tried a few demos for the recent releases—and there was also Dauntless, a similar game in the genre, but that’s how it felt like to me.
I was hoping for a more traditional JRPG experience, because I wasn’t too fond of that kind of system… is what I would have said, but when I gave it a chance, I happily discovered that most of the things that I didn’t quite like in the genre were designed differently here.
The interface was easier to learn and adapt to, the maps weren’t as confusing to traverse, and more importantly—for me, at least—is that your movement and attack motions can be quite fast and instant. That last thing is what usually felt awkward to me whenever I play something in these types of games.
I’m pretty sure it’s just my preference; I’d gladly trade off a bit of realism in movement for fast dashes and quick weapon-swinging. I do actually like the former when watching others play, but when it’s me on the controller, I ultimately have more fun with the latter.
The material-grinding game flow in the genre is, as one might have expected, also present in here. You don’t have to repeatedly fight too much just to clear the story, though.
I think if I was younger, I’d be very excited about something like this, but since I don’t have much time now and would usually try to explore other games when I can, I tend to not play around with this kind of system too much.
That’s not to say that upgrading weapons and sigils—stat-modifying gear that may activate based on certain conditions—didn’t take a huge chunk of my gaming sessions. I loved mixing and matching equipment to find a suitable set for the characters, with each having their own unique playstyle.
Through the Mastery system, the combat mechanics that slightly varied per character were treated as upgrades, letting you unlock them at your own pace. This had the effect of slowly easing you into a party member’s moveset, honing your skill in playing as them, before trickling in a few extra motions. Combined with cinematic and party-based mechanics like Skybound Arts, Link Attacks, or Chain Bursts, it greatly increased the enjoyment factor as you hack and slash everywhere you go.
Excluding Djeeta, who I felt right to play as due to the story, I think I spent the most time adventuring as Katalina and Zeta. The former was a knight with a pretty balanced style for team play, while the latter was an infinitely-jumping spear-wielder, which I just tend to go for instantly in any game now, haha.
The unlockable characters didn’t really get to participate in the main story, only getting some screen time through their Fate Episodes. It functioned as their own short story in the form of diary entries. Each entry had a desktop wallpaper-worthy scene of them that’s based on its contents.
I quite liked the novel format of it, but if you’re slightly familiar with the characters in the mobile game, I think a few of them would feel like a simple retelling of their character development from there.
It must have been done this way so future characters can be easily added, but I wish they had more animated interactions—regardless of being in the story or not—even if it’s just with the protagonist or the main cast. I sometimes find myself wanting to see them converse with each other outside of battle dialogues.
Maybe I’ll rewatch the fighting game of the series before the Endless Ragnarok expansion releases, just so I could see everyone once more and marvel at the finisher animations.
To be honest, my interest in the series dampened when I heard of Cygames opening their Cygames AI Studio a few months ago. It was at a time where I wanted to go back to Versus, too.
My only hope is that it doesn’t affect the magic and quality of the series, but with the industry as it is right now…
As someone who wants to treasure what they have crafted—however limited my experience with it is—I’d like to at least keep my love for its world and characters, and channel that inspiration to my creations somehow.
In any case, for those who wanted to try the game out, I think Relink is a good entry point for the series. Even more so if you’d rather not touch the mobile game, but still want to embark on a grand adventure and explore its boundless skies. It may not be exactly what you’re looking for, but the game’s overall direction can leave you with a glimpse of wonder, and a hope for a future game that may continue on its steps—whether from the same developers, or those who felt its brilliance.