Here’s What We Know About the Game

Cygame’s flagship mobile RPG, Granblue Fantasy, has gained over 35 million registered skyfarers since 2014.

Published and developed internally by Cygames, Granblue Fantasy Relink is an action RPG aimed for old and new players of the franchise.

Players can play the campaign as a single player, or they can team up with up to 4 players.

The game features cross-play compatibility for online multiplayer between the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4.

Yasuyuki Kaji is the director, who has worked on games like Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance and Bayonetta.

The setting is Zegagrande Skydom, floating islands guarded by powerful creatures known as Primal Beasts and home to four different races: Human, Erune, Harvin and Draph.

Granblue Fantasy Relink will feature the same protagonist from the mobile game, the Captain.

Lyria and Vyrn are the captain’s partners. Lyria has a link to the captain and can summon primal beasts. Vyrn is a cute little dragon who grew up with the captain.

Other characters who can join the Captain in battle are Katalina, Rackam, Io, Eugen, Rosetta etc. They each will have their own unique fighting style from using swords to guns.

Characters customization will be available including equipping different weapons or sigils.

There will be over 100 quests. The stages aren’t open world, but some areas encourage exploration.

Modes for the game include boss battles, time attack, survival, and more.

There’s a stun gauge that can be filled, causing enemies to flinch.

The action RPG does have an assist mode available if you want to enjoy the story and not worry about the combat’s difficulty level. With this mode on, there will be auto heals, auto guard, auto dash, and combos that can be performed with just a single button.

There’s also the Full Assist mode for players that are either really new to the series or really want an easy adventure. This will have all actions performed automatically, and the whole game can be played in this mode.

“So there are lots of elements that we’ve included in this game that we think will surprise and delight fans of the original,” Cygames’ general director Tetsuya Fukuhara tells Nerd Reactor. “So first up, the battle system is the primary focus of Granblue Fantasy Relink. For fans of the mobile game, we’ve included weapons, enemies, and various little quest elements that make for little surprises. We think there are lots of things that will delight people who are very familiar with the Granblue universe. And even if you don’t know anything about Granblue, you can still jump in and have a lot of fun.”

The demo is available to play at Gamescom, the biggest video game convention in the world, and I had the chance to check it out during a press event in San Francisco. It’s a very short experience that showcases the action RPG gameplay, and one of the key mechanics is the linking system. Once you build enough of the meter bar, you can perform a very special attack that can be linked together with other party members’ actions, uniting as one and dealing devastating blows against enemies and bosses. If you have successfully linked with all members of the party, it will get you Full Chain.

The two bosses I faced back to back are the Rock Golem and Giant Skeleton. They were both a challenge at the start, but once you have figured out the Link Attacks and Full Chain, you’ll be able to beat them in no time.

“We chose to create a demo from the specific portion of the game because we wanted to showcase a variety of characters,” Kaji tells Nerd Reactor. “We also wanted to showcase two different types of boss battles, so you could have fun playing around with different strategies. Also, we think that the length is just perfect for events like this. It really gives you a great and effective introduction to the game system and content.”

Granblue Fantasy Relink Physical Editions

Granblue Fantasy Relink Collector’s Edition

• MSRP: $179.99
• Granblue Fantasy: Relink Game
• Proto Bahamut Figure
• Sword of Eos Metal Charm
• Special Outer Box Featuring Unique Artwork
• Special Artbook
• Special Soundtrack CD
• Postcard Set
• In-game Items
• Starter Item Pack
• Color Packs 1–3
• Weapon: False Sword of the Apocalypse
• Granblue Special Item Set: Relink Pack (Limited to the first print run)

Granblue Fantasy: Relink – Standard Edition

• MSRP: $59.99
• Granblue Fantasy: Relink Game
• Granblue Special Item Set: Relink Pack (Limited to the first print run)

Granblue Fantasy: Relink – Deluxe Edition

• MSRP: $99.99
• Granblue Fantasy: Relink Game
• Special Outer Box Featuring Unique Artwork
• Special Artbook
• Special Soundtrack CD
• Postcard Set
• In-game Items
• Starter Item Pack
• Color Packs 1–3
• Weapon: False Sword of the Apocalypse
• Granblue Special Item Set: Relink Pack (Limited to the first print run)

Granblue Fantasy Relink Digital Editions

PlayStation Store Preorder Bonuses

• Grants Early Access to the game, which is scheduled to begin at 7:00 a.m., January 28, 2024 PT
• In-game Items
• Stamina III and Enmity III Sigils

Granblue Fantasy: Relink – Standard Edition

• MSRP: $59.99
• Granblue Fantasy: Relink Game
• Granblue Special Item Set: Relink Pack*
• (*Limited-time inclusion available for PlayStation®5 / PlayStation®4 versions only)

Granblue Fantasy: Relink – Special Edition

• MSRP: $79.99
• Granblue Fantasy: Relink Game
• In-game Items
• Starter Item Pack
• Color Packs 2 and 3
• Weapon: False Sword of the Apocalypse
• Granblue Special Item Set: Relink Pack*
• (*Limited-time inclusion available for PlayStation 5 / PlayStation 4 versions only)

Granblue Fantasy: Relink – Digital Deluxe Edition (only for PlayStation 5 / PlayStation 4)

• MSRP: $99.99
• Granblue Fantasy: Relink Game
• Digital Artbook & Soundtrack
• In-game Items
• Starter Item Pack
• Color Packs 1–3
• Weapon: False Sword of the Apocalypse
• Granblue Special Item Set: Relink Pack*
• (*Limited-time inclusion available for PlayStation 5 / PlayStation 4 versions only)

Granblue Fantasy Relink will be released on February 1, 2024, for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC via Steam.

The post What We Know About Granblue Fantasy Relink, Plus Hands-On Preview of the Action RPG appeared first on Nerd Reactor.

Granblue Fantasy: Versus Celebration

Developed by Arc System Works and published by Cygames, Granblue Fantasy: Versus was released for the PlayStation 4 in North America and PC via Steam globally by XSEED Games. It has reached 1 million units in physical and digital sales worldwide. To mark the occasion, the game and select DLC are now on sale up to 90% for a limited time on the PlayStation Store.

The Value Edition is available for 90% off, with the Character Pass 2 having a 70% off sale. The offer ends at 11:59 p.m., August 16, 2023.

What’s in Store for Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising

With the announcement trailer, fans got a taste of things to come including the release date, the new three-part story, fun activities outside of the main fights, and a Fall Guys-like battle royale mode: Grand Bruise Legends!

Story Mode will return, and players will embark on a new three-part story. The titles for the first two parts have been revealed: “A Tale of Blue Skies” and “A Tale of Silver Linings,” with part three remaining a mystery. For new players, the story from the first game will be included so they won’t miss a thing.

Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising will have 4 new characters: Anila, Siegfried, Nier and Grimnir. The roster total is 28 compared to the previous 24.

“So as far as characters and how we decide to put them in the game, one thing that is really important for us is that we include a lot of character variety within the gameplay,” Tetsuya Fukuhara, the general director of the Granblue Fantasy franchise, tells Nerd Reactor. “They are decided on a number of facets; for example, the character’s popularity and what kind of group they belong to. I guess the main point is that we have a good balance in the selection of characters. And as far as the character that I wish to add to the game… a lot. But unfortunately, that’s all I can say.”

Two highly requested features will be implemented including crossplay and rollback netcode for a smoother online fighting experience.

I’m currently playing Street Fighter 6, and I’ll admit that I can sometimes get salty in a match. This is why I’m looking forward to a feature in Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising that will hopefully put me at ease when I lose in a fight. With the introduction of Partner, they’ll be by your side for encouragement, giving you praise and advice. For example, if you win a match, a partner can say, “Practice makes perfect, and I can tell you’ve really been practicing.” If you’ve made a comeback, they may say, “Haha! Way to turn the table on that one.”

Online Lobby

The online lobby for the game has been expanded. Instead of roaming around on an airship, players will get to explore an entire floating island. This is where you can party with friends to fight enemies or go head to head, and this is also where you can play Grand Bruise Legends! If you don’t have Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising, you can still play the battle royale game for free as a standalone but with limited features.

There are fun activities including flying around in a hang glider to smaller floating islands, using a balloon as a punching bag, relaxing at a cafe, posing for photo ops, challenging players via game stations, kicking the ball in a soccer field, and playing inside the arcade room.

The new battle royale game mode, Grand Bruise Legends!, will include different types of minigames such as Skybound Sprint, Gold Brick Hoarder, Bomb Survival, and more.

Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising is scheduled for release on November 30, 2023, with pre-orders now available. There will be three editions including a free edition. The digital-only title will be available for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Steam. Check out the details below:

Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising PlayStation Store Page

• PlayStation 4 Standard Edition
• https://store.playstation.com/en-us/product/UP5460-CUSA43522_00-GBVSRDX000000001
• PlayStation 4 Deluxe Edition
• https://store.playstation.com/en-us/product/UP5460-CUSA43522_00-GBVSRSTD00000001
• PlayStation 5 Standard Edition
• https://store.playstation.com/en-us/product/UP5460-PPSA16602_00-GBVSRSTD00000001
• PlayStation 5 Deluxe Edition
• https://store.playstation.com/en-us/product/UP5460-PPSA16602_00-GBVSRDX000000001

Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising – Standard Edition

• MSRP: $49.99
• Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising Game
• PlayStation Store Exclusive: Granblue Special Item Set: GBVSR Pack (included for a limited time)

Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising – Deluxe Edition

• MSRP: $74.99
• Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising Game
• In-game Bonuses:
  • 4 Color Variants for the 28 Base Characters
  • 3 Weapon Skins for the 28 Base Characters
  • Deluxe Character Pass Part 1
    • 6 DLC Characters and Premium Avatars
    • 4 Color Variants for the 6 DLC Characters
    • 3 Weapon Skins for the 6 DLC Characters
    • Costume “Guider to the Eternal Edge” (Gran)
    • Costume “Guider to the Eternal Edge” (Djeeta)
    • Premium Avatar “Vikala (Yin)”
• PlayStation Store Exclusive: Granblue Special Item Set: GBVSR Pack (included for a limited time)
• PlayStation Store Preorder Exclusive: Up to 72 hours early access (begins November 27, 2023)

Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising – Free Edition

• MSRP: Free
• Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising Game (some features unavailable)

The post What We Know About Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising appeared first on Nerd Reactor.