[PS2] In need of an RPG

Sorry if this is another cliche thread. Admins can delete it if you want. I can post it in my journal instead.

Anyways, I finished FFXII, which was good enough to pass the time. I started Odin Sphere, but it's been getting frustrating (On Book 2 alread) because, yes, I can't play this game for shit. I'm planning on taking a break from it (I was on the verge of slamming my controller >.>) but there are too many games to choose from. Whoever mentions FFX-2 should hang themself =P

I've played...
- All Shin Megami Tensei
- All of Xenosaga
- Shadow Heart I/II
- Disgaea I/La Puccelle <3
- Every FF game -- need more ><
- Kingdom Hearts I/II
- Arc the Lad: Twilight of the Spirits

I have but haven't started:
- Tales of the Abyss
- Radiata Stories
- Dragon Quest VIII

Considering:
- Rogue Galaxy
- Grandia III
- Valkyrie Profile II
- Shadow Hearts III

I'm looking for something epic, story-wise -- not too simple. But I don't want the difficulty level of gamplay so outrageous that I want to pull a VT.

Any help would be appreciated. =)

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Since you already have it, I strongly recommend Tales of the Abyss. It starts off kind of slow and loading on the world map is terrible (which you have to deal with a lot at the beginning), but once it picks up around the 10 hour mark the game is excellent. Definitely the best Tales story I've played.

Valkyrie Profile 2 is also well worth your time and money. Be prepared to do a lot of levelling at the start of each area. If you didn't play the first VP then you should read a synopsis or something though. I had someone to explain a few things since I'd only gone up to chapter 3 in the original, but it's still a fun game without knowing the details since it takes place before the first game, so don't let that stop you.

Since you're looking for a good story, avoid Shadow Hearts III. Dull characters and the story wasn't all that interesting from what I played. It's a huge letdown after the glory of Covenant.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Radiata Stories is nice if you're looking for something offbeat. I was surprised at how funny it was, even though the box art had me convinced it would be a snooze.

How ya doing, buddy?

I haven't played Tales of the Abyss yet, but I've heard it's both better than Tales of Legendia (which wasn't all that bad) and a 3D Tales of Symphonia, and I really liked that particular Tales game. Like I said though, I haven't played it personally.

Dragon Quest VIII is amazing though. Runs about 80 hours, lots of stuff to do, cool characters, and it has an epilogue quest you can complete immediately after the first playthru that'll definitely provide a nice challenge. It's a great game -- couldn't recommend it enough.

Rogue Galaxy ranks slightly higher on my list though, if only because of the sheer difference in content. RG offers much, much more in the way of side quests and it has a bonus dungeon post-completion. Very, very cool game.

Grandia III was, in a word, alright. Not bad by any stretch of the imagination. Same great battle system with the addition of the Aerial Finish attacks, which are pretty cool and add a tad bit mroe depth to an otherwise deep battle system for what it is. Story's kinda weak, but getting the airplane and flying around the world map was by far one of the high points for me. It's super linear though with little else to do but beat the game. Still if you like Grandia, you'll like this one.

Valkyrie Profile II is goddamn beautiful. There's no other way to put it. It is slightly weaker overall than the first game though, but that's hardly a fault since VP1 was simply amazing. Battles are still fun and slightly more strategic since you can split up your party. I don't like the dungeons as much though, since they require you to micromanage orbs that, by either placing or removing them from bases laid throughout the map, can drastically alter the flow of events while traversing the dungeon and battling. It seemed to make VP2 unnecessarily tedious in my opinion, though some players will disagree with me. Still a great game.

Of the ones you listed, the ones I commented on I've played. Radiata Stories never struck me as something I needed to play, and I never got in to Shadow Hearts. But you did leave one game off your list that you've either played and opted to not add to your list, or you've never played it which should quickly be remedied before any of those other games.

Okami. If you haven't played it, it trumps these other titles if not by a mile, certainly by enough. For me t explain why would take all night, suffice it to say the game is awesome and deserves to not only be played, but to be owned and collected.

Now, beyond Okami, my top picks are gonna be Rogue Galaxy, Dragon Quest VIII, Valkyrie Profile II and Grandia III, in that order. That's a fair amount of RPGs to take in and unless you lack a summer job, you'll be playing these probably into the start the school year.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Gonna throw another post in for Tales of Abyss since you already own it and it's one of the best games in the series, probably one of the better games (rpgs anyway) on the console as well. If it didn't have such jaggy graphics (heeeyy, ps3 kinda fixes this now with the new smoothing option it added so coo') and rather lengthy save times and load times on the world map it really would be the best or at least very close to being so.

Still, even with some of it's glaring technical problems the game itself is very solid with a very nice storyline overall (just enough melodrama to feel epic but not horrifyingly annoying) and the battle system is all kinds of fun.

Valkyrie Profile 2 is a breathtaking visual, audio and gameplay experience but the storyline is somewhat below average; however it's a worthy sequel to the original game (which also had a fairly shallow storyline experience imo) and stands up on it's own legs just fine if you've never played it. You'll be a tad confused at the ending events, but otherwise it should be just fine.

I highly suggest those two of what you listed; Shadow Hearts 3 is a bit of a disappointment compared to the first two and I just couldn't make myself like Grandia 3, either. The storyline and characterization was like a dumbed down Grandia 2 and the game completely fell apart for me about halfway through. Radiata Stories is funny and is a pretty decent game too, though, but I'd go for Abyss and VP2 first honestly. Very sublime games right there.

And there you have it. My very unorganized two cents. I blame it on being 2:30am and on my lack of will to go over and make sure this came out coherent.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by Sepharite

Whoever mentions FFX-2 should hang themself =P

Damn. I was going to say that, too....

Quote:

I've played...
- All Shin Megami Tensei
- All of Xenosaga
- Shadow Heart I/II
- Disgaea I/La Puccelle <3


I have but haven't started:
- Tales of the Abyss
- Radiata Stories
- Dragon Quest VIII

Considering:
- Rogue Galaxy
- Grandia III
- Valkyrie Profile II
- Shadow Hearts III

I'm looking for something epic, story-wise -- not too simple. But I don't want the difficulty level of gamplay so outrageous that I want to pull a VT.

Any help would be appreciated. =)

No--I'm not going to suggest Suikoden. I WILL however suggest playing one of the games you haven't started yet. I haven't played any of them (so why say something? you ask), but from what I've seen in reviews and what the others here are saying, they are very different than the ones you've already played.

And, ironically, they are all games that I've considered buying myself...LOL

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

You could try the two Kingdom Hearts games - I really enjoyed KHI but haven't gotten II yet. It might be worth a shot.

In addition, do try Grandia. I haven't played III, but I did beat II. Great game, very long, but it was pretty good. Also had quite a few challenge spots, but it was worth it.

Also, you didn't mention FFX, although it seems you have gone through it. If not, that's another choice...

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Originally Posted by Leknaat

No--I'm not going to suggest Suikoden.

Heh, why not? He said he wanted an epic game with a good story that isn't too simple. Frankly, that was the last RPG I played and got hooked on (144 hours, 2 runs...1 without 108 stars, 1 with). Of the ones listed, I have VP2, but I've been in the midst of Chapter 3 for awhile and haven't really gone back to it. I REALLY like the battle system, but I'm just not hooked on the game.

So I would recommend Suikoden V, as long as you don't mind picking up another game.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Thanks for the suggestions! It's official... I'm going to start Abyss =D And if I get bored of that, I'll just move down the list .__.''

I did rent VP1, and I thought it was good. A little hard, but good. I didn't get to finish the game though, fucking BS 3-day rental. But I'll definitely try VP2 after Abyss.

And screw Shadow Hearts 3 now. LOL. Same with Grandia 3. And I'm still hesitant with Radiata Stories.

Okami's an RPG? RPG-action? I was meaning to try that but I never found a decent torrent, I mean... no cash. =/

edit: Yeah, I played KH I/II. I didn't like II so I gave up on that. And I've played all of the FF =(

How about Suikoden III? It was one of the first games to come out for the ps2.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Shadow Hearts 3 is not that good IMO. I love the first two games, but Shadow Hearts without Yuri is not worthy. I quit playing it like after 15 hours and I'm not missing it.

Definitely try Valkyrie Profile 2, which is a very good sequel. The only problem with the game is that is not that difficult, but that's what you're looking for.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by GoldfishX

Heh, why not? He said he wanted an epic game with a good story that isn't too simple. Frankly, that was the last RPG I played and got hooked on (144 hours, 2 runs...1 without 108 stars, 1 with). Of the ones listed, I have VP2, but I've been in the midst of Chapter 3 for awhile and haven't really gone back to it. I REALLY like the battle system, but I'm just not hooked on the game.

So I would recommend Suikoden V, as long as you don't mind picking up another game.

I would have if 3 games weren't already craving attention.

Additional Spam:
However...

Originally Posted by Sepharite

How about Suikoden III? It was one of the first games to come out for the ps2.

Since you asked.....

Suikoden III is my least favorite of the series. If you played Suikoden I and II--you would understand why.

Battle Party: Grouped into 3 pairs (front and back)
Item/Magic Support: Unless specified for the whole group--only for the pair
Battle Combos: Again, unless it's a large group combo, paired combos have to be grouped front/back
Magic Combos: Gone
World Map: You cross it twice. (A little "you" walks across a map to your destination, then when you hit "accept" you get to do it in the actual world.)

Story: 3 viewpoints. Heh--this actually isn't bad. You get to choose the hero. But, truth be told--the story isn't as epic as you would like.

Weird factor: High--why are there two Vikis? And why are they under two stars? Why?

BUT--I will agree with Goldfish about Suikoden V. It passed II as my favorite Suikoden game. Like the others, there are multiple endings, but this time, they are influenced by your actions throughout the game as well as getting the 108 stars. (I don't mean killing someone--I mean whether you are a nice guy or a jerk.)

The story takes you in--I've played it several times, and each time I can't wait to see what happens next, and I've racked up over 200 hours of play. (Told you I like it.)

How ya doing, buddy?

Shadow Hearts 3 is not a bad game on its own. The story is not that great, I have to admit, but the gameplay is the same awesome stuff that I loved in the second game, with the actual bonus that it actually poses a challenge now, and some of the bosses will seriously kick your ass, so if you are looking for a more difficult game, but don't mind the lighthearted story, it's a good option.

Radiata Stories is a bit meh. It looks really pretty imo (I'm a sucker for nice graphics), but the rest of the game isn't that great. Combat is pretty basic, you don't really have to think a lot about strategic battling, and the majority of the gameplay comes from collecting characters, which can be VERY time consuming, and it can get rather boring. The upside is the story, which is pretty fun, but also has a couple of serious moments, and as I said before, the graphics, which are just awesome.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

I know someone already recommended Dragon Quest VIII, though I want to second it. Yes, even though you've made up your mind. Since you've played every Shin Megami Tensei game (I'm assuming you were enjoying yourself), I think it'd be the best RPG for you to pick up at this time. Especially after putting down Odin Sphere (which I admittedly only finished out of attrition).

It's very traditionalist, but the storyline is enjoyable and manages to strike a balance between having a decent epic line to the story and also not taking itself so seriously. It's a satisfying romp, provided that you like the more old school feeling it provides.

I actually cast a vote against Radiata Stories. Along with Grandia III, it was just one of those RPGs that felt like it was just... there. In my PS2. Literally wasting my time. You should sell them for money!

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by Sepharite

Okami's an RPG? RPG-action? I was meaning to try that but I never found a decent torrent, I mean... no cash. =/

Okami's about as much an RPG as Ocarina of Time/Twilight Princess is, since it plays so very, very similar to those two. But it's also just a fantastic game. Couldn't recommend it highly enough, and quite frankly I'm surprised no one else in this thread has said anything. :/

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by SouthJag

about as much an RPG as Ocarina of Time/Twilight Princess is

Quote:

quite frankly I'm surprised no one else in this thread has said anything. :/

I don't really, call me insane, hold Okami in the same definition. Given the "Adventure vs. RPG" genre bullshit Zelda tends to get, I didn't think someone would say the same of Okami. Apparently there are several Rare Ltd. RPGs I've never even played going by that particular methodology of labeling.

FELIPE NO

Yea I cant really recommend Suikoden III. I didn't like the story, the characters, the music, and while the combat was decent, it wasn't anything too outstandish. I will say though that Dragon Quest VIII is great! Granted its a pretty long RPG and it gets tough if you don't spend some time leveling but its really an awesome game.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

I cast another vote against Suikoden III. This is one of those games I bought new & then let it sit on my shelf for about 3 years before trying it out. I hated the "overworld," I thought the castle areas were a joke... It just seemed like an N64-level game but with a bit flashier graphics. It's one of the few games I've played in the past few years that I instantly disliked.

I would recommend trying out Breath of Fire V. You should be able to pick it up dirt cheap if you can find it. (Or dirt cheap on Ebay.) This game's style is unique, the battles are most strategic than just picking which potion to drink next, and the music is great. Plus, it has the best intro sequence of any game imho...

Jam it back in, in the dark.

I just have to ask. How far did you get into Kingdom Hearts II before you gave up? That game has made my top favourites list, but only after i passed some almost excrutiatingly boring bits. If you can get past that hurdle, the game gets soooooooooo much better.

I'm going to caution you about Grandia III. It's a good enough game, but it's frustrating as hell later on in the game, and the story, writing, and voice acting only deteriorates as time goes on. By the end of the game i wanted to kill each and every character i met because they were so one-dimensional and voiced terribly. But the high difficulty makes for a very satisfied feeling after beating the final boss.

Also, probably the second worst ending i've ever seen.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

If you're willing to consider PS1 games, try Wild Arms 2. The plot, while not necessarily "Lord of the Rings" epic, has a nice way of unfolding multiple times to become something bigger and bigger, and has plenty of intricacies.

Overall the game's regarded by many WA fans to be the best of the WA series, and if you can forgive the less-than-stellar translation, there's a lot to like about it.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

I actually prefer Symphonia to Abyss, but it's still good. Free Run is definitely better than Symphonia's system. The story isn't epic as you wanted though, but it's a pretty long game. Funny, but everytime I've recommended Abyss to other people wanting to play a new RPG, they always play something else instead, and I don't know why.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by CelticWhisper

Overall the game's regarded by many WA fans to be the best of the WA series, and if you can forgive the less-than-stellar translation, there's a lot to like about it.

...what. Most people I know of think it's the worst or second worst. First time I've heard of this.

Anyways, throwing out nods to Tales of the Abyss and Suikoden V.

Stay away from Shadow Hearts III and Grandia III. They're gameplay games, not story games.

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Add another vote for Tales of the Abyss. I think it's exactly the type of game you are looking for currently. The plot is long, involving, and I think the cast is very easy to get attached to. The battle system isn't very hard and standard fare for the Tales series. That could be good or bad in your opinion, but I've always thought the Tales games were fun. Abyss is arguably one of the best to date and you shouldn't definitely give it a try.

The only other game on the list of haven't started/considering I've tried is Valkyrie Profile 2. I aboslutely loved the first game, but I was sorely disappointed with the second. I'm sure there are plenty of people who love it for whatever reasons, but I wouldn't recommend it... especially if you are looking to avoid being annoyed.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

I just started Dragon Quest VIII and Abyss. Abyss seems alright, the battle system is kinda like Star Ocean which I loved. The story seems interesting enough at the start -- very mysterious =O

Dragon Quest is fucking gorgeous O_O I spent 3 hours playing the game basically wandering the world map. I'm shallow like that. But it seems good so far. The story isn't very engaging. I think it's basically going to towns and helping solve that mystery, get the next clue, move onto the next area. I could be horribly wrong. Also, I hate that you can only save in the church and can only heal at the inn. I'm guessing the other DQ games are like this? It adds to the challenge, but it keeps me at the edge of my seat when I'm at critical and I want to get the hell out of there.

I'll continue to play these two games for now. Until one of them gets boring. =D

Oh, and about Kingdom Hearts II. I'm in the first visit to Aladin's world. My friend has the game but she's not going to give it back for a while. I think she sleeps with it. =S

How ya doing, buddy?

Get Suikoden V..

Its pretty long.. 108 characters to recruit, get your own castle! New story, so you dont need to have played the others in the series.

Oh, I recommend Okami an Odin Sphere(action rpg, can give you 40+ hours too)

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

I take it you're not interested in excellent RPGs for other consoles at all, because other than ToTA, that's about all I would really want to recommend. Some of the other games on your list of unplayed titles are OK, but excellent RPGs are in the minority, and most of them have some kind of flaw that would prevent me recommending them with a clear conscience.

I also would like to endorse the recomendations for Suikoden V, Odin Sphere, and Okami, even though only the first one of those is an RPG in any sense of the term. If you're interested in RPGs on other consoles, then I could add a few more noteworthy recommendations, but maybe you already played them and you just aren't listing RPGs you played on anything but PS2.

Jam it back in, in the dark.