Recommend Me Some JRPG's (Restrictions apply)

[Durai]

Alright, so let me start off with saying that like many youths of my time, I was introduced to JRPG games by first playing Final Fantasy 7. No one I knew (at the time) was into Dungeons and Dragons, so I never experienced the thrill of dice rolls, and games like Morrowind/Bauldur's Gate and the like were never on my radar (plus my family didn't own a gaming computer). Fast forward to adult-hood, and now games like Skyrim/Dragon Age/Guild Wars are where my interest lie, leaving JRPG's like Ni No Kuni and Final Fantasy XIII out in the cold.

I don't know exactly when I started losing interest in JRPG's, but I think it's about time I tried to get back into them and expand my RPG palate (I can only play Oblivion/Skyrim/Mass Effect/Guild Wars for so long before I get burned out). That's where you all come in: I'd like your input on some current JRPG's that I can try out. I just have a few restrictions on what you suggest to me.

· No grind fests (I want to play through the game in a timely manner).
· Either- no bad dialogue/voice acting, OR have the option to use the original Japanese audio.
· Prefer voice acting to text boxes, but a combination of the two can work.
· Few to no quick time events.
· Tactical RPGs are acceptable (maybe even encouraged).
· Keep it current gen (PS3/PS Vita/3DS); No DS/PSP/PS2/PSX/
· Stylized graphics are acceptable (A la Final Fantasy Tactics) but prefer current gen graphics.
· No series where you can't see your character in battle (Older Dragon Quest games/Etrian Odyssey series).

I may have some more to add later, but for now I need to go eat. If a list of past JRPG's I've played helps, I'll list those later as well. Thanks in advance guys!

 

[IllumInaTIma]

Persona 3ortable or FES and Persona 4:Golden.
You are still here?! GO ALREADY!

 

[McMarbles]

Bravely Default (3DS, early 2014 or late 2013 if you're in the EU, you lucky bastard you) has you covered. Dual audio, adjustable difficulty, turn-based, jorbs aplenti, very classic feel.

 

[Durai]

Bravely Default (3DS, early 2014 or late 2013 if you're in the EU, you lucky bastard you) has you covered. Dual audio, adjustable difficulty, turn-based, jorbs aplenti, very classic feel.

I was unaware this was coming out, thanks for the heads up! Looks right up my alley!

Persona 3ortable or FES and Persona 4:Golden.
You are still here?! GO ALREADY!

I know that P4G is on the Vita so I may check into it, but if the other two are PSP/PS2 titles I'm gonna pass. If I went and played every JRPG that I've missed, I'll never be done. Trying to keep it current gen in that regard. I'm also a little uneasy with the Persona series. I'm not sure which iteration it was, but one of the sequels had characters shooting themselves in the head to summon.... I don't know, demons? That always left me feeling a bit uneasy with the franchise. Unless I'm thinking of a different series; in which case I'll look into getting P4G.


Anyone else have some recommendations?

 

[IllumInaTIma]

Persona 3ortable or FES and Persona 4:Golden.
You are still here?! GO ALREADY!

I know that P4G is on the Vita so I may check into it, but if the other two are PSP/PS2 titles I'm gonna pass. If I went and played every JRPG that I've missed, I'll never be done. Trying to keep it current gen in that regard. I'm also a little uneasy with the Persona series. I'm not sure which iteration it was, but one of the sequels had characters shooting themselves in the head to summon.... I don't know, demons? That always left me feeling a bit uneasy with the franchise. Unless I'm thinking of a different series; in which case I'll look into getting P4G.


Anyone else have some recommendations?

You can buy Persona 3:FES on PSN for PS3 and Persona 3ortable on PSN for Vita.
And yeah, it's Persona 3 that has teenagers "shooting" themselves in the head. It's a little uncomfortable, yeah, but it's kind of a big deal in a game and corresponds with the whole game theme.

 

[tratorix]

Seconding Persona 4 Golden, as it's easily one of the best JRPG's of the last decade imho. If you own a Vita and don't have it you're missing out. You might want to check out Fire Emblem: Awakening for the 3DS if you haven't already played it. More of a tactics game in the vein of Final Fantasy Tactics than a true RPG, but a very good game anyway.

 

[The_Echo]

Kingdom Hearts.

Kingdom Hearts Kingdom Hearts Kingdom Hearts.

It's basically my most absolute favorite franchise in the history of my life. I couldn't even begin to explain how great it is.

It hits all of your prerequisites... except

· Either- no bad dialogue/voice acting, OR have the option to use the original Japanese audio.

This bit it really just opinion, though. I love the dialogue in KH, though others have had pointed criticisms with it.

And certain characters are not the most brilliantly voice acted (Leon in the first game, Aerith in II), though they generally don't have a large speaking role. If you want the Japanese audio, you'll need a Japanese copy.

 

[DeaDRabbiT]

Did you say you've played FFXIII or XIII-2? Because both of those are great games, and have seemingly everything you desire.

 

[Bix96]

I would say Fire Emblem Awakening is a good choice and as many have pointed out P4G is a fantastic JRPG in fact its probably one a my favorite games I've ever played.

 

[alphamalet]

Valkyria Chronicles!!!!!

It's all voice-acted, you can switch from English to Japanese dub, it's a brilliant SRPG, and it has a gorgeous art style!

 

[Kaimax]

I'll probably going to be a broken record:
Valkyria Chronicles (PS3)
Resonance of Fate (PS3)
Ni No Kuni (Ps3)
Persona 4 Golden (Vita)
Fire Emblem Awakening (3DS)

I guess that clear all your prerequisites.

 

[Obhraonian]

I would say give the tales series a try they meet most of the requirements (voice acting can be a bit dodgy though most of the games have the option to use the origin Japanese. I would recommend in order;
Tales of the abyss(3DS) one of the best games in the series
Tales Xilla(PS3)
Tales of Graces(PS3)
Tales of vesperia(XBOX 360)
All games have very good characters flesh out by skits, story that take standard tropes but do something different with them and a fun fast paced combat system.

 

[ShinyCharizard]

Tales of Xillia on the PS3 or Tales of Vesperia on the Xbox 360 are good choices.

 

[Maximum Bert]

Valkyria Chronicles!!!!!

It's all voice-acted, you can switch from English to Japanese dub, it's a brilliant SRPG, and it has a gorgeous art style!

Yes play this game now I think it fits all your criteria perfectly. As for how much it can be considered a JRPG is debatable I mean I would call it a strategy game as the RPG aspects are minor but definitely play it as its the best game of the current gen by a fair margin imo and I usually hate strategy games.

Other notable JRPGs would be Xenoblade Chronicles and the Last Story you cant go wrong with either and they arent very grindy especially The Last Story but Xenoblade is better.

Disgaea 4 and probably Disgaea D2 can also be considered the only thing is how far you want to go in them as the main story can be completed without much grind (in D4 anyway as I havent played Disgaea Dimension 2 yet) but go insane and want to do everything and you will be grinding like a mad man. They are great strategy RPGs though easily the best I have ever played especially as most leave me cold like FF tactics. Shining force resurrection of the dark dragon was good though but thats not current so ignore that.

 

[Xathos]

The lack of Nier in this thread is disturbing. Shame on all of you! An amazing soundtrack (and I'm not one who really listens to the music all that much), very good voice acting, a very serious story with a very well implemented New Game+ which actually adds even MORE to the story, multiple endings that expand on one another, what more do you want?!

Ahem. As other's have said, Valkyria Chronicles is a very good choice. I don't know if the voice acting will get on your nerves or not (Its not bad by any means, but I can definitely see some people being annoyed by how average it may sound. Again, not a terrible dub by any stretch of the imagination), but the combat is really, really good. I think I personally sucked at it though, since I had to grind a bit. Not overly much or anything, but enough that I had to set aside some playtime for it. Still, a very fun game.

Still playing through Fire Emblem Awakening, but I'm having fun with it. If you've never played a Fire Emblem game before, I think its a really good place to start.

There is also Kingdom Hearts HD Collection for the PS3. TECHNICALLY they are PS2 games sure, but they are also graphically better (at least the first one anyway. My God at those characters models!). I don't know how well that fits into your restrictions, sorry.

Oh, there is also White Knight Chronicles for the PS3. I only got to play like 10 minutes of it, but its an RPG from my understanding. And if you consider the Wii to still be a bit current, then you can give Xenoblade Chronicles a try as well. Ah! And I can't forget about Lost Odyssey for the Xbox 360, but it doesn't sound like you own one? Sorry, not entirely sure.

Nier and Kingdom Hearts are more on the actiony side, Fire Emblem is more strategy turn based, Xenoblade, Lost Odyssey, and WKC are turn based, and Valkyria Chronicles is a very well done mixture of Action and Turn based, if you want a point of reference. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong though guys.

 

[Exius Xavarus]

Shin Megami Tensei IV is a good choice, its not very grindy if you don't run from battles, if a boss is too hard, fusing will typically solve the problem rather than grinding.

I would wholeheartedly second Shin Megami Tensei IV. But one of the OP's restrictions were games where you can't see your character in battle. :/ (technically you can, but only a small picture of them)

The Tales Series games sound right up your ally, to be honest. There's a lot of voice acting; all quite excellent. No QTEs, the combat is real-time so you see all four combatants, the worlds are huge and expansive with lots of secrets to find and none of the Tales titles are a grind-fest, so long as you don't run from fights, all the time.

Tales of Graces f - PS3
Tales of Xillia - PS3
Tales of the Abyss - 3DS
Tales of Symphonia - GC/PS2/PS3(not out on PS3 just yet but it's coming)

I would recommend more, but those are the only ones available to you, given your selection of consoles.

 

[scorptatious]

I don't get why everyone assumes Japanese audio is always superior to the English...

I think it's mostly because a lot of games have English voice acting that usually isn't all that great.

Although I have played lots of JRPG's that had good English voice acting. At least in my opinion.

OT:
Valkyria Chronicles as others have said.
Disgaea 3 and 4 (both are strategy RPG's like Final Fantasy Tactics)
Kingdom Hearts 1.5 HD has also came out recently.

 

[DanielBrown]

I'd recomend Nier. Had more fun with that game than I thought, though if you want to 100% it you gotta grind like fuck and do everything right every time you complete the game. If not you can just play it normally. After the first time you can choose new game+ which lets you keep all your inventory. The new game+ starts in the middle of the game iirc.
The only I remember bothered me was the all-of-sudden text based adventure game. That part was just tedious.

Can't say much for other JRPGs this gen. They've been too anime stylized for my taste.