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Your Top 5 JRPGs of this Generation?
- Thread starter jeremy1456
- Start date
toythatkills
Member
Yeah, while most RPGs this gen is like picking the best of a bad bunch, LO is genuinely great. I went back to play the DLC recently and the music/graphics/battle system/skill system and everything were all still great.Squidofman said:
jeremy1456
Junior Member
Squidofman said:
It's pretty underrated honestly.
The gameplay is slow. That's the only issue the game has in my opinion.
1. skies of arcadia ii: valkyria chronicles
this game shocked me like nothing else. i saw trailers and stuff, but i thought i was looking at cutscenes the entire time. i was totally okay with a gridlike thing and super-simple presentation, but then it zoomed in and suddenly i had control over my characters and it blew my mind. and the presentation everywhere else was just as amazing. 2008 had many of my favorite games of the generation, and this is one of them.
2. fire emblem: radiant dawn
i haven't played a fire emblem game i didn't like. while this starts slow, it has a pretty good endgame. the only thing i hated was the nerfing of astrid. poor astrid.
3. infinite space
there are lots and lots and lots of issues with this game. it's ugly, it takes a long time to get going, and it takes a long time to just go anywhere. but holy shit, once you get the system down, it's pretty interesting. i'm glad i gave it a chance because i almost gave up on it about 3 hours in.
4. pokemon pearl
kinda listing this one instead of both black and pearl, because i kinda can't see the difference between the two. the series is still as addictive as ever, and i guess the 60 hours i put into pearl (versus the 30 into black or ruby) puts it above other post-high school pokemon games i played.
5. this goes to one of the ds castlevania games, probably order of ecclesia, if those count as action rpgs.
unfavorites go to:
super paper mario for taking a giant dump on what could have been an awesome game.
radiant historia for being painfully linear, especially since it was a time travel game.
the world ends with you for what the hell are you i still don't understand.
i haven't played demon's souls yet, but i do have it. it's next on my play list after lbp2.
this game shocked me like nothing else. i saw trailers and stuff, but i thought i was looking at cutscenes the entire time. i was totally okay with a gridlike thing and super-simple presentation, but then it zoomed in and suddenly i had control over my characters and it blew my mind. and the presentation everywhere else was just as amazing. 2008 had many of my favorite games of the generation, and this is one of them.
2. fire emblem: radiant dawn
i haven't played a fire emblem game i didn't like. while this starts slow, it has a pretty good endgame. the only thing i hated was the nerfing of astrid. poor astrid.
3. infinite space
there are lots and lots and lots of issues with this game. it's ugly, it takes a long time to get going, and it takes a long time to just go anywhere. but holy shit, once you get the system down, it's pretty interesting. i'm glad i gave it a chance because i almost gave up on it about 3 hours in.
4. pokemon pearl
kinda listing this one instead of both black and pearl, because i kinda can't see the difference between the two. the series is still as addictive as ever, and i guess the 60 hours i put into pearl (versus the 30 into black or ruby) puts it above other post-high school pokemon games i played.
5. this goes to one of the ds castlevania games, probably order of ecclesia, if those count as action rpgs.
unfavorites go to:
super paper mario for taking a giant dump on what could have been an awesome game.
radiant historia for being painfully linear, especially since it was a time travel game.
the world ends with you for what the hell are you i still don't understand.
i haven't played demon's souls yet, but i do have it. it's next on my play list after lbp2.
Dog Problems
Banned
I haven't played many but my list is follows.
1. Lost Odyssey
The two annoying ass kids almost made me stop playing because I hated their voices with a passion. But I'm glad I didn't because I fell in love with it. Interesting story, likable characters (with two exceptions), and I loved those beautiful memory sequences.
2. Tales of Vesperia
This game is just beautiful. It's only the second games in the Tales series I've ever played (the first Destiny on PS1 was the other) and I really enjoyed it and would like to check out some of the other titles at some point.
3. The World Ends With You
The only thing I didn't like about this game was the length. It was way too short and I couldn't get enough of it. One of my favorite soundtracks of this generation and I loved the overall style. I wish SquareEnix would take more chances like this.
4. Nier
Another one of my favorite soundtracks of this generation. I also really got into the story and characters.
5. Dragon Quest IX
The last Dragon Quest game I played was Warrior 2 on the NES. I had a lot of fun doing all the sidequests and really enjoyed going around exploring.
1. Lost Odyssey
The two annoying ass kids almost made me stop playing because I hated their voices with a passion. But I'm glad I didn't because I fell in love with it. Interesting story, likable characters (with two exceptions), and I loved those beautiful memory sequences.
2. Tales of Vesperia
This game is just beautiful. It's only the second games in the Tales series I've ever played (the first Destiny on PS1 was the other) and I really enjoyed it and would like to check out some of the other titles at some point.
3. The World Ends With You
The only thing I didn't like about this game was the length. It was way too short and I couldn't get enough of it. One of my favorite soundtracks of this generation and I loved the overall style. I wish SquareEnix would take more chances like this.
4. Nier
Another one of my favorite soundtracks of this generation. I also really got into the story and characters.
5. Dragon Quest IX
The last Dragon Quest game I played was Warrior 2 on the NES. I had a lot of fun doing all the sidequests and really enjoyed going around exploring.
archnemesis
Member
Top 5 Japanese role-playing games
Top 5 traditional non-port non-strategy command-based role-playing games that might be from Japan
- Demon's Souls
- Valkyria Chronicles
- Resonance of Fate
- Ys Origin
- Folklore
Top 5 traditional non-port non-strategy command-based role-playing games that might be from Japan
- Infinite Space
- Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light
- The Last Remnant
- Wizardry: Labyrinth of Lost Souls
- Radiant Historia
Alex
Member
I'm just going to list things actively new to this generation, however I will list whatever the hell I like without worry about genre and sub-genre qualifiers!
-Demon's Souls: Really marvelous isolationist style and art design, wonderful level design and subsystems, really weighty combat and great enemy design. There's not much you can really prattle on about with Demon's Souls since everyone who wants to play it has probably played it by this point, it's just unique and different all while feeling so wonderfully familiar.
-Resonance of Fate: Fun character vignette styled narrative that surprised me, highly challenging but made to be broken styled combat which I enjoy, and fun little sub bits like the gun work and the like. This one surprised me the most and helped put some faith back in Tri-Ace after some flubs.
-Dragon Quest IX: I went in actually expecting to be let down with this one, so I sort of was until recently giving it another push where it really took. There's such a great deal of mastery displayed with the scenario, class and battle balancing and the fact that they walked a tightrope between multiplayer and single player while doing it all. Not to mention the way it handles content and end game pleases me.
In the end it's probably my third favorite after VII and V, and I really loved it, it actually makes me fairly confident in DQX, provided it was Horii and co who brought the important design work in and not Level-5, in which case I would change to being horrified
-Nier: A really nice, meaty B-quality ARPG that does a lot of neat things with very little polish and budget. Wonderful music, art and even some fairly good storytelling for a game. The gameplay is a bit jank, but no moreso than other genre darlings like Brave Fencer, Mana or the ilk. Nice genre swapping with bullet hell elements, oddball horror bits, even text adventure sections.
-Xenoblade or Valkyria Chronicles: I have kind of the same run down of both of these games. They're lovely, they're fun they do interesting things even if they're not exactly unique, I quite like them a lot and the miserable game balance in both absolutely demolishes what could be significantly better experiences.
Seriously, Xenoblade is a depressing game. You either walk on glass or you get an anime slog, there's no compensating for breaking the game unlike in Valkyria so I almost don't even want to include it. So much hard work and good design thrown under the bus due to bad math and shortsighted design.
-------
Still, walls of text aside now, I still need to play a few more, especially my handheld ones, especially DS ones like SMT, Radiant Historia, etc.
Everything, basically, it's a bit genre bending in it's atmosphere and style but it's still an ARPG in every last way from leveling to stat allocation to equipment/crafting, etc. I think it's mostly the aesthetic that confuses people. Swap that gorgeous art out with some saucer eyes and frilly skirts and people would be a little less bewildered.
-Demon's Souls: Really marvelous isolationist style and art design, wonderful level design and subsystems, really weighty combat and great enemy design. There's not much you can really prattle on about with Demon's Souls since everyone who wants to play it has probably played it by this point, it's just unique and different all while feeling so wonderfully familiar.
but it isn't anywhere near as hard as people like to pretend it is unless you just don't understand how to play proper dungeon hacks and survival games
-Resonance of Fate: Fun character vignette styled narrative that surprised me, highly challenging but made to be broken styled combat which I enjoy, and fun little sub bits like the gun work and the like. This one surprised me the most and helped put some faith back in Tri-Ace after some flubs.
-Dragon Quest IX: I went in actually expecting to be let down with this one, so I sort of was until recently giving it another push where it really took. There's such a great deal of mastery displayed with the scenario, class and battle balancing and the fact that they walked a tightrope between multiplayer and single player while doing it all. Not to mention the way it handles content and end game pleases me.
In the end it's probably my third favorite after VII and V, and I really loved it, it actually makes me fairly confident in DQX, provided it was Horii and co who brought the important design work in and not Level-5, in which case I would change to being horrified
-Nier: A really nice, meaty B-quality ARPG that does a lot of neat things with very little polish and budget. Wonderful music, art and even some fairly good storytelling for a game. The gameplay is a bit jank, but no moreso than other genre darlings like Brave Fencer, Mana or the ilk. Nice genre swapping with bullet hell elements, oddball horror bits, even text adventure sections.
-Xenoblade or Valkyria Chronicles: I have kind of the same run down of both of these games. They're lovely, they're fun they do interesting things even if they're not exactly unique, I quite like them a lot and the miserable game balance in both absolutely demolishes what could be significantly better experiences.
Seriously, Xenoblade is a depressing game. You either walk on glass or you get an anime slog, there's no compensating for breaking the game unlike in Valkyria so I almost don't even want to include it. So much hard work and good design thrown under the bus due to bad math and shortsighted design.
-------
Still, walls of text aside now, I still need to play a few more, especially my handheld ones, especially DS ones like SMT, Radiant Historia, etc.
Everything, basically, it's a bit genre bending in it's atmosphere and style but it's still an ARPG in every last way from leveling to stat allocation to equipment/crafting, etc. I think it's mostly the aesthetic that confuses people. Swap that gorgeous art out with some saucer eyes and frilly skirts and people would be a little less bewildered.
Mauricio_Magus
Banned
1. Demon's Souls
2. Xenoblade
3. Persona 3 Portable
4. Pokemon Black/White
5. Mario and Luigi 3
2. Xenoblade
3. Persona 3 Portable
4. Pokemon Black/White
5. Mario and Luigi 3
In no particular order (well, Xenoblade is at the top but after that no particular order):
Xenoblade - Beautiful visual design and lots to explore. The main characters are quite interesting and I like how at first they seem exactly like a stereotype, until you look deeper and find that there is something about them that makes them not so stereotypical. I also like the wide variety of NPCs and how you can learn about their stories and the story of each of the towns in the game.
Radiant Historia - While I can't say I'm particularly fond of the battle system in this game (I know I'm in a minority) I love the system of exploring different paths of possible futures.
Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep - I like the three character system they use, and being able to see the story from three different perspectives. Along with that, the three characters having quite different play styles kept things fresh even when you were fighting some of the same things over and over.
The World Ends With You - I'm going to admit part of my love for this title is mostly nostalgia. I lived in Tokyo and have even seen many a concert in the livehouse you fight in. Honestly, just that would have made me love the game. But I also like the visual design, and found the pin system interesting.
NIER - I'm glad I got to play through this in English, because honestly the localization is amazing. I liked how the gameplay kept switching things up and making it interesting, and I loved the characters and story.
Xenoblade - Beautiful visual design and lots to explore. The main characters are quite interesting and I like how at first they seem exactly like a stereotype, until you look deeper and find that there is something about them that makes them not so stereotypical. I also like the wide variety of NPCs and how you can learn about their stories and the story of each of the towns in the game.
Radiant Historia - While I can't say I'm particularly fond of the battle system in this game (I know I'm in a minority) I love the system of exploring different paths of possible futures.
Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep - I like the three character system they use, and being able to see the story from three different perspectives. Along with that, the three characters having quite different play styles kept things fresh even when you were fighting some of the same things over and over.
The World Ends With You - I'm going to admit part of my love for this title is mostly nostalgia. I lived in Tokyo and have even seen many a concert in the livehouse you fight in. Honestly, just that would have made me love the game. But I also like the visual design, and found the pin system interesting.
NIER - I'm glad I got to play through this in English, because honestly the localization is amazing. I liked how the gameplay kept switching things up and making it interesting, and I loved the characters and story.
ULTROS!
People seem to like me because I am polite and I am rarely late. I like to eat ice cream and I really enjoy a nice pair of slacks.
No particular order:
1. Final Fantasy XIII - Despite it's shortcomings, it still is a fun game. It has one of the best battle systems in JRPGs, not to mention beautiful graphics and excellent production values.
2. Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky - A very PS1-like RPG, meaning it's bathing with PS1 charm and it's pretty much immersive and has a lot of content. The cast is fantastic.
3. Dragon Quest V - Despite being a port, it's still pretty much a timeless classic. It's the first DQ game that I actually liked. You get to do a lot of stuff and not to mention the stories "sort of" connect rather than having mini-individual stories that don't connect at all, which is a staple in DQ games.
4. Star Ocean: The Last Hope International - Though it may have one of the worst voice actings in games and one of the worst stories ever, there's a lot of stuff to do... In fact it's rare to find JRPGs this gen that have looooooads of extra content like this game. It has a fun battle system just like FFXIII too... Though I might be biased because I love the Star Ocean series.
5. Ys: Oath in Felghana - A fast-paced action JRPG. It's pretty awesome and totally replayable. Though it might be short, it's nicely paced.
Special mentions:
Ys Seven - Though it broke away from the Ys mold (having a party, 20 hours of gameplay), it's still a great game because it combines Ys' fast-paced action together with JRPG standards (multiple towns, party members).
Nier - This RPG isn't really pretty, nor are there any solid mechanics or anything to identify this game as unique, it's still a pretty fun RPG, not to mention the OST is incredible. The story is also worth noting.
1. Final Fantasy XIII - Despite it's shortcomings, it still is a fun game. It has one of the best battle systems in JRPGs, not to mention beautiful graphics and excellent production values.
2. Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky - A very PS1-like RPG, meaning it's bathing with PS1 charm and it's pretty much immersive and has a lot of content. The cast is fantastic.
3. Dragon Quest V - Despite being a port, it's still pretty much a timeless classic. It's the first DQ game that I actually liked. You get to do a lot of stuff and not to mention the stories "sort of" connect rather than having mini-individual stories that don't connect at all, which is a staple in DQ games.
4. Star Ocean: The Last Hope International - Though it may have one of the worst voice actings in games and one of the worst stories ever, there's a lot of stuff to do... In fact it's rare to find JRPGs this gen that have looooooads of extra content like this game. It has a fun battle system just like FFXIII too... Though I might be biased because I love the Star Ocean series.
5. Ys: Oath in Felghana - A fast-paced action JRPG. It's pretty awesome and totally replayable. Though it might be short, it's nicely paced.
Special mentions:
Ys Seven - Though it broke away from the Ys mold (having a party, 20 hours of gameplay), it's still a great game because it combines Ys' fast-paced action together with JRPG standards (multiple towns, party members).
Nier - This RPG isn't really pretty, nor are there any solid mechanics or anything to identify this game as unique, it's still a pretty fun RPG, not to mention the OST is incredible. The story is also worth noting.
jeremy1456
Junior Member
duckroll said:More people should have played Infinite Space!
If you send me your copy I promise I will play it
Laughing Banana
Weeping Pickle
duckroll said:More people should have played Infinite Space!
The Platinum DS game?
Well, if you don't mind me asking, can you elaborate about the things you enjoy the most about this game?
I've tried it for a couple of minutes but I sort of kind of disliked the artwork... but if the gameplay components can make up for it then hmmm...., why not.
Laughing Banana said:
Well, first off I'll contain your expectations of the game. Yes, the art is pretty horrible. The 3D graphics aren't really great either. No, the art and graphics do not get better, it's pretty low budget and looks like an indie game. The gameplay is also not... fantastic I would say. But it is functional.
So why do I feel the game is so special? Because it does something that no other scifi game this generation does. Not even Mass Effect. It is a stunning narrative that grows from the main character taking up arms to be a small time pirate out of an act of desperation, to a full blown space opera spanning many star systems and covers a huge range of topics which include politics, culture, religion, ambition, desire, etc. It captures the feel of travelling through the vast emptiness of space very well, and there's a huge tapestry of characters, factions, nations, etc.
The gameplay includes various interesting systems which aren't really that well fleshed out, but add a good amount of detail to the overall feel of the game. You can customize your ships extensively, and there are lots of upgrades and crew abilities which range from improving combat to improving commerce and livability. Overall it definitely feels more like a simulation and adventure game rather than a traditional RPG, but setting itself apart from what is normal is also what makes the game special.
Top 5:
Valkyria Chronicles
The first time I encountered that particular type of battle system (I was unaware that it's an evolution of Sakura Taisen at that point) and I loved it. The gorgeous art style and presentation and the likable characters help as well.
Nier
Though I'm not certain if this game "counts" if Demon's Souls doesn't, I believe it's slightly closer to a JRPG than that title. Anyway, if it does, it has to be near the top of my list, since it's one of my favourite games of the generation. The standouts are the fantastic music and story, but I also enjoyed the multitude of ways in which it switches up its style.
The Last Remnant (PC)
Probably Square's best release this generation. An innovative battle system, tons of content including HD towns (!) and a large cast of characters, with some of the best in any JRPG ever (Emma!). Also it's so very nice to, for once, play a JRPG with the image quality, performance and features (eg. save anywhere) that PC offers. And every JRPG should have battle fast forward.
Ar Tonelico Qoga
While overall not as good as its predecessor, this game stands out for me nonetheless because of its well-realized and unusual setting and the innovative combination of music with the battle system. Excellent music while we are at that. And the "dive" sequences are more entertaining and varied than ever before.
Resonance of Fate
The repetitive nature of the game and the dearth of assets almost made me kick this off the list, but the amount of well realized, enduring features is hard to argue with. That includes the battle system as well as the world map progression and things like the ridiculous weapon upgrades. A very unique game that shouldn't be missed.
Honorable mentions:
Atelier Rorona
I greatly enjoyed this title, and the main reason I'm not putting it up is that the sequel (which we're just now getting) reportedly improves on it in every area.
The World Ends With You
Some of the best ideas regarding difficulty and balancing it versus rewards in any JRP ever. Also, one of the few original titles on handhelds that actually makes it worth putting up with their inconveniences.
Lost Odyssey
Like a late 90s/early 00s JRPG in all the good and bad ways. If the battles took a bit less time this may have made it to the main list.
Eternal Sonata
Some people hate this game with a burning rage. I thought it was a fun, great looking JRPG with some nice ideas in its battle system that didn't overstay its welcome.
Not yet played enough to judge:
Xenoblade, Disgaea 4
Valkyria Chronicles
The first time I encountered that particular type of battle system (I was unaware that it's an evolution of Sakura Taisen at that point) and I loved it. The gorgeous art style and presentation and the likable characters help as well.
Nier
Though I'm not certain if this game "counts" if Demon's Souls doesn't, I believe it's slightly closer to a JRPG than that title. Anyway, if it does, it has to be near the top of my list, since it's one of my favourite games of the generation. The standouts are the fantastic music and story, but I also enjoyed the multitude of ways in which it switches up its style.
The Last Remnant (PC)
Probably Square's best release this generation. An innovative battle system, tons of content including HD towns (!) and a large cast of characters, with some of the best in any JRPG ever (Emma!). Also it's so very nice to, for once, play a JRPG with the image quality, performance and features (eg. save anywhere) that PC offers. And every JRPG should have battle fast forward.
Ar Tonelico Qoga
While overall not as good as its predecessor, this game stands out for me nonetheless because of its well-realized and unusual setting and the innovative combination of music with the battle system. Excellent music while we are at that. And the "dive" sequences are more entertaining and varied than ever before.
Resonance of Fate
The repetitive nature of the game and the dearth of assets almost made me kick this off the list, but the amount of well realized, enduring features is hard to argue with. That includes the battle system as well as the world map progression and things like the ridiculous weapon upgrades. A very unique game that shouldn't be missed.
Honorable mentions:
Atelier Rorona
I greatly enjoyed this title, and the main reason I'm not putting it up is that the sequel (which we're just now getting) reportedly improves on it in every area.
The World Ends With You
Some of the best ideas regarding difficulty and balancing it versus rewards in any JRP ever. Also, one of the few original titles on handhelds that actually makes it worth putting up with their inconveniences.
Lost Odyssey
Like a late 90s/early 00s JRPG in all the good and bad ways. If the battles took a bit less time this may have made it to the main list.
Eternal Sonata
Some people hate this game with a burning rage. I thought it was a fun, great looking JRPG with some nice ideas in its battle system that didn't overstay its welcome.
Not yet played enough to judge:
Xenoblade, Disgaea 4
Magicpaint
Member
I'm not counting remakes so awesome games like DQIV/V/VIr, FFT PSP and FFIVr won't be in this list, so here goes:
1. The World Ends With You: One thing I love about this game is the way it lets you take control of how you want to play it. Battle styles (aka pins choices), difficulty, levels etc. Few games let you customise the play experience like TWEWY. It achieved all this with an incredible sense of balance too. It also helps that I enjoyed the story, loved the music and the setting. It also had great post content. My favourite ARPG.
2. Lost Odyssey: Yes, I had beautiful time reading the dream stories (though they can get much at times), but the turn based battles were incredibly fun. Yes it was slow at times but not boring. Loved the idea of the ring system, and the way you developed the mortals/immortals. Music was great, dungeon design was creative and the world was fun to be in.
3. Dragon Quest IX: It did a lot to disappoint me (music, scenario, quest system) but when I went back to it recently, I had a great time. It's like everything finally clicked. The class system I finally got used to, and the idea of doing quests doesn't bother me much anymore. I am now looking forward to the meaty post game content.
4. Tales of Vesperia: Somewhat disappointing entry, but it grew on me. I still don't like the cast, but I'm a huge Tales fan, and this is the best one I've played this gen.
5. Final Fantasy XIII: Far from the FF experience I was hoping for, but I loved the battle system enough to sit through the awful story, bad level design and sub systems. Well the battle system and the incredible visuals/presentation.
Still need to play Xenoblade, Tales of Graces f/Xillia and Radiant Historia, then maybe they'll replace 3/4/5 and I'll finally have a good list. But honestly I haven't dug very deep into jRPGs (or gaming in general) this gen.
1. The World Ends With You: One thing I love about this game is the way it lets you take control of how you want to play it. Battle styles (aka pins choices), difficulty, levels etc. Few games let you customise the play experience like TWEWY. It achieved all this with an incredible sense of balance too. It also helps that I enjoyed the story, loved the music and the setting. It also had great post content. My favourite ARPG.
2. Lost Odyssey: Yes, I had beautiful time reading the dream stories (though they can get much at times), but the turn based battles were incredibly fun. Yes it was slow at times but not boring. Loved the idea of the ring system, and the way you developed the mortals/immortals. Music was great, dungeon design was creative and the world was fun to be in.
3. Dragon Quest IX: It did a lot to disappoint me (music, scenario, quest system) but when I went back to it recently, I had a great time. It's like everything finally clicked. The class system I finally got used to, and the idea of doing quests doesn't bother me much anymore. I am now looking forward to the meaty post game content.
4. Tales of Vesperia: Somewhat disappointing entry, but it grew on me. I still don't like the cast, but I'm a huge Tales fan, and this is the best one I've played this gen.
5. Final Fantasy XIII: Far from the FF experience I was hoping for, but I loved the battle system enough to sit through the awful story, bad level design and sub systems. Well the battle system and the incredible visuals/presentation.
Still need to play Xenoblade, Tales of Graces f/Xillia and Radiant Historia, then maybe they'll replace 3/4/5 and I'll finally have a good list. But honestly I haven't dug very deep into jRPGs (or gaming in general) this gen.
Hours Left
Member
Not enough Trails in the Sky in here.
You like JRPGs? Especially the SNES/PSX era ones? Then you'll LOVE Trails.
You like JRPGs? Especially the SNES/PSX era ones? Then you'll LOVE Trails.
Magicpaint
Member
Yeah that's another one I've set my eyes on actually.Gunloc said:
Alex
Member
Trails is great, I probably should have just put it in my list but I wanted to ramble on at the end!
The sequel limbo on it, while totally understandable from Xseed's position is very sad though. For their own sake I feel like they should probably just give up on it. I'd love the rest of the games but I'd rather Xseed not dig themselves into a grave either.
There's actually a lot of games I'd like to put in a list and talk about though, well ramble about, I haven't felt any dearth of the genre like some have, outside of maybe the meer traditional, but it does take owning every damn platform in order to get there.
The sequel limbo on it, while totally understandable from Xseed's position is very sad though. For their own sake I feel like they should probably just give up on it. I'd love the rest of the games but I'd rather Xseed not dig themselves into a grave either.
There's actually a lot of games I'd like to put in a list and talk about though, well ramble about, I haven't felt any dearth of the genre like some have, outside of maybe the meer traditional, but it does take owning every damn platform in order to get there.
Hours Left
Member
I don't think it'll hurt them, I actually think it will help them. They've already spent the money to do the voice acting for SC and The 3rd so they have already invested in it.Alex said:
Plus, Trails did well for them and has grown a dedicated fan base. Behind Ys, it would probably be their most popular series they currently have going on right now. (Considering Wild ARMs and Shadow Hearts have been off the radar for so long.)
And with Zero no Kiseki getting a re-release on Vita, I think they can keep going strong with the series. SC is really the only roadblock right now due to the PSN issues, but once they get past that I think they can start catching up. Now that Ao no Kiseki is released in Japan, hopefully Falcom has some free resources to help XSEED decide what to do next.
Hours Left
Member
The original team broke up, but many of the members formed a new company called feelplus, which is owned by AQ Interactive.0 HP said:
As to who owns the Shadow Hearts series currently though, I'm not sure. I would really like them to bring it back though.
Valkyria Chronicles
Unique experience, enjoyed it all the way to the end. Loved the story too.
Tales of Vesperia
One of the rare JRPGs with a great main character. Played it with a friend and it was a blast.
Lunar: Silver Star Harmony
I'm a mindless Lunar fan and bought another remake of Lunar 1. Something like that.
Unique experience, enjoyed it all the way to the end. Loved the story too.
Tales of Vesperia
One of the rare JRPGs with a great main character. Played it with a friend and it was a blast.
Lunar: Silver Star Harmony
I'm a mindless Lunar fan and bought another remake of Lunar 1. Something like that.
1. The World Ends With You: I can't praise this game enough. Great music, cool aesthetic, gameplay innovations and customizable pretty much everything accompanying some cliche themes presented in a cool and unique story. It gave me a reason to care about Square's output again.
2. Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn: I feel like this one is sort of cheating because it wouldn't have been nearly as enjoyable without playing Path of Radiance. It had some really cool maps and interesting characters. It also brought some new stuff to the series, like telling the story from the losers perspective and giving you control of an army that you were just fighting.
3. Valkyria Chronicles: hands down the most visually appealing rpg I've ever played with gameplay that matches. The combat system wasn't perfect, but it was still really fun and had a very likeable cast.
4. Xenoblade: perhaps for the music alone. Huge world with tons to discover, a decent story that moves things along nicely, and an overall likable cast. I'm also really digging the battle system. It's nothing short of incredible what Monolith pulled off with Xenoblade.
5. Dragon Quest IX: probably would have liked this game more if I had someone to play it with since the game compromises a lot in order to accomodate co-op. It was a fun little campaign with tons of post game content.
Sidenote: played Infinite Space and sold it about 5 hours into the adult story. I thought it was pretty boring, but that isn't what made me give up. I hadn't upgraded my ships in a while and had run into a particularly tough boss fight, so after a couple of defeats I decide that this will be impossible without some new ships or at least new parts. The closest shop is in another area though and I'm not allowed to leave the sector with the boss essentially stranding me. Decided I'd rather sell it for $5 more than I paid than start over or try the fight a billion times.
2. Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn: I feel like this one is sort of cheating because it wouldn't have been nearly as enjoyable without playing Path of Radiance. It had some really cool maps and interesting characters. It also brought some new stuff to the series, like telling the story from the losers perspective and giving you control of an army that you were just fighting.
3. Valkyria Chronicles: hands down the most visually appealing rpg I've ever played with gameplay that matches. The combat system wasn't perfect, but it was still really fun and had a very likeable cast.
4. Xenoblade: perhaps for the music alone. Huge world with tons to discover, a decent story that moves things along nicely, and an overall likable cast. I'm also really digging the battle system. It's nothing short of incredible what Monolith pulled off with Xenoblade.
5. Dragon Quest IX: probably would have liked this game more if I had someone to play it with since the game compromises a lot in order to accomodate co-op. It was a fun little campaign with tons of post game content.
Sidenote: played Infinite Space and sold it about 5 hours into the adult story. I thought it was pretty boring, but that isn't what made me give up. I hadn't upgraded my ships in a while and had run into a particularly tough boss fight, so after a couple of defeats I decide that this will be impossible without some new ships or at least new parts. The closest shop is in another area though and I'm not allowed to leave the sector with the boss essentially stranding me. Decided I'd rather sell it for $5 more than I paid than start over or try the fight a billion times.
1. Xenoblade
2. Xenoblade
3. Xenoblade
4. Xenoblade
5. Xenoblade
The best jrpg since FFXII, and unparallelled in the genre except for Vagrant Story.
Those that didn't make the list: Radiant Historia, Nier, FFXIII, the World Ends With You (good game but sadly not enough room for it).
2. Xenoblade
3. Xenoblade
4. Xenoblade
5. Xenoblade
The best jrpg since FFXII, and unparallelled in the genre except for Vagrant Story.
Those that didn't make the list: Radiant Historia, Nier, FFXIII, the World Ends With You (good game but sadly not enough room for it).
Witchfinder General
punched Wheelchair Mike
1. Persona 3/4 (can't seperate them so I'm cheating)
2. SMT: Devil Summoner 2
3. Tales of Vesperia
4. Blue Dragon
5. Infinite Undiscovery
I'm in the middle of playing Xenoblade and provided the quality doesn't drop (about halfway through) I can see it slotting in at number 2 or 3.
2. SMT: Devil Summoner 2
3. Tales of Vesperia
4. Blue Dragon
5. Infinite Undiscovery
I'm in the middle of playing Xenoblade and provided the quality doesn't drop (about halfway through) I can see it slotting in at number 2 or 3.
Anasui Kishibe
Banned
1) Xenoblade. Best JRPG in decades, GOTY for now and overall best Wii game along with Galaxy 1-2
in a galaxy far, far away....
2) TWEWY
3) Vesperia
in a galaxy far, far away....
2) TWEWY
3) Vesperia
1. Demon's Souls
2. Xenoblade
3. Radiant Historia
4. Tales of Vesperia
5. Valkyria Chronicles
Honorable mentions:
Resonance of Fate
Cthulhu Saves the World (it plays like OG Dragon Quest, not made in Japan but if Demon's Souls doesn't count this must.)
Nier
Fuckton of other DS and PSP options. But none come close to Radiant Historia.
That is the one thing I take from this thread. FAR too few people have played Radiant Historia. Amazing game.
2. Xenoblade
3. Radiant Historia
4. Tales of Vesperia
5. Valkyria Chronicles
Honorable mentions:
Resonance of Fate
Cthulhu Saves the World (it plays like OG Dragon Quest, not made in Japan but if Demon's Souls doesn't count this must.)
Nier
Fuckton of other DS and PSP options. But none come close to Radiant Historia.
That is the one thing I take from this thread. FAR too few people have played Radiant Historia. Amazing game.
1) Final Fantasy Gaiden
Played two times, still I can't believe people at Square were able to pull a graphic engine so rich and so artsy. I mean, this is Ds we are talking about.
Easy to play, love the new monster design, short main quest (ten hours?). Give me an HD remake on XBLA and I'll buy it for 4200 microsoft points day one.
2) Mugen no Frontier: Exceed
Simply put the best fighting system of this jrpg generation. Borrows heavily from NamcoXCapcom (same director) and in some ways it simplifies its predecessor, but makes random encounters so much fun. Great voice acting, smart-ass party banter, Axel as guest STAR, and a new game + dungeon that gets you to make use of every trick in the combat system. A gem.
And...this year I've played Soma Bringer, Star Ocean First Departure, Final Fantasy IV, Final Fantasy III, Lunar, and Strange Journey. Yet I don't think any of them is worth a top 5. I mean, I haven't played Persona 3 on Psp, Dragon Quest 9, Blue Dragon on Ds, Suikoden Tierkris, the Romancing Saga 2 remake (one game I deeply regret I haven't played yet) and considering these are very mainstream, critically acclamied titles (at least in Japan) it wouldn't be a fair Top 5.
Played two times, still I can't believe people at Square were able to pull a graphic engine so rich and so artsy. I mean, this is Ds we are talking about.
Easy to play, love the new monster design, short main quest (ten hours?). Give me an HD remake on XBLA and I'll buy it for 4200 microsoft points day one.
2) Mugen no Frontier: Exceed
Simply put the best fighting system of this jrpg generation. Borrows heavily from NamcoXCapcom (same director) and in some ways it simplifies its predecessor, but makes random encounters so much fun. Great voice acting, smart-ass party banter, Axel as guest STAR, and a new game + dungeon that gets you to make use of every trick in the combat system. A gem.
And...this year I've played Soma Bringer, Star Ocean First Departure, Final Fantasy IV, Final Fantasy III, Lunar, and Strange Journey. Yet I don't think any of them is worth a top 5. I mean, I haven't played Persona 3 on Psp, Dragon Quest 9, Blue Dragon on Ds, Suikoden Tierkris, the Romancing Saga 2 remake (one game I deeply regret I haven't played yet) and considering these are very mainstream, critically acclamied titles (at least in Japan) it wouldn't be a fair Top 5.
RurouniZel
Asks questions so Ezalc doesn't have to
Xenoblade - As close to perfection I've played. Best JRPG not just this generation, but definitely the best in the last 10 years. Personally it's the best I've ever played (first game to usurp FFVI for this title in my eyes). More detailed account of my love, spoiler free!!
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Blue Dragon - Beautiful graphics, awesome music, and a really flexible turn-based battle system rocket BD to number 2. Add in some interesting improvements like Monster Fights and charging attacks/spells with different sweet spots, and you have an awesome game.
Atelier Rorona - A charming game that I just keep coming back to. I haven't gotten anywhere near all the endings; I think an FAQ is bloody required for that, but that's actually my only real complaint.
Tales of Vesperia - Beautiful graphics and the awesome Tales of battle system, combined with a good story and likable characters.
Ar Tonelico 3 - Sure the battle system is a poor man's Tales of, and there's plenty of meaningless pandering, but it's a nice conclusion to the series with choices that actually determine what ending you get. In an RPG that's gotta count for something, right?
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Blue Dragon - Beautiful graphics, awesome music, and a really flexible turn-based battle system rocket BD to number 2. Add in some interesting improvements like Monster Fights and charging attacks/spells with different sweet spots, and you have an awesome game.
Atelier Rorona - A charming game that I just keep coming back to. I haven't gotten anywhere near all the endings; I think an FAQ is bloody required for that, but that's actually my only real complaint.
Tales of Vesperia - Beautiful graphics and the awesome Tales of battle system, combined with a good story and likable characters.
Ar Tonelico 3 - Sure the battle system is a poor man's Tales of, and there's plenty of meaningless pandering, but it's a nice conclusion to the series with choices that actually determine what ending you get. In an RPG that's gotta count for something, right?
staticneuron
Member
1. Valkyria Chronicles (PS3)
Quite frankly one of the best SRPG's I have played in my life. Incredibly satisfying and overall a fantastic product.
2. Final Fantasy XIII (PS3)
Despite it being linear, have a story that bareley made any sense, some annoying characters/voices, and only a few genuine moments that evoked emotion..... It still was alot of fun playing this game, the design was amazing and I couldn't help but stop and stare at some of the well thought out designs of this game. The concept of the satelitte hovering within the atmosphere of an even larger planet was very interesting given the size of the enviroments you traverse in the first half of the game. It kind of brought me back to FFVII days when you spend hours in m idgar only to leave midgar and realize how big the world map is and that there are many more places for you to visit.
3. Demon's Souls (PS3)
I still haven't finished this game. But every time a pick the controller up I get new ideas and wander aimlessly about vowing to complete the first playthrough without pouring over a guide. It is extremely satisfying to avoid a trap you never knew was there but still exiting to get caught in a trap. It is one of those rare gems that has the ability to make you praise the devs and curse the devs within the same breath.
4. Mass Effect 2 (360)
Everyone Has thier strong opinions about the growing trend of RPG's becoming more action oriented. IMO, it is all about what you "want" from an RPG. Unique experiences you can initiate or pass on? Exploration? An element of planning and pecise execution? Story? To me Mass Effect 2 has all those things and while it plays closer to a traditional action game, the other elements in the game make it feel more like an RPG. In the case of ME2 though story is king.
5. Fallout 3 (360)
Same as above except that "exploration" is king.
Special mention:
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII (PSP)
Probably based on nostalgia but I found it to be a polished experience.
Jeanne D'arc (PSP)
A well put together SRPG what won me over with its artstyle and enjoyable mechanics. Level 5 once again proving why they should not be ignored.
Tactics Ogre (PSP)
Not really a new game, but this is my first experience with the title and I am shocked how well it seems to have held up. Very solid mechanics, great music and art, but very old school in terms of progression and management.
Quite frankly one of the best SRPG's I have played in my life. Incredibly satisfying and overall a fantastic product.
2. Final Fantasy XIII (PS3)
Despite it being linear, have a story that bareley made any sense, some annoying characters/voices, and only a few genuine moments that evoked emotion..... It still was alot of fun playing this game, the design was amazing and I couldn't help but stop and stare at some of the well thought out designs of this game. The concept of the satelitte hovering within the atmosphere of an even larger planet was very interesting given the size of the enviroments you traverse in the first half of the game. It kind of brought me back to FFVII days when you spend hours in m idgar only to leave midgar and realize how big the world map is and that there are many more places for you to visit.
3. Demon's Souls (PS3)
I still haven't finished this game. But every time a pick the controller up I get new ideas and wander aimlessly about vowing to complete the first playthrough without pouring over a guide. It is extremely satisfying to avoid a trap you never knew was there but still exiting to get caught in a trap. It is one of those rare gems that has the ability to make you praise the devs and curse the devs within the same breath.
4. Mass Effect 2 (360)
Everyone Has thier strong opinions about the growing trend of RPG's becoming more action oriented. IMO, it is all about what you "want" from an RPG. Unique experiences you can initiate or pass on? Exploration? An element of planning and pecise execution? Story? To me Mass Effect 2 has all those things and while it plays closer to a traditional action game, the other elements in the game make it feel more like an RPG. In the case of ME2 though story is king.
5. Fallout 3 (360)
Same as above except that "exploration" is king.
Special mention:
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII (PSP)
Probably based on nostalgia but I found it to be a polished experience.
Jeanne D'arc (PSP)
A well put together SRPG what won me over with its artstyle and enjoyable mechanics. Level 5 once again proving why they should not be ignored.
Tactics Ogre (PSP)
Not really a new game, but this is my first experience with the title and I am shocked how well it seems to have held up. Very solid mechanics, great music and art, but very old school in terms of progression and management.
LowerLevel
Member
1: Lost Odyssey - Well written, adult characters (minus the children), involved combat, veiny bewbs, and of course Jansen!
2: Tales of Vesparia - Interesting characters all around with good V.O. to boot. Typical Tales intrigue. All around good game.
3: Blue Dragon - Stunning visual quality. Loads of extras. Boss music.
4: Valkyria Chronicles - Not truly a "jrpg" but whatever. Excellent art and a different story type than the norm. Very fun to play with quirky characters.
Honorable mention to Persona 4. Not this Gen but definitely one of the best, period!
2: Tales of Vesparia - Interesting characters all around with good V.O. to boot. Typical Tales intrigue. All around good game.
3: Blue Dragon - Stunning visual quality. Loads of extras. Boss music.
4: Valkyria Chronicles - Not truly a "jrpg" but whatever. Excellent art and a different story type than the norm. Very fun to play with quirky characters.
Honorable mention to Persona 4. Not this Gen but definitely one of the best, period!
Does Persona 4 count as this generation since it came out in 2008, and is getting another release soon enough for Vita?
#1: Persona 4 (My favorite game of all time now)
#2: Resonance of Fate(End of Eternity) (Proves Tri-Ace still has it)
#3: Valkyria Chronicles (The only SRPG I've ever completed, and it was the most engaging one in the genre for me ever)
#4: Lost Odyssey (Da Gooch does not fail)
#5: Tales of Vesperia (My favorite Tales of game. Lead character had a lot of depth to him, and the battles, especially bosses, were a lot of fun)
I'd put Demon's Souls up over ToV, but it's not what my mind jumps to think of when I think of a RPG made in Japan.
#1: Persona 4 (My favorite game of all time now)
#2: Resonance of Fate(End of Eternity) (Proves Tri-Ace still has it)
#3: Valkyria Chronicles (The only SRPG I've ever completed, and it was the most engaging one in the genre for me ever)
#4: Lost Odyssey (Da Gooch does not fail)
#5: Tales of Vesperia (My favorite Tales of game. Lead character had a lot of depth to him, and the battles, especially bosses, were a lot of fun)
I'd put Demon's Souls up over ToV, but it's not what my mind jumps to think of when I think of a RPG made in Japan.
1. Final Fantasy XIII - Loved the battle system so much that everything else almost didn't matter. While I won't exactly argue the story/characters are good, I don't think they're so much more offensive than any other FF game, certainly not enough to detract from the game for me.
2. Disgaea 4 - Debated between this and Disgaea 3, but I think now that I'm almost done I like D4 a little bit better. Valvatorez and co were a better cast than Mao and co, and whether intentional or not D4 removed some of the tedium from D3 (dup trick).
3. Demon's Souls - Most rewarding game I've played in a long time. The sense of accomplishment when you finally beat a boss/area you've died on 15+ times is incredible. Hopefully by the end of the gen Dark Souls will take its place.
4. Disgaea 3 - I was tempted to leave this off just to not have 2 Disgaea games in the top 5, but I loved it so much that it's hard not to include it. Put in 150 hours twice due to YLOD and it was just as much fun the second time.
5. Nier/Ar Tonelico Qoga - I can't decide between these two because they're so different. Nier's story and atmosphere are phenomenal, but ATQ was just a lot of fun overall. Liked them both about equally for completely different reasons.
Honorable mentions to Atelier Rorona, Trinity Universe, Valkyria Chronicles and White Knight Chronicles.
2. Disgaea 4 - Debated between this and Disgaea 3, but I think now that I'm almost done I like D4 a little bit better. Valvatorez and co were a better cast than Mao and co, and whether intentional or not D4 removed some of the tedium from D3 (dup trick).
3. Demon's Souls - Most rewarding game I've played in a long time. The sense of accomplishment when you finally beat a boss/area you've died on 15+ times is incredible. Hopefully by the end of the gen Dark Souls will take its place.
4. Disgaea 3 - I was tempted to leave this off just to not have 2 Disgaea games in the top 5, but I loved it so much that it's hard not to include it. Put in 150 hours twice due to YLOD and it was just as much fun the second time.
5. Nier/Ar Tonelico Qoga - I can't decide between these two because they're so different. Nier's story and atmosphere are phenomenal, but ATQ was just a lot of fun overall. Liked them both about equally for completely different reasons.
Honorable mentions to Atelier Rorona, Trinity Universe, Valkyria Chronicles and White Knight Chronicles.
1. Persona 4, a perfected version of 3 with an even better cast. Hits so many aspects of the JRPG right on the head. Great characters without fitting into completely generic archtypes, and some of the deepest character development.
2. NIER, the best music, most original characters, and perhaps saddest story of any game, too bad about the ugly graphics and generic gameplay.
3. Sora No Kiseki, had to have a handheld game in here. Trails in the Sky/Sora No kiseki felt like what I hoped most jRPGs would be like this gen. Streamlined aspects save you frustration from losing fights, great story and fun characters keep you moving right along.
4. Tales of Vesperia, while I didn't like it as much as Abyss, it was one of the few, early, complete RPGs this gen.
5. Xenoblade, while starting off amazingly, with a fairly great cast, tends to slow down towards the end. My jRPG priorities are story and characters, as much fun as exploration is, I didn't enjoy the rest of it as much. If the 2nd half was as grand as the first, and the twist at the end did not occur so suddenly, it would have probably been my 2nd or 3rd.
Demon's Souls would be second, and probably Dark Souls in a few more weeks, but while it is a jRPG, its quite different, so I left it off, or it would be unfair to the rest of the games.
2. NIER, the best music, most original characters, and perhaps saddest story of any game, too bad about the ugly graphics and generic gameplay.
3. Sora No Kiseki, had to have a handheld game in here. Trails in the Sky/Sora No kiseki felt like what I hoped most jRPGs would be like this gen. Streamlined aspects save you frustration from losing fights, great story and fun characters keep you moving right along.
4. Tales of Vesperia, while I didn't like it as much as Abyss, it was one of the few, early, complete RPGs this gen.
5. Xenoblade, while starting off amazingly, with a fairly great cast, tends to slow down towards the end. My jRPG priorities are story and characters, as much fun as exploration is, I didn't enjoy the rest of it as much. If the 2nd half was as grand as the first, and the twist at the end did not occur so suddenly, it would have probably been my 2nd or 3rd.
Demon's Souls would be second, and probably Dark Souls in a few more weeks, but while it is a jRPG, its quite different, so I left it off, or it would be unfair to the rest of the games.