General Role-Playing Game Thread

[dallow]

Thought I'd pass this along for those interested.

SO4 for the PS3 (as pictured above) will have 6 audio languages on the disc, including English, as well as multiple text languages like the 360 version.
So it's very import friendly.

It's pretty much the Japanese and NA version mixed together (with options to choose which style) and added bonuses.

[62t]

I would be very shock if the US version of SO4 for PS3 isnt out around the same time as the Japanese version

[ChibiJosh]

SO4 is being released worldwide sameday
http://kotaku.com/5360991/star-ocean-the-last-hope-ps3-really-is-international

[dallow]

That's actually surprising to me.

Though, Gamefly did have SO4 listed for PS3 some time back, and they're never wrong.

[JEKKI]

oh hellz yeay. NIS America once again raising the bar on english VA.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1F5ImyUMbLQ

also, http://www.famitsu.com/game/news/1227498_1124.html <-- hype.

[Chibi_Kaji]

Thank god for the option to use Japanese voices... Becuase if that voice is anywhere in the game I'll definitely need them.

[willardhaven]

The gameplay videos look bad and the Japanese voice acting is just as annoying as the English. No thanks.

[62t]

The gameplay videos look bad and the Japanese voice acting is just as annoying as the English. No thanks.

Sakura Wars is the most popular SRPG series in Japan. The gameplay is good even if the trailer isnt amazing

[willardhaven]

Dating sims are huge in Japan too, it doesn't mean they are good games. It might be decent, but I am not a big fan of SRPGs and the generic anime theme doesn't thrill me.

[62t]

If you dont like SRPG it probably not your type of game. However some of us waited over 10 years to finally able to play a game from the series in English

[Chibi_Kaji]

The gameplay videos look bad and the Japanese voice acting is just as annoying as the English. No thanks.
As long as I don't have to ever hear "y'all" I'm fine with it.

[dr_illingsworth]

I'm pretty pumped for Sakura Wars.

I'm also very disappointed with Microsoft right now. I just got to disc 4 of Lost Odyssey and it won't go more than 4 loading screens without freezing. I called MS and they are shipping me a new disc 4, no questions asked. But do they really think I can just put an RPG on hold for 2+ weeks? Maybe I'll rent it. Maybe I'll try to take advantage of Gamestop's return policy.

I see that I'm not the only one who had problems with disc 4. Any advice?

[pete5883]

Have you installed it?

[LostRoad]

I'm pretty pumped for Sakura Wars.

I'm also very disappointed with Microsoft right now. I just got to disc 4 of Lost Odyssey and it won't go more than 4 loading screens without freezing. I called MS and they are shipping me a new disc 4, no questions asked. But do they really think I can just put an RPG on hold for 2+ weeks? Maybe I'll rent it. Maybe I'll try to take advantage of Gamestop's return policy.

I see that I'm not the only one who had problems with disc 4. Any advice?

How did you get them to ship you a new one, they wanted me to pay $20 for a new disk four.

[dr_illingsworth]

I got an arcade so I can't install it. I really liked the lack of a hard drive, until now...

I saw on the Disc Replacement Order Form it said US $20. I thought that was bullcrap so I called MS technical support (800-469-9269). I expected to have to argue with someone but I just had to give them my 360's serial number and register my console. I didn't even have to prove that I owned Lost Odyssey. The hardest part was connecting to a human.

[Zmonkay]

Maybe I'll try to take advantage of Gamestop's return policy.

I've done this before. When I get games during b2g1, I often don't play them for much, much later (hell, I've still got games from 3 years ago I haven't touched...), so if I start one and it won't play due to scratches, I don't feel guilty taking advantage of GS's used return policy. Just swap that bitch!

Also, anyone think it is possible to play Legend of Mana without a guide? I'm using the official one (finally tracked one down!) and the events are so random, I don't know if most people would do them all, or do them correctly, without the guide. Fun little game though if you don't take it too seriously.

[willardhaven]

I've been playing Secret of Mana on the Wii with some friends. It's a whole new experience when you play it multiplayer. It was one of my favorites growing up and it still remains great (despite the poor translation).

[Flak]

Persona tomorrow, who else is picking it up?

[Zmonkay]

That all depends on what FW it uses. If it's like my copy of Disgaea 2 and just collecting dust... (Don't wanna lose my 'brew!). Doubt I could be so lucky...

[Rei no Otaku]

Persona tomorrow, who else is picking it up?
Persona is Wednesday.

[kainzero]

Also, anyone think it is possible to play Legend of Mana without a guide? I'm using the official one (finally tracked one down!) and the events are so random, I don't know if most people would do them all, or do them correctly, without the guide. Fun little game though if you don't take it too seriously.
I did a first playthrough without a guide, it was okay. Once you know your way around it's really fun. The Jumi storyline is one of the better ones.

I actually feel the same way about SaGa Frontier and Romancing SaGa, a guide is necessary to really enjoy the game.

[fatbeer]

oh hellz yeay. NIS America once again raising the bar on english VA.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1F5ImyUMbLQ

also, http://www.famitsu.com/game/news/1227498_1124.html <-- hype.

Wow. What's the deal with the over-the-top western accent? It must be the cowboy hat power. Not even Wild Arms series will take it that far. Voice acting is bad, but not incredibly bad. After playing so many Japanese niche games I'm starting to get used to bad dubs.

[JEKKI]

aww Im at work so I cant watch but...

http://www.destructoid.com/tgs-09-resonance-of-fate-gets-a-trailer-149472.phtml

SO HYPE for this game!!

[willardhaven]

aww Im at work so I cant watch but...

http://www.destructoid.com/tgs-09-resonance-of-fate-gets-a-trailer-149472.phtml

SO HYPE for this game!!

Everything that is wrong with JRPGs... sad to say it's from Tri-Ace. I like their action battles, not freeze-framing every minute to watch another minute of bullets and flipping.

[Chibi_Kaji]

Damn, Amazon just sent me a message saying the the release date for Sakura Wars changed to April...

[chibamm]

aww Im at work so I cant watch but...

http://www.destructoid.com/tgs-09-resonance-of-fate-gets-a-trailer-149472.phtml

SO HYPE for this game!!

Pretty cool trailer.

Willard, I know you're entitled to your opinion and everything but....why do you hate everything? Second, why do you say the game is everything that is wrong with JRPGs? Just curious.

[willardhaven]

It is overly ornate in every sense of the word. I don't hate everything... I'm just sick of the trajectory of video games for the most part. I might even like Resonance of Fate, I am just not excited by what looks like an interactive cut scene game.

I hate the overuse of cut scenes, tutorials, endless dialogue (Super Paper Mario) and any other filler in my games.

[Flak]

Persona is Wednesday.
You might be right, it says the 22nd (today, Tuesday) everywhere but my TRU didn't get a copy in today when I went. Weird.

[Rei no Otaku]

22nd was the ship date. I actually got my copy yesterday (Gamestop) but we had a good number of preorders so that's probably why. Most places aren't going to have it until today though.

[willardhaven]

I'm thinking of trying Odin Sphere again since I'm on an action kick. Did the black label version ship with the cheaper new PS2 game cases or just the Greatest Hits?

[Flak]

I talked to a surprisingly knowledgeable young lady at Toys R Us. She said TRU wouldn't be getting the game as they don't typically get niche titles like Persona. Sounds reasonable since I didn't see it on their website at all.

Bummer though that I can't use my gift card on it. Is it just the first run that comes bundled with the OST? I don't really have the money to support this right now so I have to wait until it gets cheaper.

[willardhaven]

I wish they would have done a PS2 version with the Persona 3 engine. It would surpass 3 and 4 since it has demon negotiating and no dating simulator. Even a PS3 version with 1 and both parts of 2 using the Persona 3 engine would be awesome.

[dr_illingsworth]

I'm thinking of trying Odin Sphere again since I'm on an action kick. Did the black label version ship with the cheaper new PS2 game cases or just the Greatest Hits?

I'm no case connoisseur, but my black label case looks normal as any other PS2 game.

Out of curiosity, what is different about the "cheaper new cases?"

[willardhaven]

No memory card holder. I just prefer the ones that do.

[ChibiJosh]

I'm thinking of trying Odin Sphere again since I'm on an action kick. Did the black label version ship with the cheaper new PS2 game cases or just the Greatest Hits?

My black label has the cheaper case.

[dr_illingsworth]

Now that you mention it, my Soul Nomad is in a cheaper case.

That game sucked.

[Rei no Otaku]

I wish they would have done a PS2 version with the Persona 3 engine. It would surpass 3 and 4 since it has demon negotiating and no dating simulator. Even a PS3 version with 1 and both parts of 2 using the Persona 3 engine would be awesome.
So by taking out one of the best parts of P3 and P4 that made it unique, and adding an element that is completely random and annoying at times would make it better than the two best games in the series?

[willardhaven]

I like talking to demons in Nocturne...

Maybe I should have said put them on par with the latter games. I don't like the life simulator part of P3 and 4 but I do still think they're better than earlier Persona games. I hate the battle system in P1 and 2.

[JEKKI]

Everything that is wrong with JRPGs... sad to say it's from Tri-Ace. I like their action battles, not freeze-framing every minute to watch another minute of bullets and flipping.dang man why u so salty?!?!

I saw the trailer, it's jus characters interacting with other characters... what's wrong with humans??

u hate ppl or something? freakin egg man, maybe u should go play a furry mmo instead.

[willardhaven]

Haha no I was referring to the gameplay trailer, I thought that's what you posted. I am really forgiving when it comes to Tri-Ace but I hate all the freeze-framing and acrobatics while shooting.

[icebeast]

Personally I'm kind of up in the air about End of Eternity (Resonance of Fate), what I've read about the plot makes me really interested in the story.

But I kind of agree with Willard from the gameplay footage I've seen I'm not really sold on the combat system, my major complaint though is that it seems like all anybody does for combat in the game is fire a different type of gun which just seems kind of stale to me.

Also I think that the setting and the character designs are really generic from an artistic point of view; though I'm sure there is more to the game than has been shown in videos so far.

Chances are I'll probably still get the game though, because I think if the story is well developed it will be really interesting.

[blueshinra]

Didn't see the Sakura Wars trailer until today when I got an email from NIS about it. OH MY GOD THE VOICE ACTING D: I think if I pick it up, I'll play the Japanese-voiced disk.

However, I still have no idea how the game is actually played, as the trailer didn't show very much at all in that respect, nor have the screenshots I've seen...

End of Eternity/Resonance of Fate looks a little low-budget, but also interesting.

Meh, I've got too many RPGs to play as it is.

Out of curiosity, what is different about the "cheaper new cases?"
Aside from the aforementioned lack of a memory card holder, they also feel somewhat flimsier than the older cases.

[kainzero]

Everything that is wrong with JRPGs... sad to say it's from Tri-Ace.
i don't know what planet you're on...

but tri-ace has consistently been delivering JRPGs that are cliche and boring, after Valkyrie Profile.

i watched my friend play through the ending of infinite undiscovery and just from the last 10 minutes of the game i already understood the entire plot. i even knew the backstory for all the characters based on their costume and the 2 lines they said.

[chibamm]

Alright, it seems that Valkyrie Profile is going with Final Fantasy XII. I just can't get into VP, at all. IMO, the whole game seems so....disconnected. After getting frustrated I read a review of the game to see if anyone else felt the same way. And of course, the internet is able to find you someone to agree with :)
Well the reviewer made a point about the dungeons, and how they were not connected to the plot in anyway. Call me lame, but I think that's the main reason I didn't like it. I'm all about grinding it out to gain some exp and all. But through me some dungeons I gotta get through to get to a boss that pertains to the plot.
Plus, I could really give two craps about all these little side stories. Are they interconnected some way? D
Am I crazy for not liking this game?
I read another review, he said that if you liked Xenogears that you'd like this game.
What?
I LOVE Xenogears. I may be partial to it because it's a game that I played in my early teen and teenage years, and we all grow partial to games that we grow up with. But VP and Xenogears are in to completely different leagues IMO. I could see the battle system being a bit similar but that is about all.
So, am I crazy? Willard? Help me!!

[willardhaven]

but tri-ace has consistently been delivering JRPGs that are cliche and boring, after Valkyrie Profile.


Infinite Undiscovery is not very good, but all of their games have pretty original battle systems. Valkyrie Profile and Radiata Stories (although everyone hates it) have pretty original settings and gameplay. Infinite Undiscovery may be unpolished and kind of lame, but the ideas in it are pretty original.

[ChibiJosh]

I just noticed that amazon doesn't have White Knight Chronicles up for preorder. I thought it was supposed to come out early next year. It's one of the only non-portable RPGs I'm looking forward to in the near future.

[willardhaven]

I can't believe it's taking them this long to localize it. It didn't look great to me but it's the biggest exclusive RPG PS3 has.

[kainzero]

Infinite Undiscovery is not very good, but all of their games have pretty original battle systems. Valkyrie Profile and Radiata Stories (although everyone hates it) have pretty original settings and gameplay. Infinite Undiscovery may be unpolished and kind of lame, but the ideas in it are pretty original.
Every Tri-Ace game ends with a battle with a God.
Radiata Stories = hype for ideas that were done a long time ago. You want scheduling? Check Ultima 6 and Ultima 7, date of release 1990 and 1992.
And I dunno, the more ridiculous battle systems get, the more detached they feel from the story. Like, HERE IS PLOT, and then, HERE IS BATTLE and they never seem to mix, like you can be doin 500-hit combos and fighting 30 people but then when 4 soldiers surround your party you gotta surrender.

Alright, it seems that Valkyrie Profile is going with Final Fantasy XII. I just can't get into VP, at all. IMO, the whole game seems so....disconnected. After getting frustrated I read a review of the game to see if anyone else felt the same way. And of course, the internet is able to find you someone to agree with :)
Well the reviewer made a point about the dungeons, and how they were not connected to the plot in anyway. Call me lame, but I think that's the main reason I didn't like it. I'm all about grinding it out to gain some exp and all. But through me some dungeons I gotta get through to get to a boss that pertains to the plot.
Plus, I could really give two craps about all these little side stories. Are they interconnected some way?
1: You don't need to grind. Even when you pick up a new character, just stick him in your party and when you get to a new dungeon, you have him fight a couple battles and he's already up to speed. You can skip the cave of origins or whatever those dungeons are that pop up in every chapter.
2: There's a central plot but it really defers to the side stories. I think a lot of them are really well written. That's why I liked VP and not VP2, because VP was more of a collection of small stories instead of one big overarching plot.

[willardhaven]

Every Tri-Ace game ends with a battle with a God.
Radiata Stories = hype for ideas that were done a long time ago. You want scheduling? Check Ultima 6 and Ultima 7, date of release 1990 and 1992.
And I dunno, the more ridiculous battle systems get, the more detached they feel from the story. Like, HERE IS PLOT, and then, HERE IS BATTLE and they never seem to mix, like you can be doin 500-hit combos and fighting 30 people but then when 4 soldiers surround your party you gotta surrender.

How is something from the early 90's a cliche? Also, every game with separate battle screens is disjointed. It's a stupid practice that I dislike as well. I've said many times before, the story doesn't really matter if the game is fun. You are a fan of Dragon Quest... the stories in that game are basically just fetch quests. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with that, just saying that a game experience is not parallel to its narrative. I get into a lot of arguments with JRPG people because I just want a fun game with exploration and adventure... not a CG Japanese drama cartoon.

[Chibi_Kaji]

I've been playing Dragon Quest 5 for the last few days. Right now I'm trying to figure out who I should marry...

[icebeast]

So, am I crazy? Help me!!

Well I actually agree with you, I'm not really the biggest fan of Valkyrie Profile, I beat it, got the B ending and had no motivation to play it again to get the "true" A ending.

Basically I agree completely that many of the dungeons have little to do with the plot which I also find awkward. Also, while I liked the side stories for the characters I didn't like how they basically became non-existent after that other than if you sent them up you could get kind of generic updates on their status in the war. Plus if you get the B ending the game basically feels like it had absolutely no over-arcing plot since nothing of interest happens, you just do what Odin ordered you to do, which leads you to a lame and stupid easy final boss. Supposedly all of the actual over-arcing plot is cleared up in the A ending, other than some of the hints that it gives you about Lenneth's past, but I just can't bring myself to play through the game again using a guide because I thought it was just alright and I felt really jipped that the B ending basically only exists to alert you to the fact that "hey, you didn't get the real ending to the game, you need to play it again (and do some not so obvious things) in order to see where the plot was really supposed to go."

I guess the multiple endings just rubbed me the wrong way and the lack of an interesting story for most of the game just didn't leave me yearning to play it through again and see the A ending.

I will say that VP has an amazing combat system once you get the hang of it though.

[pete5883]

I can't believe it's taking them this long to localize it. It didn't look great to me but it's the biggest exclusive RPG PS3 has.
They didn't just translate, Level 5 added voice chat in the process. Maybe some other stuff too, I don't remember.

[Poor2More]

Sega/Obsedian dropped the ball

Alpha Protocol Delayed till June 2010, was suppose to come out later this month, and yes I was looking forward to it....cancel preorder at Gamestop tomorrow.

[The Crotch]

They wouldn't be Obsidian if they didn't drop the ball somewhere.

[Lions]

It's a good idea they did. It would have flopped so bad compared to the other games coming out Q3/Q4. I'm glad they decided to push it back, hopefully to polish it a bit more, and then release it during the summer drought where it'll get more attention.

[Poor2More]

^Thing is remember that Alien RPG by Obsidian/Sega...I fear that will be the faith of Alpha Protocol.

BUT we still have Dragon Age Origins & Borderlands to look forward to still

[Flak]

Holy crap we go from a month away to a full term pregnancy? There better be some polish with not the slighest hint of turd, I demand it to be so.

[ChibiJosh]

They wouldn't be Obsidian if they didn't drop the ball somewhere.

Don't say that! I need my Fallout: New Vegas to be perfect.

[Magus8472]

They wouldn't be Obsidian if they didn't drop the ball somewhere.

I rather enjoy the idea of Obsidian not being forced to push a game out the door for once.

[The Crotch]

Yeah, in all fairness to them, a lot of the problems with their games are not their fault.

Now make Planescape Torment 2, god dammit. And if it sucks, I will rip off my own arm and beat you to death with it.

[chibamm]

Alright, I'm looking for a little Persona PSP help. I'm only about 5-6 hours into it, and I'm having a hell of a time getting spell cards. I only have one and I've been trying to negotiate. I don't know if I've grown really dumb or what.

Anytime I get them all happy or eager, they just give me something or they just become "happy" and no freaking spell card. Am I missing something? Also, I've looked online for some FAQ's or something and couldn't find any about the Contact System.

[blueshinra]

Speaking of Atlus games, I got to a certain point in Etrian Odyssey yesterday. It's the bit not long after the 4th Stratum becomes available, where the Rahda ask my group to annihilate the forest people. I understand their reasoning, but the last thing I expected out of this game was being asked to commit genocide. It came as a bit of a shock, to say the least.

I'll probably continue on with the game sometime soonish, as I want to see what it'll lead to (that, and the dungeon crawling is so, so good), despite my feelings about the current situation.

[B:L]

fuck YEAH WIZARD OF OZ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oughkZQ7CBs

Who's playing it?

[ChibiJosh]

fuck YEAH WIZARD OF OZ
Who's playing it?
I want to be playing it, but I have Fallout 3 DLC, Demon's Souls, A Boy and His Blob, and Brutal Legend all within 2 weeks.

[Chairman_LMAO]

fuck YEAH WIZARD OF OZ


Who's playing it?

It's in my game fly que. I like what I've seen, seems more "return to oz"-ish than anything, and that's one of my favorite movies.

[willardhaven]

The only thing making me hesitant toward Oz is the Sonic Adventure style maps.

[pete5883]

This review (http://www.gamefaqs.com/portable/ds/review/R131268.html) did a pretty good job of talking me out of it.

[Chairman_LMAO]

This review (http://www.gamefaqs.com/portable/ds/review/R131268.html) did a pretty good job of talking me out of it.

That's why I'm renting it first. It seems to be getting universal "meh" reviews. I've liked average and below average games before, though, and I'll purchase it if I like it.

[Count]

Can someone tell me what to do during the Fallout 3 mission where your in the museum of technology.

There's a big rocket in the middle, and I activated it.. So what's next?

[ChibiJosh]

You mean Galaxy News Radio?

http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Galaxy_News_Radio_%28quest%29

[icebeast]

I just want to comment on one of my current pet peeves, which is PSP games that don't suspend their in-game clocks when you put the PSP to sleep. Personally I really like just putting my PSP to sleep and then turning it back on and continuing playing right from where I left off without having to boot the PSP again. But I also like to know accurately how many hours I've been playing the game for just to get a gauge on how long the game has been... which is impossible when the game clock jumps from 30 minutes to 28 hours because I left my PSP sleeping for a day. I've encountered it in both Persona and Crimson Gem Saga and it seems like it isn't that hard to do, as many other games handle it correctly, and I'm sure there is a way to check if the PSP is entering a sleep state and then just suspend the in-game clock.

[Count]

You mean Galaxy News Radio?

http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Galaxy_News_Radio_%28quest%29

Yeah that. Thanks! :bouncy:

[DQT]

I'm interested in Oz. I love light-hearted RPGS. Only thing is I have a big backlog of games right now, actually that and I'm only willing to pay at most 20 bucks for portable games these days.

[Flak]

I'm into Chapter 2 of Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth. Are Arngrim and Jelanda kind of my power characters? They're just beastly compared to my recruits. And how do I go about influencing hero values? I'm teaching my people skills but I finished Chapter 1 without sending any einherjar to Valhalla.

[pete5883]

Hero values come from improving non-battle skills using the skill points you get from leveling up. Browse a FAQ on VP before you get too lost, the systems in the game aren't completely obvious.

[Rodimus]

I'm into Chapter 2 of Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth. Are Arngrim and Jelanda kind of my power characters? They're just beastly compared to my recruits. And how do I go about influencing hero values? I'm teaching my people skills but I finished Chapter 1 without sending any einherjar to Valhalla.

Arngrim is a beast the entire game. Makes sense considering you're permently stuck with him. However Jelanda is a beginner mage, she will be but to shame by later spell casters. Don't get too attached to you're einherjar. Most of the time new recruits are better than older ones anyways.

Anyone else play/playing SMT: Devil Suvivor? I'm pretty far into it.

[Count]

Arngrim is a beast the entire game. Makes sense considering you're permently stuck with him. However Jelanda is a beginner mage, she will be but to shame by later spell casters. Don't get too attached to you're einherjar. Most of the time new recruits are better than older ones anyways.

Anyone else play/playing SMT: Devil Suvivor? I'm pretty far into it.

That's true.

Also, I am praying for a Dark Cloud 3 that is similar to Dark Cloud 2.. :drool:
Super similar.. DK2 was amazing.

[Chibi_Kaji]

Dark Cloud 2 was alright.... I got annoyed at some point and never went back. Maybe I'll restart and try it again...

[Count]

Dark Cloud 2 was alright.... I got annoyed at some point and never went back. Maybe I'll restart and try it again...
Best RPG game I've played on my life! :hot:

[DQT]

Speaking of Level 5 RPGs I'm playing Jeanne D' Arc right now. I'm really enjoying it. It has just the right amount of grind in my opinion.

[keithp]

I just want to comment on one of my current pet peeves, which is PSP games that don't suspend their in-game clocks when you put the PSP to sleep. Personally I really like just putting my PSP to sleep and then turning it back on and continuing playing right from where I left off without having to boot the PSP again. But I also like to know accurately how many hours I've been playing the game for just to get a gauge on how long the game has been... which is impossible when the game clock jumps from 30 minutes to 28 hours because I left my PSP sleeping for a day. I've encountered it in both Persona and Crimson Gem Saga and it seems like it isn't that hard to do, as many other games handle it correctly, and I'm sure there is a way to check if the PSP is entering a sleep state and then just suspend the in-game clock.

YES! Preach on brother!! I could not agree more.

[Poor2More]

Magna Carta 2, they actually got this game right this time. I am enjoying this game so much, wayyyy better then the first. Character designs are on point this time, enviorments are lushed/details. I can recomend this KRPG with faith to the CAG community.

[Chibi_Kaji]

I could care less about the in game clock.

I think I might restart Kingdom Hearts DS on Normal. I've been have a little trouble with some low level enemies... Maybe I'm just rusty. Or it could be actually be harder than the first 2... or the controls.

[Rei no Otaku]

Magna Carta 2, they actually got this game right this time. I am enjoying this game so much, wayyyy better then the first. Character designs are on point this time, enviorments are lushed/details. I can recomend this KRPG with faith to the CAG community.
Really? I thought it was pretty mediocre at best.

[Chibi_Kaji]

I just checked out a preview and it looks mediocre to me. I've got enough RPGs in my backlog right now so I have no room for a game like that. When it goes under $20 I might think about getting it...

[Poor2More]

maybe its that something different itch that needed scratching, but I am enjoying it.

[dembesum]

Have any of you guys been playing Mario & Luigi yet? The combat is loads of fun, and There's a whole bunch of variety.
I'm only like 4 hours in, and I'm totally playing it more.

[ChibiJosh]

RPG game
role-playing game game

I enjoyed Dark Cloud 2 a lot as well (much more than the original). I do hope for a 3rd someday.

[mablem8]

Well, with the Fallout 3 GOTY edition coming out this week, I have to ask: did anyone else manage to hold off on a purchase until now?

[willardhaven]

I did, I am probably going to get Fallout 3 sometime next year. I haven't even picked up Oblivion yet.

[Ryuukishi]

Ar tonelico III announced. (http://www.siliconera.com/2009/10/13/reyvateils-return-ar-tonelico-iii-announced/) Looks like a PS3 exclusive.

[LeRoy]

Magna Carta 2, they actually got this game right this time. I am enjoying this game so much, wayyyy better then the first. Character designs are on point this time, enviorments are lushed/details. I can recomend this KRPG with faith to the CAG community.

Yeah my buddy got this one a few days early and he's been playing it non-stop. He's a hardcore JRPG fan and he liked the previous game on the PS2 so he's loving this latest sequel.

Not really my type of game though. Going for Brutal Legend today.

[Count]

I did, I am probably going to get Fallout 3 sometime next year. I haven't even picked up Oblivion yet.

I'd rather get Oblivion, but Fallout is great too.
But I recommend starting with Oblivion first though, so you can get a hang of these loot, battle, etc. system.

[Chibi_Kaji]

Apparently you'll be able to visit Inaba (http://www.destructoid.com/persona-3-portable-allows-you-to-go-back-to-inaba-151908.phtml) in Persona 3 Portable. Hearing that just makes me want the game even more...again.

[RockinTheRedDog]

I have way too many RPGs in my backlog right now. Loved Fallout 3 but was never fond of the DLC's. I got Oblivion from Goozex but for some reason I can't get fully into it like I did with Fallout.

I've recently went back to my PS2 and started up my Dragons Quest 8 game. I think I'm going to stick with this for a while as I love the art style and the story is just so much fun.

I've also been playing Kingdom Hearts DS. Finally finished with the tutorial section of the game and started the real type of missions.

[dr_illingsworth]

So I was in Home Depot the other day looking for hearing protection. They were all out of stock in the normal area but the guy said to check the tool rental section. So I go in there and guess what music is playing? Scars of Time! In the tool rental section of Home Depot!

Ever since then, I've really had a hankering to play through Chrono Cross again.

[blaked569]

currently playing fire emblem: sacred stones for GBA. started final fantasy xii three weeks ago; halfway through, but can't muster up the willpower to just plow through the rest.

oh - i beat persona 4 a month ago, and to tell you the truth, i had a lot of fun playing it, but the story/characters/ending felt slightly meh to me. i went 2/3 through persona 3 last summer and never finished it, and while its dungeons are certainly more frustrating and unforgiving than 4's, i think i enjoyed 3 as a whole more...perhaps the experience was just fresher then, that's all.

[DQT]

I'm excited for P3 Portable too. My only concern is whether or not the experience may be hurt in their streamlining of the game for the PSP.

[JEKKI]

does any1 kno what game this is supposed to be?

http://cache-03.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/9/2009/10/500x_091019-3d-boxes-7.jpg

not 3D Game Heroes... the box it's in the corner, what game is that??

also,

http://i36.tinypic.com/2akhis2.jpg

[blueshinra]

The first panel of that photo-comic is so true >_>

And sorry, don't know what game that is. That looks like the old Enix logo (the big "e") above the inset pic, though.

[Rodimus]

It called "The Portopia Serial Murder Case" (or Portopia Renzoku Satsujin Jiken in Japan) I'm pretty sure that's the Box Art for the Famicom version. It's a detective type game where you type in clues, that sorta stuff. It was Pheonix Wright before Pheonix Wright so it was popular for it's time.

[Chibi_Kaji]

I think I might finally replay Tales of Vesperia soon. I was kind of holding off in hopes of getting the PS3 version but at this point it seems pretty unlikely.

[willardhaven]

I think I might finally replay Tales of Vesperia soon. I was kind of holding off in hopes of getting the PS3 version but at this point it seems pretty unlikely.

Why do you say that? There's rumor of voice actors for the U.S. version being called back into the studio.

[Chibi_Kaji]

Why do you say that? There's rumor of voice actors for the U.S. version being called back into the studio.
For all we know they could just be recording lines for that PSP fighting game. Or someone might have picked the license up for the movie and going to use the games VA's.

[willardhaven]

Good point, but with the PS3's price drop I figured it was going to be a shoe-in. It would cost them very little to do.

[pete5883]

http://i36.tinypic.com/2akhis2.jpg
Genius.

[JEKKI]

It called "The Portopia Serial Murder Case" (or Portopia Renzoku Satsujin Jiken in Japan) I'm pretty sure that's the Box Art for the Famicom version. It's a detective type game where you type in clues, that sorta stuff. It was Pheonix Wright before Pheonix Wright so it was popular for it's time.sweeeeeet! thanks! there's even a translation patch out for the game!

judging a game by the cover ftw!!!

Ill make sure to play it rite after I finish Famicom Tantei Club

[Rodimus]

No problem. I've never played it so let me know how it is when you start it up.

[mykevermin]

The FFII comic above gets my approval.

[Flak]

Oh jesus. My curiosity about FFII just died. I heard it was bad but whoa.

[pete5883]

To be fair, you don't have to do that in any of the modern remakes because the difficulty has been lowered. They might have even taken out the ability to do so, I can't remember.

[Rei no Otaku]

FFII still sucks.

[mykevermin]

FFII was interesting and fun, IMO. It's easily the worst FF game, but that doesn't mean it's bad.

I'm a bit stunned that Square stood by its controversial pseudo-leveling system after all these years.

[Rei no Otaku]

You're much more forgiving of the series than I am. I think most of them have sucked except for FFIV and FFX.

[pete5883]

I consider myself I big FF fan, but I don't like anything before VI... nearly half the series.

[JEKKI]

so after a bit over 29 hours, I beat Kingdom Hearts 358/2

here's my synopsis of the story:

darkness memories friendship ice cream bla bla bla who am I bla bla organization keyblade missions bla bla bla why do I have feelings even tho I dont have a heart

I swear kingdom of hearts is like the Lost of video games, a bunch of nonsensical complicated crap that the producers are making up as they go along.

anyway I dont care... Birth by Sleep is gonna be awesome!!

[Flak]

Anyone play through SMT Persona yet? I'm wondering how long it'll take to finish. And just for extra info, I'm pretty sure I'm taking the non-Snow Queen route.

[Jesus_S_Preston]

I didn't play KH2 so I'm confused on the DS game's plot.... when do I get to the part where Axel and Roxas bang? All this ice-cream foreplay is too much.

[Chibi_Kaji]

Anyone play through SMT Persona yet? I'm wondering how long it'll take to finish. And just for extra info, I'm pretty sure I'm taking the non-Snow Queen route.
I recall Frisky saying that it took him around 60 hours to finish the main quest. But I imagine the Snow Queen Quest would have to be shorter since there seems to be some time limit involved...

[Rodimus]

so after a bit over 29 hours, I beat Kingdom Hearts 358/2

here's my synopsis of the story:

darkness memories friendship ice cream bla bla bla who am I bla bla organization keyblade missions bla bla bla why do I have feelings even tho I dont have a heart

I swear kingdom of hearts is like the Lost of video games, a bunch of nonsensical complicated crap that the producers are making up as they go along.

anyway I dont care... Birth by Sleep is gonna be awesome!!

I'm with ya. I hate it when RPGs get so preachy it makes them pretentious. It's a big turn off. Eternal Sonata had a big problem with this. Every other line was some self-righteous hippy dribble, it made me sick. If I wanted a morality lesson I'd go to church.

[dr_illingsworth]

Eternal Sonata was the worst RPG I've beaten. Was there even supposed to be a point to that story? (I played the 360 version, I heard the PS3 version had more story).

"The moon charms the sea with its beauty and the waves can't sit still, but when there's a lot of people they make big waves, so you need to be sure you don't get caught up in a storm; alternatively, you might have to throw yourself into that sea to protect someone who's important to you." WTF That Makes No Sense!!!?

[mykevermin]

Kingdom Hearts: if David Lynch made video games.

[Flak]

I may be alone in this, but that sounds awesome. Complete with experimental lesbian lesbian relationships?

----

So what does 'Time' indicate on the Persona Command page? I just started playing yesterday, and it's been about an hour and six minutes ahead of the clock, military style. And now it's getting into the 30 hour range. Huh? It's definitely not keeping track of playtime so what's it there for?

[Ryuukishi]

Between Borderlands and Demon's Souls, it seems like a good time to be a dark horse RPG that thrives on reviews and word of mouth rather than huge advance hype. Can't wait to see some sales numbers for these games to see just how well they're really doing.

[icebeast]

So what does 'Time' indicate on the Persona Command page? I just started playing yesterday, and it's been about an hour and six minutes ahead of the clock, military style. And now it's getting into the 30 hour range. Huh? It's definitely not keeping track of playtime so what's it there for?

Actually I'm fairly sure it does keep track of game time, it just doesn't stop counting when the PSP goes into sleep mode; so if you want it to be accurate for in-game time you have to turn your PSP completely off and boot it up every time you take a break.

Like check out this guy (http://www.destructoid.com/is-persona-psp-longer-than-persona-3-and-4-combined--147084.phtml): 453 Hours to beat... I don't think so...

[chibamm]

Anyone play through SMT Persona yet? I'm wondering how long it'll take to finish. And just for extra info, I'm pretty sure I'm taking the non-Snow Queen route.

I beat it in around 20 hours or so. However, I got the "bad" ending. I'm really not too worried about it. I don't have the drive to go back and replay it yet. I think I hyped that damn thing up too much in my head. I've been aching to play the original Persona since I saw a review of it as a kid. After waiting THAT long and playing it now......yeah, it's time to move on. Too bad I left Persona 4 at the house.

[Flak]

That's weird it doesn't auto-pause. PSP games don't get patches yeah?

[Rodimus]

It's been over a decade but I finally beat Popful Mail.

[LostRoad]

It's been over a decade but I finally beat Popful Mail.

That game is pure gold. Damn that Muttonhead! If your going though SCD games and haven't played/beaten it yet you really need to for Vay.

[Rodimus]

Yeah, I own Vay. I beat it for the first time a few years back. It was good. Very simple generic RPG but that was the charm of it. I remember the random encounters in that game were crazy. It was like every 2 seconds. But the maps were small so It all balanced out. I almost cried when Pottle died

[Rodimus]

Keeping up with the task of cleaning up my backlog I just completed Legend of Wukong. If you're not familiar with the game it's a Genesis RPG released last year by Super Fighter team. http://www.legendofwukong.com/screens.htm

It's nice to play something obscure every once and a while.

[Chibi_Kaji]

I spent the last 4 hours playing Dragon Age and I'm enjoying it so far. I think Morrigan will end up being a favorite characters... Sadly my female warrior won't be able to romance her.

[BigPopov]

Eternal Sonata was the worst RPG I've beaten. Was there even supposed to be a point to that story? (I played the 360 version, I heard the PS3 version had more story).

I agree. ES was kitty litter. Man Tri Ace has really gone downhill. But I guess I was always more of a fan of their music composition than the actual games anyways heh

Enchanted Arms / SO4 / Spectral Force is garbage too. It seems like the only good JRPG so far is really Lost Odyssey for 360. The Americans are starting to really catch up, if not exceed Japan in RPGs. Even Korea is pushing out some surprisingly good stuff.

[jer7583]

I thought I was going crazy when Persona PSP was trying to tell me I'd played 40 hours this weekend..

I just don't understand this game. I'm at the abandoned warehouse, am I like halfway through?

[willardhaven]

I agree. ES was kitty litter. Man Tri Ace has really gone downhill. But I guess I was always more of a fan of their music composition than the actual games anyways heh

Enchanted Arms / SO4 / Spectral Force is garbage too. It seems like the only good JRPG so far is really Lost Odyssey for 360. The Americans are starting to really catch up, if not exceed Japan in RPGs. Even Korea is pushing out some surprisingly good stuff.

Tri Ace didn't make Eternal Sonata.

[Rodimus]

The Americans are starting to really catch up, if not exceed Japan in RPGs. Even Korea is pushing out some surprisingly good stuff.

I think they've succeeded them. I don't even like WRPGs but I can clearly see that they're better games. Slowly Japanese developers are getting a clue, but it's not fast enough.

And yeah, Eternal Sonata was developed by tri-Crescendo. They're also responsible for the Baiten Kaitos series. They were involved with sound work for several of Tri-Ace's games. IMO Tri-Ace has only made 2 great RPGs, Star Ocean 2 & Valkyrie Profile.

[LostRoad]

It seems like the only good JRPG so far is really Lost Odyssey for 360.

Tales of Vesperia?

[The Crotch]

Jesus, how did I miss this post the first time?
"The moon charms the sea with its beauty and the waves can't sit still, but when there's a lot of people they make big waves, so you need to be sure you don't get caught up in a storm; alternatively, you might have to throw yourself into that sea to protect someone who's important to you." WTF That Makes No Sense!!!?
This (http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/unskippable/485-Eternal-Sonata) might make things a little clearer for you.

Or not.

[LordKefka06]

Eternal Sonata was complete bullshit. I want my money back...

[icebeast]

I'm gonna have to jump in here and defend Eternal Sonata; while I'll agree 100% that the story was non-existent and really boring I thought the combat in the game was really fun and the world was really beautiful so those factors got me through the game even though the story didn't.

But that is kind of how I feel about almost all of the tri-Ace and tri-Crescendo games I've played, like Valkyrie Profile and Star Ocean 3 both of those games I wasn't very fond of the stories but the combat was a blast. And even Baten Kaitos which I adore I wouldn't argue with anyone who thought the story was the ultimate cliche and kind of boring at times (though not even close to Eternal Sonata's level)... but the card battle system made up for that slight short coming, and again Baten Kiatos had a really beautiful world.

[Lions]

I got halfway through Eternal Sonata and ToV, and somewhat through SO4, and stopped. Still need to beat them, but no desire to. I will eventually, but damn, I got bored of them quick.
I beat LO though.

[LordKefka06]

Damn, hurry up and bring "The Legend of Dragoon" to the PSN! And also, I want "Skies of Arcadia" from the Dreamcast to be part of that exclusive Sony contract with sega to bring some DC games to the PSN.

[Lions]

Grandia II would be sweet on PSN, then again, it's on PS2 as well. (Shitty port version though)

[Rodimus]

I'm gonna have to jump in here and defend Eternal Sonata; while I'll agree 100% that the story was non-existent and really boring I thought the combat in the game was really fun and the world was really beautiful so those factors got me through the game even though the story didn't.

But that is kind of how I feel about almost all of the tri-Ace and tri-Crescendo games I've played, like Valkyrie Profile and Star Ocean 3 both of those games I wasn't very fond of the stories but the combat was a blast. And even Baten Kaitos which I adore I wouldn't argue with anyone who thought the story was the ultimate cliche and kind of boring at times (though not even close to Eternal Sonata's level)... but the card battle system made up for that slight short coming, and again Baten Kiatos had a really beautiful world.

I thought Valkyrie Profile's story was strong. It's one of the few JRPGs that wasn't a 60 hour long cliche. I love Norse Mythology.

Sonata's battle system is the games strong point, but there isn't much depth to it. Run up to an enemy, mash the attack button, and use special attacks occasionally. Still it was acceptable since it was flashy and simple. Sonata had the potential to be a great RPG but for whatever reason the developers decided to shit all over the story halfway through.

[Rei no Otaku]

Dragon Age is good times.

[Zmonkay]

Man I can't wait to start Dragon Age, if the post office would ever deliver the fucking package! argh, so impatient...

So that's got my home RPG game covered, but just finished Mario and Luigi Partners in Time and Dragon Quest IV, so it's time for a new handheld RPG. Opintions?

Disgaea (PSP) (I think I'm at ~ Chapter 5-6?)
Persona (PSP) (Haven't played any SMT games other than ~ 1/2 of DDS1 and the Dreamcast FPS...)
Knights in the Nightmare (DS)

or track down (see reasoning below):
Riviera
Yggdra Union


Was leaning towards Knights in the Nightmare, but apparently its part of the same series as Riviera and Yggdra Union. Should I track down those on PSP first? Is there any kind of overarching story?

Thanks in advance!

[JEKKI]

YU, Riviera, and KitN are all part of a series called Dept. Heaven

their stories arent intertwined by any means... just they apparently all take place in the same world or universe...

plus each game plays so differently than each other, you should judge your choice on which game u think you will have the most fun with.

[depascal22]

Finish up Disgaea would be my suggestion. That being said, you could spend another 200 hours on it and not feel like you're done.

[MSI Magus]

So I started KH 358/2 Days a week or two ago and decided I had been removed from the series long enough that my memory of key plot points were fuzzy. Given that I started replaying the first KH for the PS2 and I bought the PS2 version of CoM(I already owned/played the GBA one but want to try the PS2 version).

I am almost through KH now but im debating which game I should play next and was wondering what you guys think. I have played them all before(except the DS one ofcourse)so I am debating if i should jump into the DS one next since its next in the time line, or if I should go to Re: CoM since it was technically the next released.

So what order do you guys rec them in?

[MSI Magus]

Sorry double post

[IAmTheCheapestGamer]

Demon's Souls=fun but definitely frustrating at times.

Or at least frustating for someone like me, who still runs n guns n GTA and wonders WHY they get killed so often.:D:roll:

But once you learn to sidestep the enemies initial attack(s) it's no problem.:D

[Zmonkay]

Thanks for the input guys. Glad to hear Dept. Heaven games aren't story related, so I don't need to worry about any potential spoilers if I play them "out of order". I'll prolly jump back into Disgaea for now, and maybe start up whichever I can find first of YU and Riviera. KitN looks great, but since I've already got Disgaea going for my SRPG fix, I'll hold off.

[botticus]

Thanks for the input guys. Glad to hear Dept. Heaven games aren't story related, so I don't need to worry about any potential spoilers if I play them "out of order". I'll prolly jump back into Disgaea for now, and maybe start up whichever I can find first of YU and Riviera. KitN looks great, but since I've already got Disgaea going for my SRPG fix, I'll hold off.
Keep in mind that I'd consider Yggdra Union far closer to a standard SRPG than KitN. Personally I thought KitN was by far the best of the three, followed by Riviera (which I could finish) and then YU (which is horrifically difficult on the GBA - so might be more enjoyable on PSP where there was some rebalancing).

[Chibi_Kaji]

I need to go and finish Riviera one day...

[Rodimus]

I was in my local GS looking for a new RPG. After about 20 minutes I decided on Ar Tonelico II. The battle system is nice, reminds me of Valkyrie Profile. The story is a bit unusual, lots of sexual inuendos (Dive into me Croix, that sorta stuff). I remember hearing of a freeze that happens later in the game.

[Rei no Otaku]

I was in my local GS looking for a new RPG. After about 20 minutes I decided on Ar Tonelico II. The battle system is nice, reminds me of Valkyrie Profile. The story is a bit unusual, lots of sexual inuendos (Dive into me Croix, that sorta stuff). I remember hearing of a freeze that happens later in the game.
Sadly other than the battle system the game is vastly inferior to its prequel.

[ChibiJosh]

I think I'm finally going to get a PSP soon. I was looking on eBay to pick up a copy of Valkyrie Profile, and they're are two different covers. I know the one with Lenneth's upper body and head sorta cover. But, there was also ones with a cover similar to the PS1 release. Was this another regions cover, or what?

[Chibi_Kaji]

I remember hearing of a freeze that happens later in the game.
I think there is another one that messes up you memory card as well.

[Rodimus]

Thanks, I'll do some research to see how to avoid these.

[Rodimus]

About 6 hours in and not enjoying Ar Tonelico 2. The pace is too slow. Too many gameplay aspects that revolve around conversation (which I find boring) Battle is okay, but not enough of it when comapred to all the talking you do. Also I feel like a dirty old pervert when play it.

[LostRoad]

I can tell you the pace never picks up in it. They really went sim heavy in 2. The bugs you brought up happen with your save getting messed up while playing on a ps3 and the last boss special attack will freeze the game up, leaving you three turns to win ( which is really easy to do )

I have to admit that is not a game you want to be playing around your girl. I got more than a few odd looks and she will still bring it up when wanting to poke fun.

[Chibi_Kaji]

Oh so it was only when playing it on a PS3? Maybe one day I'll get around to trying it.

[Rodimus]

It's odd cause I love all the sim stuff in Persona 3 & 4, but in this it's just a complete bore. Are battles generally easy through the entire game? Once you launch the Reyvetail's attack it's over.

[Rei no Otaku]

About 6 hours in and not enjoying Ar Tonelico 2. The pace is too slow. Too many gameplay aspects that revolve around conversation (which I find boring) Battle is okay, but not enough of it when comapred to all the talking you do. Also I feel like a dirty old pervert when play it.
As I mentioned earlier, the game just isn't as good as the first one. No where near it in fact. I loved the first game, but was so disappointed in AT2.
Oh so it was only when playing it on a PS3? Maybe one day I'll get around to trying it.
It happens on a PS2 as well. The bugs are coded into the game.

[Rodimus]

I will say I do like the music & graphics.

[dr_illingsworth]

About 6 hours in and not enjoying Ar Tonelico 2. The pace is too slow. Too many gameplay aspects that revolve around conversation (which I find boring) Battle is okay, but not enough of it when comapred to all the talking you do. Also I feel like a dirty old pervert when play it.

Never played the second, but in the first, one of the girls is an 18 year old trapped in a 12 year old girl's body.

[CheapyD]

Hey guys, I've been informed by super programmer John that these insanely long threads are detrimental to site performance. I'm going to lock this one up and someone else can create a new one.

Going forward, lets lock these up and create new threads after 500 replies.

Thanks.