What JRPGs are Good?
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Yes First Departure and Second Evolution are some of my favorite JRPG's and I must agree with everything you said.Blood_Lined said:
Some I would recommend:
Tactics Ogre: The Knights of Lodis- I have mentioned this game time and time again, why? because it's as brilliant as FF Tactics. Yes it's a SRPG but it's also a JRPG. The Story is shares some similarities to FFT but is still unique in it's own right with an interesting world, characters and mythos. The characters are rather real compared to typical JRPG characters, and they are likable. The gameplay is deep and customizable and anyone thats a fan of FFT will instantly love this GBA classic. It's fucking rare though but if you CAN find it it's just a brilliant hand held RPG.
Which brings me to my next game, FF Tactics: The War of the Lions. Once again absolutely brilliant story and gameplay that rivals that of todays games. The infinite customization is great and it's an SRPG juggernaut that any fan should enjoy.
Bahamut Lagoon is another SRPG/JRPG that is also graced with a great story (although a bit tongue and cheek) and really awesome gameplay. the Party system and Dragon system was really well done and it's incredibly fun. The game was LONG stretching around 30 chapters, each taking a good hour to complete. Unfortunately this never came out of Japan so this is an emulator only game, so pick up that SNES emulator and PLAY!!
Legend Of the Dragoon. Good graphics, unique combat system, and long and enjoyable story. This game was great, too bad so many idiots claimed it was ripping off FF7...load of BS that is.
Final Fantasies 1,4,6,7,9,10 are all really good games; especially 6. You really can't go wrong with them as they offer great unique stories, lovable characters, and have good gameplay mechanics.
The Tales of Series is great for all the same reasons Star Ocean is.
Chrono Trigger doesn't need any explanation.
Disagea for every reason I have given to the other SRPG's here.
I've recently started playing shin megami Tensei and they are rather unique games, more for the hard core fans I find but can still be enjoyable.
If you liked FF7 and have a PSP go get Crisis Core NOW, no....I don't want to hear any excuses, GET IT!! Real time battles, better materia system, lovable protagonist, great intriguing story, it's just awesome. hell since it's a prequel you don't need to be a fan of FF7 to enjoy it, it's able to stand alone from it's big daddy as a great game. You will come to like Zack more than any other FF7 character as he's a rather down to earth, cheerful, and likable guy that you see dramatically change over time. Going from a care free, restless, and light hearted SOLDIER to a mature and far more wise individual due to the experiences that shape him.
Annnd ANOTHER SRPG/JRPG to recommend thats for the PSP is Jeanne D'arc. This game rocks, it takes the classic french tale and mixes it with fantasy elements that make a great and charming story with great characters. It's rather cliche at points, but I found it to have the same charm as Chrono Trigger in that respect. Cliche while still being good. The gameplay is simple but so very polished, and has a fair decent amount of customization.
*catches breath* ok I'll leave it at that for now, I can recommend more later but that list should keep anyone busy for some time
I'd rather not list ones to avoid since I don't wanna offend anyone
Oy. Everyone's gotta make it so difficult, don't they? Not wanting to go on and on about why I think each one of these games is of high quality, I'll just focus on one.Mr. Fahrenheit said:
Chrono Cross...it's good. It's especially high-quality amongs its neglected J-RPG kin because it breaks away from the majority of what people have to complain about J-RPGs.
1.) The battles aren't random. You can clearly see almost every enemy when simply strolling around, and most of the time you can choose to avoid them.
2.) There is virtually no grind. None! No required mindless kill enemies for exp. at all, because you don't level up in the normal way. Every time you beat a boss, you get a 'star point'...and then your stats will increase a bit. As long as you fight bosses, you get stronger. You can proceed with the story as quickly as you like because there's no real downtime between checkpoints.
3.) No dull item management. Instead, you earn the ability to use abilities and healing during battle. No need to brainlessly stock up on Hi-Potions here. Each and every battle is a small challenge about how you should manage what items and abilities you have. There's virtually no need for consumable items, which is good. None of that 'Delve into the dungeon until you realize you have no Antidotes' rig-a-ma-roll.
4.) Your choices actually matter. Most J-RPGs tend to be linear. You may be given question prompt once every while...but a lot of times the game continues as it is regardless of what you choose. Chrono Cross, however, has several ways the story can branch out depending on the decisions you make. Your choices actually matter in this game because it change what bosses you face, or what characters you're able to recruit.
5.) Chrono Cross is one of the few games that uses a silent protagonist well. Every question prompt you get is either there to branch out the story or for the player to project his or her own personality onto the main character.
It's a J-RPG with no random encounters, no grind, and where you actually get to roleplay out a specific personality. It's one of the few J-RPGs that has addressed nearly every single one of the complaints that are so commonly tossed out to J-RPGs...and that's only part of why it's good.
Right now, I'm playing through Eternal Sonata, and to my own great surprise, I'm loving it a LOT. I had held off getting it for a long time because, WTH, a fantasy RPG about Chopin?! I'd heard it was good, and finally bought it, and was hooked almost as soon as I started playing.
The story is really, really interesting, and for me, story is one of the most important parts of a game. The gameplay itself is also really interesting and challenging--it's like a mix of turn-based strategy and real-time, but in a good way. It gradually eases you into making the gameplay more difficult--you started out with infinite 'thinking time' to plan your attack and five seconds of attack time, then when your party levels up, you only get three seconds of thinking time, and your attacking time drops. Each level up puts limits on your attacking time, but you also get things like more inventory slots and more attacks. It's been a long time since I've wanted to fire up a game as soon as I get home every day instead of playing just on the weekends like I normally do.
The only complaint I have about the game is that the world feels so open and like you should be able to run anywhere that being confined to a path by invisible walls breaks immersion. Danggit, why can't I cut across that hill instead of running around it? That, and some places need more monsters, because the lack of them means leveling up takes longer. Other places, it's like, good lord, enough with the monsters already! They need to even it out.
I'm also playing FF7 for the first time, and now that I've gotten past the "gaaah, the graphics suck!" (and before anyone says anything about how old it is, my friends had it when it came out, and I thought the graphics sucked back then) I'm enjoying it. It's a good, solid game, and I see why it's famous.
I also really liked Persona4, even though I haven't finished it yet. It was the first Persona game I played, and I liked how it was set in the modern world. The story is interesting and the characters are engaging as well, and that helps me want to keep playing a game, to see where the story goes. I'm partway through Persona 1 now for the PSP and I'm liking it for the same reasons as Persona4, and I've liked the way Atlus has done things enough that I'm looking at more of their games and am planning to pick up the DS game they just put out.
As for RPGs I've finished, I played both FF3 and FF4 on the DS, and I liked them, but they also made me want to throw the DS across the room a couple of times. FF4 was more the story--the moon? Seriously, guys. The moon?!--but I more blame that on it being an old game. FF3 was an endearing grindfest--that character design is cute beyond words, and only Refia in her geomancer's costume with the cat ears kept me from frothing rage at all the job leveling up I had to do.
I liked the battle system in FF12, and don't get the hate-on a lot of people have for it. The gambit system worked for me. I wasn't as big into the story, since game of thrones type stories do nothing for me, but I liked going around and beating the daylights out of monsters and cooing at the graphics.
I'm looking forward to FF13, but conditionally. I played the demo, and the battle system annoyed me greatly. It wasn't that I was bad at it--I was pulling 4 and 5 star rankings each battle (yes, it grades you after every battle), but that it was clunky. Targeting was a ***** and the way it handled commands made me want to scream. SE says they're cleaning both of those up for the full release, so we'll see. I did not like the way the game play handled, but the story seemed interesting and the world is frellin' gorgeous, and the things I hated about the demo gameplay they say they're going to fix, so we'll see. I'm definitely getting it on release, but I'm not as excited as I had been. That said, I'm still chomping at the bit for Versus, especially after seeing the trailer.
The story is really, really interesting, and for me, story is one of the most important parts of a game. The gameplay itself is also really interesting and challenging--it's like a mix of turn-based strategy and real-time, but in a good way. It gradually eases you into making the gameplay more difficult--you started out with infinite 'thinking time' to plan your attack and five seconds of attack time, then when your party levels up, you only get three seconds of thinking time, and your attacking time drops. Each level up puts limits on your attacking time, but you also get things like more inventory slots and more attacks. It's been a long time since I've wanted to fire up a game as soon as I get home every day instead of playing just on the weekends like I normally do.
The only complaint I have about the game is that the world feels so open and like you should be able to run anywhere that being confined to a path by invisible walls breaks immersion. Danggit, why can't I cut across that hill instead of running around it? That, and some places need more monsters, because the lack of them means leveling up takes longer. Other places, it's like, good lord, enough with the monsters already! They need to even it out.
I'm also playing FF7 for the first time, and now that I've gotten past the "gaaah, the graphics suck!" (and before anyone says anything about how old it is, my friends had it when it came out, and I thought the graphics sucked back then) I'm enjoying it. It's a good, solid game, and I see why it's famous.
I also really liked Persona4, even though I haven't finished it yet. It was the first Persona game I played, and I liked how it was set in the modern world. The story is interesting and the characters are engaging as well, and that helps me want to keep playing a game, to see where the story goes. I'm partway through Persona 1 now for the PSP and I'm liking it for the same reasons as Persona4, and I've liked the way Atlus has done things enough that I'm looking at more of their games and am planning to pick up the DS game they just put out.
As for RPGs I've finished, I played both FF3 and FF4 on the DS, and I liked them, but they also made me want to throw the DS across the room a couple of times. FF4 was more the story--the moon? Seriously, guys. The moon?!--but I more blame that on it being an old game. FF3 was an endearing grindfest--that character design is cute beyond words, and only Refia in her geomancer's costume with the cat ears kept me from frothing rage at all the job leveling up I had to do.
I liked the battle system in FF12, and don't get the hate-on a lot of people have for it. The gambit system worked for me. I wasn't as big into the story, since game of thrones type stories do nothing for me, but I liked going around and beating the daylights out of monsters and cooing at the graphics.
I'm looking forward to FF13, but conditionally. I played the demo, and the battle system annoyed me greatly. It wasn't that I was bad at it--I was pulling 4 and 5 star rankings each battle (yes, it grades you after every battle), but that it was clunky. Targeting was a ***** and the way it handled commands made me want to scream. SE says they're cleaning both of those up for the full release, so we'll see. I did not like the way the game play handled, but the story seemed interesting and the world is frellin' gorgeous, and the things I hated about the demo gameplay they say they're going to fix, so we'll see. I'm definitely getting it on release, but I'm not as excited as I had been. That said, I'm still chomping at the bit for Versus, especially after seeing the trailer.
The World Ends With You is probalbly the best ds game of all time. The storyline is simply brilliant, at first it's slow but it gets amazing. Also it has hours upon hours of bonus material to unlock the true story after you beat the game. On top of everything is the amazing combet system, a game that uses both screens, the d-pad/abxy buttons, and the stylus at the same time is enough to make the game great. Even after you beat the game completely (including all bonus material) its still fun to play just for the combat. Not to mention it brought the most awesome villian of all time to the world, Sho Minamoto (see avatar) not only does he have awesome lines his whole personality is amazing! Speaking of personality's every charecter has a very well defined one and has thier own quirks and ticks. Throughout the story the main charecter's (Neku Sakuraba) personality and way of thinking is established, but it also changes. If you have a DS definatly get this game, i havn't met anyone dissapointed with it.
More Recently for Me is Persona 3 some already said 4 but I haven;t played it just yet. First game in a long time where I've adored the characters and loved the combat even if it gets a little repetitive, it's immersive,also It's the only game in my recent memory where I have dropped 40 hour not even realizing it.
Also any of the tales Games but Vesperia is a must-buy if you own the 360, it's polished the real time battles to a almost mirror shine and the main character Yuri is awesome in every sense of the word. The entire cast can be hit or miss and the story is not the best but the combat is like I said amazing. Symphonia is good but watch out for Legendia it's not every tales fan's cup of tea. Abyss is supposed to be good too but i haven't personally played it.
Also should give a shout out to FF6 for solid Active Time Battle system and the story.Also Kefka is still one of the greatest RPG Villains know. He;s the kinda guy that would gut a the waiter at the IHOP for bring him the right order. He's cunning and awesome is what I"m trying to get at and delightfully bat-shit insane.
That's just my opinion though
Also any of the tales Games but Vesperia is a must-buy if you own the 360, it's polished the real time battles to a almost mirror shine and the main character Yuri is awesome in every sense of the word. The entire cast can be hit or miss and the story is not the best but the combat is like I said amazing. Symphonia is good but watch out for Legendia it's not every tales fan's cup of tea. Abyss is supposed to be good too but i haven't personally played it.
Also should give a shout out to FF6 for solid Active Time Battle system and the story.Also Kefka is still one of the greatest RPG Villains know. He;s the kinda guy that would gut a the waiter at the IHOP for bring him the right order. He's cunning and awesome is what I"m trying to get at and delightfully bat-shit insane.
That's just my opinion though
Not to mention he has the best villain music ever, no I'm not talking about Dancing mad, the OTHER one. Thats the kind of music that just tells you how evil he is, it fits him so well and even parallels his actual progression through the game. Still sends chills down my spine whenever I hear it...and...sorta makes me want to kill kittens....UncleUlty said:
Ahhh, I knew I was going to get called out on that one. Yes, I know there are females in the story. But in actuality how many do you fight with? How many of these women are in your party and actively battling with you? Compare that to how many male characters you fight with. The only playable woman in the entire game is Mulan. I'm not saying that women didn't have some part in the story, but you never get to know them and, exception to one, you never get to fight with them.Onmi said:
How could you deny that anyone wearing black or titled a 'nobody' and given a robe were not immediately shot dead and that the entire plot, outside of amnesia, revolved around how no one wanted them around? How the main black-clothed 'nobodies' try to give themselves a reason to live, try to find a reason to strive in this world, and your main purpose is to snuff them out? This is even something you accomplish. Mickey Mouse sneaked into their clique and you thought that he suddenly became evil simply through wearing a black robe and hanging out with the unwanted crowd.
And don't worry, I'm not including any other KH games. I'm not one of those people that hate an entire series due to one game. This is completely singling out KH2. I liked KH1, and believe it had more character and thought put into it than 2. In fact, I liked the Hundred Acre Woods thing in the first game. It was pleasant. Haven't played the others yet and hold nothing against them.
Why play a JRPG when I could just open up a nice spreadsheet on Excel, play some Asian pop music, and make my wife wear a set of cat ears and a nice stripped tail?
Man oh Man, I love Thursday nights!
Man oh Man, I love Thursday nights!
I'll admit that I was thinking about actually getting Kingdom Hearts, that is UNTIL I learned that you had to play the game with ALL the major Disney characters. I backed up literally when I learned that whinny the Pooh and Donald Duck were main characters. Not interested.Onmi said:
Oh come off it; you can safely diss a game that you are certain no one likes. Like Shadow Madness. Have you ever played Shadow Madness? Absolutely terrible, buggy game. People on this forum will not be offended, they will simply have more to talk about.-Seraph- said:I'd rather not list ones to avoid since I don't wanna offend anyone
More than anything else it just creeps me out, I don't even know what the target age range is supposed to be. Next thing is going to be the tellitubbies and care bears with flame throwers, which way is it supposed to go?quack35 said:
