I've played through 6 enough times to know that bad translation like the lyrics to a top twenties 90's tune that never made it off the radio once it fell off the charts... Is the the GBA translation improved enough to give it a whirl? It is the only incarnation of the game I haven't played through...

wow.... I never thought about that.... dating sims that would allow you to choose your sexual preference that is... has that ever been done?

In any event, on that note, supposedly in this installment you can choose to "force" whomever to be your mate to the detriment of your offsprings stats if your given choice isn't fond of you.... something tells me this game is gonna come under scrutiny no matter how good it is, as the self-righteous who need something to bitch about take these things completely  out of context...

Between this and Mugen Souls I can't wait to here how offended parents of gamer-kiddies get this year whilst completely over looking the fact that for years they have been allowing their child the virtual freedom of shooting their neighbors and friends in modern and realistic settings...

Before kicking this one off I just want to preface this with an apology for not continuing my last Agarest 2 thread... That thread was primarily about/focused on the LE goodies and we all know where that discussion went.... I didn't want to revive it because I felt we needed a thread about the game and not gender exploitation or discrimination or whatever the hell happened to that one.... I'm not gonna go back and check because I recall it got too out of sorts for me while it was still kicking and I figure best leave that one burried.

So any-hoo.... Who hear is as stoked as I am about this one!!? I purposely held off on Gungnir and have been finishing backlogged titles for the last 3 weeks to make sure nothing compromised immersing myself in this come wednesday morning! I really liked Agarest Zero but ruined it on myself with DLC (never ever again will I get equipment and money DLC packs.... even if they are free....).... So as such, and seeing as how this looks to be a 100% improved departure from AW0, I can't contain myself... I really feel like this is gonna be a stellar title.

If I'm not mistaken the narrative is also a completely fresh invention with nothing to do with the Ag0 and Ag1 universes, which just compounds my excitement further! Aside from that the free-roam overworld map and switch to cross-edge styled battles (much shorter than the Ag0 and Ag1 battles) has me beyond sold. So yea.... I'm going into this one with some expectations but I really don't see myself being let down here..... and if I am oh well... it still kept me focused enough this month to finish FF 4 Complete Collection, Suikoden 1 and Atelier Rorona.

I typically won't restart an RPG til it is old enough to be new to me again-LoL.... There are SOME exceptions however.... I played through FF6 enough times to literally recall parts of the script verbatim... heck, I could probably draw maps of the dungeons from memory... Most of those play-through's were in my childhood though.

The stuff I replay now is all, as was stated by a few others, in the interest of nostalgia coupled with the fact that some older titles just have no equal in my mind. I did however go through a period of my life where I was so inebriated I can't remember anything of the games I played.... some of those have demanded my attention again over the course of the last 5 years or so since becoming sober.... sad as that may be.

Though my recall of the few aforementioned titles is pretty fuzzy as well, I do recall liking but not finishing LoL or BtB for some reason... What I do remember is really not digging the limited cast in LoL.... In either event, neither were stellar enough to demand my attention again later in life...

I'll tell you what is demanding my attention as a result of this thread is Breath of Fire... I've been itching for another run through of 3 in the worst way... I think that is going to be my next "classic" to pop in once I finished my Earthbound play-through.

Also, to the original poster, good move picking up Suikoden man, you won't regret it :) Dare I say, you may even feel enclined to shell out the bucks for 2 (as I did) after giving it a go.

Yea, I'm drawing and tattooing for anywhere from 8-12 hours a day.... anything that eases the strain on my eyeballs is worth it...


To be honest, aside from a few streetpass perks I haven't downloaded much of anything... even my 2 Ps3's are both almost completely void of online purchases, save DLC for the games I own hard copies of.... I've always been one to enjoy owning to physical game/disc/cartridge/hardware et cetera... my entire PS1 collection is all original disc based retail purchases, not a single digital... though I must admit, most of them were purchased before they were up on the network and I could have definately saved a buck or two had I waited (suikoden and arc the lad collection which I purchased in mint condition come to mind....)

Thanks for the heads up on Queens blade.... you guys saved me a good hour or two of dissapointment tonite...

On the other hand I found ikkitousen to be really enjoyable for some reason... but I went into that one a pretty big fan of the battle vixens manga so I was relatively bias...

Well, while waiting for Fate/Stay I think tonite I'll check out The Familiar of Zero... I'm just not feeling any more Dream Eater Merry right now and Now and There is my daytime anime... yes I have anime viewing schedules set up for myself.... I also have game-playing schedules set up to juggle my various backlogs whilst acomadating new titles..... is this strange?

Let me apologize for erroneously making any comparison between pokemon and fate/stay..... it was a retarded statement that totally mis-represented me meaning... which was that it was a false impression I discerned a long time ago that kept me away...

Anyhow, you don't have to tell me twice to check out anything of the fantasy-fare... Starting with Fate Stay/Night, orderred and on the way...

Speaking of Fantasy Anime... I decided to watch the first 3 eps of Queens Blade last night.... I don't understand the appeal of this one at all... typically I am sucker for fantasy anime but I found nothing appealing about this yet.... No cool characters, I don't like the art style and so far everyone is just a chick who gets naked... I am hoping the condition improves a few more eps in but seriously, I can't hold out much hope for a series that kicks off the first episode with a freakin' bunny demon that oozes acidic tit milk or whatever the hell that was.....

Another strike this week came by way of Dream Eater Merry.... albeit a quasi-original plot, the characters lack much of anything to get attached to for me... and might I add that Merry's jacket bothers me to no end. I know anime-attire doesn't always make sense but those coat tails are too over the top to be ignored. I don't know why this bothers me, but it does.... probably because there isn't enough going on for me to over-look it.

Still loving the heck out of "Now and Then, Here and There" though. This one just keeps getting better and better.....

EDIT: Thanks Aeolus for the "hint" about Gai-Rei.... I'll be giving it a read in due time....

This is maddening... I feel like I just bought the 3DS.. now I got trade it and shell out more cash for this.... crud....

I feel the EXACT same way sometimes (that is, sometimes its relieving to know your not missing out on something you intended on pouring at least 40-60 hours of your life into.... especially when you have so many other 40-60 hour life-wasters sitting on the shelf enticing you-LoL).... Dragon Age 2 was one such case for me as well... but then again it isn't hard to talk me out of a WRPG... in any event maybe I too will reconsider turning a blind eye to this title seeing as how its less than 20 buck now and it comes suggested by Bytor who is currently batting a thousand with me after suggesting "Now and Then, Here and THere" over on the anime board....

Any-hoo..... This week in gaming for me HAS ROCKED!! I finally beat Atelier Rorona... let me repeat I FINISHED ATELIER RORONA FINALLY!!.... For a game that I started off really appreciating this one got REAL stale for me..... but I feel all the better for having meandered my way through it. I will however say, I am highly disgusted that I ended up with the Cordelia ending. I worked my non-functioning-testes off to get the Sterk ending, met all the requirements as far as I knew, had his friendship level waaay up and yet... lo and behold... I failed... Thats what I get for refusing to use guides or faqs I suppose... The way I see it reviews and reading on boards spoils enough for me....

I also recently begun moving my way through Earthbound again since its release when I was but a youngin' (at which point I could not appreciate, nor finish the title).... I went in a bit skeptical but have to admit, I feel this game totally deserves the acclaim it gets. So freakin' original in so many respects and challenging in ways I really didn't expect. I love the fact that (so far) nothing feels recycled.... some of the stuff this game requires you to figure out to progress is just brilliant yet borders on ridiculous which I can really appreciate. I can't think of a single other title that requires you to stand in place for 3 minutes in order to advance through a standard plot dungeon.... something you would NEVER figure out to do if you were not a thorough player talking to all the various townsfolk you come across. Waaaay cool how this game doesn't treat the player with kid gloves in any respects really... My only complaint here is the gameplay leaves alot to be desired. Especially the menu and inventory systems..... Talk about a head-ache.

Lastly, I was steadily moving through Hyperdimenion MK2 after having that one backlogged since Tales of Graces F came out.... I got to the third chapter this week but I'm thinking this a gonna be a spuratic weekend or in-between title for me. Why....? Because Agarest 2 comes out this week!! And I am abso-freakin'-lutely diving into that one head first this wednesday upon release. Tis a good week to be a gamer for me... yes it is...

I'm not saying Saga Frontier is necessarily bad.. but out of everything listed that certainly WOULD NOT be my first pick.... or 2nd or 3rd for that matter.... though I will say I adored the art direction.....

 
I was in the same boat as you not too long ago, having let this series slip past me... let me tell you what, although these titles foster some acclaim, I don't feel they get near enough.. They are familiar enough as JRPGs to scratch that "classic" itch with enough originality by way of the puzzles and dungeons to really keep you going. After playing game after game after game, you start to feel as though you know what your in for and always challenged in the same ways over and over again.... As such, Wild Arms came into my life and was a total refresher reminding me great gameplay and design coupled with a decent (although not stellar narrative) equates to a freakin' great game that doesn't have to go out into left field to feel like a very original experience.

My advice though, if you haven't played all this stuff listed here is to go for the Suikoden series. Suikoden 1 was a bit unbalanced in the sense that with the right characters in your party, the game can prove ridiculously easy.... But half the fun for me was discovering those character combos that really let me stick it to the enemies. The narrative sets up for Suikoden 2 beautifully and makes that experience all the better. Without getting into anything else, on all RPG fronts I found Suikoden to totally rise above mediocrity and enter the realm of completely awesome  in many respects. It is original, has a great narrative and soundtrack, a wonderful cast and just too many good points to be a "bad" or "mediocre" game... In other words with suikoden 1 and 2 is VERY safe to say you won't regret your experience.....

.... Now in a completely subjective sense, I would definately second the Breath of Fire suggestions that have been presented here as well... I am probably the only one who liked 3 more then 4 but both were great to me and well worth playing. In any event, its just plain-jane solid JRPG goodness here..... But I am a Breath of Fire whore and loved the first 2 which many people did not so I could be bias, which is why my first suggestion to you is Suikoden or Wild Arms if thats seems more appealing to you.

After those I would head into Xeno, Star Ocean 2, Grandia and Valkyrie Profile. Those three are all really great titles but each are great for their originality in different respects that place them sort of outside the realm of your standard stuff.

Lastly, I want to mention "Thousand Arms" as my obscure title suggestion to look into for the future.... I know not many people talk much about it or like it.... and I myself don't have enough experience with it to say either way yet, though it is sitting on my shelf beggin for a play-through. But it looked interesting enough in a real odd-ball sense to catch my attention..... In fact, if anyone here has experience with it, I myself would love to hear it.

EDIT: I made a boo-boo and wasn't mindful of what it was you orderred already. Plus completely neglected to mention in my top suggestions.... Lunar 1 and 2 are quite possibly my favorite PS1 RPG's period. But they are not for everyone.... They are very straightforward and typical, but also very well done.  I would actually place the Lunar suggestion above my others if you are looking for a very "standard" experience and classic fantasy narrative that is well told enough to keep you hooked.

i knew it was gonna happen sooner or later... that is, a solid reason I can't ignore to break-down and buy a vita.... in a perfect world a vita 2.0 model will be released with HDMI output before this is localized....

I didn't see it there ....but it would stand to reason that it is (or is on the way) .... seeing as how I just shelled out 160 bucks for a copy about a month or two ago.... can't imagine we all missed it though so I don't think it is on yet

I never got familiar with the Fate stuff.... I was always under the impression it was more "Pokemon" and less "Fantasy" (not that there is a problem with that) and just sort of turned a blind eye to it..... been meaning to check it out though......

I just want to quickly say THANK YOU BYTOR ol' boy!!! A few pages of posts ago you mentioned "Now and Then, Here and There" and upon your suggestion I checked it out... EXCELLENT series so far.... I'm only a few eps in and totally hooked.....

In other news Gai Rei Zero proved surprisingly satisfying, wrapping up nicely with a few plot twists toward the end of its short little run whilst still leaving plenty of room for more if in fact more is to come.... I don't normally jump for the "bad-ass monster-slaying chick-with-a-sword" stuff either.... usually seems horribly generic to me ever since I tried watching the atrocity that was Blood C after the Last Vamp film.... One thing I must mention didn't like too much was some odd cg visuals for the demons is GRZ..... but then again I never really dig the inclusion of the CG stuff......

You know come to think of it... yea I do recall gathering that... and I'm really wishing I listened... but when I sat down I just figured ahh hell if I'm going to see this trilogy through I may as well do it right.... I know if I didn't see Rorona through it would just bother me too much.... I know I know.... Klyde is aware of how strange Klyde is.... it need not be expressed