[outunderthestars]

I used to love JRPG's in the 16 and 31 bit era's, but slowly lost interest in the genre. Games like Lunar and Phantasy Star II remain some of my favorite games of all time.

So this month I decided I would try to get back into the genre. I have tried to play FF XIII and Resonance of Fate and was shocked with how dense and complicated they have become. I keep looking for RPG's that are more playable but it seems that every single JRPG out there has an overly complicated battle system and an absurdly deep menu system.

Is anyone out there making JRPG's that are a little more approachable to people who aren't hardcore fans of the genre?

[Impeccable]

Does anyone make JRPGs anymore?

(I'm bitter and sad.)

[Salvadora]

Pokemon?

[Starwolf_UK]

Dragon Quest maybe?

I mean DQ X looks set to change things quite a bit and IX was rather different but the rest (and their remakes) are charming, turn-based, menu driven fun.

I suppose Pokemon is too if you don't go into competitive play though it can set the bar too low at times.

[MattKeil]

If you have a PSP, I can't recommend Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky highly enough. It's pretty much exactly what you're after, in my opinion.

[Rpgmonkey]

Dragon Quest?

[Phat Michael]

Nier. Its exactly what you are looking for. Fun, great combat, fantastic music and a really enjoyable game.

Resonance is the most complex shit ive ever played - i couldnt even due the tutorial.

Id also recommend Lost Odyssey - it really is an excellent game (if you have a 360)

[Rollo Larson]

white knight chronicles?

[Dennis]

What happened to that one bit?

[Ledsen]

Dragon quest games on ds are exactly what you're looking for.

[Negator]

Pokemon?

[outunderthestars]

It sounds like they have migrated to portable systems! :)

[Sgt.Pepper]

Mario RPGs are very simple and fun.

[StuBurns]

In terms of the consoles, Lost Odyssey was the last one really.

[Khold]

Mario RPGs are very simple and fun.

I was about to say the Mario and Luigi games, yeah.

Also looking forward to Paper Mario 3DS, in that vein

[Salvadora]

M&L: Bowser's Inside Story is fantastic. Everyone should play it.

[Kuren]

Xenoblade! I was quite pleasantly surprised by how the story was built up and it wasn't all crazy fantasy.

[Nekofrog]

Funny this thread comes up on the day that I started playing the greatest JRPG ever made, The Thousand Year Door. I haven't played it since it came out, so this playthrough is like it's brand new again!

[udivision]

Paper Mario is probably the most approachable series, assuming PM3DS follows in it's footsteps. More so than Pokemon.

[MjFrancis]

Resonance is the most complex shit ive ever played - i couldnt even due the tutorial.

Lucky for you most of the complexity offered in Resonance of Fate is superficial, and can be sidestepped for the adoption of a single strategy 95% of the time. So even possessing a litany of rules for it's combat Resonance of Fate doesn't have as much depth as it leads you to believe initially.

[BlackIronCount]

It sounds like they have migrated to portable systems! :)

because they are migrated to portable system

[Dreamwriter]

It's fairly old these days, but I think Blue Dragon by Mistwalker is something you'd enjoy. Just be warned that it has the worst boss-fight music in all of history.

[Negator]

It's fairly old these days, but I think Blue Dragon by Mistwalker is something you'd enjoy. Just be warned that it has the best boss-fight music in all of history.

fixed

[Rpgmonkey]

It sounds like they have migrated to portable systems! :)

Yep, plenty of fun and very accessible JRPGs (or JRPGs in general, honestly) on handhelds.

[Khold]

It's fairly old these days, but I think Blue Dragon by Mistwalker is something you'd enjoy. Just be warned that it has the worst boss-fight music in all of history.

This is the beginning....

blahdeblahdeBLLLAAAAAAAAAHHHHH

[Window]

As long as people are giving recommendations is there something similar (JRPG's) available on PC's from the past 5-6 years?

[Celine]

Play Dragon Quest games.

[StuBurns]

As long as people are giving recommendations is there something similar (JRPG's) available on PC's from the past 5-6 years?

The Last Remnant was the latest high profile JRPG on PC.

[Phat Michael]

Lucky for you most of the complexity offered in Resonance of Fate is superficial, and can be sidestepped for the adoption of a single strategy 95% of the time. So even possessing a litany of rules for it's combat Resonance of Fate doesn't have as much depth as it leads you to believe initially.

It really wasnt introduced well. It really put me off the game. The tutorial system in FFXIII-2 was so much better.

[Roxas]

Xenoblade.

The quests are well laid out. Battles have tutorials which are simple to understand. Side-Quests are simple "fetch this" or "kill this monster", they also auto-complete so you dont have to return to the quest giver. You can auto-travel to any previous landmark you have visited in seconds. Characters are likeable and the story is engaging and easy to follow.

[Khold]

As long as people are giving recommendations is there something similar (JRPG's) available on PC's from the past 5-6 years?

As said above, The Last Remnant. My pc couldn't run it but it's the definitive version of the game. Not as approachable as Pokemon/Mario Rpgs but it's not Resonance of Fate. It's my favorite jrpg of the generation.

[aknbad30]

Xenoblade

[Htown]

As long as people are giving recommendations is there something similar (JRPG's) available on PC's from the past 5-6 years?

Does it have to be super simple?

[massoluk]

To summarize... Every RPGs by Nintendo and Yuji Horii?

[TheExodu5]

Radiant Historia
Persona 4 (the battle system is approachable, but the game is tough)
Trails in the Sky
Xenoblade
Mario & Luigi Bowser's Inside Story

You just need to look outside the HD twins.

As said above, The Last Remnant. My pc couldn't run it but it's the definitive version of the game. Not as approachable as Pokemon/Mario Rpgs but it's not Resonance of Fate. It's my favorite jrpg of the generation.

TLR is not approachable in the least. I've played for a few hours and have no idea how the battle system works.

[Coxy]

Resonance of Fate seems complicated at first but it's actually mind numbingly simple once it clicks

If you want some traditional old turn based style games try Trails in the Sky on psp and the Atelier games on PS3, if you'd like something a little more actiony try Ys and Tales of Graces

[Nirolak]

As long as people are giving recommendations is there something similar (JRPG's) available on PC's from the past 5-6 years?

Do JRPG style games made in the West count?

If so, Breath of Death VII/Cthulhu Saves The World.

[BriareosGAF]

Is anyone out there making JRPG's that are a little more approachable to people who aren't hardcore fans of the genre?

Ys Seven PSP release on the Vita. S'good times.

[Dunan]

It really wasnt introduced well. It really put me off the game. The tutorial system in FFXIII-2 was so much better.

Seconded; it took a second attempt to finally get into Resonance of Fate and really understand the battle system. Such a steep learning curve, but so innovative that it's worth the effort. I'm at Chapter 15 in this game and will probably finish it in a week or so. I really like it... this time around.

OP, if you're willing to go back to the PS2, I found FFXII to be extremely approachable and with just the right learning-curve steepness. Oh, and the translation is masterful, the environments are gorgeous, the voice acting superb, and the music sublime.

Play it, if you haven't!

[Divvy]

The Last Remnant was the latest high profile JRPG on PC.

At least it went out with a bang.

[TheExodu5]

Ys Seven PSP release on the Vita. S'good times.

I'm playing Oath in Felghana right now and really dig it. Gonna try Ys Seven soon. Story/dialog is shit, but the combat feels great.

[Window]

Does it have to be super simple?

Not at all.

[Kintaro]

They're still just as accessible...

Man, if you think JRPGs are complicated, I would hate to see how you handle classic CRPGs. Your head might explode.

[Augemitbutter]

trails in the sky is pretty straightforward. yea, you better look for portable games.

[JWong]

I don't care what you think.

I order you to play Valkyria Chronicles.

It's absurdly deep and complex. 8P

[Aeana]

Do JRPG style games made in the West count? If so, Breath of Death VII/Cthulhu Saves The World.

But those games are bad.

[UberTag]

If you have a PSP, I can't recommend Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky highly enough. It's pretty much exactly what you're after, in my opinion.

Trails in the Sky is a love letter to the approachable JRPGs of the 16-bit era.
No complex battle systems. No linear hand holding. Just go out and explore with memorable characters and a moving storyline.

It is the JRPG for people who have fallen out of love with JRPGs.

[Seronei]

Tales of Vesperia maybe? I guess the battle system is kind of complicated but it's more in there as depth and is definitely not required on lower difficulties.

[charlequin]

From a brief conversation on the topic:

• NIER is a straightforward action RPG without much in the way of overly complex systems and a good localization. Pretty easy to pick up.
• All the Dragon Quest games are no-nonsense, accessible titles in the classic style.
• Lost Odyssey is fairly system-light and takes strongly after the Playstation-era FF games in tone and gameplay
• Trails in the Sky is, at least apparently, also very much in a PSX-era style -- it's probably a good choice for someone who looks back on Lunar fondly
• Radiant Historia is very much like an SNES-era JRPG -- sprite graphics, relatively short story, no complex systems, sidequests that are easy to follow (and its time travel is, if anything, actually simpler than Chrono Trigger's.)

It's certainly true that they've by and large migrated away from consoles; even the good console JRPGs are by and large baroque nightmares like Last Remnant, Resonance of Fate, etc.

[tokkun]

If you have a PSP, I can't recommend Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky highly enough. It's pretty much exactly what you're after, in my opinion.

It's a good recommendation, but to be fair, the game is 8 years old.