An action RPG with an emphasis on action, Granblue Fantasy: Relink is based on hit mobile title Granblue Fantasy. For the last decade or so, developer Cygames' intention has been to spread the good Granblue word to a wider audience, and so it greenlit the likes of Granblue Fantasy Versus and Relink — console adaptations that would (hopefully) prove the property's worth outside of the mobile space.
Relink in particular has been a long time coming. The project was first announced in 2016, and original developer Platinum Games — of Bayonetta and NieR: Automata fame — departed the process in 2019, as Cygames took the title in-house. The question, then, is whether this extended wait — compounded by multiple delays — has finally paid off.
For what it's worth, there's definitely some Platinum DNA still left in Relink. The hack and slash combat is accessible but demands timely blocks and dodges, not unlike the systems that you'll find in the studio's most well known releases. However, what sets Relink apart is its reliance on RPG elements; stats, equipment, and big damage numbers are at the heart of the game's workings, while battles are punctuated by character-specific attacks and skills that operate on cooldowns.
Speaking of characters, Relink's got a fairly big roster of playable heroes. The title is effectively made up of two parts: the single-player story campaign, and mission-based, Monster Hunter-esque quests that can be tackled with either CPU allies or other players online. The latter is where you'll make use of that aforementioned character roster — but you'll need to complete the core campaign before you can tackle the vast majority of the game's additional quests.
In a way, the single-player story acts as an introduction to Relink's mechanics — but to call it a tutorial would be doing it a colossal disservice. This is a full-blown campaign made up of cutscenes, action-packed levels, and some shockingly impressive cinematic set pieces. It's abundantly clear that a lot of effort has been poured into the title's headline act; the core adventure is a real thrill ride for most of its duration, as you battle brilliant bosses and partake in some crazy platforming sections. Again, there are times when it all feels very Platinum — especially with regards to pacing, and combat encounters that just seem to grow more and more ambitious as the plot progresses.
There is a downside to having a campaign that's this intense, however. In terms of length, the single-player story clocks in at around 15 to 20 hours (available side quests included), and when the credits roll, it does feel a bit short-lived. Don't get us wrong, everything ramps up and wraps up in a satisfying manner, but if you've spent the last few years hoping that Relink would be some sprawling RPG adventure, you'll likely be disappointed.
On the flipside, the fact that Relink features little to no padding is something that should be praised. All too often, we see bigger budget action RPGs like Final Fantasy 16 destroy their own momentum so that they can funnel players towards boring filler storylines and snore-inducing side quests. Relink's campaign may take just 20 hours to beat, but it's 20 hours of fast and furious fun.
Moving on, the narrative itself isn't anything special, but it's charmingly told through a cast of likeable characters. You play as the captain of a sky-faring ship — the same male or female protagonist who's central to the mobile game. Relink's story is actually a spin-off from that title, as the captain and their trusted crew make for the Zegagrande Skydom — a collection of floating islands that they've yet to explore.
Naturally, things don't go as planned, and the crew quickly make an enemy of a cult-like organisation, which results in an adventure that takes the captain and co across the Skydom's elementally diverse islands. The plot's predictable and the characters don't get a whole lot of time to express themselves, but it does a good job of tying all the action together. Even if you're unfamiliar with the franchise, you still get a decent sense for the personalities that are on offer, and the sky-based world that they inhabit.
Early on in the campaign, you're given the opportunity to unlock playable characters who aren't part of your immediate crew, using items that can be acquired through questing. However, it's important to note that these additional heroes have nothing to do with the main story, which focuses exclusively on the captain and his or her five closest allies. As such, we'd probably recommend completing the campaign before exploring your expanded roster, if only so that you can get to know the core crew better.
In battle, you play as a single character while the AI handles up to three of your party members, and each character comes with their own unique fighting style and ability loadout — which can be upgraded via an incredibly long skill tree. Without a doubt, one of Relink's key selling points is that aforementioned playable roster; it's diverse in terms of gameplay, and we struggled to find a hero who wasn't a blast to use in combat.
The captain, equipped with a shortsword and sporting a wide range of both aggressive and supportive abilities, is pretty much the default pick — but there are gun-toting ranged fighters, spell-slinging magic users, and plenty of pretty warriors who lug oversized anime weapons about. Taking them all for a spin, finding favourites, and transforming them into high-level powerhouses is really Relink's big draw once you're finished with the main story.
Fortunately, you'll have a massive number of quests to undertake post-campaign. These missions come in many shapes and sizes; some task you with wiping out waves of monsters, some have you defend a location, and some pit you against especially dangerous bosses. Generally, though, quests don't match up to the spectacle that's on display throughout the story. Endgame missions come close, demanding near mastery of defensive techniques so that your health bar isn't melted — but most quests will be over in a matter of minutes.
The idea here is that you'll grind objectives in order to level characters and hoard materials, which can be used to forge and upgrade weapons. This is really where that Monster Hunter comparison comes into play, because it's that same sort of structure: select a quest from the hub town, gather your CPU pals or find allies online, cleave through the mission, and then head back to the hub so that you can beef up your character, ready to do it all over again.
The thing is, your quest-grinding mileage will vary depending on how much you enjoy Relink's battles. On a fundamental level, the combat system doesn't have anywhere near the addictive depth of Capcom's famous franchise, and if you want to complete every mission, you're going to be hammering Relink for who knows how many hours. To some extent, character variety does keep things interesting — and the title's toughest bosses can pose a serious challenge — but whether you're with the CPU or other players, repetition starts to take hold long before you've bested the lot.
That's not to say Relink's combat system is bad, mind — far from it. At its best, it's a gripping ballet of combo attacks, tightly-timed blocks, and last ditch dodges. It feels a little floaty at first, but once you're used to the rhythm, there's an awful lot to like about the action. What's more, teamwork is actively encouraged, since even grunt enemies require a barrage of blows to bring down. Fighting close to your allies opens foes up to high damage link attacks, and a wide range of support magic — healing spells, barriers, and buffs — means that it's usually best to stand side-by-side so the whole party benefits.
Outside of the eventual repetition, our only complaints about the combat don't actually stem from the system or mechanics. Firstly, battles can be an utter cacophony of visual noise at times, making it difficult to react to incoming attacks. And secondly, characters never shut up. This isn't a huge deal during side missions, but in the story, there are points where characters will deliver absurd amounts of exposition while you're knee-deep in a desperate act of survival. It's a shame the cast is incapable of quiet, because Relink's got a frankly fantastic orchestral soundtrack that's often elevated by roaring electric guitars.
Before we jump to the conclusion, we should note that while Relink has gorgeous art direction, it's rather rough, graphically. You can certainly tell that this was intended to be a PS4 release, but the disappointment comes when you realise that the PS5 version's performance mode is capped at just 1080p. The low resolution means that assets can look noticeably jagged on a 4K display — but at least you're getting a buttery smooth 60 frames-per-second.
Conclusion
Granblue Fantasy: Relink is one of the PS5's best action RPGs — but you need to know what you're getting into. The story campaign is excellent, but its relatively short length means that most of your time will be spent with the game's optional quests, which rarely reach the same heights. Still, whether you're playing alone or in co-op, there's a real thrill to Relink's combat system, which combines precise hacking and slashing with underlying RPG stats and mechanics. If you can embrace the grind, a fantastic character roster and some amazing boss battles await.
Comments 52
Bloody hell, Relink is finally here! If anyone's got any questions about the game, let me know and I'll try to answer them.
Thanks for reading!
@ShogunRok is there a new game plus and is there more difficultys?
Thanks for this excellent write up - I feel I know what I'm getting.
Right up my street this one, and I'll definately be getting it, but with so many games to finish, maybe it will be reduced by the time I'm looking to buy it!
I'm actually happy this RPG isn't that long. I don't know where I get all the time playing all these great rpg's.
Been playing since Monday and I think it was worth the wait especially as a fan of the Series/Manga. I would recommend people watch the first season of the anime first though to fully appreciate the bonds between the characters and their back story (properly). The game does give some back story on characters via the fate episodes but it's lacking in depth.
@C25CLOUD You can replay boss encounters through additional quests, but there's no specific New Game +. There are no traditional difficulty settings either — just three 'modes' that add accessibility options, like automatic dodging or one-button fights.
The quests themselves have difficulty categories, though. Once you beat the campaign you get access to 'hard' level quests and beyond, which basically require high level characters and good equipment. That's basically where the grind is.
@Martijn87 Like I wrote in the review, there's definitely something to be said for a 'smaller' story campaign that's just tightly designed and not stuffed with padding. I can appreciate that when there are already so many 80+ hour RPGs out there.
This game looks so good to me. I definitely am interested in playing it.
Sounds good, but considering all the fuss about this for years I was expecting the 2nd coming.
Nevertheless, I like myself a good jrpg.
Kind of relieved it's not going to be a 50 hour campaign. There are a lot of games between now and the end of March.
It sounds great though. I wasn't expecting a 10/10 experience but was hoping for an 8 at least. The combat in the demo was a lot of fun, plus I love the anime and manga so I'm already invested in the characters.
Looking forward to the long weekend now so I can lose myself in this for a few days.
@ShogunRok It feels like we've been waiting for this game forever.
20 hours is a win for me.
Will definitely pick this up in the future.
That art style is gorgeous. Super tempted on this it looks so simple and fun. Just so torn with Rebirth right around the corner and the trifecta that is this, P3 and IW. Still not even close to deciding but I will get there
Yes! Forgot this was around the corner. Can't believe this is finally out after what feels like forever!
Ordering my copy now! Finally another reason to own my PS5 😆
@Shepherd_Tallon It really does. On a personal note, the last few weeks have been surreal for me. I've reviewed Tekken 8 (the EIGHTH game in a series I've played all my life), a remake of Persona 3 (one of the most influential games in my life), and Relink (which I've been looking forward to for the better part of a decade).
When it rains, it pours!
Great review. I love massive JRPG experiences, but it's awesome that this is 15-20 hours of killer, with no filler. This is not a downside for me, and more games should respect your time like this.
@ShogunRok does the dragon get any less annoying? Was the only part of the demo i didnt like XD tried in both Japanese and English and the English was slightly more tolerable
@ShogunRok if I found Tales of Arise to be one of the more underwhelming overhyped games in a long long time, will I also not like this?
Great review and looking forward to this. I really must get around to the demo. The UI in the screenshots looks awfully busy which seems distracting - but i LOVE that this is a 20 hour game. More of this please
@ShogunRok Thanks for the review! 😀
I began to realize the story length pretty early on. While I would love a bit more main story I also am 116hr into Octopath Traveler 2 and STILL have the Epilogue so yes, there is definitely something to he said for a shorter story that is actually completable.
@UltimateOtaku91 That's really helpful, thanks.
Great length. Not saying long game equals bad automatically, but I'll take a great 20 hours experience over a mediocre 50 hours one any day.
@Danloaded If you didn't like him in the demo you won't like him in the game — he's one of the characters who never shuts up. I personally didn't mind him that much, though!
@ShogunRok It certainly does!
The upcoming deluge for me:
Granblue Fantasy Relink
Helldivers 2
FF VII Rebirth DE
Unicorn Overlord
Rise of the Ronin
Dragon's Dogma II
I'm looking forward to everything on that list, but FFVII... Man, the original was the first game to make me legit weep.
I've been waiting since summer 1997 for the chance to, well, we'll see.
Two weeks off work and a complete social shutdown for me when Rebirth lands.
@KundaliniRising333 Hmmm, structurally they're very different games — Arise is your more traditional adventure through zone-like maps, whereas Relink is almost entirely mission-based.
Also depends on what you didn't like about Arise. There's obviously a lot less story in Relink and you're left to explore the action more. But then it becomes more repetitive as a result, just grinding through quests.
SUPER glad to see the game turned out to be good even after being stuck a development hell. Glad to see the campaign isn't super long. I'll take a short, good story over a long, dull, dragged on story any time.
Cygames doing what they do best!
Great review! Really looking forward to this one!
@ShogunRok if you jump into the side quests / missions while playing through the story campaign, do level upgrades and equipment etc carry over into both modes?
Have to admit that I play the game at 30 fps in quality, looks fantastic and plays well (for me)enough. Am I the only one? It looks marvelous on a 4K screen in 4K, in 1080p it is unsharp and you miss the details.
@NieR_Dark Yep, they're not really two 'modes' — the side quest hub just exists in the towns that you visit between story sections. All the exp, items, and materials you get in quests carry across the whole game — and that includes levels for party members that are controlled by the CPU, and unlocked characters who aren't even in your party.
@ShogunRok Great news! I think I got confused because in the demo they’re split up for obvious reasons, but that makes much more sense. Hopefully will get the chance to jump into this tomorrow.
@ShogunRok gotcha thanks. I actually didn't realize until now that it had a mission based structure. Not sure how I Missed that🤣. Kudos for the in depth review.
Great review and i am so glad i cancelled the pre order. 20 hour campaign? No thank you, and the post content doesnt trigger me at all.
On sale maybe....maybe...
I'm actually enjoying this more than I thought I would. I'm glad I took a chance on it.
I’ll bite when it gets a deep discount. Liked the demo.
N.i.c.e. a 8 is a excellent score for granblue fantasy relink.word up son
Good review — sounds fun but something I want to wait a little bit for as I play through Like a Dragon and potentially P3 Reload.
@ShogunRok il put up with him when i pick this up but man they needed a better voice lol
Very nice review, it gave me a good sense of the game. I think I will save it for a sale as the combat and characters didn’t vibe with me as much as I thought in the demo.
Good review, appreciate it.
Will get this when I have enough cash and time.
I was really excited for this game but after playing the demo I wasn't feeling it at all. 😒
Finally a JRPG, I might actually finish.
I usually get bored after about 20-30 hours, so this will be perfect length for me 😁👍
I wish there were more shorter JRPG's out there, as I can't stand all the unnecessary fetch and side quests, and other fluff, killing the pacing for many hours, until you can continue the story.
@ShogunRok I tried the demo and I was very surprised by the quality and how much I actually enjoyed myself. The graphics are very nice and I didn't really notice any rough bits to be honest and I'm playing on a 43 inch 4k TV whilst sitting about 5 feet away from it. I did find the camera to be quite nausea inducing so I hope that's been sorted out in the full release as lies of p had the same issue with the demo but was overhauled in the final release. Did you have issues with the camera?
Ima have to wait for a sale for one reason: I've done 15 hours of LAD 8 and I'm still in chapter 3. I'll be busy for a couple of months.
Great review. Liked the demo.
Traveling for work so it is Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth for now. But nice to have another gem waiting for me when I get back home!
So happy to see this game getting so much love. I'm really enjoying what I played so far.
@Northern_munkey I did have some minor trouble with the camera, I know what you mean. It tends to swing about quite a lot in combat, and while it's not usually a problem, there were times when I'd have to wrestle with it in order to properly see my surroundings.
It's definitely not bad enough to detract from the enjoyment, but I do hope it gets addressed post-launch.
I haven't seen anything whatsoever about this game but after reading action RPG and 20 hours of campaign I am tempted. After Like a Dragon and Infinite Wealth (this one in particular I am loving) I will need a break from long long long games.
So far I'm playing through it 8 is a agreeable score. So far it's fun, nice art style and lots of cool playable styles. Hopefully there will be more content as time goes on besides 2 extra playable characters and a super boss.
Im a few hours into the game atm, and man, this game has SO much charm. I am actually surprised by the game so far. Also the English dub is actually really damn good. And I never use English dub.
Like many other people in the comments I am ecstatic for the short length. 20 hours is a perfect length of game for me. 3 kids and a full time job makes long games almost stressful to try to finish. Also love to see it’s $10 cheaper than a traditional new release. The demo won me over on this game. Highly recommend people try the demo before buying this game or writing it off. The combat is very satisfying and I found the graphics to be really pleasing to look at personally.
@ShogunRok Great review as always, I'm glad you're here as a JRPG fan doing the JRPG games. 20 hours means I can borrow it from the library someday, either PS4 or PS5 copy judging by the sound of it. I still have Tales of Arise sitting next to my chair waiting to play but I may pre-order FF7Rebirth and replay FF7R and Yuffie which wasn't on PS4 so I missed it. Oh and Crisis Core, never had a PSP. I'll add this to the list, along w/ GoW:R and Spiderman 2. 2024 is my backlog year. 😁
It looks a lot faster than I want games to be. I'll keep an eye on it and maybe check it out in a year if the price gets low.
@ShogunRok OK I'm sold. I've just purchased it from the store and I'll give it a good thrashing later this evening when I'm back from work. Informative review by the way which helped me make the decision.
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