Rank of JRPGs this Generation I've played at the very least 3 hours of (In my opinion of course. Everybody is welcome to disagree =/)
Lost Odyssey
Demon's Souls
Tales of Vesperia
The Last Remnant
Star Ocean 4 (close tie) Eternal Sonata
Tales Of Symphonia 2
Infinite Undiscovery
=/ Sucks that I won't get the Last Remnant on a console I currently own... Something feels off while playing JRPGs on PCs to me. Mine is slow, so until TLR comes to the PS3, I repurchase a 360, or I finally upgrade my PC... You'll be missed. You weren't that great, but you were better than some.
This is a shame, because it is supposed to be a pretty good game that was unfortunately cursed with numerous performance problems. This might sound a bit backwards, but I blame Microsoft for at least part of this. Supposedly Square was originally going to hold off and make this a simultaneous release, but it sounds like Microsoft Microsoft wanted a timed exclusive and paid Square to release it before development was completly done.
The PC version of the game, supposedly runs quite well. While some of that if probably the presence of more RAM and a mandatory install, the fact that it spent several more months in the development crock pot probably had a lot to do with that as well.
So, yeah, I suspect that if Square held off on this title and made it a simultaneous 2009 release like they originally intended, it would've been a better game.
So, yeah, cautionary tale for other developers. Just because Sony or Microsoft offers you money for a timed exclusive, doesn't necessarily mean you should agree to it.
@WolvenOne: Yeah, it was announced as a simultaneous worldwide multiplatform release. Suspiciously, that changed as soon as Microsoft had a "2008 RPG Party" in Japan.
So pretty much what was said is that, it didn't do so well on the 360 with a larger fanbase so they just said fuck the ps3 fanbase, since it's smaller? cause that's what I read.
On top of that, being out so late on the ps3 versus the other's, but then again, who's fault is that? The faggotness himself, and now based on his earlier decision to make it a timed exclusive, he's also going cancel the ps3 port...
Now's the perfect chance for other developers to steal market share from SE as there's practically no must have RPGs on the PS3 (or 360). After the amazing 2005-2006 RPG season, IMHO only 3 great RPGs have been released: Persona 3 & 4 and Valkyria Chronicles.
Be smart developers and start developing for a relatively untapped market!
@cesca07: Vesperia was comfort food extraordinaire. Very conventional, but it succeeded beautifully within those conventions, I felt. I'm reminded of how Fahey remarked in his review that he finished it in a weekend of something like that. That's the same reaction I had to that game and the 3 stellar examples you mentioned. All of 'em are irresistable.
Imperial "Not so" Hot the big fat anti-PS3 liar :D
Yes, I feel like being childish, because his business-sense is the friggin worst I've seen in a long time.
If you had told people that SquareEnix would fully and completely abandon the PS3 and we'd hardly see any RPGs for it at all at the start of this gen, people would've laughed at you and thought you ridiculous.
With a few minor tweaks here and there, along with better utilisation of the Unreal Engine 3, this game would be an instant classic. The core gameplay, story, characters and production values are stunning. It just needed more time and care.
@Rickster: YMMV. I thought the characters were awful and the combat was confusing for 15 minutes, and boring the rest of the game. It seemed like no matter what you chose you would do the same damage. And if any of that changed after the first 4 hours I wouldn't know because I gave up on the game shortly after that.
the graphics we're decent but the lag was terrible, even after I installed the game to my hard drive.
Forget about Last Remnant. It was a bit of an experiment and it failed. GIVE ME SOME LEGACY OF KAIN!!! What would Squeenix do with that kind of a deep story?
@jim_error404: Probably not much, considering the person who wrote the entire Legacy of Kain series is now the project lead for the Uncharted franchise.
I used to love Square-Enix (or squaresoft mind you) until they started pulling all these shameful stunts. Like canceling that fan made projects DAYS before it was finished, lying to the world about simultaneous territorial releases, and then ignoring PS3 owners while lying to them at the same time about it.
"I swear I called you last night baby, you just must have missed my call"
@Tenchuu: They really can't be trusted anymore. It's a damn shame, they used to be one of the most respected publishers in the business. Now they think they're better than everyone else, and that we should feel PRIVILEGED to get anything at all from them.
@kagekiri: Dissidia is probably going to be the start of its own series, and it's madly successful. Sure, it's a Final Fantasy spinoff, but it's sold a TON.
I started playing Ends With You a week ago, and just couldn't stand it. The styling, the game play, and the only main character in the world so whiny and emo that he makes Cloud look emotionally stable all combined to make a very miserable experience for me.
I picked up Crisis Core again in it's place to satisfy my portable gaming needs.
@doubtful: I guess I'm a sucker for evolving and collecting attack pins. Probably related to how Pokemon was the starter RPG that dragged me headfirst into gaming..
I do agree the story and characters are pretty ridiculous, but I liked the battle system, even though that took a long while to master.
@kagekiri: See, I liked the story and style of the game. The music was A+ in my book, and I could handle the characters in the context of Shibuya. Also, the way food was handled: genius.
@branny: A PS3 version of SO4 is probably a little bit more likely due to the franchise's recognizability in the industry...but yeah, I don't know. I doubt it'll happen, and you really shouldn't burn yourself up worrying about it. SO4 was garbage too.
Square has not brought their A game to the consoles yet this generation, and it shows.
@Archaotic: i could barely make it past the first disc of SO4. Never played the earlier ones, but i figured final fantasy scope + tales battle system=winner. Somehow, no.
Also, it seemed broken on a number of weird levels. The way planets would divide up between discs, and the fact that I got caught in the world map in an area that it didn't seem like I could get out of were Z-level design decisions.
Oh, also, I couldn't read prompts, item descriptions, menus etc on an SDTV. YRMV, and I did have a little of that problem with Lost Odyssey, but you'd think someone would have fixed that in beta (I have a 32" tv, so it shouldn't be an issue).
Also, the changes to the game's design between US and Japan were not welcome ones.
@The Cap'n: SO4 failed for me unquestionably because of the CHARACTERS; broken design I can tolerate to an extent, but if I hate the entire playable cast, I have no reason to play an RPG. SO4 was basically just an entire cast of people I wished would get sucked out an airlock. =/
@Archaotic: the main character was terrible. Most of the rest of the cast.... amused me. Cat girl and bird girl were too over the top for me to not laugh at. Scientistbot was ridiculous and campily serious. Magical Vulcan guy seemed like someone had come up with an elf character for another game and really wanted to use it, so they tried to shoehorn it into the plot.
Oh, I forgot about precocious 8 year old sorceress. Her, I loathed.
I won't hear a bad word directed at Welch, though. I love me some Welch.
And, I can see what you're saying; if it had been Tales of Vesperia's cast, or something like that, I might have tried a little harder to muddle through the unworkability of the game. As it stands, I took the path of least resistance in dealing with the game's problems (ie, i shut it off).
But if I hadn't felt I was playing a mess, I might've tried a little harder, too.
Having played the game on the 360, I can safely say that while it's a dirty shame that Square lied to PS3 fans so profusely, they're really not missing that much.
If they pull this kind of bullshit stunt again though, there's going to be hell to pay from the PS3 community.
@Pult|Ost - Dark Days Are Coming: It's better than Infinite Undiscovery, but considerably worse than Lost Odyssey. The 360 version is a technical MESS, the characters aren't that fleshed out and the story's not super-interesting.
I won't say it's a bad game, because it's not...but it's definitely not a good game either. I would give it like a 7 out of 10 at best when considering the rest of the 360's library. Kept in context with the entire library of JRPGs out there, though, it's more like a 6, maybe a 6.5.
@Archaotic: I'm going to disagree with you. Technical hitches aside, I thought TLR was awesome. It is a shame that people who were waiting to play it on the PS3 wont get that opportunity as it truly is a fun game. I originally played all the way through it on the 360 and then picked it up for the PC as well.
For anyone who was undecided on whether to get it for PC or wait for the PS3 I'd recommend just pulling the trigger on the PC version. It runs smoother than the 360 version and adds a few things that make it even more fun on PC.
No doubt. When will Square realize it's customers are smart? They basically lied in all the previous trailers about a "RPG FOR THE WORLD" and saying it's coming to PS3.
@Saiwyn Hy: You're certainly allowed to disagree with me. The PC version is definitely considerably improved, from everything I hear, but not many people have a computer that'll let it run any better than the 360 version.
@Saiwyn Hy: It and Demon's Souls are the only console RPGs that've impressed me at all this gen (for different reasons, of course). Definitely a good game, and it's a shame Mistwalker isn't working on a sequel, it seems.
@Archaotic: Would a sequel for L.O. even make sense though?
I've been trying to think of where they could pick up after the end of the game. A prequel would almost make more sense, as there is some powerful stuff in some of Kaim's memories that could be the basis for full game's story.
@Saiwyn Hy: A prequel would certainly work, though it would likely not feature the same level of epic scope as the original game. I mean, if Kain saved the world once already, we'd probably have heard about it, right?
Still, I'd totally be good for that. Or a sequel following you know who after the ending.
@SaanZ: I mean RPG in general. I don't usually play western RPGs, and when I do, I don't call them RPGs. I don't really find them engrossing or entertaining. =/
Demon's Souls is a hybrid, it's hard to classify as anything in particular. I just call it an Action RPG and leave it at that, haha.
@TotalF***ingDouchebag: Don't be a fucking idiot. Gamers don't appreciate being lied to and fucked over. If Square continues to do stuff like this to PS3 gamers, the company's mindshare and marketshare will continue to shrink, until their games lack the star power they once held in the PS2 era.
@Archaotic: Square barely did anything passable on the PS2 to be honest... but yes they did have star power back then. The PS3 didn't even get Crystal Defenders (outside Japan) so i doubt we'll ever see LO. I am wondering what your thoughts are/were on Eternal Sonata?
@Archaotic: the PS3 Community is shaping up to be the next Genesis.. 'better' hardware, but with a library that's reasonably decent, but not strong enough to make it survive..
first activision says they might stop developing for the ps3, and now this.. I'm predicting it's just another nail in ps3's coffin.
don't get all fanboy mad either. I'm a fan of the ps3.
@thecrisisfromthesky: I thought it was an interesting idea bogged down by an overuse of JRPG conventions and cliches. Also, I wanted Polka to die 5 minutes into the game. If the entire story was about Chopin himself exploring his own tortured inner world as his life slowly fades away, it would've been awesome. But no, they had to poison it with a sad little girl and a surprisingly Tales-esque racism/classism storyline. Sigh.
As for the PS2-era Square, they weren't as good as their SNES or PS1 counterparts, but Kingdom Hearts, FFX, and a few of their other PS2 games were still very awesome.
@enderx: This game not coming out won't hurt the PS3. If anything, it hurt SQUARE by limiting their potential sales and future franchisability of the series. If it had all launched at once on all the systems like it was supposed to, it would've sold better and Square could've used it to make a new series.
Instead, it came out on 360 only first, where word of its badness began to leak out, which also poisoned the PC release, causing that to sell less when IT came out.
By the time the PS3 version would've been out, FF13 would've been almost out, as well as other major PS3 RPGs like End of Eternity and Tales of Vesperia. It would've gotten buried.
In the end, the burden lies on Square for breaking their promise of a simultaneous multiplatform release. Notably, all of Square's NEW games are going to the PS3 and none of them use Unreal Engine 3, so we shouldn't be seeing any issues like this again.
@Slagathorian: It IS on PS3. Just not in the US. It released on the PSN in Japan like a month and a half ago. I have the demo, and it's fully in English.
06/24/09
Lost Odyssey
Demon's Souls
Tales of Vesperia
The Last Remnant
Star Ocean 4 (close tie) Eternal Sonata
Tales Of Symphonia 2
Infinite Undiscovery
=/ Sucks that I won't get the Last Remnant on a console I currently own... Something feels off while playing JRPGs on PCs to me. Mine is slow, so until TLR comes to the PS3, I repurchase a 360, or I finally upgrade my PC... You'll be missed. You weren't that great, but you were better than some.
06/24/09
06/24/09
The PC version of the game, supposedly runs quite well. While some of that if probably the presence of more RAM and a mandatory install, the fact that it spent several more months in the development crock pot probably had a lot to do with that as well.
So, yeah, I suspect that if Square held off on this title and made it a simultaneous 2009 release like they originally intended, it would've been a better game.
So, yeah, cautionary tale for other developers. Just because Sony or Microsoft offers you money for a timed exclusive, doesn't necessarily mean you should agree to it.
06/24/09
06/24/09
On top of that, being out so late on the ps3 versus the other's, but then again, who's fault is that? The faggotness himself, and now based on his earlier decision to make it a timed exclusive, he's also going cancel the ps3 port...
06/24/09
06/24/09
Star Ocean:The Last Hope is second from top behind Lost Odyssey
i have yet to play Tales of Vesperia
06/24/09
Be smart developers and start developing for a relatively untapped market!
06/24/09
06/24/09
Yes, I feel like being childish, because his business-sense is the friggin worst I've seen in a long time.
If you had told people that SquareEnix would fully and completely abandon the PS3 and we'd hardly see any RPGs for it at all at the start of this gen, people would've laughed at you and thought you ridiculous.
Strange how things can turn out.
06/24/09
06/24/09
the graphics we're decent but the lag was terrible, even after I installed the game to my hard drive.
06/24/09
06/24/09
06/24/09
06/24/09
"I swear I called you last night baby, you just must have missed my call"
Take a long walk on a short dock SE.
06/24/09
R.I.P. Squaresoft...
06/24/09
Wada's an asshole, and he's ruined the company.
06/24/09
06/24/09
06/24/09
06/24/09
06/24/09
I started playing Ends With You a week ago, and just couldn't stand it. The styling, the game play, and the only main character in the world so whiny and emo that he makes Cloud look emotionally stable all combined to make a very miserable experience for me.
I picked up Crisis Core again in it's place to satisfy my portable gaming needs.
06/24/09
I do agree the story and characters are pretty ridiculous, but I liked the battle system, even though that took a long while to master.
06/24/09
06/24/09
06/24/09
Square has not brought their A game to the consoles yet this generation, and it shows.
06/24/09
Unless, of course, if you consider any RPG > no RPG.
06/24/09
FFXIII which looks great
Eternal Sonata, which I love
Tales of Vesperia
Cross Edge
And exclusively:
that retro RPG coming to PSN (I think it's exclusive, anyhow... I may be wrong)
Versus
Disgaea 3
2 more Atlus games coming
Valkyria Chronicles, which I'm really getting into
WKC
Demon Souls
So it's not like we're lacking ATM. Except in numbers.
06/24/09
Also, it seemed broken on a number of weird levels. The way planets would divide up between discs, and the fact that I got caught in the world map in an area that it didn't seem like I could get out of were Z-level design decisions.
Oh, also, I couldn't read prompts, item descriptions, menus etc on an SDTV. YRMV, and I did have a little of that problem with Lost Odyssey, but you'd think someone would have fixed that in beta (I have a 32" tv, so it shouldn't be an issue).
Also, the changes to the game's design between US and Japan were not welcome ones.
06/24/09
06/24/09
Oh, I forgot about precocious 8 year old sorceress. Her, I loathed.
I won't hear a bad word directed at Welch, though. I love me some Welch.
And, I can see what you're saying; if it had been Tales of Vesperia's cast, or something like that, I might have tried a little harder to muddle through the unworkability of the game. As it stands, I took the path of least resistance in dealing with the game's problems (ie, i shut it off).
But if I hadn't felt I was playing a mess, I might've tried a little harder, too.
06/24/09
06/24/09
If they pull this kind of bullshit stunt again though, there's going to be hell to pay from the PS3 community.
06/24/09
So how is it on a scale from Infinite Undiscovery to Lost Odyssey?
06/24/09
I won't say it's a bad game, because it's not...but it's definitely not a good game either. I would give it like a 7 out of 10 at best when considering the rest of the 360's library. Kept in context with the entire library of JRPGs out there, though, it's more like a 6, maybe a 6.5.
06/24/09
For anyone who was undecided on whether to get it for PC or wait for the PS3 I'd recommend just pulling the trigger on the PC version. It runs smoother than the 360 version and adds a few things that make it even more fun on PC.
06/24/09
No doubt. When will Square realize it's customers are smart? They basically lied in all the previous trailers about a "RPG FOR THE WORLD" and saying it's coming to PS3.
06/24/09
06/24/09
*smiley face*
06/24/09
06/24/09
I've been trying to think of where they could pick up after the end of the game. A prequel would almost make more sense, as there is some powerful stuff in some of Kaim's memories that could be the basis for full game's story.
06/24/09
Still, I'd totally be good for that. Or a sequel following you know who after the ending.
06/24/09
You mean JRPG I presume... though Demon Souls is closer to a western RPG... aside from the story premise... though thats a big deal...
06/24/09
Demon's Souls is a hybrid, it's hard to classify as anything in particular. I just call it an Action RPG and leave it at that, haha.
06/24/09
BWAHAHAHA!
/wipes tear from eye
06/24/09
06/24/09
06/24/09
first activision says they might stop developing for the ps3, and now this.. I'm predicting it's just another nail in ps3's coffin.
don't get all fanboy mad either. I'm a fan of the ps3.
06/24/09
As for the PS2-era Square, they weren't as good as their SNES or PS1 counterparts, but Kingdom Hearts, FFX, and a few of their other PS2 games were still very awesome.
06/24/09
Instead, it came out on 360 only first, where word of its badness began to leak out, which also poisoned the PC release, causing that to sell less when IT came out.
By the time the PS3 version would've been out, FF13 would've been almost out, as well as other major PS3 RPGs like End of Eternity and Tales of Vesperia. It would've gotten buried.
In the end, the burden lies on Square for breaking their promise of a simultaneous multiplatform release. Notably, all of Square's NEW games are going to the PS3 and none of them use Unreal Engine 3, so we shouldn't be seeing any issues like this again.
06/24/09
And does anyone know what their mentality is for not porting Crystal defenders to the PS3? What is it, like a 3 man team working for 6 hours to succesfully port it?
06/24/09
06/24/09
06/24/09
If it weren't for Wrex, I probably wouldn't have bothered to beat it. =/
06/24/09
The PS3 is doing to die argument is so phase 2006. It's 2009 and it's still here with many great games coming.
03/20/09