![]() Though it still has plenty of problems, FF XIII-2 succeeds in pulling out all of the good elements of XIII, getting them up and running much faster, and adding a few more helpful tweaks. My preference of Final Fantasy XIII-2 over the original is not necessarily the most common point of view. Or if you’d rather skip right to the good stuff…įinal Fantasy XIII-2 (360, PS3) - GI's Review You’ll need an overabundance of patience to get through the many cutscenes full of unlikable characters and the hours upon hours of tutorial and build-up before your full potential is unlocked, but the grandiose exploration of Gran Pulse matched with the wonderful fast-paced yet strategic combat makes it arguably worth putting up with the first 30 hours to enjoy the final 20. So why would I include it on this list anyway? Simple: that oh-so-satisfying battle system. I have some major and well-documented issues with Final Fantasy XIII. This collection is worth checking out simply for the fact that it contains the cleanest, best-balanced, and most beautiful version of Final Fantasy IV ever released.įinal Fantasy XIII (360, PS3) - GI's Review Those follow-ups aren’t really the star of the show, though. I may be stretching the definition of "this generation" with this entry, but Final Fantasy IV: The Complete Collection technically has some new content in the form of "Interlude" and "The After Years," two continuations of the story from this SNES classic. Since the multiplayer is local only, it doesn’t add much if you don’t have friends playing the game, but you can still download bonus quests, explore rare treasure maps, and enjoy the much-improved loot collection.įinal Fantasy IV: The Complete Collection (PSP) - GI's Review In particular, this game added a much-loved multiplayer option, paving the way for the upcoming MMO Dragon Quest X. While Dragon Quest IX’s plot didn’t blow me away the way DQ V’s did, it has its own welcome additions to the franchise formula. Yes, the combat is as simple and as straight-forward as it has always been in Dragon Quest games, but between the deep monster-recruiting system and the shockingly touching, generation-spanning storyline, this game feels fresh, modern, and well worth playing in this iteration.ĭragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies (DS) - GI's Review While playing, I found it hard to believe that this game came out in 1992. Though technically a remake of a Super Famicom game, Dragon Quest V made its North American debut on the DS in 2009. If you want a game that features both comedy and an almost laughable amount of depth, the Disgaea series is still delivering.ĭragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride (DS) - GI's Review Though it hasn’t changed a ton from its origins, Disgaea 4 was widely considered to be the best entry in the quirky tactical RPG series since the original. These certainly aren’t traditional JRPGs, and they aren’t for everyone, but they provide an experience that’s totally unique this generation. The Namco-published follow-up, Dark Souls, has only grown bigger. ![]() ![]() Demon’s Souls’ unforgiving brand of gameplay was so risky and against the stream of everything else coming out these days that Sony passed on publishing it in the U.S., but somehow it still became a cult hit. Though I’ve always had a sort of begrudging respect for the obscure Japanese studio From Software, it’s fascinating to me that the generation where Japanese developers are largely being ignored is the generation where From Software has really come into its own. The story may have been simplistic, and Toriyama-designed characters aren’t for everyone, but the classic gameplay and huge world harken back to the genre’s roots in a way that I definitely appreciated.ĭemon’s Souls (PS3) - GI's Review - and Dark Souls (PS3, 360) - GI's Review ![]() As Mistwalker’s first release, Blue Dragon seems like the true, current-gen continuation of the Dragon Quest franchise that we never quite got. Founded by Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, this team hasn’t had all hits, but they’ve still helped create some of the best Japanese RPGs in years. Of any new developer this generation, Mistwalker has been the greatest hope for JRPG fans. With this generation approaching its end, we decided to look back on the must-play JRPGs that came out on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, DS, and PSP. That doesn’t mean there’s nothing in this once-beloved genre worth playing from the past five years. ![]() It’s no secret that this generation of video games hasn’t been particularly kind to Japanese games in general, and Japanese RPGs in particular have fallen out of favor. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |