If any modern RPG is going to captain us into an uncharted hereafter for the genre , I trustGranblue Fantasy : Relinkto manoeuvre the ship .
It ’s a thought I ca n’t help but have as I blaze away through the gripping — and mercifully compact — adventure . There ’s been a lot of talk about where the genre is headed in the past few years as studios like Square Enix look to reinvent its most iconic series to equalize a quick changing landscape . What does an RPG even search like in 2024 ? Cygames ’ console follow - up to its 2014 mobile hitGranblue Fantasyis the best answer I ’ve seen to that question yet . It accomplishes that by take cues from a wide range of its contemporary , assemble gameplay systems like a ship master assembling the perfect crew .
Whether you love the mellow - octane spectacle ofFinal Fantasy XVIor the eccentric assembling ofGenshin Impact , Granblue Fantasy : Relinkhas a fiddling something for you . It ’s a impudent blend of ideas , even if it ’s a bit deplumate between console and peregrine play philosophies . More importantly , though , it does all that without sacrifice the playful vitality theRPG genre was built on .
Join the crew
WhileGranblue Fantasy Relinkis a follow - up to a remunerative fluid game that ’s been around for a decade , it ’s an entirely dissimilar beast . It acts as a positive reinvention of the serial publication work up with a global audience in judgement . Rather than giving player a bend - based riff onFinal Fantasy , it ’s a forward-looking natural action RPG with flashy hack - and - virgule fight . It introduces new role player to the human race of Granblue in a concise 15 - hour main story where not an hour feels waste .
As a starter , I was skeptical at first glance . The RPG ’s weakest link is its core narrative , which stick to a ragtag gang of skyfarers as they protect the Sky Realm from the villainous Church of Avia . It ’s a serviceable , but commonplace story of some do - gooders protect the humankind from an evil cult blaze - dented on muster a idol . Do n’t have a bun in the oven thematic ponderousness ; it lot in more foundational RPG storytelling that , while a bit dated , is also admittedly charming in its allegiance to the literary genre .
When it needs to be grandiose , Relinkgoes for broke .
Though the write up lacks intrigue , it ’s enough to make for some jaw - dropping , blockbuster thrills . Much of the quest has the crowd hunting down “ fundamental beasts , ” tremendous creatures cover in the Sky Realms . The narrative ’s best moment have players thwarting those monsters in spectacular struggle — and no two of them are likewise . The earliest solidifying piece sees the crew fighting off an enormous dragon as it attacks their ship . A much larger engagement in the desert pits the gang against a skyscraper - sized golem as they use fallen ship turrets to chip away at its weak points and eventually descale its monumental consistency like aShadow of the Colossusencounter . Each moment is every bit as surprising and exhilarating as anEikon fight inFinal Fantasy XVI .
It help thatRelinksports a slick and flexible presentation . In its quiet moments , the vibrant visuals give the Sky Realm a hopeful - eyed signified of wonderment . It feels as blowy as the twist in my ship ’s sail . When the legal action ratchets up , though , Cygames lets the deceptively wide-eyed look flex its kaiju - sized muscles . The most staggering boss fights are a dazzle spectacle of light , triumphantly soundtracked by the fabled Nobuo Uematsu and Tsutomu Narita . When it needs to be highfaluting , Relinkgoes for broke .
What ’s most successful is howRelinkbuilds the world of Granblue through side stories and superfluous lore . Each member of the bunch gets their own 11 - part backstory , and that help fill in a lot of the empty canvas left by the blusher - by - numbers story . One tale chronicle the life of a former brand superior who left his calling to become a fishing hermit up in the mountains . Others are more emotionally resonant . I connected with a crewmember early on when I learn that her parents had break down in a deadly ( and perhaps orphic ) pandemic . Every tale builds out the all-embracing chronicle of the Sky Realm , while giving each penis in a massive crew of characters a compelling intellect to defend .
As an introduction to the wider world of Granblue , Relinkfeels like a steppingstone . We do n’t see much of the cosmos itself during the escapade , as slick report missions take spot in small-scale , linear piece of various island ( like some nondescript fields and lava pits that are reprocess for side missions ) . Much of it is leave up to the mental imagery , but that ’s ok for now . Like my skyfaring crew , I leftRelinkexcited to see where the series takes me next . I have the taste for dangerous undertaking now , and that ’s a opinion any budding RPG serial should instill in player .
Full burst
What ’s most telling aboutRelinkis its shockingly thick fight system . On its aerofoil , it does n’t seem very different from what ’s seen in modernistic games likeTales of Arise . Each character perform combos with two primary attack buttons and has a exercise set of loud acquisition that operate on a short cooldown . I suppose I have it all down when I take control of my actor persona ( the crew ’s captain ) , who can store energy to do more herculean versions of skill .
A few time of day after , I realize that I ’d barely seen anything . Relinkfeatures a wide-eyed cast of characters , some of which can be unlocked via crewmate tickets throughout the story . They do n’t just look different or do with an elemental king ; they have radically distinct playstyles . The piquant Eugen can anchor himself in shoes to activate sniper visual modality , allowing him to freely aim and shoot his blunderbuss . Rosetta , on the other hand , plants blush wine that rase up during battle . I ’d equip accomplishment on her that would add curative power to those roses , as well as give nearby friend damage reduction .
The more I experiment with raw crewmembers , the more I grew to appreciate how complex the system is . That aspectespecially shines when establish out the perfect , four - fictitious character political party . The most merriment I had with Relinkcame in the late game when I ’d familiarize myself with everyone and started working to build the perfect end game squad . By the last fight , I had a versatile crowd that all had unlike attack ranges and subprogram that synergized with one another .
In a queer way , Relink ’s approach to characters almost portion out more in common with a campaign game likeTekken 8than an RPG ( perhaps it ’s no surprise that the serial ’ last biz was , in fact , a great fighting biz ) . I spend a chunk of my adventure looking for my “ main ” torpedo . By the time I set down on Narmaya , a blade user who can trade between truehearted and heavy styles mid - combo , it really feel like I ’d found a playstyle that suited my need . And it was one I could personalise further on a nitty - gritty level with an enormous attainment tree and perk - deed over sigils — both of which add some deceptively deep customization that ’s not immediately apparent until midway through the journeying .
Both patience and teamwork are a virtue inRelink .
Considering that this is a plot about a united ship work party , it ’s no surprise that the fighting is built around teamwork . Each eccentric gets an ultimate Skybound Art that charge up via a gauge and naturally results in a flashy spiritedness ( they ’re fundamentally limit breaks ) . If party members let loose theirs in brusk succession of one another , they ’ll band together for an spare Full Burst attack . likewise , part can tally enemy with a charged - up link attack . When the entire political party ’s link floor hits 100 % , time slows down , allowing the party to pepper in some extra hits . Both patience and teamwork are a moral excellence inRelink , which goes a longsighted elbow room toward making my political party finger like a genuine crew or else of a random assortment of misfit .
Any nitpicks I have with the system find small in the scope of what Cygames pulls off here . Attacks do n’t always feel like they have a strong impact , and an awkward jump makes my characters feel like they ’re floating in a unusual way during platforming and dodge . I can hold up with those few gripes , though , considering how fast and strategical battle feel .
Finding the formula
The more I spiel , the more I see the DNA of several RPGs coming together . The focus on characters feels directly connected to gacha game likeGenshin Impact , while the combat is n’t far off fromTales of Arise . Reward - grant , optional battles feel like a nod toMonster Hunter . A late tale chapter almost turn into aDynasty warrior - manner Musoufor the briefest of moments . I can feel Cygames take every successful idea from an evolving genre and trying to tear them all together into one unified vision – once again meet believe its central theme .
For the most part , those systems fit together surprisingly well . There ’s a substantial chronicle to nail for solo players , high lots to chamfer in Bos refights , a slew of characters to call for ( minus the microtransactions ) , and even full four - player carbon monoxide gas - op to really extend the prayer . There ’s truly a little something for everyone , though I ’d put a slight accent onlittlethere .
It feels like the scope of the project changed entirely somewhere during its tenacious development cycle .
I ca n’t facilitate but finger likeRelinkstruggles a second to nail down its identity element . It ’s propose to be a full - on console RPG with a strong narrative focus , but I can still feel the serial ’ peregrine roots lingering around awkwardly . It ’s not an MMO or a live - service game , but it almost asks players to come near it like one . When I finish the storey , I was far from the plot ’s ceiling . There were oodles of artillery I could collect for each character , doubling my current fire king . Harder sidequests would grant me uncommon sigils , while former - game character missions would give me even more slots to put them in .
I had n’t even arrive midway up the mountain , but getting to the top is n’t on the nose an exciting upgrade . The late game would have me moil out a list of horde and boss battles either solo or with friends . Though I apprise have more to do , the effort does n’t palpate worth it consider thatRelinkisn’t meant to be an ongoing game . It feel like the oscilloscope of the task changed entirely somewhere during its long development rhythm — one that sawPlatinumGames leave the project in 2019 .
While the structure feels a small bewildered at times , there ’s something curiously meet about that . Beyond its generic tale of Supreme Being and cults , Granblue Fantasy Relinkis really about graphic symbol notice their identity in a young world . The crew ’s side account show us vulnerable hero that are still work out out their place in the sky amid change , failure , and tragedy . Those piecemeal stories unfolded parallel to my own journey , as I lock down my own distinct playstyle in an unfamiliar ocean of pick .
The future tense is n’t just widely open for the crew or myself , but for a serial redefining its phonation too . Relinkdares to suppose an optimistic future for Granblue and the RPG genre at large , one that experience a mode to unite fractured originative visual modality that hover aside from one another like floating islands in a vast sky . With a lilliputian more exploration , perhaps Granblue could be the serial that harmoniously link them all together
Granblue Fantasy : Relinkwas try on PC and Steam Deck .
