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UPDATED: In need of JRPGs with good combat (preferrably tactical combat)

Ash

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Japanese RPG = RPG made in Japan.
JRPG = A sub-genre of RPG that became popular in Japan. It usually has some sort of turn-based combat, heavy emphasis on story, all the characters have predefined backgrounds and personalities, and it needs to have animu art. Not animu "sprites" as that is usually difficult to accomplish, but animu art. Also, almost no choices to make or your choices don't matter at all.

By that nonsensical definition it rules out the most popular JRPG, Final Fantasy, as a JRPG, as there is no animu art style in any with the exception of the modern ones, or a game or two in the series with arguably animu-leaning character model styles.
 

Sigourn

uooh afficionado
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By that nonsensical definition it rules out the most popular JRPG, Final Fantasy, as a JRPG, as there is no animu art style in any with the exception of the modern ones, or a game or two in the series with arguably animu-leaning character model styles.

Nigga, are you kidding me?

  1. Turn-based combat: check.
  2. Heavy emphasis on story: check.
  3. Predefined backgrounds and personalities: check.
  4. Animu art: check.
 

Ash

Arcane
Joined
Oct 16, 2015
Messages
6,227

Like I said, one or two games in the series with animu-leaning character models/designs. Very mild animu at that.

Not animu:

FF9

latest

FF8

latest

Nigga
 

tet666

Augur
Joined
Apr 13, 2012
Messages
396
JRPG are narrative focused rpgs while WRPG are character focused rpgs.
JRPGs feature predefined, well-developed characters who follow a rigidly defined sequence of events, whereas WRPGs have characters with much more nebulous personalities, with the player having more control over both the characters and the sequence of events. JRPGs have more focus on plot, while WRPGs often focus on gameplay. Art style or combat system is totally unimportant here.
 
Last edited:

Hobo Elf

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Platypus Planet
I disagree on the gameplay part. JRPGs have a LOT more focus on gameplay, which is why you see a ton of oddball and abstract leveling systems, crafting systems, combat combo systems and so forth. They're always trying to spice things up by reinventing the wheel to keep people engaged. Western RPGs tend to be more muted and simply rely on good old dice rolling without straying too far from the norm with their systems.
 

Jacob

Pronouns: Nick/Her
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Grab the Codex by the pussy
Japanese RPG = RPG made in Japan.
JRPG = A sub-genre of RPG that became popular in Japan. It usually has some sort of turn-based combat, heavy emphasis on story, all the characters have predefined backgrounds and personalities, and it needs to have animu art. Not animu "sprites" as that is usually difficult to accomplish, but animu art. Also, almost no choices to make or your choices don't matter at all.

who the hell creates this bs
 

tet666

Augur
Joined
Apr 13, 2012
Messages
396
I disagree on the gameplay part. JRPGs have a LOT more focus on gameplay, which is why you see a ton of oddball and abstract leveling systems, crafting systems, combat combo systems and so forth. They're always trying to spice things up by reinventing the wheel to keep people engaged. Western RPGs tend to be more muted and simply rely on good old dice rolling without straying too far from the norm with their systems.

Yeah but it's not the main focus of the game, advancing the plot is which makes it genre defining.
 

Hobo Elf

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I disagree on the gameplay part. JRPGs have a LOT more focus on gameplay, which is why you see a ton of oddball and abstract leveling systems, crafting systems, combat combo systems and so forth. They're always trying to spice things up by reinventing the wheel to keep people engaged. Western RPGs tend to be more muted and simply rely on good old dice rolling without straying too far from the norm with their systems.

Yeah but it's not the main focus of the game, advancing the plot is.

No it's not. There are even whole series of games that have a laser focus on one gameplay aspect and everything else around it is superficial. Western RPGs can't claim the same.
 

Jacob

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Grab the Codex by the pussy
Science Fiction: Fiction genre about (im)probable science
Sci-Fi: Boring pretentious stories featuring people in tight suit and rubber costumes. It usually has spaceships.
 

Jacob

Pronouns: Nick/Her
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Grab the Codex by the pussy
also, final fantasy is not "animu", I'm not saying it's actually mature and all, but it's definitely not "animu"
 

Sigourn

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also, final fantasy is not "animu", I'm not saying it's actually mature and all, but it's definitely not "animu"

I concede, even though it is clear by plenty of its characters hairstyles that it has animu roots.

I would reserve "animu" for characters from other videogame franchises, like Dragon Quest.
 

Sigourn

uooh afficionado
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>wants interesting enjoyable combat
>not valkyrie profile

lol

I'm juggling hundreds of games at the moment. In a couple of hours I'll post a reworked list. What I'm looking for now is either something that has good combat, or that at the very least is mature in its story/setting.
 

Sigourn

uooh afficionado
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Feb 6, 2016
Messages
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Hello Codexers.

Once again, I've edited my list. You can see it here. It's 77 japanese-made RPGs. Which ones of these games would you say are not worth someone's time? I'm feeling very strong towards the games in Gold, either because I have played some of them, or because they seem to be really popular games.

I tried to make a concise list of great games, but I'm also in for a challenge. Which ones should I avoid, in that case? For the record, only games that I can play on PC or emulate (in English) are here. If it is part of a franchise or series, and it isn't here, it doesn't fulfill those two requirements.

Also, I'm not interested in suggestions anymore, unless you have a really, really cool game that is extremely similar to Vagrant Story.
 

Sigourn

uooh afficionado
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seems like you already made up your mind so why bother

You are a bad person, but I'll listen to your Valkyrie Profile suggestion and add those three to the list, and call it a day.
 

Hyperion

Arcane
Joined
Jul 2, 2016
Messages
2,120
By that nonsensical definition it rules out the most popular JRPG, Final Fantasy, as a JRPG, as there is no animu art style in any with the exception of the modern ones, or a game or two in the series with arguably animu-leaning character model styles.

Nigga, are you kidding me?

  1. Turn-based combat: check.
  2. Heavy emphasis on story: check.
  3. Predefined backgrounds and personalities: check.
  4. Animu art: check.

The original Final Fantasy was a Wizardry clone with a traversible overworld, and 3rd person combat. Choosing your classes (or at least choosing the stats you develop, and the gear and spells along with it) continued until 4 when they gave you a balanced, and more or less "optimal" set of classes, each with their own personalities. It just so happened most class change was bypassed, except for Cecil and Rydia. If you look at the status screen, you can even seen the multiple hits system still in play, just hidden from the common eye to make it less confusing. It's why most hammers and axes suck balls even though their damage is high - accuracy did still matter, and led to wildly differing damage amounts. This was simplified to random elements used for calculations in future installments, most notably Final Fantasy Tactics, and Final Fantasy XII.

Its current state may not suggest it at all, from art style to systems, but Final Fantasy certainly started by taking influence from classic RPG's. It's not a secret that Sakaguchi has a huge hard on for Ultima, and Wizardry. By your definition, it probably isn't a JRPG...but that argument is so fucking tired and annoying, and really, who gives a shit?
 

tet666

Augur
Joined
Apr 13, 2012
Messages
396
Hello Codexers.

Once again, I've edited my list. You can see it here. It's 77 japanese-made RPGs. Which ones of these games would you say are not worth someone's time? I'm feeling very strong towards the games in Gold, either because I have played some of them, or because they seem to be really popular games.

I tried to make a concise list of great games, but I'm also in for a challenge. Which ones should I avoid, in that case? For the record, only games that I can play on PC or emulate (in English) are here. If it is part of a franchise or series, and it isn't here, it doesn't fulfill those two requirements.

Also, I'm not interested in suggestions anymore, unless you have a really, really cool game that is extremely similar to Vagrant Story.

FFT WotL(SRPG),Vagrant Story,Trails in the Sky+SC and Valkyria Chronicles 1 and 3 (SRPG) are my faves from that list by far i also second Valkyrie Profile it's a fantastic game the second game wasn't bad either and it's the most beautiful PS2 game by far.
 

Arthandas

Liturgist
Joined
Apr 21, 2015
Messages
1,368
Do what I ultimately did and start playing all Ys games on highest difficulty settings. GOG has them currently at 70% off for a day or two more.
 

Sigourn

uooh afficionado
Joined
Feb 6, 2016
Messages
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FFT WotL(SRPG),Vagrant Story,Trails in the Sky+SC and Valkyria Chronicles 1 and 3 (SRPG) are my faves from that list by far i also second Valkyrie Profile it's a fantastic game the second game wasn't bad either and it's the most beautiful PS2 game by far.

Do what I ultimately did and start playing all Ys games on highest difficulty settings. GOG has them currently at 70% off for a day or two more.

Thank you! Any Ys games or Valkyria Profile games I should avoid?
 

Sigourn

uooh afficionado
Joined
Feb 6, 2016
Messages
5,623
You can decide for yourself:
http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/ys/ys.htm

Basically focus on remakes available on GOG/Steam. If you want to go in-depth like me and discover Ys' as a franchise then add the Wanderers from Ys, Ys IV and Ys V.

There's also Ys Seven (PSP), which can be emulated, and Ys: Memories of Celceta, which has a translation patch available for the Chinese PC version. Anyhow, thank you! I'm going to play them all.
 

tet666

Augur
Joined
Apr 13, 2012
Messages
396
FFT WotL(SRPG),Vagrant Story,Trails in the Sky+SC and Valkyria Chronicles 1 and 3 (SRPG) are my faves from that list by far i also second Valkyrie Profile it's a fantastic game the second game wasn't bad either and it's the most beautiful PS2 game by far.

Do what I ultimately did and start playing all Ys games on highest difficulty settings. GOG has them currently at 70% off for a day or two more.

Thank you! Any Ys games or Valkyria Profile games I should avoid?

For Valkyrie Profile no even Covenant of the Plume the third game on the DS was pretty good (it's a SRPG and not a JRPG like the first games) and i liked the story actually more then the one from the second game.
I didn't play all YS games so far but most of them, from the ones i played i only didn't really enjoy the remake of the first 2 games (Chronicles or something) you just bump into enemy's to fight them it feels very dated after playing later entry's couldn't finish it.
 

RuySan

Augur
Joined
Jul 11, 2005
Messages
777
Location
Portugal
TiTs combat it's probably among my favourites when it comes to RPGs , but unfortunately it's attached to a very text heavy game.
 

tet666

Augur
Joined
Apr 13, 2012
Messages
396
TiTs combat it's probably among my favourites when it comes to RPGs , but unfortunately it's attached to a very text heavy game.

Wtf is unfortunate about that, it's very well and charming written you don't like reading?
 

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