[Editor's note: naia-the-gamer takes a look at a genre that is very near and dear to her heart. Read on to see how Naia would change the JRPG genre as part of May's Monthly Musings. -- CTZ]
This is hard for me. This editorial means that I am willing to admit it. It's like admitting your children have flaws. However, this is necessary to write down and admit it: JRPGs need help. I love them dearly, and my fondest memories as a gamer stem from JRPGs of yore.
They are now at a turning point where they need to evolve or perish. Many gamers no longer have the patience to handle the quirks of JRPGs. The genre grows to become even more of a niche genre compared to the relative total of those who play videogames. How many people have played JRPGs that don’t have the words “Final” and “Fantasy” in them? I’ve thought long and hard about the games I love and come to terms with the obvious flaws present in the genre. I present my wish list of things that need to change to keep the life of the JRPG to thrive in today’s world. Read all about it after the jump.
Improve turn-based battles
Some people find turn-based battles to be cumbersome and monotonous. While I actually like them, there are ways they can make the mechanics more efficient for less patient players. The Dragon Quest series has implemented tactics the party members can default to and make their moves accordingly. A defensive tactic results in more status enhancing or healing techniques. Offensive tactics result in powerful techniques or spells. By making this method standard, it will allow players who don’t want to go through menus every turn.
Another option that worked extremely well was Phantasy Star IV with the use of Marcos. The player could hold a certain number of “macros” that plotted out which moves each character would use. The player picked exactly what skill or item each player used and saved it in a list. This was handy if a player favored certain skills that they used over and over. A click of one button allowed the players to execute many common moves without wasting time.
I took advantage of this frequently in PS IV. I’m actually disappointed that this hasn’t been implemented in more JRPGs. Anything that would allow players the option of shortening the time spent on picking moves would help attract players previously turned off. At the same time, those who want to take the time to plan out every move may still do so.
Random Battles
This is the subject of much debate among all gamers. Many old-school RPGs have excessive random encounter rates. While I had the patience when I was twelve, I no longer have the patience nor the time at twenty-seven. However some modern games have come up with a few ways to fix the problem. What needs to happen next is to identify what those are, and make sure they are implemented in every JRPG.
The first solution is to make the enemies themselves be present on the screen. Chrono Trigger, Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker, and even Blue Dragon did this. Other titles like Earthbound had the enemies react to you differently depending on how strong the characters were. Once their levels excelled beyond the enemies, they ran for the hills. It made it much easier to avoid the simple monsters when having to backtrack places. This solution works well because the player gets to see what he or she is fighting in advanced and adds immersion to the game.
A second solution that has been a staple in the Wild Arms series is the use of a counter system. When an enemy approaches a white exclamation point appears over the heads of the player. Wait a second or two and the battle commences. Don’t want to fight? Press the cancel button and the counter rate goes down. The player is given a certain number of times they can skip the battle before they are forced to fight. As the players get stronger the exclamation point will be green and won’t count against the counter level. This way the player can avoid weak enemies and manage the rate of battles against normal opponents. Despite the occasional unavoidable surprise attack (red exclamation point) this method is great for dealing with enemies without having to deal with battles every five steps. Plus as the game progresses the player can find ways to increase the gauge so the player can avoid more battles over time.
Enough with the clichés
This one is tough because some clichés are unavoidable, due to the nature of the limited types of storytelling that exist. However, it seems like many JRPGs (nowadays the more mediocre ones) suffer from the same kinds of plot devices or character archetypes. While they don’t need to be completely different, (not every game can be BioShock) some variety on the old plot devices would be welcome. Here are some examples of clichés, plot devices and characters, along with examples that I would like to see tweaked:
Brooding Hero: He’s got no memory of his past, the girls love him, and he likes to whine. Example: too many Square Enix games from the last ten years
Stereotypical Empire: The empire is always corrupt, divided into two sections, which always have the poor people planning a rebellion. Examples: Skies of Arcadia, FFVI, FFVII, Saga II and Final Fantasy Legend II.
Waif-female: She’s usually a magic user, may have gotten kidnapped and is ALWAYS in love with the hero. Why can’t she love one of the supporting characters? Or maybe she could be a lesbian? Examples: Skies of Arcadia, Chrono Trigger, FF IV- infinity, Phantasy Star II-IV, All of the Legend of Heroes games.
Gotta catch them all: Ever notice the prophets predict something catastrophic will happen when X number of Y item is brought together, but it is meant to be? Otherwise the bad guys will steal it for the power. Example: Every Zelda game (I know they’re not JRPGs), Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker, every Final Fantasy game that involved crystals, Enchanted Arms.
Romance: Awww young love. Why do JRPGs have to pair everyone up? Does saving the world make everyone so horny? How come they never break up either? Example: Half the Final Fantasies, Wild Arms II, Wild Arms IV, Skies of Arcadia, every game in the Lufia series, Chrono Trigger, Suikoden II, Blue Dragon (Zola was sooo much cooler than Kluke. I don’t get it).
Some of the examples I listed above are unavoidable, but could at least diverge from the tried and true formula. What if the bad buys already got X number of Y item and the mission for the player is to steal them back? What if the “waify female” was a mercenary who took shit from nobody? What if the hero would stop whining all the time?
Some aspects of plot, gameplay and character development are what make a JRPG after all, a JRPG. I wouldn’t want to see a complete overhaul of the genre by any stretch of the imagination. The problem is that not much has changed in the last ten years. I love 2D platformers, but I can appreciate the importance of taking the next step to 3D. If anything, it helps the continuing evolution of what 2D platformers have done today.
The same rings true with JRPGs. The same methods of strategy can still exist but in a more efficient and streamlined way. More options should be given to the player to customize his of her experience in how in depth they want the battles to be. The same stories aren’t bad, but they could use an update. Spice up some of the clichés I mentioned to make them more modern and more creative! Something that has revitalized genres in the past has been to combine aspects of one genre with another. Why not add some features present in Platformers or Fist Person Shooters? If it fits in the spirit of the game and isn’t forced it could be a nice addition.
I close with one final additional thought on the improvement of JRPGs. Stop hiring terrible voice actors. Disney got it right with Kingdom Hearts. Why can’t the rest of you? Keep the original Japanese voice acting or no voice acting at all. Videogames are more mainstream than ever, convince real actors your games are worth it!
Contest:
5:23 PM on 05.23.2008
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I liked the whole article, but I really locked into that part there.
Animation summons only seem to bother me in the FF games. They got more and more over the top (I made it to FFIX before I threw in the towel). I do remember FFIX had shorter versions of the summons that took up less time.
ah. I got it now. I know exactly what you're talking about, and yes I agree those need to stop. You get so wrapped up in the fetch quest that you forget what the original objective was and you realize it was all a ruse to level grind and make the game longer.
Some people thought its turn based battles were too old-school but I really did enjoy them.
And true, they did have random battles, but not as many as other games, and their XP cap per level really made grinding almost non-existent. You have about 10-15-ish random fights per area (small amount by JRPG standard) and you’re more than ready to go to the next one.
As for the brooding hero, Kaim starts off that way, but you actually see a lot of depth to his character as his memories return. Also, at least they didn’t make him a pretty boy, cuz he is one ugly accessorized mofo.
As for the evil empire.. well, is it really evil its being duped into being evil without realizing it? Uhra seems evil only because of Gongora’s deeds; but if he’s disassociated with it, it’s actually quite nice.
As for the helpless waif cliché, I don’t think the chicks in LO fall into that. Seth is more than a badass, and Ming and Sarah were in a sense sandbagged. Not necessarily helpless.
There’s also no real gotta catch’em all main quest in the game. Gongora starts out as a full-powered SOB and goes down that way. No need to stop him before he collects “crystals” and gets too strong. Yes yes, he had Grand Staff, but he was using that against the tower so I don’t think it counts.
And as for romance, (trying not to spoil anything), I didn’t see a problem with Kaim, and come, lets face it, who wouldn’t fall for Jansen. Hell, I’d do him.
All in all, I think LO had enough great elements in it to make it a great JRPG, but still managed to stand out, avoid most clichés, and make for one hell of an awesome ride.
One thing I have an issue with is setting it so that the game decides what your player does like in Dragon Quest VIII. If you're too lazy to do that, you shouldn't be playing Dragon Quest.
Waiting to press attack is pretty much the reason why I play less and less JRPGs. (I haven't touched Persona 3 yet for the same reason, though that may change soon).
Its a perfect form of play for handhelds, which can use less focus, but for consoles its tedious.
I understand its usage in SRPGs, another niche genre, but standing around isn't particularly interesting when you are fighting 2 wolves and a soldier.
Ah, the story... Always has been the issue, and will always be. My general fading interest in anime, and JRPGs fit this bill quite well. Almost none of the recent storylines are interesting or engaging. This probably won't go away for a while though.
That said, I Persona 3 (which I haven't played yet), Odin Sphere (Technically not a RPG), TWEWY (Not really an RPG), have enjoyable stories that aren't totally the usual storyline.
On a side note, Code Geass can FUCK OFF! Predictably convoluted plot, use of amnesia, throwaway fiiler episodes that are worthless, inconsistencies in mood that shoots from happy to EMO in a split second. Unlikable generic characters, stereotypes, and blatant Pizza Hut product placements!
Its sad that the show won awards in Japan and is critically acclaimed by many venues. This is one of the reasons why most anime/JRPG storylines cannot evolve into something special. The people involved in it celebrate mediocre daytime drama plots!
Ahem... Sorry about that rant at the end...
Great writeup Naia, I love jRPGs, but the inherit flaws in them are something that should be addressed.
I myself haven't played LO, and I've wanted to. It's definitely on my list of JRPG's to play and from what I've heard (including your points) it sounds like I'll really like it. I wish I had the chance to get it sooner but a) I haven't had the time and b) I haven't had the money.
Being a JRPG lover and an adult with work/life responsibilities don't mix well.
I'm a sucker for shows like Lost and Battlestar Galactica which deal with conspiracies and layers of secrecy which are slowly revealed. And these shows turn even more awesome (at least for me) when they involve centuries old conspiracies and stuff like that. (The ages of C.C. and V.V. in Geass)
I know it might be a predictable end and all that, but they'res always the hope that they'll put some unexpected twist in there which will make it worthwhile.
Anyways, that's my two cents.
What shows do you enjoy?
We need a work holiday called JRPG month or something where we can play catch up. :)
@Dexter: but then again, what about introducing new elements into JRPGs. The current clichés became clichés over time. There was a time when those concepts were new and innovative. I'm sure they can pull something new out of their hats, which will probably become clichés in like 5-10 years. But at least it'll be new now.
Wait... am I supposed to reply here?
Uh, something recent... Denno Coil was a great show, though its main characters are elementary kids, making it light hearted for the most part. There are genuinely (emotionally) moving episodes, as well as a interesting conspiracy plot.
I actually love conspiracy plots and such, considering that I enjoyed SE Lain, GITS SAC, and B-quality production but the great story of Boogiepop Phantom.
CG missed the mark by a long shot for me, I enjoyed the first couple episodes but... it got old fast. It felt like a clone of Death Note horribly gone wrong.
Anyways... Looking at the trend of anime. A nutty storyplot like Zetsubou Sensei would be popular yet refreshing for a JRPG. Similar example for a game would be Disgaea, if it can do it so can other JRPGs. Instead of focusing on too much drama, a light-hearted yet over-the-top plot line would be nice change of pace.
Mechanic-wise... TWEWY really changed the pace, FFXII was a interesting twist on turn-based commands, Crisis Core made it more action oriented, (according to reviews) P3FES turn-base is actually fun. LO is traditional but good... I think JRPGs aren't particularly doing bad in this area.
Uh... I just convinced myself to buy P3:FES... I suddenly need it now.
I've heard great things about Lain and GITS, but I haven't seen them. They're on my to do list (damn thing gets longer every day).
And I can definetely see the Death Note similarities, especially the superpower and megalomania elements.
I have yet to see Zetsubo Sensei or Disgaea, so I can't comment on that, but I could definetely see myself getting into a ligh-hearted JRPG.
Haven't tried TWEWY (waiting for the FFIV release to get a DS), but I've heard great things; I did particulary enjoy the FFXII mechanic, it was great for those backtracking/leveling moments when you're strong enough to beat everyone and don't really want to manually fight every single enemy on-screen.
I recently started FES, and am about 15 hours in. I like the combat, but I guess I don't know if the Social Link aspect is doing it for me. I like it in terms of the Persona Combining, but I feel there's too many possible links which require tooo much time to level up. I guess I don't HAVE to do every single one, but I always fell you're missing out in an RPG if you don't do each and every single little sub-quest in it. For example, I don't consider myself an achievement whore, but for some reason I just feel the need to get all Skills with everyone in LO (just down to the last 2 items that I'm missing)(Damn Pipot seeds.)
Also, glad to see you mentioned the Mother sereis way of handling random battles. It's quite satisfying to return back to an early area, and see the enemies flee in fear from you :)
Polos! ;)
Hai! FF7 sucked.
YES YES YES YES YES.
I say this every time I play anything.
You don't have to do all of them, as you said. After you beat the game, you can go back to a New Game+, with your persona compendium retained. While your social links go back to zero, you can fuse the ultimate personas for the ones you maxed out during your previous playthrough. Or maybe you want to get everything to max level on the first try? I think I saw a guide at gamefaqs for that one.
As for some of the anime you guys mentioned, I haven't seen Lain, so no comment on that. On both GITS:SACs, as with all other Ghost in the Shells, there is a deeper meaning to what is going on. I can't bring myself to understand those deepr meanings, but you can enjoy it for being a cop show.
However, Persona 3: FES has transcended everything I hate about these games.
For one: the whole "one more" system is amazing, as well as the all out attack, making battles against four enemies winnable in a single turn, which is great for guys like me who are far more used to twitch shooters. Not having to control more than one character also helps significantly.
For two: I can see and avoid my enemies. If they're really strong, they glow red. If they're weak, they have worried things above their head and they scamper away, it's hilarious actually.
For three: While I'm only about 20 hours into the game (and about to read my third "ordeal"), the story seems to be picking up and seems to be something a bit less cliched. Sure, some of the characters look a bit stupid or generic, but they all have personalities, many of which are actually interesting, which rather surprised me.
All in all, you want to change JRPGs? Make every single one of them Persona 3: FES. Problem solved.
Can you please rescue my daughter?? yes/no. No did not advance the storyline, and there was nothing to do unless you talked to the king again and picked yes this time. Or they put you through a loop where they said something like. 'Please will you go rescue my daughter?? yes/no' after you picked no.
If you're going to give me the option know I'm going to pick the one you don't want me to.
Good article, please game companies, rescue JRPG's.
I'm just wondering where some of your examples came from, actually. Like in the part where you talked about evil empires, you mentioned Saga II. What is that? The only two RPGs I can think of that might fit that would be SaGa Frontier 2 and Digital Devil Saga 2; neither of which having anything to do with evil empires.
The other example I took issue with was Suikoden II being placed in the section about romance and people pairing up. Do you remember Suikoden II? Did you ever even play it? You're not talking about the main character and his sister, are you? You can't be, so are you talking about the main character and Jowy? Because Jowy married somebody else for power; there was no love involved. You're not talking about the main character and Eilie either, because the ending makes it clear that even though she thinks of him from time to time, she continues on with her performance group. Hell, the Suikoden series has actually had nothing to do with any sort of romance throughout the entire series. Characters will never pair up during the course of the game; the only characters who are ever romantically involved were introduced into the game as a couple to begin with (Alex and Hilda, Freed Y and Yoshino, Hix and Tengaar, etc).
Don't get me wrong; I enjoyed the read. I just take issue with a couple of the examples you used (but I'm sure they were mistakes anyway).
@The Timely Howard:
SaGa2 was the Japanese name for Final Fantasy Legend II for the gameboys and the example I was referring to was the world where Venus lives (can't remember the name) The world she rules over has beautiful buildings and beautiful people because she only loves beautiful people. It all seems well and good until you find out people that have even the slightest imperfections get exiled to the outskirts of town where the "dirty" people live. You discover one of the NPC's in the town is upset because her boyfriend had an accident which made him "imperfect" and he's expelled, thus discovering the "corruption" in the beautiful town. She is set to marry someone else by Venus's decree and you have to stop the wedding. You blow the lid on the whole thing and fight Venus.
In Suikoden II I was referring to Nanami and Jowy. Despite his behavior which I never understood, I always thought there was a thing between the two. Maybe I read too much into it, and I thought that was part of why Nanami's fate was so sad among other reasons.
Suikoden II is still fresh in my mind (I grabbed my copy of the shelf last weekend and just replayed through it; I finished the day before yesterday), but I can understand that some things might be muddled if you haven't played through it recently or were just straight-up confused by the God-awful translation the game was subjected to. To Nanami, Jowy was just as much a brother as the hero. As far as she was concerned, Jowy might as well have been adopted by Genkaku along with the hero and herself. In case you were wondering, though, Jowy's behaviour was largely dictated by the rune he carried. The most pervasive theme in the Suikoden series has been overcoming the fate that's been placed upon you by a true rune. The world of Suikoden was born through Jowy and the hero's runes clashing with each other, and that's what the rune's will demands that they continue to do. Jowy was weaker than the Black Sword Rune, so he would create situations where he would be able to fight against (and conquer) the hero and his Bright Shield Rune. The hero, however, was stronger than the Bright Shield Rune and was constantly trying to reconcile with Jowy in order to end the war (and the conflict between their runes, which Jowy just couldn't have). This is shown best at the very end of the game (even after the final boss in L'Renouille), where in the final duel between yourself and Jowy the true ending can only be earned by refusing to fight him (by defending every turn). Nanami's fate isn't sad in the true ending, by the way. What happens at Rockaxe doesn't do her in.
And Chrono Trigger!
Those two are shining examples JRPG brilliance to this day.
I really wished more games used what Phantasy Star IV did, because I knew exactly which moves my characters did, but without wasting the time going through menus and clicking. Keep turn based battles but make them faster. It's still the old formula but in a better way. Wouldn't that make everyone happy (generally)?
Maybe I'm being an old fart and I'm harder to please, but I just want to see some variety and ways that I can cut down on how much time I have to spend playing JRPG's. I'm not saying out-right get rid of the things I suggested, but make them less predictable.
I'm sorry, but that's stupid. Not everyone wants to hear the shrieking high pitched Japanese school girl voice every woman has. Not everyone wants to read subtitles every time they play a game. Believe it or not, there are plenty of decent English speaking voice actors who can do fine. Metal Gear Solid, as much as I dislike the gameplay, have some great voice actors. In fact, David Hayter was so good Kojima had him do the role for the Japanese version of MGS2 as well.
You just have press right or left during the battle.
It does take away a lot of the things you site as problems.
I like JRPG's the way they are, but I will kinda side with you on random encounters, toward the end of FF's they start to wear on you.
Oh and don't get Persona 3. Its story seems to be calendar based, and you cant move the story ahead until certain days. Boy is that frustrating.
anyway, nice article man
The story is calender-based, and it could take all of about 20 minutes to go from one boss to the next if you decided not to spend any time building relationships or level grinding.
However, building relationships is fun. Hell, the level grinding is fun (something I would never say about any other game), and so it takes me upwards of 10 hours to get from one full moon to the next. It's how you want to play it. If you want to blast through it (and get raped by the bosses) that's up to you. If you want to enjoy Tartarus and build your social links and do all that stuff, you can.
Don't talk about games you clearly know nothing about.