《冒險奇譚》（Grandia）是Game Arts在1997年於Sega Saturn推出的角色扮演遊戲，兩年後移植到PlayStation，並首度推出英文版。開發團隊延續《Lunar》系列的核心班底，包括製作人宮路洋一和作曲家岩垂德行，使得這款作品在當時被視為Sega陣營力抗《Final Fantasy》與《勇者鬥惡龍》的重要王牌。SEGA為讓Saturn擁有真正的重量級RPG，給予Game Arts前所未有的支援，包括大量宣傳、釋出免費體驗版，以及長達四年、極為謹慎的開發期。

在遊戲尚未上市前，外界對它抱持著相當多疑問。Saturn主機在3D表現方面先天不如競品，許多人不相信它能呈現一款在視覺與演出上足以匹敵其他大作的 RPG。然而發售後，卻以突出的品質與創意完全打破疑慮，被玩家與評論一致認定是Saturn生涯中最出色的RPG作品之一。後來不僅推出外傳《Digital Museum》與衍生作品《Parallel Trippers》，在2019年也推出HD Remaster，於Switch與PC平台再次受到注目。

整體故事背景建立在一個正從蒸氣與工業科技快速躍進的世界。曾經輝煌的大冒險時代，因為「世界的盡頭」——一面巨大且無法跨越的石壁——被發現後而走向終結，人們的夢想被現實侷限，對未知的憧憬逐漸消失。主角賈斯汀（Justin）卻是仍舊抱持冒險渴望的少年，他從已逝的父親手中繼承象徵古代文明神秘力量的「精靈石」，深信這個世界依然藏著尚未被人探索的奇蹟。

一次與青梅竹馬蘇（Sue）探險遺跡的旅程中，他們遇到神祕女子リエーテ（Liete）。她揭露精靈石與古老文明「安吉魯」（Angelou／エンジュール）之間的契約關係，並指引賈斯汀若想了解真相，就必須前往遙遠的東方新大陸。這次邂逅深深觸動少年，讓他下定決心踏出真正的冒險步伐。離家時與母親的告別，被許多玩家視為最能引發情感共鳴的名場面之一。

隨著旅程展開，賈斯汀接連遇見形象鮮明的夥伴：充滿成熟魅力的冒險者菲娜（Feena）、具有騎士精神的加多因（Gadwin）、倔強但正義感十足的青年拉普（Rapp）、力量與個性同樣強烈的巨人族米爾達（Milda）、以及莫蓋族長吉多（Guido）等人，他們逐步揭開 Angelou 文明與精靈世界的秘密，並在危機與相遇之間見證賈斯汀成長為真正的冒險家。另一方面，軍事組織加雷爾軍（Garlyle Forces）也在追尋古代文明的力量。野心家巴爾（Baal）將軍是這場陰謀的核心，而軍中智將穆倫（Mullen）、神祕的女軍官琳（Leen），以及以詼諧方式登場的三位女軍官Nana、Saki、Mio，使劇情在嚴肅與幽默之間保持絕妙平衡。

在系統與操作方面，採用3D背景結合2D精靈角色的獨特呈現方式。能自由旋轉鏡頭，在立體場景中觀察不同角度，尋找隱藏道路與寶物。場景中的物件會因角色接觸而產生細膩反應，例如桌上的物品會被不小心撞落、草叢會因行走而搖曳或發出聲響。這些看似微不足道的細節，使遊戲世界彷彿真正活著。城鎮NPC 的對話會隨劇情不斷變化，同一位居民重複交談也會傳達不同內容，而主角們有時還會加入自己的反應，使城市探索本身就成為充滿樂趣的遊戲性。

遊戲中的成長系統結構相當細緻。角色並不單靠等級提升，而是透過武器熟練度與魔法屬性等級開啟新技能。例如火屬性提升能強化攻擊能力，水屬性則提升HP與MP，角色的技能習得方式各異，形成相當明確的成長差異。魔法需要透過「瑪娜蛋（Mana Egg）」來習得，而武器招式則需提升熟練度才會解鎖，使玩家在戰鬥中自然會嘗試不同武器，而不是只依賴同一種。

戰鬥系統是作品最為人稱道的部分，許多人甚至將其視為日本RPG歷史上節奏與戰略性最完美的設計之一。所有角色與敵人的行動都以「IP 時軸」（Initiative Point）為中心運行。當行動圖示移動至「Command」端時，可以輸入指令，抵達「Act」後則會正式執行。敵方若準備大招，也會在時間軸上顯示蓄力段落，可以透過「Critical（重擊）」或特定技能打斷其準備，讓敵人延後甚至完全喪失行動機會。這使每次戰鬥都在速度感與策略判斷之間取得完美平衡，無論是抓準距離、判斷敵人行動、選擇攻擊或防禦，都讓戰鬥顯得極富層次。戰鬥中的語音與反應也充滿生命力。角色施展魔法或必殺技時會喊出對應台詞，戰後的勝利台詞也會依戰況而變化，從輕鬆取勝到艱困險勝，每種情況都有不同演出，這些要素讓戰鬥不再只是系統與數值，而是一場真正的舞台表演。

在當年，《Grandia》對Saturn的形象具有重要意義。它成功證明Saturn也能展現高品質的RPG，PlayStation版更讓作品在歐美取得廣泛知名度。多家海外媒體給予極高評價，在2006年《Fami通》讀者投票中，本作更被選為史上最佳遊戲之一，位列第73名。即使多年過去，劇情、角色塑造、音樂與戰鬥系統仍被RPG愛好者反覆提及。Sega Saturn與PlayStation版本之間也存在一定差異。Saturn的2D精靈繪製能力較強，因此在角色動畫、透明效果與光影上更為細膩；而PS版因硬體特性，某些透明特效需以替代方式呈現，整體視覺表現略遜。PS版的讀取速度比Saturn慢，部分語音與音效壓縮也更明顯。雖然內容量完全相同，PS版因字體與介面調整有些微差異，但並未刪減劇情。從操作手感而言，Saturn版在鏡頭與讀取方面通常較為流暢，因此被許多老玩家視為最具原汁原味的版本。相對地，PS版則因普及率高、並提供了英文版本，使其成為全球玩家最容易接觸的版本。

總結而言，《冒險奇譚》(Grandia)是以純粹、真摯且富感染力的冒險精神為核心的 RPG。它不以深沉黑暗的劇情推動故事，而是透過少年踏入未知世界時的悸動、驚奇與成長，構築一段充滿情感與想像力的旅程。每抵達一個新地區，都能感受到文化、景色、聲音與細節的徹底差異，宛如真正踏上遠行。即便多年過去，它仍以無可取代的魅力被玩家們懷念，並被視為象徵冒險浪漫與RPG精華的名作，至今依舊難以有人複製它的獨特風采。

Grandia is a role-playing game developed by Game Arts and released for the Sega Saturn in 1997. Two years later, it was ported to the PlayStation, which also marked the game’s first official English release. The development team carried over many of the core members from the Lunar series, including producer Yoichi Miyaji and composer Noriyuki Iwadare. As a result, Grandia was regarded within the Sega camp as a flagship title meant to stand toe-to-toe with Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest. To ensure the Saturn had a true heavyweight RPG, SEGA provided Game Arts with unprecedented support—major advertising campaigns, a free demo release, and a long, carefully supervised four-year development period.

Before the game launched, many were skeptical. The Saturn’s 3D capabilities lagged behind its competitors, and few believed it could deliver an RPG with the visual spectacle and production quality expected of top-tier titles. However, once Grandia was released, its craftsmanship and creativity completely silenced those doubts. It quickly earned recognition as one of the finest RPGs in the Saturn’s lifetime. The game later received the side release Digital Museum, the spin-off Parallel Trippers, and eventually an HD Remaster in 2019, bringing it back into the spotlight on Switch and PC.

The story takes place in a world undergoing rapid advancement driven by steam and industrial technology. The once-glorious era of great adventurers has faded, ever since the discovery of the “End of the World”—a colossal, impassable stone wall that crushed the dreams of explorers and diminished humanity’s yearning for the unknown. Yet the protagonist, Justin, remains one of the few who still longs for adventure. From his late father he inherits the “Spirit Stone,” said to hold a mysterious connection to an ancient civilization, and he firmly believes the world still hides miracles waiting to be discovered.

During an expedition to ancient ruins with his childhood friend Sue, Justin meets a mysterious woman named Liete. She reveals that the Spirit Stone is bound by a pact between the ancient Angelou civilization and the Spirits, and that if Justin wishes to learn the truth, he must journey to the faraway new continent to the east. This encounter ignites the boy’s adventurous spirit, leading to a heartfelt and memorable farewell to his mother—a moment many players still regard as one of the most emotionally powerful scenes in RPG history.

On his journey, Justin encounters a vibrant cast of companions: the charismatic adventurer Feena, the noble knight Gadwin, the stubborn yet righteous Rapp, the strong-willed giantess Milda, and the Mogay elder Guido. Together they unravel the secrets of Angelou and the Spirit world, while each shared experience shapes Justin’s growth into a true adventurer.

Meanwhile, the Garlyle Forces—a powerful military organization—are also pursuing the ancient civilization’s power. The ruthless General Baal stands at the center of this conspiracy, while strategist Mullen, the enigmatic officer Leen, and the comedic trio of female officers Nana, Saki, and Mio create a narrative tone that shifts seamlessly between serious drama and lighthearted humor.

In terms of gameplay, Grandia adopts an innovative hybrid presentation using 3D environments combined with 2D sprite characters. Players can freely rotate the camera to investigate hidden paths and treasures within layered environments—an impressive feature for an RPG released in 1997. Objects react subtly to the player’s movement, like furniture being bumped aside or grass rustling as characters walk through it. These seemingly unnecessary yet incredibly detailed touches bring the world to life. NPC dialogue changes frequently depending on story progression, and even repeated conversations can yield new lines. Sometimes the party members comment directly on what the NPCs say, making town exploration delightfully engaging.

The character growth system is also highly nuanced. Leveling alone does not determine progression; instead, weapon proficiencies and elemental magic levels unlock new abilities. For example, raising fire magic boosts offensive power, while water magic increases HP and MP. Each character has a unique growth pattern, giving players meaningful freedom in shaping their abilities. Magic is learned through “Mana Eggs,” while weapon techniques unlock through increased proficiency—naturally encouraging players to experiment with different weapons instead of relying on a single type.

Grandia’s battle system is widely considered the game’s crowning achievement—and for many, one of the most masterfully designed combat systems in JRPG history. All actions revolve around the IP Gauge (Initiative Point). When an icon reaches the “Command” point, the player can select an action; upon reaching “Act,” the move is executed. Enemy special attacks display their charge period along the timeline, allowing the player to interrupt them with a well-timed Critical attack or certain skills, delaying or even completely canceling their action. This creates a perfect balance of speed, tension, and tactical decision-making. Whether positioning characters, predicting enemy actions, or choosing between attacking and defending, every encounter feels dynamic and strategic.

The battles are also filled with personality. Characters shout unique voice lines when using spells or special attacks, and their post-battle comments change depending on the difficulty of the fight—from easy victories to hard-won struggles—adding layers of charm and immersion.

At the time, Grandia had tremendous significance for the Saturn’s reputation. It proved that the console was fully capable of delivering a top-tier RPG. The PlayStation version later introduced the game to Western audiences, earning high praise from international critics. In a 2006 Famitsu reader poll, Grandia was ranked among the greatest games of all time, placing 73rd. Even decades later, fans continue to celebrate its story, characters, music, and groundbreaking battle system.

There are notable differences between the Saturn and PlayStation versions. The Saturn’s superior 2D sprite handling gives it an edge in character animation, transparency effects, and lighting. The PS version, due to hardware differences, uses alternative methods to simulate certain visual effects, making them appear slightly less refined. Load times are longer on PS, and some voices and sound effects are more compressed. While the content is identical, minor layout adjustments were made for the PS English release. In terms of feel, the Saturn version generally offers smoother camera control and loading transitions, leading many longtime players to regard it as the most authentic version. Meanwhile, the PS version remains the most accessible worldwide thanks to its widespread install base and English localization.

Ultimately, Grandia is an RPG built around a pure, heartfelt sense of adventure. It doesn’t rely on tragedy or darkness to propel its narrative; instead, it draws players in through the wonder, excitement, and emotional growth of a young boy stepping into the unknown. Every new region feels distinctly alive—with its own culture, scenery, sounds, and environmental details—inviting players to experience the journey as if they were truly traveling through its world. Even today, Grandia remains a beloved classic, cherished for its unique spirit of exploration and its masterful expression of what makes RPGs magical. Its charm is timeless, and its sense of adventure remains unmatched.