In Growlanser: Wayfarer of Time, you play as the protagonist Crevanille. The young man was orphaned as a child and was found and brought up in a mercenary's camp that taught him many important skills such as survival and fighting. He will have to put all of those skills to the test soon, as a band of Angels have returned after 2000 years of silence since they last showed up and tried to destroy all of humanity. Crevanille learns he is the key to defeating the Angels when the leader of his group, Dixon, informs him of his important destiny. So, Crevanille sets off on a journey to save the world from extinction by finding a weakness that will allow him to kill the Angels once and for all. Making the game's interesting narrative all the more impressive is a total of 50+ hours of gameplay during which time you'll interact with the game's characters forming friendships, romantic relationships and other bonds that can benefit you down the road or make other characters turn on you and your party. The unique feature make this one of the best storylines in gaming even nearly 10 years after its initial release.
Growlanser: Wayfarer of Time contains difficult, but interesting and rewarding, gameplay. Many battles in the game will play out like your typical strategy RPG, but then, you'll encounter a whole different foe that will require you to use advanced tactics or even perform certain actions within the battle in order to successfully slay your foe. At times, the game can be almost too difficult, but when you finally are able to overcome your enemies, the feeling of accomplishment is immeasurable. Just make sure you save often! Growlanser: Wayfarer of Time also uses interesting mechanics to help prepare yourself for battle. Rather than simply finding weapons, armor and accessories as loot in dungeons or for sale in stores, you'll be required to attach items known as spellstones to magical rings equipped to each character. You'll only be able to equip a certain amount of offensive and defensive skills and statistical boosts to each character however. The equipment system is unique and tricky to learn at first, but once you fully grasp the concept, you'll appreciate the game for simply being different and offering great depth to a game mechanic that is often overlooked in gaming.
Growlanser: Wayfarer of Time features a presentation that feels old and new at the same time. On the one hand, in-game graphics feel extremely outdated and can turn off many gamers, but then a beautiful cutscene triggers allowing you to completely forget this is an old title. The game will also feel older for those who have already experienced the original, but the game now features plenty of new content such as 3 new playable characters giving the game an impressive roster of over 10 playable characters, and you'll also find new enhancements to the game's relationship system. The new release still doesn't feature an English voiceover, but a timeless soundtrack returns that manages to keep you immersed in the experience. Controls work great in combat with little to no problems to report, so if you like this sort of game, Growlanser: Wayfarer of Time is definitely worth checking out.
Growlanser: Wayfarer of Time is an excellent title that won't be everyone's cup of tea, but those who enjoy the genre will absolutely love it. Atlus has outdone themselves with a whole new presentation that brings back a familiar game and improves on it in nearly every way imaginable. With numerous endings, ways for character relationships to turn out and evolve and a deep, thought provoking storyline, Growlanser: Wayfarer of Time will have you wrapped up for hours on end and coming back for more even after you've already completed the game. If you've kept your PlayStation Portable this long, it's time to dust it off and bring it out of retirement, because this game is that good.
Growlanser: Wayfarer of Time will be available from all major retailers for the MSRP of $29.99 and is available exclusively for PlayStation Portable. Growlanser: Wayfarer of Time is rated T by the ESRB for Blood, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language & Suggestive Themes. For more information on Growlanser: Wayfarer of Time, check out the official Atlus website.
Game Information:
Developer: Atlus
Publisher: Atlus
Platforms: PSP
Release Date: July 31, 2012
