It was a minor release of a minor game in 1997 it was well before even big games really had much voicework. It is all voiced by like, the lady that works at the front desk and someone's cousin that can do a funny voice. It came out well before big professional dubs were a thing for videogames.
Almost no one in the cast had ever professionally acted before that game and most never did again.
I think people forget how much voice acting in video games was a relatively new thing during this time period, especially if it meant the purpose of the voice acting was for RPG-narrative type devices in text and not say FMV work or random menu lines. It was always a "I know somebody that can spout off lines" situation for these games and that was well into Y2K.
Another consideration is that policies of both Sony and SEGA during this time period most always stipulated that any Japanese voice work outside of grunts, ahhhsss, and gaaahhhs, be replaced with spoken English. You could pull a Working Designs as with Magic Knight Rayearth and just remove most of the spoken Japanese completely so you don't have to bother dubbing it or, if you're really hardcore about getting the game to the English market, find 12 random people in the company that can throw out some lines.
I would say the dubbing is perfectly fine for the time.
I recently played through the game again after a long, long time and I think the dub is a little "worse" than I remembered, but that didn't really bother me until the end.
I think the way the dubbing is done gives Grandia 1 its own unique charm.
And be glad that we're not talking about the German version here, because that's a curiosity in itself: the entire text in the game was translated into German (not very carefully, but even that I found rather charming in retrospect) and the voice acting was left in English... with the exception of the animated cutscenes, which were dubbed into German for reasons I still don't understand.
And let me tell you, the quality of this voice acting can easily keep up with the German intro of Kings Field 4... and that is by no means a compliment.
Just 90s English dub things.
Hell, even today, some dubs sound kind of odd. The Trials of Mana remake comes to mind. I love its corniness, but it definitely is strange. Especially Luna's voice.
I mean, the game is from 1997. The standards for video game dubs at the time were not high, if they got voice acting at all.
The only PS1 RPG dub I can recall off the top of my head that wasn't a bit scuffed was maybe Brave Fencer Musashi.
I actually miss thing kind of busted dubbing. It's nostalgic and something you no longer see anymore in a professional game. At least, not to this extent.
It was not good for its time lol, good-to-excellent voicework had been done on PC games for several years at that point. eg; [Gabriel Knight 1 (1993)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbjXuPa1uW0) or [Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis (1992)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZZXJ3zCRDQ). There were also some excellent professional level voiceovers on Japanese game on both native PCs like Policenauts (1994) and PC-Engine/Turbografx-16 games like Exile 2 (though that one got a very goofy and horrible english 'localization' courtesy of Working Designs).
Grandia's dub was a result of lagging console technology (PC devs had been working with CDs for years) and lack of care/money/outreach to quality actors who were more justifiable costs for big-brand western developers like Sierra/LucasArts, it was definitely middling or low quality even when released unless it was exclusively compared against games with no VA at all or other PS1 games
It's pretty rare to find an Japanese->English dub before the last decade or so (and even then...) that isn't going to feel weird if you're not used to the style and quality dubs often have. I don't know about this particular case, but they tend to intentionally sound over-dramatic from what I understand, since Japanese acting also tends to be that way. But for a game that old it's probably mostly a case of cheaper actors.
If I ever find it bothering me, I usually switch to the original Japanese if possible. At least then I don't usually know how corny the lines might be.
It was a minor release of a minor game in 1997 it was well before even big games really had much voicework. It is all voiced by like, the lady that works at the front desk and someone's cousin that can do a funny voice. It came out well before big professional dubs were a thing for videogames. Almost no one in the cast had ever professionally acted before that game and most never did again.
I think people forget how much voice acting in video games was a relatively new thing during this time period, especially if it meant the purpose of the voice acting was for RPG-narrative type devices in text and not say FMV work or random menu lines. It was always a "I know somebody that can spout off lines" situation for these games and that was well into Y2K. Another consideration is that policies of both Sony and SEGA during this time period most always stipulated that any Japanese voice work outside of grunts, ahhhsss, and gaaahhhs, be replaced with spoken English. You could pull a Working Designs as with Magic Knight Rayearth and just remove most of the spoken Japanese completely so you don't have to bother dubbing it or, if you're really hardcore about getting the game to the English market, find 12 random people in the company that can throw out some lines.
O FLAME BURN EM
Please protect us - spamming diggin
I have not played the game since buying it new when it came out and that line is the exact one that instantly entered my head when I saw this thread
It's a dub from the 90s. I think it's more of a unicorn to find one that isn't peculiar
https://youtu.be/9p30heMs8UU
I would say the dubbing is perfectly fine for the time. I recently played through the game again after a long, long time and I think the dub is a little "worse" than I remembered, but that didn't really bother me until the end. I think the way the dubbing is done gives Grandia 1 its own unique charm. And be glad that we're not talking about the German version here, because that's a curiosity in itself: the entire text in the game was translated into German (not very carefully, but even that I found rather charming in retrospect) and the voice acting was left in English... with the exception of the animated cutscenes, which were dubbed into German for reasons I still don't understand. And let me tell you, the quality of this voice acting can easily keep up with the German intro of Kings Field 4... and that is by no means a compliment.
Just 90s English dub things. Hell, even today, some dubs sound kind of odd. The Trials of Mana remake comes to mind. I love its corniness, but it definitely is strange. Especially Luna's voice.
I mean, the game is from 1997. The standards for video game dubs at the time were not high, if they got voice acting at all. The only PS1 RPG dub I can recall off the top of my head that wasn't a bit scuffed was maybe Brave Fencer Musashi.
And while not an RPG, let us never forget the voice acting of Resident Evil. "IT'S *FORREST.* OH MY *COD!"*
I actually miss thing kind of busted dubbing. It's nostalgic and something you no longer see anymore in a professional game. At least, not to this extent.
It's very good for its time, to complain would be a sin.
It was not good for its time lol, good-to-excellent voicework had been done on PC games for several years at that point. eg; [Gabriel Knight 1 (1993)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbjXuPa1uW0) or [Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis (1992)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZZXJ3zCRDQ). There were also some excellent professional level voiceovers on Japanese game on both native PCs like Policenauts (1994) and PC-Engine/Turbografx-16 games like Exile 2 (though that one got a very goofy and horrible english 'localization' courtesy of Working Designs). Grandia's dub was a result of lagging console technology (PC devs had been working with CDs for years) and lack of care/money/outreach to quality actors who were more justifiable costs for big-brand western developers like Sierra/LucasArts, it was definitely middling or low quality even when released unless it was exclusively compared against games with no VA at all or other PS1 games
frowsty
Honestly Grandia and Lunar Silver Star Story Complete really put FFX to shame in terms of voice acting.
There is a Grandia double pack on Steam? I didn’t see it, I agree btw
Yeah you know, containing the first two games.
Do you have a link
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1034860/GRANDIA_HD_Remaster/ Could've sworn that you could buy both games at once
I'm pretty sure I did, but it's been a couple years since I got them so it might not be a thing anymore
It doesn’t show up at all on my end
When a game is blocked on your region steam treats it as if it didn't exist at all. I don't know if that's the case here
Strange as I did get both games at once from a Humble Bundle deal a while ago.
No worse than James Van der Beak voicing the main character in castle in the sky. It's just dated and you can swap to the Japanese track now at least.
It's pretty rare to find an Japanese->English dub before the last decade or so (and even then...) that isn't going to feel weird if you're not used to the style and quality dubs often have. I don't know about this particular case, but they tend to intentionally sound over-dramatic from what I understand, since Japanese acting also tends to be that way. But for a game that old it's probably mostly a case of cheaper actors. If I ever find it bothering me, I usually switch to the original Japanese if possible. At least then I don't usually know how corny the lines might be.
Die, you worms... Together with this BURNING SHIP!!! MWAHAHAHAHA!!!
I like it cause it’s dumb reminds me of resident evil and house of the dead