JRPGs... and how to fix them

[LeonLethality]

not to be a ***** or anything, but if i wanted realistic i wouldn't be gaming, watching TV or reading books. i'd be leaving my house (After, ofcourse, breaking it open as it's rusted shut).

I agree, I like playing games because they are unrealistic and JRPGs provide an unrealistic fantasy

I do not like how games try hard to be realistic because then they lose that sense that they are a game!

welcome to the escapist!

 

[CmdrGoob]

Hey, while we're talking about cliche, why don't we look at Bioware, one of (if not the) the biggest WRPG games designers ever?

Spoiler

Yeah. No cliché's in this genre. No sir.

Edit: Spoiler tags are shrinking it. Right Click->View Image for readable image.

I am also highly amused that even when picking such un-noteworthy and vague 'cliches', the chart still has to take huge liberties to try and shoehorn the games into them.

Like "A devastating battle sends your quiet life spinning out of balance" and it counts NWN towards it even though you start off training as warrior in Neverwinter academy and therefore don't have a quiet life and a battle isn't spinning it out of balance.

Or "You must travel to four main locations" and then for basically all the games it either straight up admits there are more than four main locations and counts them anyway or just lists four and ignores all the other locations that could just as easily be described as 'main', like the citadel in ME1.

Or "You hail from a humble origins" it counts KOTOR even though the main character is revealed to be Darth fucking Revan, which is about the most opposite of humble you can get.

Or "You fall asleep and have a dream sequence" it counts the protean beacon from ME despite the fact that it's not a dream sequence and you didn't fall alseep.

And so on and so on. So LOL, weaksauce.

 

[antigodoflife]

not to be a ***** or anything, but if i wanted realistic i wouldn't be gaming, watching TV or reading books. i'd be leaving my house (After, ofcourse, breaking it open as it's rusted shut).

however, the realism implied by people getting pissed when you steal their shit, as you so eloquently put it, is something i thoroughly enjoy. Let me steal your console, see how you like it eh? ^_^

[I think i'll actually remove what was once written here] and i enjoy my 78 games and 5 consoles thank you.

 

[HentMas]

How to fi JRPG? First stop calling tehm RPG... they are not role playing....
secound option make them like Western RPG

why are they not exactly "Role Playing Games"??????

if anything they are much more RPG than WRPG´s

dear god the nerve on some haters.

 

[J-Alfred]

Honestly, I like JRPGs too. The only thing I would change is turn-based combat. I strongly dislike turn-based combat. Except in the Mario/Luigi RPGs.

 

[koichan]

Honestly, I like JRPGs too. The only thing I would change is turn-based combat. I strongly dislike turn-based combat.

I was reading this thread thinking the exact opposite

Really annoys me so many RPGs/JRPGs have turned to the 'action-RPG' style of late
Bring back tactical turn-based RPGs...

 

[D088Y]

So by my understanding you want a central RPG you know not west but not east

 

[SUPA FRANKY]

There are plenty of games hat break that mold. Your just playing hte more popular ones.

Examples:

The Shadow Hearts Series ( Takes place in an alternate early 1900s!)
Disgea Series ( Batshit insane)
Dragon Quest
Earthbound
Chrono Trigger
Oppona
Xenosaga Series
Okage:Shadow King
The SHin Megami Tensei Series


Shall I go on?

 

[RavingLibDem]

I love JRPGs to death, but they're just so generic, i mistook one game for another (Lost Odyssey + Last Remnant,) and no one really cared for one JRPG is very similar to another, and those mistakes happen frequently.

What are someways that they could make them better.

In my oppinion they just need less cliche storylines, a new and innovative battle system that doesn't break the flow gaming, more realistic social and building structures and people with normal reactions (less melodrama) and getting pissed if you steal their shit, maybe some more freedom, if you give me a Continent i want to see it. (but not the WRPG / MMO sized.) Oh and i want to dress normally, unless at some point in history that was a fashion trend, i don't think 7 belts, 12 ribbons and more lace than a dominatrix is a realistic clothing choice.

So what do you think they should do to fix JRPGs... without turning it into a WRPG.

As far as I'm concerned it comes down to make it more like Tales of Symphonia, which has the best battle system of any game I've seen, making every battle actually enjoyable rather than a chorse to be ground out. In addition the ability to make all the battles multiplayer makes it a fun game to play with a friend, which I find improves most games. As far as storylines go, some games have good ones, some dont, thats basically just how these things play out.

 

[Aiddon_v1legacy]

seems the opening statements are little more than someone wanting JRPGs to be exactly like WRPGs which destroys their identity completely. There isn't exactly anything in the JRPG formula that needs fixing; it worked for over 15 years and beyond so how was there something broken?

 

[Firia]

I think it was an article written by one of the Escapist Staff, but I felt it was pretty spot on. JRPGs back in the 90's were all story driven, and used sprite animation. It used our imagination to fill in gaps. Games like Final Fantasy 4 and 6 released on the SNES were some of the most amazing RPG's of its time. Then there was Secret of Mana, Chrono Trigger, Earthbound (aka, Mother).

They all had the same crazy story (well, maybe not Mother/Earthbound), odd fashion sense, and similar battle systems (though, Secret of Mana was real time fighting) that today we'd say break flow. For me, back in the day, these were immersive as an (J)RPG could get!

Case and point (for me); Final Fantasy 1 and 2 are being released on the ipod touch/iphone. They're the same versions as released for the DS (good for me, as I've never played ANY version of them). I'm non-stop giddy for their release (unknown date)! Whereas White Knight Chronicals was just released, and dispite watching for it since hearing about it 2.5 years ago, I'm in no rush to get it.

JRPG's are the same they've ever been. They just got more graphical, and in your face with those graphics. It may not be the formula that you need to change, but the type of RPG you want to play.

I will admit, however; the 10 minute cut scene is unnessessary.

 

[SeniorDingDong]

Lets get it out of the way first:

I hate the "typical" J-RPG. Every kind of Tales of..., Eternal Sonata, or post SNES Final Fantasy.

As cliche as western RPGs can be aswell, personally, I just cant stand long cutscenes, trassexual teenagers, flying ships, silly oversized weapons, overdramatic emotions, stiff turn based combat, sailor-moonesque clothing or summoning sequences, random encounters ...

However, I do enjoy games like Secret of Mana, Final Fantasy Adventure (US) / Mystic Quest (EU), the Mario & Luigi games, Golden Sun and Pokemon if they count.

So, if you ask me how to fix them: they should be more like my examples above !

Streamlined, "tame" and less japanese characterisation, topnotch graphics and controlls, beeing some how plausible and gameplay heavy instead of only throwing the gameplay "in your way" until the next FMV consumes again 33 mins.

 

[Firia]

Whereas White Knight Chronicals was just released, and dispite watching for it since hearing about it 2.5 years ago, I'm in no rush to get it.

You're missing out on what is sure to be a sleeper hit. The timing for the release of this game is atrocious (between ME2 and FFXIII). But the game is quite good and is heads and tails above the games mentioned by the OP.

I'll get it. I just probably won't get it for a little while. I've got school and Assassins Creed 2 to take care of before I tackle another game.