Recommend Me Some JRPG's (Restrictions apply)

[Durai]

Alright it seems I've been getting a lot of good recommendations from everyone, but it might help to list games I've *played already to eliminate some that some have recommended.

Final Fantasy I & II Dawn of Souls
Final Fantasy IV
Final Fantasy VI
Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy VIII
Final Fantasy IX
Final Fantasy X
Final Fantasy X-2
Final Fantasy XII
Final Fantasy Tactics
Final Fantasy Tactics Advance
Final Fantasy Tactics A2
Xenogears
Dragon Quest VIII Journey of the Cursed King
Breath of Fire III
Breath of Fire IV
Legend of Legaia
Chrono Trigger
Kingdom Hearts
Kingdom Hearts II
Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories
Kingdom Hearts 356/2 Days
Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep
Tales of the World Radiant Mythology
Etrian Odyssey
Grandia II
Time Stalkers
Skies of Arcadia
Phantasy Star Online
Phantasy Star Portable
Phantasy Star Portable 2
Phantasy Star Universe
Final Fantasy Tactics War of the Lions
Sonic Chronicles The Dark Brotherhood
Jeanne D'Arc


*Played all listed, however does not necessarily mean I beat them. I play until I feel as though the game no longer holds my interests.

 

[Fox12]

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!

Well, current jrpg'S are in a bit of a rut, so I really want to emphasize that the best quality titles are going to be the classic Square Enix games.

The best game in recent memory is Fire Emblem Awakening for 3DS. It really revitalized the series for me. It has a massive cast of quirky characters, and if you listen to all of their optional dialogue then their surprisingly well developed. There's voice acting for most of the game. The gameplay is accessible if your new, and grueling if you're a veteran. Permadeath is optional. The art is great, the story is wonderful, and you can shape the characters relationships with one another in any way you want. They even have children with fully developed personalities of their own. It's a great little strategy game that I can casually pickup whenever I'm bored. I've easily pored well over a hundred hours into it because of replayability. It's also nice to have a customizeable character that isn't silent.

Seriously, if you like FF Tactics then go buy this game.

Valkyria Chronicles is another GREAT strategy title. The combat balance is fantastic, the voice acting is not only solid, but great, and the characters are engaging. It's a real treat, and your doing yourself a disservice by not playing it.

I've heard nothing but good things about Shin Megami Tensei, but I haven't played it.

I liked the Star Ocean remakes okay, but it's not sci-fi, it's fantasy, which is a little weird given the title.

 

[Bara_no_Hime]

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.

Yeah, I'm gonna stop you right there.

Persona 3 and Persona 4 ARE current Gen. They just happen to be made for a previous gen platform.

Persona 3 FES, Persona 4, Persona 3 Portable, and Persona 4 Golden were all released in the current game generation. In Japan, they continued releasing PS2 games long after the gen clicked over to the PS3 - partly because PS3s were backwards compatible.

So you aren't "going back to play a game you've missed" - you're playing a game from this Gen released on an older platform. And then re-released on the current platforms via PSN and Vita.

You played Jeanne d'Arc. You own a PSP. GET PERSONA 3 PORTABLE. Trust us.

....

Also Nier is pretty damn good.

 

[Raine_sage]

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?

Persona 3 was the one with the guns in it, if it helps they aren't actually shooting themselves. If I'm remembering the story correctly they essentially needed to trick their brain into thinking they were about to die, which would summon their persona since being under extreme stress is necessary for that to happen.

If that still sounds a little darker than you want to go I'm happy to report persona 4 has none of that and personas are summoned by breaking tarot cards instead. But both are very good.

 

[Durai]

Okay okay I get it!

P3FES = Godly
Me = Bad for not having played it.

I just looked on the PSN and P4G is on sale for $20 so I'll be picking it up today. Gamestop has P3FES for $10 on PS3, so I'll be picking that up as well (on PSN if it's the same price).

Are you not entertained?!?!?!

Lol j/k.

 

[Auron225]

I think Tales of Graces f meets most of your requirements. I thoroughly enjoyed it anyway. The voice acting is the only one thing that may bug you... I'm not sure if there is a Japanese w/ Eng subs option or not.

 

[Specter Von Baren]

Super Robot Taisen: Endless Frontier for the DS (So it can be played on a 3DS). Aaaand.... that's all I can think of right now that can work with the limits ya set.

 

[neonsword13-ops]

Okay okay I get it!

P3FES = Godly
Me = Bad for not having played it.

I just looked on the PSN and P4G is on sale for $20 so I'll be picking it up today. Gamestop has P3FES for $10 on PS3, so I'll be picking that up as well (on PSN if it's the same price).

Are you not entertained?!?!?!

Lol j/k.

P4: Golden for $20?! Cripes, man, buy dat shit naow.

Also, if you plan on tackling the Persona series, be sure to play 3 first. That is, unless you prefer to play the PSP version of 3.

The PS2/PS3 version of Persona 3 is pretty poor compared to the PSP version because you can't control your party members in combat, and they can be a hassle if you don't get them up to decent levels, but I feel that it has the best presentation because the world is fully 3D and you get some magnificent cutscenes. You also get the 30 hour grind-fest expansion for P3 titled FES when you buy the game on PSN, extending the game time to about 110 hours.

But if you choose to go PSP, you get much better gameplay. It allows you to take control of your party like P4, but in exchange, all of the 3D outside of the main dungeon is gone and replaced by a sort-a visual novel style navigation, all of the animated cutscenes are gone, and the 30 hour grid-fest expansion FES is taken out.

But yeah, Persona's a grand series. If you like the games, you should pick up Persona 4: Arena, as it continues the story after P3 and P4 left off. But it's a fighting game, so take that as you will.

ALSO P4 IS THE BEST GAME EVER MADE AND IT MADE ME CRY TWICE

EDIT: Every Persona game is available for play on Vita, (Persona [1]: Revelations, Persona 2: Innocent Sin, Persona 2: Eternal Punishment, Persona 3 Portable, and Persona 4: Golden), so if you like the series a lot, you can have it all on one device!

 

[Guitarmasterx7]

I picked up Tales of Vesperia recently on a friends recommendation and it's pretty good so far. Meets all your requirements for the most part. It's got some kind of subpar voice acting but the major characters generally sound pretty good (the main character is Troy Baker.) It's slightly dated since its a bit of an older game which might bother you for first impressions but you get used to it pretty fast.

 

[Leonardo Huizar]

Disgaea:Hour Of Darkness and/or Disgaea 2 [Both i think are on PSN]

Its tactical-lite but the battles can exploitable if you know how, and theres also the item worlds where you can power level items and get more items to power level but that place tests your patience especially if all of your party croaks

LaPucelle, Makai Kingdom, and Phantom Brave games related to the Disgaea universe ARE REALLY acquired tastes

I know theres a bunch of custom made RPGs in JRPG style on Steam for the RPGmaker engine... *knows that but never bothered to check em out on his own

 

[Someone Depressing]

The Fire Emblem games. Not too grindy. Not too Japanese-y and annoying.

and don't listen. The Shin Megami Tensei games (most famous over here for Persona) are grind-fest incarnate.

Or just Disgaea. They're fun, have charming characters, and usually have adequete stories. And the battle animations are long enough to keep you from realising just how awful the voice acting is and that there are about 2 or 3 pre-recorded lines for battle.

 

[Terragent]

Secret of Mana and Seiken Densetsu 3. Right now. They're fun, they let you play pretty much however you like, they've got great music. No, they're not on any modern consoles. Who cares? It's the twenty-first century, emulate them. In the same vein, the original Front Mission (either emulate the fan-translated SNES ROM or get the DS version). It's excellent tactical robot combat with a pretty unique scenario and an excellent soundtrack.

I'd also add Fire Emblem Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn to the chorus of people recommending Awakening. You'll need a Wii and a GCN controller/memory card at the very least in order to play PoR, but it's the absolute pinnacle of the series, with tight level design, strong writing, and an excellently designed cast. Radiant Dawn is also an excellent game, and it's Wii-native, so you won't need a GCN controller (though you'd be better off with one).