Anime Boy's first JRPG

[Tacgnol]

Yakuza 0 is a brawler, like the rest of the series except for Yakuza Like a Dragon.

Brawlers, but they do have a lot of RPG elements. Side quests/content, character development systems etc.

They capture the zero to hero curve pretty well.

 

[Clockwork Knight]

Actually it's a dating sim. This discrepancy is remedied by it also being a jRPG and a third person atmospheric crime drama (or TPACD for short), just like L.A. Noire and A.I. The Somnium Files.

Popular user-defined tags for this product:
Story Rich
Action
Beat 'em up
Great Soundtrack
Open World
Crime
RPG
Minigames
Funny
Singleplayer
Violent
Mature
Adventure
Comedy
Sexual Content
Third Person
Drama
Atmospheric
JRPG
Dating Sim

 

[Zoo]

-FF7 remake is good but it's an action game and he pooh-poohed Dragon's Dogma already

He doesn't like DD, because he find it too similar to Dark Souls. I think they are very different games, maybe Dark Arisen has Souls-vibes, and I can imagine that these games are akin for somebody. But FF7 Remake? It has party, it has pause (more precisely SLOW-motion), it has cinematic style and it is way more weeb with anime-like nonsenses. Oh, and the handholding! Dark Souls? I don't think so. But maybe you are right, and it would be the complaint against FF7 Remake. It would be just... weird.

 

[Skinwalker]

I didn't like Dragon's Dogma because it was butt-ugly, had retarded and boring combat, and a gimmicky boss fighting system. It was just trash that wanted to be Dark Souls, but failed in every conceivable way.

Checking out Yakuza 0 gameplay videos, I have to ask: does the game have any actual gameplay? Every time I skip to a new place in the videos, the guy is watching yet another cutscene. Is it an animated movie with some occasional fighting minigames, or an actual video game?

Also, it has English voice acting, right? I'm not going to listen to ooosho damariga kitoshiwama oshukonitokawa mi kurutzewa nishke (where all female characters sound like screeching eight year old girls, and all male characters sound like a hoarse ninety year old military veteran with throat infection) for twenty/forty/hundred hours, I'll go insane.

 

[Frank Capicoli]

I didn't like Dragon's Dogma because it was butt-ugly, had retarded and boring combat, and a gimmicky boss fighting system. It was just trash that wanted to be Dark Souls, but failed in every conceivable way.

 

[flyingjohn]

I didn't like Dragon's Dogma because it was butt-ugly, had retarded and boring combat, and a gimmicky boss fighting system. It was just trash that wanted to be Dark Souls, but failed in every conceivable way.

Checking out Yakuza 0 gameplay videos, I have to ask: does the game have any actual gameplay?

I don't know:

Also, it has English voice acting, right?

Jap is default with the option to change to English.

 

[Nelka]

Check out Chained Echoes, some say the best german invention since holocaust (not my opinion). It feel like it combines well the best and worst aspects of classic JRPGs, a good starting point. In addition it has few QoL "fixing" some typical things for jRPG that would normaly drawback you or got you tired pretty fast when playing some older titles, especially if you are new in the genre. In case that you NEED TO PLAY JAPANESE™ TITLE, go with Persona 4!

 

[Grampy_Bone]

it has English voice acting, right?

Jap is default with the option to change to English.

Yakuza Like a Dragon is the only modern Yakuza game with an english dub. The others are all full Japanese except for the original PS2 game.

 

[Joggerino]

I have never played a JRPG in my life. Ever. Not a single one. I'm not counting games like Dark Souls, because those are just action RPGs made by Japs, I'm talking about full-on JRPGs with everything that normally entails. Whatever that may be, since I am quite clueless on this topic.

What would be the best one to start with, out of the recently-released ones? Yakuza 0? Final Fantasy XVI? Shenmue III? Fursona 5?

Important: I do not play games where you're forced to play as a female (or """female"""), so those are not even worth considering. Also no Dragon's Dogma, I've already tried it and it's just an inferior Dark Souls.

Just don't play valkyria chronicles, it's complete garbage. I tried it since it was highly recommended and it sank my opinion on jRPGs.

 

[Modron]

Yakuza Like a Dragon is the only modern Yakuza game with an english dub.

Is this really true, pretty sure I at least restarted two of them because they were defaulted to english dub.

 

[Grampy_Bone]

Is this really true,

I haven't played it but Judgement also has an English dub. I forget it's part of the series sometimes.

 

[Grampy_Bone]

Bad taste

It has its moments

Spoiler

 

[Wayward Son]

Bad taste

It has its moments

Spoiler

TBH I was specifically talking about Sky. I haven’t played Cold Steel.

 

[Skinwalker]

it has English voice acting, right?

Jap is default with the option to change to English.

Yakuza Like a Dragon is the only modern Yakuza game with an english dub. The others are all full Japanese except for the original PS2 game.

Ok, that solves that issue. Yakuza series

 

[LarryTyphoid]

Maybe JRPGs just aren't for you.

 

[Nifft Batuff]

Modern JRPGs? Cosmic Star Heroine, Chained Echoes or wait for Sea of Stars.

 

[Grampy_Bone]

Metal Max Xeno Reborn?

-open world
-Low story
-TankRPG
-Battle doggos

 

[Frank Capicoli]

Don't let your first impression of Metal Max be from the neutered remake.

 

[Lord of Riva]

Go with SMT 4, it's good and easy to get into.

 

[MerchantKing]

Dragon's Dogma

 

[Radiane]

I would have suggested a Valkyrie Profile game, but apparently they are mostly only available on playstation consoles, which is unfortunate. If you should have access to one such console, i'd say try one out. I found original VP to be quite interesting when i did play it some years ago.
Well, you do slip into the role of women in there, so that would probably be not acceptable for you. Though technically, i don't know if a valkyrie would count as some kind of undead...

Also i think Final Fantasy IX is very beginner friendly while emitting strong jrpg-vibes at the same time. Even it's an older game by now, it could be very well worth playing for someone interested in jrpgs, as it's a classic. It is basically just what you ask for.

Or try one of the newer Zelda games. Though you would probably need a switch for that, no idea if current emulators are capable of running the game somewhat well on PC.

 

[Lord of Riva]

I would have suggested a Valkyrie Profile game, but apparently they are mostly only available on playstation consoles, which is unfortunate. If you should have access to one such console, i'd say try one out. I found original VP to be quite interesting when i did play it some years ago.
Well, you do slip into the role of women in there, so that would probably be not acceptable for you. Though technically, i don't know if a valkyrie would count as some kind of undead...

Also i think Final Fantasy IX is very beginner friendly while emitting strong jrpg-vibes at the same time. Even it's an older game by now, it could be very well worth playing for someone interested in jrpgs, as it's a classic. It is basically just what you ask for.

Or try one of the newer Zelda games. Though you would probably need a switch for that, no idea if current emulators are capable of running the game somewhat well on PC.

Valkyrie Profile could be a good start indeed. There is also a PSP version called Valkyrie profile: Lenneth.

Seems like there has been a release for it on PS 4/5 as well.

 

[Grampy_Bone]

VP, while good, is not a game I'd offer a beginner. The sequel is more accessible, but you can't even emulate it.

I'm the only one here working within the criteria. Everyone else just wants to validate their fetishes.

 

[Frank Capicoli]

I'm the only one here working within the criteria. Everyone else just wants to validate their fetishes.

???

SMT IV, The Alliance Alive, and Bravely Default all fit within the criteria of accessible beginner friendly jrpgs that represent the genre without being niche.

 

[Grampy_Bone]

None of those are recent though.

Also if you think SMT 4 is beginner friendly you really lack perspective.