Platform(s): PC (version reviewed), PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4
Genre: Action, Adventure, RPG, Anime

Japanese role-playing game fans have been living the good life for the past couple of years. These include big releases like Xenoblade 3 and Octopath Traveler 2, as well as Western-made JRPG fares like Sea of Stars. This year is no different, with the charge being led by both Sega (with the latest Like A Dragon/Yakuza game and Persona 3 remake) and Cygames’ meal ticket.

The Granblue Fantasy franchise is not new to the scene, with its first release being a turn-based MMORPG for mobile phones in 2014 from game makers Cygames. In 2020, the franchise followed up with a 2.5D fighting game called Granblue Fantasy Versus, the first spin-off from the series made by a renowned game studio: Arc System Works. Now with a team-based player-versus-enemy-centric action RPG called Granblue Fantasy Relink in the wings, will Cygames’ big-budget triple-A gaming luck keep soaring? 

Primal Rage

Granblue Fantasy: Relink is a full-on action JRPG similar to Hoyoverse’s Genshin Impact which allows you to also form a party, play online, or if you have no friends (like me), have some AI companions to carry you. The game is set in the first world of Granblue Fantasy and shares a similar story. The backstory before Relink is that you are a young adventurer who is sent out by your father to an island called Estalucia. Here you will meet a mysterious girl called Lyria who can somehow control primal beasts which are powerful beings created by a lost civilization. An accident occurs and suddenly you find your lifeline intertwined with Lyria. Now your quest to Estalucia takes on a new toll with Lyria and you having to keep each other safe while facing new enemies big and REALLY big. 

I wasn’t quite a fan of action RPGs like Genshin Impact; the grind scared me off. Somehow or other, Granblue Fantasy: Relink really got me hooked. It took about almost 20 hours to just play through the main story, all delivered in bite-sized levels punctuated by mob battles, great fantasy setpieces, and epic boss fights. To put it simply, Relinked is a beautiful burst of colours that surprisingly does not overwhelm you. There are a couple of side stories that you can also do! Whether it’s the main story or, side stories, it’s all set in the most scenically stunning games I’ve ever played.

The combat is pretty damn phenomenal for an action RPG. I played the game on the mouse & keyboard, but it is of course best played using a controller. You can pretty much spam basic attacks, punch in some special abilities here and there, and still enjoy the story. Each character has its own offensive and defensive skill trees which will unlock more abilities that you can change around within your party. The abilities vary just like how each character is different types. Some provide buffs for allies, some heal, it’s all the usual hoo-ha you get from these kinds of games. The abilities are all so gorgeously animated that you really can’t help but spam them in fights.

I had big bosom Rosetta, who plants roses and does pretty decent damage, as well as Io and Katalina in my party. I favoured mages in my party just because the animations for buffs or even healing/protection looked so pretty. It’s important to build an all-rounder team so you’ll want different types of characters in your party. However, during the main story, you can only play as your character, but don’t fret, after completing the main story, you will be able to unlock additional content which will allow you to play as other characters. You can also buy new characters and add them to your crew. In addition, you can equip your party members with Sigils that passively boost their abilities like accessories would. It’s not the deepest customization system like in other action RPGs, but with its plethora of characters you can recruit from fan favourites like Ferry and Cagliostro, you’ll be spoilt for choice. 

The story is paced well enough and you’ll be able to follow it easily. At any point during any cutscene or conversation, you can bring up a contextual entry which will summarize what’s going on. So if you want to tap out of the cutscenes, you’ll still be in the loop. The storyline has a lot of heart in it, whilst some may find it a tad bit cheesy, I’m an emotional kind of girl and love these kind of games which really pulls at your heart. If you’re lazy as heck, you can set it game in assist mode or full assist mode, where you just sit your pretty self in front of the boss and the game does everything for you. 

My favourite part of the game are the boss fights. Every one of these giant-sized tussles -either a big monster or one of the series’ infamous Primal Beasts- are different mechanical-wise and have their own challenges and turmoil, as well as tactics to deal with. And Truth be told, is it exhilarating! You really get that feeling of satisfaction once you kill a boss. Each boss fight honestly felt like a rollercoaster ride. You’ll ride down sand mountains, fight your way through lava, fight a huge ass robotic machine. The boss fights are fresh and honestly, no boss fight is ever the same. They also add in some cinematic flairs by having different phases in fights. 

The characters are genuinely likeable, with them adding in quips here and there in fights. The soundtrack is just as magical as the universe it is set in. Between the epic boss battles and little scenic scrolls through towns, it has a unique fantasy charm to it. While not as comparable to something like Final Fantasy, it is still amazing and comes close. 

Sky(Bound)’s The Limit

If you think “Darn. 20 hours for a main story is not worth the price for the game!” fear not! You’ll unlock way more features and modes once you finish the main story. You’ll get to play various characters, do many different missions, as well as unlock more stories on other characters. You will even get to choose which quests you want to do on the map. There is both serious content and more wholesome and funny ones, which is a nice balance. 

However, it irked me a little that there were so many cutscenes that could have ended up as good gameplay moments or setpieces. I think it’s pretty common for JRPGs to have heavy dialogue and story-telling but what needs to happen is that JRPG developers need to show more than tell the story. It feels a little like you’re being spoonfed instead of experiencing the magic itself. Thankfully some of these momentum-killing moments can be skipped, and you can just go straight to the fantasy monster-slaying and group-efforting.

As I’ve said earlier, Granblue Fantasy: Relink is a beautiful burst of fantasy anime colours with a good amount of substance to keep your action RPG tendencies sated. The wait for its release was a long one, but in gameplay, character selection, and music, it delivers to its fans and any action RPG fan looking for a Monster Hunter-like clone without the control “nuances”. For first-time players of this franchise, Granblue Fantasy: Relink is a good start. It may not be Final Fantasy but damn I felt that every hour I spent playing was not wasted.

PROS

• Great gameplay & controls.
• Epic boss fights in both main quest and post-game shenanigans.
• Large variety of playable characters and playstyles.
• Lots of content post-game after the 20-hour storyline (40+ hours give or take).

CONS

• Not-quite in-depth customization system.
• Has some repetition in its quest structure.
• More cinematic moments than actual battles in story quest.

SCORE: 70/100