Though it’s already available for Nintendo Switch along with Grandia 2 HD Remaster, Grandia HD Remaster has been delayed on PC. It will now launch on October 15th for Steam. Coincidentally, this is the same day that Grandia 2 Anniversary Edition will be updated to the HD Remaster version.

On November 12th, the Grandia HD Collection on Switch will receive an update to address feedback and fix issues. The delay is due to incorporating this feedback in the PC version to “replicate this same experience” as per GungHo Online Entertainment America. “We offer our sincerest apologies for those who have been looking forward to the the PC remasters, and know that we are working as quickly and carefully as possible to resolve these issues. We thank you for your patience, and hope you continue to look forward to its release.” More information on the update will be offered in the coming days.

Grandia HD Remaster is essentially an updated version of the original Sega Saturn/PlayStation One RPG with improved visuals. Sprites, texture art and the user interface have been updated along with the original cinematics. On Steam, there will be widescreen support and support for higher resolutions.

Keyboard support with remappable controls is available but dual language fans should take note – the game will have Japanese and English audio but only support English language with translations for French and German. A Japanese language option will be added later.

A message to the fans regarding changes to the GRANDIA HD Collection and GRANDIA and GRANDIA II HD Remasters: pic.twitter.com/BAnbPuTn3g

— GungHo (@GungHo_America) September 23, 2019

Game Arts’ legendary RPG Grandia, and its follow up Grandia 2, will both be headed over to the Nintendo Switch, publisher Gung Ho announced today (via IGN). The original games are widely regarded as being among the greatest RPGs of all time, praised for their gorgeous art and their innovative battle system (the latter is regarded as being peerless by many genre veterans to this day). Now, they will be made available to play on a modern console for the first time.

The original Grandia was released as a showcase RPG for Sega’s Saturn, and was uniquely optimized for its difficult hardware. It was later ported to the original PlayStation (it was this version that was subsequently localized and released in the west by the now defunct Working Designs). Grandia 2 would follow on the next generation consoles, and while it wasn’t quite as well received as the first, is still pretty beloved overall. Switch fans who have been treated to some fantastic RPGs on the system, such as the just released Octopath Traveler (which has an innovative battle system of its own) are likely to enjoy what Grandia offers.

The best part? The game is due out this Winter, and we will see more of it at PAX West. Plus, there is more good news: Grandia 1 will be coming to Steam (the second game was released for Steam already some years ago). So it’s just RPG goodness all around, it seems.

GungHo Online Entertainment America has announced that Grandia 2 Anniversary Edition, the remastered PC version of the classic JRPG, will be releasing on August 24th for Steam. It can also be purchased on GOG for $14.99 initially after which it will be priced at $19.99.

President/CEO of Game Arts/GungHo Kazuki Morsishita revealed in an official statement that, “After careful consideration, we have chosen to retitle the game for PC to Grandia II Anniversary Edition in order to properly celebrate Grandia II’s 15th anniversary. The fans voted and, now, we are proud to bring a revamped edition of the classic role-playing game from Dreamcast to PC as Grandia II Anniversary Edition.”

Grandia 2 originally released on the Sega Dreamcast in 2000 and is personally one of my favourite Japanese RPGs of all time. The Anniversary Edition will include a Japanese voice option, support for gamepads and another difficulty level on top of improved visuals. Will you be picking it up? Let us know in the comments.

Of the many JRPGs in today’s world, Game Arts’ Grandia 2 still holds a very special place in the hearts of many veterans. Its story, visuals and amazing battle system all combined to make it one of the best RPGs ever and most certainly one of the best the Dreamcast had to offer. Thanks a survey by GungHo Online Entertainment America for properties from Game Arts, Grandia 2 will be returning in remastered form to Steam.

Fan feedback to the survey was apparently “overwhelming” which influenced the decision for a remastered port. The port will not only have remastered visuals but support mouse/keyboard set-ups and game pads. Steam Achievements and Trading Cards will also be added.

GungHo America president Jun Iwasaki stated that, “With the rise of digital downloads, it is especially important that classic games continue to remain available to play in some form. Grandia II was chosen for a PC re-release because it represents both a hallmark of the Grandia series and an example of how great JRPGs can be.”

What are your thoughts on Grandia 2 heading to Steam? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned for more information.

Dokuro isn’t too heavy on the story, using it as a set-up to justify the various puzzles and children’s book visuals more than anything else. The Dark Lord captures a princess and marries her. However, as so often happens in these kinds of set-ups, the princess spurns the Dark Lord and cries her eyes out, attracting the sympathy of Dokuro. As a measly little skeleton, Dokuro chooses the goodness in his heart over serving the Dark Lord and attempts to escort the princess out of the castle.

"Dokuro is primarily a puzzle game with some platforming and hack-and-slash elements thrown in. As you traverse the castle, you'll need to find a way for the princess to safely make her from one point to the next."

Again, despite Dokuro not having a very meaty story, it does an excellent job of presenting it. The art-style is simple but incredibly beautiful with a chalky edge to character models and a whimsical but grimy tone to the Dark Lord’s castle. Character animations are nuanced without being distracting. The princess’s frightened shouts and Dokuro’s limited but endearing facial expressions help tether you to the characters. The music is similarly great with its reliance on old folksy, medieval tunes.

Dokuro is primarily a puzzle game with some platforming and hack-and-slash elements thrown in. As you traverse the castle, you’ll need to find a way for the princess to safely make her from one point to the next. This involves hitting and rotating switching, stopping pendulums mid-swing to allow her to cross safely, swatting away enemies and timing your double jumps accordingly.

A magical potion comes into play very early which allows Dokuro to transform into a handsome prince. The transformation is more than just cosmetic as it allows you to effectively slice up foes and carry the princess across areas she’d otherwise be unable to traverse. It also has its disadvantages in that you can’t double jump or jump high while carrying the princess. Dokuro also has access to a magic chalk piece which can be used to connect ropes to platforms – the mouse is also used to rotate switches in given situations.

For all of its simple mechanics, Dokuro finds a ton of different unique puzzles to challenge players. A particular puzzle in the second area has you using the princess’s own movement to trigger a switch in order to shuffle boxes around and make it across (without killing you both, obviously). The typical box pushing puzzles make way for a boss battle wherein you have to shift a box with spikes on top around the battlefield. As the boss lands on it, it will receive damage while being open to your attacks. It’s mechanics like those that make Dokuro a good time-waster in between breaks.

"It doesn't help that Game Arts did next to nothing to appeal to PC gamers with the port. Keep in mind that the original game released roughly 2.5 years ago yet there are no options for higher resolutions or customizable controls."

The problem is that its difficulty doesn’t always follow a steady curve. One minute you could be navigating a level and rotating switches to safely transport the princess across and the next, you’ll be completely befuddled. At its core, Dokuro doesn’t lend itself well to lengthy play sessions. With the lack of overall character or plot development, you’ll find yourself moving from one area to the next, motivated solely by your curiosity in what puzzle lies next. On the PS Vita or mobiles, it’s not a big deal but on the PC, it feels like a certain spark is missing from Dokuro.

It doesn’t help that Game Arts did next to nothing to appeal to PC gamers with the port. Keep in mind that the original game released roughly 2.5 years ago yet there are no options for higher resolutions or customizable controls. Gamepad support is also missing and though Dokuro is easy enough to play on the keyboard, it does tend to feel awkward in some situations – such as when using the mouse for controlling the chalk.

There are also copious amounts of screen tearing in the game and there are no additional graphical options for alleviating this. Dokuro could have at least benefited from the 1080p resolution treatment but alas, it wasn’t meant to be.

On the surface, Dokuro is worth checking out and idly playing when you feel like challenging yourself. The pleasing aesthetics and music ensure a fun experience each time, aside from the odd few irritating times you’ll have with some of the puzzles. It’s just a shame that Game Arts didn’t do anything to make it truly stand out in the crowded PC space.

This game was reviewed on the PC.

Not necessarily. According to director Kazuhiro Irie on GungHo’s developer spotlight, “We’ve actually collected data that shows about 60% of Japanese Ragnarok Odyssey players have never played Ragnarok Online. I think that proves you don’t need to play the original MMORPG to immerse yourself in the world of Ragnarok.”

It indeed does. However, another phenomenon has been observed: Just because gamers like a particular franchise doesn’t mean they’ll hop on board with an MMO game based on it. Final Fantasy XIV immediately comes to mind.

Ragnarok Odyssey Ace, meanwhile, is slated to release in July this year for Japan.

Source: Siliconera

You’ll gain new abilities, face bosses and even manifest into quite the dapper Prince Charming, armed with his own range of attacks. And hey, skeleton man dances. Seriously, why aren’t you buying this game? Check it out on PSN for $19.99 USD today.