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Record of Lodoss War: Advent of Cardice for Sega Dreamcast... thoughts?

Louis_Cypher

Arcane
Joined
Jan 1, 2016
Messages
1,519
What are people's thoughts on this, is it worth playing?



It actually looks like a Japanese Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance. I'm looking for a decent action RPG, with a plot interesting enough to hold attention. Something more like Ys; quick high lethality combat. Maybe I'll give Xanadu Next a go. Any recommendations?
 

Zurat-Yarkuch

Savant
Joined
Feb 7, 2016
Messages
455
Oh man this brings back a ton of memories. I got this for the Sega Dreamcast and played the absolute crap out of this game. Think I 100% this game. I ignored the magic system entirely and just maxed out my physical stats. If I remember correctly it kind of has a unique gear/stat system, but can't remember it too well. I say much more like Diablo than Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance.

No clue if it would hold up if I played it again. The story is pretty much like an alternate timeline of the Record of Lodoss War story, so non-canon to the universe. I played this before watching the anime OVA and series. When I did finally watch them I was like "Oh so that's who that character was." If you watched the series you will know instantly who your character is a reincarnation of.

Nostalgia goggles blind me too much with this one so I don't know if I can recommend it.
 

Louis_Cypher

Arcane
Joined
Jan 1, 2016
Messages
1,519
It looks like it might be pretty decent so I'll give it a go; I never got through the OVA fully. I was wanting to play something with a traditional hero vs darkness story, to make a change from all the complicated CRPG politics and kingdoms I've done recently, so high fantasy anime made sense. Was also attracted by how Lodoss has more mature old school anime art, and this game seems to be quite restrained rather than cell shaded etc.

93Uhf4K.png


On a related topic, I've only ever played Ys III: The Oath in Felghana, in terms of faster Japanese ARPGs. Does anyone have any recommendations along the lines of Ys, Xanadu, etc? High lethality, no battle transitions. Preferably an interesting lore rich setting like what Nihon Falcom tend to make, so there is something to occasionally read and get inspired by? Hidden gems? Perhaps I should just play more Ys.

Ewfz9m1.png
 

Machocruz

Arcane
Joined
Jul 7, 2011
Messages
4,318
Location
Hyperborea
Xanadu Next is not really fast. It's no Ys, but nothing really is. Maybe try Terranigma, Illusion of Gaia, the Mana series, Cross Code, God Eater series, Nier Automata, Shining Force EVA, Dragon's Crown.
 

Louis_Cypher

Arcane
Joined
Jan 1, 2016
Messages
1,519
It's no Ys, but nothing really is.

Yeah it's pretty unique isn't it. I've gone with Ys 1, and am playing it now.

I think I might make a separate thread like 'most western-style JRPGs' or about Nihon Falcom games, or something, because what I'm really looking for is kinda something only they seem to consistently do, perhaps owing to their PC developer heritage and proximity to CRPGs. I'm also a little worn out with mainstream JRPG gameplay, so something like Nihon Falcom's catalogue or Etrian Oddyssy or Record of Lodoss War suits me more.
 

Machocruz

Arcane
Joined
Jul 7, 2011
Messages
4,318
Location
Hyperborea
It's no Ys, but nothing really is.

Yeah it's pretty unique isn't it. I've gone with Ys 1, and am playing it now.

I think I might make a separate thread like 'most western-style JRPGs' or about Nihon Falcom games, or something, because what I'm really looking for is kinda something only they seem to consistently do, perhaps owing to their PC developer heritage and proximity to CRPGs. I'm also a little worn out with mainstream JRPG gameplay, so something like Nihon Falcom's catalogue or Etrian Oddyssy or Record of Lodoss War suits me more.
Which version of Ys1? T-16/PCE CD-ROM has the best music arrangements, but if you want to go through the trouble you can find the song files from that port and use them to replace the Ys 1 Chronicles soundtrack and get the superior music along with superior graphics. Same with Ys 2, which I consider a must play if you like 1.

According to HardcoreGaming101, Ys 4 on PC Engine is considered the best of the old Ys games. I never played it but looks like it could be good.
 

Louis_Cypher

Arcane
Joined
Jan 1, 2016
Messages
1,519
I'm playing the Steam one, which is the Chronicles version I think. Ys II is next for me, but I feel something special about the obscurity and atypical nature of things like Xanadu Next and Lodoss. I may give those a play. There is also Brandish, for the PSP, which is another Nihon Falcom game without battle transitions and stuff.
 

Ysaye

Arbiter
Joined
May 27, 2018
Messages
771
Location
Australia
Does it have to be action based? - if not and you can read japanese, like dungeon crawling, and want some great "old school" music and can find a copy....



If not, I like the following Ys games:
  • Ys Origin
  • Ys 6 Ark of Naphitism
  • Ys Oath in Felghana (3d re imagining of Ys 3)
The above all have great music, intermediate to hard difficulty and are all hero versus darkness old school settings - Ys 6 has the most open feel to it but still plot based, Origin and Felghana are pretty linear but both are plot based, Origin the most so because of it's prequel status.

I would go Brandish over Xanadu Next (Xanadu Next is basically a Diablo clone but without random dungeons and is perhaps one of the most souless Falcom games, it is still okay but not as good as Brandish). Brandish is a bit weird in terms of it's controls but it is kind of quaint; just reminds you how much Falcom used to just try all kinds of things.
 

Ysaye

Arbiter
Joined
May 27, 2018
Messages
771
Location
Australia
It's no Ys, but nothing really is.

Yeah it's pretty unique isn't it. I've gone with Ys 1, and am playing it now.

I think I might make a separate thread like 'most western-style JRPGs' or about Nihon Falcom games, or something, because what I'm really looking for is kinda something only they seem to consistently do, perhaps owing to their PC developer heritage and proximity to CRPGs. I'm also a little worn out with mainstream JRPG gameplay, so something like Nihon Falcom's catalogue or Etrian Oddyssy or Record of Lodoss War suits me more.
Which version of Ys1? T-16/PCE CD-ROM has the best music arrangements, but if you want to go through the trouble you can find the song files from that port and use them to replace the Ys 1 Chronicles soundtrack and get the superior music along with superior graphics. Same with Ys 2, which I consider a must play if you like 1.

According to HardcoreGaming101, Ys 4 on PC Engine is considered the best of the old Ys games. I never played it but looks like it could be good.

The debate about the music always makes me think of this and the PC Engine 1993 version in particular....
 

Machocruz

Arcane
Joined
Jul 7, 2011
Messages
4,318
Location
Hyperborea
but I feel something special about the obscurity and atypical nature of things like Xanadu Next and Lodoss.
Me too, but XN is just ok to me . Kind of bland. Reminds me of more interesting games lik Vagrant Story, and that Lodoss game which has a similar tone but i remember liking more. Brandish had always looked kind of interesting, but never got around to it
 

Nutmeg

Arcane
Vatnik Wumao
Joined
Jun 12, 2013
Messages
19,801
Location
Mahou Kingdom
What are people's thoughts on this, is it worth playing?



It actually looks like a Japanese Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance. I'm looking for a decent action RPG, with a plot interesting enough to hold attention. Something more like Ys; quick high lethality combat. Maybe I'll give Xanadu Next a go. Any recommendations?

I'm playing Guardian Heroes.

You level up during a stage, and between stages you choose which stats to raise which affects how you use your character in later stages. It has branching paths, a karma system that affects the ending (and prevents grinding), and a bunch of different characters with different spells and attacks. The action is quite good, maybe a bit busy and I haven't quite figured it all out yet, but first impressions are positive. Even if it turns out not to be very sound, IMO it'd still be a great action sandbox.

The art might turn you off, but it's actually very good from an artistic standpoint if you can accept the style.

cdEepBR.png
 

Louis_Cypher

Arcane
Joined
Jan 1, 2016
Messages
1,519
I completed Ys I and Ys II - excellent games in just the right dosage I was after.

Really like how the weapons and armor are not over the top; and the progression is nice.

I think Falcom games are a bit closer to CRPGs:

tuycWc2.png


I would go Brandish over Xanadu Next (Xanadu Next is basically a Diablo clone but without random dungeons and is perhaps one of the most souless Falcom games, it is still okay but not as good as Brandish). Brandish is a bit weird in terms of it's controls but it is kind of quaint; just reminds you how much Falcom used to just try all kinds of things.

but I feel something special about the obscurity and atypical nature of things like Xanadu Next and Lodoss.
Me too, but XN is just ok to me . Kind of bland. Reminds me of more interesting games lik Vagrant Story, and that Lodoss game which has a similar tone but i remember liking more. Brandish had always looked kind of interesting, but never got around to it

Brandish looks kinda like it was inspired by blobbers, and I like blobbers, so it's definitely on my radar. I really like how Falcom games have a nice mid way point between CRPG and JRPG.
 

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