[RPGCrazied]

This generation had it share of awesome jRPG's, but its no PS2. Man what I wouldn't give for a Dragon Quest 8 experience on my PS3.

[Teknoman]

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?

Handheld titles, Tales games, anything SMT, Blue Dragon, Shadow Hearts, Lost Odyssey, Wild ARMs series, Grandia series, and Dragon Quest.

[Window]

Btw with the exception of FFX where it is indicated which party members or enemies will take turns and when is there any other JRPG (any not just on PC) which does this? I've tried playing the old FF's in the past and it just seems so random (I realise it's probably dependent on the character's speed attribute or something) and is the number one cause for my party's death since I don't know if its the right time to heal (have gotten to used to FFX I guess).

Edit: I mean this for turn based ofcourse and not the Tales series type of JRPG's.

[Pai Pai Master]

If you're citing LUNAR as one of your favourite games of all time, you need to buy a PSP or Vita and get Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky.

Do it now. PSP has a fantastic JRPG catalogue.

[papersleeves]

What happened to that one bit?

I was wondering the exact same thing...

[Teknoman]

If you're citing LUNAR as one of your favourite games of all time, you need to buy a PSP or Vita and get Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky. Do it now. PSP has a fantastic JRPG catalogue.

Man, the way everyone keeps recommended Legend of Heroes...really does seem to be that good. I might just have to break down and buy it. How is the soundtrack compared to other Falcom games (like Ys or Brandish)?

Btw with the exception of FFX where it is indicated which party members or enemies will take turns and when is there any other JRPG (any not just on PC) which does this? I've tried playing the old FF's in the past and it just seems so random (I realise it's probably dependent on the character's speed attribute or something) and is the number one cause for my party's death since I don't know if its the right time to heal (have gotten to used to FFX I guess). Edit: I mean this for turn based ofcourse and not the Tales series type of JRPG's.

Grandia.

[MLH]

Actually I found the newer Pokemon games to be quite overwhelming in terms of extra content. Yeah, the main quest is basic enough but in Black/ White I have know idea what half the new content does. I'm completely unfamiliar with the entralink. I'm not sure what Black city/ White Forrest does. And knowing where and when (what season) I can catch certain Pokemon requires a guide these days.

Maybe I'm just not 'into' the newer Pokemon games and not willing to learn about these new features or maybe they are too complex.

[sixteen-bit]

Gamefreak does, I think.

[Paracelsus]

I don't know about other people but as for me I slowed down playing Jrpgs once devs got waaay too much carried away with missables.

[Teppic]

But those games are bad.

I really enjoyed Cthulhu Saves The World. It's a bit repetitive at times, but fun bosses and great music.

[Aeana]

Man, the way everyone keeps recommended Legend of Heroes...really does seem to be that good. I might just have to break down and buy it. How is the soundtrack compared to other Falcom games (like Ys or Brandish)? Grandia.

If you like Grandia, then you should like Trails. I like to compare it to that game, because it's a similar kind of globetrotting adventure, and I think it appeals to people in a similar kind of way.

[sn00zer]

I really liked persona 3 and 4 had a very nice way to easy you, pretty simplistic but rewarding combat, easy to learn fusion system (my only JRPG ever outside of FFX)....and then they slap any friendliness and openness away when it dawns on you that the game takes 80 HOURS to beat....and the fact that i can play at least 5 other games in that time period completely turned me off to JRPGs probably forever

[Coxy]

Btw with the exception of FFX where it is indicated which party members or enemies will take turns and when is there any other JRPG (any not just on PC) which does this? I've tried playing the old FF's in the past and it just seems so random (I realise it's probably dependent on the character's speed attribute or something) and is the number one cause for my party's death since I don't know if its the right time to heal (have gotten to used to FFX I guess). Edit: I mean this for turn based ofcourse and not the Tales series type of JRPG's.

off the top of my head

Grandia Series
Mana Khemia series
Atelier series

all display turn order

[Deified Data]

JRPGs are too approachable nowadays.

[Khold]

That LoTR game plays 95% like FFX as well. I sincerely can't remember the name.

[RPGCrazied]

Third Age

[Teknoman]

If you like Grandia, then you should like Trails. I like to compare it to that game, because it's a similar kind of globetrotting adventure, and I think it appeals to people in a similar kind of way.

Do all new copies still come with the soundtrack?

[chickdigger802]

I really liked persona 3 and 4 had a very nice way to easy you, pretty simplistic but rewarding combat, easy to learn fusion system (my only JRPG ever outside of FFX)....and then they slap any friendliness and openness away when it dawns on you that the game takes 80 HOURS to beat....and the fact that i can play at least 5 other games in that time period completely turned me off to JRPGs probably forever

Fair point.

Luckily most jrpgs these days fall in the sub 30 hrs mark.

No mention of The world ends with you yet?

Come on gaf!

Accessible, fantastic soundtrack, awesomeness.

[King Boo]

the last great jrpg i played was last remnant. and even then i had some trouble with it. i didn't know how to raise the speed stat at all. and there was a 4th stat that does something...but i had no idea what.

[Teknoman]

Fair point. Luckily most jrpgs these days fall in the sub 30 hrs mark. No mention of The world ends with you yet? Come on gaf! Accessible, fantastic soundtrack, awesomeness.

Its all that, but I dunno about being very accessible. You have to be pretty fast/have nice rhythmic timing to do great...well if you turn up the difficulty anyway.

Xenoblade Chronicles will probably be up your alley, doesnt seem that complicated even though its not standard turn based.


What about the earlier Legend of Heroes ports for PSP?

[Khold]

Third Age

Thanks dude. I was gonna google it but I serious had no idea what to google..haha

[trw]

Xenoblade and The Last Story. Two of the best jrpgs this generation and both are really good at having a simple base system and ramping up the complexity little by little but never too far.

[Dennis]

Trails in the Sky

Trails in the Sky

Trails in the Sky

Trails in the Sky

Trails in the Sky

Trails in the Sky

Trails in the Sky

[Tguy]

I dunno about the xenoblade recommedations at all. If OP is naming FF13 and Resonance of fate then I don't think Xenoblade should be named at all. I remember it having quite a bitmore mechanics and things than FF13 especially if you wanted to get all the scenes with party members and such......

[zkylon]

Nier should be right up your alley. Great cast of lovable characters, fantastic music and it's got a weird hard to describe PS2 vibe going for it, which I think is amazing.

Other than that, I've been bitterly disappointed with what's on offer on the PS3...

[Esura]

I really liked persona 3 and 4 had a very nice way to easy you, pretty simplistic but rewarding combat, easy to learn fusion system (my only JRPG ever outside of FFX)....and then they slap any friendliness and openness away when it dawns on you that the game takes 80 HOURS to beat....and the fact that i can play at least 5 other games in that time period completely turned me off to JRPGs probably forever

Wait...seriously?

I have both of them and I've been playing them off and on but dang...Persona 1 and 2 IS aren't that long. I've lost the urge to try and finish 3 and 4 now.

[Prophet Steve]

Another vote for Nier, although it is kind of a love it or hate it game.

[GreenMonkey]

This generation had it share of awesome jRPG's, but its no PS2. Man what I wouldn't give for a Dragon Quest 8 experience on my PS3.

I'm just getting near finishing up DQ8 right now (81 hours in). I'm a huge DQ fan but I was playing it when my first girl was born and never got back to it until this year (she's 6 now, lol).

It still looks awesome, and even runs in widescreen. Playing it on my 20gb PS3.

Not much in the way of real RPGs any more, it seems. I plan to hit up another PS2 title of some sort after I finish DQ8.

[Deified Data]

I really liked persona 3 and 4 had a very nice way to easy you, pretty simplistic but rewarding combat, easy to learn fusion system (my only JRPG ever outside of FFX)....and then they slap any friendliness and openness away when it dawns on you that the game takes 80 HOURS to beat....and the fact that i can play at least 5 other games in that time period completely turned me off to JRPGs probably forever

I'm sorry to hear that. Knowing that a game is long is actually an incentive to me.

[Heropon]

The last Golden Sun had tutorials everywhere, I suppose that is a good beginning.
The best one to play right now is Xenoblade, I recommend it. I think the basic system is easy to understand, and then the rest of the mechanics are presented in a good learning curve.

[7threst]

Go for Radiant Historia. It won't disappoint.

[The Technomancer]

I dunno about the xenoblade recommedations at all. If OP is naming FF13 and Resonance of fate then I don't think Xenoblade should be named at all. I remember it having quite a bitmore mechanics and things than FF13 especially if you wanted to get all the scenes with party members and such......

Yeah, but almost all of Xenoblade's additional stuff is optional and presented in a way that you don't feel guilty for ignoring it. The battle system is relatively straightforward (while still having some decent strategy), I've been doing four or five sidequests per area and still been keeping up in the main game, and there are several optional systems (Gem crafting, Skill links) that I've barely touched and I feel fine about that.

[Metalic]

FF 13 is a lot of things, but complicated is not one of them.

And just like what Dennis said, try Trials in the Sky.

[CrazyArcadia]

Not that it hasn't been mentioned 100 times already, but Trails in the Sky. It's as much Grandia/Lunar'esque as it gets currently. (PSP)

And I have a different opinion to The Last Story than TheExodu5; I found it very approachable. Ok, I didn't really know what exactly was going on during fights in the first chapters, but then again, these first chapters were so easy it didn't matter much. And the game actually was quite good at introducing the finer aspects of the battle system peu a peu. After Chapter 10 or 15, it began feeling simple and natural to me and as I said, before that it was just easy. But it is by no means "classical JRPG"...
Also, Xenoblade is great, but it plays more like a single player MMORPG sometimes and levels often are more important than tactics. But otherwise, easy to get into, hard to master : really nice game. And it felt "oldschool" in a positive way regarding atmosphere, characters and world. (both on Wii)

If you like the Tales-series, from what I understand, the newer offerings of that series didn't drastically change the system (only played a bit of Vesperia, and it felt very much like Symphonia). Maybe look into Tales of Graces f? (But I personally only like Tales-games the first 30 hours or so, afterwards, they tend to drag on quite a bit IMO) (PS3/Xbox360)
I couldn't really get into the Atelier-series or most games by Nis and Gust in general. Don't like the style so much and it feels even more Anime-chliché as the Tales-games...

But as a JRPG-fan, there's almost no way around getting a handheld nowadays. There, the genre florishes as if it never "left". (just enter one of the handheld appreciation threads and look through the RPG-section)

[TheFLYINGManga_Ka]

Handhelds is where it's at right now. The DS and PSP has some real good ones.

I just hope the 3DS/Vita continues this trend.

[Tguy]

Yeah, but almost all of Xenoblade's additional stuff is optional and presented in a way that you don't feel guilty for ignoring it. The battle system is relatively straightforward (while still having some decent strategy), I've been doing four or five sidequests per area and still been keeping up in the main game, and there are several optional systems (Gem crafting, Skill links) that I've barely touched and I feel fine about that.

But FF13 is even more straight forward than xenoblade and you aren't even hit with any side quests till about 70% of the game. I just think if OP saw FF13 as complicated he/she will definitely find Xenoblade just the same or at the very least overwhemling. You are right though, you can ignore those things.

[Satchel]

Don't you mean did?

[LiK]

HALF-MINUTE HERO

[TheExodu5]

Btw with the exception of FFX where it is indicated which party members or enemies will take turns and when is there any other JRPG (any not just on PC) which does this? I've tried playing the old FF's in the past and it just seems so random (I realise it's probably dependent on the character's speed attribute or something) and is the number one cause for my party's death since I don't know if its the right time to heal (have gotten to used to FFX I guess). Edit: I mean this for turn based ofcourse and not the Tales series type of JRPG's.

Trails In The Sky has a turn indicator like that.

[U n i o n 0015]

Xenoblade owners:

Would you say it is worth buying a Wii to play it? I never bought one in all these years, but between Skyward Sword and it, I thought it might be worth it...

[Rahxephon91]

I really don't see what's so special about the handhelds. Even on the PSP its mostly ports and c grade quailty games.

And yes Xenoblade is worth buying a Wii for. But if you are one of those people who doesn't like the mmo infusion into RPGs, I would be somewhat hesitant.

[pancakesandsex]

Xenoblade owners: Would you say it is worth buying a Wii to play it? I never bought one in all these years, but between Skyward Sword and it, I thought it might be worth it...

Yeah sure, it's a good place to start, and there are a few other unique games you can get for it as well.

[FrontalMonk]

I'm sorry to hear that. Knowing that a game is long is actually an incentive to me.

Actually I'm the same way. I can't really see myself putting 30 hours into a game and seeing no end in sight anymore. The last time I did something like that was Xenogears.

[Nibel]

I have tried to play FF XIII [...] and was shocked with how dense and complicated...

FFXIII is one of the most simple RPGs I've ever played. I don't want to sound offensive, but if this was too complicated for you, then you should abandon the genre.

[XiaNaphryz]

I'd like to second all the Radiant Historia mentions so far.

[Eusis]

Xenoblade owners: Would you say it is worth buying a Wii to play it? I never bought one in all these years, but between Skyward Sword and it, I thought it might be worth it...

I find it hard to say any game ALONE is worth buying a system for. Fortunately, you also want Skyward Sword and you can get the system for $150, $100 used anyway. So sure, though Last Story will be out in a few months too so that could be a third game for you.

And I find Xenoblade somewhat middle of the road in approachability. It's not as simple as, say, Dragon Quest, but it isn't something overly complex you really need to wrap your head around like Resonance of Fate or The Last Remnant, and the game does its best to explain its systems and lets you readily re-read the information whenever along with some extra material to help you better get it. The fact FFXIII was cited DOES make me think this could be too much too, but that had more of a sense of urgency and pressure Xenoblade doesn't really have as much of.

[Window]

Thanks for the recommendations guys, Grandia especially seems like it has an interesting battle system. Also what sort of gameplay does the lunar star series have? Mostly interested in how turns are determined.

[Speevy]

JRPGs are mostly "dense" because the developers don't explain the gameplay systems to you.

[XiaNaphryz]

Thanks for the recommendations guys, Grandia especially seems like it has an interesting battle system. Also what sort of gameplay does the lunar star series have? Mostly interested in how turns are determined.

Grandia's battle system is easily second-to-none. I like Grandia III's best despite the rest of the game being average, but I think only Aenea and I feel that way.

[Dark Schala]

Stay away from the HD twins. Go for the Wii, DS/3DS and PSP/PSV. Seriously.

I have a friend who has only played Chrono Trigger, FFVI and FFVII, and I told him to try Radiant Historia out, and he ended up loving it. He really wants to get into Trails in the Sky based on what I showed him, but he doesn't have a PSP. DQ is also a very good option.

On a personal front, FFXIII isn't very hard, but you're just changing your party's jobs depending on the situation in the middle of a battle and just controlling one character's actions.

I really loved Arc Rise Fantasia for Wii, and I think it's quite underrated. It felt rather traditional but brought some new things to the table in the way it allowed you to move your characters around the field to get out of AoE attacks, see when you and your enemies can attack in a round, sync spells together to make them stronger, and the weapon system is basically Tetris/Lumines, lol. It's fun. It's unfortunate that the English script is one of the driest translations I've read (with some untranslated text in one instance), and the English VA is rather subpar but can be hilarious at times. But honestly, it was one of 2010's biggest surprises for me.

I haven't played BD or LO yet since I don't have a 360 at the moment.

Xenoblade owners: Would you say it is worth buying a Wii to play it? I never bought one in all these years, but between Skyward Sword and it, I thought it might be worth it...

Yes. Do it. It's quite beautiful and worth playing through at least once.