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Does anyone know of a complete list of TGCD RPGs? I have a PCE Duo so I can't play US HuCards but I'd still like to track down some CD games.

Cosmic Fantasy 2
The Legend of Heroes
Dungeon Master
Might & Magic III

That's it.

That's grim. What about Ys Books I & II and Ys III? If they don't count then I'm being unclear - it's those kinds of games I want. I'm currently playing Ys I & II in Japanese but would prefer to get it in English.

Oh, I thought you meant RPGs.

For action-RPGs, you've got Ys I & II, Ys III, Dungeon Explorer II, Exile, Exile II, and if you stretch the boundaries of the genre, Shape Shifter.

My bad, I wasn't clear. Both kinds are fine by me. I'm struggling with Out Live and Necromancer looks like it would be pretty grim even if I could understand it.

Stretch how far? Stretch as far as Dragon's Curse or not quite that far?

Yeah, it's a side-scrolling hack-and-slash quest game.  Take Legendary Axe and make it into a Simon's Quest style game, and that's basically what Shape Shifter's like.

Seldane forgot Order of the Griffin.

Quote from: Keranu on 06/27/2007, 05:39 PMSeldane forgot Order of the Griffin.

No he didn't, that's a HuCard and M.B. wanted disc only games.

Whoops, my bad!

Though actually was it possible to play Order of the Griffin on a Japanese system or was that Night Creatures of all games?

I don't recall, but whichever it was I believe still required a converter but didn't require the grounded pin.

i always considred beyond shadowgate to be an RPG, unless you come from the school of though that RPS must have hit points.i am not. with that you can add loom to the list. and some others

Beyond Shadowgate does not contain a single RPG element. Even FIFA '07 is more of an RPG.

I had Shadowgate on the Mac and, waaaayyy back, on the Atari ST. How does the TG version differ?

Edit: I agree with Seldane, it's not an RPG, it's an adventure game. I suppose it's an RPG in the sense that every game has you playing a role. Still, I'm not complaining, I like adventure games.

Technically practically any game can be a RPG since you role play in them.

The four FM listed are the only "true" turn-based RPGs.  I have a pretty damn loose interpretation of "RPG" that includes all the games everyone else listed as well as Loom.
Some of these games belong in other genres, but if you're an RPG lover, they'll satisfy you to some degree:

Beyond Shadowgate
Cosmic Fantasy 2 (too many battles)
Dragon Slayer
Dungeon Explorer 2
Dungeon Master
Dynastic Hero (more of an adventure game)
Exile (too easy)
Exile 2 (very hard)
Loom
Might and Magic 3
Shape Shifter (a lot like Cadash)
Ys 1-2
Ys 3

That's 13 games out of the 45 CDs, or 28% of the US releases that are Adventure/RPGs.  Even if you only count the four turn-based RPGs, that's still 8% of the library and probably on par with, or better than, other consoles for its time.  The TG-CD also has four mystery games (Sherlock 1+2, JB Harold, It Came from the Desert) and two strategy games (Vasteel, Lords ot Rising Sun) that may appeal to thoughtful, problem-solving gamers.

Now for a completely irrelevant rant...
Why the hell do games have to look like Chrono Trigger or take place in a medieval setting to be considered RPGs.  Take the original Metal Gear on the NES for example--totally an RPG.  Why doesn't anyone considered it an RPG?  Because it was created when RPGs were barely even a genre and because it doesn't look like stinkin' Final Fantasy-cutesy-village-crap.  Instead of a village you have rescued hostages and a radio; you collect keys (key cards), weapons, and healing potions (rations); explore dungeons (fortresses); and even gain levels (rank).  Heck, the stealthy box might as well be an invisibility spell.  It's an RPG, damnit.

My definition for RPG consists of the following:

-Fight
-Level up
-Fight
-Buy shit to equip and heal
-Fight
-Learn and use magic/techniques
-Fight
-Fight
-Walk...
-Fight
-Fight
-Talk to people
-Fight
-Fight
-Save and load your game
-Fight
-Fight

If a game has all of those things, it's an RPG to me.

Define 'level up'. Ferinstance, if you count gaining heart containers and the color rings from the original Legend of Zelda, it's an RPG.

I would probably consider Metal Gear an RPG of sorts, more of a hybrid genre type game. You can combine an RPG with just about any other genre or subgenre of game and come up with a nice hybrid (Final Lap Twin [driving RPG], Dark Savior [VS fighting RPG], Dark Wizard [nonstandard strategy RPG], etc).

Leveling up to me means after you've gotten in so many fights your strength and life increases.  In Zelda you just find a new heart in a treasure box if I recall (same with Monster World/Dragon's Curse) but your attack power and defense power do not raise simultaneously.

Keranu: you're wrong. People often believe that's the case, but an RPG is not a game where you take the role of a character. It is a game based on old tabletop RPG mechanics, and therefore REQUIRE the following to happen, in order to be called an RPG.

-Fight
-Level up
-Fight
-Buy shit to equip and heal
-Fight
-Learn and use magic/techniques
-Fight
-Fight
-Walk...
-Fight
-Fight
-Talk to people
-Fight
-Fight
-Save and load your game
-Fight
-Fight

Again, FIFA is more like an RPG than Beyond Shadowgate and stuff that people mentioned in this thread. :roll:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Console_role-playing_game
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_role-playing_game

Vestcunt: Why are you using the RPG term loosely? Why not replace it with adventure? At least that would make sense.

Beyond Shadowgate - adventure
Dungeon Explorer 2 - adventure
Dynastic Hero (more of an adventure game) - adventure
Exile (too easy) - adventure
Exile 2 (very hard) - adventure
Shape Shifter (a lot like Cadash) - adventure

And what's up with that percentage nonsense? 8% RPGs is better than other systems? What system exactly? The Pippin? Let's say only one game got released for the TG and it was an RPG. 100% of its game library would consist of RPGs. Would that make it the best RPG console ever? No. More like the worst. For English RPGs, the TG is not a very good system, as pretty much any console (except the Pippin) offers many many more (and definitely better) RPGs.

Dynastic Hero and Dragons Curse are action rpg's. There is also a y's 4 translation. Although that game was not released in english. The game however is fully translated.

Quote from: greedostick on 06/28/2007, 08:00 AMDynastic Hero and Dragons Curse are action rpg's. There is also a y's 4 translation. Although that game was not released in english. The game however is fully translated.

If you're counting Ys4, then add Xak III as it's been fully translated by the same guys.

Quote from: Seldane on 06/28/2007, 07:37 AMAnd what's up with that percentage nonsense? 8% RPGs is better than other systems? What system exactly? The Pippin? Let's say only one game got released for the TG and it was an RPG. 100% of its game library would consist of RPGs. Would that make it the best RPG console ever? No. More like the worst. For English RPGs, the TG is not a very good system, as pretty much any console (except the Pippin) offers many many more (and definitely better) RPGs.

I would put CF2 up against anything on the SNES.

Quote from: guyjin on 06/28/2007, 09:13 AMI would put CF2 up against anything on the SNES.

...and it would be soundly trounced by Final Fantasy II/IV and FF III/VI - especially Final Fantasy VI.  :)

Exile and Exile II are platform/RPG hybrid games. All the standard elements of the classic RPG are present.

Quote from: Seldane on 06/28/2007, 07:37 AMKeranu: you're wrong. People often believe that's the case, but an RPG is not a game where you take the role of a character. It is a game based on old tabletop RPG mechanics....

If you're gonna get that strict with your RPG definition, then I submit that there are no video game RPGs.  If you ain't rollin' a thirty eight sided die, it ain't a Role Playing Game.  :P

Now don't get all worked up - I actually agree with most of your assessment, except why don't the Exile pair qualify as RPGs (like Nod noted)?  I distinctly remember doing all of the following while playing.

-Fight
-Level up
-Fight
-Buy shit to equip and heal
-Fight
-Learn and use magic/techniques
-Fight
-Fight
-Walk...
-Fight
-Fight
-Talk to people
-Fight
-Fight
-Save and load your game
-Fight
-Fight

Quote from: jimid2 on 06/28/2007, 09:47 AM

Quote from: guyjin on 06/28/2007, 09:13 AMI would put CF2 up against anything on the SNES.

...and it would be soundly trounced by Final Fantasy II/IV and FF III/VI - especially Final Fantasy VI.  :)

The story line of CF2 is equal to any of Final Fantasy, but everything else is a little worse.

I prefer an altogether different type of RPG when the neighbors get a little out of hand.  A well aimed AT4 shuts 'em up quite nicely.  :-"

The storyline of CF2 easily trounces virtually anything Squaresoft made on their own. I was hoping for an improvement in storyline capability with the acquisition of the RPG storyline masters, Enix, but it didn't happen. Oh well.

The story and characters in CF2 absolutely annihilate anything that can be found in the SNES "masterpieces."  I also think CF2 has great enemy art and I really dig its music, though I wish it had more tunes. 

The only thing that some SNES RPGs have over it are better or more interesting battle systems.  But those battle systems feel outdated at this point, considering what came later in PSX and PS2 RPGs.  On the other hand, CF2's strengths, its story and characters, still hold their own to this day.

Quote from: runinruder on 06/28/2007, 01:07 PMThe story and characters in CF2 absolutely annihilate anything that can be found in the SNES "masterpieces."  I also think CF2 has great enemy art and I really dig its music, though I wish it had more tunes. 

The only thing that some SNES RPGs have over it are better or more interesting battle systems.  But those battle systems feel outdated at this point, considering what came later in PSX and PS2 RPGs.  On the other hand, CF2's strengths, its story and characters, still hold their own to this day. 

CF2 and Illusion Of Gaia are pretty on-par in terms of storyline power and cohesion. IOG lacks in character development though, giving CF2 the easy win in the storyline department, but IOG has some really memorable musical moments. The rest of the SNES RPGs don't hold a candle to CF2 in the storyline or character department. CF2's music is really nice, but the track selection is so limited because all of the game's normal soundtracks are kept in one track to minimize reseek time, and the disc itself is positively stuffed with audio and data. I don't think there was room for any more music. :)

A remake of the entire Cosmic Fantasy series on the PC would be excellent. I'd take on such a project.

I don't know, I think Chrono Trigger and FFVI both have great battle systems that still hold up well, especially Chrono.  Fighting in Chrono is actually fun in my opinion, where in a lot of RPGs it just gets to be a drag after a while.

I agree. After having played through Chrono Trigger, I can't really enjoy ANY other RPG... that battle system was just so perfect. I wish more games were just like it.

I somewhat agree with runin about SNES RPGs have more interesting and possibly better battle systems, but I've learned to like simplistic old skool battle systems like that of CF2. I remember I was playing around with my brother's game of Final Fantasy X after playing some CF2 and FFX's battle system just threw me off so much with all of it's options that it just wasn't fun to me. It's always fun to see new ways developers make battle systems, but I think in the end it's best to have a nice, quick standard system. I really like a game like Dragon Slayer though where you can quickly get through enemy battles, but have nice strategic bosses.

Ys IV wasn't fully translated since the voices still play in Japanese.  And there are A LOT of voices in that game.

Chrono Trigger's battles feel loose and disjointed to me (I'm playing through the game now).  I often don't know what is going on because shit keeps happening as I'm trying to choose a command.  There are two different ways to set up the battles, WAIT and NORMAL (or something like that) in the options screen.  I've tried both and they both are exactly the same.

Wait should mean that the enemies will not attac until you have chosen your command. Normal means if you sit there they will keep attacking you.

Yeah I have it on WAIT and they keep attacking me as I go through the menus.  I put it on WAIT hoping it would be like other menu-driven RPG battles.  They "fixed" something that wasn't broken.  Well actually they broke something that was working properly already.

To be more precise on the Wait and Active system: Once the time meters are full, the enemy can't attack you when just sitting there on the menu screen with Wait mode. Chrono Trigger really isn't all that hard. It never really bothered me, plus it helped me memorize the order of techiniques and items.

Also, you guys are forgetting one of the best RPG series especially when it comes to story.... Lunar 1 and Lunar 2 for Sega CD. Those games are just simply awesome. The remakes make it even nicer even though I still like the original with its NEC style animation sequences instead of FMV.

I am a little baffled how one would prefer Cosmic Fantasy 2 over games like FF6, but oh well.

The active and wait systems are identical in Chrono Trigger. Must be a bug. There's absolutely no difference regardless of what you choose. I always use the wait system, and yet- the enemies WILL kill all my dudes if I just leave the controller and do something else during a battle.

How DARE you say Chrono Trigger has a bug.  You do realize that SNERDs will come to your house and kill you, right?

Anyway Lunar 1 and 2 are both good, but I really preferred part 2.  Playing through part 1 first is a must, though.

And I've always been fond of the real Phantasy Star games (the Online ones are bullshit and don't count for anything).

Lunar: The Silver Star is definitely an excellent RPG. Eternal Blue wasn't quite as good, IMO, and although the storylines were expanded for the Playstation remakes, the gameplay really suffered. I'd rather play The Silver Star than Silver Star Story...it's one of those cases where the storyline changes don't justify the horribly broken gameplay. And forget about the Eternal Blue remake...what a load of shit that was. I returned the damn thing to the store, and told them that it was broken (technically, it is!).

Chrono Trigger is so full of bugs that I could never enjoy it. It wasn't enough that it had a broken battle system, but then you've got a storyline that's so full of holes you'd think it was a screen door. But hey, that's Square's style, go figure. :D

Like I've said elsewhere, I'm still not sure what Chrono Trigger is about.

Quote from: Seldane on 06/28/2007, 06:45 PMThe active and wait systems are identical in Chrono Trigger. Must be a bug. There's absolutely no difference regardless of what you choose. I always use the wait system, and yet- the enemies WILL kill all my dudes if I just leave the controller and do something else during a battle.

Now, is this when you just leave the controller alone and then the meters fill up and that is it? Or is it when you are actually in the menu selecting magics or items? Try again and you might see how it works.

Quote from: Nödtveidt on 06/28/2007, 07:35 PMLunar: The Silver Star is definitely an excellent RPG. Eternal Blue wasn't quite as good, IMO, and although the storylines were expanded for the Playstation remakes, the gameplay really suffered. I'd rather play The Silver Star than Silver Star Story...it's one of those cases where the storyline changes don't justify the horribly broken gameplay. And forget about the Eternal Blue remake...what a load of shit that was. I returned the damn thing to the store, and told them that it was broken (technically, it is!).

Chrono Trigger is so full of bugs that I could never enjoy it. It wasn't enough that it had a broken battle system, but then you've got a storyline that's so full of holes you'd think it was a screen door. But hey, that's Square's style, go figure. :D

Sorry Nod, but, I didn't get to play either Lunar until the PS1 ports, & they immediatly became one of my favorite RPG series, along with Ys, Suikoden, & I guess I could say Wild Arms(though, I own all the games, I've only beaten the original version of 1).  I have the Sega CD versions of the Lunar's......&, I just don't like them as much.  Go figure.

I didn't really see any problems with the PS1 ports. Other than maybe the not so great line glitching at the top of the screen when scrolling compared to the Saturn versions, but no big ass deal. It is different in the sense of the battles, but I never saw anything to make the game worse in any way. It does seem like the PS1 games are harder if I remember correctly. It has been 5 years since I played the Sega CD versions. Hell, it has been 3 years since I played the PS1 versions until the past 2 months. I did play the Sega CD versions first back in like 97 and had a blast with the story and feel of the games. I just recently broke out some games like Dark Wizard, Vay and even Sword of Vermillion which is hard as shit to me right now.

The Lunar games on PSX aren't as bad as some people make them out, but the Sega CD versions are definitely better by quite a bit.  They just changed too much of the story lines in the remakes and they lost a lot of what made them so great in the first place.  They're still enjoyable RPGs if you haven't played the Sega CD versions.

Now I'm wandering through 65 billion BC on Chrono Trigger.  I'm not stuck or anything, I'm just bored.  The music is complete ass in this era (if you can even call it music), the graphics are horrible and it's just not fun at all.  My desire to continue playing the game is decreasing rapidly.

I also like both of the Lunar games alot. Even though I have never finished 2, but played through it halfway about 10 times. I have also been very fond of the Phantasy star games. Maybe cause III was the first genesis rpg I ever played. Most people don't like 3 but I always thought it was quite good. I have always like Shining in the darkenss and Holy Ark alot even though they are dungeon crawlers.

My true love are action rpg's though. Love all the wonder boy games. Especially Dynastic Hero. Faxanadu for nes, secret of mana II or seiken densetsu III. My favorite game of all time is still Landstalker: The Treasures of King Knole for the Genesis. The game is just awesome in every way once you get use to the 3-D isometric view. Kicks zeldas ass in every way. Better graphics, music, and has alot better story then the 8 and 16 bit versions of the Zelda games.

Quote from: Joe Redifer on 06/29/2007, 02:50 AMNow I'm wandering through 65 billion BC on Chrono Trigger.  I'm not stuck or anything, I'm just bored.  The music is complete ass in this era (if you can even call it music), the graphics are horrible and it's just not fun at all.  My desire to continue playing the game is decreasing rapidly.

Seems like the general opinion on this game is that it gets a LOT better after about 10 hours of playtime. I agree with that statement. The jungle is boring and ugly.

greedostick: Every game you mentioned ROCKS!! Awesome games, expecially Landstalker.

I've only played Lunar 1 for GBA. I assume it is the same game as the MCD one, sans the fmvs (they consist of pictures with text instead). I enjoyed the second (MCD) game more, but never actually found much enjoyment in either of those games.

How come the battle system in the Turbo release of Dragon Slayer doesn't get more props for circa 1992??

It was also a good first step in specializing weapons (some characters suffer AP if you equip them with the "Lion Blade" instead of the "Lion Lance.")  It was also a great way to recycle weapons in your group when you found better ones in dungeons.  The option to switch from PSG to CD music is not without it's charm.

While the story line from CF2 makes it tops in my book, I don't think people give Dragon Slayer a fair shake down 15 years later.

gettng back to the discussion of what makes an RPG i always considered RPGs as any game where the character is customaizeable and the characters can choose different choices and that determines the outcome of the game. 

of course that was what  i adopted in about 1989.

now games are alot different.  if anything grand theft auto 3 and zelda twilight princess are equal amounts RPG as they play out in the same way.  but now games are so big and customizeable that defintion cant work anymore

This is the definition I've gone by for many years...

What separates RPGs from other games where you "play a role" is all in the telling of the story itself. While we may think of "experience systems" and the like defining the genre, it's not the only basis. An RPG is meant to be a "novel". In a novel, the main focus of the story is on the character or characters, and how they change. An RPG is the same...focus on the characters and how they change throughout the story. Other games tend to focus on the story itself, making them "short stories" (it doesn't mean the story itself has to be short, it's a literature term to describe a story that's based mainly on events rather than focusing on its characters). With this in mind, the early Zelda games cannot possibly be called RPGs, because the focus was never on Link, but on the story around him. Games that we all know to be RPGs...take a close look at them...there's usually very detailed character development. Ironically, this definition makes it difficult to consider the original Final Fantasy an RPG...the main focus is on the story, and there's very little character development. The only thing that could save its bacon is the fact that the characters do in fact change at one point. But that's truly grasping for straws, and I've considered Final Fantasy to be an adventure game for a long time, NOT an RPG.

This is the only definition that cannot be countered. Any other definition can easily be countered, and you end up right back where you started..."all games are RPGs because you play a role in all games".

Quote from: SeldaneSeems like the general opinion on [Chrono Trigger] is that it gets a LOT better after about 10 hours of playtime. I agree with that statement. The jungle is boring and ugly.

So stick with it until the halfway point?  I hear the game is just a touch over 20 hours long.  And that's fine by me, as I don't like games where a single playthrough takes 60 hours.  I'll take shorter and replayable over longer and "shelfable" any day!!

Yeah that's right. It took me 28 hours to complete it, but I really savored it. Played every single sub-quest and gained a few levels too many (it was far too easy near the end because of this, don't make the same mistake as I did, level 60 is far too high).

Yeah Joe stick with it dawg. Back in 1996 in addition to Super Mario RPG, Chrono Trigger was the highlight of my summer vacation, me and this other guy used play the game over the phone and had the TV up loud so we could hear where we were at.

The fun really begins after kicking Magus' ass with the Masamune is which you're stuck in 65 Bil BC looking for that one thing to put it together.

Quote from: greedostick on 06/29/2007, 07:59 AM...  I have also been very fond of the Phantasy star games. Maybe cause III was the first genesis rpg I ever played. Most people don't like 3 but I always thought it was quite good.

I *hated* PS3. That game was a piece of crap in comparison to PS2. If you played 3 first, then I can see why you probably don't hate it, but coming from PS2 the game just sucked. I was very hyped about that game before it came out. It's on my the top 5 biggest game let downs. I've been trying to erase that game from my memory for years. Pfft - even Traysia>PS3.

Quote from: Tone on 06/29/2007, 04:13 PMYeah Joe stick with it dawg. Back in 1996 in addition to Super Mario RPG, Chrono Trigger was the highlight of my summer vacation, me and this other guy used play the game over the phone and had the TV up loud so we could hear where we were at.

MEGA SPOILER

Why are you spoiling all the fun? That was a very unnecessary thing to post!

Bonknuts: :shock: Both Phantasy Star III AND Trasia rocks your socks! Awesome games!!

I thought Phantasy Star 3 was pretty cool, better than people give it credit for being.  But there's no doubt that the great Phantasy Star 2 destroys it.

What Tone posted is EXACTLY where I'm at, getting the BS stone to mend that sword.  Then I fight the boss from Valis 2.  Then it bets better, or at least it had better!

I liked Phantasy Star 3.  It's my least favorite PS game, but I still enjoyed it quite a bit.  The mood of the game was so lonely and sad... but for a great reason, in my opinion.  I just got Traysia.  I haven't really started it yet, but the super-jerky scrolling might put me off.  But I will give it a shot.

I find it funny how people judge games so critically when they are in their late 20's or early 30's and didn't play these games back when they came out. It really does make a difference if your like 14 years old or something playing the game back in 95 for example. My experience with games like FF6, Chrono Trigger, Secret of Mana, Phantasy Star 4 and other RPGs was phenomonal for me and almost all my friends that played these games as well. Nowdays, even I find it harder to play these games as they seem outdated and too simplified at times. It is just the way it is. It is almost like you miss out on these games when you play them 10 years later.

Yeah, it's the whole atmosphere (graphically, musically and story-wise) that makes Phantasy Star III so great. I like PSII, but PSIII is very serious compared to it, and I like serious. A lot.

SNKNostalgia: It's called.... Nostalgia. :wink: I'm sure it's all in your head. Besides, kids tend to be more serious with games, that's why you probably enjoyed the games more when you were little. Same with me.

Quote from: Seldane on 06/29/2007, 06:05 PMYeah, it's the whole atmosphere (graphically, musically and story-wise) that makes Phantasy Star III so great.

I totally agree, PS3 had great atmosphere.  I enjoyed PS2's atmosphere too.  I don't really know how to describe it.  I guess it seemed more bizarre and abstract than most RPGs during that era.  But the super-huge, super-tough dungeons were what I loved most about PS2.

I remember playing PSIII back when it was new. I didn't like it at all. When PSIV came out, it was SO much better. I didn't play the original until recently though, and thought it was primitive but at least playable.

Quote from: Seldane on 06/29/2007, 06:05 PMSNKNostalgia: It's called.... Nostalgia. :wink: I'm sure it's all in your head. Besides, kids tend to be more serious with games, that's why you probably enjoyed the games more when you were little. Same with me.

Well yeah, Nostalgia and being that young had something to do with it. Also, it had to do with the systems that were available and other games that were made back then. There wasn't a PS2 back in those days, so the graphics and sound seemed to blow you away more. This was before I owned anything CD-Rom format until the Sega CD a little later, and then the PS1. I mean it is harder to go back to playing the NES and saying, "Damn, look at the graphics yo!!!"

PS3 was certainly a good game on its own, but still, it was bit of a letdown for me as well.  I was soooo much looking forward to this game, but it just didn't deliver. 

The generation thing was really cool and added tons of replay value, but it didn't have the "punch in you the gut" type storylines of Neifirst scene or the endings of PS2, was missing the very cool fight animations, music wasn't as suspenseful, and just generally didn't feel very "Phantasy Star" -- and I know I'm not alone feeling that way.

Quote from: Seldane on 06/29/2007, 09:32 AM

Quote from: Joe Redifer on 06/29/2007, 02:50 AMNow I'm wandering through 65 billion BC on Chrono Trigger.  I'm not stuck or anything, I'm just bored.  The music is complete ass in this era (if you can even call it music), the graphics are horrible and it's just not fun at all.  My desire to continue playing the game is decreasing rapidly.

Seems like the general opinion on this game is that it gets a LOT better after about 10 hours of playtime. I agree with that statement. The jungle is boring and ugly.

greedostick: Every game you mentioned ROCKS!! Awesome games, expecially Landstalker.

I've only played Lunar 1 for GBA. I assume it is the same game as the MCD one, sans the fmvs (they consist of pictures with text instead). I enjoyed the second (MCD) game more, but never actually found much enjoyment in either of those games.

I have the GBA version of 1 as well, it seems about as different as the Sega CD one is, in comarison to the PS1 version.

Well, y'all have another English RPG coming your way from us at Frozen Utopia, and then down the road will come another...and I do mean a real epic, spanning multiple discs!

Quote from: SNKNostalgia on 06/29/2007, 08:13 PMWell yeah, Nostalgia and being that young had something to do with it. Also, it had to do with the systems that were available and other games that were made back then.

I didn't play through Phantasy Star 3 and 4 until just a year or two ago at the most.  I had rented both games once when they came out and I didn't care for them.  Lots of things about PS4 blew me away.  Voices that are clean in cartridge games still blow me away.  When I see the TurboGrafx doing scrolling like it does in Gate of Thunder I am blown away.  I was blown away when I recently acquired Art of Fighting for the Arcade Card and saw it doing some sort of pseudo-scaling effect with the whole play area, having never have played the game before.  I was blown away by the scaling sprites in the race in Chrono Trigger.  Sprites cannot be scaled on the SNES, they just can't!  But Chrono Trigger has software-controlled sprite scaling and it looks great.  I was blown away by the graphics in The Adventures of Batman & Robin on the Genesis, having recently purchased it.  I feel it is still plenty possible to be blown away by old games this day in age.

QuoteI feel it is still plenty possible to be blown away by old games this day in age.

I totally agree. Games from back in the day still impress me. Even on NES or SMS. You can still capture some of that excitement/feeling.

 I didn't get to play PS4 when it came out, but I remember my friend having it and how it was more like PS2 than PS3. I did play about 1/4 into it a few times, but I'm saving it for a vacation gaming week or a rainy day.

I did play Chrono Trigger back in the day. I didn't have a SNES anymore, but I got to borrow my brothers. I was never blown away by CT, but I admit it was really fun. I liked how the game was not Final Fantasy.  :wink:

Dude, I even find a lot of pre-NES games that blow me away, especially for Intellivision. You can find treasure in any age.

Quote from: ParanoiaDragon on 06/30/2007, 12:41 AM

Quote from: Seldane on 06/29/2007, 09:32 AMI've only played Lunar 1 for GBA. I assume it is the same game as the MCD one, sans the fmvs (they consist of pictures with text instead). I enjoyed the second (MCD) game more, but never actually found much enjoyment in either of those games.

I have the GBA version of 1 as well, it seems about as different as the Sega CD one is, in comarison to the PS1 version.

The GBA port is an original version based on assets from the Saturn/PSX 'Silver Star Story' game.

The cinema stills are all from the SSS fmv cinemas. Although most of the in game art has been redrawn once again, its made to look very similar to SSS and is very different from the Sega/Mega-CD 'Silver Star' game.

The gameplay was changed once again and I could only handle playing through once before selling it.

Quote from: Keranu on 06/30/2007, 01:51 AMDude, I even find a lot of pre-NES games that blow me away, especially for Intellivision. You can find treasure in any age.

You mean like Treasure of Tarmin's 3D dungeons that did Phantasy Star-style animated 3D 4 to 6 years before PS?  :wink:

I finally got an Intellivoice recently and was blown away by the amazing in-game voices.

Quote from: guest on 06/30/2007, 02:14 AMYou mean like Treasure of Tarmin's 3D dungeons that did Phantasy Star-style animated 3D 4 to 6 years before PS?  :wink:

I finally got an Intellivoice recently and was blown away by the amazing in-game voices.

Exactly! I am impressed by both gameplay and technical sides of games from any generation. Heck, I think Atari and Intellivision games impress me even more these days because with how much things have evolved, I can really see how amazing a game was for it's time. Equally impressive are games made before the 70's like Spacewar! which was made in like 1962 and was the first "networked" game to my understanding or a game like Tennis For Two which is one of the earliest games ever made and was displayed on a oscilloscope.

By the way, I got an Intellivoice around a year ago, but still don't have any games for it. I have heard it in person before though and it's amazing.

Quote from: guest on 06/30/2007, 02:14 AMI finally got an Intellivoice recently and was blown away by the amazing in-game voices.

B-17 Bomber kicks major ass with the intellivoice.

Don't get me wrong. I still can appreciate a game for what it was and is now. Still, there are times you can just pop in an outdated game and get the mood you get at times like: OK, time to play something newer-ish or something. It is like that Tool song Stinkfist, "It's not enough, I need more. Nothing seems to satiesfy. I don't want it, I just need it. To breath, to feel to know that I am alive." A little exagerating, but a nice metaphor. I still play my NES and everything, but it seems like you have to try harder to play it at times. You just tend to enjoy the games a hell of a lot more when you play them when they came out.

I didn't get into video games until the NES and Master system era around 86-87, so that may have to do with why I never play atari and other oldest school systems. I did always like the 1st person view tank combat game on atari that I played at my friends house when I was 5.

I'm pretty much the opposite.  I have to try harder to play systems like Xbox360 or even the PS2.  I can play them for awhile and I definitely do enjoy them, but after a bit I just start thinking "fuk dis sh!t, gimme a 2D sidescroller of some sort!"

I was severely dissappointed with the last generation of games. Not saying it didn't have any good games, but to me it lacked great games. I also had to try harder to enjoy them.

I dug the PS2.  Best system since the PCE and Genesis. 

The current generation doesn't interest me at all to this point.

I consider the current generation to be the worst ever since the first one (Atari, Intellivision and that stuff). The last generation kinda sucked too, at least the Xbox and Gamecube. The gen before that was all right, but I didn't like the PS1 or the Dreamcast.

Quote from: Seldane on 06/30/2007, 08:12 AMI consider the current generation to be the worst ever since the first one (Atari, Intellivision and that stuff). The last generation kinda sucked too, at least the Xbox and Gamecube. The gen before that was all right, but I didn't like the PS1 or the Dreamcast.

I agree with everything you just said.

You seem to be a good judge of consoles, FM-77.  I don't understand how you went wrong during the 16-bit era.   :wink:

Quote from: thumpin_termis on 06/30/2007, 02:50 AM

Quote from: CrackTiger on 06/30/2007, 02:14 AMI finally got an Intellivoice recently and was blown away by the amazing in-game voices.

B-17 Bomber kicks major ass with the intellivoice.

Plus B-17 has Afterburner style flight sequences complete with roatating horizon. Space Spartans is similar with even more voice and Galaxy Force II style battle sequences.  8)

Quote from: Seldane on 06/30/2007, 08:12 AMI consider the current generation to be the worst ever since the first one (Atari, Intellivision and that stuff). The last generation kinda sucked too, at least the Xbox and Gamecube. The gen before that was all right, but I didn't like the PS1 or the Dreamcast.

We can't even really judge the current generation so far since it hasn't even lasted a year yet, but to me it seems mostly the same as last. I'm hoping the Wii will change this with it's different approach.

The Wii is just a repeat of the previous generation. Minus the good games, that is. :roll:

I agree that this generation seems to be identical to the last with the same exact types of games.  Gamers these days are PISSED if every single game they buy doesn't last at least 40 hours for a single playthrough.  I get tired of these types of "story games".  Some of the best games ever made can easily be completed in less than an hour.  Not every game needs tons of story, voice acting and cut scenes.  And my favorite cut scenes are Turbo-style with still or animated 2D frames, not full blown FMV or polygons.

I agree, I hate how modern games are all about how many hours it takes to complete. It also pisses me off how games automatically save every time the screen changes. I want to play a game that gets straight into the action and can be beaten in one nice sitting. From all the new games I've played, I think New Super Mario Bros. does that the best, but it's still not quite what I want.

I have always like 2D over 3D in a sense, but you got to admit there are some bad ass games made for like the PS2 and a few for Gamecube. I personally just like good games in general. Most of these games are made by Capcom, Konami, Namco, Enix and Squaresoft.

I own atleast 30 PS2 games. Most of these consist of games like Silent Hill, Metal Gear, Final Fantasy (X-2 sucks though), Ring of Red, Onimusha, Devil May Cry 1, Ace Combat, Gradius III + IV and V, Silpheed, Rygar, Dragon Quest 8. As for Gamecube there is a few: Resident Evil 1 remake, 0 and 4, Metal Gear Solid remake, Tales of Symphonia, Metroid Prime (It may be a first person, but just play the game and you will be suprise how well they pulled it off) and Eternal Darkness. See I don't play crap games like Big Mutha Truckers and Need for speed part 30 or something. I just like games period, I try not to be too picky or else you limit yourself to playing the same old shit all the time.

Another thing is it seems like a lot oldschool gamers aren't patient gamers anymore. They want to beat all their games in a short time. I find it harder to pick up an RPG game than a few years ago. As for this generation, there really isn't all that many games to choose from atleast until the next year. The only games I like for 360 are Dead Rising, Lost Planet and I guess Gears of War.

I have Tales of Symphonia.  It sucks.  It's not an RPG.  It's a freakin' puzzle game with a story (that never seems to end).  Sometimes I just want to move on with my life rather than devote weeks of time for a single playthrough.  Like I said elsewhere, I'll take short and replayable over long and shelfable any day!

Yeah that's pretty much Lufia 2. Puzzles puzzles puzzles.

Lufia 2 is beautiful, seriously, I want a real sequal on a console.  I do have the GBC & GBA games, but have yet to beat them.  They're both kind of boring.

This generation rules if you're into shooters.  First and third person shooters are like old school games to me- you can just pick them up and play them, they're usually less than 10 hours long, and they're all action.  Games like Lost Planet, Quake IV, and Gears of War are what this gen is all about, I freakin love them.

Yeah, shooters does seem to be the weapon of choice lately. Even Rainbow Six Vegas is pretty smooth compared to all ther other Clancy titles. It is funny how Gears of War and Rainbow Six Vegas has very simliar game mechanics minus the primary views in the games. I like the idea of blind fire and cover behind walls. Lost Planet plays more classic like than I expected, which is nice.

I like to have different games where you can play for short periods of time and then long epic games that you will put up after a year. Here is the thing with games you would only play once every couple months that take a long time to play: If you have a good number of these games, then the time evens out to where you will break out a game if you havn't played it in a while. Games like Snatcher only calls me out to play every 1 year. If you have a decent amount of games to choose from, then you will end up playing another just in time when it has been a while. It is good to have all these types of games. It just depends on the mood you are in.

I beat Chrono Trigger.  I think I got ending #236,743,539,524 out of 6,387,587,346,587,456,874.  It's a good game, but not one I'd want to play through again.  It's about 5000 times better than Chrono Cross (except for the music).  Phantasy Star 1 and 4 are much better games as is Lunar 2.

Quote from: Joe Redifer on 07/05/2007, 06:38 PMI beat Chrono Trigger.  I think I got ending #236,743,539,524 out of 6,387,587,346,587,456,874.  It's a good game, but not one I'd want to play through again.  It's about 5000 times better than Chrono Cross (except for the music).  Phantasy Star 1 and 4 are much better games as is Lunar 2.

I never tried Chrono Cross, but I agree that the other games you mentioned are better.

I don't think that there are many unique endings to Chrono Trigger, just minor variations on two or three.

Good job Joe, at least you experienced it.

I just played a some Secret of Evermore earlier. For being something made on American soil, I liked it alot. Not quite feeling the music, as most of was that one thing that almost drove Joe from finishing Chrono Trigger: dungeons with ambient noises instead of music.

I last beat the game back in 97'.

Quote from: Tone on 07/05/2007, 07:28 PMGood job Joe, at least you experienced it.

I just played a some Secret of Evermore earlier. For being something made on American soil, I liked it alot. Not quite feeling the music, as most of was that one thing that almost drove Joe from finishing Chrono Trigger: dungeons with ambient noises instead of music.

I last beat the game back in 97'.

Let me know if you manage to finish it.

Jeremy Soule made the music for Secret of Evermore. The SNES sound chip was too weak for his type of music. I really like some of his later music though (PC RPGs).

Beat Chrono, now play some Secret of Mana. It is a really fun game. Secret of Evermore at the time it came out just disappointed me a lot. It seemed like a not so great version of Mana without the classic fantasy world feel and you use a bone as your first weapon. I may give it another try just for the hell of it though.

Anyways, I am playing Samurai Shodown RPG on my Neo Geo CDZ right now. Yes, Japanese only and horrible loading times, but it is more bearable on the CDZ system. Great game, there is a translation patch coming out hopefully this fall. Over the years of owning it I beat it with 3 characters on the shorter Amukusa chapter and now I am half-way through playing it on the much longer Mizuki chapter. There are Neo CD emus out there that will run this game with the patch pretty well. This gets rid of the long loading completely.

I could never beat the final boss on mana back in the day. It was some giant dragon that totally kicked my arse.

Playing SSRPG on Saturn myself. Kills me since the game is all in kanji.

It ain't like Far East of Eden where it's kanji on the main item menu, and in the item description, is the hiragana/katakana equivalent.

I don't know why Evermore gets so much hate, I enjoyed the game.

I used to own Secret of Mana right when it came out.  I did not care for it.

Couldn't you get like bazookas or something in Secret of Evermore? I really want to play that game since I've barely played it!

Here is my review (http://www.the-magicbox.com/forums/showthread.php?p=430263#post430263) of Chrono Trigger.

Here's an index (http://www.the-magicbox.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10160) of all of my reviews.

Yes, I am whoring.

Thats a pretty good review, it pretty much sums everything up.

Quote from: Joe Redifer on 07/06/2007, 04:17 AMHere is my review (http://www.the-magicbox.com/forums/showthread.php?p=430263#post430263) of Chrono Trigger.

Here's an index (http://www.the-magicbox.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10160) of all of my reviews.

Yes, I am whoring.

I think your CT review was just a little too generous, but what's with giving Toilet Kids a 1/10!??!?!

You're right, my reviews are too generous.  I should have given Toilet Kids a 0.

Quote from: Joe Redifer on 07/06/2007, 05:11 AMYou're right, my reviews are too generous.  I should have given Toilet Kids a 0.

Mega word. No, über word.

Jesus-titty-fucking Christ Joe... not hating on you, but giving some incite. It almost seems like you have entirely skipped the SNES RPG scene if you haven't even played FF 6 yet. BTW, I know it sucks having an RPG without the main character interacting at times, but there is a reason why they do this. It isn't because they are incompetent writers or anything. It just leaves room for characterization in yourself, you know imagination. It is more of an observing character. Some games, it seems to be OK and then some it doesn't. It is just a form of interacting with your own thoughts. I am used to creating things, whether it is physical or imaginary. It is the true form of fantasy.

This is why I play music (Drums and Bass Guitar) and I also oil paint on canvas. Lately, I have been focusing on my rock/metal music since todays pop music is destroying my soul almost everyday. It is at its all time worse now. It is even causing good musicians to do not as well. I used to be a very technical person until I realized there is more to life than hype and faddish BS. The mediocre crap is going to fill the void, so it is great to see good musicians fill it than it is to see Jessica Simpson or some other rich nobody. Rage Against the Machine and Smashing Pumpkins are reuniting for Voodoo Fest in New Orleans, I am there. BTW, George Bush is the fucking R-tard Anti-Christ. Ahhh, beer number 10, it is the holidays. I have nothing else to say.

Quote from: Keranu on 07/06/2007, 03:44 AMCouldn't you get like bazookas or something in Secret of Evermore? I really want to play that game since I've barely played it!

Yup. 3/4 toward the end the bazookas come along

Quote from: Tone on 07/06/2007, 08:17 AM

Quote from: Keranu on 07/06/2007, 03:44 AMCouldn't you get like bazookas or something in Secret of Evermore? I really want to play that game since I've barely played it!

Yup. 3/4 toward the end the bazookas come along

That's so awesome :D .

SNKNostalgia... true, I haven't played through most of the SNES RPGs, but I have played them all.  Unfortunately that consists of rentals back when they came out.  That was when I didn't care too much for RPGs.  I liked them, but I enjoy them much more now even though they are not even close to being my favorite genre.  I want to play FF3/6 and Earthbound if that is an RPG.  The internet tells me that those two games are the best games ever made and that it is impossible to make anything more enjoyable in any form of entertainment (it's the SNES, after all).

As for the silent character, I figured that was the designer's reasoning, but it is a rather poor reason.  I don't envision Chrono as myself or having my personality and thoughts.  It doesn't work well with a game like Chrono Trigger, but somehow the Ys series manages to pull it off very well.

Silent protagonists rock, as RPG producers worldwide are unable to create talking protagonists that aren't asses. This is for a reason though, because when the protagonist IS an ass, they can make him less and less of an ass, until the very end of the game where he turns into a saint. It's called "character development" and is the shittiest most important feature of all RPGs.

Quote from: Joe Redifer on 07/07/2007, 03:01 AMSNKNostalgia... true, I haven't played through most of the SNES RPGs, but I have played them all.  Unfortunately that consists of rentals back when they came out.  That was when I didn't care too much for RPGs.  I liked them, but I enjoy them much more now even though they are not even close to being my favorite genre.  I want to play FF3/6 and Earthbound if that is an RPG.  The internet tells me that those two games are the best games ever made and that it is impossible to make anything more enjoyable in any form of entertainment (it's the SNES, after all).

As for the silent character, I figured that was the designer's reasoning, but it is a rather poor reason.  I don't envision Chrono as myself or having my personality and thoughts.  It doesn't work well with a game like Chrono Trigger, but somehow the Ys series manages to pull it off very well.

Earthbound is not a good game at all. Its got unique aesthetics that can entertain the right people. But the overall real actual game beneath is well below average by RPG standards.

I don't really care too much about deep story in RPGs. I always just liked the gameplay. Which is why I've had so much fun with imports. I'd rather play a game with minimal story than a fully fleshed dud of a story. I still appreciate RPG's with well done storytelling like Kabukiden all the more, but its not why I'm playing an RPG in the first place.

So I don't mind mute main characters in a game like Ys or even Shining Force. But some games end up doing some ridiculous work-arounds in dealing with speechless characters that only drag down the game and story because the developer didn't think through the logistics before tacking on a silent protagonist.

I remember Earthbound getting some really bad reviews when it was new, but recently it has gotten quite the reputation for some reason. It's definitely not a good game at all, it's just got its own unique style (which I don't like, but others obviously do).

Quote from: Seldane on 07/07/2007, 11:11 AMI remember Earthbound getting some really bad reviews when it was new, but recently it has gotten quite the reputation for some reason. It's definitely not a good game at all, it's just got its own unique style (which I don't like, but others obviously do).

Many games get too much credit for being 'different'.

Like Psychonauts. I like the game, but its got some pretty messed up design and gameplay. Its still fun, but far from genius.

Psychonauts is only getting credit from über-nerds. Nobody bought it, and yet everybody's screaming about how much it rules online. :roll: