At first glance, Granblue Fantasy: Relink, Cygames’ action-RPG successor to the 2014 original, seems to possess all the elements that could easily be dismissed, including typical genre stereotypes such as impractical fashion sense and irritating voices. However, what lies beneath is truly worth your while. This is a profound story of parental abuse, and the child’s struggles to break free from the shadow of their parent and re-establish their own life. Naturally, it also comes with an exceptional combat system.
That story is truly the driving force in Granblue Fantasy: Relink, especially towards the game’s end. The overarching antagonist, Lilith, is attempting to bring about the end of the world, manipulating her adopted child, Id, to eliminate anyone who stands in her way. Id’s struggles to break free often take precedence over the main plot of saving the world, and this is not a bad thing – trying to assist Id is a truly compelling storyline.
Equally hidden beneath the surface of Granblue Fantasy: Relink is the fact that it is quietly a sequel to the 2014 RPG from Final Fantasy veteran composer Nobuo Uematsu and artist Hideo Minaba – one that was later spun off into a 2017 anime and the 2020 fighting game that some might be more familiar with. This time, all the original heroes are back for another round, including the protagonist Captain, the witty Rackam, the stoic Katalina, and the gruff Eugen, all forming the Skyfarers who sail among the clouds atop a large flying boat.
That being said, Relink is also ingeniously independent in nature from the original game. Every character has ‘Fate’ episodes, which unfold as tiny text adventures at specific points in Relink, offering a deeper exploration of their personalities. The initial few Fates for each hero are a reflection of their story up to that point, and just as they threaten to become a bit too backward-looking, the Fates cleverly shift to provide small ongoing side stories for everyone.
For instance, Rackam gets entangled in saving someone’s ship, which is their lifelong source of hopes and dreams, while Eugen assists a stranger in processing their grief and frustration towards a deceased spouse. The Fates unlock at specific points in the approximately 20-hour game, allowing you to periodically immerse yourself in these often touching side stories, providing some relief from repeatedly bashing monsters.
