The GWJ JRPG Club Version 2.5 HD Remaster: Announcing our Q2 2024 Game!

Congratulations to Malkroth for finishing Nier: Automata!

September is already here, and the end of Q3 will be upon us shortly! You know what that means: We need to decide what to play next!

Here are the dates LastSurprise and myself agreed on:

September 8th to 14th: Nominations
September 15th to 21st: Voting

You should then have 9 days to acquire the winning game, if it's not already in your backlog. Returning games from the previous round will be:

  • Tales of Vesperia
  • Dragon's Crown
  • Tales of Symphonia
  • Valkyrie Profile
  • Ys Origin

Stay tuned!

Congratulations walterqchocobo!

Their ascent to Level 1 has me wondering what a chocobo's skill tree looks like.

LastSurprise wrote:

Congratulations walterqchocobo!

Their ascent to Level 1 has me wondering what a chocobo's skill tree looks like.

The chocobo skill tree for the JRPG Super Club is full of broken branches where the chocobo failed to complete the quarterly game and one proud branch with three leaves sprouting, showing some small amount of life in it.

Sounds like the Crystarium.

September 8th is here, therefore it is time to start the nomination process!

Quick reminder: each participant can nominate one game, and one game only! For the game to be on the ballot when it's time to vote (next week), it has to be seconded by at least one other participant! Though you can only nominate one game, you can second as many as you want!

The top five games non-winning games from the Q3 voting round are automatically included on the ballot. Here they are:

  • Valkyrie Profile (PS1, PSP, iOS, Android)
  • Tales of Vesperia (360, PS3 (in Japanese), PS4, Xbox One, PC, Switch)
  • Ys Origin (PC, PS4, Vita, Xbox One)
  • Dragon’s Crown (PS3, PS4, Vita)
  • Tales of Symphonia (GC, PS3, PC, PS2 in Japanese only)

Go!

Even just the top 5 from last period is pretty exciting. I wonder what other games will be added?

Eep, I better hurry up and finish Tactics Ogre!

Man, it has been a busy week and this snuck up on me quickly! I feel like I haven't even been making progress in Tactics Ogre.

I'm going to nominate Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch. Yes, it's only available for PS3 -- right now. But a remastered version will be released on September 20, available for Switch, PS4, and Windows. With that availability, this could be something that almost everyone gets to play.

I'm gonna start by seconding Ni No Kuni

I'm then going to nominate Resonance of Fate because I believe my #2 game will get nominated at some point because...reasons.

I'll second Resonance of Fate.

I'll nominate Radiant Historia (DS/3DS).

Currently on sale (I think until 9/9) for $20 on the eShop.

I will second Radiant Historia.

Speaking of which: I have the original DS version. Is the 3DS port/remake/upgrade/whatever worth the money? (Assuming anybody reading this has played it, of course.)

Nominations so far:

  • Dragon’s Crown (PS3, PS4, Vita)
  • Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch (PS3, soon PS4, SW, and PC, nominated by LastSurprise, seconded by KozmoOchez)
  • Radiant Historia (DS, 3DS, nominated by Mr GT Chris, seconded by myself)
  • Resonance of Fate (360, PS3, PC, nominated by KozmoOchez, seconded by Mr GT Chris)
  • Tales of Symphonia (GC, PS3, PC, PS2 in Japanese only)
  • Tales of Vesperia (360, PS3 (in Japanese), PS4, Xbox One, PC, Switch)
  • Valkyrie Profile (PS1, PSP, iOS, Android)
  • The World Ends With You (DS, SW, iOS, Android, nominated by myself, seconded by Mr GT Chris)
  • Ys Origin (PC, PS4, Vita, Xbox One)

As for myself, I will nominate The World Ends With You (DS, Switch, iOS, Android). I've been thinking about nominating this for quite some time, and for some reason I always ended up going with something else.

Ooo, seconded World Ends With You.

My impression from reviews is that the 3DS version of RH isn't a big improvement on the DS version but there is some new DLC available (not free though). Having said that, I just upgraded to the 3DS version, whoops! I played pretty far through the DS version way back when but want to make a fresh start anyway. I can probably mail the DS cart to someone (no case) if it wins the vote and someone wants it to participate.

I'm probably hoping this go around is a shorter game, since I'm neck deep in big RPGs I want to get done the rest of the year (second playthrough of Fire Emblem, finishing Fallout 4, and Pokemon Sword coming out). Maybe something 30 hours or less. If I can think of a good one, I'll nominate it as well. Good call on TWEWY.

bobbywatson wrote:

I will second Radiant Historia.

Speaking of which: I have the original DS version. Is the 3DS port/remake/upgrade/whatever worth the money? (Assuming anybody reading this has played it, of course.)

It looks like they added.... not quite a whole extra timeline worth of story content, but some alternate what if scenarios. Having played RH a couple of years ago, it doesn't look like what was added is worth shelling out probably $30 or more. And TBH, I like the art from the original better.

Sundown wrote:

I'm probably hoping this go around is a shorter game, since I'm neck deep in big RPGs I want to get done the rest of the year (second playthrough of Fire Emblem, finishing Fallout 4, and Pokemon Sword coming out). Maybe something 30 hours or less. If I can think of a good one, I'll nominate it as well. Good call on TWEWY.

Dragon's Crown is the shortest by a long shot as far as the already nominated games go. There's a couple other games that are probably short enough, but I don't want to drop hints to seem like I'm trying to get multiple nominations.

KozmoOchez wrote:
Sundown wrote:

I'm probably hoping this go around is a shorter game, since I'm neck deep in big RPGs I want to get done the rest of the year (second playthrough of Fire Emblem, finishing Fallout 4, and Pokemon Sword coming out). Maybe something 30 hours or less. If I can think of a good one, I'll nominate it as well. Good call on TWEWY.

Dragon's Crown is the shortest by a long shot as far as the already nominated games go. There's a couple other games that are probably short enough, but I don't want to drop hints to seem like I'm trying to get multiple nominations.

I was under the impression that Ys Origin was also pretty short as well, but according to Steam I spent 50 hours on it a few years ago (though I did go through all playthroughs).

The World Ends with You isn't so long I think.

Short would be good. Busy few months with study and I'm in the middle of other games.

...but I'm also very intrigued by Radiant Historia. Only problem is that it's not a cheap game! No chance I'd be able to play the 3DS game (just check PAL pricing, ouch!) But I do have a flash cart I could use. Definitely a game I want in the collection some day though.

I'm gonna have to think about what I want to nominate. I'm feeling something a bit more modern than Tactics Ogre this quarter

I can do a lucky draw for my DS cart if it wins :).

A_Unicycle wrote:

...but I'm also very intrigued by Radiant Historia. Only problem is that it's not a cheap game! No chance I'd be able to play the 3DS game (just check PAL pricing, ouch!)

You might be able to order the DS version, it doesn't look super expensive on eBay (shipping probably will be though). I think most DS games are region free (though I can test it for you with my Japanese 3DS if you want).

A check of my 3DS record keeper (and I have no idea why the one on the Switch isn't as good) tells me that TWEWY took me 22 hours, and Radiant Historia (the original version) took me 36 hours. TWEWY in particular has basically no filler, and I'd be down to replay it. But if we go that route, I'll need to get a screen protector for my 3DS, since it got pretty scratched up the first go round.

I've tried TWEWY twice now. It's such a stylish game but the combat always left me flustered and confused.

I...think I'd be down to try again. It's a fantastic game. Third time's the charm, eh?

So, I had basically a similar feel with the combat in TWEWY. I would fumble around with the top screen, sometimes do something cool and manage what was going on, but many other times it felt like I was just thrashing around with the D-Pad and hitting some easy dial-a-combo attacks for the top screen while the real work was done on the bottom screen. I got why it was cool, it just wasn't working for me. Fortunately the difficulty slider was brilliant, and I could take the edge off if things got too hairy, but I usually kept it turned up a bit.

Then it happened, and I'll always remember this. It was against a significant boss in the middle of the game (it's so easy to spoil so much about this game for newcomers, so I'll leave it vague like that). I had a general handle on the controls, even if it usually felt like things were moving too fast to really process. And I think I was trying to juggling attacks between the two screens and keep the combo going. And then everything slowed way down, and I hit that point of transcendence and understanding as suddenly everything came into focus, the controls made sense, I was managing both screens simultaneously with ease, and everything was clicking. I was keeping the combos going back and forth, I was dodging and healing with no issues or mistakes, and the music just flowed over the entire thing. (The song is Someday by Hanaeryca, but even the picture on youtube has spoilers). It all made sense, and it was amazing.

And just like that, the boss was beaten, the moment was lost, and I never got into the zone like that again. But man, it was a magical 2 minutes. Still probably the thing I think about most when I reflect back on TWEWY. Well, besides the story and the impossible amount of style.

I completed it on iPad and felt like I was in control of the combat about half the time... Still, that was a while ago and I wouldn't mind revisiting it.

I played it on iOS and I think the switch to single screen combat did the trick. But maybe it’s whatever platform you play the game on first. Fun game though.

Sure. Put me down for TWEWY (as long as the Switch version counts since I don't own the DS version).

Club games run for six months?

Just spotted the last picks and Tactics Ogre is a step above the usual pile game as it's been sitting on my Vita (16gb) home screen for at least two years!

Just plugged the Vita in to charge...

Excuse if this is a game that's been voted on and dismissed before, but I have Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana downloaded, but as yet unplayed on the PS4.

Not sure I'm a member of the 2.1VR, but I'll nominate that if it's cool.

It is cool! And, as long as you're posting, and thinking of playing, you're a member.

I'll second Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana.

And yep, club games run for 6 months. You still have 3 and change for Tactics Ogre.