Anime Boy's first JRPG

[Lord of Riva]

Did Liberal ever end up playing a jRPG? (Also what's the deal with the "no forcing you to play as a female character" thing? Are you scared you'll wake up one day desperate to wear a dress? Please say you don't extend this to party-based games.)

If it has to be something modern then Yakuza: Like A Dragon, Ni no Kuni II, or Dragon Quest 11 would seem like some of the more obvious choices for someone completely new to the genre. But the need for it to be modern just seems weird given that the fundamentals of the genre aren't something that demanded flashy, current hardware, and therefore aren't completely elusive to older jRPGs. So ignoring recommendations like Chrono Trigger or Final Fantasy X would be silly.

Though tbh given some of the fantastic, well elaborated lists near the start of this thread, if you still don't want to play any of them after that, you never will.

first, your first sentence is retarded.

Ni no Kuni is a series for kids, he will not enjoy it. Dragon quest 11 is good but the escapades with sylvando will get him scratching his eyes out. I do not recommend them for Skinwalker, I know you aren't the first one suggesting it.

If it's Dragon quest, 5 would be the vastly better option, it's way better in every way. But then again, it's old, which was not requested.

 

[Theodora]

first, your first sentence is retarded.

The prerequisite of not including female protags is retarded, yes.

Ni no Kuni is a series for kids, he will not enjoy it.

Sounds perfect.

If it's Dragon quest, 5 would be the vastly better option, it's way better in every way. But then again, it's old, which was not requested.

Maybe you'd do better trying to convince him of what a silly requirement that is, then.

 

[The_Mask]

The prerequisite of not including female protags is retarded, yes.

How is that retarded?

How can I play a game without being myself represented on the screen?

 

[Lord of Riva]

The prerequisite of not including female protags is retarded, yes.

How is that retarded?

How can I play a game without being myself represented on the screen?

That's only for girls, retard.

 

[Theodora]

The prerequisite of not including female protags is retarded, yes.

How is that retarded?

How can I play a game without being myself represented on the screen?

What's the "gotcha" meant to be? The whole point with named, preset characters is that they're conveying a specific story and experience, which will rarely be all that similar to one's own life even if it aligns on such shallow terms as one's gender. (And you will struggle to find me complaining about this.)

 

[The_Mask]

What's the "gotcha" meant to be? The whole point with named, preset characters is that they're conveying a specific story and experience, which will rarely be all that similar to one's own life even if it aligns on such shallow terms as one's gender. (And you will struggle to find me complaining about this.)

It wasn't meant to be a gotcha. I was joking, if you were joking.

I was going to bring up many other RPGs where there is a female protag and no one cares, if you weren't joking.

Your call on how you want to proceed next.

 

[Deflowerer]

What's the "gotcha" meant to be? The whole point with named, preset characters is that they're conveying a specific story and experience, which will rarely be all that similar to one's own life even if it aligns on such shallow terms as one's gender. (And you will struggle to find me complaining about this.)

It wasn't meant to be a gotcha. I was joking, if you were joking.

I was going to bring up many other RPGs where there is a female protag and no one cares, if you weren't joking.

Your call on how you want to proceed next.

It's impossible to know if someone is joking about these things on Codex tbh.

 

[Ladonna]

I tried a few JRPG's but the endless trash mobs killed the experience.

What are the good ones that don't have excessive random encounters?

 

[Theodora]

What are the good ones that don't have excessive random encounters?

Can you define excessive? Also would probably help to know if you mean "old school turn-based jrpg" or the wider genre.

 

[Ladonna]

What are the good ones that don't have excessive random encounters?

Can you define excessive? Also would probably help to know if you mean "old school turn-based jrpg" or the wider genre.

Last game in this genre I tried was Final Fantasy 8. Ridiculous amount of random encounters.

The less random "pop up" encounters, the better.

I couldn't answer you regarding JRPG's and what is considered old school, as I have only tried a few. Some people say the original Phantasie games were proto JRPG's, and I enjoyed those, but I'm fairly open to try anything decent and see what it is like.

 

[Theodora]

Last game in this genre I tried was Final Fantasy 8. Ridiculous amount of random encounters.

The less random "pop up" encounters, the better.

I couldn't answer you regarding JRPG's and what is considered old school, as I have only tried a few. Some people say the original Phantasie games were proto JRPG's, and I enjoyed those, but I'm fairly open to try anything decent and see what it is like.

What I was thinking when you mentioned random encounters was Yakuza 0, because while you do have randoms starting fights with you, you can run away / avoid a lot of them. (Though I never found myself doing that much, because there's a ton of things to unlock (in combat, and a more meta sense) and the beat-'em-up combat is just a lot of fun.)

This is generally true for the series, but the ease in which they can be avoided (mostly about the warning window you have to avoid them) varies with the older titles (which, because of some remakes, is 3-5 -- without getting into the niche spin-offs).

Though the more obvious and traditional answer is probably Chrono Trigger. It deviated from the normal jrpg formula back when it was new, in that it has openly visible encounters you can engage and specific scripted ambushes instead of just randomly being attacked.

 

[Anonona]

I tried a few JRPG's but the endless trash mobs killed the experience.

What are the good ones that don't have excessive random encounters?

Breath of Fire V: Dragon's Quarter is a very unique game and there are not random encounters.

 

[Zed Duke of Banville]

Last game in this genre I tried was Final Fantasy 8. Ridiculous amount of random encounters.

The less random "pop up" encounters, the better.

Some of the Final Fantasy games feature items that can be equipped to reduce or eliminate the random battles, though of course you'll need to advance far enough into the game to acquire such an item. Using an emulator, you might be able to enter codes that have the same effect; for example, for Final Fantasy VI there is a relic called a Moogle Charm that eliminates random encounters if equipped by a party member, and there are Game Genie codes that replicate this (AADC-EF08 as if the Moogle Charm and Sprint Shoes were equipped, or AADC-EDA8 just for the Moogle Charm).

 

[Modron]

Final Fantasy VI there is a relic called a Moogle Charm that eliminates random encounters if equipped by a party member, and there are Game Genie codes that replicate this (AADC-EF08 as if the Moogle Charm and Sprint Shoes were equipped, or AADC-EDA8 just for the Moogle Charm).

I suppose you would also end up way stronger if you used that the whole game and then turned it off towards the end since espers have level up bonuses.

 

[LarryTyphoid]

To play JRPGs is to go through thousands of random encounter battles. The good ones will at least try to make them a little challenging.

 

[Ladonna]

To play JRPGs is to go through thousands of random encounter battles.

Yeah, this is generally why I have avoided them. The odd encounter is fine; one every few steps is idiotic.

I guess I will try Chrono Trigger out first and see how we go.

 

[Lord of Riva]

I tried a few JRPG's but the endless trash mobs killed the experience.

What are the good ones that don't have excessive random encounters?

Breath of Fire V: Dragon's Quarter is a very unique game and there are not random encounters.

You are right and I agree, to some extent, I like Dragon quarter. But it's mostly a combat focused game and I think that does not suit what he wanted to avoid.

What are the good ones that don't have excessive random encounters?

Can you define excessive? Also would probably help to know if you mean "old school turn-based jrpg" or the wider genre.

Last game in this genre I tried was Final Fantasy 8. Ridiculous amount of random encounters.

The less random "pop up" encounters, the better.

I couldn't answer you regarding JRPG's and what is considered old school, as I have only tried a few. Some people say the original Phantasie games were proto JRPG's, and I enjoyed those, but I'm fairly open to try anything decent and see what it is like.

You could always go with action oriented ones, Terranigma or Seiken Densetsu 2/3 (i prefer 3) or Secret of evermore.

Yeah, I'm old and like my SNES sue me :D

 

[HeatEXTEND]

To play JRPGs is to go through thousands of random encounter battles. The good ones will at least try to make them a little challenging.

Lufia 2 nailed this with roaming enemies that follow certain patterns according to type that you can stun to avoid contact, turning some "fuck you" rooms into impromptu puzzles. Good shit.

You could always go with action oriented ones, Terranigma or Seiken Densetsu 2/3 (i prefer 3) or Secret of evermore.

:YES!: These are all great, Terranigma taking top spot obviously.

 

[Falksi]

To play JRPGs is to go through thousands of random encounter battles.

Yeah, this is generally why I have avoided them. The odd encounter is fine; one every few steps is idiotic.

I guess I will try Chrono Trigger out first and see how we go.

This is why so many people don't like JRPGs, because they get recommended dumb easy shit like CT then write the genre off when they come away having played one of the most child-orientated games made outside mainline Nintendo dross.

CT is great in the way that kissing a girl was great when you're 12 years old, but anyone who's not still a hermit virgin when it comes to games really should have moved on to something with far more meatier gameplay and dungeons, such as the Phantasy Star or SMT series.

If you want a JRPG without random encounters, go for Persona 5 Royal instead. But random encounters really aren't an issue in themselves, it's just those with a stupidly high encounter rate.

 

[HeatEXTEND]

This is why so many people don't like JRPGs, because they get recommended dumb easy shit like CT then write the genre off when they come away having played one of the most child-orientated games made outside mainline Nintendo dross.

hey pssst, hey over here....

Spoiler

it's all easy shit

 

[Val the Moofia Boss]

I tried a few JRPG's but the endless trash mobs killed the experience.

What are the good ones that don't have excessive random encounters?

In the Trails games, the mobs are visible on the field and you can run around them or stun them and you just run to the next mandatory story fight if you want. Due to the exp scaling, you get a ton of exp if you are underlevelled, so you can still beat the game if you only do story fights. You won't fall behind like in Final Fantasy games.

 

[Ladonna]

Alright, Persona 5 Royal and "Trails" which I guess means Trails in the Sky or one of that series.

 

[Lord of Riva]

Alright, Persona 5 Royal and "Trails" which I guess means Trails in the Sky or one of that series.

Persona 5 is not a good game, it's mostly VN and it's super "modern" including dating sim shit. *I* do not recommend.
If you want to play the series for actual gameplay, go with SMT, it's the same without the shit.

 

[Falksi]

This is why so many people don't like JRPGs, because they get recommended dumb easy shit like CT then write the genre off when they come away having played one of the most child-orientated games made outside mainline Nintendo dross.

hey pssst, hey over here....

Spoiler

it's all easy shit

Laughs in 7th Saga

 

[HeatEXTEND]

This is why so many people don't like JRPGs, because they get recommended dumb easy shit like CT then write the genre off when they come away having played one of the most child-orientated games made outside mainline Nintendo dross.

hey pssst, hey over here....

Spoiler

it's all easy shit

Laughs in 7th Saga

Ok there might be exceptions, what's hard about it?
edit: let me clarify beforehand, I'm in the "execution is hard, understanding and thinking is not" crowd.