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Grim Grimoire (JPN PS2)

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    Grim Grimoire (JPN PS2)

    Long before I knew that this game was coming stateside, I had a pending preorder with Play Asia - just like with Odin Sphere. With Princess Crown never reaching the western shores of the gaming world I didn't took any chances and ordered both right away. This particular game was holding back Luminous Arc too, so expect some first impression on the DS title soon.

    There's an 18-track audio CD and a small postcard booklet included as bonuses (probably the booklet is a preorder bonus) and the game rests on a single DVD. Go here http://www.ncsx.com/2007/040907/grim_grimoire.htm and http://www.siliconera.com/infosphere/grim-grimoire/ to have a preview and a small explanation on how the game works.

    Unlike most japanese strategic games, Grim Grimoire is real time with a side-scrolling perspective with resource collectors, fighting units but fortunately no base to manage. There are a lot of mechanics typical of turn-based strategic games such as four magic schools compensating each other (Glamour, Necromancy, Sorcery and Alchemy - didn't really knew that Glam was magic - I guess Helstar were wrong), units with two different body types (Astral and Corporeal - or just the game says, Substance - and probably there's more) belonging to the four magic shools, each with HP, MP and of course cost to be summoned. But, first things first: the game is absolutely stunning. The baroque use of colors, the attention to detail on all animations and not-so-static character portraits (they breath, open and close eyes, they are lip-synched to the dubbing and so on), backgrounds and UI sharpness truly make the game one of the most pleasent things you ever seen - where, for example, Super Paper Mario achieves a visually stunning appearance for the sheer simplicity of the graphics, Grim Grimoire achieves an incredibly high artistic profile for fully using the artists ability to bring the tiniest detail into life. Even the in-game cursor can be changed from a simple pointing hand, to a PC-esque arrow, a small magic wand or semi-deformed drawing of the main heroine - and this one is animated in many cute ways.
    Unfortunately music doesn't really follow, the first BGMs (and the CD) features rather plain musics that can be found in all games - but, at least, they are well suited for the game.

    The game is partially import-friendly: menus are in english, as well as unit data and most useful information, but story, tutorials and objectives are in japanese.

    The story is divided in chapters, each represented by a day, in which usually there's an opening dialogue, a battle and an ending dialogue; dialogues are referred as "dramas". All the single stages of a day can be replayed at the main menu. There's also a skirmish option and each battle has a performance rating, although I'm not sure if and what will unlock getting high ratings. All dramas so far have been dubbed and right now are used for character introductions and tutorials - there's already something going on (I think one of the male characters spoke about exposing truth about a teacher or something), but, really, I can't say much.

    Battles are fought in real time. The square button and D-pad are used to select, the circle for confirming orders, X for cancelling selections and menus, triangle to bring up a spawning point menu, R1 and L1 to cicle through building queues, start for pause.
    Selection is done just like on a PC RTS: move the cursor over a unit, push square and the game will pause. Then you can move the cursor where you want the unit to move and press circle to confirm the order. While paused, the game brings up a small menu with some icons: the first is always the movement action, the others change based on which unit is selected. Grunt units will have harvest and somethingIhaventreallyunderstood plus special actions, basic units will have attack, defend and mages will ahve their special magics. You can select multiple units by keeping square pushed and move the cursor over other units or press up on the D-pad to select all units of the same type visible; left and right are used to cicle through each unit of the selected group.
    Unfortunately there aren't quick groups and moving the cursor around the map is quite tiring, but fortunately the game pauses while issuing orders and the minimap is clear enough to see where your units, resources and enemies are.

    There's only a single resource, mana, and it's harvested from giant crystals that must first be possessed by your basic grunt unit, then you can send other grunts to bring mana back and forth. A possessed crystal can be attacked to remove a possessio or you can break the supply chain, just like old fashioned RTS.
    Each player starts with one unit spawning point (let's call it HQ) and with enough mana you can create other HQs; each HQ belongs to one magic school and can produce only that type of unit; if you want a Necromancy unit you need to create a Necromancy HQ, and so on.
    Each magic school has three types of HQ, each with its own upgrade path.
    The final goal of the skirmish games is to annihilate all enemy forces, both units and HQs and there are three difficulty levels. The first skirmish games are a bit difficult, but I blame it on the language barrier and the fact that you actually need to get used to the game mechanics to navigate freely on the battlefield - I probably overlooked some shortcuts, I do hope there's a way to move on the minimap placing a small cursor over it, wandering around with just the standard cursor (and the Dualshock analog stick) is very, very, very clumsy.
    Wii port, now.

    The battlefield is composed by a series of floors connected by one or more set of stairs; flying units can traverse floors without any limit, walking units need to use the stair to move around - and with pits and one set of stairs connecting some layers you can use the background at your advantage.

    The game is really interesting and entertaining. The hardest part is to become used to the controls. Once understood, the game is exactly like any other RTS: you select units, send them against unit they are strong against, collect resources and so on. The manual lists a total of 20 units, but I think there would be more and more - and the ones I've seen are simply beatiful, ranging from small bow-wielding fairies to giant fire-breathing dragoons. It's all in 2D with rather complex and cute animations and unlike Ar Tonelico or Atelier Iris there are no hicchups during battles, a defenitively good point.Can't wait to have my hands on the US version of the game - just like I did with Disgaea 2 I'll have to hold back so that I won't have to replay the boring (but extremely short, under ten minutes each) tutorial levels...but I already know that I won't be able to...unless Super Paper Mario arrives.
    Last edited by briareos_kerensky; 14-04-2007, 15:49.

    #2
    I'm playing the US version - it's pretty and charming, well localised as far as I can judge. It's also quite difficult, for me at least, more used to turn based strategy than real time. You can choose difficulty level for each map, but I've been too ashamed to pick Sweet or Easy over Normal ...

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      #3
      Got my US version few days ago.
      Finally got to understand some of the story...so far reminds me of Majora's Mask, without the freedom of turning back time when you want.

      Unfortunately my greatest fear came true, no quick movement around the map. Going back and forth to your buildings to queue up new units and the enemy territory is almost frustrating, the scrolling speed is good for precise movement during battles but totally inefficient for looking around.
      Also you can't queue units and "building" level ups, which requires some intense micromanagement.
      Translation is done by NISA; this means that the manual is in B&W and with a different layout than the original (not a bad thing, but it's very plain); I also find Atlus do a better job in translation and adaptation, I've heard a couple of sentences in japanese that don't mix well with the english subtitles ("yoroshiku" as "don't leave me alone with him" for example...it fits well in the cutscene, but it's a completely different meaning) and lipsyncking is hardcoded on english dubbing, with japanese dubbing going on and on while mouths have finished moving a long ago.
      There are few minor problems with the interface too, a bit clumsy, but I blame the PS2 low resolution and the camera, too close to the action...it helps enjoy the wonderful units, but it's easy to ignore what's happening nearby, especially when micromanaging units; some special actions (like elves' healing spells) are automatic, but the player's situation awareness is sometimes hampered by the huge care a group of units need - add the fact that you can only select a single type of unit and it's back to going around the battlefield issuing orders with the PS2 analog joystick.

      If technically compared to Odin Sphere, Grim Grimoire loses big time. Surely, graphics are still beautiful, but they are even more repetitive than Odin Sphere, and you realize that after the third mission. It's just stairs and gothic arcs for the most part, and the biggest units don't look as sharp as the huge enemies in Odin Sphere, probably because the console has to manage a lot more things and there are no slowdowns.

      SD Lillet cursor is still ace and it's a good game, one of the few RTS for consoles but not the best. A good try, nonetheless.
      Last edited by briareos_kerensky; 16-07-2007, 06:35.

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        #4
        Nice to hear some impressions. This one has been on my 'to play' list for a while, i'll pick up a copy when i'm done with FF XII I think and post some impressions.

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