What RPG are you playing right now?

[flash1987]

The game came bundled with the guide all across the west I thought?

[Xeogred]

Have you played Covenant? The first seems cool but didn't totally sink its teeth into me.

I have not played Covenant, but I do own it, and From the New World as well. In the Shadow Hearts series, I've only finished Koudelka and Shadow Hearts so far. I enjoyed both of them quite a lot though, and I have no doubt Covenant is great. It's in my short list of PS2 JRPGs to beat next.

Oh heck yeah, I definitely want to get Koudelka sometime. I'm a sucker for RE1 clones and survival horrors, it looks like such a weird mix of genres. And the underrated Hiroki Kikuta is always enticing.

[BoneSnapDeez]

Most of these games are beatable sans guides if you have the patience of a monk and tons of time to dedicate to gaming.

As for Phantasy Star II, yes it came with a guide. I've never seen it though, and I'm sure the same rings true for many others who purchased the game used.

[TSTR]

The PS2 remake of Phantasy Star is great except for one thing; the music. The developers really assed up the music badly. The rest of the game is on point and there are some nice additions like a more fleshed out story with extra cutscenes.

As an aside, my all time favorite JRPG series is Phantasy Star. Loved them all, even part III.

IDK, I am kinda digging the music myself. I've listened to both the regular SMS and the FM versions of the tunes. The FM is pretty sick, but the sound effects are ass. The SMS soundchip is kinda ass in general, so I can't really get down on that version.

[Exhuminator]

Most of these games are beatable sans guides if you have the patience of a monk and tons of time to dedicate to gaming.

As for Phantasy Star II, yes it came with a guide. I've never seen it though, and I'm sure the same rings true for many others who purchased the game used.

I heard PS2 came with a guide. Unfortunately my copy was cart only, so I didn't have that luxury.

@Xeogred

Koudelka is a really great game, but it's an acquired taste. The first time I played it, I thought it was trash. I went back to it a few years later and ended up loving it. You just have to accept the combat system is trash and everything's fine after that.

[Michi]

As for Phantasy Star II, yes it came with a guide. I've never seen it though, and I'm sure the same rings true for many others who purchased the game used.

I heard PS2 came with a guide. Unfortunately my copy was cart only, so I didn't have that luxury.

When I found that score of a Sega find a couple years ago, Phantasy Star II was among the games in the lot and included with it were the Instruction Manual, Ground Map and "Hint Book," which is what I believe you are referring to. There's a picture of all three in my collection thread under the Genesis section if you're curious.

[Exhuminator]

Instruction Manual, Ground Map and "Hint Book,"

Having those would have made PS2 a lot easier for me.

When I was a kid I had a lot of free time, so wandering for hours and grinding all day was possible. Doing that means you'll hit upon the path to progress eventually by sheer time sink. Even so, I don't remember PS2 being especially obtuse, just grindy as hell.

[BoneSnapDeez]

Even so, I don't remember PS2 being especially obtuse

Sure about that, son?
http://fantasyanime.com/phantasystar/im ... /ikuto.png

As a kid I had little time to play video games (strict parents + a sports obsession will do that to ya) so I didn't really gravitate to the RPG genre until the games became more streamlined (Final Fantasy VI, Chrono Trigger, etc.).

Now that I think of it, I never thought to buy specific RPGs unless they were covered in Nintendo Power first. Which means that when I began playing I already had hints or even some semblance of a walkthrough at my disposal.

[Exhuminator]

The dungeon layouts aren't that hard to navigate, they're just designed to cause a lot of backtracking for grinding encounters. Artificial longevity as you do.

[touchofkiel]

gee guys, thanks for reminding me of yet ANOTHER RPG series I haven't gotten to yet... backlog of shame...