jackindisguise
The absolute best RPG on the DS, and probably the last good JRPG made by Square Enix.
2009
I can't give this title as good of a rating as FES on the PS2 strictly because of the lack of environments to explore. While you don't miss out on much, you do miss out on the atmosphere, and as such I just can't enjoy it as much as I enjoy the original.
1995
A timeless classic. I've probably replayed Chrono Trigger from beginning to end 5~ times in my life, though I've started countless runs.
Insultingly bad.
1998
Playing this as an adult was a very sad experience. The story is too stupid to overlook, and the presentation is strangely cinematic to the point of seeming experimental. I really felt like this game was partly an attempt at making a movie.
Regardless, it's totally unenjoyable beyond the first few hours. Once the novelty of the combat wears off, the only thing carrying your interest is going to be the narrative, and the narrative is like a scifi novel written by a 12 year old.
Regardless, it's totally unenjoyable beyond the first few hours. Once the novelty of the combat wears off, the only thing carrying your interest is going to be the narrative, and the narrative is like a scifi novel written by a 12 year old.
Though The Legend of Dragoon is one of my favorite JRPGs of all time, it hasn't aged well. In fact, it's not that it hasn't aged well... I don't think it was ever particularly great.
Combat is great, story is terrible, writing is bad in general. Characters are mostly good.
Combat is great, story is terrible, writing is bad in general. Characters are mostly good.
2009
People kept telling me the combat gets fun at some point, but I lost interest before getting there I guess. The little bit of the story I experienced wasn't the worst thing ever. High praise for a Tales game.
The first 80% of the game is a truly impressive experience, while the last 20% seems like they had a week to wrap the game up. At the end of the game, the main character learns the most ultimatest evil-destroying move in a span of 20 seconds, and you're sent off to defeat the ultimate evil. There was no real trial, no obstacle to overcome, no training period, nothing that actually would make sense. It just kinda happens. And then you can go end the video game if you want to.
Dragon Quest games are always about the chosen hero having to defeat dark death evil magicians or evil dragon lords, which is a big pill to swallow. It takes a lot of effort every time I play one of these games to just not shut it off out of pure contempt for the story telling.
I have yet to play DQ7, but this game honestly feels like the best Dragon Quest has ever been, and it still came up short.
All that being said, I'd still recommend it for JRPG fans. I think the progression system and combat system are very enjoyable, the story is interesting, and I actually liked a few of the characters in the title.
Dragon Quest games are always about the chosen hero having to defeat dark death evil magicians or evil dragon lords, which is a big pill to swallow. It takes a lot of effort every time I play one of these games to just not shut it off out of pure contempt for the story telling.
I have yet to play DQ7, but this game honestly feels like the best Dragon Quest has ever been, and it still came up short.
All that being said, I'd still recommend it for JRPG fans. I think the progression system and combat system are very enjoyable, the story is interesting, and I actually liked a few of the characters in the title.
1986
It's crazy to think this game came out a mere year before Final Fantasy, when Final Fantasy is infinitely better. Better story, better combat, better progression systems, better environments, better everything. Dragon Warrior is honestly barely playable as a video game. The entire gameplay loop is grinding out areas until you can afford all the gear, and then moving to the next area. This game might as well be on the Atari considering how dated it is.
2005
This is the first Tales game I've ever finished, and I don't really know why. The story is trash, the combat is trash, the characters are trash, and the end of the game is walking back and forth from the same locations for like 5 hours. I was yelling at my screen.
I don't know why I finished it.
I don't know why I finished it.
2004
One of the most important games ever made.
My impression is that after making Undernauts, Experience Inc. pumped out another game in pretty short order using the exact same engine with a new coat of paint. The combat and systems are lifted right out of Undernauts. It has 1:1 the exact same combat, the same classes, the same skills, the same progression systems, and it even has boosts. The only thing really unique about it is the art style, which I would classify as a pedo-aesthetic.
While the story isn't bad, it barely warrants commentary. Almost nothing happens in the game, and there's basically only 3 characters that exist in the entire universe.
I would really only recommend this game to DRPG obsessives who have already played all the other ones. If you haven't played Undernauts, just play Undernauts. If you have played Undernauts, you can probably just skip this one.
While the story isn't bad, it barely warrants commentary. Almost nothing happens in the game, and there's basically only 3 characters that exist in the entire universe.
I would really only recommend this game to DRPG obsessives who have already played all the other ones. If you haven't played Undernauts, just play Undernauts. If you have played Undernauts, you can probably just skip this one.
2013
A very low-budget and transparent attempt to ape the style, concept, and mechanics of the Persona series.
While the plot is kind of whatever, the characters are flat, and absolutely nothing about the story is captivating. I tried really hard to slog through the early sections of this game because I knew it had all the ingredients necessary to keep my attention. Unfortunately, the moment where I am gripped by the story just never comes. It's a constant struggle just to keep me from turning the game off -- one I ultimately failed.
I ended up looking up more information about the game just to learn it ends with a cliffhanger that will never be resolved. After learning this, and watching the ending, I don't think it's possible to really recommend this game to anyone ever. It offers nothing of value. The story is a dead end, and the gameplay is legitimately as good or worse than every other dungeon crawler JRPG you can find.
While the plot is kind of whatever, the characters are flat, and absolutely nothing about the story is captivating. I tried really hard to slog through the early sections of this game because I knew it had all the ingredients necessary to keep my attention. Unfortunately, the moment where I am gripped by the story just never comes. It's a constant struggle just to keep me from turning the game off -- one I ultimately failed.
I ended up looking up more information about the game just to learn it ends with a cliffhanger that will never be resolved. After learning this, and watching the ending, I don't think it's possible to really recommend this game to anyone ever. It offers nothing of value. The story is a dead end, and the gameplay is legitimately as good or worse than every other dungeon crawler JRPG you can find.
2000
One of the more boring and annoying Dragon Quest games, which is honestly astounding. I went in with extremely high hopes, just to be met with one of the worst Dragon Quest stories.
The entire game is kind of like playing a children's cartoon. Imagine playing the Inuyasha show, where each episode is just the main characters getting involved in some random village's troubles and then solving them. Every once in awhile, one of the episodes exposes some details about the big bad evil demon lord of hell, but the next episode just continues the endless loop of solving random problems for random people.
The actual episodes themselves are ultimately inconsequential. The characters you meet and struggles you go through in each one amount to essentially nothing in the end.
I can't believe I invested over 10 hours of my life into this game.
The entire game is kind of like playing a children's cartoon. Imagine playing the Inuyasha show, where each episode is just the main characters getting involved in some random village's troubles and then solving them. Every once in awhile, one of the episodes exposes some details about the big bad evil demon lord of hell, but the next episode just continues the endless loop of solving random problems for random people.
The actual episodes themselves are ultimately inconsequential. The characters you meet and struggles you go through in each one amount to essentially nothing in the end.
I can't believe I invested over 10 hours of my life into this game.
If you liked West of Loathing, you'll probably like this. If you did not like West of Loathing, you will definitely not like this.
I played Kingdom of Loathing as a kid and I enjoyed the silly writing. Sadly, I really don't think you can make an entire narrative experience around random quirky dialogue with ultimately no connection to anything. It's good for a few hours of fun, but based on the themes and setting, I kind of expect more.
The humor is worth maybe a few hours, the gameplay is worth maybe a few hours, but there's not much of a cohesive experience to be had outside the individual components. Once you've heard the first 10 conversations, just imagine that repeating for the entire runtime of the game. Once you've gone through one combat sequence, you've experienced pretty much all it'll ever be.
I played Kingdom of Loathing as a kid and I enjoyed the silly writing. Sadly, I really don't think you can make an entire narrative experience around random quirky dialogue with ultimately no connection to anything. It's good for a few hours of fun, but based on the themes and setting, I kind of expect more.
The humor is worth maybe a few hours, the gameplay is worth maybe a few hours, but there's not much of a cohesive experience to be had outside the individual components. Once you've heard the first 10 conversations, just imagine that repeating for the entire runtime of the game. Once you've gone through one combat sequence, you've experienced pretty much all it'll ever be.