JRPGs that Aren't Final Fantasy Catch-All 2.0

A_Unicycle wrote:

Yeah, thinking about it more, it wouldn't just be ignoring enemies on the overworld. It would require you to not really engage with all of the game systems and exploration which would be a bit of a drag. I really can't emphasize just how much I'm enjoying the Draconian Quest difficulty, though that may change as I get to the Slayer of Sands which I've heard so much about. Will report back

Good luck! He beat me the first time, but I came back strong on the second. Some good pep power usage was the key to my victory.

IMAGE(https://i.imgur.com/Wb1YrdQ.jpg) I’ve been playing off and on for about since the Vita version came out. I can’t believe I might actually be at the end soon enough. 60 hours plus seems like a lot due to I’ve been just mindlessly grinding for a bit of that.

September 28, 2017 Release date

Nice! Congrats. What do you think of it? I was looking to get it for either PS4 or play it through Now.

I love this game. It is charming and it’s story mainly is high school military theme.
The MC isn’t an idiot unless it involves his sister of course.

The PS4 version should be fine. I haven’t played that version. The PC version is really good. It has some really nice enhancements and a speed skip option for battles too. I know you have a preference for consoles.

60 hours is the norm for just the main story, my final save file was just a hair over 80 hours.

I’ve missed a lot of the hidden quests due to I have blinders on and don’t always talk to every woman, child or cat in the game.

Not even the cats? How can you not talk to all the cats?

(I never talk to everyone in games. I'm as interested in talking to strangers in games as I am in real life. Consequently, I always miss the side quests and get stuck constantly in 16-bit JRPGs.)

They do give you a nice journal for plot, side quests and even a map with dots so it’s a little harder to get lost in.

I found that in that game specifically each npc has their own mini story line that advances through out the chapters, so talking to them (atleast for me) added to the world building.

It does add to the world. I totally blame myself for being trying to get through all the objectives first.

Also Fie is an absolute monster with her speed stat.

Trails of Cold Steel is excellent, though I really struggled with the first 30 hours. The story was so...Meandering and slow. I understand the Trails of... games are all about world-building, but I felt like I was wandering around for no real reason. I thought it was odd that, in those 30 hours, you didn't meet any antagonist or did anything of real importance.

It picks up for a while, but it comes in waves. When it gets exciting, it gets really exciting, but then you have to sit through 5-10 hours of meandering again. It's really weird.

I know that sounds negative, but I loved the game after I got used to the pacing. It picks up a lot, and that combat system is genuinely one of the best I've played in a JRPG. I have the second game sitting here ready to be played, but I'm not ready to commit to another huge adventure at the moment.

I think my final hour-count was about 74 hours. It's a long game. The ending was a little flat, but that's why there are 2 more games I suppose.

A_Unicycle wrote:

I think my final hour-count was about 74 hours. It's a long game. The ending was a little flat, but that's why there are 2 more games I suppose.

Actually, I think the fourth game in the series came out in Japan in September... Which makes playing the whole series even more daunting.

Definitely waiting for the PS4 release. There's no way I could play a 60+ hour game on a portable!

Heh, I always think the opposite. Over 30+ hours? No way I could do that without it being on handheld

A_Unicycle wrote:

Heh, I always think the opposite. Over 30+ hours? No way I could do that without it being on handheld

That's exactly where I am. Unless that handheld is the Vita. Forget playing anything longer than a few hours on that thing.

I'd say the same for the 3DS but I'm doing my best!

I'd be glad to finally have an excuse to play my Vita copy.

A comfortable handheld *stares wistfully into the distance*

Imagine that...

A_Unicycle wrote:

A comfortable handheld *stares wistfully into the distance*

Imagine that...

The Switch is pretty good with its wireless controllers and with the right kit.

The only comfortable handheld I have owned recently is the Vita. Switch isn't too bad when compared to Nintendo's last offering in the 3DS which is an uncomfortable monster. My preference for long form RPGs is PS4 > Switch > PC > portable. I am luckily in a position where TV time is not contested.

Anyone have any opinions on Akiba's Beat vs Akiba's Trip?

ClockworkHouse wrote:

Anyone have any opinions on Akiba's Beat vs Akiba's Trip?

Deeeeeeeep inhale

They're both very different games. Akiba's Trip is a low-budget action-RPG that appeals to Otaku in some of the worst ways, but I love it anyway. It has some awful combat that you can figure out how to exploit and work around for some decent fun, but it's never truly "good". I kind of loved it because there's this atmosphere to Akihabara as presented within the game that I just really dug. You can find more of my overly indulgent thoughts on that here. You rip the clothes off of about as many dudes as ladies so equal opportunity stripping and etc., but it's pretty clear the primary demographic is dudes nonetheless, especially as there are training sections where you pick your waifu to train with and their artistic underwear images have more effort put into them than ones of male characters in briefs. The story is trash and it's got some groan-worthy little-sister stuff going on, but basically it's got enough put into it that it's the very definition of "guilty pleasure".

Akiba's Beat is a completely different experience, starting with the fact that there's very little sexual fan-service going on, at least compared to Akiba's Trip. It's also a Tales of rip-off in combat, but imitates the dungeons of Persona games (at least, that's my assumption based on Tokyo Mirage Sessions). Unlike Trip, Beat lacks nearly as atmospheric a depiction of Akihabara, but that might not bug you as much. What would likely bug you are the character side-quests all being a template of "run here, talk to person, run here, talk to person, run here, talk to person, maybe return to dungeon". None of the dungeons are interesting designs, and about each one wears out its welcome. You'll have to return to each dungeon multiple times for side quests, but there are no warp options like in Tokyo Mirage Sessions and (I assume) Persona. It has a really wonky economy that will often have you starved for cash, even if you do all the side quests. The combat is passable but it's nothing too deep. I know characters will split up and you'll need to use all of your team members in the further parts of the story, but I don't recall if you need to keep swapping them like Final Fantasy expects you to. I know that's a sticking point for you.

The game needs a lot of Quality of Life improvements, and as I was trying to run through the whole thing I ended up having a love/hate relationship. Since you swap games around on/off, you might not have this issue.

I fell in love with the story because it was speaking directly to my heart as a fragile ego'ed man child suffering the greatest existential crisis of their life. It's effectively all about the lies we tell ourselves in order to get by in life and having to face the truth, and done so in a very anime fashion. This is why I love the game despite all the other reasons there are to criticize it.

If I were to recommend either game, Beat is the one I would recommend to you. The characters are better, it has a better (though shallow) combat system, it definitely has a better story, and there's far less concern over overtly sexualized fan-service (note: there's still fan-service, but less of the "boobs everywhere" variety and of a.... "more subtle", to bastardize the term, variety). BUT! It has a transgender character named Akemi and has a Twitter knock-off where people have used the term "trap", so you may want to do further research on those topics. I found Akemi to be a well-done character that has greater depth and purpose to the narrative than their sexuality, but I'm also just... I'm pretty much the last person that would know what is and isn't good representation and what could cause offense.

That said, it wouldn't surprise me if you found reasons to enjoy Akiba's Trip either, since you've been rather unpredictable at times. I just think it's a lot less likely that you'd enjoy that, whereas Akiba's Beat I think would make a stronger impression despite its questionable design decisions.

Oh, and I recommend playing with Japanese language but that's because I'm a total pretentious weeb that cannot suffer the common dubs of the plebs.

Thanks! Based on what you wrote, of the two, Akiba's Beat definitely sounds more appealing. I went ahead and downloaded it from PS Now.

Good luck! I hope you find something to enjoy with it. It's probably going to end up being a favorite game of all time for me despite those flaws, so even if I doubt anyone else will enjoy it as much I'm at least glad to see it get some attention.

On Akiba's Beat, the vita version is terrible.

Cross-posting from the Switch Games thread.

Atelier Arland Series Deluxe Pack now available, evidently. $40 a pop individually or $90 for all three. Digital only.

Just curious, is this the "Plus" versions or just originals with DLC?

These are the Plus versions of those games. They've just been rebranded as DX for the Switch/PS4/PC release.

If you'd prefer cart copies, you can import them from Japanzon. They're listed at around $44 plus shipping.

Atelier Meruru DX

Atelier Rorona DX

Atelier Totori DX

Switch carts are region-free and use universal binaries, so these will play in English in a North American Switch.

Totori is still the best alchemist.

Excuse my ignorance. Do you mean best game, or best character?

This is a series I've always been curious about. I never played them when they were big on Vita, but on the Switch...Well, I've been itching for a Switch JRPG and that fits. I've always loved the unique artstyle, but I know nothing about them.

Any recommendations going in? What to expect, which games to get first/avoid?