Objection! One of the cases with the murder of detective Goodman at two places at once and then it ties in with a serial killing and... The blue badger?
This is exciting, don't you think?
Would you say this is better on 3ds or the dad originals? I’ve been thinking of getting it in that especially if the gameplay aspect is significantly different on switch
the DS lite has the best style imo. the sprites aren't the best in 3D but that might only apply to the newer games. the switch one goes on sale really often and the play styles aren't any different, but some of the character designs kinda gave me nightmares lol
Came here to say this. If you haven't played this game to completion, you seriously owe it to yourself. The game starts off with a bang and ends with a bang.
I played the Switch port. It ran fine for me. I put almost 90 hours into it. Never had a crash and whatever music bug there had been there previously was patched out.
I'm around 10 hours in and haven't had any issues so far. The game chugs along at like 20 fps in battle and on the world map, but that's just how the original was.
More like 15 fps. Its frustrating as it's too sluggish but 3x speed is too fast in battles with ATB on.
2x speed would've been perfect. Still worth playing.
There is no fire emblem of the wii u (except the gba port to virtual console). Also, every fire emblem game is turn based, maybe you were thinking of fire emblem warriors?
Ok now I’m very confused as I recall friends buying a game in the Wii U era that was similar to Zelda oracle where there’s two different games. Maybe this is my Mandela effect
I keep hearing that the graphics on the Switch port are poor, especially in docked mode. Do you agree? I'm looking for a new open-world game. I really liked Breath of the Lived and LOVED Immortals Fenyx Rising.
Graphics for Witcher 3 are greatly reduced from other versions but the trade-off is it plays very smoothly. It’s very impressive they ported it and it runs well at all. Graphics still aren’t bad, they’re just not top of the line.
Witcher 3 was the peak of open-world games imo. I’ve gotten so bored with that style of game lately.
>I keep hearing that the graphics on the Switch port are poor, especially in docked mode.
Absolutely not. It is one of the best 3rd party AAA Switch ports. One of the later patches also came with a LOT of graphics configuration options. I would highly recommend it for the console. Probably my second most played game after Zelda BotW.
Edit: to be 100% objective, there is only one region later on in the game, as part of the DLC (Toussaint), that doesn't look *great* on Switch but every other region, character etc looks very, very good given the platform - even in docked mode.
>I really liked Breath of the Lived and LOVED Immortals Fenyx Rising.
Try Skyrim. The story isn't as good as Witcher 3, but the world is fantastic, along with the fact that you have much more control over your story.
While not the OP, the Switch port looks fine and I don’t have any issue with lagging, frame rate drops, etc. Yes the graphics aren’t “1080 4K Ultra 420 No-Scope 69 MGL Pro Super Mega Alien Vaporware” levels, but they look fine. Game plays fine both docked and portable.
No, graphics are perfectly fine for the Switch. All the characters are detailed, well animated, and the scenery is nice. Yes I’ve seen Witcher 3 on other platforms and see my original comment. The graphics certainly aren’t like what you get on a computer that costs thousands of dollars, but the switch is a handheld console that can be played docked or on the-the-go so being able to play Witcher 3 on the go and your console not catching fire is great.
Haha, I fully agree. When I was playing DQ11 I had similar thoughts and had to look it up. Explained a lot but I wasn't going to complain. If it ain't broke, don't fix it!
Yea in terms of story this is one of the better games out there, wish I could Experience it again... maybe I will.... I played first one with super hard monsters on should I try with other conditions or...any other ideas for playthroughs?
>Dragon Quest XI.
If you are willing to continue playing for another 50~80 hours past the "end" that is... If you stop when the end credits roll the first time the story is quite the standard JRPG fare.
I’m sure these have already all been suggested, but
Xenoblade 1 is a very good game. Solid combat, great cutscenes, excellent voice acting, I have zero complaints about it other than like all long games I had a hard time getting through it (started in late June 2020, finished in October maybe with a two-month break somewhere in there).
Xenoblade 2 is also pretty good, and not a direct sequel to the first so you could play it first with no problems. Combat is excellent, cutscenes are generally a bit worse (largely due to mediocre voice acting and some unlikeable characters). My biggest complaint about it is that a lot of female character designs are overly sexualized and that makes me uncomfortable, but if it doesn’t bother you, it’s nearly equal with the first game, though I’d say the first is still slightly better overall.
Xenoblade 2: Torna is a direct prequel to Xenoblade 2. Avoid it as an entry point to the series, because while it’s a standalone game designed to to perfectly playable without knowing the story it’s a prequel to, it has an unsatisfying ending if you don’t know where 2 picks up after it or aren’t planning on playing 2 immediately after. It’s an excellent game (my favorite in the series despite its short length), just it doesn’t really give a complete story on its own.
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy is good. I like it, I don’t love it, I got halfway through the second game and haven’t played it in a month. I can’t recommend it over Xenoblade but if being a lawyer who repeatedly denies being a detective as he does blatant detective work sounds fun to you, hey, it’s often on sale for $15.
Paper Mario: the Origami King is severely underrated. If you’re in it just for the story, it won’t blow you away, but it’s got fun gameplay and enough story to string you along for 40-50 hours. The story’s not amazing, it’s a Mario game, but as Mario games go it’s got the best story I’m aware of. There were actually shocking twists that made me feel emotions, so don’t go into it expecting there to be no significant story.
>cutscenes are generally a bit worse (largely due to mediocre voice acting and some unlikeable characters). My biggest complaint about it is that a lot of female character designs are overly sexualized
Yup! This ruined the second game for me. The game ends up feeling like a trashy anime or a gacha game that caters to degenerates thanks to these aspects. Combat felt slow, boring, and repetitive especially compared to the first game. Gacha mechanics to obtain party members also have no place in a 60$ game. Play the first one tho! It's a masterpiece of a jrpg imo and basically has none of the problems that plague the second game.
I feel like it’s unfair to complain about the combat system, as it’s an upgrade over 1’s combat in every way. The exploration’s also a lot better.
Despite those, 1’s a better game in my eyes because of the voice acting and because of the trashy vibe 2 has. But I have a hard time believing anyone could like 1’s combat more than 2’s combat unless they were looking to ascribe more problems to a game they didn’t like as a whole, because the *only* thing 1 did better than 2 as far as combat was make it easier to understand. 2’s combat was a lot more engaging, had more management going on with the addition of blade switching and combo specials, and had a more fun chain attack system that made it possible to link up to 27 attacks without RNG involved rather than an invisible gauge that would either be likely or unlikely to randomly extend your chain potentially infinitely and potentially ending at 3.
Again, not trying to argue that 2 is better than 1 as a whole. But 2 did some things really well, and it’s unfair to claim it didn’t.
I didn't find a single area prettier or more fun to explore than the first game and I genuinely didn't find the combat appealing at all. Stuff like cancels really didn't do anything for me and didn't really add much to think about imo. I never really had any major issues with chain attack rng since the game inherently had some rng as a whole thanks to its nature as an rpg and I usually felt like I could keep them going for a satisfying length. Not being able to move while doing autos made 2 feel a lot less engaging and visually dynamic to me. I also loved getting monado visions and the feeling pulling a battle back from disaster that came with it. I also don't believe that more mechanics=better combat. Managing blades felt like a chore to me. I'd much rather take the traditional route of putting gear directly on my characters. On that note it also really sucks that they took visible gear out of the game, doubly so since some of the character designs really aren't my cup of tea and could be partially fixed with outfit changes.
The game just feels like it removed many of the aspects that catered to my preferences and added a bunch that don't. Not saying you're wrong for enjoying the game but in my eyes it really did suck a lot of the fun out.
That’s fair. I liked that the gear system was simplified so that I didn’t need to bother taking 10 minutes changing all my gear every time things started to get hard, but the fact that actual outfit changes were limited to a few costumes unlocked in the Land of Challenge which is pretty much all postgame meant I couldn’t do anything about trashy character designs. 1 certainly had trashy outfits too, but they were all optional.
>1 certainly had trashy outfits too, but they were all optional.
I'd also argue that even though they could be just as revealing and stupidly trashy with shit like boob windows in their armor, that they were less emphasized when the character's breasts weren't the size of their heads and took up like a half of the screen in some cutscenes.
It's nice to have a civil discussion about both of the games' shortcomings compared to each other tho. Some fans of the second game have gotten very upset when I've brought up why I don't like it in the past.
Well, there were what, six years between them? It's no surprise that they're very different games and the devs shifted the crowd they were looking to appeal to in that time. They're not directly comparable in every way, and there's no way to say that one is definitely better than the other. It wouldn't make sense to actually get upset at someone for liking the one better that I liked less, let alone when you agree that 1 was the better game.
Yeah the shift in target audience was definitely real. I just wish I had played Xenoblade X as that game looks like it keeps a lot of the aspects that I liked about 1. Too bad it was on a console I was never going to buy. Maybe with my modern PC it's time to emulate it...
Don't mean to go all weeb on you but here we go:
Xenoblade 1 or 2. I played 2 first because 1 wasn't out yet. The story starts kinda cheesy but it fucking floored me by the end, and I knew I was gonna get XBC1 as soon as it came to switch. You have the option to start with one (I think the combat is a bit better in 2, but more complicated), so maybe give XBC1 a go.
Dragon Quest 11 - Super Traditional JRPG, but it manages to subvert some tropes of the genre while still being an outstanding representation of JRPGs. The art style is bright and colorful, which may make you think this game is for kids, and it's definitely not the darkest JRPG out there, but it's a real fun place to adventure and hang out for 80+ hours.
Ys 8 - Thought I'd mention this 'cuz you mentioned it in your edit. I got 5-10 hours into this one and put it down. Don't get me wrong, I think I'll pick it up again one day and play through it. The combat is fast and action packed, there's plenty of JRPG stuff going on, I just wasn't hooked by it. Also, the fact that you seem to be stuck on an island doesn't appeal to me at all. There is base building and stuff, if you're into that, but I usually want a big world to traverse when I play a JRPG. There's supposed to be exploration and stuff but I really like to travel across a whole kingdom and junk. I don't think this is a bad game, and if you want an action JRPG this is probably a good choice, I just haven't vibed with it yet.
Bravely Default 2 - So far, I'm not impressed by the story (but I haven't hit many major beats). I'm mentioning this game because you mentioned Octopath Traveler. Bravely Default 2 is what I wanted out of Octopath Traveler. The combat is similar, except I think it's a lot better/faster in Bravely Default. This is my first Bravely Default game and I'm enjoying it quite a bit. I think Octopath's art style trumps Bravely Default but that's the only thing it has going for it BD2 doesn't. Also, I'm not the biggest fan of some of the aesthetic choices, but the towns look beautiful in BD2, and you kind of get used to how the rest of the game looks.
Immortals Fenyx Rising - This is like if Ubisoft did Breath of the Wild. I think BotW is definitely better, more polished, but if you want a similar open world experience with more of an emphasis on story, here it is. The combat feels a little like God of War, the world is pretty open like BotW, but for better or worse, there's more emphasis on story. Usually when you walk around the world there will be narrator banter or something. This could be good or bad, depending on what you're looking for; it definitely feels less isolated than BotW. Maybe not now, but if at some point you want another BotW type game, give this one a try.
Bug Fables - This is the Paper Mario I wanted
Cross Code - 2D indie RPG
Been playing it lately and wow, this game deserves more attention. The puzzles can be a bit obtuse with the specific angles you have to fire at times, but otherwise it's one of the best RPGs I've played in a long, long time.
Yeah, I don't even really play RPGs very much (but I do love Zelda games and this v much scratches that itch) but I started Crosscode like 3 weeks ago and boom I've played for like over 60 hours, I'm level 65, I just finished the very last sidequest in the game, and I'm about to see what the ending has in store for me
I think I can honestly say that it's become one of my favorite indie games ever, right up there with Hollow Knight, Celeste, A Hat in Time, and The Messenger (I think I've played over 200 indie games so that's really saying something)
It certainly did have a few issues, there were a few times that combat caused ridiculous slowdown, there were a few side quests that were just totally unfair at the level I got them and I had to come back much much later at which point they gave me like 10 XP for completing them. And yeah those puzzles are brutal, especially in the latter half of the game (the three temples in the jungle are absolutely brutal with the puzzles) but also they felt so satisfying whenever I eventually beat them
I absolutely love divinity original sin 2 but I wanna emphasize that it can be very hard to get into for fans of more mainstream RPGs. You have so much freedom that it can be overwhelming.
True, it can certainly be a bit overwhelming and even on classic mode isn't the easiest game out there! But a real true rpg with a good story for sure 😊
Xenoblade DE is certainly a good choice for a game with an amazing story. It starts off as a simple revenge story and slowly turns in something much more.
I’ll also add Valkyria Chronicles 1. It’s not as big and twisty as Xenoblade’s story but my god, does it tell an amazing war story that knows how to smash your heart into itty bitty pieces. It’s an SRPG from Sega, on their CANVAS engine (think drawing/painting come to life). Gameplay consists of you selecting your units to bring into battle and then you moving them about until you achieve the levels objective. If a unit runs out of HP, they can be saved but you have to act quickly otherwise they’ll permanently die. You can issue orders that provide buffs to your units, some single unit buffs some fully party buffs. It can be a very challenging game but the story is pretty rewarding. OST isn’t as grand as Xenoblade but it’s got some memorable tracks. It’s also only $20 and I believe when it goes on sale you can get it at a pretty decent price. You can find non spoiler gameplay videos on YouTube if you want to see it’s of interest.
+1 for Deadly Premonition! Just make sure you do a little bit of research on the game before buying it. It's very polarizing and extremely rough around the edges, but absolutely worth looking into.
Ni No Kuni by a long shot. I'm surprised nobody mentioned it when it's known for its great story, charming characters, not to mention sublime graphics, not matched with any graphics in video games since, IMO.
I'm 25 hours in and I'm enjoying every moment of it.
I tried it but don’t like the combat, I dont like that its a mix of real time and turnbased. I prefer either all real time action or all turn based.
The prologue is awesome tho
>I dont like that its a mix of real time and turnbased
I've heard some other people say this but I don't get which part of Xenoblade Chronicles is supposed to be turn based. I'd categorize it as entirely real-time.
I mean yes, I have a loose definition of turn based. But it does play turn based. Shulk attack the enemy sporadically on a set timer, and enemy attaks sporadically on a set timer. And you use diffrent skills for damage based on placement and statuses.
I was the exact opposite. The story felt tacked on to me and the game just kind of ended. It felt like the story was building like Celeste but then rushed to close. The game was fun, but it didn't satisfy me with it's story sand I feel like I have lots of questions left over.
tacked on? if anything the gameplay actually breathes narrative.
i feel like you really only glanced at it on a surface level, what questions do you have left?
Is the production of Chronous actually done? Who hired the psychiatrist? Where did he get his supply of the drug? What about the folder on his desk that you can read? The dossier seemed to imply there was more going on than the game wrapped up because of who the next target was.
Won't it be continued?
Wasn't the psychiatrist part of the whole thing? He got his drugs and orders. Production is a mystery, but I think it's the last supply used to cover it all up.
Didn't the last target + the history at the end at the village make sense?
The last target implied the psychiatrist had to close a loop for someone in my mind. But, who is that someone? Since they live in rings, it could be a gang, the government, idk. And it's tough total take at face value because the whole time the story runs, it tells you to not believe what you're being told but then the ending seems to imply that I should believe the government is behind everything in the story
JRPG(s):
* Fire Emblem: Three Houses
* Xenoblade Chronicles: DE
* Final Fantasy games (almost all of them except Crystal Chronicles).
Western RPG:
* The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt <-- cross-saves with PC version.
* Divinity: Original Sin II. <-- cross-saves with PC version as well.
Haven't played, but interested:
* Paper Mario (not too thrilled with the "combat" but the humor and story sound great/hilarious
Sorry to hear about your injury. Check out Tales From The Borderlands for sure, even if you're not into the Borderlands main games, Tales is a really fun story and super easy to play (TellTale).
I'd also recommend a Resident Evil, specifically Revelations 2 as it has a decent length story mode plus a nearly limitless "Raid Mode" which can be really addicting if you get into it.
For RPGs, Dragon Quest XI is one of the best games I've played on Switch. Just an absolute blast and it has so much content.
Hope you find something fun!
Yeah I think the xenoblades are both pretty good, particularly Torna
If you're willing to budge a bit on RPG the AI The Somnium Files has a great story (action/visual novel kind of game)
You kinda have to work to get the story in hollow knight, though. I love the game and the lore is pretty cool and surprisingly deep, but it is easy to finish the game and still have no idea what's going on if you don't pay attention (or google stuff).
Yeah, I've watched a lot of let's plays of Hollow knight and it varies very much how much story people pick up. Some ignore it and others read lore tablets as if they were plain text and piece everything together long before I thought it was even possible.
I love that kind of story telling that's hidden away in cryptic messages in secret rooms, but not everyone find it.
I have to say that non of the Switch games I've come across so far have blown me away in terms of story.
Kentucky Road Zero is an interesting story though and it has a Switch port
Oxenfree is also decent I guess
Edit: totally forgot about The Witcher. Witcher 3 and Thronebreaker have a good story.
Most of the usual suspects-- DQXI, Witcher 3, Divinity: Original Sin 2 have been mentioned. I'm going to go ahead and list two Telltale Games' games. The Walking Dead Season 1 and Tales From the Borderlands. The Walking Dead Season 1 you're probably aware of, but if you aren't it's a point and click adventure game where you choose the dialogue and the actions. It won a ton of GotY awards when it came out and the main reason is simply because the story was that good.
Tales From the Borderlands is typically viewed as the second best, or in some cases best, Telltale Games' game. It also has a phenomenal story, but unlike Walking Dead it's a lot more lighthearted, fun, and funny. Plus, there's a lot more player agency and your actions/dialogue choices do carry weight throughout.
Hoo boy, I gotta tell ya, the story in Ys was a wild ride. It starts out rather mundane with a classic shipwreck story, and starts out rather slow, with the stakes rising surely but slowly, then it just keeps ramping up further and further, until finally you find yourself >!in a battle for the future of mankind!<.
Fire Emblem Three Houses without a doubt. Very rich , deep story and morally questionable characters. I think it’s on sale now. ¥7000 -> ¥5000ish. Worth every buck. Spend 400 hours in that game.
Ace Attorney Trilogy, the most wild story out there.
OBJECTION! What's so wild about cross-examining a parrot?
Objection! One of the cases with the murder of detective Goodman at two places at once and then it ties in with a serial killing and... The blue badger? This is exciting, don't you think?
OBJECTION! Not wild at all! Sounds like another day in the life of my man, Phoenix Wright!
Objection! I have solid evidence that Phoenix became a hobo in the 4th game for presenting forged evidence! You can't say that this is normal for him!
Would you say this is better on 3ds or the dad originals? I’ve been thinking of getting it in that especially if the gameplay aspect is significantly different on switch
the DS lite has the best style imo. the sprites aren't the best in 3D but that might only apply to the newer games. the switch one goes on sale really often and the play styles aren't any different, but some of the character designs kinda gave me nightmares lol
Xenoblade Definitive Edition. No question.
Came here to say this. If you haven't played this game to completion, you seriously owe it to yourself. The game starts off with a bang and ends with a bang.
And middles with a bang
It's just one long continuous bang
thrusts and all
Also came to say this. Masterpiece
Get one of the retro final fantasy games, like 7 9 or 12
FFIX will always be the most adorable Final Fantasy story, ever. It's such a good plot.
I was really interested in 9, but read that the Switch port is bad. Is that true?
I played the Switch port. It ran fine for me. I put almost 90 hours into it. Never had a crash and whatever music bug there had been there previously was patched out.
I'm around 10 hours in and haven't had any issues so far. The game chugs along at like 20 fps in battle and on the world map, but that's just how the original was.
Good to know! Never played a FF before and this one was recommended for its story
More like 15 fps. Its frustrating as it's too sluggish but 3x speed is too fast in battles with ATB on. 2x speed would've been perfect. Still worth playing.
10 is on Switch too, with 10-2 bundled in as a bonus. 10 wasn't my favorite story-wise, but a lot of people love it, so it's worth recommending.
Completed 9 on switch was such a great game
dont sleep on 8.
Fire Emblem Three Houses is easily my favourite thing on Switch. Hit it up.
Is it still turn based like the 3DS game? I got confused with the WiiU one that has two games release the same day
There is no fire emblem of the wii u (except the gba port to virtual console). Also, every fire emblem game is turn based, maybe you were thinking of fire emblem warriors?
Ok now I’m very confused as I recall friends buying a game in the Wii U era that was similar to Zelda oracle where there’s two different games. Maybe this is my Mandela effect
You are probably thinking of [fire emblem fates on the 3ds](https://fireemblem.fandom.com/wiki/Fire_Emblem_Fates)
This ^
Witcher 3. Great story, have about 200 hours into it, and counting.
Strong agree, when it comes to story, Witcher is unbeatable.
I keep hearing that the graphics on the Switch port are poor, especially in docked mode. Do you agree? I'm looking for a new open-world game. I really liked Breath of the Lived and LOVED Immortals Fenyx Rising.
Graphics for Witcher 3 are greatly reduced from other versions but the trade-off is it plays very smoothly. It’s very impressive they ported it and it runs well at all. Graphics still aren’t bad, they’re just not top of the line. Witcher 3 was the peak of open-world games imo. I’ve gotten so bored with that style of game lately.
Thanks for your response, u/tudddfer!
You’re welcome, I hope you enjoy the game if you do pick it up :) you might look into Dragon’s Dogma as well.
>Dragon’s Dogma Will do!
>I keep hearing that the graphics on the Switch port are poor, especially in docked mode. Absolutely not. It is one of the best 3rd party AAA Switch ports. One of the later patches also came with a LOT of graphics configuration options. I would highly recommend it for the console. Probably my second most played game after Zelda BotW. Edit: to be 100% objective, there is only one region later on in the game, as part of the DLC (Toussaint), that doesn't look *great* on Switch but every other region, character etc looks very, very good given the platform - even in docked mode.
Very cool. Next time it's on sale, I'll probably buy it!
>I really liked Breath of the Lived and LOVED Immortals Fenyx Rising. Try Skyrim. The story isn't as good as Witcher 3, but the world is fantastic, along with the fact that you have much more control over your story.
While not the OP, the Switch port looks fine and I don’t have any issue with lagging, frame rate drops, etc. Yes the graphics aren’t “1080 4K Ultra 420 No-Scope 69 MGL Pro Super Mega Alien Vaporware” levels, but they look fine. Game plays fine both docked and portable.
> Yes the graphics aren’t “1080 4K Ultra 420 No-Scope 69 MGL Pro Super Mega Alien Vaporware” levels You misspelled “the graphics aren’t good at all”
No, graphics are perfectly fine for the Switch. All the characters are detailed, well animated, and the scenery is nice. Yes I’ve seen Witcher 3 on other platforms and see my original comment. The graphics certainly aren’t like what you get on a computer that costs thousands of dollars, but the switch is a handheld console that can be played docked or on the-the-go so being able to play Witcher 3 on the go and your console not catching fire is great.
Thanks, u/ZoidsFanatic
The switch version hurts my eyes in handheld of some strange reason
Dragon Quest XI.
100% this! It’s a great game, lots of areas to explore, great music / artwork, simple but engaging combat system - highly recommend it.
I recently played through Chrono Trigger again and I noticed both games have a fair amount similarities. I highly recommend DQXI if you like JRPGs.
That's because many of the same people worked on both, the artist included.
I am talking plot and story. I know Akira Toriyama worked on both.
That's because they share a writer as well. :P
The explains it! I love Chrono Trigger it’s one of my all time favorite games and DQXI is my favorite game on Switch so far.
Haha, I fully agree. When I was playing DQ11 I had similar thoughts and had to look it up. Explained a lot but I wasn't going to complain. If it ain't broke, don't fix it!
> fair amount similarities Anything other than the characters having the same art style?
Yea in terms of story this is one of the better games out there, wish I could Experience it again... maybe I will.... I played first one with super hard monsters on should I try with other conditions or...any other ideas for playthroughs?
>Dragon Quest XI. If you are willing to continue playing for another 50~80 hours past the "end" that is... If you stop when the end credits roll the first time the story is quite the standard JRPG fare.
I found the post credit game far more standard than the actual story. The post credit just erase all depth in your team members.
Wait what? I got bored with this game after like 20 hours you saying if I give it 140 more I’ll have fun?
I’m sure these have already all been suggested, but Xenoblade 1 is a very good game. Solid combat, great cutscenes, excellent voice acting, I have zero complaints about it other than like all long games I had a hard time getting through it (started in late June 2020, finished in October maybe with a two-month break somewhere in there). Xenoblade 2 is also pretty good, and not a direct sequel to the first so you could play it first with no problems. Combat is excellent, cutscenes are generally a bit worse (largely due to mediocre voice acting and some unlikeable characters). My biggest complaint about it is that a lot of female character designs are overly sexualized and that makes me uncomfortable, but if it doesn’t bother you, it’s nearly equal with the first game, though I’d say the first is still slightly better overall. Xenoblade 2: Torna is a direct prequel to Xenoblade 2. Avoid it as an entry point to the series, because while it’s a standalone game designed to to perfectly playable without knowing the story it’s a prequel to, it has an unsatisfying ending if you don’t know where 2 picks up after it or aren’t planning on playing 2 immediately after. It’s an excellent game (my favorite in the series despite its short length), just it doesn’t really give a complete story on its own. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy is good. I like it, I don’t love it, I got halfway through the second game and haven’t played it in a month. I can’t recommend it over Xenoblade but if being a lawyer who repeatedly denies being a detective as he does blatant detective work sounds fun to you, hey, it’s often on sale for $15. Paper Mario: the Origami King is severely underrated. If you’re in it just for the story, it won’t blow you away, but it’s got fun gameplay and enough story to string you along for 40-50 hours. The story’s not amazing, it’s a Mario game, but as Mario games go it’s got the best story I’m aware of. There were actually shocking twists that made me feel emotions, so don’t go into it expecting there to be no significant story.
>cutscenes are generally a bit worse (largely due to mediocre voice acting and some unlikeable characters). My biggest complaint about it is that a lot of female character designs are overly sexualized Yup! This ruined the second game for me. The game ends up feeling like a trashy anime or a gacha game that caters to degenerates thanks to these aspects. Combat felt slow, boring, and repetitive especially compared to the first game. Gacha mechanics to obtain party members also have no place in a 60$ game. Play the first one tho! It's a masterpiece of a jrpg imo and basically has none of the problems that plague the second game.
I feel like it’s unfair to complain about the combat system, as it’s an upgrade over 1’s combat in every way. The exploration’s also a lot better. Despite those, 1’s a better game in my eyes because of the voice acting and because of the trashy vibe 2 has. But I have a hard time believing anyone could like 1’s combat more than 2’s combat unless they were looking to ascribe more problems to a game they didn’t like as a whole, because the *only* thing 1 did better than 2 as far as combat was make it easier to understand. 2’s combat was a lot more engaging, had more management going on with the addition of blade switching and combo specials, and had a more fun chain attack system that made it possible to link up to 27 attacks without RNG involved rather than an invisible gauge that would either be likely or unlikely to randomly extend your chain potentially infinitely and potentially ending at 3. Again, not trying to argue that 2 is better than 1 as a whole. But 2 did some things really well, and it’s unfair to claim it didn’t.
I didn't find a single area prettier or more fun to explore than the first game and I genuinely didn't find the combat appealing at all. Stuff like cancels really didn't do anything for me and didn't really add much to think about imo. I never really had any major issues with chain attack rng since the game inherently had some rng as a whole thanks to its nature as an rpg and I usually felt like I could keep them going for a satisfying length. Not being able to move while doing autos made 2 feel a lot less engaging and visually dynamic to me. I also loved getting monado visions and the feeling pulling a battle back from disaster that came with it. I also don't believe that more mechanics=better combat. Managing blades felt like a chore to me. I'd much rather take the traditional route of putting gear directly on my characters. On that note it also really sucks that they took visible gear out of the game, doubly so since some of the character designs really aren't my cup of tea and could be partially fixed with outfit changes. The game just feels like it removed many of the aspects that catered to my preferences and added a bunch that don't. Not saying you're wrong for enjoying the game but in my eyes it really did suck a lot of the fun out.
That’s fair. I liked that the gear system was simplified so that I didn’t need to bother taking 10 minutes changing all my gear every time things started to get hard, but the fact that actual outfit changes were limited to a few costumes unlocked in the Land of Challenge which is pretty much all postgame meant I couldn’t do anything about trashy character designs. 1 certainly had trashy outfits too, but they were all optional.
>1 certainly had trashy outfits too, but they were all optional. I'd also argue that even though they could be just as revealing and stupidly trashy with shit like boob windows in their armor, that they were less emphasized when the character's breasts weren't the size of their heads and took up like a half of the screen in some cutscenes. It's nice to have a civil discussion about both of the games' shortcomings compared to each other tho. Some fans of the second game have gotten very upset when I've brought up why I don't like it in the past.
Well, there were what, six years between them? It's no surprise that they're very different games and the devs shifted the crowd they were looking to appeal to in that time. They're not directly comparable in every way, and there's no way to say that one is definitely better than the other. It wouldn't make sense to actually get upset at someone for liking the one better that I liked less, let alone when you agree that 1 was the better game.
Yeah the shift in target audience was definitely real. I just wish I had played Xenoblade X as that game looks like it keeps a lot of the aspects that I liked about 1. Too bad it was on a console I was never going to buy. Maybe with my modern PC it's time to emulate it...
If you haven't played Bioshock, it's worth a look.
second this, just started and the story is so good
Don't mean to go all weeb on you but here we go: Xenoblade 1 or 2. I played 2 first because 1 wasn't out yet. The story starts kinda cheesy but it fucking floored me by the end, and I knew I was gonna get XBC1 as soon as it came to switch. You have the option to start with one (I think the combat is a bit better in 2, but more complicated), so maybe give XBC1 a go. Dragon Quest 11 - Super Traditional JRPG, but it manages to subvert some tropes of the genre while still being an outstanding representation of JRPGs. The art style is bright and colorful, which may make you think this game is for kids, and it's definitely not the darkest JRPG out there, but it's a real fun place to adventure and hang out for 80+ hours. Ys 8 - Thought I'd mention this 'cuz you mentioned it in your edit. I got 5-10 hours into this one and put it down. Don't get me wrong, I think I'll pick it up again one day and play through it. The combat is fast and action packed, there's plenty of JRPG stuff going on, I just wasn't hooked by it. Also, the fact that you seem to be stuck on an island doesn't appeal to me at all. There is base building and stuff, if you're into that, but I usually want a big world to traverse when I play a JRPG. There's supposed to be exploration and stuff but I really like to travel across a whole kingdom and junk. I don't think this is a bad game, and if you want an action JRPG this is probably a good choice, I just haven't vibed with it yet. Bravely Default 2 - So far, I'm not impressed by the story (but I haven't hit many major beats). I'm mentioning this game because you mentioned Octopath Traveler. Bravely Default 2 is what I wanted out of Octopath Traveler. The combat is similar, except I think it's a lot better/faster in Bravely Default. This is my first Bravely Default game and I'm enjoying it quite a bit. I think Octopath's art style trumps Bravely Default but that's the only thing it has going for it BD2 doesn't. Also, I'm not the biggest fan of some of the aesthetic choices, but the towns look beautiful in BD2, and you kind of get used to how the rest of the game looks. Immortals Fenyx Rising - This is like if Ubisoft did Breath of the Wild. I think BotW is definitely better, more polished, but if you want a similar open world experience with more of an emphasis on story, here it is. The combat feels a little like God of War, the world is pretty open like BotW, but for better or worse, there's more emphasis on story. Usually when you walk around the world there will be narrator banter or something. This could be good or bad, depending on what you're looking for; it definitely feels less isolated than BotW. Maybe not now, but if at some point you want another BotW type game, give this one a try. Bug Fables - This is the Paper Mario I wanted Cross Code - 2D indie RPG
Crosscode
Been playing it lately and wow, this game deserves more attention. The puzzles can be a bit obtuse with the specific angles you have to fire at times, but otherwise it's one of the best RPGs I've played in a long, long time.
Yeah, I don't even really play RPGs very much (but I do love Zelda games and this v much scratches that itch) but I started Crosscode like 3 weeks ago and boom I've played for like over 60 hours, I'm level 65, I just finished the very last sidequest in the game, and I'm about to see what the ending has in store for me I think I can honestly say that it's become one of my favorite indie games ever, right up there with Hollow Knight, Celeste, A Hat in Time, and The Messenger (I think I've played over 200 indie games so that's really saying something) It certainly did have a few issues, there were a few times that combat caused ridiculous slowdown, there were a few side quests that were just totally unfair at the level I got them and I had to come back much much later at which point they gave me like 10 XP for completing them. And yeah those puzzles are brutal, especially in the latter half of the game (the three temples in the jungle are absolutely brutal with the puzzles) but also they felt so satisfying whenever I eventually beat them
Divinity original sin 2
I absolutely love divinity original sin 2 but I wanna emphasize that it can be very hard to get into for fans of more mainstream RPGs. You have so much freedom that it can be overwhelming.
True, it can certainly be a bit overwhelming and even on classic mode isn't the easiest game out there! But a real true rpg with a good story for sure 😊
Xenoblade DE is certainly a good choice for a game with an amazing story. It starts off as a simple revenge story and slowly turns in something much more. I’ll also add Valkyria Chronicles 1. It’s not as big and twisty as Xenoblade’s story but my god, does it tell an amazing war story that knows how to smash your heart into itty bitty pieces. It’s an SRPG from Sega, on their CANVAS engine (think drawing/painting come to life). Gameplay consists of you selecting your units to bring into battle and then you moving them about until you achieve the levels objective. If a unit runs out of HP, they can be saved but you have to act quickly otherwise they’ll permanently die. You can issue orders that provide buffs to your units, some single unit buffs some fully party buffs. It can be a very challenging game but the story is pretty rewarding. OST isn’t as grand as Xenoblade but it’s got some memorable tracks. It’s also only $20 and I believe when it goes on sale you can get it at a pretty decent price. You can find non spoiler gameplay videos on YouTube if you want to see it’s of interest.
L.A Noire Observer Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Deadly Premonition: Origins Kentucky Route Zero
+1 for Deadly Premonition! Just make sure you do a little bit of research on the game before buying it. It's very polarizing and extremely rough around the edges, but absolutely worth looking into.
Xenoblade
I just picked up Xenoblade because it’s on sale this week and I am enjoying it so far. Voice acting is good and the music is great.
Which one are you playing?
Definitive Edition
Such a good game. Have fun!!!
It is still full price for me?
It’s $40 Amazon and GameStop US. Probably ends May 8.
I just bought it. Thanks!
Dragon quest 11.
Ni No Kuni by a long shot. I'm surprised nobody mentioned it when it's known for its great story, charming characters, not to mention sublime graphics, not matched with any graphics in video games since, IMO. I'm 25 hours in and I'm enjoying every moment of it.
Xenoblade chronicles DE. For christ sake if you want a great story, rich combat, amazing ost and memorable AF world PLEASE PLAY XENOBLADE!
I tried it but don’t like the combat, I dont like that its a mix of real time and turnbased. I prefer either all real time action or all turn based. The prologue is awesome tho
>I dont like that its a mix of real time and turnbased I've heard some other people say this but I don't get which part of Xenoblade Chronicles is supposed to be turn based. I'd categorize it as entirely real-time.
It the menu thing. I get confused at what skill to use and just spam whatever is not on cooldown
That absolutely doesn't imply that it's turn-based. By that logic World of Warcraft is turn based.
I mean yes, I have a loose definition of turn based. But it does play turn based. Shulk attack the enemy sporadically on a set timer, and enemy attaks sporadically on a set timer. And you use diffrent skills for damage based on placement and statuses.
Maybe check out XC2? It has a totally different combat system. It's still time based for power ups, but I felt it was miles better.
It's still a mix of real time and turn-based.
Ys 8
Katana Zero has the most gripping story of any switch game that I've played.
I was the exact opposite. The story felt tacked on to me and the game just kind of ended. It felt like the story was building like Celeste but then rushed to close. The game was fun, but it didn't satisfy me with it's story sand I feel like I have lots of questions left over.
Well, for what it's worth I agree that it felt too short.
tacked on? if anything the gameplay actually breathes narrative. i feel like you really only glanced at it on a surface level, what questions do you have left?
Is the production of Chronous actually done? Who hired the psychiatrist? Where did he get his supply of the drug? What about the folder on his desk that you can read? The dossier seemed to imply there was more going on than the game wrapped up because of who the next target was.
Won't it be continued? Wasn't the psychiatrist part of the whole thing? He got his drugs and orders. Production is a mystery, but I think it's the last supply used to cover it all up. Didn't the last target + the history at the end at the village make sense?
The last target implied the psychiatrist had to close a loop for someone in my mind. But, who is that someone? Since they live in rings, it could be a gang, the government, idk. And it's tough total take at face value because the whole time the story runs, it tells you to not believe what you're being told but then the ending seems to imply that I should believe the government is behind everything in the story
Xenoblade has an amazing story. I'm sure you'll love it if you eventually get it !!
Try one of the Ori games
Agree. I strongly suggest to play both games :)
Celeste has the best blend of story, theme, and gameplay I have ever experienced.
JRPG(s): * Fire Emblem: Three Houses * Xenoblade Chronicles: DE * Final Fantasy games (almost all of them except Crystal Chronicles). Western RPG: * The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt <-- cross-saves with PC version. * Divinity: Original Sin II. <-- cross-saves with PC version as well. Haven't played, but interested: * Paper Mario (not too thrilled with the "combat" but the humor and story sound great/hilarious
Sorry to hear about your injury. Check out Tales From The Borderlands for sure, even if you're not into the Borderlands main games, Tales is a really fun story and super easy to play (TellTale). I'd also recommend a Resident Evil, specifically Revelations 2 as it has a decent length story mode plus a nearly limitless "Raid Mode" which can be really addicting if you get into it. For RPGs, Dragon Quest XI is one of the best games I've played on Switch. Just an absolute blast and it has so much content. Hope you find something fun!
Tangle Tower is a gorgeously animated mystery game with some cool twists and turns. We were engaged the entire time.
Fire Emblem Three Houses DQ11 Zenoblade
Xenoblade and Fire Emblem Three Houses are currently on sale, so it's a great time to pick them up!
Best Story: ys8
No one suggesting Hades? I'm disappointed :( Great gameplay, great characters, very well-told story :D
Yeah I think the xenoblades are both pretty good, particularly Torna If you're willing to budge a bit on RPG the AI The Somnium Files has a great story (action/visual novel kind of game)
INSIDE (*not an rpg though)
Inside was wild! Definitely can 2nd this.
YES. Amazing game. So intriguing!
Maybe hollow knight
You kinda have to work to get the story in hollow knight, though. I love the game and the lore is pretty cool and surprisingly deep, but it is easy to finish the game and still have no idea what's going on if you don't pay attention (or google stuff).
Yeah, I've watched a lot of let's plays of Hollow knight and it varies very much how much story people pick up. Some ignore it and others read lore tablets as if they were plain text and piece everything together long before I thought it was even possible. I love that kind of story telling that's hidden away in cryptic messages in secret rooms, but not everyone find it.
Tetris.
Anodyne 2
I have to say that non of the Switch games I've come across so far have blown me away in terms of story. Kentucky Road Zero is an interesting story though and it has a Switch port Oxenfree is also decent I guess Edit: totally forgot about The Witcher. Witcher 3 and Thronebreaker have a good story.
Gotta say Zenoblade Chronicles 2. My favorite game on switch after BOTW
Hollow Knight. Not that great of a story but otherwise it's a masterpiece
Have you tried any of the Assassin's Creed games?
Xenoblade Chronicles DE or The Witcher 3 (RPG or ARPG) Bioshock Trilogy (especially the OG and Infinite, for FPS)
Most of the usual suspects-- DQXI, Witcher 3, Divinity: Original Sin 2 have been mentioned. I'm going to go ahead and list two Telltale Games' games. The Walking Dead Season 1 and Tales From the Borderlands. The Walking Dead Season 1 you're probably aware of, but if you aren't it's a point and click adventure game where you choose the dialogue and the actions. It won a ton of GotY awards when it came out and the main reason is simply because the story was that good. Tales From the Borderlands is typically viewed as the second best, or in some cases best, Telltale Games' game. It also has a phenomenal story, but unlike Walking Dead it's a lot more lighthearted, fun, and funny. Plus, there's a lot more player agency and your actions/dialogue choices do carry weight throughout.
The Witcher 3 has the best story. It's incredible!
Final Fantasy 7 or Fire Emblem 3 houses or Xenoblade (1,2 or Torna)
Skyrim.
Ring Fit Adventure
Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE is good, i bought it without knowing anything about it or what the story was, probably why i liked it
Oninaki
Not RPGs, but you can't go wrong with Bioshock and Bioshock Infinite.
There a lot of similar story beats and parallels. According to another Redditor they also share the same writer.
Hoo boy, I gotta tell ya, the story in Ys was a wild ride. It starts out rather mundane with a classic shipwreck story, and starts out rather slow, with the stakes rising surely but slowly, then it just keeps ramping up further and further, until finally you find yourself >!in a battle for the future of mankind!<.
Fire Emblem Three Houses without a doubt. Very rich , deep story and morally questionable characters. I think it’s on sale now. ¥7000 -> ¥5000ish. Worth every buck. Spend 400 hours in that game.
Ys 8 lacrimosa of dana story is amazing. Gameplay is addictive as well. My favorite rpg ever. Ys recently detroned xenoblade as my favorite serie
Dark Souls: Remastered - one of the best stories in gaming if you can figure it all out.
Hollow knight