CC,

I've just recently bought Grandia and I was wondering if you impart your vast gaming knowledge to help me out:

1) Should I stop hoarding those Mana eggs? I thought I heard something to the effect of certain party members not being able to fight the last boss. So, are there more than enough eggs to not worry about it?

2) How did this game get an "E" rating considering Feena's skirt and her many wind scenes? Not that I'm complaining...

3) Could you explain the whole "bonus stat" increases? I'm talking about the ones like for the sword "HP+1, Wit +2", stuff like that. I gotta admit, after playing about 10 hours, I wish I'd have bought this game back when it first came out. So...

4) Is Grandia 2 just like the first one?

Goog must be used-car salesman IRL, because now I'm seriously thinking about a Dreamcast. But all you guys ever talk about are SoA, PSO, and Grandia 2.

5) Are those the only notable RPGs on the DC? Oh, Shenmue doesn't count. That's about long enough.

-Red Raven, thinking Kidd and Feena are somehow related

Cheshire Catalyst:
1.)Grandia's "Final Four", rather the 4 people who fight the boss, are Justin, Feena, Rapp, and Liete. Don't waste mana eggs on Sue.
2.)Don't forget Nana, Saki, and Mio in their undies. Hey, Star Ocean 2 slipped a "Damn" past the board too. You really can't tell anymore ;)
3.)I'm almost certain that everytime they go up a level, you gain those stat bonuses. If water was HP+1, and you had level 8 in water, then you would have 8 extra HP.
4.)I hear the battle system is similar, but it stops there. Grandia 2 is ten times more mature, (by "mature" I don't mean gore and sex, rather no one talks about "adventure" mature) and all around a better game.
5.)In a word, yes.

Hey cheshiode

Allow me to begin by saying that I really like the work you do on Q&A. Now if I may ask a Q or two...

1) In your opinion, what is the most underrated RPG? I think my answer would probably be Suikoden.

2) What is the most overrated RPG? This may be a little more difficult (or at least it is for me).

3) In yesterday's column, BL Alien commented that the U.S. was filled with newbies. I wonder if he realizes that at one point in time, he was a newbie. Everyone has to start somewhere.

Oh and on 1 and 2, remember, I asked for YOUR opinion, not his opinion (points to guy standing in dark alleyway).

-sephiruss

Cheshire Catalyst:
For underrated, I think I'm going to have to go with "Illusion of Gaia" for SNES. I loved that game, despite the fact that most people pop it in the mediocre to bad slot. For those of you who missed out, you played a boy named Will in an action-rpg not unlike Zelda or Secret of Mana. As the game went on, you could transform into the powerful fighters Freedan and Shadow to fight evil. I loved the characters, and I thought the ending was a little sad. :( Poor Will and Kara.
Overrated is a little harder, not to mention I'll probably wind up stepping on some toes here. I think I'll have to go with Xenogears. The sprites were, if I may get technical, funky looking. The anime scenes were horribly dubbed. The plot jumped around like a grasshopper on ecstasy. The religious symbolism was awkward at times. The Second Disk.... (let's not even talk about that, 'kay?). And sometimes, the game went from "RPG mode" to "Crappy platform jumper" mode. The whole game looked like something the programmers stayed up the entire night before it was due doing.
The Dark Man doesn't control me anymore! What do you want from me!? Gimme back my son!

Hey (monks sing) CHRIS MAR-TIN

I am so lonely. I didn't go to school after all. I do as nothing and really haven't since 1998. I do as much as Google but without the gender confusion. One thing, what would the world be like if all of the RPG and anime cliches were in existance. How would the current events like our bungled election of ocurred? I get some bizzare thoughts thinking about it. It seems you got a stable of characters too. Mine are my monks named after me, the cute fuzzy creatures of RPG's and anime, and politicians. On the whole countries thing I think we should form our own country. But what would this nation look like, got any ideas?

-Imperial Mog

Cheshire Catalyst:
Mog, did you forget my words of wisdom? "Be cool, go to school, don't be a fool, 'cause that's the rule." Oh and "Winners occasionally do drugs."

A world full of anime clichés? All schoolboys would have big robots. All schoolgirls would have magical powers. People's faces would move in exaggerated grotesque ways to convey emotions. You could fall impossible distances and be uninjured. You could dodge bullets. 25% of all animals could talk, while 50% of all animals are at least as smart as you. Overall, things would just get more wacky. Zany, if you will.

I'd form my own country, but where? I don't think there's anyplace to go anymore.

We all know just how darn complicated that Chrono Cross story was... goodness knows I do... well, here's the resource to answer all of your silly little questions:
http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/psx/file/chrono_cross_story.txt
Also, my friend and I (what a loser... still in CLEYRA in FFIX!) have been debating over the various names in Final Fantasy IX. I was hoping for your Assistance and great Wisdom, Almighty Q&A Host. Here are the names we constantly debate over:
Zidane: zih-DANE or ZEYE-dane?
Vivi: VEE-VEE or VIH-vee?
Amarant: A-ma-rant or AH-mah-rahnt?
Freya: HOW???

Thanks, Allmighty Cat.

Sincerely,
Insanerest of AOL

Cheshire Catalyst:
Here's a bunch of names.
Zidane: "Zih-dayne"
Vivi: "Vee-vee"
Freya: "Fray-uh" (Google warns me that the norse freaks might disagree. Just to be safe, change her name to "Lurlene")
Amarant: "Jah-Net Ree-Noh"
Kuja: "Nancy Boy"

Am I the only person on Earth who loved Eiko? She seems to get no respect from other people. Who do you think chemical kitty?
-WMAdoy

The hidden text is the passwords to several levels in Lost Vikings 2! B3SV R3TO DRNK YOVR OV4L T1N3 =)

Now give me tilde's!

~BoboFatt

No, see. Hal couldn't beat Goku. When he goes balistic,his hair changes too... come on, guess... YELLOW!!! Goku wins and that stupid little Pikachu is forced to stay with the dork Ash. All is right in Anime Land, well, almost. Ash is still around.

Ender

The Last Laugh: