Recommend me a JRPG

[Schwaltzvald]

@0:10

Interestingly enough there's a remake of it for the PSP, though only in Japanese for now. Maybe there will be an english release for it on the PSN for those that missed it when it came out on the PS2.

CORRECTION: My mistake as I just looked at the product description and the pics included. It's named Devil Summoner but it looks to be a remake of Soul Hackers for the PSP in Japanese for now. Man I hope to see it translated here. Same name wtf

Edited February 8, 2011 by Schwaltzvald

[Hawkwing]

I stopped reading when people kept mentioning the standard Chrono Trigger and Secret of Mana, like you don't already know what those games are.

I'd go with the first two Star Ocean remakes on the PSP.

Why?

Multiple story paths/endings.

In depth characters that can be explored through "private action" sequences throughout the game.

FUN FUN FUN battle system.

Unique ability/tech system.

Beautiful graphics.

Downside... HORRIBLE VOICE ACTING =(

[Thalzon]

Costume Quest, because it's a simple, fun game with a unique concept. Yes, it's not strictly a JRPG, but it has similar mechanics to one.

[Top Gun]

You can try the remake of Chrono Trigger for the DS.

IMO it features all the components you are looking for: Complex battle system, characters that are not always cliché, the storyline is very interesting.

Dunno if I totally missed the spot, just an idea here.

cheers.

This. I pretty much dislike the very concept of most JRPGs for all of the reasons mentioned in the original post (though I'm an anime fan...go figure), but I utterly enjoyed Chrono Trigger on the DS. The characters have legitimately fun personalities, the story is this great time-hopping epic adventure, the battle system is fairly simple yet enjoyable, and as you can probably tell just from this site, the soundtrack is one of the best ever composed for a game. Best of all, at least from my perspective, there's absolutely no grinding required to progress through the story; when you get to a certain boss, so long as you haven't fled every single battle ever, you'll be at the level you need to beat them. Also, absolutely NO world-map random encounter bullshit, and amazingly enough, the characters not in your current three level up at the same rate as the ones you are using. Glory be. I'm not really eager to try any other RPG after playing Chrono Trigger (though I do have at least some urge to try FFVI), because I feel like it's spoiled me by not having any of the issues I associate with the genre.

[EC2151]

well then play Super Mario RPG for the SNES because that's like Chrono Trigger but with Mario.

[The Coop]

Well, I'd recommend a few, but chances are they fall into at least one area of your "weeding out" criteria. Games like the Phantasy Star saga (I-IV), Grandia II, Lunar: The Silver Star Story, Lunar: Eternal Blue, Vay, Skies of Arcadia, the Eye of the Beholder saga, Dragon Age: Origins... things like that.

[Crowbar Man]

Earthbound (Mother 2) and/or Mother 3 (Fan Translation)

SNES/GBA respectively

No random battles (See your enemy before you fight them)

Bizzare stories

Looks deceptively silly but has a ton of heart

Amazing soundtrack

Edited February 9, 2011 by Crowbar Man

[MisterBiggler]

Legend of Legaia for PSX if you can find a copy. i heard about it back when i was in HS from a friend who loved JRPGs. he described the combat system as a mix between final fantasy and Street Fighter. i could describe it better but it's just easier if you see it for yourself. here, check out this boss fight:

i watched him play for 20 mins and i was hooked; after borrowing it from him, i pumped something like 95 hours into the game.

the game itself does have traditional jrpg elements (character design, random battles, plot about kid coming into his destiny to save the world etc) but it's a great game and i really enjoyed playing it. the battle system is one of my favorites to date, and the voice acting in battle scenes are also well done.

other than this, i'll mirror recs for super mario rpg and all of the paper mario games, earthbound/mother, 2 and mother 3.

[Schwaltzvald]

I'll mirror recs for super mario rpg and all of the paper mario games, earthbound/mother, 2 and mother 3.

Cmon everyone puts up Giygas any ways

- You really should play this Proph as it's quite good.

Edited February 9, 2011 by Schwaltzvald

[Legion303]

Due to your criteria, you can already toss out about 80% of all JRPGs out there.

^ This. And:

Like Bardic said, Chrono Trigger is probably one of the better JRPGs you can grab.

^ That.

I hate JRPGs. And I really hate FF, so my tastes probably won't align with yours. But CT was fantastic, as was Secret of Mana. Either will run perfectly on SNES9X on pretty much any platform you have.

If you like tactics games, or even if you don't (I don't), anything from the Disgaea series is awesome. It's hard to describe in a short post, but the humor is very accessible even while being very Japanese for the most part. All the games give you the option to hear the original Japanese voiceovers with subs, or dubbed in English. The storylines are decent, the music is great and the leveling system is incredibly complex, yet with easy-to-grasp basics. I spent about 150 hours each in the first two games on the PSP and am around 10 hours in on the third, for PS3 (also on PSP, actually, thanks to Remote Play).

[Brushfire]

All JRPGs are terrible.

Cept Mass Effect if you play an asian chick.

[Schwaltzvald]

All JRPGs are terrible.

Cept Mass Effect if you play an asian chick.

By the same token I was bored with Mass Effect, the hype it had as well as my personal experience with a borrowed copy of the game did not match at all.

on the other hand, imo, was poorly hyped and advertised, technically is a JRPG, yet provided me so much more entertainment than anything ME or ME2 could ever show for.

All the more reason I wait eagerly for

to come out. Edited February 9, 2011 by Schwaltzvald

[Palpable]

I'll third Golden Sun 1+2. The characters are cute and the story is decent, but the visuals and music are great, and the puzzle-solving aspects of the game really set it apart from most RPGs. I found the games extremely fun and rewarding. I don't think you ever have to grind.

Golden Sun: Dark Dawn just came out for DS and they put pretty much no effort into updating the game. The puzzles are very similar to the first two games, except easier , and the storyline is worse. Visuals are excellent though. Wouldn't recommend this game unless you're already a fan of the series.

But if you haven't played Chrono Trigger... just go play that before anything else. That game gets everything right.

[prophetik music]

dhsu - Vagrant Story sounds very interesting. i really enjoyed the storyline of other Ivalice-based games, so i think that i'll give that a try on my PSP. i thought i heard about a port being released...?

luhnny - played CT like seven times. loved it. not interested in playing again, though.

rozo - are you talking about SD3?

nick - never got into the DQ games. thought about picking them up, never got around to it. is there a specific progression that you should/need to do? or is it more like the FF games where it's a general direction instead of a direct sequel?

bardic - i've played all of the FF games. wasn't as big of a fan of IX, though, mainly because of the idiocy of some of the characters. the storyline not making much sense at all - like the final few hours are insanely strange - didn't help.

dhsu - i'll look into grandia II as well.

malaki - i'm planning on trying tactics ogre when it comes out on PSP later this year. played XIII and really enjoyed the battle system and graphics - too bad that vanille and the kid were annoying as hell. lightning and fang were a refreshing change of pace, though, and snow wasn't as bad as he could have been.

gario - Bowser's Inside Story is a jrpg?

emperor - played the fire emblem series - LOVED it. i've played every single game, gotten through every battle without losing a character what i've seen of phantasy star doesn't interest me, though. as for lost odyssey, that's the 360 game with 80hrs of storyline gameplay, right? i'm just afraid to go into that one =) i've got knights in the nightmare sitting around on my flashcart for my DS, so i'll check that out too.

jonnas - i should point out that while FFT is one of my favorite games, the advance versions drive me INSANE. the added element of rules per battle drive me batty, and the main character - particularly in the second one - is an imbecile. i finally got to the point where i said, "this isn't fun...why am i playing it?" i tried covenant of the plume, but i died like a hundred times in the second major battle, about an hour in. is that supposed to happen? was i missing something?

hawkwing - actually, i've never played SoM. so there i've got those two SO remakes on my PSP and just never got around to playing them. i'll take a look when i get a chance...with the sound off.

guro/emperor - ok, super mario RPG emulated, here i come.

coop - actually, i loved DA:O, DA:O:A, and all of the DLC. can't not play bioware games.

legion303 - i hated disgaea, actually. i don't like it when writers write people to be stupid. people don't act like that - where did that convention come from? it drives me bonkers.

brushfire - i herd u liek mudkips

whew! thanks for all the input so far, people. you all are awesome.

edit: i tried playing the GBA rom of Golden Sun on my PSP's emulator, and it hard-crashes within five minutes of starting the game. so i put it down and never touched it again. not sure why it crashed so much.

[Schwaltzvald]

i hated disgaea, actually. i don't like it when writers write people to be stupid. people don't act like that - where did that convention come from?

I see the same stupidity every day around work and elsewhere so I'm not surprised by it. People can and do act like it, just depends on where you are and time.

As for the convention well...

[Tensei]

I don't know what it is with the Golden Sun suggestions but those games pretty much embody almost every dealbreaker prophet posted in the OP. The exposition is like an hour of talking, they literally don't spare a single jrpg/anime cliche, and the characters are bland as hell to boot.

I'll suggest Live-a-live, which is a semi-obscure Square RPG for SNES that was never released outside of Japan (but has fan-translations available). Game is split into a number of chapters which can be completed in any order, each in a different setting, and each with differing characters and gameplay elements. Completing them all unlocks a final chapter that ties all the previous ones together in a pretty spectacular fashion. Great soundtrack by Yoko Shimomura as well.

Edited February 9, 2011 by Tensei

[DarkeSword]

I don't know what it is with the Golden Sun suggestions but those games pretty much embody almost every dealbreaker prophet posted in the OP. The exposition is like an hour of talking, they literally don't spare a single jrpg/anime cliche, and the characters are bland as hell to boot.

I'll suggest Live-a-live, which is a semi-obscure Square RPG for SNES that was never released outside of Japan (but has fan-translations available). Game is split into a number of chapters which can be completed in any order, each in a different setting, and each with differing characters and gameplay elements. Completing them all unlocks a final chapter that ties all the previous ones together in a pretty spectacular fashion. Great soundtrack by Yoko Shimomura as well.

Yes on both counts, especially on the latter. Live A Live's soundtrack is one of my favorites.

[Jonnas]

To my surprise, you seem to be fairly experienced in JRPGs.

gario - Bowser's Inside Story is a jrpg?

I knew I had forgotten something. The Mario & Luigi series are great fun, a very enjoyable spin on the JRPG genre. I'd recommend starting with Superstar Saga, but Bowser's Inside Story is great on its own right (and don't worry, you don't need to play one to get the other). Partners in Time is bit weaker due to less humour, but still good.

In a side note, Paper Mario is also awesome. I have yet to play Thousand Year door, but the first one is just classy.

jonnas - i should point out that while FFT is one of my favorite games, the advance versions drive me INSANE. the added element of rules per battle drive me batty, and the main character - particularly in the second one - is an imbecile. i finally got to the point where i said, "this isn't fun...why am i playing it?" i tried covenant of the plume, but i died like a hundred times in the second major battle, about an hour in. is that supposed to happen? was i missing something?

If you're talking about Marche...I agree If you're talking about FFTA2... Then I wouldn't know

About Covenant of the Plume... there are a few very difficult missions in the game, yes. They're temptation for you to use the plume, and go down the "evil" path (the "no sacrifices" path is very hard without a New Game+, actually). Beating them without sacrifices is quite possible, but only recommended when you are better used to the game's mechanics.

That second major battle you faced, was it against a blond lancer called Earnest? If so, yes, that battle is unforgiving. There are other paths you can take, though. Or you can even use the plume, trying the "good path" at a later time.

[EC2151]

I actually love Disgaea BECAUSE it's so over the top and wacky, but it IS, much like Golden Sun and Dragon Quest, everything prophetik does NOT want in an RPG.

And he means Luso from FFTA2. His stupidity is what made me give up on FFTA2 40 hours in, when I finally had the epiphany that in all that time, absolutely nothing had happened.

Marche at least had an interesting conflict set up with him and his friends. Luso was just like WELL I'M IN THIS FANTASY WORLD AWAY FROM ALL MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY WHATEVER LOL I'LL JUST HAVE A GOOD TIME WOOO

Plus the fact that he accepts at face value fighting a giant chicken without surprise at the beginning of the game annoyed the hell out of me.

Edited February 9, 2011 by EC2151

[anosou]

Resonance of Fate. Go!

[Schwaltzvald]

And he means Luso from FFTA2. His stupidity is what made me give up on FFTA2 40 hours in, when I finally had the epiphany that in all that time, absolutely nothing had happened.

Marche at least had an interesting conflict set up with him and his friends. Luso was just like WELL I'M IN THIS FANTASY WORLD AWAY FROM ALL MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY WHATEVER LOL I'LL JUST HAVE A GOOD TIME WOOO

Plus the fact that he accepts at face value fighting a giant chicken without surprise at the beginning of the game annoyed the hell out of me.

Okay yeah that actually grated me somewhat, though I pretty much found myself ignoring that and simply enjoying the battles.

[Jonnas]

Marche at least had an interesting conflict set up with him and his friends. Luso was just like WELL I'M IN THIS FANTASY WORLD AWAY FROM ALL MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY WHATEVER LOL I'LL JUST HAVE A GOOD TIME WOOO

Ah, I see. I didn't like Marche because he was actively trying to doom an entire world, without explaining his reasons properly. I mean, I appreciate the message of "escapism is bad", but there are many things wrong in applying it to that situation, and when others called him out on it, he just said "No! You're wrong and I'm right!". A case of bad writing, I guess.

Meanwhile, that Luso fellow sounds like the kind of idiot I don't like. It's okay if the hero's idiocy comes from optimistic idealism (like in Tales of Symphonia), but there are so many idiot protagonists which are simply stupid, it's insulting.

[EC2151]

Well you can make the argument that the world was in fact the expression of a malevolent entity's evil will and that was actually really dangerous and needed to be checked, but the problem is, like Marche or any of the others never really knew that till far far into the end.

It didn't help that most of the characters in FFTA were written so blandly (and in FFTA2 everyone is double-bland). I think good writing could have made it into quite the worthy successor to the FFT name. I still think it's great.

[prophetik music]

I don't know what it is with the Golden Sun suggestions but those games pretty much embody almost every dealbreaker prophet posted in the OP. The exposition is like an hour of talking, they literally don't spare a single jrpg/anime cliche, and the characters are bland as hell to boot.

I'll suggest Live-a-live, which is a semi-obscure Square RPG for SNES that was never released outside of Japan (but has fan-translations available). Game is split into a number of chapters which can be completed in any order, each in a different setting, and each with differing characters and gameplay elements. Completing them all unlocks a final chapter that ties all the previous ones together in a pretty spectacular fashion. Great soundtrack by Yoko Shimomura as well.

is live-a-live pronounced lih-ve or lie-ve?

[Soma]

I actually love Disgaea BECAUSE it's so over the top and wacky, but it IS, much like Golden Sun and Dragon Quest, everything prophetik does NOT want in an RPG.

And he means Luso from FFTA2. His stupidity is what made me give up on FFTA2 40 hours in, when I finally had the epiphany that in all that time, absolutely nothing had happened.

Marche at least had an interesting conflict set up with him and his friends. Luso was just like WELL I'M IN THIS FANTASY WORLD AWAY FROM ALL MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY WHATEVER LOL I'LL JUST HAVE A GOOD TIME WOOO

Plus the fact that he accepts at face value fighting a giant chicken without surprise at the beginning of the game annoyed the hell out of me.

I never played FFTA2 but I did unlock Luso in FFT on the PSP. From what you said he seems to have pretty much the same amount of character progression and attitude in FFT than he did in his own game.