Granblue Fantasy: Relink – Sakura Index Review

Cygames, Inc. finally dropped the second installment of the renowned Granblue Fantasy franchise. “GranBlue Fantasy: Relink” is now available for download since February 2, 2024 on Steam and the PlayStation Store.

Since hitting the stores, I banked relatively good hours on the game after hyperfixating on it. With enough wind in my bag, I can sail on writing this review through the eyes of a newbie player. Please note that this is my first time to play any JRPG, let alone an RPG, so I will mostly talk about my observations without comparing the game to other titles.

*** I shall refrain from divulging too many spoilers and will try my best to only write about details published about the game!

Another Chapter Linked in the Chains of the Main Story

Granblue Fantasy: Relink’s story starts some time after the conclusion of the first game’s events. In the opening scene, the game asks the player to choose between Gran (male) or Djeeta (female) as the captain of the airship Grandcypher. Once the selection is made, the player navigates the dock of the ship to interact with the members of the Skyfarers. The Grandcypher’s course is set to find Estalucia, home to the legendary Astrals, as well as the captain’s missing father.

The game officially starts when monsters suddenly attack the airship as it enters the realms of the Zegagrande Skydom. To aid the crew, Lyria summons Proto Bahamut -—- one of the primal beasts that she can control. However, things take a sinister turn as the beast starts to wreak havoc after defeating enemies. This reveals a shocking discovery that Lyria can no longer control the beast. As the story paces forward, the team discovers that other primal beasts are affected too. This is the main conflict of the game, where the team tries to solve the mystery behind the primal beasts’ rampage.

Faring New Skies with Current and Future Talents

The captain forms a motley crew of talents that supports him or her in the previous journey. At the start of the game, the party features familiar faces. These include Lyria and Vyrn, and Katalina, Rackam, Io, Eugen, and Rosetta. Each character controls different elemental arts and abilities, making the Skyfarers a solid crew. As the Grandcypher continues to set its sail, new allies are added into the mix to support the captain.

Breathtaking World Building

Granblue Fantasy Relink is nothing short of a visual feast that leaves players intrigued about the game. I fell in love with the graphics the first time I opened it. It was truly stunning! The artists’ and animators’ dedication to making this game beautiful not only reflects on the sceneries they painted but it is also seen on the tiniest details they added to polish each and every environment the characters set foot on.

Not only were my eyes stimulated, but my ears were also in a treat as this JRPG does a good job utilizing music to match the movement of the game. Tsutomu Narita carefully composed the score to complement the visual art; setting the appropriate mood throughout the storytelling. The music got me more immersed in the game as I finished chapter after chapter. These two important aspects elevated my experience as well as painted the lore’s woven tapestries, helping me appreciate the story more.

The Good and The Not So Good

1. In Medias Res: The Story Begins

Most of the time, franchises require you to play the prequels to understand the references used in its successors. This is especially true when the sequel is released a long time after the first game is launched. As a stranger to Granblue Fantasy’s history, I was afraid that I would not be able to enjoy the game much because I hadn’t played it before.

To address this, Cygames conveniently added two key features that saved me from confusion: Fates Episodes and Lyria’s Journal. Fates Episodes tells each crewmate’s origin stories via voice-over storytelling over some art. There are a total of 10 episodes for each member which offers a level up of certain stats of the corresponding member after watching the episode. While playing, the game highlights specific words during dialogue cut-scenes while also providing their definition and relevance via bubbles. In case you need to absorb the terms more, you can access the game’s glossary: Lyria’s Journal. This feature has greatly saved me countless times to prevent myself from drowning in confusion to understand the game.

Sentiments Behind the Narration Style

It’s important to note while these conveniences were added to the consideration of the players, I felt that the direction of the story suffered in the process. The game starts in medias res, and in any narrative that follows this literary style, the story must inject sufficient scenes that build the climax to which the readers are first led. I would have greatly enjoyed the story more if Cyworld added more dialogue about the start of their journey. Incorporating more literary devices such as flashbacks can also help the players understand the plot without having to sacrifice play time as I need to exit the game to access important information and concepts.

To some degree, the developers’ attempt to market this game as a stand-alone from its ancestor is successful. I also understand that there will always be instances where minimal research is required. However, I believe the game would be more holistic if they developed the storytelling a little bit more.

2. Skyfarers’ Character Design & Dynamics

I was raving about the beautiful graphics of this game before. In this section, I will be highlighting the character design of this game. I selected Djeeta as my character because I love how her appearance encapsulates her spunky personality. I noticed how her facial expressions perfectly portray what she feels at the moment. Again, the artists achieved in adding another dimension to this game by paying attention to details. Adding specific elements to each character’s appearance adds soul to the character. These details not only embody their individuality but also reflect the Adept Arts these characters control. Thus, players can acquaint themselves with their party in depth; consequently improving strategies while playing the game.

3. Achieving Skybound Arts, Link Attacks, & Chain Bursts

As a novice to video games, I feared that I might not enjoy the game as I lack experience in handling consoles but that was not the case. Aside from being able to choose the difficulty of the game, the players are presented with an option to utilize assist mode. During the first few hours, I depended heavily on this feature as I continued to build my skills. The game inserts help in an appropriate and timely manner— providing me ample time to get used to the commands. Additionally, the game gives clear instructions on how to activate your character’s Skybound Arts. It also guided me to level up my masteries and skills to inflict maximum damage onto the foe while maintaining a good defense system.

To further increase the chances of winning against monsters, Link Attacks and Chain Bursts are activated either automatically or by the player. Link Attacks, as the name suggests, signals your party members to attack the enemy at the same time. While Chain Bursts activates a series of powerful attacks using the Skybound Arts of all individuals.

Building Skills & Upgrading Them

The game’s fighting style is straight to the point as it’s pretty much just hack and slash. However, in my opinion, what sets this game apart is the use of the two features I mentioned. To optimize them, it is important to upgrade the skills and equipment of all party members. I actively looked for chests and materials to use for equipment enhancement. Furthermore, I actively took on side quests to hone the synergy between party members as well as earn resources. I also spent time studying my members’ abilities by switching characters once in a while. And yes, you can play the other characters too as long as the captain is included in the party!

A Newbie’s  Verdict

This game is a strong 4.5 out of 5 stars. I thoroughly enjoyed the game as I consumed it. I took time to explore its rich universe and didn’t pressure myself to finish it ASAP. While I was afraid that my lack of experience, skills, and knowledge would be detrimental to my playing, the game has features that help a beginner like me! Hopefully, this review encourages other new players out there to try this game out.

Thank you to our friends from SEGA for giving me a chance to play this beautiful game!

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