Around the time of this year's Tokyo Game Show, Game Informer was given the opportunity to visit GungHo's offices and find out a bit more about the upcoming remaster of the first two Grandia games - expected to arrive on multiple platforms, including the Switch, in the near future. The most surprising news, apparently, was the confirmation the game is exclusively in development for North America and Europe. This hasn't stopped Japanese fans from requesting the remaster.
Apart from this, GungHo said how it intended to add more features to both games as development moves along. Here are the latest updates and improvements:
Grandia
- Enhanced details to UI, sprites, and texture art. 2x to 4x upscaling
- Original cinematic videos receiving visual enhancements
- Widescreen support and customizable resolutions for PC
- Addition of MSAA, bloom, normal mapping, and blur effects
- Steam cards and Achievements
- Japanese Audio and Subtitles, English Audio and Subtitles
- Language Support: English & Japanese
- Digitally converted game manual
- Utilizing PS1 & Sega Saturn source code
- Gamepad and keyboard support with remappable controls
Grandia II
- Digitally converted game manual
- Utilizing Grandia II Anniversary Edition source code, which originally was based on the Sega Dreamcast source code
- Fix PC video/audio desync and switch to XInput
- Add support to exit to title
- Japanese Subtitles added, for Switch version
For the uninformed, Grandia was first released on the Sega Saturn in 1997 and received a re-release shortly after in 1999 on the original PlayStation. Its sequel, Grandia II, followed a similar pattern, being first released on Sega Dreamcast in 2000, and eventually made available on PlayStation 2 in 2002. An anniversary edition of Grandia II also arrived in 2015, enhancing the visuals and adding in an extra difficulty level.
The original game was praised for its engaging cast of characters, colourful presentation and smart design. The sequel was considered a standout release on the Dreamcast featuring solid game mechanics and an advanced battle system, with the PS2 re-release still considered to be worthwhile playing. The remaster is currently expected to arrive later this year.
Are you excited for the Switch remaster of Grandia I and II? Tell us in the comments.
[source gameinformer.com]
Comments 45
When this supposed to be released? Hoping for physical both games on cart.
@illmatic20xx Later this year, no specific release date.
I'm glad to hear that the first game would allow you to have the choice of playing it like the PS1 or the Sega Saturn version. Though I originally play the PS1 port, I still prefer the Saturn version more as it was the original and was probably the better version.
Tell us the most important thing GungHo... Physical on Switch or not and if yes, will it be in all regions or only in Japan or something?
I'm excited!! I hope there's a physical release available.
This is exciting, I still have the PS1 and Dreamcast games. Hopefully bifnall goes well they can focus on a Grandia IV... I can dream right? 😎
CANNOT WAIT FOR THESE. Day 1 purchase for sure. Both are among my favorite games of all time and these upgrades are making me salivate.
Was hoping for a release date. Having already pre-ordered Pokemon and Smash, I think this is the only other game purchase I'm intending to make this year.
Hopefully Grandia 2's sound effects get fixed, as many of them abruptly cut off; methinks it has to do with the ADX audio code used in the Dreamcast version.
@retro_player_22 Ehm... I don't really think that "Utilizing PS1 & Sega Saturn source code" translates to "you can choose between playing either the PS1 or Sega Saturn version"...
It's more than likely just to make clear that assets from both versions were used, in order to make it the best version possible, seeing as both versions have their pros and cons, so I could actually see that happening.
Day 1! Please be a physical collection.
By the way, how often is it do we see a classic JRPG rerelease like this marked as "Western exclusive"?
Its good we are getting both the Saturn and PlayStation version of the original Grandia. I do hope that GungHo would include the Grandia: Digital Museum as DLC in the future.
@RudyC3 Looks like there’s no confirmed Japanese release yet, so don’t hold your breath for a Japanese physical release just yet.
@jtmnm I'm sure you'd get it either way, right?
I don’t think I ever played the first one, but the second one was one of my favorites on Dreamcast. Definitely getting these!
@TheLZdragon Of course!
I find myself very interested in this. I don't know why...but that art just sells it for me. It just looks like it really does have great characters and so forth, all from one piece of art.
Whoever did the art for this is really talented. It's not easy to capture that kind of personality in a single image.
I'm surprised the first game is dual audio
Physical (if an option, if not, whelp...) on Switch or 4k and other toggle-able goodies on PC. Very tough choice!
I got Grandia 2 for my DC in January 2001 and played it non-stop for two weeks. Great game but I still liked the first one (one of my top 5 jrpgs of all time) much much more. I followed it up with Evolution 2 oddly enough
Day one if physical.
Blimey. Sounds like they are doing it properly!
@ThanosReXXX Either way I hope they make it a better remastered with new contents rather than simply just sharpen the graphics like what Sega did with Shenmue I & II. I also hope the console versions had physical releases, as much as I like digital games, these are two classics I want to own forever.
Yep.
So looking forward to these as I loved Grandia on PS1, and having never played Grandia 2 was actually browsing with the intention of getting a 2nd hand PS2 or DC version the day before this was announced. Now I know it's neither
2 of my favorite RPGs of all time right here and I'm looking forward to playing them again on Switch (just played through G2 again last month on Dreamcast.) I'm in the same boat as some of the other commenters who have played the PS1 G1 multiple times but never the Saturn version so I want to see what I've been missing.
Great stuff Grandia 2 is probably in my top 5, and certainly my top 10.
Good to see they are using Saturn code for Grandia 1 as it ran better on the Saturn than PSX.
I wonder is it is possible to enjoy this kind of game today without the nostalgia rush.
I'd recommend Skies of Arcadia but I have no idea if anyone would enjoy it without playing it ~15 years ago
@imgrowinglegs well I was only mentioning Japan because they tend to get physical releases for everything major, and not us. But any physical release of these remasters on Switch would make me happy, I would just like them to say something about it.
Wait what? A remastered Japanese Game that isn't releasing in Japan? that's really odd.
“Add support to exit to title” OMG! I’m sold!
@Liam_Doolan The word "information" in the title is missing the "r".
Do we know if this is going to be a package with both games or stand-alones? Day one either way (can't see the day I will replay FF VII again too. I tried a couple of times on pc but it is hard to play RPGs on it nowadays)
Wait i heard this was a Switch and PC exclusive though?
@Liam_Doolan Yeah man I'm looking around for a source that mentions it is a western exclusive for multiplatform.
All Articles on this say its a global release but Switch and PC exclusive
Edit: found it... Surely this was a mistake... Its a Japanese game.
Grandia 2 is one of my top games of all time. Can't wait to play it again (for the 20th time).
Been waiting to pre-order this, but still hasn't went up on Amazon.
@retro_player_22 I can definitely agree with that, so no argument from me there.
@retro_player_22 As for those Shenmue remasters: according to Digital Foundry, it was not just a simple "sharpening" of the graphics:
And the Digital Foundry team usually knows their stuff, in this regard...
I remember in 1997, Grandia was SEGA Saturns answer to Playstations Final Fantasy VII. Some maganzines even scored it higher. Now it's finally time to compare both.. on Switch
@Prof_Yoshtonics Thanks for pointing that out. Fixed!
#2 a JRPG that spoiled me on seeing stuff, no more crusty random encounters. That game on DC, then on GoG with the HD remaster are fantastic.
Will be fun to experience both of these classics again, especially the first game.
I'm down for this! I'll make I save enough for this!
It's all a bit quiet
Just spotted a used Dreamcast copy...
But now I know why someone would sell it off.
I'll watch for more Switch details before getting serious.
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