It’s been a while since North American RPG fans received a new Growlanswer title. After five years waiting Atlus has finally brought over the previously Japan exclusive Growlanser IV(PS2). Remade for the PSP, Growlanser: Wayfarer of Time is an updated Growlanser IV, which is considered by fans the best of the series.
While remaking a five year old game can certainly improve it, there are elements that might feel dated to current RPG fans. Can Growlanswer: Wayferer of Time appeal to fans or is it a dated mess? Let’s take a look on what’s HOT and what’s NOT in our review of Growlanser: Wayferer of Time.
HOT
A Very In-Depth Story
When it comes to RPG games nothing is more important than the story. In Growlanser: Wayferer of Time players will embark on an in-depth story of political conflict that reconnects a long lost civilization and a plot that will engage / surprise fans from throughout. The story begins with Crevanille, a young red-haired man, who is a member of the Alten Scwart mercenary brigade, which is led by a man named Dixon. During a one of their missions something went amiss when an Angel came down from the heavens and destroyed an area near Dixon and Crevanille. The havoc that the angel causes starts Crevanille’s journey to figure out the connection of the long lost civilization, in addition to why the current events are happening. Based on your choices throughout the game, you can expect to uncover several endings and content to satisfy almost any RPG fan.
Nice Paced Strategic Combat
The battle system within the game is somewhat different, as it’s a mix of real-time and turn-based strategy. Whenever you’re in battle, players will move the characters in the party. As they move to their new position, you must then give them a command like attack, use skills, or defend. Once everything is set, the action will begin. The pace of the battle is somewhat similar to a strategy based RPG as there will be a turn involve. However don’t forget to watch the wait time at the bottom of the screen. As for the controls, they are very tight and there’s extremely easy to pick up. As for mission objectives, they vary from eliminating all monsters on the field to escorting the villagers to safety. The variety of the missions in addition to the unusual mix of real time and turn based action, worked really well and are quite enjoyable.
Great Anime Cutscenes and Presentation
For anime fans,there are a lot of anime-like cutscenes, which you will experience throughout the game. If you are fond of the classic anime cutscenes where the characters looks unusual by today’s standards, you will experience some nostalgic moments while watching them. The cutscenes feature nice voice acting, which helps make the game feel alive. The quality of voice acting is decent and the musical score especially good, so you can expect a solid experience throughout this well paced adventure.
Lots of Contents
Along with the multiple endings you can unlock, there is plenty of additional content for you to explore. For those who are fond of sidequests, you will be pleased to hear that there is a vast selection you can choose from. Like most SRPG games, you can expect Wayfarer of Time to last roughly 50-60 hours.