A masterwork JRPG with cinematic staging and fluid combat. Heartfelt characters, unforgettable music and a moving plot. An absolute Dreamcast peak.
Your verdict
Category
RPG1 player12+
Description
Ryudo and allies battle demonic forces to save their world from destruction in this Game Arts JRPG. Published by Ubi Soft, released in Japan in August 2000. Turn-based JRPG with Spell-Egg combat system, memorable characters, epic Grandia universe narration. Japanese version.
Grandia II review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
4/5
Story
★★★★★
"Captivating"
By Game Arts, Grandia II's art direction pairs expressive anime-styled heroes with bright fantasy vistas. Colorful villages, varied dungeons and dazzling spell effects dress a world that breathes adventure. Polished cutscenes and bold colors lend the journey an immediate warmth.
Between a blazing orchestra and rock surges, Noriyuki Iwadare signs battle themes as nervy as they are memorable. The music galvanises every clash and magnifies the emotional moments of Ryudo's journey. This generous score, a peak of the JRPG, has lost none of its infectious fire.
Mercenary Ryudo escorts the priestess Elena, only for Millenia, a shard of the fallen god Valmar, to awaken within her. Grandia II dares to question faith, setting the Church of Granas against the darkness it refuses to see. Nuanced characters, sharp dialogue and a theme of religious doubt lend the journey unexpected maturity.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"Pleasant"
Addictiveness
"Obsessive"
Its battle system, where you interrupt the enemy by reading the action bar, turns every fight into a little tactical puzzle you keep asking for more of. Leveling skills, combing dungeons and following a well-told story chain rewards with no dead time. A few back-and-forths weigh down the pace, but this dueling mechanic remains one of the most satisfying of its genre.
The Japanese edition of Grandia II is the original pressing of Game Arts's JRPG, released by ESP with a domestic Youichi Kotabe sleeve very different from the Western artwork. Collector value comes from that original presentation, from the Japanese disc keeping the full original soundtrack, and from being the only version never to receive a modern port without cuts.
Is Grandia II still worth playing in 2026?
A Japanese RPG by Game Arts, Grandia II is famous for its IP gauge combat system that blends positioning, anticipation and cancelling. This finesse, rare at the time, has not aged and still outpaces many current productions. The scenario, darker than the first game, gains in maturity even if it occasionally lacks surprises. For anyone looking for an accessible yet tactically rich JRPG, the title remains an excellent recommendation, and the Dreamcast version is by far its most generous home version.
