Growlanser: Generations

by Working Designs

Product Features

• WORKING DESIGNS GAME
• Plastation 2 Game Only

Product Details

• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B000239DZ8
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.2 x 0.8 inches
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: December 8, 2004
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,970 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
  • #38 in Video Games > PlayStation 2 > Role-Playing
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Edition: Standard

From the Manufacturer

Growlanser: Generations Contains two games in the Growlanser saga. Growlanser II: The Sense of Justice introduces players to a special world of melee and magic, where rings become weapons and war threatens to shatter the peace of three neighboring kingdoms at any moment.

Players are allowed control of Wein Cruz and up to seven of his companions in battles of ever-increasing size, complexity, and importance against forces that are as devious as they are strong.

The game features an extremely flexible power system that allows character abilities to be customized in a myriad of ways. Ring Weapons add special abilities and allow the use of up to three Power Gems

Growlanser: The Dual Darkness, the revealing third chapter in the Growlanser saga, takes players back to the beginning of the Growlanser universe. Back to a world being consumed by darkness, forcing its inhabitants to seek a way to leave the world behind.

Unfortunately, forces are gathering to prevent anyone from surviving the coming apocalypse. As Slayn, the player must find the source of the black scourge falling across the land and stop the plot that will result in mass genocide. A strong cast of supporting characters can be gathered during the quest, and they provide assistance, both in battle and with information gathered during the hours of spoken dialogue present in the game.

The Dual Darkness features an upgraded battle system with towns that can be explored as well as a random dungeon generation system that keeps each quest fresh and exciting. Novice players will enjoy the straightforward story, while the game features hidden events and special features for hardcore players to find and exploit.

Product Description

Growlanser: Generations Contains two games in the Growlanser saga. Growlanser II: The Sense of Justice introduces players to a special world of melee and magic, where rings become weapons and war threatens to shatter the peace of three neighboring kingdoms at any moment. Players are allowed control of Wein Cruz and up to seven of his companions in battles of ever-increasing size, complexity, and importance against forces that are as devious as they are strong. The game features an extremely flexible power system that allows character abilities to be customized in a myriad of ways. Ring Weapons add special abilities and allow the use of up to three Power Gems Growlanser: The Dual Darkness, the revealing third chapter in the Growlanser saga, takes players back to the beginning of the Growlanser universe. Back to a world being consumed by darkness, forcing its inhabitants to seek a way to leave the world behind. Unfortunately, forces are gathering to prevent anyone from surviving the coming apocalypse. As Slayn, the player must find the source of the black scourge falling across the land and stop the plot that will result in mass genocide. A strong cast of supporting characters can be gathered during the quest, and they provide assistance, both in battle and with information gathered during the hours of spoken dialogue present in the game. The Dual Darkness features an upgraded battle system with towns that can be explored as well as a random dungeon generation system that keeps each quest fresh and exciting. Novice players will enjoy the straightforward story, while the game features hidden events and special features for hardcore players to find and exploit.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bargain Value Old-School RPG, May 30, 2005

By 

M. A. - See all my reviews

= Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Growlanser: Generations (Video Game)

I recommend Growlanser Generations for fans of both RPGs and Tactical games. You get two games, each of good quality, for a reasonable price.

Growlanswer II is the shorter and simplier of the two games. Play it first, otherwise the lack of options you'd otherwise find in Growlanser III will be apparent. You control more characters and fight much larger battles. Each stage (plotwise) is well-designed and, at times, you'll be tearing up your hair trying to get a Complete rating. The branching story, while simplistic, offers interesting options and very different outcomes. It is by far the game's best feature. Finally, an RPG that lets you side with the Bad Guy! More Tactical than RPG.

Growlanser III has less replay value than its predecessor but it boasts a more developed storyline. Your still fighting with a band of do-gooders to save the world, you just take a more scenic route getting there. Growlanser III features a more linear story, many sidequests, better developed characters, and a lot of flavor. The only downside is the lack of replay value and the Random Dungeon Generator. My God, could the be any more generic? More RPG than Tactical.

For the package overall, Working Designs did an excellent job. Controls are easy to understand, you know where you need to go (mostly), and there are no major bugs. Aside from the "Jitter", which is what your character will be doing when they get wedged in a a tight spot on the map and can't seem to move anywhere. It happens rarely, but when it does happen you'll curse the heavens.

Growlanser Generations sports strong voice acting. Well, as strong as you're going to get in a video game. Growlanser III is the better acted of the two. Both games feature large casts and there's nearly always a new VA for a new character. The music is also memorable.

Highly recommended.

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Growlanser is one of the best of 2004., January 12, 2005

By 

Jacqueline Splawn "solidjackie" (Sterling, VA) - See all my reviews

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Growlanser: Generations (Video Game)

If you are in to strategy rpgs, you probably grew up loving Shining Force, or Final fantasy tactics- or if you are new you began with the Nippon Ichi games (Disgaea, La Pucelle, Phantom Brave). I have seen all of these, and I haven't been as attached as when I played Growlanser. Growlanser Generations consists of two games, Growlanser II and III. The games are just fun. The stories are both really good, the battles are fun to play, and the equipping gems (abilities) function is really cool. My room mates and I are currently playing, and all three of us have advanced the story in so many different ways. There are multiple endings, and there are so many ways to branch off the story. At the beginning of the game, you will be asked a series of questions, and your answers determine the main character's stats and even which skills he will learn. And this continues throughout the game, so you can really play it however you want!

There is only one horrible thing about the game, and fortunately it is only initial. The voice acting will make you want to turn it off, but within the first hour, it will grow on you. I PROMISE! The only person you will really hate after awhile will be the voice of a snot nosed kid named Hans- but you will be able to excuse his lame "one liners" every time he beats an enemy because he kicks a lot of butt as a fighter.

I started out talking about strategy rpgs, but if you don't like strategy rpgs, don't disregard this title. It's unlike any strategy rpg I have ever played. It's a little hard to desribe, but all the battles are in real time- you give orders. You can tell your main character to fight, and he will go over and beat on a dude until they die, but if you want to tell him to stop, you can interupt his action, and tell him to beat on another dude or heal or whatever. Once your orders are given you can just sit back and watch what happens. Rather than "taking turns" like in most strategy rpgs everything in Growlanser happens at once. While your characters are walking around doing what you told them to do, so are the enemies.

There are random battles for leveling up purposes, and these are far shorter than story battles. The games are little bit on the short side, Growlanser II is about 20 hours long, while the third one is around 30. Since they are short, the replay value is high with all the different endings and stories. Growlanser Generations really surprised me, and has easily become one of my favorites. We are lucky that Working Designs and Atlus brought these titles to America, and I am hoping that Growlanser IV will also come here.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Tactical RPGs, April 1, 2005

By 

Isackson "Reader/Gamer" (WA) - See all my reviews

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Growlanser: Generations (Video Game)

First off i have to say that i love tactical RPGs and other then Disgaea Hour of Darkness and Final Fantasy Tactics this collection is as good as it gets. It surprises me a little that it has taken this long for a U.S. release and after playing Growlanser i'm hoping that sonner or latter the first game will make it stateside as well. (Maybe for the PSP? - God knows it needs some real RPGs)

While the game certainly isn't graphically impressive (if you're reading this you're probably a real gamer anyway so you won't care) everything else about this collection has awesome depth despite being rather simplistic structurally compared to games such as Disgaea and Phantom Brave.

As soon as i found out that this collection was developed by Working Designs and Atlus (the two most underrated developers in the gaming world) i had to buy it and if you're even remotely interested in tactical RPGs do yourself a favor and buy it. You won't be dissapointed.

Great combat, great story, great value.

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