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Post by Chronos on Oct 23, 2011 22:45:50 GMT -5
HELP ME, FOR TACTICS OGRE HAS CONSUMED MY LIFE Building the ultimate party is so time-consuming. Five melée, four ranged, three casters, maximum versatility and flexibility, no mercy. Why oh why do the Augment Element skills have to level so damned slowly?! I think for my sanity my Top Twelve's going to have to top out at rank 5 or 6. Add to that I'm going to have to run the 100-floor Palace of the Dead THREE times...ugh. Thanks for the signature compliment, Starman Deluxe. Google Image search is your friend. Also, sad news that the new Suikoden is going to be Tierkreis-ish, but it really isn't surprising since, as Fundertaker said, the main Suikoden team is no more.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 23, 2011 23:27:20 GMT -5
Yeah, but it's not like it would be that difficult to make a Suikoden-style Suikoden game. Political intrigue/civil unrest/betrayal storyline, a new True Rune or even a few new ones, absolutely no answers whatsoever about any of the over-arching mysteries, Jeane nearly naked, 108 characters and a big ass castle. There, you've got Suikoden.
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Post by Chronos on Oct 23, 2011 23:45:58 GMT -5
I think the main sticking point is that, sadly, Konami just isn't interested. They throw something out there that's got the Genso Suikoden name and it sells modestly due to name recognition, and that's all they're looking for at this point. That's why we get the halfassed Tierkreis-style games.
And, for some reason, political/war intrigue stories seem to be a bit of a stumbling point for JRPG writers. Yasumi Matsuno and Y. Maruyama (it filters his name!) are both masters at not only making the "war drama" storylines work while framing a single country, but also thematically intertwining them with the rest of their worlds at large. The Front Mission series and Radiant Historia are also great, but well-executed stories like this are seemingly pretty sparse in JRPGs.
I also secretly like to think that after Jeane's SV outfit Konami's legitimately afraid to release a Suikoden VI because they'll have no choice but to make her fully nude, due to the progression of her disappearing clothing. ;D
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Post by Deleted on Oct 24, 2011 0:17:55 GMT -5
What I always liked with the Suikoden storylines is that they never really came down to some big evil monster trying to destroy the world, though SIII came close. Which isn't to say that their weren't characters trying to do that, but most of the tension was in how the politics of each separate area created the central conflict. And most of them, other than IV, do a great job of fleshing out the story with each event and showing the motivations of every major character.
Never played the Front Mission series, but I loved Radiant Historia. Easily my favorite game of the year.
If Konami wants to make Suikoden popular, naked Jeane is clearly the way to go.
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Fundertaker
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Hideo Kojima should direct every ending ever!
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Post by Fundertaker on Oct 24, 2011 8:07:21 GMT -5
And even in IV's case it's not like they do that bad of a job. It's just that it seems rushed (everything is because of either Snowe, the Rune Of Punishment or Graham Cray's grand revenge). Hell, I believe that if they used Troy to further the "Kooluk's Not An United Country" even that could be solved. Instead the guy is just there for the sake of being there. Kinda like half of the SoD.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 29, 2011 22:36:40 GMT -5
Just started another playthrough of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. I know it's not really an RPG, but it certainly has its share of RPG elements to it. I always forget just how cool the game is when I don't play it for a while.
The first four episodes of the Persona 4 anime are up at The Anime Network.
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Post by Chronos on Oct 30, 2011 2:38:34 GMT -5
"Die monster! miserable little pile of secrets etc."
I love SotN. It's the game that reawakened my love for Castlevania, a love that lay dormant for ten years. It's a game so perfectly executed, even its hilariously campy voice acting is great. Sometimes I play some of the newer Metroidvanias and feel like I may like them more than Symphony of the Night, but then I play it again and almost immediately think "No way, this wins." What a masterpiece. The only possible flaw the game might have is that it's pretty easy. Alucard's a stallion.
Have you ever kept all of your original kit at the beginning by using the luck code? It admittedly makes Alucard even more stupidly broken than he already is for much of the game.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 30, 2011 6:40:02 GMT -5
SotN was my first Castlevania game, and I really haven't played much of the newer ones, aside from Lament of Innocence which I didn't care too much for. I've been meaning to pick up the DS Castlevanias but never do for one reason or another. But yes, this game is pretty much perfect. I think this is going to be my 5th or 6th run through the game and I never get tired of it.
It is pretty easy, aside from Galamoth. I imagine some of the end game bosses are pretty bad, but by that point I usually had Crissaegrim which just obliterates everything.
I've never kept all original gear at the beginning. The game is already pretty easy, no need to do anything to make it even easier.
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Post by Shamar James on Oct 30, 2011 9:57:00 GMT -5
Hey guys, I was wondering, can someone introduce me to to some good JRPGs? 'Cause well, I've never played a JRPG before, but I usually people talking about them, so I just wanted to give 'em a shot. But I'll admit, since I'm new to this i'm kinda scared.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 30, 2011 14:31:57 GMT -5
Hey guys, I was wondering, can someone introduce me to to some good JRPGs? 'Cause well, I've never played a JRPG before, but I usually people talking about them, so I just wanted to give 'em a shot. But I'll admit, since I'm new to this i'm kinda scared. It depends on what systems you have and how much money you're willing to spend, though some older JRPGs are available on newer systems through either compilations or downloads. For me, the first Playstation was the best system for JRPGs and RPGs in general, with Playstation 2 a close second. I also include strategy RPGS, which other people may not. Some of my favorites, by system: Super Nintendo - EarthBound - Super Mario RPG Playstation - Arc the Lad Collection (Collects Arc the Lads I, II, III & Arc Arena) - Final Fantasy Anthology (Collects Final Fantasies V & VI) - Final Fantasy Chronicles (Collects Final Fantasiy & Chrono Trigger) - Final Fantasy Origins (Collections Final Fantasies I & II) - Final Fantasy Tactics - Grandia - Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete - Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Complete - Star Ocean: The Second Story - Suikoden - Suikoden II - Tactics Ogre - Vandal Hearts - Wild ARMs - Wild ARMs 2 Playstation 2 - ar Tonelico: Melody of Elemia - ar Tonelico II: Melody of Metafalica - Mana Khemia: Alchemists of Al-Revis - Mana Khemia 2: Fall of Alchemy - Shadow Hearts - Shadow Hearts: Covenant - Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner Raidou Kuzunoha vs. The Soulless Army - SMT: Devil Summoner Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon - SMT: Digital Devil Saga 1 & 2 - SMT: Nocturne - SMT: Persona 3 FES - SMT: Persona 4 - Suikoden III - Suikoden Tactics - Suikoden V - Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille sur Macht - Xenosaga Episode II: Jenseits von Gut und Böse (not that good, but it completes the trilogy) - Xenosaga Episode III: Also sprach Zarathustra - Wild ARMs 3 Playstation 3 - Valkyria Chronicles Nintendo DS - Final Fantasy III - Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon - Radiant Historia - SMT: Strange Journey - SMT: Devil Survivor - Super Robot Taisen OG Saga: Endless Frontier
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Fundertaker
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Hideo Kojima should direct every ending ever!
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Post by Fundertaker on Oct 30, 2011 15:03:55 GMT -5
And if you're in Europe or Australia, you also have Xenoblade Chronicles on Wii.
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Post by Shamar James on Oct 30, 2011 15:11:05 GMT -5
And if you're in Europe or Australia, you also have Xenoblade Chronicles on Wii. I've actually heard about that. Looks pretty good. But for some idiotic reason it's not coming to America. Also the only system I have is PS3. But thanks for all those suggestions.
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Fundertaker
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Hideo Kojima should direct every ending ever!
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Post by Fundertaker on Oct 30, 2011 15:18:23 GMT -5
Well, PS3 is going to get Tales Of Graces F soon enough, I believe. Since Valkyria Chronicles is a Strategy JRPG, perhaps you could also get this one as it's more, well, "traditional" (since there aren't that many really traditional JRPGs out there, especially outside of the portable systems).
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Post by Chronos on Oct 30, 2011 15:29:33 GMT -5
If you've got a PS3, I'd also recommend Folklore. It seems to get overlooked for some reason, but it's great.
Demon's Souls is good too, but it's also damn hard. It also has a sequel out just recently.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 30, 2011 19:39:41 GMT -5
And if you're in Europe or Australia, you also have Xenoblade Chronicles on Wii. I've actually heard about that. Looks pretty good. But for some idiotic reason it's not coming to America. Also the only system I have is PS3. But thanks for all those suggestions. Some of those might be available on PSN. And depending on what PS3 you have, you might have backward compatibility with the PS1 and PS2.
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Post by Shamar James on Oct 30, 2011 20:12:18 GMT -5
Also, I heard alot about the Final Fantasy games. Which should I start with?
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Post by Deleted on Oct 30, 2011 20:36:11 GMT -5
Also, I heard alot about the Final Fantasy games. Which should I start with? If you can and want to play all of them, play them in order, just so you can see the evolution of the series. I think some are available for iPhone/iPod if you have one, plus a lot of the early ones (pre-VII) have been rereleased on other systems, including the PS1, PSP, and DS. Not sure if they're up on PSN but some might be. So basically, I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, X-2, XII. XI and XIV are MMORPGs which I don't really like much, so I have no experience with either. It is impossible to quantify the pure burning hatred I have for FFXIII. Some people liked it but for me it almost killed all the love I have for video games in general, something I've had for nearly 20 years at this point. It took the delightful 3-D Dot Game Heroes (also for the PS3) to restore it. That is also a good game, but it's more of a Legend of Zelda type game than an RPG. If you're just looking for which ones are the best, for me it would go: VI, IV, III, V, I, X-2, X, VII, XII, IX, VIII, II, XIII. My favorite is Tactics, but it's not part of the main series of games.
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Post by Chronos on Oct 31, 2011 2:53:36 GMT -5
The first three Final Fantasy games are pretty dull, and the second is outright bad due to the botched stat-leveling system the game has. III has its appeal with the job system, but FFV, FFTactics, and Dragon Quest VI's job systems blow it out of the water. I haven't played the DS version, though, so maybe it is significantly improved there.
All of the games from IV through XII are good to great, but my personal favorite Final Fantasy games are V, VI, IX, and XII, so I'd recommend those, along with VII for historical significance. Tactics is a wonderful experience as well, like Starman Deluxe mentioned.
As Starman Deluxe also mentioned, FFXIII is terrible. I can't even say "it must be played to be believed" about it mockingly; it's that bad.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 31, 2011 3:55:34 GMT -5
III for the DS is pretty fun. I haven't played V in a long time so maybe I like that one better, but I remember the job system in it being annoying for some reason. And the first is fun just to see what the original Final Fantasy was, compared to what it became.
I enjoyed VII-IX a lot more when they came out than I do now. I just can't get past Zidane to enjoy IX, which I know is a pretty dumb reason but wow I just cannot stand the guy. And if I was going on gameplay alone, X would be my favorite.
But yeah, II and XIII are pretty bad. II just has the stupidest leveling system of any of the games, and XIII has the worst everything else.
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Post by Chronos on Oct 31, 2011 4:29:32 GMT -5
Chief Tempest is boss. I was originally going to be JBL but then realized how stupid and unimaginative that was, hahaha. Maya's better anyway.
FFV's job system admittedly does need a bit of min/maxing and crappy job use to get the most out of it as opposed to III's, as the "default" class is actually the best, being able to utilize all of your accrued skills. With FFIII the game's over once you hit Ninja/Sage, heh. (Or until Ahriman goes "lol" and spams an unsurvivable double Meteo on your hapless ass, the damnable thing.)
I'll fully agree that the PSX Final Fantasies have aged badly, but I still think IX retains its charm. I could fully understand how you hate Zidane too, but there's no arguing he's definitely a breath of fresh air after the moodiness of Cloud and Squall. He can sometimes be a bit of a jerk or be a little annoying with his womanizing, but at least with the womanizing part it's nearly always played for laughs.
My personal favorite Final Fantasy for gameplay is probably FFXII because FRICKING MARK BATTLES, but FFX and X-2 are both wonderful as well. The best of them are incredible edge-of-your-seat experiences and are breathtaking. Even Yiazmat, though admittedly only the last quarter of the fight.
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