Heh - Grandia is one of the (many) games that I've bought/own...and...*Really* want to & plan on getting around to some day
I've heard mostly good things about Grandia, Grandia 2, and Grandia: X-Treme (more of a dungeon-crawler) -ALL (3) games are in my same "Waiting-To-Be-Played-Limbo"
The only one that I've spent any significant time playing, so far, has been Grandia 3 (on the PS2 / for ~20 hours, or so); and -from what I've played, seen, and heard of it- I'd personally put it at a 7.0 - 7.5 out of 10 game.
While it was fun & engaging, & competent...it wasn't anything amazing - then again- iirc, Grandia 3 is *usually* talked about as being the "low point of the series"...if true = the other games really must be pretty damned good
As you get further into the game & combat, FOXHACK ==> I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts on it & if it picks-up at all as you get more into the game