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JRPGs have really hit their stride, visually.

Doczu

Member
So, you’ve played Sand Land?

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This game is the closest I’ve ever seen to playing a manga/anime. Everyone here should play it, actually.
Not yet, got in om my PS4 wish list. All hobby related spendings are on hold until i get my finances back on track. Too much shit happened last monthsn😒
 

Thick Thighs Save Lives

NeoGAF's Physical Games Advocate Extraordinaire
There's also a lot of promise with this upcoming anime-style RPG called Azur Promilia that's from Azur Lane devs. I made a thread on it a while ago here on GAF, but it's basically a mix of Genshin & Palword.





Project Mugen is also another one to look out for whenever it releases.



People on here will downplay these titles because they are gachas, but since the OP talks about visuals in Japanese, Korean and Chinese RPGs, then it's worth mentioning them.
 
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NotMyProblemAnymoreCunt

Biggest Trails Stan
There's also a lot of promise with this upcoming anime-style RPG called Azur Promilia that's from Azur Lane devs. I made a thread on it a while ago here on GAF, but it's basically a mix for Genshin & Palword.





Project Mugen is also another one to look out for whenever it releases.



People on here will downplay these titles because they are gachas, but since the OP talks about visuals in Japanese, Korean and Chinese RPGs, then it's worth mentioning them.


Playing Cat Toy GIF by BuzzFeed
 
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Oberstein

Member
The charm of Japanese artworks will never be replaced by in-game renderings. Or at least, it's not the same thing.

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Japanese JRPGs have long been driven by illustrations and artworks. From game manuals to artworks displayed directly on-screen during a conversation, this rather unique cachet has never really been used by the West (only recently have they done so). It was a blend that stimulated the imagination enormously.

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Now that they've got the technology to almost render the artwork directly in the game as a 3D model, it's almost as if we've come to miss the old games. Perhaps that's also why HD-2D works so well for fans: it's the perfect combination for recreating the atmosphere of a JRPG while retaining that precious pixel art.

Star-Ocean-The-Second-Story-R-Review-Screenshot-Lacour.jpg

(I know, Star Ocean 2 remake isn't HD-2D, but the effect is almost similar).

I'm not saying it's a bad idea to render artwork in a 3D engine, and it works very well in many games (even double AA, for example Trials of Mana has a nice graphic touch). Maybe we've become too demanding, because back in the NES/SNES days, we'd have done anything to get Visions of Mana & co.

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But contrary to what has been said, there are many variations and different renderings in Japanese artistic representations. Sometimes, I'd say that in modern games, the Japanese have trouble with color, which gives them that tangy candy look. They sometimes overdo it, and from a Western point of view, it's this overdose that's visually shocking.
 

Diddy X

Member
Meanwhile the Lost Odyssey CGI to Gameplay transtion hasnt been beaten to date.

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Not hating on LO but that's a trick because that's not actually the moment it switches to ingame graphics, it just makes the UI appear but it's seconds later when the ingame graphics come in, still a neat trick that wowed me when I played it.
 
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Crayon

Member
Now that you mention it, that visual style has been looking a lot better in recent years. It looked cheap and stiff for the longest time.
 
In characters only. Level design wise theyre still stuck in the past and most JRPGS have really ugly or boring/dead locations. A few exceptions exist such as FF but these series were always famous for good environments. Hell even looking at the posts on this thread, outside of FF, everyone is just posting cute anime characters.
 
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Oberstein

Member
Guilty Gear strive and arc system works in general show that its totally possible.

Indeed, it's very beautiful, but it's still a fighting game, simpler to set up than a JRPG where characters move around in different places.
And it's still complicated to render artwork in 3D environments and not just a cell-shaded effect (or close to it), which gives an even different look.
 

Comandr

Member
This is what peak animation looks like



Say what you want about mobile games, gacha games, etc. But I've got to hand it to the ZZZ team; it's absolutely gorgeous, runs beautifully, and tons of fun. The animation is seriously next level. Pulling off parries and dodges feels and looks so good. I think this and Project Mugen really capture the "playable anime" vibe really well without falling into a lot of the common traps of characters looking weird or strange in 3D.

The anime aesthetic has really improved over the last decade. The characters in particular are a lot more expressive than they used to be.
That said the words and environments aren't always as memorable (except for a few standouts like Xenoblade).
I do miss the overall look of the pre rendered era:
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Definitely agree with this. These pre-rendered scenes, only seen from one fixed point, you can make it as detailed and lived in as you want. Every screen is a beautiful piece of art. I think its because these images were so stunning, they had such impact and were so memorable. Fast forward 30 years to a game like FF7R2. Sure, walking around Kalm or Costa del Sol is technically impressive but none of the environments really stood out to me as especially memorable. I remember just sitting idle in Cosmo Canyon in the OG game just taking in the ambiance and enjoying the scene. Definitely wouldn't do that in the new one.
 

NotMyProblemAnymoreCunt

Biggest Trails Stan
The anime aesthetic has really improved over the last decade. The characters in particular are a lot more expressive than they used to be.
That said the words and environments aren't always as memorable (except for a few standouts like Xenoblade).
I do miss the overall look of the pre rendered era:
tumblr_othw1w5mwL1tln6w5o7_r2_540.gif

42ab9831ea82c8283689e8e8a192170523717e5d.gifv

sFAQumY.jpg

I would love for prerendered backgrounds to come back for JRPGs. With today's tech, they would be much more detailed and have lot more animations in the background. Plus the higher resolution

The only issue I had with prerendered background is that certain backgrounds you came across had annoying camera angles and could mess up your sense of direction
 

NotMyProblemAnymoreCunt

Biggest Trails Stan
It's an indie RPG made by a solo dev I think, so idk when it will release. That said, I quite like the art direction and character design so I'm keeping an eye on it.

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Looking at the concept art it actually looks like it's being made by an actual Japanese Indie Studio which I prefer. Since the west attempts at it most of the times, comes off as super woke
 

Thick Thighs Save Lives

NeoGAF's Physical Games Advocate Extraordinaire
The art in Reverse 1999 is incredible, and also has the best voice acting in any JRPG I have played. Amazing stuff. I wish they developed a console version.

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I'm doing a Danjin44 Danjin44 , and will agree that this is the one game I wish it was sold as a full price title instead of being a F2P gacha. The VA, art direction and story are top tier.

Their PVs and original sound track are also great.

 
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Hestar69

Member
Been on an RPG kick and just beat ys 9. Just bought SMT V looking forward to playing it.
The anime aesthetic has really improved over the last decade. The characters in particular are a lot more expressive than they used to be.
That said the words and environments aren't always as memorable (except for a few standouts like Xenoblade).
I do miss the overall look of the pre rendered era:
tumblr_othw1w5mwL1tln6w5o7_r2_540.gif

42ab9831ea82c8283689e8e8a192170523717e5d.gifv

sFAQumY.jpg
10000000%

Also, I really need to play Chrono Cross sometime.
 

NotMyProblemAnymoreCunt

Biggest Trails Stan
Been on an RPG kick and just beat ys 9. Just bought SMT V looking forward to playing it.

10000000%

Also, I really need to play Chrono Cross sometime.

As a huge fan of Chrono Trigger, Chrono Cross is a fantastic sequel

I heard they fixed the Remaster. The story is equally as great as Trigger

I highly recommend you play both in order
 

March Climber

Gold Member
Screenshots/gifs haven't been posted yet so I'll post it: Granblue Fantasy Relinked.

438dcf7cc879ee3186af14fa4baa1b6de20683c2.gifv

Granblue_Fantasy_Relink_Gallanza_Boss_Fight-4.gif

KwUbEbL.gif


XEfx9a7oYnpke4PTTWQ3swmuPlt5NAzg7CeNvd5kLwY.jpg

Fbnea66.jpg


People will attempt to put this game in a category with some of the other lesser known JRPGs out there, but I think the level of art and animation in this game far exceeds it's peers.
 

Kataploom

Gold Member
And sometimes even when technically more demanding, western games look worse here and there in some aspects you may think are clearly superior because of not having artistic sensibility to tune them.

For example, Tomb Raider and Horizon hair simulations feel floaty and uncontrolled by even gravity, like they have a fan in front while in a planet with little gravity or so lol, while Xenoblade 3 hair simulations look good, natural and more grounded, ironically, I'm playing it right now and can't help it but pay attention to how great it looks, one of the best implementations I've seen honestly.

That's probably not only due to artistic sensibility but also because they could spend a budget and time on it knowing they are not overspending on everything so it's not gonna harm the project.
 
And sometimes even when technically more demanding, western games look worse here and there in some aspects you may think are clearly superior because of not having artistic sensibility to tune them.

For example, Tomb Raider and Horizon hair simulations feel floaty and uncontrolled by even gravity, like they have a fan in front while in a planet with little gravity or so lol, while Xenoblade 3 hair simulations look good, natural and more grounded, ironically, I'm playing it right now and can't help it but pay attention to how great it looks, one of the best implementations I've seen honestly.

That's probably not only due to artistic sensibility but also because they could spend a budget and time on it knowing they are not overspending on everything so it's not gonna harm the project.


The hair of Eve in Stellar Blade is ridiculously good, that's the best I have seen so far. They went the extra mile for the physics.


Screenshots/gifs haven't been posted yet so I'll post it: Granblue Fantasy Relinked.



People will attempt to put this game in a category with some of the other lesser known JRPGs out there, but I think the level of art and animation in this game far exceeds it's peers.


The art is beautiful but the UI is hideous. My eyes hurt with so much stuff on screen.
 

March Climber

Gold Member
The art is beautiful but the UI is hideous. My eyes hurt with so much stuff on screen.
It's not just the UI, it's mostly the effects, and I had the same issue. My advice is to do what I did and play the game completely solo. The game has balancing in place if you decide to do this option. In addition to better clarity and less clutter, it also gives a much better challenge as you actually have to rely on your own dodges, parries, blocks, positioning, timing, and picking the right equipment builds for boss battles and side missions.

Here is an example:

 

Arsic

Loves his juicy stink trail scent
Screenshots/gifs haven't been posted yet so I'll post it: Granblue Fantasy Relinked.

438dcf7cc879ee3186af14fa4baa1b6de20683c2.gifv

Granblue_Fantasy_Relink_Gallanza_Boss_Fight-4.gif

KwUbEbL.gif


XEfx9a7oYnpke4PTTWQ3swmuPlt5NAzg7CeNvd5kLwY.jpg

Fbnea66.jpg


People will attempt to put this game in a category with some of the other lesser known JRPGs out there, but I think the level of art and animation in this game far exceeds it's peers.
I was just about to say this game is the best art style we’ve seen in a hot minute. The models and the environments is pure art.

The issue with the majority of what OP put is it’s just generic anime weeb art that exists in PS3 sword art online games. The only focus is making the character models look 5% better and the environments belong in PS2/3 era. It’s a joke.
 
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