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This music fills me with... ᴅᴇᴛᴇʀᴍɪɴᴀᴛɪᴏɴ
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Discussion Best RPGs on Switch, nominations and voting thread, Spring 2023 edition (results are in! See threadmark)
- Thread starter PixelKnight
- Start date
This music fills me with... ᴅᴇᴛᴇʀᴍɪɴᴀᴛɪᴏɴ
OP
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PixelKnight
Observing the process
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For Fami’s consideration…
Dragon Quest Builders 2
I loved the first DQ Builders. After a childhood spent exploring RPG fantasy towns built out of tilesets, with cupboards that look like this and windows that look like that, it was a lot of fun, both beautiful and nostalgic in equal measure. It had you building up settlements across five chapters, but each one, like putting the Lego back in the box at the end of a day, had you starting anew, abandoning your beautiful village or castle with all its magnificent personal touches that you’d added over the last few hours. DQB2 changes all that up, with you working on restoring a main base as you travel around finding resources, and this gameplay loop feels a lot stronger and more rewarding as a result. You’re still finding recipes and blueprints to make stuff, but it sticks around longer, you get to appreciate and remodel things. It’s like having a Lego set you can return to again and again, rather than needing to rebuild from scratch every few hours.
Octopath 2 reminds me of it, in that it’s a fundamental improvement to everything its predecessor had, the definition of a stellar, iterative sequel. Even if superficially it looks similar enough that players who got their fill with the first one might not feel the need to return, it’s such a better game that it’s absolutely worth doing so.
Dragon Quest Builders 2
I loved the first DQ Builders. After a childhood spent exploring RPG fantasy towns built out of tilesets, with cupboards that look like this and windows that look like that, it was a lot of fun, both beautiful and nostalgic in equal measure. It had you building up settlements across five chapters, but each one, like putting the Lego back in the box at the end of a day, had you starting anew, abandoning your beautiful village or castle with all its magnificent personal touches that you’d added over the last few hours. DQB2 changes all that up, with you working on restoring a main base as you travel around finding resources, and this gameplay loop feels a lot stronger and more rewarding as a result. You’re still finding recipes and blueprints to make stuff, but it sticks around longer, you get to appreciate and remodel things. It’s like having a Lego set you can return to again and again, rather than needing to rebuild from scratch every few hours.
Octopath 2 reminds me of it, in that it’s a fundamental improvement to everything its predecessor had, the definition of a stellar, iterative sequel. Even if superficially it looks similar enough that players who got their fill with the first one might not feel the need to return, it’s such a better game that it’s absolutely worth doing so.
D
Deleted member 3433
Guest
For Fami's Consideration:
Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age
Final Fantasy XII was a radical departure from the previous games, made possible by people who worked on classic games like Vagrant Story and Tactics games. It went through a troubled development cycle that started in late 2000, which makes it even more impressive how great this entry turned out to be.
The story is fairly mature by Final Fantasy standards, and it doesn't focus on tropes like love stories/romances. It in fact deals with heavy, political subjects like freedom, patriotism, casualties of war, etc. The cast is overall very good, with a main focus on a princess that wants to deal with the corrupted that are currently in power.
The gameplay is kinda similar to how an MMO plays, as well as Xenoblade Chronicles. You can upgrade your character through License Boards, which grant you abilities. The easy-to-use Gambit system makes it possible to automate actions in-battle, arranging them in order prioritizes these actions.
The world of Ivalice is stunning and has a lot of variety and landmarks. From desert plains to forests, from big cities to ancient ruins. And there's a lot of quests to keep yourself occupied for a while.
The soundtrack, composed by Hitoshi Sakimoto is sublime. The Zodiac Age contains a fully orchestrated arrangement that can be chosen at will.
This game is my personal favorite entry in the entire Final Fantasy franchise.
My personal favorite composition:
Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age
Final Fantasy XII was a radical departure from the previous games, made possible by people who worked on classic games like Vagrant Story and Tactics games. It went through a troubled development cycle that started in late 2000, which makes it even more impressive how great this entry turned out to be.
The story is fairly mature by Final Fantasy standards, and it doesn't focus on tropes like love stories/romances. It in fact deals with heavy, political subjects like freedom, patriotism, casualties of war, etc. The cast is overall very good, with a main focus on a princess that wants to deal with the corrupted that are currently in power.
The gameplay is kinda similar to how an MMO plays, as well as Xenoblade Chronicles. You can upgrade your character through License Boards, which grant you abilities. The easy-to-use Gambit system makes it possible to automate actions in-battle, arranging them in order prioritizes these actions.
The world of Ivalice is stunning and has a lot of variety and landmarks. From desert plains to forests, from big cities to ancient ruins. And there's a lot of quests to keep yourself occupied for a while.
The soundtrack, composed by Hitoshi Sakimoto is sublime. The Zodiac Age contains a fully orchestrated arrangement that can be chosen at will.
This game is my personal favorite entry in the entire Final Fantasy franchise.
My personal favorite composition:
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PixelKnight
Observing the process
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For Fami's Consideration:
Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age
Final Fantasy XII was a radical departure from the previous games, made possible by people who worked on classic games like Vagrant Story and Tactics games. It went through a troubled development cycle that started in late 2000, which makes it even more impressive how great this entry turned out to be.
The story is fairly mature by Final Fantasy standards, and it doesn't focus on tropes like love stories/romances. It in fact deals with heavy, political subjects like freedom, patriotism, casualties of war, etc. The cast is overall very good, with a main focus on a princess that wants to deal with the corrupted that are currently in power.
The gameplay is kinda similar to how an MMO plays, as well as Xenoblade Chronicles. You can upgrade your character through License Boards, which grant you abilities. The easy-to-use Gambit system makes it possible to automate actions in-battle, arranging them in order prioritizes these actions.
The world of Ivalice is stunning and has a lot of variety and landmarks. From desert plains to forests, from big cities to ancient ruins. And there's a lot of quests to keep yourself occupied for a while.
The soundtrack, composed by Hitoshi Sakimoto is sublime. The Zodiac Age contains a fully orchestrated arrangement that can be chosen at will.
This game is my personal favorite entry in the entire Final Fantasy franchise.
My personal favorite composition:
Good choice! I played the original version on PS2 but Zodiac Age has been in my list of things to play for a while now, I’ve heard it changes up a lot in terms of character development
D
Deleted member 3433
Guest
Same story for a long time! Had the PlayStation 2 original, but never completed it until I revisited it on Switch again. Virtuos did an excellent conversion I must say.
King Crono
The Chronologist
For Fami’s consideration…
Chained Echoes
The fact that Chained Echos has not been nominated yet is criminal lol.
-The pacing of the story is perfect. The bits focused around it are niether lacking nor outstay their welcome.
-The battle system is a love letter to classic SNES RPGs, and has just the right amount of depth. With a star system similar to Chrono Cross (but perfected), grinding is never the answer. Approach is always key.
-The overdrive meter keeps each battle feeling fresh, as it impacts the flow of battle and can influence your decisions regardless of if the enemies are the same as a previous encounter. No battle feels like a waste of time.
-The game leaves no stone unturned with covering the various plot twists that you WILL NOT be able to see coming most of the time, but does leave room for a sequel.
-The cast is fantastic, diverse, and has their own struggles and development. Even characters I hated at the start if the game (looking at you Rob) have won me over due to their past hardships and development as the story progresses.
I really cannot say enough good stuff about this game, please add it to the list.
Mod edit- mild formatting at the top to make it clear this is a nomination post- PK
Chained Echoes
The fact that Chained Echos has not been nominated yet is criminal lol.
-The pacing of the story is perfect. The bits focused around it are niether lacking nor outstay their welcome.
-The battle system is a love letter to classic SNES RPGs, and has just the right amount of depth. With a star system similar to Chrono Cross (but perfected), grinding is never the answer. Approach is always key.
-The overdrive meter keeps each battle feeling fresh, as it impacts the flow of battle and can influence your decisions regardless of if the enemies are the same as a previous encounter. No battle feels like a waste of time.
-The game leaves no stone unturned with covering the various plot twists that you WILL NOT be able to see coming most of the time, but does leave room for a sequel.
-The cast is fantastic, diverse, and has their own struggles and development. Even characters I hated at the start if the game (looking at you Rob) have won me over due to their past hardships and development as the story progresses.
I really cannot say enough good stuff about this game, please add it to the list.
Mod edit- mild formatting at the top to make it clear this is a nomination post- PK
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For Fami's Consideration:
Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age
Final Fantasy XII was a radical departure from the previous games, made possible by people who worked on classic games like Vagrant Story and Tactics games. It went through a troubled development cycle that started in late 2000, which makes it even more impressive how great this entry turned out to be.
The story is fairly mature by Final Fantasy standards, and it doesn't focus on tropes like love stories/romances. It in fact deals with heavy, political subjects like freedom, patriotism, casualties of war, etc. The cast is overall very good, with a main focus on a princess that wants to deal with the corrupted that are currently in power.
The gameplay is kinda similar to how an MMO plays, as well as Xenoblade Chronicles. You can upgrade your character through License Boards, which grant you abilities. The easy-to-use Gambit system makes it possible to automate actions in-battle, arranging them in order prioritizes these actions.
The world of Ivalice is stunning and has a lot of variety and landmarks. From desert plains to forests, from big cities to ancient ruins. And there's a lot of quests to keep yourself occupied for a while.
The soundtrack, composed by Hitoshi Sakimoto is sublime. The Zodiac Age contains a fully orchestrated arrangement that can be chosen at will.
This game is my personal favorite entry in the entire Final Fantasy franchise.
My personal favorite composition:
FF12 is wonderful, especially the zodiac age version. And that orchestrated soundtrack shows just how good the original compositions were, it’s stunning.
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I've only completed the first farming village island, and that alone felt like a full and satisfying game. I really need to get around to playing some more.
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PixelKnight
Observing the process
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It’s incredibly addictive and rewarding when you get going, I’m still amazed at the kind of thing people create in it, some of these make the cool castle and village I built look like tents built out of sticks in comparison!
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PixelKnight
Observing the process
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For Fami’s consideration…
Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE
I’ll admit it, I didn’t know what to make of this at first. For a game that endlessly references aspects of Fire Emblem in a similar way to FE Engage, with it’s series characters as persona-style alter egos, familiar level-up jingles and weapons etc, it’s not got much to do with it outside of pasting the trappings of it on. It’s really colourful and upbeat, with little of the darkness of similar RPGs even as it treads familiar ground of finding your voice and courage and friends and your way in the world. But when battle starts, all that slips away as its real core literally bursts onto stage. It’s a concert, every string of attacks a session, as the turn-based battles are framed as a performance. I really enjoyed the battles even if I didn’t know what was going on half the time. Its it’s own thing, an invite to let your hair down and sing along, and it won me over in the end even if it had to drag me on stage like the reluctant, introverted rpg fan I am.
Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE
I’ll admit it, I didn’t know what to make of this at first. For a game that endlessly references aspects of Fire Emblem in a similar way to FE Engage, with it’s series characters as persona-style alter egos, familiar level-up jingles and weapons etc, it’s not got much to do with it outside of pasting the trappings of it on. It’s really colourful and upbeat, with little of the darkness of similar RPGs even as it treads familiar ground of finding your voice and courage and friends and your way in the world. But when battle starts, all that slips away as its real core literally bursts onto stage. It’s a concert, every string of attacks a session, as the turn-based battles are framed as a performance. I really enjoyed the battles even if I didn’t know what was going on half the time. Its it’s own thing, an invite to let your hair down and sing along, and it won me over in the end even if it had to drag me on stage like the reluctant, introverted rpg fan I am.
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PixelKnight
Observing the process
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For Fami’s consideration…
Stranger of Sword City Revisited
Currently my favourite Etrian Odyssey-style dungeon crawl on the Switch, this is currently available as part of a double pack with Saviours of Sapphire Wings, another crawl by Experience, but is by far the stronger of the two.
SoSC was originally released on Vita, 360 and PC nearly a decade ago, but its art style still feels really fresh and original compared to many grid-based dungeon crawls following EO. The story has you as the titular stranger ending up in a weird fantasy world following a plane crash, Lost-style, but it’s such an odd and dark place. Only step-by-step exploration and quests sees you surviving and thriving.
This 'Revisited' version adds new classes, which is cool as Experience tends to lean on archetypes like warrior/knight/samurai up front and mage/cleric/ranger in the back of your two ranks of three characters a lot. There’s new areas and a large post-game too, but really the core of the game is unchanged, which is just as well as it’s one of the most interesting dungeon crawls I’ve played.
There’s a nod to modern players too- just like with the upcoming EO remasters, there’s a beginners mode that seeks to introduce new players to a genre that is pretty firm on its ‘survival is step by step’ route. Once you get into them though, they are incredibly addictive and rewarding as your map fills out, always with a load of unexplored spaces to chip away at if you aren’t sure where to go.
There’s lots of good dungeon crawls around, but as this comes with Sapphire Wings too, it’s a good value pick-up if you want to get into the genre.
Stranger of Sword City Revisited
Currently my favourite Etrian Odyssey-style dungeon crawl on the Switch, this is currently available as part of a double pack with Saviours of Sapphire Wings, another crawl by Experience, but is by far the stronger of the two.
SoSC was originally released on Vita, 360 and PC nearly a decade ago, but its art style still feels really fresh and original compared to many grid-based dungeon crawls following EO. The story has you as the titular stranger ending up in a weird fantasy world following a plane crash, Lost-style, but it’s such an odd and dark place. Only step-by-step exploration and quests sees you surviving and thriving.
This 'Revisited' version adds new classes, which is cool as Experience tends to lean on archetypes like warrior/knight/samurai up front and mage/cleric/ranger in the back of your two ranks of three characters a lot. There’s new areas and a large post-game too, but really the core of the game is unchanged, which is just as well as it’s one of the most interesting dungeon crawls I’ve played.
There’s a nod to modern players too- just like with the upcoming EO remasters, there’s a beginners mode that seeks to introduce new players to a genre that is pretty firm on its ‘survival is step by step’ route. Once you get into them though, they are incredibly addictive and rewarding as your map fills out, always with a load of unexplored spaces to chip away at if you aren’t sure where to go.
There’s lots of good dungeon crawls around, but as this comes with Sapphire Wings too, it’s a good value pick-up if you want to get into the genre.
OP
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PixelKnight
Observing the process
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For Fami’s consideration…
Octopath Traveller
Playing this after the sequel has given me a strange perspective on it- while I can see the things that have been improved, I also see the things that originated here, and it’s the general tone that that has been carried forwards to great success. Octopath Traveller, played as a chapter at a time, is a series of warm vignettes about interesting settlements and the locales around them. Some of the character arcs are predictable, but some of them take interesting turns, and it’s the general warmth that I find so engaging about both games in the series. The sense of adventure. One thing I find unique about the games is that all 8 of the characters gain enough of an arc to dig into what makes their journey worth following. You don’t have party mascot characters, tag along kids or weird comic relief to leave in the reserves for 60 hours. The nature of the game means that you can choose who to spend most of your time with and carry the others through their story afterwards, but ultimately you always have options in what to tackle next, a new town to wander around and try all the path actions in. OT2 is a better game across the board- it’s the definition of an iterative sequel improving everything so elegantly that some of the upgrades are hard to see. But going back though OT really makes me appreciate the vision and regard for adventuring in the concept of the series, as it’s a rare rpg series that gives 16 characters over 2 games where I’m happy to spend hours unpacking the travels of each of them.
Octopath Traveller
Playing this after the sequel has given me a strange perspective on it- while I can see the things that have been improved, I also see the things that originated here, and it’s the general tone that that has been carried forwards to great success. Octopath Traveller, played as a chapter at a time, is a series of warm vignettes about interesting settlements and the locales around them. Some of the character arcs are predictable, but some of them take interesting turns, and it’s the general warmth that I find so engaging about both games in the series. The sense of adventure. One thing I find unique about the games is that all 8 of the characters gain enough of an arc to dig into what makes their journey worth following. You don’t have party mascot characters, tag along kids or weird comic relief to leave in the reserves for 60 hours. The nature of the game means that you can choose who to spend most of your time with and carry the others through their story afterwards, but ultimately you always have options in what to tackle next, a new town to wander around and try all the path actions in. OT2 is a better game across the board- it’s the definition of an iterative sequel improving everything so elegantly that some of the upgrades are hard to see. But going back though OT really makes me appreciate the vision and regard for adventuring in the concept of the series, as it’s a rare rpg series that gives 16 characters over 2 games where I’m happy to spend hours unpacking the travels of each of them.
9-Volt
Adept
- Pronouns
- he/him
For Fami’s consideration…
Tales of Vesperia Definitive Edition
Can't believe we missed this. But here it is. The undisputed king of the Tales games. Originally made for Xbox 360 and published by MS in west Vesperia ended up as the best in the long running series. Plenty of reasons for this, refined real time combat, visuals only to be topped by Arise recently, lovable and non-trope characters, engrossing story and of course top notch English voice acting. The protagonist, Yuri Lowell, is not someone we're used to play as in JRPG's, kinda laid back, good hearted, ex royal guardian. He's just like "eh I've got nothing to do so I'll help people in need" and that makes the 60 hours long story much more interesting that other games in the series.
Also, if you start the game for the first time, it's better you don't miss any of the skits!
Tales of Vesperia Definitive Edition
Can't believe we missed this. But here it is. The undisputed king of the Tales games. Originally made for Xbox 360 and published by MS in west Vesperia ended up as the best in the long running series. Plenty of reasons for this, refined real time combat, visuals only to be topped by Arise recently, lovable and non-trope characters, engrossing story and of course top notch English voice acting. The protagonist, Yuri Lowell, is not someone we're used to play as in JRPG's, kinda laid back, good hearted, ex royal guardian. He's just like "eh I've got nothing to do so I'll help people in need" and that makes the 60 hours long story much more interesting that other games in the series.
Also, if you start the game for the first time, it's better you don't miss any of the skits!
OP
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PixelKnight
Observing the process
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Solid pick! Enjoyed this. Tales hasn’t historically been my favourite rpg series, even in Vesperia I found the way the AI party members, even acting under programmed instructions, had a tendency to waste time or just die through poor choices. However, I did like the cast and world in this, Yuri was a lot of fun to follow as a character that wasn’t a teenager setting out on their first adventure, and his rivalry with the knight was enjoyable.
9-Volt
Adept
- Pronouns
- he/him
For Fami’s consideration…
Trials of Mana
For years, Trials of Mana has been the "lost game" for us Mana fans. We've given up hope, it was never getting a release in west. But luckily Square knows how to surprise its fans. It's a traditional Mana game, where you hacj and slash every baddie you see and some include super cute series staples, like Rabites. 6 protags you can choose from, 3 male and 3 female and another to accompany you. All plays the same story in different ways, playing with all six give you the complete narrative. What makes Trials of Mana special is how well it transitioned into 3D space. It's still that 16-bit SNES game but somehow it's completely remade in 3D without sacrificing any of the experience. Not only that, game's art is also completely re-done and it's one of the most gorgeous in the modern JRPG world.
Trials of Mana
For years, Trials of Mana has been the "lost game" for us Mana fans. We've given up hope, it was never getting a release in west. But luckily Square knows how to surprise its fans. It's a traditional Mana game, where you hacj and slash every baddie you see and some include super cute series staples, like Rabites. 6 protags you can choose from, 3 male and 3 female and another to accompany you. All plays the same story in different ways, playing with all six give you the complete narrative. What makes Trials of Mana special is how well it transitioned into 3D space. It's still that 16-bit SNES game but somehow it's completely remade in 3D without sacrificing any of the experience. Not only that, game's art is also completely re-done and it's one of the most gorgeous in the modern JRPG world.
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PixelKnight
Observing the process
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Added them both to the directory! I was hoping someone would nominate Trials of Mana. I really enjoyed it, I don’t think I’d played a Mana game since Children of Mana on DS (which wasn’t quite what I was hoping for), but Trials took me back to looking wishfully at screenshots of the SNES game in the grey import pages of magazines in the 90s, hoping we’d see it. It’s a lot of fun, breezy and lighthearted rather than stat-heavy, felt refreshing in that way.
34 nominated rpgs now. Not bad!
9-Volt
Adept
- Pronouns
- he/him
For Fami’s consideration…
SaGa Scarlet Grace
Before Scarlet Grace, the last original SaGa game we got was Minstrel Song on PS2 (also on Switch) so it's been a while since we had a new SaGa game. But Scarlet Grace is not our SaGa series we know and love. It's different and it's good. First of all, all we have in the game is just a huge map full of locations. We freely move on that map, from town to town. And that's it, game's minimalism in this front makes it go hard on the combat part. It's non-linear, what to do, where to go next it's all up to us. There are tons of party members to recruit and hundreds of equipment to craft and countless of missions to use any combination of those. Art and music in the game is spectacular, especially music, absolutely gives the game a brand new dimension. SaGa games always stick out in the crowd with their thick and captivating atmosphere and Scarlet Grace is not different.
SaGa Scarlet Grace
Before Scarlet Grace, the last original SaGa game we got was Minstrel Song on PS2 (also on Switch) so it's been a while since we had a new SaGa game. But Scarlet Grace is not our SaGa series we know and love. It's different and it's good. First of all, all we have in the game is just a huge map full of locations. We freely move on that map, from town to town. And that's it, game's minimalism in this front makes it go hard on the combat part. It's non-linear, what to do, where to go next it's all up to us. There are tons of party members to recruit and hundreds of equipment to craft and countless of missions to use any combination of those. Art and music in the game is spectacular, especially music, absolutely gives the game a brand new dimension. SaGa games always stick out in the crowd with their thick and captivating atmosphere and Scarlet Grace is not different.
Yamanoi
I paid $70 for this tag
- Pronouns
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You do. It is better than DQ XI.
Great to see someone else praise this gem. It was an amazing package on Switch. I really think I will find it hard to go back to EO DS remasters after the brilliant Labyrinth of Galleria and this Experience Inc collection.
- Pronouns
- He/Him
I had never even heard of this before but it looks kind of incredible? I probably won't need another dungeon crawler for a while but this is definitely going on my list.
For Fami’s consideration…
Persona 4 Golden
My favorite RPG period. My username comes from the game, why wouldn't I nominate it? Persona 4 is a turn-based rpg/social simuator hybrid with a scooby-dooesque murder mystery at the center of its story. Set in the rustic small town of Inaba in Japan, you play as a transfer student having to fit into this strange place and you meet so many memorable and wonderful characters along the way. The game is both stylish and really comfy. It's a game I first played in roughly 2014 but wish so much I had played it back at launch in 2008. I'm currently on my 3rd play though of the game (life and other games have slowed my progress) but it holds up so wonderfully. The flow of battles, the music, the moment to moment bits of the story. It's everything I could want in a video game. P4 is also the game that introduced me to rpgs, and they are one of my favorite rpg developers ever since.
Persona 4 Golden
My favorite RPG period. My username comes from the game, why wouldn't I nominate it? Persona 4 is a turn-based rpg/social simuator hybrid with a scooby-dooesque murder mystery at the center of its story. Set in the rustic small town of Inaba in Japan, you play as a transfer student having to fit into this strange place and you meet so many memorable and wonderful characters along the way. The game is both stylish and really comfy. It's a game I first played in roughly 2014 but wish so much I had played it back at launch in 2008. I'm currently on my 3rd play though of the game (life and other games have slowed my progress) but it holds up so wonderfully. The flow of battles, the music, the moment to moment bits of the story. It's everything I could want in a video game. P4 is also the game that introduced me to rpgs, and they are one of my favorite rpg developers ever since.
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PixelKnight
Observing the process
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I really need to play one of these at some point. It’s one of those rpg series that I’ve been meaning to try for a very long time but never seem to get around to
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PixelKnight
Observing the process
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Bump for last week of voting!
For Fami’s Consideration:
Blue Reflection Second Light
I wanted to give a shoutout to one of the most underrated JRPGs on Switch, Blue Reflection Second Light. The sequel is everything the first game should have been tonally and thematically as it actually feels like a proper magical girl game this time. Generally the game is divided between exploring character themed dungeons and hanging out at your home base where you can have bonding time with all of the characters as well craft items and upgrades. While it is disappointing you can’t bump up to higher difficulties on a first playthrough, when the combat comes together it has a unique and fun flavor that has you saving up energy to unleash powerful attacks and abilities to trigger more powerful abilities faster. Bosses regularly let you enter a cool Punch-Out-like mode to deal massive damage and it feels so good to properly nail. The best part of the game though is certainly the dates / bonding events as a majority of the characters are a lot of fun to get to know and hang out with plus every date features branching path choices to make them more personal. The protagonist, Ao Hoshizaki, is definitely my favorite character, but I also really enjoyed spending time with Kokoro, Yuki, Shiho, and Hinako. Before I wrap up, I do have to give one final shoutout to the lovely soundtrack which I’ve actually listened fully through a great number of times since the game came out. Every song on it is excellent. It’s not often when I beat a game and immediately want to play it again, but Second Light was one of those rare games. If you think you might be interested in it, definitely check out the demo at least. It’s lengthy and offers a solid look at the game.
Blue Reflection Second Light
I wanted to give a shoutout to one of the most underrated JRPGs on Switch, Blue Reflection Second Light. The sequel is everything the first game should have been tonally and thematically as it actually feels like a proper magical girl game this time. Generally the game is divided between exploring character themed dungeons and hanging out at your home base where you can have bonding time with all of the characters as well craft items and upgrades. While it is disappointing you can’t bump up to higher difficulties on a first playthrough, when the combat comes together it has a unique and fun flavor that has you saving up energy to unleash powerful attacks and abilities to trigger more powerful abilities faster. Bosses regularly let you enter a cool Punch-Out-like mode to deal massive damage and it feels so good to properly nail. The best part of the game though is certainly the dates / bonding events as a majority of the characters are a lot of fun to get to know and hang out with plus every date features branching path choices to make them more personal. The protagonist, Ao Hoshizaki, is definitely my favorite character, but I also really enjoyed spending time with Kokoro, Yuki, Shiho, and Hinako. Before I wrap up, I do have to give one final shoutout to the lovely soundtrack which I’ve actually listened fully through a great number of times since the game came out. Every song on it is excellent. It’s not often when I beat a game and immediately want to play it again, but Second Light was one of those rare games. If you think you might be interested in it, definitely check out the demo at least. It’s lengthy and offers a solid look at the game.
For Fami’s Consideration
Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition
Xenoblade Chronicles was one of the absolute best games on the Wii and it’s still just as remarkable today as it was then. Xenoblade belongs to the prestigious offline MMORPG genre, that offers MMO style combat mechanics in a single player setting. Positioning matters a lot in Xenoblade as the main character Shulk can get big damage bonuses with specific attacks when he attacks from the side or behind enemies. Shulk also has access to the Monado, a powerful blade that lets him see the future and grants access to a second menu of abilities mid battle. When a big attack is coming and Shulk sees a deadly vision, you need to warn your party members and choose their next action appropriately. While the story and characters are engaging, what really drives Xenoblade is exploring every last nook and cranny of its fascinating setting on the backs of two deceased gods. The massive Gaur Plains for example is only just the knee of the Bionis and there are plenty more fantastic locations beyond it like the Satorl Marsh and Eryth Sea. The soundtrack for the entire adventure is amazing and feels appropriately epic, adventurous and personal throughout. New to the Definitive Edition are enhanced graphics, including character models in line with the rest of the Trilogy, an arranged soundtrack option if you prefer, as well as a solid enough new epilogue that gives you one more adventure with Shulk and Melia on a previously unexplored section of the Bionis. Xenoblade Chronicles is a true masterpiece and a must play for all RPG fans and the Definitive Edition certainly lives up to its name as the best way to experience Xenoblade.
Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition
Xenoblade Chronicles was one of the absolute best games on the Wii and it’s still just as remarkable today as it was then. Xenoblade belongs to the prestigious offline MMORPG genre, that offers MMO style combat mechanics in a single player setting. Positioning matters a lot in Xenoblade as the main character Shulk can get big damage bonuses with specific attacks when he attacks from the side or behind enemies. Shulk also has access to the Monado, a powerful blade that lets him see the future and grants access to a second menu of abilities mid battle. When a big attack is coming and Shulk sees a deadly vision, you need to warn your party members and choose their next action appropriately. While the story and characters are engaging, what really drives Xenoblade is exploring every last nook and cranny of its fascinating setting on the backs of two deceased gods. The massive Gaur Plains for example is only just the knee of the Bionis and there are plenty more fantastic locations beyond it like the Satorl Marsh and Eryth Sea. The soundtrack for the entire adventure is amazing and feels appropriately epic, adventurous and personal throughout. New to the Definitive Edition are enhanced graphics, including character models in line with the rest of the Trilogy, an arranged soundtrack option if you prefer, as well as a solid enough new epilogue that gives you one more adventure with Shulk and Melia on a previously unexplored section of the Bionis. Xenoblade Chronicles is a true masterpiece and a must play for all RPG fans and the Definitive Edition certainly lives up to its name as the best way to experience Xenoblade.
For Fami's Consideration
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
The ninth generation of Pokemon brought the series into a full open world setting which made the hunt to complete the Pokedex the most satisfying it has ever been. Even better, you could play virtually the entire game alongside friends in online multiplayer while still advancing your single player campaign. This meant while one of you was clearing gym battles and another took on Team Star, you might discover the location of a bunch of Pokemon none of your friends have seen yet so you can call everyone over to check them out. Pokemon SV was truly a massive revolution for the franchise and also just did a lot of interesting things on top of it. The way the game cares about its main characters is excellent and the finale of the game is awesome. Also the soundtrack rocks. There was definitely misgivings to be had with SV, especially at launch, but patches are smoothing out some of the roughest edges and it'll be interesting to see how the DLC will expand and possibly evolve the game.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
The ninth generation of Pokemon brought the series into a full open world setting which made the hunt to complete the Pokedex the most satisfying it has ever been. Even better, you could play virtually the entire game alongside friends in online multiplayer while still advancing your single player campaign. This meant while one of you was clearing gym battles and another took on Team Star, you might discover the location of a bunch of Pokemon none of your friends have seen yet so you can call everyone over to check them out. Pokemon SV was truly a massive revolution for the franchise and also just did a lot of interesting things on top of it. The way the game cares about its main characters is excellent and the finale of the game is awesome. Also the soundtrack rocks. There was definitely misgivings to be had with SV, especially at launch, but patches are smoothing out some of the roughest edges and it'll be interesting to see how the DLC will expand and possibly evolve the game.
soundchaser
DA CHEAT
- Pronouns
- He/Him
For Fami's Consideration
Chrono Cross - The Radical Dreamers Edition
Is it cheating to include a game that's actually two games in one package? In a way, that probably fits the themes of Chrono Cross and its older red-headed step-sibling, both of which feature multiple realities, endings, and playthroughs as a selling point. Chrono Cross was, for a time, looked at only as, at best, a disappointing sequel to Chrono Trigger and at worst an outright insult to the characters and ideas of the first game. With the benefit of time (yeah, yeah), it's clear that Chrono Cross is more than a worthwhile piece in its own right: a melancholy meditation on the choices we make every day and how they ripple out into our wider life, an ambitious exploration of video game consequences long before Undertale, and a triumph of world design -- twice! Chrono Cross is bursting with new ideas, like the field element battle system, the staggering number of recruitable characters and their own dialects, and the brilliant halfway twist (don't spoil yourself, please!). The backgrounds are astonishing (maybe the best on the PS1), the characters are lively and memorable, and the game is simply a blast to play. With the latest patch smoothing out the game's (always poor) framerate issues, The Radical Dreamers Edition is the definitive version of an underrated classic.
It's also got probably the best video game soundtrack of all time. Mitsuda outdid himself here:
Chrono Cross - The Radical Dreamers Edition
Is it cheating to include a game that's actually two games in one package? In a way, that probably fits the themes of Chrono Cross and its older red-headed step-sibling, both of which feature multiple realities, endings, and playthroughs as a selling point. Chrono Cross was, for a time, looked at only as, at best, a disappointing sequel to Chrono Trigger and at worst an outright insult to the characters and ideas of the first game. With the benefit of time (yeah, yeah), it's clear that Chrono Cross is more than a worthwhile piece in its own right: a melancholy meditation on the choices we make every day and how they ripple out into our wider life, an ambitious exploration of video game consequences long before Undertale, and a triumph of world design -- twice! Chrono Cross is bursting with new ideas, like the field element battle system, the staggering number of recruitable characters and their own dialects, and the brilliant halfway twist (don't spoil yourself, please!). The backgrounds are astonishing (maybe the best on the PS1), the characters are lively and memorable, and the game is simply a blast to play. With the latest patch smoothing out the game's (always poor) framerate issues, The Radical Dreamers Edition is the definitive version of an underrated classic.
It's also got probably the best video game soundtrack of all time. Mitsuda outdid himself here:
Vito
Shriekbat
For Fami's Consideration... Pokemon Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee.
I know many hardcore fans hated these remakes but I had a blast playing them and enjoying the new look of my favorite region. Plus there's no more random encounters! Traveling through caves or the ocean is no longer a drag. Here's hoping for a sequel set on my second favorite region.
I know many hardcore fans hated these remakes but I had a blast playing them and enjoying the new look of my favorite region. Plus there's no more random encounters! Traveling through caves or the ocean is no longer a drag. Here's hoping for a sequel set on my second favorite region.
Results
OP
OP
PixelKnight
Observing the process
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- He/Him
Results
(yeah count at the end of each line)
Xenoblade Chonicles 3. 43
Xenoblade Chronicles 2. 32
Dragon Quest XIS: Echoes of an Elusive Age. 31
Triangle Strategy. 22
Shin Megami Tensei V. 21
Persona 5 Royal. 20
Octopath Traveller II. 19
Divinity: Original Sin 2. 19
Paper Mario: The Origami King. 19
Pokemon Legends: Arceus 17
Nier Automata 17
Fire Emblem: Three Houses. 16
Live A Live 14
Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age 13
Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition 13
The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim: Anniversary Edition 11
Dragon Quest Builders 2 11
Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE 11
Octopath Traveller 11
Neo The World Ends With You 10
Monster Hunter Rise 10
Monster Hunter Stories 2. 9
Bravely Default 2 9
Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana. 9
Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition 9
Final Fantasy VII 8
Chained Echoes 8
CrossCode. 8
Trials of Mana 8
SaGa Scarlet Grace 7
Persona 4 Golden 7
Harvestella 7
Disco Elysium: The Final Cut 6
The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure 6
Undertale 6
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet 5
Chrono Cross: Radical Dreamers Edition 5
Stranger of Sword City Revisited 3
Atelier Sophie 2. 3
Blue Reflection Second Light 2
Interesting pile of yeahs as a snapshot of what rpg fans on Fami were thinking about in March/April 2023!
Strong showing from Xenoblade fans, XC3 ran away with it at the end, with Dragon Quest XIS and XB2 neck-and-neck throughout (as they often have been in rpg chat over the last few years).
Triangle Strategy, Divinity II, Octopath 2, Paper Mario and SMTV all very solid.
Thanks to everyone who contributed and voted, the thread is a nice read if you want some ideas on what to play next!
(yeah count at the end of each line)
Xenoblade Chonicles 3. 43
Xenoblade Chronicles 2. 32
Dragon Quest XIS: Echoes of an Elusive Age. 31
Triangle Strategy. 22
Shin Megami Tensei V. 21
Persona 5 Royal. 20
Octopath Traveller II. 19
Divinity: Original Sin 2. 19
Paper Mario: The Origami King. 19
Pokemon Legends: Arceus 17
Nier Automata 17
Fire Emblem: Three Houses. 16
Live A Live 14
Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age 13
Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition 13
The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim: Anniversary Edition 11
Dragon Quest Builders 2 11
Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE 11
Octopath Traveller 11
Neo The World Ends With You 10
Monster Hunter Rise 10
Monster Hunter Stories 2. 9
Bravely Default 2 9
Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana. 9
Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition 9
Final Fantasy VII 8
Chained Echoes 8
CrossCode. 8
Trials of Mana 8
SaGa Scarlet Grace 7
Persona 4 Golden 7
Harvestella 7
Disco Elysium: The Final Cut 6
The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure 6
Undertale 6
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet 5
Chrono Cross: Radical Dreamers Edition 5
Stranger of Sword City Revisited 3
Atelier Sophie 2. 3
Blue Reflection Second Light 2
Interesting pile of yeahs as a snapshot of what rpg fans on Fami were thinking about in March/April 2023!
Strong showing from Xenoblade fans, XC3 ran away with it at the end, with Dragon Quest XIS and XB2 neck-and-neck throughout (as they often have been in rpg chat over the last few years).
Triangle Strategy, Divinity II, Octopath 2, Paper Mario and SMTV all very solid.
Thanks to everyone who contributed and voted, the thread is a nice read if you want some ideas on what to play next!
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