RPG Progress Report

[Xeogred]

Tactics Ogre: A Queen Song Makes A Nice Title

26 hours on the clock now, finally reached The Royal City of Heim.

That there is my exact problem with most SRPG's and tactics games in general. They have very poor pacing because there's no down time between battles like in an RPG. No time to just fuck about in town or whatnot. It's either reading exposition in between battles, going through menus to prepare for battles (shops, job changing, loadouts, etc), or the battles themselves.

That's why Arc the Lad 2 is BOSS. Think it's the only SRPG I've ever played that had normal towns/dungeons where you actually get to walk around and interact with things and somehow, did random encounters (I think? Maybe enemies were on screen) very well.

Worth throwing that out there since I think Exhuminator just beat Arc 1, which was purely menu based like 99% of the SRPG's out there. But Arc 2 wasn't and it's a big reason why I love it so much, topped off with its cool urban fantasy/sci-fi setting with some strong 90's anime vibes.

[BoneSnapDeez]

I think the early Shining Force games had some great pacing, along with Blazing Heroes.

I think you will like it better than the first. But the weird Fire Wand behavior is still there.

It's not too bad so far. I'm diggin' the remixed music and diagonal movement. Plus, the addition of towns makes it much easier to find shops (and remember where they're located).

Bosses are still annoying HP tanks. This game has the opposite problem Zelda had (where bosses would go down in two or three hits). And wtf you can loose your boomerang when it flies offscreen? Oh dear.

[MrPopo]

Xeogred, you gotta play Shining Force 2. It has lots of town segments with dialog and hidden items (including some really awesome ones).

[Sarge]

Yep, Arc II and SF2 are both great, great games. Excellent pacing, not just one battle after another after another.

[Xeogred]

Niiiiice. I think I remember you guys and everyone saying 2 is even better and I had a lot of fun with 1 during the Together Retro for it awhile back. Been meaning to get around to 2 sometime.

1 was super simple but in a very charming and fun way. Kind of like the Arc the Lad games haha. They seem faster paced and easier than other SRPG's, which isn't a bad thing to me. Simpler can be better.

I got a Buffalo SNES controller for my PC and now I need a good alternative for the Genesis.

[Exhuminator]

It isn't so much that I can't stand an onslaught of continuous battles in SRPGs, I mean that's Front Mission in a nutshell, and I adore Front Mission.

It's just TO's lack of variety in mission design and objectives that drains me. I'm trying not to say too much before I review the game, because I'll explain myself better then. I think I just sound really negative about TO, and I don't mean to be. This is a legit classic. But no cow is too sacred that its milk can't go a little sour.

About to go sit in the recliner with a glass of tea and marathon through more battles.

Hoping to beat this soon... tonight?

[Xeogred]

Well I mean...it's still got the organs of an SNES game underneath.

[noiseredux]

it's funny how opposite I feel about SRPG's. The reason I love stuff like FFT is that I don't have to read a bunch of stuff between battles. Don't get me wrong - I love Shining Force. But that's about the extent. I far prefer SRPG's where I can just play battle after battle.

[Exhuminator]

Tactics Ogre

30 hours in, finally at the Hanging Gardens. Beat the first battle in the area. Looks like two more battles ahead of me. Hopefully only those two before I see the credits.

[SNESdrunk]

That's why Arc the Lad 2 is BOSS. Think it's the only SRPG I've ever played that had normal towns/dungeons where you actually get to walk around and interact with things and somehow, did random encounters (I think? Maybe enemies were on screen) very well.

Energy Breaker for Super Famicom (made by the same people who made the Lufia series) also allows you to wander around and do random stuff in between battles.