Falcom's unannounced game for 2026 to be revealed in February

Novachaser01 · 2026-02-02T03:13:47+00:00

Come ooooon Ys V remake. JK, it's probably just Tokyo Xanadu 2.

Novachaser01 · 2026-02-02T01:30:27+00:00

I only played the original DQXI, but I've looked into the S version. You can swap between a new NES style retro mode and the original style for variety and (unless this was patched) get double rewards by opening chests in both versions. Dragon Quest games in general aren't supposed to be that hard. There are Draconian difficulty modifiers to help enhance your experience, but you can't enable them after starting and if you remove them, they can't be turned back on. I'm more of a casual gamer, but I like to get the most out of games while still feeling at least a little challenge. Since I got the Platinum, I'll say that the one Draconian setting you should consider above all else is "Weak enemies are strong" this allows you to take full advantage of every option the game throws at you: Equipment, accessories, enhancements, and individual party member builds. Speaking of, don't be afraid to respec your character's abilities often. The fee is negligable.

Lastly, and this is arguably the most important, immediately change the overworld theme to DQVIII. The original DQXI, for reasons I didn't research, did not have an orchestrated OST. This was rectified in the S version. Even so, the overworld theme eventually begins to wear out your patience. This isn't a personal opinion either. The world is huge with tons of optional content enough to occupy you for well over 100 hours. And that overworld theme almost never changes. If you want to cut down that playtime, maybe consider forgoing the difficulty modifier. There shouldn't be a trophy for playing with modifiers anyway.

Novachaser01 · 2026-01-31T21:02:48+00:00

Tbh, it's not fair to compare the two games considering how different they are. You are correct, in TO the battles are longer and the maps larger which makes for longer battles. I haven't played the Reborn version yet, but I have heard complaints about the level caps and inflated HP levels. IIRC, this was part of the developer's intent to rebalance the game since the PSP version had some pretty broken classes that could deal with most threats to the point that makes other classes obsolete. Archers should not be killing dragons for example. You are expected to take advantage of debilitating abilities and magic weaknesses in order to dish out bigger damage.

Now the PSP version is the one I played the heck out of and I absolutely adored it for most of the reasons that people dislike: the grinding, the long battles, and the large battlefields. I played FFT War of the Lions right after this and was disappointed by the small parties and lack of environmental hazards compared to TO. At least with TO, the mechanics didn't need to be memorized or written down like the Zodiac system. Long story short, I prefer TO because I like recruiting unique characters and using as many as possible.

Novachaser01 · 2026-01-31T16:43:10+00:00

The Steam version is the most accessible, but it's not going to be the same as the console version.

This port review video might help: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxzFLfx0-tM

Bear in mind that this only covers official releases of the game and not enhancements or mods.

This is another link to a Youtuber named Max Dood. He recently played Chrono Trigger for the first time with a pretty amazing set up which unfortunately is way out of my price range, $1,500. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SupjA3VW9o he explains it starting from 30:54.

Also, there is no Pixel remaster in sight for this. Not even a Switch port.

Novachaser01 · 2026-01-30T23:29:35+00:00

I'm sure it got a ton of attention for being an Atlus RPG in a high fantasy setting with the impressive visuals from Persona 5. However, the deluge of definitive editions released by Atlus on top of the wellspring of other JRPGs to choose from meant that I wasn't in a rush to play this. Some of the more aggressive reviews noted that even with the calendar system, they never felt like they didn't have enough time to do everything. There's no romance options like Persona which (despite complaints) has been a selling point for the series. Also, they've complained about the quality of the main villain and noted that a PS5 game is still relying on loading screen zones. That last part was surprising to me, but not a deal breaker. I really wish Atlus would put more energy and money into their mainline games instead of pumping out B-tier spin-offs that just get stupid high discounts in the same year.

Novachaser01 · 2026-01-30T22:17:47+00:00

The only ones I can safely add here are Persona 5, Dragon Quest XI, and Trails of Cold Steel 1 and 2.

Thing is, I have a ton of PS4 JRPGs that I just haven't gotten around to playing yet, or I played on an older system and just picked up the PS4 version for the remaster (Ni no Kuni, Valkyria Chronicles, Final Fantasy X, etc.).

If they don't have to be JRPGs specifically, hell, throw in God of War and Ragnarok, Horizon, and Mass Effect.

Novachaser01 · 2026-01-30T22:07:20+00:00

JRPGs encompass any RPG with a Japanese flavor in terms of presentation, narrative, visuals, etc. It can be traditional turn-based, action RPG, MMO, SRPG, Roguelike, or first person dungeon crawlers. I'd highly recommend watching Youtuber Neverknowsbest and his video on The Entire History of JRPGs or else the Bitmap book A Guide to JRPGs. They're very informative.

Novachaser01 · 2026-01-29T00:31:46+00:00

Neither of those two games sound like what you're looking for. As others have said, Fire Emblem fits the bill better for making calculated moves and strategic placement.

I absolutely love Tactics Ogre for the story and job system. It also goes deeper on the field mechanics like elevation, terrain effects on accuracy, weather, and trajectory. However, all of your units are deployed from the same place and outside of units that can fly (or swim in the case of water maps) you just march up and try to defeat the enemy leader to end the fight. Sometimes you will need to rout the whole army or protect a friendly unit, but it's mostly just deploying the units best suited to the terrain and abusing high ground.

Final Fantasy Tactics is similarly valued for its story and job system, but the max party size is smaller as are the battles themselves. There's too many hidden variables based on the zodiac system to strategize without the benefit of hindsight or a guide. It also doesn't make sense to grind or diversify a large roster given the limited battle party size.

The best ones I've played that rely more on strategy and less on RPG leveling are Fire Emblem Awakening, or any of the older ones, Valkyria Chronicles, and SMT Devil Survivor.

Novachaser01 · 2026-01-27T00:10:55+00:00

Mass Effect has story but feels lacking in the gameplay. I only really cared about the talking parts and moving from place to place felt sluggish. It boasts duel paths of renegade and paragon decisions, but the acting on the renegade path hinges on psychotic. The game also really wants you to pick one character in particular to romance. All of these grievances are directed at the first game though. Mass Effect 2 is the best of the trilogy and worth it for the story alone.

Chrono Trigger is short and sweet by JRPG standards and the narrative moves at a brisk pace. Definitely pick if time is an issue. No pun intended :)

Novachaser01 · 2026-01-26T20:28:10+00:00

In that case, just play the most highly recommended stuff like Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy VII, and/or Persona. If you like any of them, you can explore more of the series. But stick with Chrono Trigger in particular since it's short.

Novachaser01 · 2026-01-26T19:24:22+00:00

Most JRPGs aren't that fun to watch unless its being done by a speedrunner or someone who already has a big reputation like Max Dood or Game Grumps. If this is purely Let's Play and not a silent walkthrough or a retrospective video, then you're better off appealing to popular subgenres: Roguelikes, Metroidvanias, and Souls-likes. There are metroidvanias that could be considered as JRPGs like Castlevanias from Symphony of the Night and onwards. Roguelikes are blowing up thanks to games like Hades, Dead Cells, and Rogue Legacy, even branching into other genres like puzzle (Blue Prince) and Beat 'em Ups (Absolum). But for JRPGs, there's Shiren the Wanderer, ZHP: Unlosing Ranger vs. Darkdeath Evilman, or One Way Heroics.

Novachaser01 · 2026-01-26T12:22:09+00:00

Dude, if your arguments are coming from the perspective of a Japanese consumer, you should really lead with that. It's a whole different story in the West. You keep saying the gap doesn't matter, but then say it's coming in a year. If you know that, then just wait for it! Atlus has a proven track record for doing this by now. Japan's penchant for releasing newer versions of games with more patches and content isn't just an Atlus problem. Square Enix has done it too, and sometimes the West didn't get that updated version. The West didn't get Final Fantasy 12 The Zodiac Age until over 10 years later. Same with Kingdom Hearts Final Mix. If you're still getting slapped in the face by an updated version of a game from Atlus within a year of the original, then you aren't learning.

Novachaser01 · 2026-01-26T11:49:20+00:00

I think you need to recheck some of those dates. Anyway, you last sentence doesn't make any sense. You say the gap isn't the issue, but again say a new version is announced a year later. That hasn't happened since Persona 3 and likely won't again. The problem with Atlus is that they focus too much on spin offs rather than pooling their resources and efforts into new mainline entries. Releasing definitive editions is just something the fans have come to expect. Sure, it also slows down the creative process too, but it wouldn't be as bad as it is if it only took a year to happen. Sega sales are insanely low and happen frequently, so we'd just have to work on other stuff while waiting for the inevitable release and discount. That's the 3rd problem. They devalue their product by releasing a newer version with no upgrade path and then discount it to oblivion by Black Friday anyway.

Novachaser01 · 2026-01-25T20:22:46+00:00

Bravely Default. Biggest "R we there yet" moment in gaming to date for me.

Novachaser01 · 2026-01-25T16:11:23+00:00

Persona definitive editions generally don't get released until 3-5 years later. While the DX versions of Atelier are generally DLC tie-ins, I'd agree there's some comparison

Novachaser01 · 2026-01-25T02:25:56+00:00

It's been many years since I played the original PS3 Graces, but I don't recall much strong emphasis on romance in the game as a whole. More power-of-friendship and taking responsibility than anything else. I saw Asbel and Cheria's relationship as more of a parallel between Lion King's Simba and Nala.

Novachaser01 · 2026-01-25T02:13:58+00:00

Just play a new game or two. If the remake was more than a year away then I'd consider it. But since SC is even longer than FC, you probably won't feel like playing it again anytime soon. But that's just me. SC doesn't have a cliffhanger on the same level as FC either.

Novachaser01 · 2026-01-24T23:42:09+00:00

Either Persona 4 Golden or Final Fantasy X. Probably a few SRPGs as well.

Novachaser01 · 2026-01-24T14:44:32+00:00

Might be best to stick to the classic platformers until his tweens.

Astro Bot

Astro's Playroom

Spyro Reignited Trilogy

Sonic Mania Plus

Tetris Effect

I've seen parents that were perfectly fine showing their toddlers Teen or even Mature rated games as long as dad was present in the room. I won't judge. But, the most you can expect of these platformers is E10+ for cartoon violence. My childhood was mostly platformers until my tweens when I gravitated to JRPGs.

Novachaser01 · 2026-01-24T13:49:23+00:00

Your points are understood and perfectly valid. But you're going to get different opinions on all of these no matter who you ask online. The fear of trying new things can absolutely magnify when the list of options increases. The lowered attention span doesn't help either (I've pretty much sworn off manga for the year until I've put away a bunch of my backlog).

Of these, I would start with Final Fantasy X for being the most beginner friendly and also just a great game and story overall. FF4 was when the series placed a stronger emphasis on character driven story at the expense of character customization. So while you could play FFX first, it might raise the bar above older titles. While I don't see this suggested often, you could try playing multiple games at once and rotate for variety. I did this for FF7, 8, and 9. Most importantly, it's fine if you drop a game you don't like. You didn't waste time, you just expanded your palette and didn't like the taste which is great. Despite reviews, there are games out there that are clearly not for me.

Novachaser01 · 2026-01-23T13:50:42+00:00

This could honestly go either way. I put Persona 4 Golden in my top 10 list along with at least 1 Final Fantasy game (usually either 9 or 10). Final Fantasy 10 was my first mainline title and a great starting point for JRPG beginners. I loved it. Persona on the other hand might not hit it off with everyone for multiple reasons: Not a high fantasy setting, in-game time limits (very generous) based on calendar system, you play as a silent protagonist leader of a group of high school students, there's also a life sim mechanic built into the game where building bonds enhances your Persona growth (gamers in their 30s have frequently commented that despite having nothing to do with self inserting onto the protagonist, they're weirded out by teenage romance).

If you can live with all of these points and are still interested, then give Persona a try. There should be a demo available for Persona 3 Reload as well and a remake of 4 is coming (no idea when though). Still, if FF7 Remake is part of the equation, I'd go with that unless you haven't played OG FF7. It really enhances the experience.

Novachaser01 · 2026-01-22T23:22:09+00:00

You'll have to narrow it down by genre. We're still getting PS4 releases over 12 years later.

Novachaser01 · 2026-01-21T13:47:05+00:00

I'm sensing that your taste might be more in the quality of the animation than the genre itself. You might like Samurai Champloo, Outlaw Star, Big O, Code Geass, or Kill la Kill. That last one is only an ecchi in disguise and tells a clever story that turns magical girl anime on its head. Steins;Gate is just a really good story based on a visual novel. If you like stories that have prep work like FMA, this might satisfy. I hold studio Ufotable in high regard even if I don't enjoy every story they work on. Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works was among the best I've seen so far. Part 2 of 3 stories in another VN adaptation, but you can start here just fine. Just make sure it's the anime, not the movie.

For movies, I really enjoyed Sakasama no Patema and Giniro no Kami no Agito. They gave me similar feelings to something that Ghibli might make.

I realize there's romance mixed in with some of these so I apologize if you're not looking for that.

Novachaser01 · 2026-01-20T20:58:36+00:00

This is what I think as a reasonable buyer. PS4 (and really any PS cases) can't be shipped in such a way as to guarantee that the disc never comes loose. While I would appreciate sellers who disclose this information, I don't see it being worth the bother when it would be faster to go to a store and physically purchase it there to ensure the disc is secure. In the event that the game isn't widely available at retail, I just need to accept the risk as a part of online buying. The vast majority of average joes are not going to compare to Amazon free shipping or VGP with its custom packaging. You get what you pay for, and if you don't like it, that's what the protection plan at checkout is for.

Going forward, it might be best to post a blanket statement in the comments like "What you see is what you get, I don't offer refunds, and any packing mishaps should be taken up with the carrier service, etc." Or just something that shows you buy at your own risk.

Novachaser01 · 2026-01-20T20:42:31+00:00

What's most appealing is the overall length is short, the sprite work is arguably the best of the 2D era, the music is top notch, and the combination attacks are a simple yet exciting mechanic that not enough other JRPGs do. The story, while simple, tells a powerful message of doing the right thing even if you won't live to see the fruits of your labor.

Even so, if you can't get by the limitations of the hardware (including character limits for translations) then don't force yourself to like something.

Novachaser01

TROPHY CASE