Cygames is actually pushing the Granblue Fantasy IP to all-new heights. The primary recreation from the franchise launched nearly a decade in the past solely in Japan as a cell and browser-based JRPG. Over 35 million folks performed this iteration of the sport, but it surely by no means actually made it to the West apart from an English patch.

Granblue Fantasy: Relink is considerably of a reimagination of the unique recreation, however as a full-fledged motion RPG. As an alternative of ready out timers or saving up for gacha pulls, you’ll progress by means of a sequence of missions unlocking new quests and characters alongside the best way. Extra importantly, you’ll interact in real-time motion RPG versus tapping buttons when it’s your flip to assault.

One of the simplest ways to explain how Granblue Fantasy: Relink performs is that this: Quick-paced motion fight much like that of the Tales sequence, with a development system and general gameplay loop akin to Monster Hunter. Sure I do know, it sounds bizarre. Nevertheless it truly type of works in the event you’re in search of an motion RPG with fast-paced fight and an enormous grind.

Granblue Fantasy: Relink (PC, PS5[reviewed], PS4)
Developer: Cygames
Writer: Cygames
Launched: February 1, 2024
MSRP: $59.99

A journey within the clouds

Granblue Fantasy: Relink takes place within the Sky Realm, a large skyscape plagued by floating islands that function the bastions of life in a unending sea of blue sky. The only-player marketing campaign places us within the function of both Gran or Djeeta, captain of an airship and its crew who’re in search of the fabled island of Estalucia. Every of the 2 potential essential characters has very totally different playstyles, which is an fascinating alternative. Gran is extra support-focused, whereas Djeeta can kind of do all the pieces at a stable degree.

Nonetheless, the journey to the top of the identified world rapidly turns bitter. One among your crewmates, a younger lady named Lyria who has the facility to regulate primal beasts, all of a sudden has hassle doing so. At first, she makes use of certainly one of her managed beasts Bahamut—sure, a large dragon—to battle off some monsters attacking your airship. However all of a sudden Bahamut defies her management and activates her and your crew.

That is truly the opening boss of the sport and serves as a glimpse into the everyday circulation of missions in Granblue Fantasy: Relink. Progress by means of a mission killing some simpler monsters, culminating in an epic closing boss battle on the finish.

Story-wise, you and your crew proceed to seek for Estalucia whereas additionally making an attempt to find out what’s occurring with Lyria’s powers. As you may need guessed, the 2 storylines converge and overlap. Sadly, I type of noticed the place the story was going fairly early.

In the long run, the roughly 15-hour single-player marketing campaign of Granblue Fantasy: Relink is respectable, however has its flaws. Don’t count on open-world traversal or something comparable. In truth, a lot of the story is linear, sending you from level A to level B to proceed the story and unlock the following encounter to be able to progress. Nonetheless, whereas most video games are all about their single-player marketing campaign, some would argue that’s all just about simply the tutorial/prologue for Granblue Fantasy: Relink. Upon finishing the marketing campaign you unlock the post-game, which is the place Relink transitions right into a Monster Hunter-style mission system.

Time to grind

You can make the argument that the marketing campaign for Granblue Fantasy: Relink is the appetizer, and the post-game is the primary course. When you’ve rolled credit, it’s time to start out grinding out missions for supplies to boost your weapons and character ranges to unlock new expertise and masteries for the broad forged of characters.

When you’ve unlocked the post-game, you’ll be able to nonetheless select to play solo and have the AI tackle the function of three different characters in your occasion that you’ve unlocked. Or, you’ll be able to play on-line with as much as three pals. In truth, loads of missions are literally co-op-required missions, that in flip provide you with higher rewards for teaming up with others to deal with them.

Whereas I like the concept of co-op on this recreation as an entire, I don’t actually like feeling as if I would like co-op to get higher rewards. Sadly, I didn’t get to check out the co-op an excessive amount of as a result of there didn’t appear to be others with entry that had gotten so far as I did. It’s not that I don’t have pals or something. Critically, I’ve pals.

So both by your self, or with the chums you have got that absolutely exist, you’ll begin out in a well-recognized hub—as soon as once more, suppose Monster Hunter—filled with distributors, quest givers, and different NPCs. Right here you need to use the supplies you’ve acquired from finishing missions to improve and improve your gear, growing your harm.

Subsequent, you head to the mission counter and choose a mission to go out on, unlocking extra as you full present ones. There are a whopping seven difficulties in whole. Each is, after all, more difficult, but additionally will increase the rewards for finishing them. I began on the Motion issue, which was the default issue. I discovered it tremendous simple, so I elevated my issue to Arduous, and located it fairly simple as nicely. The remainder of the difficulties don’t unlock till you progress by means of the post-game, but it surely does finally get fairly difficult, requiring you to degree your characters and equipment them up appropriately to have an opportunity in opposition to a number of the more durable encounters.

Fairly the roster

There are at present 20 characters, every with their very own playstyle, weapon, and mastery tree. A number of of the characters are unlocked as you play by means of the story, however the remaining should be unlocked by way of Crewmate Playing cards. As you progress by means of the post-game missions and full Aspect Quests, you’ll earn these Crewmate Playing cards; you’ll be able to then change them to unlock a single new character of your alternative.

With so many characters and the cell recreation background, I genuinely was anticipating this to be a random or gacha course of. However I’m joyful to say it’s not. You’ll be able to finally grind and procure sufficient Crewmate Playing cards to unlock all of the characters, although I’m certain much more characters are coming by way of DLC.

Similar to in Monster Hunter the place each weapon has its personal distinctive playstyle and objective, the identical may be mentioned in regards to the characters in Granblue Fantasy: Relink. For instance, the primary character, Gran, is a good help character, environment friendly at immobilizing enemies whereas additionally therapeutic allies. In the meantime, Zeta is a dragoon, in a position to bounce round between targets whereas chaining assault combos to deal huge harm.

For those who’re taking part in solo you’ll be able to arrange your occasion, selecting all 4 characters to convey alongside. You’ll be able to manually swap between characters whereas on a mission, or management the various ranges of help from the AI and deal with taking part in your essential character. In on-line co-op, you’ll simply management your character whereas different gamers in your occasion management theirs. This culminates in a enjoyable “MMORPG-style” fight, the place you attempt to be sure to have a tank, healer, and a few harm sellers and further help.

From Dragons to Goblins to Dragons once more

You might have the choice of mitigating assaults by pushing L1 to Guard, or R2 to Dodge out of the best way. Sq. is your Primary Assault, whereas Triangle is your Distinctive Assault. X causes you to Soar which, whereas not an efficient defensive maneuver like Dodge, feels good to have the ability to do. For those who maintain down R1, you’ll then have the ability to observe up with Sq., Triangle, Circle, and X to carry out expertise which are distinctive to every character. As you progress by means of your character’s Mastery tree you’ll unlock and improve your expertise. It’s a really fast-paced and enjoyable fight system general, much like that from the Tales video games, the newer Star Ocean video games, or for a throwback, the traditional Ragnarok Odyssey.

I’m an enormous fan of epic boss fights, and fortunately Granblue Fantasy: Relink is stuffed with them. There are dozens of distinctive bosses within the recreation, every with their very own assault patterns and mechanics you’ll have to be taught. On earlier difficulties, you’ll be able to principally simply spam your assaults and expertise. However on more durable difficulties, it’s important to be sure to’re truly dodging assaults and attacking in a extra coordinated method.

One unusual results of the post-game being primarily an entire new expertise is a few quick distinction within the missions you tackle. As you full the marketing campaign you’ll be preventing huge highly effective creatures that defend the ends of the identified world. However at first of the post-game, you’ll end up again to preventing Wolves and Goblins. Positively a bizarre feeling.

A recreation of numbers

For essentially the most half, Granblue Fantasy: Relink turns into a recreation about numbers. When you’ve chosen a personality that you just like and a playstyle that caters to you, you need to make that character as robust as attainable. There are numerous methods to extend your character’s energy, from discovering new weapons to enhancing and upgrading present ones, in addition to leveling up, empowering your expertise, and unlocking new masteries.

I feel that is the place Cygames’ historical past as a cell developer actually serves them nicely. Prefer it or not, cell video games are usually filled with little dopamine rushes. Sadly, this can be utilized to create arguably predatory spending practices in such video games. Nonetheless, in Granblue Fantasy: Relink, you get the dopamine hits with out having to seize your bank card.

Every mission itself has chests on the finish that grant you rewards, however you’ll additionally get rewards for finishing the mission. There are additionally sidequests equivalent to “Kill X of Y enemy” or “Collect X materials” that you’ll decide up on the hub in between missions. Oh, and there are additionally Trophies and Achievements you’ll purchase simply by finishing long-term duties, equivalent to defeating so lots of a sure enemy sort or opening so many chests. I can’t deny the joyful feeling of finishing a mission, solely to obtain a ton of rewards for additionally finishing varied aspect quests and ending some Trophies. All of the rewards go in the direction of upgrading and additional powering up your character, after which the loop continues.

Granblue Fantasy: Relink options an extremely satisfying gameplay loop on the again of an excellent, fast-paced fight system. For those who’re in search of a narrative-driven expertise, this isn’t it. However in the event you’re in search of a enjoyable grind that continuously feels satisfying and rewarding, that’s precisely what you have got right here. 

In my view, the gameplay makes up for the shortcomings of the marketing campaign. And despite the fact that the mission-based system feels grindy by design, it’s a enjoyable grind, and one I stay up for persevering with. In a yr filled with RPG releases, Granblue Fantasy: Relink is a stable early entry into the style, and has earned its spot as one of many good ones.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}