I'M TYPING IN ALL CAPS BECAUSE WHY NOT I REALLY LIKE THIS GAME AND IM GONNA USE ALL CAPS TO SHOW THAT
LETS START WITH THE GAMEPLAY SINCE ITS ACTUALLY KINDA THE WEAKEST PART OF THE GAME BUT IT'S STILL GOOD. THE BITE-SIZED BITS OF RPG GAMEPLAY GIVE THE RIGHT BALANCE BETWEEN "
I can just put something on in the background and click away" AND "
Holy **** I gotta focus up or I'm gonna ****ING DIE." THE HIGHER LEVEL FIGHTS REQUIRE A LOT OF THOUGHT AND PREPARATION, AND THERE'S A REAL SENSE OF PROGRESSION AS YOU GET INTO THESE HIGHER LEVEL FIGHTS. SERIOUSLY, THE HIGHER YOU GO, THE MORE FIGHTS PRETTY MUCH JUST BECOME ACTUAL MMO RAIDS. NO OTHER MOBILE GAME I KNOW OF DOES THAT. YEAH IT CAN GET PRETTY GRINDY AT TIMES AND I DON'T APPRECIATE THAT, BUT IT'S NO WORSE THAN OTHER GRINDY JRPG GAMES. I KNOW THAT'S NOT EVERYONE'S CUP OF TEA SO I FELT I WOULD MENTION IT UP FRONT.
ITS ALSO ACTUALLY A PRETTY SOCIAL GAME FOR A MOBILE GAME. THEY HAVE EVENTS ENCOURAGING COLLABORATION BETWEEN PLAYERS IN GROUPS CALLED GUILDS AND I ACTUALLY GOT INTO A PRETTY GOOD GUILD FULL OF COOL PEOPLE. WE HAVE A DISCORD SERVER AND THE PEOPLE THERE HAVE BEEN REALLY NICE AND HAVE HELPED ME AS I PROGRESS THROUGH THE GAME. WE SUFFER TOGETHER AND WE GET CLOSER FOR IT.
LETS TALK ABOUT THE GACHA TOO SINCE I KNOW THAT'S A STICKING POINT FOR SOME PEOPLE. THIS GAME IS HELLA F2P FRIENDLY, AND ENCOURAGES MINOR SPENDING EVERY NOW AND AGAIN TOO IF YOU'RE INTO THAT. THIS IS ALSO THE GAME THAT
CREATED PITY DRAWS. YOU KNOW, THAT THING THAT FIRE EMBLEM HEROES
JUST GOT AROUND TO INCLUDING IN 2020? OR INCLUDING SUMMON RATES, WHICH IS A STAPLE OF ANY GACHA GAME? THEY'VE BEEN DOING THAT **** SINCE 2016,
BACK WHEN GACHA JESUS' WALLET DIED FOR OUR SINS. THEY WERE THE FIRST ONES TO DO IT. THEY GIVE LOTS OF FREE CURRENCY, AND THERE ARE TWO DOUBLE RATE BANNERS
PER MONTH FOR YOU TO PULL ON, SO THERE'S LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES TO GET SSR CHARACTERS UNLIKE OTHER GACHA GAMES (I'M LOOKING AT YOU FATE). THE BEST CHARACTERS IN THE GAME?
FREE TO PLAY EXCLUSIVE. YOUR ABILITY IN THIS GAME ISN'T DETERMINED BY THE STRENGTH OF YOUR WALLET, BUT BY THE COMMITMENT THAT YOU'RE WILLING TO PUT IN. EVERY ANNIVERSARY THEY LITERALLY HAND **** OUT FOR FREE. THEY DO IT FOR GOLDEN WEEK AND THE HOLIDAYS TOO. ENERGY FOR PROGRESSION IS PRETTY MUCH ALWAYS HALF OFF, TO THE POINT WHERE THE FANBASE HAS MEMED ABOUT IT FOR YEARS. SERIOUSLY ITS RIDICULOUS HOW GENEROUS THEY ARE WHEN YOU'RE USED TO SEEING **** LIKE FIRE EMBLEM HEROES' PREDATORY MONETARY PRACTICES. **** YOU FEH PASS. GRANBLUE IS MY BEST FRIEND NOW.
NOW ON TO THE STORY.
IT'S GOOD. YOU LIKE ANIME OF ANY KIND? I KNOW YOU DO, DON'T LIE TO ME. THIS GAME'S STORY IS UP THERE WITH THE BEST SHONEN ANIME. IT STARTS A BIT SLOW, BUT THEN YOU GET INTO IT AND ITS ACTUALLY REALLY GOOD. THE CHARACTERS HAVE AGENCY AND GROW AS THE STORY CONTINUES, THERE'S LEGITIMATE PROGRESSION WITH FORESHADOW, THE STORY HITS YOU WITH A COUPLE OF SURPRISES, THE BAD GUYS ARE ACTUALLY REALLY IMPOSING AT TIMES AND VARIED AS A WHOLE, RANGING FROM VILLAINS OF THE WEEK TO MORE COMPLEX, MORALLY GREY CHARACTERS YOU END UP BOTH FIGHTING AND WORKING WITH AT DIFFERENT TIMES.
AND BEFORE ANYONE PLAYS AND GOES "
this game just ripped off Xenoblade Chronicles 2!" BECAUSE THEY START SIMILARLY, LOOK AT THE DATES. GRANBLUE STARTED IN 2014. XENOBLADE CHRONICLES 2 RELEASED IN 2017. IF ANYTHING, XENOBLADE CHRONICLES 2 IS JUST A ****TY KNOCKOFF OF GRANBLUE. CHANGE MY MIND. EXCEPT DON'T EVEN TRY BECAUSE
YOU CAN'T.
BESIDES THE MAIN STORY THEY ALSO HAVE SIDE STORY EVENTS WHICH EXPAND ON THE WORLD IN MEANINGFUL WAYS. SOME OF THEM ARE MORE SERIOUS THEN OTHERS, WITH SOME GOING INTO REAL BONKERS STUFF,
LIKE STRAIGHT UP MAKING A BOLLYWOOD MOVIE IN THE GAME OR HAVING
THREE SUPERHERO STORIES, EACH ONE MORE OUTLANDISH THEN THE LAST. EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM ARE PRETTY STRONG. AND THERE ARE CROSSOVERS GALORE, WITH PERSONA 5, STREET FIGHTER, ATTACK ON TITAN, CODE GEASS, TALES OF, LOVE LIVE, AND A BUNCH OF OTHER POPULAR JAPANESE SERIES. AND THE CROSSOVERS ARE PRETTY GOOD FOR THE MOST PART. AT LEAST THEY'RE BETTER THAN DRAGALIA LOST'S MEGAMAN EVENT. SERIOUSLY THAT WAS DISAPPOINTING. WHY DIDN'T MEGAMAN HAVE ANY LINES? WHY DOES HE SUCK AS A CHARACTER? SERIOUSLY IT'S LIKE HE'S JUST THERE AND I WANTED
MORE. AND GRANBLUE GIVES MORE.
BUT THE KING OF THEM ALL IS
WHAT MAKES THE SKY BLUE, WHICH IS WHAT EVERY ****ING GACHA STORY EVENT
WISHES IT COULD BE. IT TAKES ALL THE BUILT UP STORIES AND CAPITALIZES ON THEM LIKE INFINITY WAR AND ENDGAME CAPITALIZED ON THE MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE.
AND THEY MADE THREE OF THEM, WITH EACH ONE BEING BETTER THAN THE LAST.
NOW LETS TALK ABOUT THE CHARACTERS. I LOVE ALL OF THEM. THERE'S A REASON THIS GAME HAS A FIGHTING GAME, BECAUSE THERE'S THAT MANY GREAT CHARACTERS FULL OF LORE TO PULL FROM. EVERY CHARACTER GETS DEVELOPMENT, EVEN THE CRUMMY SR AND R CHARACTERS YOU THINK NOTHING OF. AND ANOTHER THING: THESE CHARACTERS MAKE ME
FEEL THINGS. LIKE, I'M NOT GAY OR ANYTHING BUT SEE THIS GUY?
THAT'S MY BOYFRIEND.
HANDS OFF.
ALSO, THIS GAME DOESN'T JUST HAVE ANIME WAIFUS, SO MISS ME WITH THAT "OH THIS GAME IS JUST FULL OF WAIFUBAIT CHARACTERS" **** BECAUSE IT'S NOT. OKAY ACTUALLY THERE'S A LOT OF THAT BUT THERE'S ALSO A LOT MORE THAN THAT. WE GOT PRETTY BOYS. WE GOT EDGY BOYS. WE GOT DUDEBROS. WE GOT
MANLY MEN WITH BULGING MUSCLES. AND MORE! THERE IS SOMEONE FOR EVERYONE IN THIS GAME. I HAVE INCLUDED A TIER LIST OF CHARACTERS BELOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE THOUGHTS.
OH, YOU WANNA KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS?
PLAY THE GAME YOURSELF THEN.
WHAT ABOUT THE MUSIC?
HOO BOY THE MUSIC.
THERE ARE.
SO.
MANY.
****ING.
BANGERS.
IN.
THIS.
GAME.
I HAD.
TO ADD.
WORDS.
TO THIS.
SENTENCE.
TO SHOW THEM. THAT'S NOT EVEN ALL OF THEM. IT'S RIDICULOUS HOW MANY BANGER TRACKS THERE ARE IN THIS GAME. THEY CAN FILL AN ENTIRE CONCERT WITH GRANBLUE SONGS.
AND THEY HAVE.
TAKE THIS SONG FOR EXAMPLE:
WHEN DO YOU THINK THIS SONG PLAYS? THE TRIUMPHANT ENTRANCE OF A HERO TO SAVE THE DAY? A FIGHT TURNING AROUND FOR OUR HEROES? NO. NONE OF THOSE. IT'S WHEN YOU FIGHT A FISH. GRANTED, IT'S AN IMPORTANT FISH, BUT YOU DON'T SEE OTHER GAMES MAKE SUCH MUSIC FOR A ****ING FISH.
EVEN THE APRIL FOOLS JOKE SONG IS GOOD.
**** THERE'S SO MUCH GOOD MUSIC IN THIS GAME. STEP ASIDE DAOKO BECAUSE YOU CAN'T CARRY DRAGALIA LOST'S OTHERWISE CRUMMY OST. JUST ACCEPT THE FACT THAT GRANBLUE HAS THE BEST SOUNDTRACK OUT OF ANY MOBILE GAME (THAT'S NOT A HIGH BAR BUT STILL) BECAUSE ANYONE WHO SAYS OTHERWISE IS WRONG. END OF ARGUMENT.
LOOKING AT ALL THAT. THE PRODUCTION VALUES FOR THIS GAME ARE TOO HIGH. THIS IS A MOBILE GAME (YOU CAN ALSO PLAY IT ON COMPUTER OR BROWSER BUT I DIGRESS). YOU DON'T SEE OTHER MOBILE GAMES GET THIS MUCH EFFORT PUT INTO THEM. AND YOU KNOW WHY THIS IS? BECAUSE THIS GAME IS PRETTY MUCH JUST MOBILE FINAL FANTASY. LOOK INTO IT. YOU GOT A HIGH SCHOOL REUNION OF OLD FINAL FANTASY DEVS ON THIS. UEMATSU, NARITA, MINABA, AND MORE. THEY'RE HERE, AND THEY MADE THIS GAME GOOD.
YOU WANT A PROGRESSIVE GAME? LOOK NO FURTHER. CYGAMES SAID GAY RIGHTS
AND TRANS RIGHTS WAY BEFORE ANY OTHER BIG JAPANESE STUDIOS SO MUCH AS THOUGHT OF PUTTING THE WORDS TOGETHER. YOU GOT ****ERS LIKE ATLUS TREATING
TRANSSEXUALS AND
HOMOSEXUALS LIKE ****, BUT THEN YOU GOT CYGAMES OUT HERE DOING THEM JUSTICE.
CAGLIOSTRO AND
LADIVA ARE BOTH AMAZING, FLESHED OUT TRANSSEXUAL CHARACTERS WHO AREN'T CENTERED AROUND THEIR GENDER IDENTITY. THEY DO COOL STUFF, WITH CAGLI EVEN BEING A PIVOTAL PLAYER IN THE FINALE OF THE FINAL WHAT MAKES THE SKY BLUE. THEY'RE BOTH ALSO GREAT CHARACTERS AND I LOVE BOTH OF THEM. SERIOUSLY CAGLI IS A CUTIE AND LADIVA IS A ****ING QUEEN. ANYONE WHO DISAGREES WILL BE DEALT WITH SWIFTY IN THE ALLEY BEHIND THE TACO BELL.
DON'T TRY ME.
BELIAL, ONE OF THE BEST ANTAGONISTS IN THE SERIES? HE'S HOMOSEXUAL.
SANDALPHON, ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR CHARACTERS IN THE SERIES?
LITERALLY HAS AN ENTIRE CHARACTER BALLAD ABOUT HIS ROMANTIC FEELINGS FOR GOD, WHO IS HINTED TO RECIPROCATE THEM DID I MENTION THE SONG IS A BANGER TOO? SERIOUSLY THIS SOUNDS LIKE AN INSERT THAT'D PLAY IN THE DRAMATIC TURNING POINT OF A FIGHT. OH WAIT, IT IS. GET OUT OF THE WAY MIGHT*U, BECAUSE GRANBLUE DID BETTER THAN YOU YEARS BEFORE YOU WERE EVEN THOUGHT OF.
THESE RELATIONSHIPS ARE SHOWN AND DEVELOPED ORGANICALLY, AND AT NO POINT DOES THE SERIES POINT OUT "
oh look at us we're so progressive! OwO" BECAUSE THEY DON'T EVEN NEED TO. THEY JUST DO IT BECAUSE THEY RECOGNIZE HOMOSEXUALS AND TRANSEXUALS ARE PEOPLE TOO. THEY REALLY INCLUDE ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF PEOPLE AND I THINK THAT'S ACTUALLY REALLY COOL BECAUSE NO OTHER GAME I'VE PLAYED REALLY DOES THAT OUTSIDE OF LIKE, CELESTE. AND I
****ING LOVE CELESTE.
NOW I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING: "
but TPC! The game is Japanese exclusive! How do you play it if it's in Japanese?" YOU FOOL. YOU ABSOLUTE BUFFOON. THE GAME'S AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH. THE WHOLE THING, MINUS VOICE ACTING. ALL PERFECT, GRAMMATICALLY CORRECT ENGLISH. IT'S GREAT. AND YOU CAN GET AROUND REGION EXCLUSIVITY EASY. IT TAKES AN HOUR TOPS, WHICH TAKES LESS TIME THAN IT'D TAKE TO UPDATE YOUR PS4 TO PLAY A GAME. SERIOUSLY WHY THE **** ARE THOSE INSTALL TIMES SO ATROCIOUS. ALL YOU GOTTA DO IS FOLLOW ONE OF THE MANY GUIDES OUT THERE. I'LL LINK A COUPLE OF THEM.
One.
Two.
Three.
Video Guide.
YOU CAN ALSO SEARCH ON GOOGLE BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE ASKED QUESTIONS OVER THE YEARS, SO ANYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW IS OUT THERE. I GOT IT ON MY PHONE
AND LAPTOP IN ABOUT AN HOUR OUTSIDE A BOOKSTORE. IF I CAN DO IT THERE, YOU CAN DO IT FROM YOUR HOME. I KNOW YOU'VE GOT FREE TIME. DON'T LIE AND TRY TO TELL ME YOU DON'T.
NOW THAT I'VE SHOWN YOU WHY YOU SHOULD PLAY IT AND THE FACT THAT YOU CAN PLAY IT, YOU HAVE NO EXCUSES. EITHER YOU JOIN ME
OR YOU STAND AGAINST ME.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO MY TED TALK
Actually though it's a really fun game, and I hope you consider playing it after reading this post. I also hope you're all staying safe, and y'all know where to reach me if you want to talk more.