The reasons so many JRPGs don't make it to the US

[alienjesus]

Well I kind of mentioned the handheld thing myself. It's pretty true. The only personal problem I have with that factor, is that I've got a bad neck from an injury years ago. If I try and play a handheld for more than like 30 minutes at a time, I'm guaranteed to have major headaches and shoulder aches throughout the rest of the day. It's exciting to know there's still a lot of JRPG's out there that I need to play, but also fairly disappointing they're all on handhelds. I've gone back and played GBA games via emulation (that I even own already) just for the sake of comfort... well maybe someday DS emulation will be pretty good and I'll have a computer that can run it no problem, and enjoy those games then.

On that note I wish connectivity to a TV/console with handhelds was -always- a standard. To me that'd just be another incentive to more sales, but oh well.

I'm happy to see the 3DS and Vita have larger screens though, maybe I'll be able to use them more frequently and be comfortable, and JRPG's will keep coming out strong on them.

You have the option of playing PSP games on a TV too, the 2000 and 3000 both have tv out.

[Xeogred]

I have the 1001, lol.

I might get a newer one someday. Seems to be a lot of great stuff on the PSP.

[marlowe221]

I think that a big reason is that good localization costs more money than the companies are often willing to invest.

I like a lot of things about JRPGs. I like the complex combat systems, leveling/job/skill/whatever systems, the creative worlds and so on.

I don't mind the anime style of most games in this category - even though I am not a fan of anime or manga.

BUT...

I must be missing some cultural differences because I often find that the story in a typical JRPG doesn't make much sense to me. The motivations of the various characters often don't make much sense to me.

Or maybe they do and the localization isn't great. I don't know. But it seems like a big financial investment for a game that will likely get poo-poo'd in the western gaming press...

[Valkyrie-Favor]

You can use the PSP with component cables for that. Looks pretty good. It's also silly to think that none of them take risks when there are so many weird nice JRPGs out there. You do need a portable for them, though. I'm not really liking the big console JRPGs this gen anyway - Ni No Kuni looks nice but I wasn't impressed with Star Ocean, Blue Dragon or even Eternal Sonata although I'm a huge Chopin fan. Oh well.

[Xeogred]

Yeah Star Ocean totally did a nosedive after the second one.