age-old JRPG problem

[Sagacious-T]

Blue Dragon hard mode got pretty bullshit after a while
All Japanese MMORPGs have grinding
Etrian Odyssey maybe
Dark Cloud

[Eusis]

You still need to grind, regardless of whether or not you do the Item World. You will never be able to just do one map once, and then move onto the next one. You will need to play the same map 3 or 4 times to get the necessary levels and magic skills to tackle the later ones.

There were times I ground, but I know it definitely was not like that before I decided to go all out and break the game. Maybe it got worse later on? And Demon's Souls? Grinding? Maybe a different type of grind, in that you try to figure out a stage and get as far as I can, but from what I played (admittedly just getting halfway through World 1 and clearing World 2) I didn't need to grind in the traditional RPG sense.

It's worth considering how many games really have grinding as the only alternative anyway. Can you explore more, and thus get into battles to deal with levels? Take quests to get some EXP or at least have a goal beyond 'get a higher level' for fighting monsters? Dragon Quests like IV and V would arguably need grinding to advance, but usually at those points you can explore other parts of the world, so even if you can't do anything there yet you'll know where to find towns, maybe get some decent equipment, or even have a point to easily go to once you learn Zoom and thus save searching for the place again later on. Only needed to grind once in IV to get a bit more money for a weapon, and that only took about 5 to 10 minutes, while DQV only became a problem right at the end of the game with the final boss. Similarly, you could always fill out your map in Etrian Odyssey, and in the case of 3 you can explore the sea to get more money and thus pay for equipment to help deal with monsters kicking your ass.

[Dice]

Then don't "grind" and play the game as a hard mode. :P

I remember fucken hating FFX for that sometimes.  The game was hard... but you grind a little (or go further in sphere board since it's pretty easy to level up) and you're walking on sunshine.

I've always appreciated tri-Ace for those difficulty spikes that more often that not required mastering the battle system than level up an obscene amount.  I call them an underrated developer for that.

Another tip for people: stop playing Dragon Quest, it sucks, it's classic RPG charm wears off fast! xP

[Starmongoose]

The only place I remember having to grind like crazy in FFX was before the Seymore fight on Mt. Gagazet. Though the save points also fully healing you came in handy for that.

[Kevadu]

I never had to grind in FFX.  I'm also pretty sure I played through the whole game without dying a single time.  That game was difficult how exactly?

[Sagacious-T]

I never had to grind in FFX.  I'm also pretty sure I played through the whole game without dying a single time.  That game was difficult how exactly?

The Snow Mountain Mega Seymour boss fucked me up the first time I fought him

[Starmongoose]

I never had to grind in FFX.  I'm also pretty sure I played through the whole game without dying a single time.  That game was difficult how exactly?

The Snow Mountain Mega Seymour boss fucked me up the first time I fought him

Glad I wasn't the only one then

[Sagacious-T]

I never had to grind in FFX.  I'm also pretty sure I played through the whole game without dying a single time.  That game was difficult how exactly?

The Snow Mountain Mega Seymour boss fucked me up the first time I fought him

Glad I wasn't the only one then

Haha, I actually skipped over your post too. Awesome.

[Annubis]

I never had to grind in FFX.  I'm also pretty sure I played through the whole game without dying a single time.  That game was difficult how exactly?

The Snow Mountain Mega Seymour boss fucked me up the first time I fought him

Glad I wasn't the only one then

Haha, I actually skipped over your post too. Awesome.

Had some problems with him, but Yunalesca was a way bigger bitch =/

[Starmongoose]

Yeah, you're right, but I don't think any amount of grinding would have helped you with her. You just gotta be pretty fucking lucky half the time, keeping at least one member in zombie, so when she uses Megadeath (Or Slipknot, Cradle of Filth, whatever the spell was called) on you, you can phoenix down like crazy.

[Fadedsun]

Another tip for people: stop playing Dragon Quest, it sucks, it's classic RPG charm wears off fast! xP

No, it doesn't. I'm playing DQV right now and I love it.  I've also never had to grind once in the game. The only time I purposely got into battles was if I was trying to recruit a new monster.

[supersonic]

Actually now that I think about it, Riviera required a fair amount of grinding to learn skills, which were pretty much mandatory if you wanted to complete the game.

My point still stands though - JRPG generally do not require frequent mandatory grinding to beat the game.

[insertnamehere]

I never had to grind in FFX.  I'm also pretty sure I played through the whole game without dying a single time.  That game was difficult how exactly?

The Snow Mountain Mega Seymour boss fucked me up the first time I fought him

Glad I wasn't the only one then

I would probably still have that problem now without action replay.
it let me use kimahri's spirit lance as a shield for tidus.

[Gen Eric Gui]

Another tip for people: stop playing Dragon Quest, it sucks, it's classic RPG charm wears off fast! xP

No, it doesn't. I'm playing DQV right now and I love it.  I've also never had to grind once in the game. The only time I purposely got into battles was if I was trying to recruit a new monster.

This about twelve times.  I had more quality game time in DQ8 + 9 then I've had in most of the non-SMT RPG's I've played in the last 4-5 years.  Anyone who just writes off DQ as "just a bunch of silly oldschool RPG conventions" is selling the series short.

[Yggdrasil]

Dragon Quest is one of the few series that doesn't suck from Square Enix in my opinion.

Not a surprise to me though. How the mighty have fallen so hard, keep making remakes of your old glory.