5 Favorite JRPGs of 2009

[CDFN]

Is this just jrgs or not?

Anyway, jrpgs:

1-Devil survivor
2-Valkyria chronicles
3-The last remnant
4-Persona psp
5-Devil sumoner 2

These are the only ones I completed anyway. I started a few others like AT2 but got bored of them really fast. I'm probably forgetting something but I think that these were the ones released in 2009 that I played.

[Dizzy]

I can't remember everything that came out this year, but Muramasa, Magna Carta 2, Devil Survivor, and Persona PSP, are definitely my favorites of 2009. There are a lot I have, but haven't touched yet though, because of time constraints.

I think I'd even go far as to say that Muramasa is my favorite game of this generation, so far. I really fucking love that game to death.

[Hathen]

Nostalgia

Ugh, save yourself the trouble. If there's one word I can use to describe Nostalgia, it would be "lazy". Lazy story, lazy characters, lazy music, lazy graphics. It's not even appealing in a old-school way. Boring from the beginning to the end- the review on this site is spot on.

[Gen Eric Gui]

I've been playing Nostalgia and I don't think it's that bad.  It's generic, but anyone who didn't expect that going in is a fool.  So far my only real complaint is that the airship battles are really poorly balanced for being the main focus of the game.

[Hathen]

There's a pretty big difference between being generic and being mind-numbingly boring. If you've played every RPG there is to offer on the DS and you're really itching to play another one, I suppose you could do worse.

It's pretty hard to accuse Nostalgia of doing a lot of things wrong, mainly because it's not "doing" a lot to begin with.

The story and characters arn't really worth mentioning, so the only thing really worth discussing is the gameplay.

I find it surprising you would actually say that your "only" complaint is that the airship battles are poorly balanced, because that's one of the only things the game has to offer that other games don't have. The airship battles are also nothing remarkable because they're pretty much the exact same thing as normal battles except everyone shares the same life bar. Oh yeah, you need to buy a different set of weapons and armor for the airship.

The other thing the game has to offer that is unique is the setting: It's set in the real world, unlike a lot of other games. Problem is, it doesn't use this to its advantage in the least bit. In fact it makes me feel like the only reason they did it was because they were too lazy to come up with a world of their own.

The battle system is boring, lifeless, and dull. Although the battles are faster than, say, FFIV DS, they are still far too long because of the simple fact that nobody is going to give a rat's ass about how smoothly Eddie swings his sword after the 6000th time he does it. The skill tree system has been done in god knows how many RPGs, and done much better than this game's typical "oh yeah put some points here and make it stronger" deal.

And what better way to accentuate your boring battle system with boring, uninspired music? The music in the game seriously reminded me of the vanilla tunes you get along with RPGMaker or something. They're not bad songs, but they are amazingly boring.

Nostalgia was a complete flop for me. It does few things wrong, but also does nothing right aside from maybe having 3D graphics that have a cleaner look than a lot of the other DS games have.

[dalucifer0]

Uhh....Pokemon Platinum is the only JRPG I played this year that I liked. SO4 can go and kiss my yellow ass.

(Magna Carta 2 is Korean, people. KOREAN.)

[Gen Eric Gui]

(Magna Carta 2 is Korean, people. KOREAN.)

As we've already discussed in this thread, JRPG is a genre, not a descriptor of where the game came from.

@Hathen: I like Nostalgia's music, and I find the simple battle system to be soothing after playing hundreds of games with overcomplicated messes of battle systems.  I like the game for the same reason I like Dragon Quest; it's simple and easy to play.  It's kinda like cake, sometimes you just want some without all the flowery artsy-fartsy icing on it.

[Dincrest]

Nostalgia was a lazy effort.  I know it's a throwback, I love a good throwback, and most of the games I reviewed this year were throwbacks, but compared to throwbacks like Crimson Gem Saga or even the RPGM stuff like Dawn's Light or Millennium, Nostalgia was just half-hearted.

It's like comparing homemeade mac 'n cheese with mac 'n cheese from a box.  Comfort-food RPGs are fine.  Nothing wrong with a simple dish, but that simple dish has to be cooked well.  Nostalgia was a simple dish that was both overcooked and raw at the same time.  (And I found the music completely forgettable.)

[Dizzy]

(Magna Carta 2 is Korean, people. KOREAN.)

As we've already discussed in this thread, JRPG is a genre, not a descriptor of where the game came from.

I think I missed that discussion, but that was my intention when I mentioned it. Gamers are so fucking hung up on sub-subcategorizing, that I completely stopped giving a shit on what to call things. :P

[Dincrest]

But sometimes sub-categorizing is necessary.  Look at all the subgenres of metal.  Sure Pantera and Fates Warning are both metal, but are very distinct, thus warranting the subgenres. 

[Dizzy]

Well, I understand the purpose and usefulness (especially since genres are broadening more and more, as the generations progress), but how some people just go bat-shit insane over it just kinda irks me.

I know I've had to use them for certain conversations too. Like distinguishing between Shoot'em ups and First Person Shooters. I simply just can't use "shooters" anymore, but it's still probably the first word I will use, since sub-categorizing won't be the first thing that comes to mind. That's all I meant to say.

[Gen Eric Gui]

FPS is very, very different from a Shoot em' up.  Halo and R-Type are two very, very different games.

[Dizzy]

Well, obviously. I'm just saying that I'm more likely to use the term "Shooters" more, rather than the sub-categories, is all. And that it was just an example. :P

[Kevadu]

But sometimes sub-categorizing is necessary.  Look at all the subgenres of metal.  Sure Pantera and Fates Warning are both metal, but are very distinct, thus warranting the subgenres. 

The last thing this world needs is more people adopting the subgenre insanity that metalheads are so proud of...it's at the point where practically every band gets its own 'subgenre'.  Then metalheads will vigorously defend  their obtuse and absurdly complex system with the excuse that they 'sound different'.  Of course they sound different, they're different bands.  That doesn't make a bloody genre.

[CDFN]

Isn't Jeanne D'arc a 2009 release? If it is you can put it at the top of my ist.