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NeoGAF's Essential RPGs: 2017-2018 edition - Vote open until Oct 13th - Win Free RPGs
- Thread starter kswiston
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Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
I love IV, but man, outside of minotaur it probably has some of the worst SMT demon designs.
And its last stretch is a slog and overstays its welcome.
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
I mean that's kinda just atlus in general. 
I mean that's kinda just atlus in general.
That's true.
E_Darkness
Member
decoyplatypus
Member
SMT4 is good. It's got a killer soundtrack.
It's also got a dull opening, a disappointing story, and a battle system that breaks down midway through the game.
It's also got a dull opening, a disappointing story, and a battle system that breaks down midway through the game.
I bet Nocturne will make the top (like it should), of the mainline SMT games.
Nah EO is there where it belongs.
ankle-rocker
Neo Member
I know Nocturne is on the PS3 PSN store... but not PS4. And that is a damn shame.
Eolz
Member
Bleh.
Sorry to say that, but hope we can get an overrated vote next time. Like minus 1 point to a single game.
It's atmosphere is unrivalled in SMT and the one thing i missed most from 4.
Reading through some of the votes in the thread has been very insightful, especially from people I usually agree with because I see we mostly like the same games, haha. I also realize I should delve into Dragon Quest already and maybe I should give old Fire Emblem another try.
I'll keep reading them and hopefully go through all of them eventually.
Oh, and huge props to kswinston for the initiative of these threads and the huge amount of work put into them. RPGs have become one of my favorite genres in gaming lately and I think it's the one I discuss the most on GAF, so something like this is priceless to me. Also, those templates are looking fantastic!
And a huge thanks to Robert for doing such a selfless act to promote participation too! I already owned CSH on Playstation platforms (waiting for the Vita version to play it though... No pressures, really!), but a friend's birthday is coming up this week and he loves RPGs so it'll make for a fine gift for sure.
I sure hope so! In an ideal world Nocturne would make it to top 5, surpassing even Persona 4 in popularity, but top 10 would do.
It's just such a fine game that nails everything, it deserves all the recognition it deserves IMO.
I'll keep reading them and hopefully go through all of them eventually.
Oh, and huge props to kswinston for the initiative of these threads and the huge amount of work put into them. RPGs have become one of my favorite genres in gaming lately and I think it's the one I discuss the most on GAF, so something like this is priceless to me. Also, those templates are looking fantastic!
And a huge thanks to Robert for doing such a selfless act to promote participation too! I already owned CSH on Playstation platforms (waiting for the Vita version to play it though... No pressures, really
!), but a friend's birthday is coming up this week and he loves RPGs so it'll make for a fine gift for sure. I sure hope so! In an ideal world Nocturne would make it to top 5, surpassing even Persona 4 in popularity, but top 10 would do.
It's just such a fine game that nails everything, it deserves all the recognition it deserves IMO.
I think the disappointing part about SMTIV is that mainline SMT as a whole was the franchise that got the fifth most points in the voting, yet SMTIV still didn't even crack the top 50.
It kind of makes me wonder where all the points for mainline SMT even went. Nocturne got the lion's share, but beyond that...I don't know. Maybe Digital Devil Saga? I actually saw Tokyo Mirage Sessions mentioned quite a bit.
The real tragedy is that SMTIV Apocalypse probably did terribly. The first game had a better soundtrack and stronger beginning, but I thought Apocalypse was substantially better in terms of gameplay and difficulty progression. It also has one of the best final bosses in mainline SMT, if not the actual best.
Apocalypse blows IV out of the water in many aspects for sure, I think mechanically it's one of the better games in the series, but it also has some big issues in the writing department that I imagine turn a lot of people off... I consider it the better game, but those bother me too.
I imagine the fact that the game comes off as a definitive version of IV instead of a sequel to a lot of uninformed fans hurt its popularity too. Many people popped up in the OT asking what the game was.
I imagine the fact that the game comes off as a definitive version of IV instead of a sequel to a lot of uninformed fans hurt its popularity too. Many people popped up in the OT asking what the game was.
Robert at Zeboyd Games
Banned
SMT IV: Apocalypse was also hurt by pricing, I think. Same price as SMT IV, but SMT IV had two advantages - one, it was the first numbered SMT game in about a decade and two, there was that Nintendo promotion where you got $30 eshop credit if you bought it with Fire Emblem.
I'd like to give SMT4A a shot since I loved Nocturne but only sort of liked 4, but it's still $50 on the eShop.
I'd like to give SMT4A a shot since I loved Nocturne but only sort of liked 4, but it's still $50 on the eShop.
StereoVsn
Gold Member
That promotion did a ton of help to SMT4. It basically made it almost a no brainer if one was interested in either game.
Apocalypse had a confusing message, bad/no marketing, high price, looked similar to IV and really just was not a well done release. The game itself was probably fine (still have a sealed copy
).Yeah I always forget that promotion SMT4 had. It weirds me out sometimes how popular IV is, but it makes sense in retrospect.
It's a real shame not many people have tried Apocalypse regardless of whether they'd like it or not, because at least gameplay wise it's such an upgrade. IV was fine but it was such an unbalanced mess, but Apocalypse on hard is one hell of a time.
It's a real shame not many people have tried Apocalypse regardless of whether they'd like it or not, because at least gameplay wise it's such an upgrade. IV was fine but it was such an unbalanced mess, but Apocalypse on hard is one hell of a time.
Still haven't gone back to that final dungeon in Apocalypse because (reason)
I like IV's story and tone a lot better, but yeah, Apocalypse is quite the upgrade in combat and I had a lot of fun with that game up to the point where I stopped.
Maybe I'll go back to it at some point while going through my (growing) DS/3DS back-catalog. It is sounding like I probably should but it already did back when I posted this in the OT for the game.
I don't like how they took away demon acquisition and fusion and the map is poor.
I like IV's story and tone a lot better, but yeah, Apocalypse is quite the upgrade in combat and I had a lot of fun with that game up to the point where I stopped.
Maybe I'll go back to it at some point while going through my (growing) DS/3DS back-catalog. It is sounding like I probably should but it already did back when I posted this in the OT for the game
.
Cornbread78
Member
$hit, I forgot to put my vote in....
you mean apoclypse right?
No, i haven't played Apocalypse yet.
4's final dungeon is a joke. I'd like it to be bigger and more complex. Apoclypse's is too much. Atlus need to find a middle ground.
Apocalypse's final dungeon is like a Kaizo Mario romhack of Strange Journey. And it's a shame because trudging through it is actually worth it for the true final boss, so it's not like you can just take one of the earlier endings and skip it altogether.
I ended up using a map for it and regret nothing lol.
Apocalypse's final boss on hard has 0% margin for error. I legitimately believe if you don't take the optimal action each turn, you will lose.
Overall I preferred Apocalypse to IV, even though IV's story was more interesting than Apocalypse's "friendship is magic" shtick. The gameplay is just so improved that it's difficult to even go back in some ways.
I vastly prefer SMT IV over Apocalypse. They improved a lot of things in Apocalypse, but in return you get a friendship is magic circle of friends.
Pulled a Griffith, no regrets. The final dungeon is something I can appreciate. I just don't like not being able to recruit more demons so you're kinda stuck with what you got and that sucks with a final boss that doesn't leave a lot of room for errors.
Pulled a Griffith, no regrets. The final dungeon is something I can appreciate. I just don't like not being able to recruit more demons so you're kinda stuck with what you got and that sucks with a final boss that doesn't leave a lot of room for errors.
IV didn't even have an actual final dungeon! Hell, its obviously intended true final boss is DLC and was turned into a lame superboss. That endgame was abysmal.
But yeah, Apocalypse's is atrocious, I still cant wrap my head about why they thought it'd be a good idea, especially after the great second to last one and I have no idea how I endured it twice. Sucks too that it has some really good bosses, especially the last boss.
But yeah, Apocalypse's is atrocious, I still cant wrap my head about why they thought it'd be a good idea, especially after the great second to last one and I have no idea how I endured it twice. Sucks too that it has some really good bosses, especially the last boss.
decoyplatypus
Member
Apocalypse's skill affinity tweak made demon fusion much more interesting. But then the designers kept/threw in like three bad gameplay ideas (the jade dagger, the traps you have to mash X to escape, Shesha battles) just to balance things out. And the story--well, now I know what it was like for longtime Fire Emblem fans to go from FE5 to FE6.
I didn't mind Apocalypse's final dungeon (minus some really repetitive encounters), but I do think the game could have had a smoother dungeon complexity curve. As I recall, they're mostly pretty tame until the last two.
I didn't mind Apocalypse's final dungeon (minus some really repetitive encounters), but I do think the game could have had a smoother dungeon complexity curve. As I recall, they're mostly pretty tame until the last two.
Flying Fish
Neo Member
I always found it amusing that the mainline SMT games have this super grim tone and the gameplay involves talking to demons and befriending them. A stark contrast there.
It probably doesn't end there. I'd assume DQV is 1 or 2 in the DQ series ranking on here.
Morrigan Stark
Arrogant Smirk
It never having been localized in the SNES era probably has something to do with it. Most people growing up on classic FF and Chrono Trigger probably never played it.
I didn't mean the dungeon necessarily, but the whole infernal Tokyo section. I just wanted it to end at that point. Also that demon character they introduced, that scaredy cat. Don't know his name anymore but he got my nerves pretty quickly.
As for the friendship shtick in main SMT games. Yeah i wouldn't prefer that, i want them to be dark and hopeless.
Though maybe i would like it. I just didn't like all paths presented to me in 4. The chars representing them could not convince me to care for them.
It had some awesome questlines that i enjoyed very much though. What with the kids and their fate, that got to me.
We've noticed the crime on last page. I did my part.
No, I went Anarchy.
Normally I go for the more Neutral route (Strange Journey, IV, Devil Survivor).
decoyplatypus
Member
What is the highest a DQ game has placed in these polls?
EDIT: It looks like DQ5 was 35 back in 2013. Did DQ8 ever do better?
EDIT: It looks like DQ5 was 35 back in 2013. Did DQ8 ever do better?
Oh but going back to Falcom for a bit:
I've been sitting on the last dungeon of TitS for a bit now; probably going to look to finishing that soon and buy the second TitS game. Might not play that for a while either too as I want to try Phantasy Star while I'm at my computer and now I've got CSH thanks to the generosity going on in here.
The point is, this is for long term planning.
Okay, I like TitS. It grew on me over time. The characterization is a bit cloying, imo, and it took a while for the characters to grow on me but I like the road-trip through faux early 20th century Europe premise and how well each location is realized. The ending act just sort of crept on me and I was suddenly more into the plot.
I also like the battle system and skill/equipment system.
I think, if it continues in this sort of vein, I'll probably like the rest of the TitS subseries.
The thing is: I'm unsure where in the further future to explore the series more. Everything I read about Cold Steel has me thinking it is not quite the same sort of deal. I like Persona but that's not going to generalize to all school/dating simulation games. It also seems the main character isn't charming and the pacing is really slow.
Do people think this is a correct read on general word of mouth about Cold Steel? Is it worth trying for someone who liked TitS 1 anyways? What are people's thoughts on this?
Also, it seems people talk about games existing between TitS and Cold Steel, Ao and Zero iirc? Is there anyway to try those in English and would those be a better place to go next?
Again far future planning, but it is something I'm thinking about.
I've been sitting on the last dungeon of TitS for a bit now; probably going to look to finishing that soon and buy the second TitS game. Might not play that for a while either too as I want to try Phantasy Star while I'm at my computer and now I've got CSH thanks to the generosity going on in here.
The point is, this is for long term planning.
Okay, I like TitS. It grew on me over time. The characterization is a bit cloying, imo, and it took a while for the characters to grow on me but I like the road-trip through faux early 20th century Europe premise and how well each location is realized. The ending act just sort of crept on me and I was suddenly more into the plot.
I also like the battle system and skill/equipment system.
I think, if it continues in this sort of vein, I'll probably like the rest of the TitS subseries.
The thing is: I'm unsure where in the further future to explore the series more. Everything I read about Cold Steel has me thinking it is not quite the same sort of deal. I like Persona but that's not going to generalize to all school/dating simulation games. It also seems the main character isn't charming and the pacing is really slow.
Do people think this is a correct read on general word of mouth about Cold Steel? Is it worth trying for someone who liked TitS 1 anyways? What are people's thoughts on this?
Also, it seems people talk about games existing between TitS and Cold Steel, Ao and Zero iirc? Is there anyway to try those in English and would those be a better place to go next?
Again far future planning, but it is something I'm thinking about.
12th for DQ8 during the first thread back in early 2010. Next highest was 29th for DQ8 in the 2011 thread. DQ5 has been in the 30s before.
You can ask that question after you finish 3rd. By that time CS4 will probably come out and we can finally decide if Cold Steel as a whole arc is worth it.
decoyplatypus
Member
Thanks!
While everyone waits on the final results to be posted, here is one of the finished banners using the final banner template. All of the various icons and banner components will be explained in the OP when things start going up there.
Xenoblade Chronicles X received 7 underrated votes, pushing it into the Top 50. No other game received more than 4 underrated votes.
This looks really well done. I'm eagerly awaiting the final list, but with the effort you're putting in I totally don't mind waiting. Thanks again for putting this whole thing together, and thanks to Robert (and everyone else that donated games). Can't wait to give it a play!
A lot of effort needed to determine if it's good.
TitS 1 i knew i liked, after Estelle opened her mouth for the first time. Even with the story only picking up at the end. The journey stayed in my memories because of the characters interactions. And i loved how it was written.
It should have some qualities you like, i mean, why else would you stick with it for that long.
Regarding Cold Steel (I've only played the first one so far):
The MC is not as good as Estelle, but he's still a good character.
The pacing isn't really much different from the rest of the series, in fact I'd say it's more immediate than FC.
Cold Steel does the school setting far, far better than Persona.
I could do without the 'dating sim' elements, but they aren't really that present in CS1.
The world is as well realized as FC. It also has better NPC stories due to its structure.
I think the main cast is weaker than the TitS cast, but than again most characters also only pick up during SC and beyond in TitS.
Zero and Ao are the Crossbell arc, which takes place simultaneously to Cold Steel. No english versions yet (let's pray to Aidios we get official releases), but there are fan translations in the works.
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