Grandia HD Collection Reviews
A disappointing collection in terms of options and extras, but two absolutely unmissable RPGs.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Grandia HD Collection offers an opportunity for fans to relive the first two titles in this great JRPG series. However, although it brings visual improvements and the option to choose between audio in English and Japanese, the quality of the gameplay and stories of these classic games is able to overcome the flaws in the collection's execution, providing a rewarding experience for fans of this genre.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Despite the lack of quality of life features, however, GRANDIA HD Collection serves as a great way for players to play a set of excellent RPGs on modern platforms. Either games can be played to your liking at anytime and are great fun thanks to a solid combat system and presentation.
Grandia HD Collection is in a rather rough place. While the original experiences are classics, this collection is essentially the same games with a slightly fresher coat of paint. For some this will be enough, as the amazing narratives persist, though I fear the choice will limit its appeal. Even some of the more basic expected quality of life choices, such as save anywhere, are not present, and for this reason it's one of those experiences that will either blow you away, or leave you underwhelmed.
It’s a little baffling to me why it took publisher GungHo this long to bring Grandia HD Collection to more consoles, nearly five years after its initial run. There’s likely a perfectly good reason for that, but still, it’s kind of silly when you think about it. Nonetheless, they are finally out on just about every single current console and on PC now, so this is your best bet at getting two of the finest RPGs – easy the highlights of the franchise too – in honestly their best form they’re likely to ever be.
You can’t really help the fact that older games lack flexibility in terms of user interface and system mechanics, but the sooner you accept how they’re supposed to be, this great remastered JRPG provides the best of all JRPG quality you’d ever experience.
Review in Korean | Read full review
Grandia HD Collection offers two great JRPGs but the lack of polish and quality control has made this collection feel a little disappointing. It is still a good way to experience these classics if you missed them when they were first released.
Grandia 1 and 2 deserve four stars by themselves. The games are dated, yes, but they stand the test of time, flaws and all. They are (mostly) timeless and I would replay them over and over. But maybe wait for this specific collection to go on sale.
GOOD - I would have preferred Grandia and Grandia II to be released separately, since the first one in this collection is so much better than the second one. Updated visuals really enhance the original game and it’s still so much fun to play today. The sequel didn’t receive the same amount of attention and as a result keeps this collection grounded instead of allowing it to soar high like it should have.