Dark Souls II

[The Lonious Monk]

I never played the first one because I don't know people who like RPG's outside of Skyrim and I didn't own a PS3 or 360 of my own. If this comes to PS4 or Xbox One in some form I'll check it out though. Between this, The Witcher 3, Bravely Default, Shin Megami Tensai X Fire Emblem and Monolith Soft's X it's gonna be a good year for RPG fans. I'm hyped.

Ehhh, seems like a so so year to me, but that could just be because I remember the "good" years. Still a horrible year for jRPG fans too.

As far as whether it will be on the PS4 or XB1, the director said it could come out on both of those systems, but they really haven't put any thought into it yet. I heard their PC port for the original wasn't so good, so maybe they'd be better of working on a new game, rather than a faulty Next Gen port.

 

[Broddie]

I never played the first one because I don't know people who like RPG's outside of Skyrim and I didn't own a PS3 or 360 of my own. If this comes to PS4 or Xbox One in some form I'll check it out though. Between this, The Witcher 3, Bravely Default, Shin Megami Tensai X Fire Emblem and Monolith Soft's X it's gonna be a good year for RPG fans. I'm hyped.

Ehhh, seems like a so so year to me, but that could just be because I remember the "good" years. Still a horrible year for jRPG fans too.

As far as whether it will be on the PS4 or XB1, the director said it could come out on both of those systems, but they really haven't put any thought into it yet. I heard their PC port for the original wasn't so good, so maybe they'd be better of working on a new game, rather than a faulty Next Gen port.

3 of the titles I named are JRPG's, so is the game this thread is about. On top of all those Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth & Natural Doctrine are also coming and Kingdom Hearts III might drop this year too. That's 3 more JRPG's and I'm not even counting stuff coming to the Vita or PS3 as I don't own or plan on ever owning those consoles but they have their fair share of RPG's on the way too. I've been playing RPG's since the late 80's I don't just remember the "good" years I remember when the genre was completely niche. I can't think of a year in recent memory that has had this many potentially classic RPG's dropping.

 

[grumpy_new_yorker]

Still a horrible year for jRPG fans too.

Negative.

Tales of Xillia 2

Tales Of Symphonia Chronicles

Ragnarok Odyssey ACE

Fairy Fencer F

Drakenguard 3

God Eater 2

Legend of Heroes Trails in the Sky Second Chapter

Witch and Hundred Knights

FF X Remaster

 

[The Lonious Monk]

The term jRPG doesn't to any RPG made in Japan. It specifically means the classic style of RPGs like the Final Fantasy, Dragon Warrior, Suikoden, and games of those types. Dark Souls II is definitely not a jRPG and neither are a lot of the other games being named here. And even of the ones that are being named, many of them are remakes or late releases of games that are already available.

Maybe it's a stretch to say it's a horrible year, but I still don't think it's a good year for jRPGs.

 

[Broddie]

Even if by JRPG you mean a formulaic Lufia or Illusion of Gaia like ordeal and not something more western influenced like this; you still have more than a handful to choose from this year. Which is very impressive considering how traditional JRPG's have been swept under the rug as of last gen.

Keep in mind that the year just started. More could be announced as it goes on. I'm actually jealous that you guys get to play not one but 2 Tales games including remasters of classics as well as Persona 5 and Drakengard 3 but I know I could probably rely on PS Now to play those in the future.

 

[The Lonious Monk]

I don't agree. To me remasters and remakes don't mean anything. They are nice for fans of those particular games, but they don't particularly add anything to the overall RPG catalog. Past that, pretty much all of those games are smaller franchises from relatively small developers. That doesn't make them bad or anything, but you get several games on that level every year. Again, that doesn't add anything. And most of the time those games are very niche. I'm not saying that no RPGs are coming out. If you're a fan and willing to play anything that's RPG format, then you can find something. All I'm saying is that if you think this is going to be a good year for RPGs, you either weren't around during the good years for RPGs or just weren't into them much.

 

[Broddie]

I don't agree. To me remasters and remakes don't mean anything. They are nice for fans of those particular games, but they don't particularly add anything to the overall RPG catalog. Past that, pretty much all of those games are smaller franchises from relatively small developers. That doesn't make them bad or anything, but you get several games on that level every year. Again, that doesn't add anything. And most of the time those games are very niche. I'm not saying that no RPGs are coming out. If you're a fan and willing to play anything that's RPG format, then you can find something. All I'm saying is that if you think this is going to be a good year for RPGs, you either weren't around during the good years for RPGs or just weren't into them much.

That's a very broad generalization.

 

[The Lonious Monk]

I don't think it is. There were years where you could expect 3 or 4 GOTY candidates would be RPGs. Where Final Fantasy was among the premiere video game franchises. Where the small titles from small companies were actually great games and not just the best of a bad crop. Those were good years. I don't see how people who played RPGs in those years could say this will be a good year. It might be ok, but not good. Mincing words, I know, but I think it's a worthwhile distinction.

 

[Broddie]

Yep very broad indeed.

 

[The Lonious Monk]

If you say so.

 

[KillaCham]

...so for something relevant...

Trophy list:

The Dark Soul (50G) - Earn all trophies

Self Recollection (10G) - Reclaim flesh and set out as an Undead

King's Ring (20G) - Acquire the King's Ring

Ancient Dragon (20G) - Acquire Ashen Mist Heart

The Heir (100G) - See the ending

Last Giant (10G) - Defeat the Last Giant

Sinner's Bonfire (20G) - Light the primal bonfire in Sinner's Rise

Iron Keep Bonfire (20G) - Light the primal bonfire in the Iron Keep

Gulch Bonfire (20G) - Light the primal bonfire in the Black Gulch

Brightstone Bonfire (20G) - Light the primal bonfire in Brightstone Cove Tseldora

Giant Lord (20G) - Defeat Looking Glass Knight

Vendrick (50G) - Defeat Vendrick

Supreme Weapon (50G) - Reinforce a weapon to its limit

Gesture Maestro (50G) - Learn all gestures

Master of Sorcery (30G) - Learn all sorceries

Master of Miracles (30G) - Learn all miracles

Master of Pyromancy (30G) - Learn all pyromancies

Master of Hexes (30G) - Learn all hexes

Brilliant Covenant (10G) - Discover a most brilliant covenant

Protector Covenant (10G) - Discover the covenant of the protectors

Sanguinary Covenant (10G) - Discover the covenant of the bloodthirsty

Covenant of the Meek (10G) - Discover the covenant of the meek

Gnawing Covenant (10G) - Discover the covenant of rodents

Clangorous Covenant (10G) - Discover the clangorous covenant

Covenant of Ancients (10G) - Discover an ancient covenant

Covenant of the Fittest (10G) - Discover the covenant of the fittest

Abysmal Covenant (10G) - Discovery the abysmal covenant

Selfless Giver (50G) - Max-out devotion to covenant

Curious Map (30G) - Light all flames on the map in Majula

Change of Clothes (30G) - Give Rosabeth of Melfia something to wear

Gathering of Exiles (30G) - Increase the population of Majula

Moonlight Greatsword (30G) - Inherit Benhart of Jugo's equipment

Holder of the Fort (30G) - Inherit Captain Drummond's equipment

Lucatiel (30G) - Inherit equipment from Lucatiel of Mirrah

Smith for Life (30G) - Inherit Steady Hand McDuff's equipment

Garrulous Miser (30G) - Inherit Laddersmith Gilligan's equipment

Reflections on Disembodiment (30G) - Inherit equipment from the head of Vengarl

This is Dark Souls (10G) - Die for the first time

 

[The Lonious Monk]

I wonder if you can get a Platinum without the "This is Dark Souls" trophy. Not that anyone would ever have to worry about that.

 

[The Lonious Monk]

This is dropping 3/11. Lords of Shadow 2 is dropping 2/25. Next couple of months is going to be pretty good for game for me.

 

[KillaCham]

 

[The Lonious Monk]

I can't wait for this shit man. Lucky I got Strider to hold me over til then.

 

[KillaCham]

Lonious, you cop this yet?

 

[The Lonious Monk]

Yeah. This shit is kicking my ass. It's much harder than the first two to me. Fun, but frustrating as fuck. lol

 

[KillaCham]

I'd say it's harder, especially at the beginning with those giant ass enemies, but if you've played through the first two it shouldn't be that difficult since you'd know how the combat works. Still a bitch. I haven't played that much yet but I just beat both bosses in Forest of the Fallen Giants.

 

[grumpy_new_yorker]

waiting for the pc version next month

 

[The Lonious Monk]

Yeah, the difficult is manageable. I realized that part of the difficulty I was going through was because I was taking a bad path. There is no right way to go, but there are paths that are more natural for progression. I took a way a way that was a little less natural, so I struggled a bit, but then when I got past and went to other areas they were ridiculously easy.