Grandia III is now finally available in North America, almost a year after its initial release in Japan. It’s said to have an excellent battle system (like its predecessors) and is no doubt a must-have for RPG fans in the west. Grandia III is available on the PS2 and is rated T for Teen.

In Grandia III, you play Yuki, a young boy who has a passion for constructing and piloting airplanes. Finally he manages to build a model that is powerful enough to take him away from the secluded island he lives on with his mother. Unfortunately, the mother won’t let him go away so easily, and her weight makes the airplane crash… That would have been half the trouble if Yuki hadn’t also encountered a young girl named Alfina, who has mysterious powers and needs his protection. The adventure Yuki has always dreamed of begins.

Grandia III is not connected to its predecessors story-wise, but it utilizes a nearly identical combat system. Once again, there is an IP gauge in battles which allows you to time your attacks precisely and to cancel enemies’ moves upon exact execution. The skill books and the mana eggs from the previous game return, allowing you to customize your characters.