This game is great. The first Grandia for the Playstation was really good, but the second one wasn't that great. However, this Grandia is superb. Mind you, I am a RPG enthusiast, but it is much improved over Grandia II for the PS2. Not only does it loo better, but the battle system is greatly improved. The status display is one of the best I've ever seen. It uses a small circle to display everything you will ever need to know. This game also includes a sort of roster of who will take a turn in what order (just like Final Fantasy X). Yes, I would say play the first two before you play this one, but definitely purchase this one.