What RPG are you playing right now?

[pierrot]

Ys meets threads of fate.... What!! I have to get Gurmin now.

I played through Gurumin on the PSP, and while some of the characters were kind of interesting (if a bit childish), I thought the gameplay was a bit boring. I think the original PC version uses the mouse for a lot of the movement/attack controls, though, so maybe that makes it better, but as someone who has played all three of those games, Threads of Fate stands head and shoulders above the other two.

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I bit the bullet on a pretty cheap 10-pack of CR2032 batteries with solder tabs, and am back in serious business with Megami Tensei II. It's glorious. I have Rag's Shop theme stuck in my head, and I had an encounter that went through five (!!) groups of enemies before it was over. This is a JRPG. At the moment, I'm rolling with Genbu (mad tanking), Erigos (absurd attack strength), Coatlicue (for Georama), Apsara (for those MeDi, and Rakukaja spells), and Virudakha waiting in the wing for lascivious spell usage--I don't understand why he has Diahan or ParalaDi (he has the INT for it, anyway) but that early Tarukaja, though.

I took down the Basilisk in Ginza (who looked suspiciously like the jabberwocky I fought underneath Shiba, but with different skin), and talked to Mr Suzuki about the crystallized Lucifer, from the first game, stinking up the basement. All the while Pazusu has been calling me nonstop, trying to get me to ditch my partner, and go back to him. It's over Pazusu; please stop.

When I was in the bar in Shibuya, I was told to perform a strange ritual with the statue of Hachikou, which took me to the underworld(?). There was a sword in a stone, pinning down a Naga, but I wasn't strong enough to remove it. Fortunately, as a reward for slaying the basilisk, a monk in Ginza gave me Amida Strength, which allowed me to free the Naga, and pocket a sexy Serpent's Sword. It appears to attack between 1 and 8 times (suck on that, Falcon Sword) with 5+ being the norm. That trick with Hachikou also worked on a statue in Ueno, which took me to a Nihil sword. It's cursed, though, so I'm not sure I really want to use it.

It's a little strange to be playing this game after playing Megami Tensei, and Shin Megami Tensei, but I also get an interesting perspective on this one because of it. Megami Tensei II is trying to recall a lot of things from Megami Tensei, even though the story and setting are both completely different. At the same time, Megami Tensei II feels a LOT like Shin Megami Tensei, after the crazy bullshit that happens in the middle of SMT. I would almost say that SMT is like a re-imagining of Megami Tensei II, but with choices that affect alignment.

The illusion of branching story, and extreme lack of save points aside, I am in love with this game so far.

[Kuruwin]

What are some of your favorite JRPGs, Kuruwin? Knowing what you like would inform better suggestions.

Soul Series, Disgaea 1&4, Nier, Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn, FF6,Lost Odyssey, Ni No Kuni (has some serious problems but it still one my favorites) Atelier: Escha&Logy (didn't like the sequel) and Chrono Trigger.

Eventhough there's not many tactical RPG's on the list i really like them. I didn't just list
some of them like Tactics Advance 2 because flaw's that prevent them being my favorites (judge system and the game starts to feel really repetitive towards the end)

But that's the thing about JRPG's and me....JRPG's tend to be mixed bags. Like for instance Grandia is something that i look fondly back now but it was just a chore to play after first 20 hour's. The dungeons for instance were awful to navigate around and the combat dragged. Slow combat really is something i have very,very hard time tolerate. I don't have ADHD or anything like that but when enemies take long time to move around and skill animations drag i literally start feeling nausea.

Another flawed JRPG that i could use as an example is the mentioned Parasite Eve. It's fantastic in some ways but they just had to pad it with the awful museum level and i wasn't fan of that the finale was so boombastic (explosives,explosives everywhere)

Usually it's the story and characters that get me through lot of the JRGP's and not because i like the gameplay.

[Exhuminator]

am back in serious business with Megami Tensei II. It's glorious.

Which of these versions are you playing it via?:

or

Eventhough there's not many tactical RPG's on the list i really like them

My favorite SRPGs are the Front Mission games. I don't know if you've played any or not, if not, you oughta give them a shot. If you want to play a PS1 entry in the series, this would do:

http://nicoblog.org/psp/front-mission-3-usa-psn/

Although I believe the DS version of the original Front Mission is the best starting point.

Usually it's the story and characters that get me through lot of the JRGP's and not because i like the gameplay.

That's pretty much the opposite of me then, I prefer solid gameplay and systems design over extended plot and character exposition. Ideally I'd like both, of course, but if things are going to swing one way or the other, that's my taste. If you haven't played Xenogears yet that might satiate a big story and characters for you. Although I still recommend Koudelka, especially for October.

[prfsnl_gmr]

I am playing DQVII. At just over three hours into the game, I am finally getting to battle!

[Kuruwin]

I do have Front Mission DS and i did try it a bit but got distracted by something else and haven't come back to it yet (will get around playing the next time i feel like playing on the DS)

That's pretty much the opposite of me then, I prefer solid gameplay and systems design over extended plot and character exposition. Ideally I'd like both, of course, but if things are going to swing one way or the other, that's my taste. Although I still recommend Koudelka, especially for October.

Ideally i would love to enjoy both aspects too but more often i stick for the story.

Anyways...every mission in Langrisser seems to take a long while to beat (and there's at least 25 of them) so i was thinking about starting another game alongside it because i don't want burn myself with it.

So just a little while ago i put two more PS1 games to my PSP and one of them was Koudelka of course. I didn't start playing it just yet but i probably will get around testing it tomorrow.

The other game was Tales Of Destiny.

If you haven't played Xenogears yet that might satiate a big story and characters for you.

Ahhh Xenogears. The game that me afraid of eboot's for years. It might have been the one bad exception but the version i got kept giving the black screen when the first battle started and that got me paranoid about eboot's. I started thinking that similiar problems could arrise anytime with eboots and could potentially prevent me completing a game.

I decided back then that i would hold on playing it until i would get my PS1 fixed but it's been years and years since that and i still haven't gotten around doing that. I still actually do want to wait until that and i'been recently thinking of getting another PS1 and take the disc spinner from that to fix the modded PS1 i have. I would just get the spinner part but the right version is the only one that's been out of stock for years on DX. I did buy one of the other versions but the spinner from that couldn't be taken out like it could be one the version i have so that didn't work out.

I guess i finally should start trusting ebay because i'm sure that i could find the right part from there.

[Exhuminator]

one of them was Koudelka of course. I didn't start playing it just yet but i probably will get around testing it tomorrow

Keep in mind the battle system is slow. But it will grow on you, especially when you start getting into more complicated battles with multiple enemy types and you have your full party. If you can get past the battle system, you'll find that your party members are all very interesting people, and the game's plot is far above average. At least, that's how I felt about it. It's a solid 8/10 JRPG in my book.

Koudelka is one game that I wholeheartedly recommend reading the manual for. It helps to explain the nuances of the battle system in important ways:

http://www.replacementdocs.com/request.php?1179

It might have been the one bad exception but the version i got kept giving the black screen when the first battle started and that got me paranoid about eboot's

Were you playing the official PSN eboot or some scene stuff? The official PSN eboot ought to be fine. ( http://nicoblog.org/psp/xenogears-usa-psn/ )

I would just get the spinner part but the right version is the only one that's been out of stock for years on DX.

I'm not sure what part you're looking for, but if it's available here:

http://store.richspsxparts.com/nsearch. ... 82827841/1

Then rest assured you won't get ripped off. Rich has never done me wrong.

[Sarge]

That was more a specific issue with Xenogears itself. I'd look at the compatibility charts that float around for games. It also helps that the game is officially supported now, so Sony should have already ironed out the quirks if you roll with the PSN version. (Ninja'd by Exhum!)

Tales of Destiny was the first Tales game I finished. That random battle rate is something else.

[Kuruwin]

At this point i can't recall where i downloaded from because it's been so long since then.

And by spinner i mean the dark part on the image bellow. I will be buying it from that site soon (thanks)



The last time i bought the whole thing that the spinner is attached but the version had the spinner attached to the base and it couldn't be removed. That dark part should just pop right out (above picture)

I mean this whole thing.



I guess i could also go with the PSN version and play it on the Vita TV but the game really doesn't go on sale often.

EDIT: This was the right version of the drive that my PS1 has. As you can see the thing is even different color that the other two versions that are both black.

http://www.dx.com/fi/p/replacement-lase ... -LGzq28yUk

[pierrot]

am back in serious business with Megami Tensei II. It's glorious.

Which of these versions are you playing it via?

Famicom. I have both now, but my Kyuuyaku cart is bugged, and won't let me use the elevator to get out of the shelter at the beginning of the game, which prompted me to get he FC version. The SFC version really isn't any better (just more in line with SMT/if...), and in a number of ways, it could be described as worse, so I'm happy to be playing it on the FC.

[Exhuminator]

The SFC version really isn't any better (just more in line with SMT/if...), and in a number of ways, it could be described as worse, so I'm happy to be playing it on the FC.

How is it worse? I was under the impression the SFC version had improved graphics and audio, as well as some streamlining to make things a bit less grindy.