I had Frog in my party when it went down, and he mentions that killing Magus won't bring his friend back. A friend of mine tried to trick me and said that if Frog is in your party when you have to make the choice, and you choose to recruit Magus, Frog leaves.
It just feels Ryan wants to breeze through the game without paying much attention to the story or game mechanics. I'm grinding my teeth during every episode yet I keep watching them. Something's definitely wrong with me.
Oh man, you can tell that both Ryan and Patrick have already read walkthroughs before this episode because when Patrick mentioned using Fire on that hammer goblin, Ryan immediately understood it.
Oh man, you can tell that both Ryan and Patrick have already read walkthroughs before this episode because when Patrick mentioned using Fire on that hammer goblin, Ryan immediately understood it.
Oh man, you can tell that both Ryan and Patrick have already read walkthroughs before this episode because when Patrick mentioned using Fire on that hammer goblin, Ryan immediately understood it.
Oh man, you can tell that both Ryan and Patrick have already read walkthroughs before this episode because when Patrick mentioned using Fire on that hammer goblin, Ryan immediately understood it.
I'm just listening to them and not actually watching the video actively, but even reversing back I can't seem to find any mention of the hammer goblins.
edit: gah, it's at 2:55
Oh man, you can tell that both Ryan and Patrick have already read walkthroughs before this episode because when Patrick mentioned using Fire on that hammer goblin, Ryan immediately understood it.
Ugh, that definitely bothered me. They're really not playing this like I would play a JRPG (or any RPG in general). They're not checking the corners, exploring every inch of a map before progressing. It's frustrating to watch at times.
And not going to the market either, where I'm sure there was some new gear to buy.
This episode overall was pretty uneventful/not entertaining. Easily skippable.
I'm still pretty amazed they don't immediately go into any new store they find and see if there is newer, better equipment for their party. Things are looking up though! They actually used a shelter before saving the game!
Masa and Mune are probably going to destroy them. Ryan doesn't heal enough, and I highly doubt they are going to remember the hint about using slash on the boss to cancel out his charge attack, even if they did make fun of the guy in the bar who gave them the hint about it.
I'm rooting for you Ryan and Patrick! The next boss is tough, but you can do it!
I love how Ryan has to manually move the pointer to each character's equipment slot to see what they are wearing. No, wait, I don't "love" it. Godammit, Ryan, it says right there!
I used to hate turn based games in general, but after trying out a few strategy games on pc I think I'm more willing to try and turn based jrpg. However, if I had to make a choice, I think I prefer active time battle stuff. I did like that tales video you posted and that looks like something I'd love to try.
Well, you're in luck! Tales of Graces f (PS3) is coming out next year in English for both the US and EU (see the latest thread here). The story isn't very awesome, but the battle system is super-stellar; my favourite 3D Tales battle system in the entire series. Team Destiny (who developed Tales of Graces) battle systems are far more refined than Team Symphonia battle systems (who developed Abyss, Symphonia, Vesperia, etc).
If you are looking for story, though, even though it isn't my favourite narrative, you can try out Tales of the Abyss 3DS (video from PS2 version), which is coming out in February in the US. If you have a 360, you can get Tales of Vesperia from Games on Demand, I believe. I played it in Japanese, so hearing ToV in English is kinda funny, lol.
The other video I posted, though, is from Tales of Rebirth. It's unfortunately Japanese-only. If you can read Japanese, you'll be happy to know that there is a budget version for PSP. There is also a Japanese PS2 version. Rebirth has one of the worst narratives in a JRPG I've been through, but the battle system is my favourite 2D Tales battle system and more than makes up for its inadequacies. So fun.
You can always try Tales of Phantasia (for any system starting with the SFC), but I find that battle system archaic in comparison to the improvements made to the LMBS since then.
What I bolded is definitely something I dig. I'm also interested in narritives that deal with the end of the world or after it, a post-apocalypse if you will I also dig things that have a "retro-future" vibe, stuff like steampunk for example. I'm also way more into science fiction than fantasy.
Also, random battles are kind of a deal breaker for me, unless you think the story is really worth experiencing.
Regarding random battles, it's kind of hard to find a lot of older JRPGs that don't showcase random battles. Chrono Trigger was one of the first ones I had played that had all the enemies on the map. The later Persona games (3 and 4) do not have random encounters, though I guess if you're in this thread you may have seen the Giant Bomb Endurance Run for Persona 4.
Games like the FF series up to FFXII feature random battles, but you might find something in Final Fantasy VI, Final Fantasy VII (mostly because it deals with end of the world stuff) and maybe Final Fantasy IX (though the IX mention is me being biased towards the game; you should probably go with the former two games for what you want).
Final Fantasy XII (PS2), Final Fantasy Tactics (PSN or PSP) and Vagrant Story (PSN) deal with the Final Fantasy subseries called "Ivalice Alliance". They aren't like normal FF games at all, instead they deal a lot with politics and law. Final Fantasy XII feature no random battles, but if you're looking into getting FFXII, I'd suggest investing in the Japanese International Zodiac Job System version and just getting the English patch for it because that system is far more refined than the one in vanilla FFXII. But there's nothing wrong with the localized vanilla version of FFXII because it is a fantastic localization, and you might get something out of its battle system regardless. Anything having to do with the Ivalice Alliance has a fantastic localization.
You can try… Resonance of Fate (PS360)… it’s kind of steampunk, I guess. But it does have random encounters. I'll update this post if I remember any other games on that front.
As for apocalyptic and post-end of the world stuff, go with Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne (PS2 - I think I had gotten reprinted recently). Trust me. It's one of the best RPGs I've played, and it includes a Dante from Devil May Cry cameo! Actually most of the core SMT games (not Persona) deal with the end of the world in some way, so you could try those out. The only thing that might deter you is the difficulty. I've tried to introduce SMT and Persona games to RPG-playing friends only to find that they think they're too hard for some reason. :/
GensoSuikoden (PSN), Genso Suikoden II (PS1) or Genso Suikoden V (PS2) are all JRPGs that revolve around war. If you’re into SRPGs, you could try Tactics Ogre (PSP ver) or Fire Emblem (Wii) (with my favourite being Fire Emblem 4 (SNES), but that’s Japan-only... though you can find a translation patch. Nintendo might not ever release this game in any incarnation over here because it has incest, rape, warfare, etc in it).
You could also always try Phantasy Star (Genesis) for more science fiction stuff. Actually... PS2 has one of my favourite endings in a game ever :O
Also, Shadowrun (for either SNES or Genesis; I've only played the SNES version). It isn't a JRPG at all, but it might be what you're looking for. It's an ARPG, starring a courier who is shot and nearly killed in the streets of Seattle in the year 2050. He wakes up in a morgue with amnesia. The game follows the MC as he attempts to uncover his own identity, and figuring out who wants him dead. It also involves entering something called the Matrix, or cyberspace. You hack into computers to get info or get money. If you die in the Matrix, then it's game over. Footage here and here.
It may not qualify, but you can always try the Ys games. They recently remade one of them. Ys: The Oath in Felghana (a remake of Ys 3) and Ys: Seven (a newer one) are both for PSP. They're hard-hitting, fast-paced ARPGs, if you're into those. Also, the music kicks ass, but all Falcom music is amazing.
Oh, and I played a Mario and Luigi game, Partners in Time and I loved it.
If you can find it, you should try Superstar Saga for the GBA, but Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story is so much better in many many aspects. It's incredibly charming.
I'll post more when I remember more, but since the thread is about a JRPG, that's why I stuck to JRPGs more... outside of Shadowrun.
1) Spend money. You don't have to horde it in Chrono Trigger because it's to buy new equipment that'll make your physical attacks (which Ryan seems to love using) work better. Also, better defense.
2) Yes! Talk to the NPCs. Learn stuff.
3) Oh good, they're using Bucca for fire, but... PLEASE GO GET BUCCA'S FIRE MAGIC. PLEASE. ((((((((
4) Denadoro Mountains were always an unfun bit of the game.
I'm still pretty amazed they don't immediately go into any new store they find and see if there is newer, better equipment for their party. Things are looking up though! They actually used a shelter before saving the game!
Masa and Mune are probably going to destroy them. Ryan doesn't heal enough, and I highly doubt they are going to remember the hint about using slash on the boss to cancel out his charge attack, even if they did make fun of the guy in the bar who gave them the hint about it.
I'm rooting for you Ryan and Patrick! The next boss is tough, but you can do it!
. I think the next part where they'll get really stuck is fighting
Magus
, and after that the
Golem Twins
since those fights require more than just spamming attacks and using one particular type of tech every once in awhile.
Also I've discovered that the way to enjoy watching this Endurance Run is to hate the guts out of Ryan and Patrick. Like, really want them to suffer for all their stupid mistakes and lack of reading comprehension. Basically like Breaking Brad. Schadenfreude.
It's not like he's a closet CT fanatic. If I only played CT once 15 years ago, I wouldn't remember much beyond the basics (eras, characters, 'magus dude was awesome', lavos, masamune!).
I think he doesn't point out things cause he doesn't want to make Ryan feel dumb and/or he doesn't want to ruin the game for Ryan.
If I was playing CT with a friend who never played it before, I'd probably act similar to Patrick.
I hope for an awesome reaction to the epic boss music tomorrow.
I find it so weird to see how some people play games. I'm maybe a little obsessive when it comes to exploring every last inch of a game, but watching Ryan unlock a whole new continent, see a huge new town and walk right past it saying "well that's not where I need to go" boggles my mind. I think the thing that made the Persona ER so great was that Vinny started it because he wanted to play the game. I'd like to know what kind of process they went through in choosing Chrono Trigger, because Ryan sure seems like he just wants to get through it as painlessly as possible.
I find it so weird to see how some people play games. I'm maybe a little obsessive when it comes to exploring every last inch of a game, but watching Ryan unlock a whole new continent, see a huge new town and walk right past it saying "well that's not where I need to go" boggles my mind. I think the thing that made the Persona ER so great was that Vinny started it because he wanted to play the game. I'd like to know what kind of process they went through in choosing Chrono Trigger, because Ryan sure seems like he just wants to get through it as painlessly as possible.
I think they do want to play this game. Ryan and Patrick both seem to be into it, I don't the impression that they are forcing themselves. The Deadly Premonition ER certainly felt like that.
I find it so weird to see how some people play games. I'm maybe a little obsessive when it comes to exploring every last inch of a game, but watching Ryan unlock a whole new continent, see a huge new town and walk right past it saying "well that's not where I need to go" boggles my mind. I think the thing that made the Persona ER so great was that Vinny started it because he wanted to play the game. I'd like to know what kind of process they went through in choosing Chrono Trigger, because Ryan sure seems like he just wants to get through it as painlessly as possible.
Vinny is also notoriously thorough. Vinny is the kind of guy who decides he wants to play The Witcher 2, so that means he has to 100% complete The Witcher 1, but before he can play The Witcher 1, he also has to read all of The Witcher books that have been translated in to english.
And let's not forget how he was basically talking about playing Fable 2 for a period of about 9 months straight.
That theme is awesome. That one was actually composed by Mitsuda. But Boss Battle 1 was pretty cool too.
Boss Battle 1 was composed by Noriko Matsueda (The Bouncer, Final Fantasy X-2, Front Mission, Bahamut Lagoon) and arranged by Nobuo Uematsu. When Mitsuda got sick, Uematsu composed some of the future music (ex: Sealed Door, Mystery of the Past, Those Without the Will to Live, Bike Chase, Creeping through the Sewers), Light of Silence, and some of the prehistory music (ex: Primeval Mountain, Burn! Bobonga!,
Tyrano Lair
).
Honestly, the soundtrack is such a masterpiece partly because of the three minds working on it... it's very cohesive, though you can still pick up the three composers' little quirks from all the pieces.
What I find beautiful about both Those Without the Will to Live and Sealed Door is that... Chrono Cross spoilers, though you can read a lot of it in theseposts from an old Chrono Cross thread...
Mitsuda has his own take and arrangement of both of those themes and turns them into something a little different in A Child Lost in Time and Dead Sea/Tower of Destruction while still retaining the original mood, tone and atmosphere of the themes. It's how I think he would have composed them if he had not fallen ill during CT's development.
I had Frog in my party when it went down, and he mentions that killing Magus won't bring his friend back. A friend of mine tried to trick me and said that if Frog is in your party when you have to make the choice, and you choose to recruit Magus, Frog leaves.
I find it so weird to see how some people play games. I'm maybe a little obsessive when it comes to exploring every last inch of a game, but watching Ryan unlock a whole new continent, see a huge new town and walk right past it saying "well that's not where I need to go" boggles my mind. I think the thing that made the Persona ER so great was that Vinny started it because he wanted to play the game. I'd like to know what kind of process they went through in choosing Chrono Trigger, because Ryan sure seems like he just wants to get through it as painlessly as possible.
I feel the exact same way, I always explore everything I can in a game. I almost feel like skipping areas in a game and not talking to people is like skipping pages in a book or fast forwarding through bits in a movie. The devs wrote and built all that stuff to be seen. And usually, if the game is well made, by taking the time to do that stuff, it saves time in the long run since often you get important information or items. Perfect example is the clue about using fire on the hammer guys, which speeds up those fights.
I wonder if it is symptom of playing newer games. A lot of new games, ones I know Ryan has played, like Fallout 3, are super open ended so it's okay to skip one thing in favor of another, and you can always come back and do quests in areas you passed by. I got the impression Ryan figured that town would be saved for a later quest or sidequest so he didn't need to go explore it now. Plus a lot of new games tell you exactly where to go with quest markers and quest logs, and the idea of just going into random houses for important information necessary for the main quest is a bit alien to that.
Yeah, this is the first episode I turned off mid way through. Whoever suggested playing on active mode instead of wait mode is out of their minds. Then, as the boss is killing them, in what seems like his low health offensive rush, Ryan just STOPS ATTACKING. Argh!
Edit: so I turned it on again to see if they actually bet it. Ryan brings Barle in for the group heal. He then proceeds to use mid-tonics with chrono and single heal with Barle.
I'm no, you know, super-talented gamer here, but I'm beginning to suspect Ryan really, really sucks at JRPG. They should consider switching to wait mode.
((((((((
. Didn't know that! Neat!