Review
REDO
I’m a JRPG enthusiast – but the latest release sold itself short
Read on to find out why it didn't live up to expections
SET in Kingdoms drifting among the clouds, gigantic floating islands are home to vast deserts, tangled jungles and gorgeous cities.
This is where Granblue Fantasy Relink is set, and the first thing you’ll notice is just how much dedication was put into its beauty.
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The original Granblue Fantasy was released 10 years ago, and its gacha system was so popular that it caused Japanese legislation around randomness in games to change.
Relink hopes to bring everything that players loved about the original mobile game, and put it in a more premium package.
It certainly feels more premium: market stalls and cafe fronts are dense with detail, and the cel-shaded art style makes it stand out from the crowd.
As it was originally a gacha game, it makes sense that it comes with numerous playable characters, each with their own abilities to help spice up gameplay.
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While the majority of it feels like a premium experience, the length left us wanting more.
At 15 hours it’s not a short game, but this includes all of the side content, and when people think of JRPGs, they usually expect an odyssey.
The short length means that there isn’t much variation between chapters, and there is a lot of linearity in the levels.
Fun excursions, like the section where you ride a mech, are brilliant but happen very seldom.
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On top of this, you will find some areas and bosses are repeated a number of times meaning that even the short length has some filler.
It feels as if the game is funnelling you towards the Quest Counter post-game content where you can play online with others, instead of focusing on the main experience.
Here you will gather materials and upgrade your equipment to take on tougher challenges in Quest Counter missions.
It’s a gameplay loop for the sake of the loop, and in the end, it feels a bit pointless.
Part of us appreciates the shorter storyline over an epic, but there wasn’t enough here to make us care about the characters.
If you want to read more on PlayStation, check out the games coming to PS Plus Essential.
Written by Georgina Young on behalf of .
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