You begin with two characters at your command, a young alchemist named Iris and a sword-wielding fighter named Edge. Both work for the Raider's Guild, a group that specializes in exploring the recently discovered Alterworlds. Unlike previous games in the series, Grand Phantasm is quest-driven (as opposed to following a strict plotline). Most of your time is spent traveling between town and various jobs. Some are pretty short and can be completed in a couple of minutes while others can take a while longer. By completing quests, you'll earn money and rank points, which will allow you to move up in the guild and take on better jobs. The entire quest system is laid out really well. You don't have to complete every quest, though some are required to push the story along.