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What is your other favorite JRPG series with Fire Emblem?


Roland
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I almost certain that a lot of us here love Fire Emblem in some way. But outside of it, what is another JRPG series you really enjoy in addition to it? Basically, what is your favorite JRPG series if you couldn't pick Fire Emblem?

For me, the answer goes to Atlus's Shin Megami Tensei. Pretty much everything about this series is awesome. From the post-apocalyptic setting, to the philosophical writing, to the challenging gameplay. I'm a huge fan of the post-apocaylptic, and SMT does that really well. It was a breath of fresh air seeing as how most of the genre is generally fantasy theme (Final Fantasy, Tales of, and Fire Emblem for example.) I also liked how the story went for a more philosophical approach with it's writing. Not that there isn't anything wrong with "fantasy adventure centered mostly around friendship", but I generally gravitate towards stories that story approach. And finally, I love SMT's gameplay, as it is the perfect turn-based moster JRPG out there. The Press Turn System is amazing, and the demon designs are amazing.

My favorite of the bunch is SMT IV, and I also really enjoyed Strange Journey, Nocturne, and II (despite it's age). 

Edited by Roland
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What is the definition of JRPG in this context?

Because if you're referring to any RPG game that is made in Japan, then I would be boring and say the Souls series.

Or is it a style of game, usually tends to be turn-based, etc - where Souls is usually referred to as a Western-influenced action RPG, and so wouldn't exactly count in this context.

I'm not exactly fond of most traditional JRPG games, but the one underappreciated series I can think of right now is the trilogy of Soul Blazer, Illusion of Gaia and Terranigma all being on the SNES. And even those aren't turn-based and are action RPGs. But it's not an active franchise and Quintet as the company who made them are dead.

It's not really surprising since I almost exclusively play WRPGs.

Edited by Tryhard
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Ys Series

Pure fun Action RPG. Easy to learn, but hard to Master. Boss Design usually A+. And since Ys 7, the stories have been getting better, too, and while the Plots are on the front standalone, there's has been something big going on in the beackground through multipe games.  Not to mention Falcom's A+ Music.

Ys 9 is the game i am most excited for in the next few years.

Edited by Shrimperor
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Trail in the sky trilogy & Cold Steel (same universe).The combat of 1st Trail in Sky was refreshing at the time for me, then the characters & stories kept me invested in the series.

Super Robot Wars. I don't even understand the story most of the time and yet this is one of my favorite gaming series. The gameplay and animation are just fantastic, and tbh not understanding the story is probably why I like it so much because I just have to focus on playing the game instead. It's a pretty great turn-based strategy series.

Digimon games on DS are in the same universe and I liked it so much that I attempt to write a fanfic based on the setting. If only the latest PS4 Digimon games were made available on PC.

Luminous Arc were ok-ish for me, but then 3rd has an actual gay ending, so feels kinda positive about it.

Summon night, especially Summon Night X and Summon Night 5. Those creatures are cool and the gameplay is fun. 

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*inhales* *cracks knuckles*

You've probably already noticed but i really, really, really love Xeno. It's not just my favorite JRPG series. It's my favorite video game series period. There's a ton of stuff in this series. You've got the philosophical and religious inspiration, you've got mechs, you've got the sci-fi setting (Every Xenoblade game that isn't X has more fantasy elements but sci-fi is still very prominent). Starting with Xenoblade Chronicles, you have these beautifully crafted worlds that truly feel alive (literally in Xenoblade 2 and Torna ~ The Golden Country's case because the world consists of living, breathing Titans). The world of Xenoblade Chronicles X is so good that, even without having played it, i can tell that the beauty of the worlds in other Xenoblade games is nothing compared to the magnum opus that is Planet Mira in Xenoblade X. There's the fantastic music, the amazing characters. Though the gameplay of everything pre-Xenosaga Episode III hasn't aged that well, they're still good games and the Alrest Saga (completely unofficial term i use to describe Xenoblade 2 and Torna ~ The Golden Country as a whole) has the best and most satisfying gameplay in the series, though i say that without having played Xenoblade X. Switch port please.

I also love how the series is able to succeed despite being fucked over twice. For those who don't know, Xenogears was fucked mid-development because Square took half the budget so they could fund Final Fantasy 8, which is why Disc 2 ended up the way it was and why, after the release of Xenogears, Tetsuya Takahashi (the creator of Xeno) and the rest of the Xenogears dev team left Square in frustration  and founded Monolith Soft. Back when Monolith Soft was owned by Namco, Namco fucked over the Xenosaga trilogy by removing Takahashi from the Episode II team, which caused the game to sell even worse than Episode I and it's why Episode III became the final Xenosaga game. Yet despite this, i believe Xenogears managed to have the best story in gaming, and i have yet to play a game that i feel tells a better story. There's probably a good chunk of bias in there but that's how i feel. Xenosaga Episode III also managed to turn out quite good despite obviously being rushed because they had to cram Episodes 3 through 6 in there. Thankfully, now that Nintendo owns Monolith Soft, Nintendo has given them full creative freedom and has yet to interfere with anything that Monolith Soft has done. If Monolith Soft wants to try doing the six-part sci-fi epic again, they totally can without worrying that they'll be fucked over.

The Xenoblade games are my favorite. I started Xeno with Xenoblade 1 and that was a wonderful experience. I couldn't get Xenoblade X because i couldn't get a Wii U but when Xenoblade 2 was announced, that was the reason i got a Switch. And everything that was done with Xenoblade 2 has given me complete faith in Monolith Soft. They are my favorite developers right now. Xenoblade 2 was amazing, the DLC lineup was amazing, Torna ~ The Golden Country was straight up a brand new game instead of being a simple expansion like originally teased.

The series isn't without it's problems obviously, (especially Xenosaga Episode II, the gameplay on that one was a mistake) but the good extremely outweighs the bad.

God, i fucking love Xeno. Ranking the games from a story standpoint: 

  1. Xenogears
  2. Xenoblade Chronicles 2
  3. Xenoblade Chronicles
  4. Torna ~ The Golden Country
  5. Xenosaga Episode III
  6. Xenoblade Chronicles X and Xenosaga Episode II
  7. Xenosaga Episode I

and from a gameplay standpoint

  1. Torna ~ The Golden Country
  2. Xenoblade Chronicles 2
  3. Xenoblade Chronicles
  4. Xenosaga Episode III
  5. Xenogears
  6. Xenosaga Episode I
  7. Xenosaga Episode II

I can talk more and more about how i love this series but i'd be here all day.

 

Edited by Armagon
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Hm...I don't really know. I'm a beginner to most of JRPG's, excluding FE. My list should go around FF, Ys, Disgaea, Valkyria Chronicles, Persona, Random-Nintendo-Games and SMT. (And yes, I know some of them do not match the JRPG formula)

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I absolutely adore Tales of Symphonia (Tales of Phantasia is great too). It has one of the longest single player campaigns I have ever played, but it is so worth the haul. One of the best stories ever that makes you care for the characters so much. Tales of Phantasia is pretty darn good as well, but I wouldn't put it on the same level as Symphonia.

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Hmm, favorite series right now, at least, I'd probably have to say Super Robot Wars. The two games I've completed so far I really enjoyed every aspect of. The one I'm doing right now I'm a little less fond of for various reasons, but its still solid and fun.

Etrian Odyssey would probably be my runner up.

If they were actual series and not just one game, I'd have picked Radiant Historia and/or Stella Glow.

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I know i make it very subtle but i really like Etrian Odyssey series. 

 

 

 

 

Anyway

I actually played and enjoyed a bunch of Jrpgs - SMT, Pokemon, and FF all had something as a takeaway of things i enjoyed. Etrian Odyssey just eclipsed them for having most things i liked 

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Hm... This is a tough one, as I haven't played very many JRPGs outside of Fire Emblem. The Legend of Zelda is Action-Adventure, not JRPG. So, really, my answer would have to be either Valkyria Chronicles 4, or Xenoblade Chronicles 1 or X...

Valkyria Chronicles 4; definitely Valkyria Chronicles 4. I love the story of Xenoblade 1, and I really like the exploration in X, but my answer has to be Valkyria Chronicles 4, since it has great gameplay and a great story.

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Xenoblade is definitely the one I've spent the most time with, but to be completely honest I've been dipping my toes in a lot of JRPG series rather than dedicating my self to a just handful of them, but you could also say that's because I'm invested in a lot of genres of games because I like experimenting and trying new things for lots unique experiences.

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I used to play JRPGs constantly before I changed my love for them into love-hate... Picking a favorite series instead of indiivual games is very hard... a lot of series either become good in my eyes or stop being good in my eyes at certain points.

My favorite JRPGs are . Lufia 2, Phantasy Star 4, Grandia, Vagrant Story, Etrian Odyssey 3.

These games have problems with liking them as a series... Lufia 1 is too simple a game, and the Lufia games made after 2 are all questionable in ways. Phantasy Star 1 isn't horrible, but not really as good as a straight Western DRPG. Phantasy 2 is fun, albeit difficulty is like 90% due to enemy status effects and not damage. And the meme of being able to lock the game at any time by getting into an infinite loop of opening text windows. Phantasy 3 has like the slowest walking speed in any RPG ever made. The PS Online games are all loot based, so I give them a pass due to not liking other games with that kind of gameplay loop. Grandia is sold on its battle system. I also think that Grandia 1 has a massive amount of charm with its setting and charathers. G 2 is about equally good, but loses the personality. Grandia 3... well it's a thing. Vagrant Story doesn't have sequels (FFX11 and FFT don't count) Etrian Odyssey... Fares the best when thinking of it in terms of the entire series, but.... I do think 3-4 are the peak of the series. 1-2 and 5-Nexus ARE fun, but I think that maybe you have TOO much synergy and breaking the game by building your classes isn't as fun of a challenge since you can do it a little too accidentally. 

I guess Etrian Odyssey comes in as my favorite at the end... although It's with lots of hesitation compared to having a favorite CRPG series. I feel like some series like Pokémon,Dragon Quest, Front Mission, and SMT have more consistently fun games, even without ever breaking into my favorite JRPGs of all time individually. 

If you were open to "loose" definition of JRPG and included subgeneres… Virtua Tennis > ALL both as individual games and as a series.

Edited by Reality
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Megaman Battle Network. I feel like it was underappreciated because it was a RPG instead of another platformer like the Classic and X series. I was always addicted to its unique battle setup. Trails of series (Trails in the Sky and Trails of Cold Steel) is at a close second with its wonderful world building and interesting characters. Persona is at a distant third with my favorites from that being P4 and P5.

Shout outs of specific titles from other series I like are Paper Mario: 1000 Year Door, Earthbound and Final Fantasy 6.

 

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There are so many good ones, but to name a few of my favorites

Persona 3+ is where that series awakened to its true potential

FFVI is my favorite of the Final Fantasies with FFIX as a close second

Chrono Trigger is a master piece

Chrono Cross is good (just don't go in expecting a sequel to Chrono Trigger, Chrono Cross is too different of a game to ever be its successor)

its hard to go wrong with any of the main series Pokemon games

Paper Mario and its sequel the Thousand Year Door are probably the best JRPGs of their respective consoles (the game cube is debatable, but N64 isn't in doubt)

the Mario and Luigi series is a worthy successor to the Paper Marios

Terranigma is the best of the Quintet trilogy (if we are counting action RPGs)

Earthbound is amazing

the Golden Sun series is one of the best on the GBA, Golden Sun 1 is absolutely graceful in its storytelling, and The Lost Age is epic (in ways that are both good and bad), although Dark Dawn misses its mark in the story department, but managed to make some game play improvements.

I'm counting Undertale. Fight me.

 

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If I can only pick one, then I'll go with Etrian Odyssey. 

I also immensly enjoy Legend of Heroes, Xenoblade and Shin Megami Tensei FWIW. As for tactical RPGs my second choice after FE is Front Mission. 

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Persona 3 Portable and 4: Both also had very important commentaries that Japanese society as a whole need to listen again and again. (Basically, 3 preached the importance of living, and 4 was basically why fake news is a real problem.) They also introduced me to Jungian psychology (courtesy to Nenilein). 3 also had a kickass female protagonist (Minako!), and 4 also had my favourite shipping (Yu x Yukiko).

Edited by henrymidfields
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