CyGames brings the expansive world of Granblue Fantasy to consoles with Granblue Fantasy: Relink, a 3D action RPG released in 2024 that attempts to evolve the decade-old mobile franchise into a grand, high-fidelity adventure. While the game succeeds in delivering satisfying combat and vibrant aesthetics, it ultimately falls short of greatness due to linear level design and a repetitive endgame grind that lacks the ambition required to reach its full potential.
A Journey Through the Skies
Relink centers on the crew of the Grandcypher, a band of skyfarers navigating a fantasy realm defined by floating islands. The narrative follows an original story arc that tasks the crew with rescuing a comrade by neutralizing Primal Beasts under the control of a mysterious sorceress. For those uninitiated in the franchise’s lore, the game offers little in the way of exposition. Players are dropped into the action with only brief vignettes, creating an experience akin to jumping into a long-running anime series mid-season, assuming the player is already familiar with the history of the characters.
Visuals and Character Variety
Visually, the game is a mixed bag. The painterly environments are stunning, yet the 3D character models translate inconsistently compared to the high standard set by Arc System Works’ Granblue Fantasy Versus. Despite this, the gameplay remains the title’s strongest asset. Players can unlock 19 distinct characters, each featuring unique combat styles, special meters, and skill sets. Whether specializing in aerial parries or complex transformations, the combat system provides enough depth to keep the action feeling fresh as you navigate the campaign.
Linear Limitations
The game’s biggest drawback is its restrictive world design. Despite the promise of “boundless skies,” the levels are largely linear pathways. The vast, hovering islands serve primarily as a backdrop rather than an explorable playground. Players are funneled through caves and narrow walkways, creating a jarring disconnect between the game’s premise of endless adventure and its constrained reality.
The Grind of the Endgame
Once the relatively short single-player campaign concludes, the experience shifts toward co-op combat quests. Progression becomes a test of endurance as players must navigate increasingly difficult ranks, forcing them to power up through skill trees and weapon upgrades. This is where the game hits a wall: the endgame relies heavily on grinding the same missions repeatedly to gather materials. Focusing on a single character to keep up with the difficulty curve effectively discourages players from utilizing the other 18 available heroes.
Tedious Boss Encounters
The endgame bosses feature gargantuan HP bars that frequently turn battles into tedious chores. Unlike the strategic, shifting encounters found in titles like Monster Hunter, these fights rarely require the player to adapt their strategy. Instead, battles become a race against boredom, testing the player’s patience as much as their skill. While the core combat remains engaging enough to satisfy hardcore fans of the source material, Granblue Fantasy: Relink likely won’t become a staple for newcomers, serving best as a social experience for those already invested in the franchise’s universe.
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