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Post by Ex on May 15, 2019 11:00:22 GMT -5
We had a thread before about favorite handheld JRPGs, but I don't think we had one for console specific releases. (By that I mean the game at least originally debuted on console first.) So now I'm interested in everyone's favorites on console.
I'm short on time today, so I'll just have to post a list for now. When I'm not so pressed for time (later this week), I'll come back and explain why each entry is on my list. For now though...
Ex's top dozen favorite console JRPGs
Demon's Souls Dragon Quest VIII Final Fantasy VI Final Fantasy XII Front Mission 5: Scars of the War King's Field: The Ancient City Phantasy Star Shadow Hearts Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne Skies of Arcadia Legends Vagrant Story Valkyria Chronicles
For the sake of simplicity there, I'm including JSRPGs and JDRPGs into the same category as JRPGs.
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So what are your absolute favorite Japanese developed console RPGs, and why? Sell us on trying something new (new to us)!
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Post by toei on May 15, 2019 17:07:43 GMT -5
Top 6: Phantasy Star IV, Chrono Trigger, Dragon Quest VI, Breath of Fire II, Earthbound & Lufia II. FFVI is close by, maybe number 7. Nothing too controversial there, except weirdos have decided that DQV is the best of the Heavens trilogy (it's the worst, though it's still pretty good), and some even weirder weirdos think Breath of Fire 2 is bad, but that's what prison is for (it's not actually what prison is for).
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Post by Sarge on May 15, 2019 17:31:05 GMT -5
Top 6: Phantasy Star IV, Chrono Trigger, Dragon Quest VI, Breath of Fire II, Earthbound & Lufia II. FFVI is close by, maybe number 7. Nothing too controversial there, except weirdos have decided that DQV is the best of the Heavens trilogy (it's the worst, though it's still pretty good), and some even weirder weirdos think Breath of Fire 2 is bad, but that's what prison is for (it's not actually what prison is for). We may not agree on what makes a good platformer all the time, but that's a really good top 6. I might pull out EarthBound for something else, but it's still wonderful, and so is Breath of Fire II. (My favorite of that series is BoFIV, but BoFII comes in a close second. I want to give it another go with the retranslation patch.) My top JRPG surprises no one: Chrono Trigger. It gets a lot dicier under that, though, but let's try to put together my top 6 as well. - Lufia II- Phantasy Star IV- Final Fantasy VI- Valkyrie Profile- Dragon Quest VIAnd as a cheater seventh entry, I'm going to slip in Lunar: Eternal Blue for Sega CD. There's so many more I could list, and when I have a chance to jog my memory, we'll see if this jostles around a bit.
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Post by toei on May 15, 2019 17:50:58 GMT -5
Funny thing I noticed: while I prefer action RPGs overall, especially nowadays, all my top favorites are still turn-based. I think this is because it allows for things ARPGs or SRPGs usually don't have. Turn-based RPG usually have a larger cast of playable characters, but not so large that they get lost in the shuffle (like SRPGs), which allows for a level of character development that action RPGs can't reach (you can have multiple playable characters in ARPG, but it's often annoying - AI-controlled characters - or weird - only one character fighting at a time). Try to imagine Chrono Trigger if it were an ARPG starring just Crono. No wonder how fun it might be, you'd lose so much. Scale is another thing - turn-based RPGs usually allow you to explore a vaster world than either of the other main subgenres. So if you have a really cool cast (like PSIV, Chrono Trigger, Lufia II or BoFII) and a really cool world (like PSIV or DQVI), you have something over ARPGs in general. The stories tend to be more ambitious, too (there is no 16-bit ARPG with a story on the level of CT's, BoFII's, Earthbound's or FF6's - and by story, I mean every event in the game, not just the core plot). My favorite ARPG is Alundra; it'd probably make the top ten. Xenogears might too, despite some very real flaws (I'm talking about the overlong dungeons more than the final disc - the sewers especially are super tedious). Also, special shout-out to Vagrant Story from Ex 's list. Great game.
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Post by Sarge on May 15, 2019 17:53:36 GMT -5
Yeah, I tend to agree. Maybe the Quintet games come the closest to trying.
I intentionally left out ARPGs from my list. I'm trying to keep it to more traditional titles... but that would also make me question my inclusion of Valkyrie Profile, which edges very close to ARPG territory.
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Post by toei on May 15, 2019 17:56:21 GMT -5
Well, Valkyrie Profile is a pretty different game in general, so if you're too strict with genre definitions you won't be able to put it on any lists.
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Post by Sarge on May 15, 2019 18:02:59 GMT -5
True dat. Same with Vagrant Story. That's another fantastic game.
It gets really tough for me to rate these, honestly, because there are so many legendary games, and it feels like most of the best JRPGs (action or otherwise) were right smack in the 16-bit era, with some big ones in the 32-bit era as well. (Xenogears, the Suikoden games, Chrono Cross, Grandia, the aforementioned BoFIV and VP...)
I'll take this moment to recommend Treasure of the Rudras/Rudra no Hihou again. Top-tier stuff from SquareSoft.
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Post by toei on May 15, 2019 19:09:02 GMT -5
Oh yeah, I think I had Rudras at number 9 or 10 when I use to make top ten lists. It's really great.
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Post by Ex on May 15, 2019 21:02:41 GMT -5
You guys have convinced me to play through Treasure of the Rudras sometime this year. I did put a few hours into it back in 2004, but I didn't get very far. The reason being is I was playing via the original English patch, which even Gideon Zhi himself admitted was bad. I'm sure V2.0 of the patch will make all the difference. except weirdos have decided that DQV is the best of the Heavens trilogy I agree so hard. DQV is a 7/10 at best.
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Post by Xeogred on May 15, 2019 21:27:30 GMT -5
Demon's Souls as a "JRPG" looks very weird on paper, but I see the logic.
My favorite JRPG's are all over the SNES and PSX. But that feels a little cliche' at this point compared to others. Oh well!
SNES: Final Fantasy IV, V, and VI Secret of Mana Seiken Densetsu 3 Chrono Trigger Gun Hazard Terranigma Soul Blazer Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together
PSX: Xenogears Final Fantasy VII and VIII Breath of Fire IV Suikoden I-II Vagrant Story (never finished it, someday I will replay it) Chrono Cross (this one gets beat up a lot but I really liked it and would easily take it over FFIX)
Arc the Lad II
PS2: Xenosaga III Final Fantasy X (admittedly liked it more a second time around years later with the PS3 remaster) Shadow Hearts Suikoden III
360: The Last Remnant Lost Odyssey
Feels like I'm forgetting some...
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