DESCRIPTION

One hundred years ago, the planet of Granstream was ravaged by a war between the Imperial Wizardry and the Allied Spirit Army. To break the deadlock, the Imperial Wizardry unleashed a forbidden weapon long since banned by both sides, causing the planet's axis to shift and flooding the world in the process. Four wise men, aligned to the elements of fire, water, earth, and wind, managed to raise four continents into the air, saving those they could. Now however, the descendants of the wise men responsible for this noble act have begun disappearing and reports emerge that Imperial airships have been spotted. Raised by a kindly man by the name of Valos, it falls to Eon, a young orphaned boy whose wrist is adorned by a mysterious bracelet called a Scepter, to save the continents.

A 3D polygonal RPG, The Granstream Saga presents players with the usual allotment of items, weapons, and equipment, the collection of which is necessary should Eon have a chance of saving the continents of Shilf, Aquas, Volcos, and Zephere. On his journey, Eon will be accompanied by two woman, Laramee and Arcia, and a bird named Korky, though only he will engage in battle. Movement throughout the world is viewed from an overhead perspective, while battles take place in real-time 3D. The battles, which consist primarily of one-on-one duels, allow players full control over the character's movement within the confines of the battle area. Magic and melee attacks provide the necessary offensive capabilities, though if required the player can use a shield to block enemy attacks or evade them by double-tapping the directional pad in a specific direction. Special abilities can be learned and subsequently implemented during battles, many of which are unique to the weapon type your character currently wields.

Once learned, these skills can be executed with the proper D-pad movements. Daggers, axes, and short and long swords can be used in battle, each with unique damage potential and speed of use. Enemies can been seen in the overworld, and thus battles avoided at the whim of the player. Interspersed between the battles are puzzles that require solving before the player can progress. Critical junctures in the plot unfold via animated cutscenes, and hand-drawn character portraits accompany conversations with significant characters in the game. ~ Gavin Frankle, All Game Guide