JRPG Catch-All

SixteenBlue wrote:
Farscry wrote:

Which, given the DS's track record, actually isn't too surprising. :)

Not at all. Sadly you could say the same about the Vita though. Hopefully that will continue there too...

"Sadly"? Nah, I actually have good hopes for the rpg scene on the Vita, given that the PSP got some top-notch games that totally justified owning the system (to me).

Minarchist wrote:
ClockworkHouse wrote:

It's a dungeon crawling Shin Megami Tensei game originally released on the Sega Saturn and remade for the 3DS.

So...hard as balls, then?

Port, or remake?

Farscry wrote:
SixteenBlue wrote:
Farscry wrote:

Which, given the DS's track record, actually isn't too surprising. :)

Not at all. Sadly you could say the same about the Vita though. Hopefully that will continue there too...

"Sadly"? Nah, I actually have good hopes for the rpg scene on the Vita, given that the PSP got some top-notch games that totally justified owning the system (to me).

Eh, probably shouldn't have opened that rabbit hole, but I haven't heard of many upcoming JRPGs for the Vita. P4G is obviously great though.

Edit: Woo! Mixing metaphors!

Minarchist wrote:
ClockworkHouse wrote:

It's a dungeon crawling Shin Megami Tensei game originally released on the Sega Saturn and remade for the 3DS.

So...hard as balls, then?

Actually, no. Soul Hackers was meant to be an introduction to the franchise for new players, so the difficulty was tuned lower than normal Shin Megami Tensei games.

Looking over the game's (lousy) Wikipedia entry, it looks like there are some neat systems in it that I haven't seen in the other games. Specifically, your demons have a loyalty rating and will leave your party or disobey your orders if it gets too low. That sounds pretty cool.

Also, there's an item that lets "dark" areas show up on your auto-map. Strange Journey sure could use something like that.

Farscry wrote:
SixteenBlue wrote:
Farscry wrote:

Which, given the DS's track record, actually isn't too surprising. :)

Not at all. Sadly you could say the same about the Vita though. Hopefully that will continue there too...

"Sadly"? Nah, I actually have good hopes for the rpg scene on the Vita, given that the PSP got some top-notch games that totally justified owning the system (to me).

Given how well the Vita's performing in Japan (i.e., quite poorly) I don't know that we'll see as many RPGs released for it as the PSP. The PSP got so many great JRPGs because it was such a hugely popular system in Japan; the Vita doesn't have that benefit. What it looks like from this side of the pond is that a lot of the big JRPG developers are focusing on the 3DS as their lead platform for the time being.

Tanglebones wrote:

Port, or remake?

According to Atlus: "enhanced port".

Tanglebones wrote:
Minarchist wrote:
ClockworkHouse wrote:

It's a dungeon crawling Shin Megami Tensei game originally released on the Sega Saturn and remade for the 3DS.

So...hard as balls, then?

Port, or remake?

Port with some additional content added, from what I've been reading. Does it actually matter to anyone who hasn't played the Saturn original? I mean, I'm interested in the particulars, but I'm a nerd that way.

SixteenBlue wrote:
Farscry wrote:
SixteenBlue wrote:
Farscry wrote:

Which, given the DS's track record, actually isn't too surprising. :)

Not at all. Sadly you could say the same about the Vita though. Hopefully that will continue there too...

"Sadly"? Nah, I actually have good hopes for the rpg scene on the Vita, given that the PSP got some top-notch games that totally justified owning the system (to me).

Eh, probably shouldn't have opened that rabbit hole, but I haven't heard of many upcoming games for the Vita. P4G is obviously great though.

FTFY. On the other hand, there may be some development happening in Japan that just isn't making its way through press channels to the US.

Tanglebones wrote:
SixteenBlue wrote:
Farscry wrote:
SixteenBlue wrote:
Farscry wrote:

Which, given the DS's track record, actually isn't too surprising. :)

Not at all. Sadly you could say the same about the Vita though. Hopefully that will continue there too...

"Sadly"? Nah, I actually have good hopes for the rpg scene on the Vita, given that the PSP got some top-notch games that totally justified owning the system (to me).

Eh, probably shouldn't have opened that rabbit hole, but I haven't heard of many upcoming games for the Vita. P4G is obviously great though.

FTFY. On the other hand, there may be some development happening in Japan that just isn't making its way through press channels to the US.

Haha, I was trying to be nice.

Hooray Soul Hackers. Hard to imagine a cross between X-Files and SMT being anything but awesome.

I'm curious in the Vita, but I don't have any justification for it just yet. My copy of P4 PS2 is still in the shrinkwrap, so I don't think that's a suitable carrot.

Tanglebones wrote:

FTFY. On the other hand, there may be some development happening in Japan that just isn't making its way through press channels to the US.

That would be good for the platform.

What's worrisome is that Square-Enix prioritized iOS over the Vita for the Theatrythm and TWEWY ports. I know they're not as big a draw for JRPG enthusiasts these days, but I think they're still the most recognizable JRPG publisher for the mainstream. That's a bit of a concern for Sony :\

shoptroll wrote:

I'm curious in the Vita, but I don't have any justification for it just yet. My copy of P4 PS2 is still in the shrinkwrap, so I don't think that's a suitable carrot.

Tanglebones wrote:

FTFY. On the other hand, there may be some development happening in Japan that just isn't making its way through press channels to the US.

That would be good for the platform.

What's worrisome is that Square-Enix prioritized iOS over the Vita for the Theatrythm and TWEWY ports. I know they're not as big a draw for JRPG enthusiasts these days, but I think they're still the most recognizable JRPG publisher for the mainstream. That's a bit of a concern for Sony :

The FFX HD port is still scheduled, so far as I know. I'd rather see FFXII, but whatchagonnado?

Tanglebones wrote:

The FFX HD port is still scheduled, so far as I know. I'd rather see FFXII, but whatchagonnado?

I thought that was announced for PS3, and there was no mention of it at TGS this year. Instead, they announced KH HD not that I'm complaining but it's weird there was no mention of progress on FFX HD.

Anyways, judging by the way the ports/remakes went on the PSOne, GBA, and DS, they're likely going in chronological order, so XII probably won't happen until after X or X-2.

shoptroll wrote:
Tanglebones wrote:

The FFX HD port is still scheduled, so far as I know. I'd rather see FFXII, but whatchagonnado?

I thought that was announced for PS3, and there was no mention of it at TGS this year. Instead, they announced KH HD not that I'm complaining but it's weird there was no mention of progress on FFX HD.

Anyways, judging by the way the ports/remakes went on the PSOne, GBA, and DS, they're likely going in chronological order, so XII probably won't happen until after X or X-2.

It should also be on PS3, but the hype I've seen has been for it on Vita:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_F...

Tanglebones wrote:

It should also be on PS3, but the hype I've seen has been for it on Vita

Ah, wasn't aware they announced it for Vita at the same time. That makes sense since the same has been done with other PS2 HD remakes.

Curiously, no Vita port for KH 1.5 HD Remix though :\

ClockworkHouse wrote:

Skimmer. :P

Well, excuuuuse me for having a job where I have to, ah, actually do things. Sheesh. You tech people and your "have you tried turning it off and on" three times a day have it SO hard.

As silly, quickly obsolete weapons are to shooters so art books are to JRPGs.

Pre-order your copy of Fire Emblem: Awakening at GameStop and get an art book.

Pre-order your copy of Etrian Odyssey IV and get an art book.

Pretty sure you can pre-order just about any JRPG released these days and get an art book.

Anybody want a Code of Princess art book? Or the game for that matter?

I thought I'd circle back to some of my comments about Crimson Shroud now that I've finished the game.

ClockworkHouse wrote:

The world revealed through the storytelling is richly detailed. Enough casual information is given about the world's history, characters, and aesthetics—even down to details about architecture and fashion—to suggest a deeper lore than you're likely to see in the course of the game. I've definitely been left with the sense that this game isn't limited to just itself but could easily stretch out into any number of smaller modules or a full-blown release.

Which brings me to the game's RPG and combat mechanics, which are so fully realized and complex that they feel like they've been transplanted from some great 100 hour behemoth RPG or else were loyally recreated from an established pen and paper system. There are a lot of systems at play, and they all link up in really interesting ways. There are systems for chaining together combos for bonuses, melding and customizing equipment, buffing and debuffing your characters and your opponents, and more. I'm impressed by how detailed the mechanics are without seeming overstuffed at the scale of an eShop game.

In some ways, I feel like this was the entire goal of the project: to create a 5-8 hour slice of a much larger RPG. The storytelling, world building, and mechanics all seem designed specifically to fade outward at the edges and give an impression of breadth that isn't there. Where a game like Costume Quest attempts to present you with an entire RPG experience distilled to the basics, Crimson Shroud gives you all of the usual complex mechanics and interactions of an RPG and then puts them to use in service of a smaller, shorter story.

There are going to be people who are quite disappointed by the game's ending. The game introduces a blizzard of concepts, characters, and locations in literally the final cutscene; you're only given access to some remarkably powerful items and spells after the last battle. The effect is to give you a sense of having visited a new, sprawling world for just a moment, right at a critical juncture, before being pulled out.

I'm not sure what the plan is for Crimson Shroud or its world. I could easily see it birthing a full-length RPG down the road or a series of episodic eShop releases set in the same world or featuring the same characters. I could also see it being left untouched, a short story in a world that won't be revisited, the details left to our imaginations. I'm happy either way.

ClockworkHouse wrote:

I'm not sure what the plan is for Crimson Shroud or its world. I could easily see it birthing a full-length RPG down the road or a series of episodic eShop releases set in the same world or featuring the same characters. I could also see it being left untouched, a short story in a world that won't be revisited, the details left to our imaginations. I'm happy either way.

I'm hoping for a series of episodic releases in the eShop myself. I think multiple "snippets" like this may be more enjoyable than trying to make a full start-to-finish traditional RPG out of it.

I'm only about 2.5 hours in so far but enjoying it thoroughly.

So there is a rumor that a certain Mother 3 game might get an e-shop release soon. I hope its true.
http://tmblr.co/ZbdYayZqf9r1

JohnKillo wrote:

So there is a rumor that a certain Mother 3 game might get an e-shop release soon. I hope its true.
http://tmblr.co/ZbdYayZqf9r1

That link had nothing to do with Mother 3 from a quick glance. Also, I question the validity of a Tumblr based site I've never heard of before.

ccesarano wrote:
JohnKillo wrote:

So there is a rumor that a certain Mother 3 game might get an e-shop release soon. I hope its true.
http://tmblr.co/ZbdYayZqf9r1

That link had nothing to do with Mother 3 from a quick glance. Also, I question the validity of a Tumblr based site I've never heard of before.

http://tinycartridge.com/post/384202...

It seems like quite a leap to assume that even if the game were made available in the eShop that it would be released in North America.

ClockworkHouse wrote:

It seems like quite a leap to assume that even if the game were made available in the eShop that it would be released in North America.

Yeah localization has essentially been the road block to begin with, right?

And that's all not to mention that Earthbound still isn't available on Virtual Console. Why would they bother to localize and release Mother 3 in the west if they can't be bothered to milk some extra sales out of an existing localization? Are there some kind of significant licensing issues surrounding that game?

SixteenBlue wrote:
ccesarano wrote:
JohnKillo wrote:

So there is a rumor that a certain Mother 3 game might get an e-shop release soon. I hope its true.
http://tmblr.co/ZbdYayZqf9r1

That link had nothing to do with Mother 3 from a quick glance. Also, I question the validity of a Tumblr based site I've never heard of before.

http://tinycartridge.com/post/384202...

I linked the wrong article. Sorry. Also thank you to Sixteenblue. Read my mind/post

psoplayer wrote:

And that's all not to mention that Earthbound still isn't available on Virtual Console. Why would they bother to localize and release Mother 3 in the west if they can't be bothered to milk some extra sales out of an existing localization? Are there some kind of significant licensing issues surrounding that game?

Apparently the designers played a bit fast and loose with their "influences" for the music in Earthbound. As in, the Beetles' holdings might drop many suits on Nintendo if it were rereleased in any form.

Blind_Evil wrote:
psoplayer wrote:

And that's all not to mention that Earthbound still isn't available on Virtual Console. Why would they bother to localize and release Mother 3 in the west if they can't be bothered to milk some extra sales out of an existing localization? Are there some kind of significant licensing issues surrounding that game?

Apparently the designers played a bit fast and loose with their "influences" for the music in Earthbound. As in, the Beetles' holdings might drop many suits on Nintendo if it were rereleased in any form.

Huh, I had no idea. Found this page which talks about a lot of the problems: http://earthboundcentral.com/2009/02...

I'd never seen that page, but it does a great job crystallizing the issues I've only heard about in its and pieces. Shame about all the music, because the music is a big part of what makes the game feel different from other JRPGs that are totally divorced from the real world.

I'm never sure whether my depth of knowledge regarding Nintendo history is something to be ashamed or proud of, y'know.

Also, I don't think I'd call it a JRPG, but you should all look into Corpse Party for PSP. I never thought a portable game could be this disturbing, especially a portable game with SNES-level graphics. It is super tense.

Not just the music which Hip and co sampled, but the Dali estate isn't happy about the Abstract Art enemy using one of his paintings without permission.

Mother 3 lacks this issue I think.

In other news, S-E teased a Final Fantasy V (and more) iOS release: http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/21/fi...

Edit: a really interesting Mother site to read is reidman's old M2EB, which documents all the localization changes they made: http://earthboundcentral.com/m2eb/

Err I guess that was actually Tomato. Not Reid.

Edit 2: here's a follow up post to the blog entry Sixteen linked: http://earthboundcentral.com/2012/07...