What RPG are you playing right now?

[RobertAugustdeMeijer]

That's interesting. I just (re)played Crystalis and I like it less than I remember.

The "elemental" based combat system (and resulting enemy immunities) kinda sucks. Menus are clunky, as is the fact that you can assign a couple of things to the A and B buttons, and how one thing will supersede another. Most dungeons are not fun to navigate as they're just a series of narrow hallways. Virtually all dungeons -- with the exception of the Nausicaä forest and floating tower -- as aesthetically dull as well. Cool music and sprite design though, and I dig the overall "vibe" at times if that makes sense.

Still, I'd rank the super-simple ARPGs like X/Y/Z (Xak, Ys, Zelda) over Crystalis, though those can be maddeningly cryptic at times. The best "complex" 8-bit ARPG is Radia Senki.

Yeah, Crystalis starts out strong. But the levels are maddening, and it's so annoying to have to change elements all the time. The last level was almost impossible.
The Game Boy Color version has a smaller screen, so it's even harder!

[SpaceBooger]

Since we are on the subject of 8-Bit ARPGs, does anyone recommend: Faria: A World of Mystery and Danger?
I am debating on putting that or Startropics on my summer gaming list.

[BoneSnapDeez]

Faria is a very janky and unbalanced game.

StarTropics I always found to be not-that-fun and way overhyped (it was everywhere back in the day, being a first-party title).

Definitely play both though. ARPGs are fun even when they aren't.

[MrPopo]

Can confirm that Faria is pretty janky and unbalanced. There's a lot of early grind, then a midgame that's not too bad, then end game everything feels cheap.

[Limewater]

I like Hungry Goriya's reviews, and she has one for Faria:



I personally really love StarTropics. The grid-based movement feels a little odd at first, given the graphical presentation, but the game really is designed around it and it makes jumps very easy to navigate once you get used to it. I really struggled with it when I first played it around age twelve, but when I came back to it a few years later I found it to be a lot easier than I remembered.

I did NOT enjoy the sequel as much, and I attribute this largely to the clearly-late decision to abandon the grid-based movement.

[prfsnl_gmr]

I’m playing King’s Field II (a/k/a King’s Field III), and I just made it through The Passage of Death, which is about the most classic From Software section in any classic From Software game. It’s a dungeon, basically, that’s loaded with deadly instant-kill traps, such as swinging blades, spikes balls, buzz saws, spears that shoot out of the walls, etc. it also features the game’s most annoying enemy, a headless skeleton that inflicts paralysis and darkness (so you can’t see the traps about to kill you).

The traps render some parts of maze impassable, and the only way around them is to find secret passages. Searching for a secret passage on the wrong section of a wall might - SURPRISE! - activate a hidden instant-kill trap, however; so you can’t just run up and down a wall searching for hidden doors. Finally, the dungeon will make you brave numerous traps, likely restarting several times, to get to a chest…only to find that’s it’s empty or contains an extremely basic item.

Now that I’m through it, however, I did discover the Royal Key, which is a prerequisite to unlocking the game’s best treasures. You can skip this section of the game entirely, and several NPCs advise you to do that. (An item found in the previous section of the game allows you to warp to an area immediately after The Passage of Death.) Still, if you’re not playing classic From Software titles for at least a little serious trolling, you’re honing to be disappointed!

[BoneSnapDeez]

I’m playing King’s Field II (a/k/a King’s Field III)

"Okay listen up ladies because I'm only going to explain this once. King's Field II is actually King's Field III, Final Fantasy II is Final Fantasy IV, Dragon Quest VIII is the sequel to Dragon Warrior VII, and there are two different games called Ys IV. No I will not be taking questions."

[prfsnl_gmr]

I’m playing King’s Field II (a/k/a King’s Field III)

"Okay listen up ladies because I'm only going to explain this once. King's Field II is actually King's Field III, Final Fantasy II is Final Fantasy IV, Dragon Quest VIII is the sequel to Dragon Warrior VII, and there are two different games called Ys IV. No I will not be taking questions."

I love this.

EDIT: Well…actually..we have received few questions on this. For those who are still confused, just remember: Final Fantasy III is Final Fantasy VI, the sequel to Final Fantasy X is Final Fantasy X-2, and Final Fantasy XII is The Zodiac Age. Mortal Kombat 3 is the sequel to Mortal Kombat II, but Mega Man 2 and Mega Man II are completely different games. SaGa, SaGa II, and SaGa III are real, but there is no 4th, 5th or 6th Saga. The 7the Saga is something called Elnard, but harder. That should clear everything up.

[marurun]

The 7the Saga is something called Elnard, but harder.

El Nard is my Luchador persona, and there are none harder!

[stickem]

Diablo 3 season 28, 2300 paragon. Xbox gamertag stickem25, hit me up