Video Game Suggestions

[lykomancer]

Okay, here's the situation.

I used to play tons of RPGs. Used to, as in I haven't played a game to completion since maybe 2002. Maybe.

My favorite games included Secret of Evermore, Secret of Mana, Star Ocean, Breath of Fire IV, and Legend of Dragoon-- stuff like that. Oh and the Mario RPG. Jesus.

Now, with my boyfriend and one of my roommates constantly playing video games, I kind of want to play, too...but something different than what they're already obsessing over.

I want something long, involved, and moderately engaging, but I hate the massive amounts of cut-scenes, insanely complicated menus, and impossible puzzles that seem to be the new black in rpgs.

Can anyone suggest some good, sort of old-fashioned-styled rpgs (for PS2) that I might want to try out?

Comments

[ultrasushi.livejournal.com]

FFFFF I HAVE YET TO FIND OUT WHO THAT MYSTERIOUS BOYFRIEND IS. Are you back with your ex?

[lykomancer.livejournal.com]

...yes, I'm back with Ed. We decided that dancing around the issue of "Are we or aren't we dating?" was silly, so we just agreed that we are (at least for the moment).

I mean, if you call someone every night, take five-hour long bus rides to visit them whenever you possibly can, have sex daily when you can, hang out, cuddle, talk and argue, and constantly feel a need to vocalize your appreciation and liking for them...that's probably a relationship, ammirite?

[ultrasushi.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty relationship-retarded, but yes, I think it probably is. XD

Anyhow, congrats!

[ukefied.livejournal.com]

Hmm, well, I don't really think you can totally get out of the cut-scene thing, since it's in so many games now, but you might want to try:

- Suikoden V, it suffers REAL ANNOYING LOADING TIME (you will see) but the game is awesome.

- Shadow Hearts and Shadow Hearts: Covenant, SH: From the New World should only be played for fun and laughs.

- Final Fantasy XII, it's the best one since X (which was mediocre) and was done by the Vagrant Story team!

- I know you hate cut-scenes, but I am still going to rec Persona 3 and 4.

That's all I can think of without going to peruse my shelf.

[stealthww.livejournal.com]

Um I agree with above to try suikoden V, I also enjoyed III. Unfortunately the RPG's are tending toward less turn based battle (see final fantasy XII, I would warn you against this game, it has a boring story and annoying battle system, play any final fantasy before it and you're good to go). I like a lot of the same games you like and I really liked suikoden and if you do choose Persona I would start with number 4 as you get more control over team mates and more variety in dungeon design. You could also try Dragon Quest VIII, although it's light on story and heavy on sidequests. Dark Cloud 2 is a fun game and is often in bargin bins and I really really loved Rogue Galaxy. Hope that helps!

[lykomancer.livejournal.com]

Believe it or not, I've never played any Final Fantasy title.

...and with by boyfriend currently working on FFX, I have NO impulse to play one. He spends most of his time either furious that something's not working/dumbly constructed/impossible and the rest of it watching a cut scene. Blah.

I might try out some of the others though!

[lyarrah.livejournal.com]

*suddenly has a legitimate suggestion*
Ooo, ooo, play FF9 then. It is, without a doubt, the best of the FF games. Great characters, great plotline, good animation without that being all they cared about like with X, and fun to play.

[lyarrah.livejournal.com]

Why play RPGs when there is Katamari?

Well, aside from my shameless plug of the .hack//Infection series, I have no good suggestions for you, sadly, and was only here to crack that joke.

[cephiedvariable.livejournal.com]

Man, I wish I had seen this post sooner. I'm kind of an RPG aficionado. XD

- I second the recommendation of FFIX here. It's kind of a perfect game (I love all Final Fantasies, really- with the exception of XII on account of poor story and boring battle system- but I can understand why other people become frustrated with them).

- As far as the PS2 is concerned, try any Shin Megami Tensei title you can find! The Digital Devil Saga duology has a plot that I think would particularly appeal to you. The Religions nerd in you will also dig these games something fierce.

- If you like the Star Ocean series, you should maybe check out Star Ocean 3: Till the End of Time. Now, it doesn't hold a candle to SO1 or 2 in any department (but to be fair, very few RPGs hold a candle to SO2 in general), but the fact that I happily plowed through it in under a week despite only liking a handful of the characters and quickly becoming annoyed with the plot must speak something to the engagement of the gameplay. It's one of those games where if you learn the system well enough, you can find a million fun ways to make the game into a cakewalk.

- On the computer, you might find Planescape: Torment interesting. It's kind of typical, American-RPG hack and slash, but the story is fascinating and it's one of those games where you can basically take as long or short to play it as you want. It's entirely possible to go the entire game fighting no battles but the final boss because so many tasks give you exp. It's also great in that you literally choose every word that comes out of the main character's mouth, but he still has a very solid, likable and immutable personality.



If you were asking for PS1 era I might be able to help more, but new RPGs kind of suck as a rule for the most part. :PPPP

[lykomancer.livejournal.com]

Right now I am still in Wild ARMS 3, which is relatively easy and straight-forward, but it is (or seems) very long and I only play a few hours a day. Also, some of the dungeons piss me off.

I have Star Ocean: Til the End of Time, but I haven't played it yet.

I would like to get my hands on Digital Devil Saga, Disgaea (?), and a few others that are, oddly, hard to find in the area.