Introduction

Grandia 2?

Grandia 2 is a JRPG developed by Game Arts and released for the Dreamcast around the year 2000 and later ported to PS2 and PC. It has great things! For example, the mechanics, the soundtrack, and most of the writing and voice acting! It also has adequate things! Such as the plot.

Similarly to Final Fantasy, the Grandia games share only gameplay elements and aesthetics, so knowledge of the first game's plot will not be necessary to understand this one. If you do want to see it, there's an LP on the archive.

What's this game about?

In Grandia 2, we play as a fellow by the name of Ryudo (VA: Cam Clarke) who is a Geohound, a kind of mercenary thug. As the game begins, he finds himself taking a bodyguard job for the Church of Granas, guarding the Songstress Elena (VA: Jennifer Hale) as she participates in a ritual to seal the Devil, Valmar. Naturally, things go terribly for everyone involved and the world finds itself in need of some saving.

Hard Mode?

I'll be playing the game on PC. What this means is:

1. Stunning graphical, sound and gameplay bugs, for which I'll be keeping a tally.

2. HARD MODE! Specifically, this Hard Mode hack made by a fellow named Yohyzo. If anyone wants to play along, you can download that and a PPF patcher of some kind to patch your own game. The hack makes the game significantly more interesting, if more time-consuming to play, as it encourages you to use a lot of otherwise unnecessary status effects, buffs and debuffs. I'll be listing most of the changes made as we go along.

Format?

Hybrid! I will be presenting everything in screenshots and providing optional videos for FMVs and voice acting, as well as edited recordings of interesting battles.


That's about it for introductions, enjoy updates:

Table of Contents

• Update 01: That's what it means to be a Geohound
• Update 02: Beating charity out of you
• Update 03: Close. We bathe IN the blood
• Update 04: I'll just sit over here and think filthy, unclean thoughts.
• Update 05: Geohound. Cold, unfeeling Geohound
• Update 06: I feel EXCELLENT ♥
• Update 07: Great Granas we're DOOMED
• Update 08: I agree
• Update 09: What's with these losers?
• Update 10: This is my way of thanking you
• Update 11: The accursed light of the sun
• Update 11.5: Such wonderful table manners
• Update 12: Or, you could all grow wings
• Update 13: The dank SMELL of death
• Update 14: Perhaps I alone remain blessed
• Update 15: Some sleep. Others write. Other suck food down their throats like garbage chutes
• Update 16: Let me guess... new haircut?
• Update 16.5: HA
• Update 17: Wherever. Whenever. Forever
• Update 18: It's a damn shame
• Update 19: I couldn't dream this up
• Update 20: Soap and bubble bath
• Update 21: Almost-stereotypical determination and pluck
• Update 22: Your god will find no protection from me
• Update 23: When did this get so metaphysical?
• Update 24: Let it not be said that Granas is without mercy
• Update 24.5: Let those who war with life forfeit their own
• Update 25: Circuitous and labyrinthine
• Update 26: Tell you what I'll do. I'm going to ignore you. And then I'm going to leave.
• Update 26.5: Does not Ryudo tire of this?
• Update 27: The Dinner Plate of Granas
• Update 28: Rubbing their hands and muttering curses
• Update 29: With some dismay
• Update 30: Why the hell else would we be so damned near each other?
• Update 31: And with my teeth I shall tear his throat
• Update 32: There is nothing left to bind you
• Update 33: Despair itself is the only true joy
• Update 34: A form of energy
• Update 34.5: Endlessly flapping mouth
• Update 35: Hell of a lot of water, presumably
• Update 36: Like a wee little fairy
• Update 36.5: I'm not giving this a title
• Update 37: It would not unbend a single blade of grass
• Update 38: Thus began a terrible tragedy
• Update 39: The parade of blood and tears must end
• Update 40: Dance with me, brother
• Update 41: Was it music!? Was it an angel's voice!?
• Update 42: A man's got two hands
• Update 42.5: Melfice addendum
• Update 43: Oh goodie
• Update 44: Appropriate for dinner-theatre
• Update 45: This is an order
• Update 46: Cool it, manimal
• Update 47: THIS IS NOT A GOOD PLAN
• Update 48: Three feet of steel down its damned throat
• Update 49: The Valmar thing
• Update 49.5: The Davil
• Update 50: A masquerade, serving none
• Update 51: Cantai a nossa canção
• Update 52: God, schmod
• Update 53: Porta da esperança

Soundtrack

This is the game's fantastic soundtrack, composed by Noriyuki Iwadare.

Soundtrack album ~Deus~

Track 01 - Memory of the Gods
Track 02 - Opening Act
Track 03 - Village of Carbo ~ Pious Adepts
Track 04 - A Deus
Track 05 - The Ones Hidden Within The Darkness (1)
Track 06 - Tower of Garmia
Track 07 - Dangerous Zone
Track 08 - FIGHT!! Ver.1
Track 09 - "You Won't Be Able To Kill Me Just Like That!"
Track 10 - Come On, Let's Travel
Track 11 - Inn Town Agear ~ Cursed Land
Track 12 - The Ones Hidden Within The Darkness (2)
Track 13 - Commercial Town Liligue ~ Apparent Prosperity
Track 14 - The Broken Seal
Track 15 - Purification of Darkness ~ Battle with the Parts
Track 16 - Nightmare Village Mirumu ~ A Good, Unknown Anxiety
Track 17 - The Garden Of Dreams ~ The Mysterious Girl
Track 18 - FIGHT!! Ver.2
Track 19 - The Country of Laws St. Heim ~ Pious Adepts
Track 20 - Out for Lunch
Track 21 - Granas Sanctuary
Track 22 - Granasaber

Soundtrack album ~Povo~

Track 01 - Memory of the Gods (full ver)
Track 02 - The Cyrum Kingdom ~ Prosperity And Freedom
Track 03 - LIVE!LIVE!!LIVE!!!
Track 04 - Cyrum Castle
Track 05 - Announcement at Cyrum Kingdom ~ March
Track 06 - Romance at a Windy Isle
Track 07 - The Moon of Valmar
Track 08 - Have faith in yourself
Track 09 - Evil Root of Destruction
Track 10 - FIGHT!! Ver.3 ~ Middle Boss Battle
Track 11 - "Heh, They Didn't Even Get To Fight Back!"
Track 12 - Skye's Reminiscence
Track 13 - The Town of Nanan ~ Overwhelming Nature
Track 14 - Traditional Song ~ The Villagers' Chorus
Track 15 - Despair and Hope
Track 16 - The Ones Hidden Within The Darkness (Mix Version)
Track 17 - Elegy
Track 18 - Collapse
Track 19 - The Mythical World
Track 20 - Valmar
Track 21 - A Farewell, And Decision
Track 22 - Awakening Ryudo ~ Prayers of the People
Track 23 - FIGHT!! Ver.4 ~ The Final Battle
Track 24 - Cançao do Povo

Not on soundtrack

A Deus (Vocal Only) - thanks, Pesky Splinter!
A Deus (Instrumental)
LIVE!LIVE!!LIVE!!! (Radio) - also thanks, Pesky Splinter!
Remix of Purification of Darkness by Stemage
Granas Sanctuary (Vocal Only)
Deck Swabbing (from Grandia I)
Fight!! Ver.α
Room of Chaos
Credits

Artbook

Also here are a few scans from the official artbook, courtesy of Pesky Splinter and furious googling.

Update 01 - Ryudo & Skye
Update 02 - Ryudo
Update 03 - Village of Carbo
Update 04 - Skye
Update 05 - Elena
Update 06 - Millenia
Update 07 - Early Designs: Ryudo & Elena
Update 08 - Agear Town
Update 09 - Sisters of Granas, Father Carius, Vyx
Update 10 - Roan as well as Early Design: Millenia (borderline )
Update 11 - Ryudo, Elena and Millenia
Monster Concept Art 1
Update 11.5 - Ryudo, Elena and a bunch of Carros
Update 12 - Carro and... some other things
Update 13 - Liligue City
Update 14 - Elena
Update 15 - The carnies and the Father in Liligue
Update 16 - The Tongue of Valmar
Update 16.5 - Mareg
Update 17 - Mareg and a scrapped rival character
Update 18 - Equipment concept art
Update 19 - Mirumu citizens
Update 20 - Selene
Update 22 - Aira (fan art by lok-tar)
Update 23 - The Eye of Valmar, closed and open
Update 24 - A mural depicting the Battle of Good and Evil
Update 25 - St. Heim
Update 26 - Zera Innocentius
Update 28 - Cyrum Kingdom
Monster Concept Art 2
Update 29 - Cyrum Castle Exterior
Update 30 - St. Heim & Cyrum NPCs
Update 31 - Roan, Menory and the King of Cyrum
Update 32 - The Claws of Valmar and Tio possesed plus fan art by lok-tar of the latter (both mildly )
Update 33 - Agear Town, Granas Cathedral, Underground Plant plus Roan's portraits plus Melfice
Update 34 - Early Designs: Mareg, Melfice & Hemble
Update 34.5 - Tio
Update 36 - Melfice and Elena; Ryudo and Millenia
Update 38 - Captain Bakala, Gatta, Reena and Chief of Garlan; Young Ryudo, Melfice and Reena
Update 39 - Grail Mountain Road (1) (2)
Update 40 - Ryudo and Melfice
Update 41 - Tio, Elena and Millenia plus Melfice (fan art by lok-tar)
Update 42 - World Map
Update 43 - Nanan NPCs
Update 44 - Early concepts (Tio, Roan) and model concepts
Update 45 - The Great Rift
Monster Concept Art 3
Update 46 - Millenia
Update 47 - The Granasaber and Selene
Update 48 - The Granasaber
Update 49.5 - Weapons: Elena, Millenia, Roan, Mareg, Tio, Melfice
Update 50 - The Birthplace of the Gods and Elmo
Update 51 - Valmar, Ryudo's Granasaber and other swords
Update 52 - Final boss, Not quite final boss (fan art)
Update 53 - Protagonists, Portraits, Elena, Millenia, Tio