Ok. The last video I criticized slightly negatively because I felt the overall look of Gridania was starting to feel a little uninspired and "being fantasy-like for fantasy's sake" like in most Korean MMORPGs.

Now that I have seen more, I retract my previous statement and I can now say that I like this new stylized look. Honestly, the first thing that popped into my mind halfway through this video was one name:

Xenoblade

I took note of how the environment and structures are there not simply as just accompanying pieces just because "it's a forest, so make things look woodsy." Now I see that structures make sense in context.

Confused? Let me better explain....

Building a treehouse and some tents in the woods is something you'd come to expect to see, therefore it's basically just appealing to the obvious. However, this game takes it a step further by showing that the people who live in Gridania didn't merely build a town surrounded by trees. They made a town that seemed to be half-powered by these trees and the surrounding nature. Everything looks like it belongs and has an actual purpose. A logical purpose.

This is what I hated about most Korean-made MMOs. Nothing ever had a purpose. It all felt out of place. Almost like they went off a fantasy check-list and threw things in that fit with a "forest." But here? It all makes sense.

I still think the style isn't what I'd expect to see in a Final Fantasy game, but that's not a bad thing. Like I mentioned before, the feel of these areas reminded me of Xenoblade. The structures look the way they do because they look like they actually belong there rather than just tacked on.

This doesn't mean I'll become a gridanian anytime soon, however. But at least now i feel more at-ease knowing that Gridania is looking more lively overall in regards to the town and the camps. It's finally stylized.