PS2 RPG questions...

[Liam]

Firstly, is Star Ocean any good?

Secondly, is the .hack series worth checking out?

[Herr Matzat]

Star Ocean is good, the dot hack games suck ass and are a brutal rip off (first of all gameplay, leveldesing and story suck (not anywear near the standart hack/sign set) and second they sell you the same game 4 times, this has been confirmed by people who hacked it and that compared certain data sizes) - the anime that comes with the 4 games is up to the standart of the sign show, but wen you supstract the neverending opening and ending sequenzes of every "episode" you don´t even end up with 90 minutes.

[Liam]

So, Matzat, as well as Star Ocean, any other RPG's you'd recommend for my purchasing?

[Herr Matzat]

if you are into Tacktic RPGs and havent played it yet, go for Disgaea, the story is good and funny ripping into a lot of RPG standarts. - if you never played tacktic RPGs that is a good game to start (and sinc that game was a suprise hit there have been a ton of other good tacktic rpgs released in the US and manny even made it to europe aswell, so if you like that style of game you can get a bunch more that follow the same style of gameplay)

Otherwise of cause Xenosaga one and two or the Demon games by Atlus (www.atlus.com, lots of good unknowen games, digital devil saga and nocturn would be the ones i am speaking of now)

[Guest Future Shock]

AND NAMCO X CAPCOM`!~!~!`11`~!~!

Sorry, I'm a Capcom nut. And that game looks boss.

[Liam]

Yeah, Stokerino already recommend Disgaea, and I am definitely going to get it, and probably Star Ocean as well now.

Any other recommendation from anyone will be much appreciated.

[stokeriño]

La Pucelle Tactics is the same sort of thing as Disgaea isn't it? I think it's meant to be the prequel...or something.

Haven't bought it yet, but intend to do so after my birthday when I feel slightly more confident about my ability to spend money.

[Corizzle]

Shadow Hearts: Covenent is a decent game, and you get to collect gay nude pictures and trade them for dresses for a doll that moves and looks like a 5 year old. What's not to like about that?

It actually is a good game

[GhostMachine]

GET XENOSAGA I AND II

And avoid Unlimited Saga like the plague, despite what Maztat would say about it.

Right now, I'm playing Phantom Brave. I'll let you know what I think once I complete it, but its looking more like a Final Fantasy Tactics type game than a true RPG.

P.S. I bought the first Dothack, played it about halfway through, loaned it to a friend, and am not even sure I'll ever finish it once I get it back. The voice acting is okay, but the gameplay is so-so.

Edited May 28, 2005 by GhostMachine

[oldskool]

You pansies. Everyone pushes FFX and FFX-2 except here. Buy them, they're cheap now. Still good, too.

[stokeriño]

GET XENOSAGA I AND II

←

Short of buying a foreign PS2 or chipping our own, we British people are refused such greatness.

I know, Namco are bastards.

You pansies. Everyone pushes FFX and FFX-2 except here. Buy them, they're cheap now. Still good, too.

Well, you're half right...

P.S. I bought the first Dothack, played it about halfway through, loaned it to a friend, and am not even sure I'll ever finish it once I get it back. The voice acting is okay, but the gameplay is so-so.

Speaking of voice actors, I checked up on the English voice actors for Disgaea (because I'm interested in this kind of thing...and Flonne's voice was starting to annoy me). Turns out Etna's voiced by Amanda Winn, who played Rei in Neon Genesis Evangelion as well as Princess Vina in Dragonhalf, and is therefore by definition instantly great. However, the most prominant role on Barbera Goodson's (Laharl) resume...? Kitsune in Love Hina. GAAAAH!! Of all the atrocious dubbings made ever!!

...

Sorry for my nerdish rantings. Please continue.

Edited May 28, 2005 by stokeriño

[Herr Matzat]

La Pucelle Tactics is the same sort of thing as Disgaea isn't it? I think it's meant to be the prequel...or something.

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[Mortis]

.hack is good if you like a dungeon crawling RPG, if you are interested in .hack//sign, you'll enjoy the game, it's pretty fun, and the games are pretty cheap now. It's a bit annoying due to repetitiveness, but if your into dungeon crawling, leveling up, and such, the basic MMORPG type stuff, then it's the perfect game for you.

Star Ocean: Till the End of Time is a great RPG, with alot of depth, and multiple endings. You actually feel apart of the game, with the strategy system, and the controls. Star Ocean, is and always will be one of the best, although it drags at the beggining, later on it begins to kick ass.

Xenosaga is more 'if your into that sorta thing'. I loved Xenogears, but when they reinvented the Xeno series, with Xenosaga, it wasn't as interesting, still good, but not the best. Xenogears is the number one RPG in my book, despite it's outdated graphics, and such. Xenosaga is a good RPG, but the second one lacks a bit. Buy the first before you buy the second, and most likely you want to be prepared for lots of 'cinema' watching.

Final Fantasy X is a great game overall, and really cheap now. I mean it's a Final Fantasy game, all of them are good(Except IX and X-2). DO NOT BUY X-2 That is possibly one of the worst games ever created. There is literally no depth to it. They use dress spheres to change jobs, and i grew bored after two hours. It's much too boring, the story is predictable, and it's just plain lousy at best.

You could try Suikoden III, or IV((III being cheaper)). It has some nice elements to it such as strategy, and such. It's interesting to say the least, any of the RPGs above are really good unless I said not. Hell, the fact that they are being mentioned means you may still want to check it out. FFX-2 just isn't my style, who knows, it may be yours.

[stokeriño]

HOW CAN YOU NOT LOVE FLONE ?! - SHAME ON YOU.

Seriusly, i love every of the characters on DIsgaea and i think the english dubbing is worth to be played (you do have the option to play it with the original japanes dubbing, not the fun dubbing just the original one)

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I don't hate Flonne quite so much any more because I've realised just how insanely like one of my friends she actually is (a friend who would come out with such lines as "help me! I've been outfoxed by a duvet!"...and actually mean it). Her voice is still kind of annoying, especially when she goes off on one of her periodic love-love speeches.

And option to make it Japanese? Where?!

[Herr Matzat]

HOW CAN YOU NOT LOVE FLONE ?! - SHAME ON YOU.

Seriusly, i love every of the characters on DIsgaea and i think the english dubbing is worth to be played (you do have the option to play it with the original japanes dubbing, not the fun dubbing just the original one)

←

I don't hate Flonne quite so much any more because I've realised just how insanely like one of my friends she actually is (a friend who would come out with such lines as "help me! I've been outfoxed by a duvet!"...and actually mean it). Her voice is still kind of annoying, especially when she goes off on one of her periodic love-love speeches.

And option to make it Japanese? Where?!

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[FunkAsPuck]

I say when it comes to Star Ocean: Till The End Of Time, if you ignore the absolutely terrible voice acting and the pretty boring storyline, you'll like it.

The battle engine is absolutely awesome.

[Herr Matzat]

.hack is good if you like a dungeon crawling RPG, if you are interested in .hack//sign, you'll enjoy the game, it's pretty fun, and the games are pretty cheap now. It's a bit annoying due to repetitiveness, but if your into dungeon crawling, leveling up, and such, the basic MMORPG type stuff, then it's the perfect game for you.

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[stokeriño]

HOW CAN YOU NOT LOVE FLONE ?! - SHAME ON YOU.

Seriusly, i love every of the characters on DIsgaea and i think the english dubbing is worth to be played (you do have the option to play it with the original japanes dubbing, not the fun dubbing just the original one)

←

I don't hate Flonne quite so much any more because I've realised just how insanely like one of my friends she actually is (a friend who would come out with such lines as "help me! I've been outfoxed by a duvet!"...and actually mean it). Her voice is still kind of annoying, especially when she goes off on one of her periodic love-love speeches.

And option to make it Japanese? Where?!

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uhm, try the options menu ?! i think it´s in the start menu or before a new game starts, maybe even in the battle menu !? Not shure.

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Bah. The Options Menu is the same everywhere you try it (start menu, in game, battle manu, there isn't one when when you start a new game...). All it has is:

Cursor Mode: (A-Type/B-Type)

Sound Mode: (Mono/Stereo)

Master Vol: (1/2/3/Max)

BGM Vol: (1/2/3/Max)

Voice Vol: (1/2/3/Max)

SE Vol: (1/2/3/Max)

Tsk.

[Herr Matzat]

you obviusly are not looking at everything, i know it´s posible, i don´t have the game here at the moment but i think it even was in the manual.

Disgaea has (so far) one of the best storylines I've ever seen in an RPG. It is equal parts completely original, hilarious, and well-thought-out. Each character's dialog is accompanied by excellent voice-acting (in either English or Japanese!) and is just about as perfect as it could be. You'll laugh loud and often at the irreverent things you hear. It's just plain great. I can't wait to see what's ahead of me.

[stokeriño]

Bastards, I shall find this thing if it takes me all day dammit!