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Post by Sarge on May 15, 2019 22:09:53 GMT -5
I like Dragon Quest V more than most here, but I do think it's the weakest of the Zenithian trilogy. Probably an 8/10 for me, but only really in its DS remake form. I actually didn't care too much for the Super Famicom original. Give me Dragon Quest IV and VI any day. I have particular nostalgia for Dragon Quest IV, and am always up for a replay, so the DS version was a no-brainer. Xeogred : I forgot about Arc the Lad II (again), mostly because I think of it as an SRPG... but the RPG elements are pronounced enough that it counts. Fantastic stuff. Gun Hazard is obvious, too. Also, I still need to play through Shadow Hearts! Ex is already on my case for not having done so; it will happen soon. I know Ex didn't like Covenant as much, but I absolutely had a blast with it. Less so with From the New World, which I tapped out on pretty early. The number of ARPGs I love is pretty large, but there might be some notable exceptions as well. I dig all of Quintet's SNES output, with Terranigma being the absolute top. But Soul Blazer has its own charms, and while folks rag on Illusion of Gaia, I think it's great as well. Beyond Oasis for Genesis rocks, and quibble with me if you will, but A Link to the Past is fantastic, my 1a) to Link's Awakening's 1). Both Alundra games are great on PSX for different reasons, too; I'm very tempted to make the UnWorked version of Alundra a playthrough for the Deja Vu month. It's that, or another UnWorked version, Lunar: Eternal Blue. Oh, dang, and as always, I'm going to throw out the sublime (yes, I said it) Dragon View. Forget everything you know about it being a "sequel" to Drakkhen, the game blends Zelda-style action with belt-scrolling slashing, and I love it.
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Post by Ex on May 15, 2019 23:22:12 GMT -5
I still need to play through Shadow HeartsYes, yes you do. A few of us here are fans, not just me! And Shadow Heart is a 30 hour or less experience, so you won't have to wipe your calendar clean just to beat it in a timely fashion. Something tells me though you won't enjoy it as much, due to its dark and somber overtones. That's not the vibe you usually resonate with. But I'd love to be wrong and see you have a blast with it. I think Covenant was a good JRPG, it just took the silliness way too far at times. The level of cheese there worked against the serious/ominous vibe that Sacnoth would try to pull at other times. The game just didn't know what it wanted to be.
That is one I plan to replay this year, and maybe Brain Lord as well. Haven't played either since 1998, when I beat them both. I remember absolutely adoring Brain Lord's OST. I just put this one on my priority list. Supposedly it only takes about 8 hours to beat. Hopefully I can beat it, Live A Live and Treasure of the Rudras this year too. It could happen! (Maybe... if I created a time dilation room to play games in... so many games, so little time.)
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Post by Sarge on May 16, 2019 0:12:28 GMT -5
Man, sign me up for one of those time dilation doohickeys.
Anyway, I don't mind dark and serious, I just need it in smaller bursts. I loved the atmosphere in KF4 and Brandish.
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Post by Xeogred on May 16, 2019 6:39:01 GMT -5
Dragon View looks weird, in a good way. Don't think I've ever heard of it.
Soul Blazer is a little out of place on my list. I'd probably give it a 7/10 or so, but I could easily see myself replaying it and there's a lot to love with its simplicity. Terranigma isn't perfect but it really does feel like Quintet's magnum opus to me. Still a bit experimental at times with strange pacing in the back half, but the peaks of greatness are very high.
I actually never beat either of the two original Lunar's (PSX versions). I could see myself replaying them again someday though, they were pretty good. And I do need to give Alundra another shot, I just recall it having some really annoying platforming, of all things... and Valkyrie Profile is something I've always wanted to play but just can't justify the price tag it's commanded for decades now. I do own the PSP version but I don't think I want to bother with it now, so I might just emulate this one someday. I never hear much about the stories in Tri-Ace games, but people seem to talk up Valkyrie Profile's story/characters a lot.
I'd like to get to Shadow Hearts Covenant this year. Guess it'll be interesting to see who I agree with on that one and how it stacks up to Koudelka and Shadow Hearts for me. In general I still have a LOT of PS2 JRPG's that I want to get to, so maybe they'll make the list eventually.
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Post by bonesnapdeez on May 16, 2019 12:35:19 GMT -5
Next we need a computer JRPG thread so I can extol the virtues of Ys I/II/III, Exile, Xak, Knights of Xentar, etc...
Moving on...
3rd gen Phantasy Star Dragon Warrior III
Lots of good stuff during the 8-bit era. But also plenty of clutter. These are the two shining gems. Phantasy Star is light years ahead of its time, and boasts some of the best JRPG aesthetics ever. Dragon Warrior III is simply the most "fun" entry of the series. Love playing around with that class system.
4th gen Final Fantasy VI Chrono Trigger EarthBound The 7th Saga Secret of Mana Seiken Densetsu 3 Terranigma Phantasy Star IV Lunar: Eternal Blue Ys IV: The Dawn of Ys The Legend of Xanadu The Legend of Xanadu II Seiya Monogatari: AnEarth Fantasy Stories
The best RPG era. I could make a giant list of "honorable mentions" too. Final Fantasy VI and Chrono Trigger are basically tied as the two best games ever. Chrono Trigger is a tighter experience, and probably "objectively" the better game, but in a way I prefer the grandiosity and overindulgence of Final Fantasy VI. EarthBound is a hilarious game, and a tearjerker. Just gorgeous and poignant all the way through. The 7th Saga is a great case study in how to make a difficult "dark" RPG. Secret of Mana and its immediate sequel are lush organic experiences. Unparalleled in beauty. Terranigma is a technical marvel, which fortunately contains some equally phenomenal gameplay. Phantasy Star comes full circle with part IV. The "most SNES" RPG on the Genesis, and the best. Another classic anime beauty is Lunar 2, the best game on the Sega CD and a vastly improved sequel. Ys IV is ARPG royalty on the PCE as are Falcom's two Legend of Xanadu titles. AnEarth is "the Chrono Trigger of the PCE" -- 1995 release, epic in scope and story, unique leveling system, gorgeous graphics and sound design.
5th gen Grandia Panzer Dragoon Saga Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber Threads of Fate
Some people prefer this gen to the previous. I don't. Too many tedious bloated "epic" slogs for me personally. Though one big 50+ hour game that retains its charm throughout is Grandia. Insanely good battle system. Panzer Dragoon Saga is an atmospheric masterpiece. Ogre Battle 64 is the best of the SRPG sub-genre; who said the N64 had no good RPGs? Threads of Fate is a great whimsical Falcom-esque ARPG. Square's best game of the era.
6th gen Skies of Arcadia Phantasy Star Online
Go Sega! As I've stated before, Skies of Arcadia feels like the final true "classic JRPG" released before the scene became filled with sequels, reboots, throwbacks, anime, porn, and anime porn. Such a pure unadulterated sweet game. As for Phantasy Star Online, it's the best example of an "addictive" hack and slash experience. So woke.
Generally speaking, I prefer handhelds for post-2000 JRPGs.
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Post by Ex on May 16, 2019 12:55:48 GMT -5
I don't mind dark and serious, I just need it in smaller bursts. I loved the atmosphere in KF4 and Brandish. I was just recalling how you aren't keen on survival horror in general. Shadow Hearts has a bit of that vibe. But the gameplay is purely JRPG. Terranigma isn't perfect but it really does feel like Quintet's magnum opus to me. I guess I'm gonna have to give Terranigma another chance someday. Everybody seems to love it around here. I just remember enjoying the game less and less as it went on. The beginning was strong though. It's worth playing for sure Xeogred , it's definitely above average B+ tier. I just didn't think it was better than the original Shadow Hearts is all.
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Post by Ex on May 16, 2019 13:15:37 GMT -5
Next we need a computer JRPG thread so I can extol the virtues of Ys I/II/III, Exile, Xak, Knights of Xentar, etc... You got it, I'd like to do that one next. Is this possible to play in English? It is really good, the kind of light-hearted ARPG that just puts a smile on your heart to play. I recommend checking out the GOG release of Zwei II... it reminded me of Threads of Fate in spirit. That's understandable. The classical JRPG designs tended to gravitate to handhelds after 2000.
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Post by toei on May 16, 2019 14:01:01 GMT -5
I can already tell you that AnEarth Fantasy Stories is not translated. This is the master list of translated PCE-CD RPGs:
-Xak III -Ys IV: Dawn of Ys
I don't count Startling Odyssey II, since it got a machine translation with some clean-up after, and let's be real, you can't just clean up what you get when you google-translate Japanese to English, it's at least 80% gibberish. And yes, I know, there is a project for Legend of Xanadu that's supposed to be near completion, but it's been supposed to be near completion forever, and there have been too many fan-translations throughout the year that have just disappeared after being announced as nearly ready (Samurai Shodown RPG...)
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Post by bonesnapdeez on May 16, 2019 14:01:32 GMT -5
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Post by Xeogred on May 16, 2019 18:00:53 GMT -5
Terranigma definitely has one of the best endings I've ever seen on the SNES, it's beautiful. Definitely worth seeing through to the end. Maybe just look things up if you hit road blocks with the city building / fetch quest stuff, that was kind of the low point for me. Didn't mind it at all in Soul Blazer or ActRaiser, but it kind of puts the breaks on Terranigma at points haha. Amazing game regardless though, insane OST.
Plus Ex ... I'd love to see your take on Brain Lord again, cause that game has some NASTY design decisions sprinkled throughout with atrocious platforming at times. I mentioned last year after I beat it, in retrospect I enjoyed it a fair bit and had a good time, but man I definitely hated some parts here and there. lol, Terranigma is way better than this one.
Breath of Fire IV feels like a good candidate for July's Brand New Déjà Vu for me. Only played this one once way back in the day, but man it left a mark and I can still recall so many great things and tunes from it. A testament to its excellence. Absolutely confident I'll love it all over again.
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