RPG/JRPG What are you playing now?

[SinXAzgard21]

Another thing about Yokai watch is that the game takes out a part of Japans mythology.  This game is pretty much a part of Japanese culture and I think that is the main reason it has taken off so well.

[Drake Valentine]

Shadowrun: Dragonfall Director's cut.

Steam had a Shadowrun bundle, including that, Shadowrun Returns and Shadowrun Hong Kong(?)

Actually a good strategy TB overthehead type of game. Of course, a lot of its mechanics completely differentiate to other style RPGs and there are a lot of stat/point base choices of a character's as well in making decisions or doing things that if you don't have them(they will be grayed out but still show requirements- at least in the Director's cut) that you have to find a completely different approach to accomplishing a goal(s)

Also, it is impossible to build a Jack of All Trades and highly recommended by the game not to, give the leveling and point distribution.  "Remember, a Jack of All Trades is a Master of None."

[la dame en noir]

What is shadowrun?

[consortium11]

What is shadowrun?

A pen and paper roleplaying game set in a semi-dystopian cyberpunk meets urban fantasy type world... think Blade Runner meets the Matrix with magic, dragons and a bit of horror thrown in.

In this context it refers to a couple of games that got kickstarted: Shadowrun Returns, pretty much the first of the current wave of classic-style computer RPG's we've seen over the past few years (Wasteland 2, Divinity: Original Sin, Project Eternity etc etc) and its sequel, Shadowrun: Hong Kong. Isometic RPG's with turn based combat, puzzles and a fair amount of dialogue... something like Fallout 1 or 2 are probably the closest well known games in terms of basic gameplay (although obviously the setting and "tone" is wildly different).

The original game is a bit linear for my tastes but Dragonfall is excellent and while Hong Kong is more of an expansion pack than a sequel itself (it doesn't add too much) it's also a very good game.

[Twisted Crow]

Hongkong was a lot of fun. And it was the first time I ever felt that a game perhaps had too much dialogue. And this is coming from a fan of the Baldur's Gate video games.

[Mathim]

Another thing about Yokai watch is that the game takes out a part of Japans mythology.  This game is pretty much a part of Japanese culture and I think that is the main reason it has taken off so well.

There's tons of culture in it, too. Like when you walk into a building your shoes come off automatically until you walk out the door again. And it's hard not to notice that a lot of characters are wearing clothes that you'd never find someone here wearing, like Japanese fishermen's garb, plus there's shinto temples and those sliding doors with the wood-and-paper design. I personally love the aesthetic of all that stuff but I can imagine younger players raising an eyebrow or too until they get familiar with it. But they also might already be accustomed to it if they're also anime fans, which kind of goes hand in hand with a game based on an anime. Even Pokemon never really went that far in making it look like you were in Japan or even a place based on Japan, despite the names of each region (up until I think Sinnoh, or I could be wrong) being a reflection of different parts of Japan.

[Drake Valentine]

Whoa, either they skimp out on character points in Second Coming of Shadowrun(Deadman's Switch arc, was giving it a run) or they are just overly generous in Karma for Dragonfall(Director's cut.) Then again, I been getting all sorts of Karma quickly in Deadman's Switch as oppose to the Director's Cut Dragonfall which Karma takes awhile to even build.

Also, don't see much decking in Deadman's Switch. ;\ Decking was like everywhere in Dragonfall, almost every map so far has had decking. I have yet to deck into anything in Deadman's Switch, beyond using the skill points to bypass other story element things.

[SinXAzgard21]

There's tons of culture in it, too. Like when you walk into a building your shoes come off automatically until you walk out the door again. And it's hard not to notice that a lot of characters are wearing clothes that you'd never find someone here wearing, like Japanese fishermen's garb, plus there's shinto temples and those sliding doors with the wood-and-paper design. I personally love the aesthetic of all that stuff but I can imagine younger players raising an eyebrow or too until they get familiar with it. But they also might already be accustomed to it if they're also anime fans, which kind of goes hand in hand with a game based on an anime. Even Pokemon never really went that far in making it look like you were in Japan or even a place based on Japan, despite the names of each region (up until I think Sinnoh, or I could be wrong) being a reflection of different parts of Japan.

Pretty much sums up Yokai watch.

Is anyone getting Final Fantasy Explorers and or World of Final Fantasy?

[Revelation]

Explorers got a lot of meh reviews when it came out, but if my friend picks it up I probably will too.

16 is going to be saturated with jrpgs, I cannot wait, it may be one of the best years for games in a long time.

[AnneReinard]

Surprised it hasn't got any mention here...

I've been playing Undertale. Great RPG in general, doubly great for anybody who liked Earthbound/Mother series, since it is clearly a love letter to them.

[Mathim]

Surprised it hasn't got any mention here...

I've been playing Undertale. Great RPG in general, doubly great for anybody who liked Earthbound/Mother series, since it is clearly a love letter to them.

I downloaded Earthbound on the virtual console not long ago, takes me back. Not exactly always clear about what to do or where to go, but still quirky enough to set itself apart from other RPGs. Plus one of your friends is named Poo! I'll have to look up Undertale, see what that's all about if it's got similar roots.

[Song]

Currently playing Fallout 4. As for why do I like it, well, for the freedom to do whatever I like, even the things that you aren't really supposed to be able to do. Sure, doing some things add nothing to the storyline, but the point is you can still do them...

I used to enjoy Final Fantasy when I was younger, but older I get, the harder it is to get into them. Not sure if the games are getting worse, or if I'm getting old and grumpy. I enjoy these games for the story, rather tan the 'Roleplay'

My favorite roleplaying games tend to come from Bioware, for the story, and Bethesda for the roleplay. JRPGs just tend to be a le outside what I like in a game these days.

[AnneReinard]

@Mathim: Undertale has a great bit of witty humor with a certain dark twinge to it, combined with pretty unique mechanics based roughly on the sort of Earthbound dynamic. Definitely worth a look and definitely solid. Also, on sale on Steam!

@Song: My favorite amusing fact about RPGs is that they have so little roleplaying due to the fact that they were just making solo versions of tabletop games. I mean, the acronym used to be CRPG (computer role-playing video game), but we just dropped the C at some point.

...but my main thing I'd say is that it isn't just you on the matter of Final Fantasy games. FFX-2 was a disturbing trend, FFXII was pretty unfocused, and FFXIII was downright awful. That being said, FFXIV has a pretty solid story for an MMO and good content releases, so they haven't ALL gone downhill. Of course, it has the problem of zero class customization.

...I really just miss Final Fantasy Tactics.

[Drake Valentine]

Only tactics game I know that left a memorable impression is Tactics Ogre.

[Oreo]

Pretty much sums up Yokai watch.

Is anyone getting Final Fantasy Explorers and or World of Final Fantasy?

YES

[SinXAzgard21]

Explorers got a lot of meh reviews when it came out, but if my friend picks it up I probably will too.

16 is going to be saturated with jrpgs, I cannot wait, it may be one of the best years for games in a long time.

I do not trust review websites.  I find them all to be paid off crocks of crap.  So I either review for friends or take word of mouth from same friends.

[Mathim]

I do not trust review websites.  I find them all to be paid off crocks of crap.  So I either review for friends or take word of mouth from same friends.

The best is when you can play a demo version or watch footage, those speak way more than reviews most of the time, then you just use the reviews for supplemental details. Although you can't say the same for movie reviews, those are less frequently poor gauges of quality.

[Revelation]

I do not trust review websites.  I find them all to be paid off crocks of crap.  So I either review for friends or take word of mouth from same friends.

When I say meh reviews, I mean word of mouth. I don't trust reviewers and the only major reviewers in japan are Dengeki and Famitsu. Famitsu has slipped in quality really badly as of the last few years.

[Mathim]

Only tactics game I know that left a memorable impression is Tactics Ogre.

What other prominent ones did you try that left you wanting? I'm curious about what appeals to some gamers and not others (hence why Disgaea is so popular even though I can't personally get into it.)

[Drake Valentine]

What other prominent ones did you try that left you wanting? I'm curious about what appeals to some gamers and not others (hence why Disgaea is so popular even though I can't personally get into it.)

Ones with 'Tactics' in them. Suikoden, Growlancer, Wild Arms, and awful Final Fantasy.

[Mathim]

Ones with 'Tactics' in them. Suikoden, Growlancer, Wild Arms, and awful Final Fantasy.

There was a Wild Arms Tactics? I didn't know that. But to describe Final Fantasy Tactics as awful, that I can't understand. What made it so insufferable, pray tell? I'm wondering if the ideas I have to improve on its template will make any difference depending on what was so unappealing in the original.

[Drake Valentine]

There was a Wild Arms Tactics? I didn't know that. But to describe Final Fantasy Tactics as awful, that I can't understand. What made it so insufferable, pray tell? I'm wondering if the ideas I have to improve on its template will make any difference depending on what was so unappealing in the original.

Ah, my  bad, It didn't have 'tactics' in it, but it was still a tactics game. Wild Arms XF. As for FF Tactics, more or less most of the story was pretty much a near blatant rip off towards Tactics Ogre. Considering Tactics Ogre was out before FF Tactics on a different system, makes me wonder if Square is really just rehashing game ideas from time to time. On the otherside, Tactics Ogre is much better as it has 4 different(believe) story outcome endings, depending what routes you take and how you played through the story. Plus it went in a bit more indepth with units and elements and all that.

As for the best tactics game I ever, ever, ever played and this one will need to be emulated as the version it was released was withheld by Japan. They gave a simpler version to the US with a very linear story which, the game itself is Der Langrisser. I believe the one with various endings was on Sega, but again, would need to be emulated since it was never translated to the US, they only gave the stand alone Langrisser II or something game that just had one route, but this one had like Chaos, Law, and two other endings, maybe more, been so long since I played it.

Unfortunately, Langrisser series never boomed in US, in my opinion, from such an old school game, it is still on the top tier list.

[AnneReinard]

Well, to be technical, I'd give the start of that sort of system back to Final Fantasy V, which was distinctly before Final Fantasy Tactics. Also worth noting that the crew that made Tactics Ogre left Quest and went to Square to develop Final Fantasy Tactics, so it should not be shocking that they built the same framework on top of the existing Final Fantasy V class system. Typically developers tend to repeat what they know rather than branch out too far.

Story wise, I can't judge, but maybe I should pick up Tactics Ogre to see that, if there is a good version to grab. That being said, my initial peeking around seems to indicate that Tactics Ogre looks to be a simpler version (or less convoluted, take your pick) of the Final Fantasy Tactics story. Again, sames group, no surprise there is a bit of rehash. That being said, Tactics didn't have a story that changed with your choices terribly much, so that's definitely a vote against its favor - but also something the Final Fantasy series has never done as far as I can think of.

...so, I am interested in Tactics Ogre regardless. Should I go for the PSP port or is there a better English version?

[Revelation]

The PsP port is the definitive version. I love its story, there are many similarities between it and FFT of course, but I strongly feel it's more than capable of standing on its own merits.

[Mathim]

Back in high school I played a Gameboy Advance port of something called Tactics Ogre: The Knight of Lodis, and was distinctly unimpressed, and now I'm wondering if that's the same version as the one on the original Playstation and/or PSP. Unless that was just a badly designed spin-off, I wouldn't believe it was developed by some of the team responsible for FFT as well.

But I like that the only real issue seemed to be the story, and that's definitely something I place a high priority on, though in a Tactics game, which I would imagine generally takes longer to complete than a standard JRPG, wouldn't having multiple endings and such be a bad idea since you'd have to branch so many paths?

Actually, I have a question for anyone who's ever played Final Fantasy Tactics, or rather several questions: I want to know what your opinions are on certain features that could be added to the basic setup of the Tactics battle system which I'm contemplating. So here's a couple of the basic ideas I'm toying around with:
-Addition of weather effects (random lightning strikes, hailstorms, heat waves, fog)
-Natural disasters (earthquakes, meteor showers, rockslides, avalanches, sandstorms, tidal waves)
-Ability to manipulate battlefield objects (cut down trees) or construct objects (bridges, weapons, traps) during battle

I don't want to give away too much but those are some things I believe would add an exponentially higher degree of strategy and sense of completion to the already fantastic battle system of FFT.