JRPG Catch-All

BishopRS wrote:
beeporama wrote:
BishopRS wrote:
garion333 wrote:

Quick Look for Hexyz Force.

The game is awesome.

I'm glad to hear this. I really wanted to buy it just to support the "copy to memory card" option built in to the game, which as most PSP hackers (and XBox 360 owners) know ought to be a built-in feature.

I couldn't find that feature. It can install data to the memory card for faster load times but you still need the UMD in it to launch. I'm new to PSP though so maybe you can enlighten me? :)

No, that's the feature I mean. Just like the XBox 360, to mitigate piracy (or at least just buying/installing/selling the game in one day), I think it's reasonable to have to pop in the UMD to play. You cannot normally install data to the memory card which is a shame because the UMD drive is louder, slower, and will eventually suffer mechanical failure from wear.

By hacking the PSP you can install to memory card and not need the UMD, but like I said, I can understand why you wouldn't make that feature available. Being able to install but still needing the UMD to launch (like the XBox 360) is, to me, the best compromise.

The UMD absolutely destroys my PSPs battery life. I've resorted to getting hacked versions of games I own on UMD just so I can play them off the memory card (and play them for longer than an hour).

Clemenstation wrote:

The UMD absolutely destroys my PSPs battery life. I've resorted to getting hacked versions of games I own on UMD just so I can play them off the memory card (and play them for longer than an hour).

Sorry to veer off-topic, but is it possible to play hacked game files on a non-hacked PSP? That would mitigate my desire to take another go at hacking the PSP itself. I just want to play my legally-owned games in the most efficient way possible, that's my only reason to hack...

beeporama wrote:
Clemenstation wrote:

The UMD absolutely destroys my PSPs battery life. I've resorted to getting hacked versions of games I own on UMD just so I can play them off the memory card (and play them for longer than an hour).

Sorry to veer off-topic, but is it possible to play hacked game files on a non-hacked PSP? That would mitigate my desire to take another go at hacking the PSP itself. I just want to play my legally-owned games in the most efficient way possible, that's my only reason to hack...

Negative.

You need custom firmware, sorry.

Anyone else get Persona 3 Portable? I got it from Gamefly so no instructions but so far I have been able to figure it out easily enough. Of course all I have done is go to class, talk to people and sleep so it hasn't been hard. I hope I get into fighting soon. I am starting to feel like this is an adventure game.

farley3k wrote:

Anyone else get Persona 3 Portable? I got it from Gamefly so no instructions but so far I have been able to figure it out easily enough. Of course all I have done is go to class, talk to people and sleep so it hasn't been hard. I hope I get into fighting soon. I am starting to feel like this is an adventure game.

Don't worry...you'll be sick of the fighting by the end of the game. For now, enjoy what they're giving you.

Amazon is offering a $10 games credit with the purchase (preorder) of Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of light. I don't think they charge you til it ships.

The game itself looks pretty good by my reckoning.

farley3k wrote:

Anyone else get Persona 3 Portable? I got it from Gamefly so no instructions but so far I have been able to figure it out easily enough. Of course all I have done is go to class, talk to people and sleep so it hasn't been hard. I hope I get into fighting soon. I am starting to feel like this is an adventure game.

I've been playing it all weekend. This is the first SMT game I've played and like it alot.

So, impressions from DQ IX? Definitely getting it when it's out in Europe (23rd July), but still want to hear what do you guys think, as it's already out in the US. I loooved DQVIII and the DS remakes very much, how does it compare?

wanderingtaoist wrote:

So, impressions from DQ IX? Definitely getting it when it's out in Europe (23rd July), but still want to hear what do you guys think, as it's already out in the US. I loooved DQVIII and the DS remakes very much, how does it compare?

Also, if anyone *didn't* like the older DQ games but gets this one, I'd be interested in your impressions. The only one I've given more than an hour was VII, and I was completely turned off.

wanderingtaoist wrote:

So, impressions from DQ IX? Definitely getting it when it's out in Europe (23rd July), but still want to hear what do you guys think, as it's already out in the US. I loooved DQVIII and the DS remakes very much, how does it compare?

So far, so good. I only got to play about an hour this weekend, but I think I'm through the prologue-y bits now. The art style is about what you'd expect, and the music is great so far. The translation seems great, with the expected wacky accents, etc. It's much more comparable to VIII than the remakes, which were prettied-up tile-based games. This is in full 3D, rotatable camera, etc.

Blind_Evil wrote:

Also, if anyone *didn't* like the older DQ games but gets this one, I'd be interested in your impressions. The only one I've given more than an hour was VII, and I was completely turned off.

Can't help you there. This one gets down to business quicker than VII did (that one had like two hours of running around before the first battle), but there's nothing stylistically that's going to make it a totally different game for you, at least not in the first couple hours.

necroyeti wrote:
Blind_Evil wrote:

Also, if anyone *didn't* like the older DQ games but gets this one, I'd be interested in your impressions. The only one I've given more than an hour was VII, and I was completely turned off.

Can't help you there. This one gets down to business quicker than VII did (that one had like two hours of running around before the first battle), but there's nothing stylistically that's going to make it a totally different game for you, at least not in the first couple hours.

Hear hear, specific questions:

One problem I had with the older games was the class system. Is it like Final Fantasy Tactics, where you can branch your character in any direction you want? VII was much more restrictive. Say you start out as a swordsman, you then can choose gladiator or knight, then from knight to paladin or hero, etc. Fire Emblem games use this system.

Also, there was never any change in your character's physical representation, aside from maybe the tiny sprite on the map. In combat, do you still never see your character?

Blind_Evil wrote:

Also, there was never any change in your character's physical representation, aside from maybe the tiny sprite on the map. In combat, do you still never see your character?

Your character changes based on what you have them equip. It looks very nice in the videos.

As for it being different then the rest...I wouldn't count on it. Everything I have read seems to say it is traditional, traditional, traditional.

Here is the Gametrailers review. They are usually pretty spoiler free.

Thanks farley, I always forget that site's reviews. They're usually good, too. It answered my question regarding the class system.

I've got 20 bucks in credit at Best Buy, think I'll be picking this up next time I'm by one.

Edit: Actually, one more question. Are the L and R buttons used for a critical function? Mine don't work.

They're used to rotate the camera in the field. You could probably scrape by without them, but it might be annoying at times.

I got Persona 3 Portable through the US PSN store for my recently acquired PSP-3000 last week (no EU release yet). And so far I'm loving it. I'm only like 4 hours in (curse you beautiful summer weather ), so maybe it's too early, but as a complete noob to everything JRPG-related, it's all new and interesting to me...

I picked DQ9 up yesterday. It's good fun, but the DS hardware sure is starting to show its age. I guess I'm just spoiled by DQ8 on the PS2. MAN that game was pretty.

I really like the mechanics, though. It's like a cross between DQ8 and the best parts of Blue Dragon.

Not really a spoiler, just speculation based on the first few hours, but....

Spoiler:

this is one of those games where I'm going to have to kill God at the end, isn't it? Thanks, Japan. (-:

The original post has been updated with released products moved to the right category, Amazon product links for a few items, release dates for Ys SEVEN and Ys I & II Chronicles (8/17/10 and 1/18/11, respectively), and the addition of Blazing Souls Accelate, and upcoming SRPG for the PSP from Aksys Games.

Also, right now if you pre-order Etrian Odyssey III, you'll get a pretty lush art book.

Man, the PSP just keeps getting stuff.

garion333 wrote:

Man, the PSP just keeps getting stuff.

Aaaaaaaand I ordered a PSP off of ebay. So, outside of things I'm definitely getting like Lumines (I and/or II), the Persona games and everything Disgaea, what is a long lost game of awesomeness on the PSP? I'm not terribly interested in Square remakes, but otherwise I'm game.

garion333 wrote:
garion333 wrote:

Man, the PSP just keeps getting stuff.

Aaaaaaaand I ordered a PSP off of ebay. So, outside of things I'm definitely getting like Lumines (I and/or II), the Persona games and everything Disgaea, what is a long lost game of awesomeness on the PSP? I'm not terribly interested in Square remakes, but otherwise I'm game.

Is Vagrant Story in the US PSN, yet?

ClockworkHouse wrote:
garion333 wrote:
garion333 wrote:

Man, the PSP just keeps getting stuff.

Aaaaaaaand I ordered a PSP off of ebay. So, outside of things I'm definitely getting like Lumines (I and/or II), the Persona games and everything Disgaea, what is a long lost game of awesomeness on the PSP? I'm not terribly interested in Square remakes, but otherwise I'm game.

Is Vagrant Story in the US PSN, yet?

Not that I'm aware of, though I'd probably argue that Vagrant Story isn't quite a paragon of "awesomeness."

The typical JRPG-related recommendations would probably be FFVII: Crisis Core and Jeanne D'arc, but I'm somewhat ambivalent about both.

Crisis Core is an action-RPG that actually serves as a prelude to FFVII, putting you in the role of Zack. There has been a lot of acclaim for the materia fusion system and the game is a technical marvel on the PSP, but the ground-level combat mechanics -- which included a slot-machine for combat effects, for crying out loud -- really didn't do anything for me.

Jeanne D'arc is a strategy-RPG in the vein of Fire Emblem and it's actually a more appealing introduction to the genre than something like Disgaea, IMO. There are a lot of reviews out there that talk about JDA having "unparalleled tactical depth" but, really, it's just the standard rock/paper/scissors stuff, outside of some interesting location-based mechanics (e.g. Unified Guard). I found it to be a little bland and, in some ways, a bit weird -- where exactly was the "Dante's Inferno" outrage when this game turned Joan of Arc into Sailor Moon? -- but I'd also concede that I'm probably also a bit of a genre elitist.

OzymandiasAV wrote:

I'd probably argue that Vagrant Story isn't quite a paragon of "awesomeness."

Whoa. Whooooooaaaa.

Dude. Apologize.

Lol. Yeah, it's a little strange to hear someone claim that Vagrant Story isn't amazing. Anyway, it still doesn't have a North American release.

I plan on picking up Jeanne D'arc, though I'm certainly more hesitant. Since I don't find Disgaea games to be overwhelming, Jeanne D'arc might be too simplistic for my tastes. Then again, if the story is good (enough), I might give it a look. I should be able to find it on the cheap (yup, Amazon has used for $10), so I'll be fine if I only put a few hours in before getting bored.

I have no interest in Crisis Core, but that's because I'd probably download FFVII and play through that since it's been, oh, forever since I played it.

I was looking at Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth yesterday. The game interests me, but I'm afraid that the dated mechanics might get old rather quickly. Anyone have an opinion?

I was very skeptical going into Crisis Core, but came out very pleased. Zack is a hell of a lot more likable than Cloud. The FFVII translation doesn't really hold up either.

Is VP: Lenneth the sequel or the remake? I lost track of that series. Dated mechanics don't bother me much, I'm currently debating if DQIX is the best JRPG I've played in 10 years.

garion333 wrote:

I was looking at Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth yesterday. The game interests me, but I'm afraid that the dated mechanics might get old rather quickly. Anyone have an opinion?

I could never get into it. Nor because the mechanics were bad - in fact I found them fascinating but because it was about impossible not to get a bad ending if you didn't play twice or do FAQs. I still have good memories though of what I did play.

Lenneth is the remake of the PS1 original, IIRC. Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria (the PS2 game) is the sequel.

Dated mechanics make JRPGs awesome. When they don't use them then people fReAk TeH FOOK OUT! See: FFXIII or Resonance of Fate.

On a happy PSP note. Valkryia Chronicles 2 on August 31st, yay!

Yeah, part of my reasoning for picking up a PSP was because of Valkyria Chronicles. I loooooooooooooooooooooved the first one. A lot. If they can fix some of the AI issues/flaws/exploits I'll be really, really happy.

farley3k wrote:
garion333 wrote:

I was looking at Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth yesterday. The game interests me, but I'm afraid that the dated mechanics might get old rather quickly. Anyone have an opinion?

I could never get into it. Nor because the mechanics were bad - in fact I found them fascinating but because it was about impossible not to get a bad ending if you didn't play twice or do FAQs. I still have good memories though of what I did play.

Describe "impossible" please. From what I know of the game one of its most redeeming qualities is its story, overall, in that it makes sense unlike, well, many jrpgs. It'd be sad to have the end ruin it all ....

garion333 wrote:

Describe "impossible" please. From what I know of the game one of its most redeeming qualities is its story, overall, in that it makes sense unlike, well, many jrpgs. It'd be sad to have the end ruin it all ....

It is one of those JRPGs where there are a lot of endings and to get the good ending you need to perform certain actions - in VP it has to do with sending specific characters to Valhalla as specific times - which are hard to guess until you have played the game or read a FAQ.