So there I was writing yesterday's blog about how a Final Fantasy VII remake would be bad, doing what I always do when I encounter a line in the sand, which is to stand on one side and yell belligerently. Suddenly: a Great Sadness. Who am I to deny countless JRPG players a dream that has become all but inseparable from this, most wistful of genres? Who am I, but a man taking pleasure from the thought of telling children that Santa Claus is a lie?
Remorse flooded my system like a Manticore's venom. That remorse gave rise to a cataclysmic Inner Journey, which gave rise to the video-stuffed feature you see below - a list of classic Japanese role-playing series I sorely want on Xbox 360, despite all my hectoring about progress and innovation. Let us begin. Apologies if you didn't know Santa Claus was a lie, by the way.
9 comments so far...
terry cheyne on 11 Jul '12 said:
i'm surprised you didn't say shadow hearts
the only jrpg i can think of which was a horror game as well one of the best ps2 rpgs
OXM ETboy on 11 Jul '12 said:
Never played it - but if you describe it and link to a video, I might add it to the list.
Plamsa wing on 11 Jul '12 said:
Fire Emblem, It'll never happen but I still like to hold the dream.
Or bring back Tales. I'll do anything.
terry cheyne on 11 Jul '12 said:
it's set 1913 supernatural horror great atmosphere and most main npc die in bloody ways
grapicly similar to ps1 final fantasys as in static backgrounds and 3d charactors
some of the people who made it made lost oddesy
hope this link works it lasts 10 min http://youtu.be/KRC2XLEXQsQ i've got the tech knowledge of an oglop
and i'm not joking
Baryonyx on 11 Jul '12 said:
Shadow Hearts would be a welcome return. Vagrant Story, I'd love to see that too. I enjoyed it the first time around, it was breathlessly complex and difficult for it's day. No mention of Breath of Fire though?
CunningSmile on 12 Jul '12 said:
Santa is a lie!?!
Grummy on 12 Jul '12 said:
Wasn't that the sequel to Koudelka? Which I actually still have sitting on my shelf. A very good game.
Suikoden, to put it politely, f**k. Yes. I ADORE the Suikoden games. As a series I prefer them to FF, but FF7 still takes the crown as my favourite JRPG. Although there is an addendum to this I will mention in a moment.
Some games that are worth a mention are Breath of Fire, Grandia and Wild Arms, all PS1 RPG's I thoroughly enjoyed.
As for my addendum. Shining in the Darkness. The first game in the massive Shining series of RPG's. I count FF7 as my favourite JRPG, as I don't really count SitD in that category, the same as I wouldn't really call Dragons Dogma a JRPG. JRPG is very much a certain style of RPG that is synonymous with Japan, but some of the RPGs that come from there break the mould. DD is one, Nier was another, and the Shining series in general is yet another. Shining in the Darkness and Shining Force 1 and 2 are both in the Megadrive Ultimate Collection, and was one of my main reasons for getting it. The shining series is one that definitely needs to make a comeback, and is the one I'd want most of all.
Maverick_McCool on 12 Jul '12 said:
No Breath of Fire? Shame on you OXM , a great series of JRPGs complete with a talking onion and a hero who turns into a dragon! A remake would please me greatly.
Failing that I'll second Grummy and hope for a Shining force remake!
OXM ETboy on 12 Jul '12 said:
Indeed, the absence of Breath of Fire is a sad, self-inflicted blow to my RPG-loving nadgers. I'll update the piece by the end of today. Last chance to get your favourite thingy included.