Advance Wars: Dual Strike and Golden Sun: Dark Dawn would be my recommendations for strategy and RPG respectively.
Do either of those games require previous games for story continuity or something similar?
Golden Sun kind of as it's 30 years since the events of the previous game, but there's an encyclopedia that brings you up to date. The main draw are the puzzles. Think of it as a Zelda RPG but with random battles.
As for Advance Wars, not really. You'll be missing out on a super boss, but that's a small price to pay for the most complete package of the series. Warning: it is seriously addicting.
Unrecommending Golden Sun, if possible. The GBA titles suffered from painfully dull dialogue in large quantities.
Get anything Dragon Quest or Shin Megami Tensei first, and The World Ends with You. That'll cover the best RPGs on the system.
Also consider:
Etrian Odyssey 1, 2, 3
Shiren the Wanderer
Final Fantasy: 4 Heroes of Light
Rune Factory 2, 3
On strategy games, Dual Strike is probably your best bet.
Fans of RPGs and puzzle games absolutely have to play Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes. It out-Puzzle Quests Puzzle Quest—it ends up feeling like a mashup of the match-3 Planet Puzzle League and Magic: The Gathering, and it's wonderful.
The last chapter is a little unbalanced, but it's such a good game. There's also an HD enhanced port coming to XBLA and PSN at some point, though it's been delayed for a while and I haven't heard any updated news about a release.
Yeah, if your main draw in RPGs is the story then don't get Golden Sun. The puzzles are so creative and fun though it is pretty unique among RPGs. You don't play Zelda games for the plot either.
I suggesting importing Infinite Space from PAL. The price on brand new copies is pretty low around here.
Other than that? Devil Survivor and Strange Journey are pretty much all there is. Both are fine games, though.
What is a reliable vendor for importing from UK to USA?
There are quite a few games you can get but I will not mention them because it will distract you from the one game you should get above all others Devil Survivor.
Assuming a few things.
1. you don't mind playing younger kids 17ish.
2. you don't mind JRPG styling and a japan setting.
3. you don't mind a bad ass fucking story that offers 7ish endings one of them being the 'Fuck this I quit' ending
4. you don't mind an innovative combat system that mixes best parts of SRPG with RPG.
5. you don't mind an experience that will forever change you, and make all other games look like shit.
6. You don't mind spending a few minutes on the setup phase of a fight, trying to figure out which teams will engage which enemies and adjusting rosters accordingly.
7. You're okay with the general SMT staple of demon fusions, and planning them out in order to overcome elemental weaknesses and such.
Probably not a problem, considering he's asking for RPG and strategy games. But it's good to put out there, as such things can stagger the pace of the game enough to put off some folks.
3d picross kept me having puzzle dreams for like a solid week or two.
I was hoping a newish puzzle game was out to entertain me for the flight home for the holidays but nothing arose, so ill probably just play through picross again.
I suggesting importing Infinite Space from PAL. The price on brand new copies is pretty low around here.
Other than that? Devil Survivor and Strange Journey are pretty much all there is. Both are fine games, though.
What is a reliable vendor for importing from UK to USA?
I would like to know this as well.
AuburnTiger on
XBL: Flex MythoMass
0
DrakeEdgelord TrashBelow the ecliptic plane.Registered Userregular
edited December 2010
Rogue-likes have been an awesome fit on this system too. Take a look at Shiren the Wanderer or the Izuna, the Unemployed Ninja games. Shiren is the PA favorite but personally I enjoy the Izuna games for being a little more forgiving and the completely wacky story and characters. Both games are solid choices though.
Oh, and there are some awesome Dungeon Crawlers on the DS as well. If you like self flagellation, hunt down a copy of The Dark Spire and learn the true meaning of despair. Or you could play the Etrian Odyssey games and merely meet despairs cousin, FOE.
Advance Wars: Dual Strike and Golden Sun: Dark Dawn would be my recommendations for strategy and RPG respectively.
Golden Sun is ridiculously good. I'm shocked there isn't a thread for it here, actually. Though I guess it is a bit too straightforward to prompt much discussion.
Advance Wars: Dual Strike and Golden Sun: Dark Dawn would be my recommendations for strategy and RPG respectively.
Golden Sun is ridiculously good. I'm shocked there isn't a thread for it here, actually. Though I guess it is a bit too straightforward to prompt much discussion.
Asking for RPG and Puzzle games in a DS thread is like asking for ice cream at Ben and Jerrys.
At least Strategy only has maybe ten good options.
Maybe fifteen.
A couple of sleeper recommendations in the small but fairly awesome category of DS Real Time Strategy games, both by Square Enix. Final Fantasy XII: RW and Heroes of Mana are oddly satisfying titles.
Asking for RPG and Puzzle games in a DS thread is like asking for ice cream at Ben and Jerrys.
At least Strategy only has maybe ten good options.
Maybe fifteen.
A couple of sleeper recommendations in the small but fairly awesome category of DS Real Time Strategy games, both by Square Enix. Final Fantasy XII: RW and Heroes of Mana are oddly satisfying titles.
I was looking at Heroes of Mana the other day, I need to check the reviews on this one.
As for Picross, should I skip the first and go straight to the 3D one?
I just want to warn that the end of Final Fantasy XII: Revanent Wings can reach fuck-this-shit levels of frustration, and that sometimes the strategies required to win are obtuse and/or stupid.
Can't believe nobody has mentioned Pokemon. (DON'T KILL ME!)
But seriously, I picked up my fiance's GBA a few weeks ago and started up a Fire Red game. Very satisfying. I hate all the new crap that's past Gold/Silver. I may end up forking over the cash for Soul Silver on the DS...but that's a stretch.
Pokemon is just . . . not for me. I gave it a shot, picked up Platinum for the DS and put about 6 hours into it. Was utterly bored out of my mind. I don't want to bad mouth a franchise that so many people love; at least I tried it!
Pokemon is just . . . not for me. I gave it a shot, picked up Platinum for the DS and put about 6 hours into it. Was utterly bored out of my mind. I don't want to bad mouth a franchise that so many people love; at least I tried it!
To be fair, Diamond/Pearl/Platinum are the most boring entries in the entire series.
In terms of RPGs, I highly recommend Final Fantasy IV DS. I'm playing it again for the first time in five years, and they really did a good job with the remake. The graphics are great, the voice acting is surprisingly top notch, and they made the game harder (!!!).
Along those lines, the Mario and Luigi games are the best original RPGs on the system. Mario and Luigi: Partners in Time, and Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story are must-haves.
Platinum is also leagues ahead of Diamond and Pearl which both have serious pacing issues.
You should fight the first two gym leaders in about two hours in DP, the next one is four hours later.
In Platinum the next one is an hour/hour and a half later.
It's faster, but still quite boring. I was only really engaged during the Elite Four in Platinum. The graphics are also pretty drab (lots of grey and brown) outside of the Elite Four.
Along those lines, the Mario and Luigi games are the best original RPGs on the system. Mario and Luigi: Partners in Time, and Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story are must-haves.
BiS and especially SS are, but PiT is not a must-have. Weakest entry in the entire Mario RPG series. Just too linear, samey and uninspired.
Fuck it, the not so short list of the best of the best.
(Not in any particular order, but I will comment on some of the absolute must try games)
Partners in Time
Bowser's Inside story (Best game on system nominee)
Final Fantasy III
Final Fantasy IV (The version to play)
Etrian Odyssey I-III (Three is best)
Dragon Quest IV-VI and IX (I don't care that six isn't out in English, it is fuck awesome. IX is another game of the system nominee)
Strange Journey
Infinite Space
Final Fantasy Tactics Advance 2:Stupid Subtitle addition (Nominee for oh my god, how many hours did I play this game for.)
Rune Factory 1-3 (3 is nominated for most improved game on an already solid series foundation)
Pokemon: All of them (Platinum and Soul Silver are the consensus best)
Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon (If you can get into it)
Meteos (Made for the DS)
Kirby's Canvas Curse (See above, also breakout game on the system)
Advance Wars Dual Strike
Advance Wars Days of Ruin
Puzzle Quest (Admittedly better on other systems)
Planet Puzzle League (AKA Tetris Attack, AKA best fucking game ever.)
Tetris DS (The superior, rare as shit Tetris on DS experience.
Picross, 3D Picross
Mr. Driller DS (I can't remember the name)
Disgaea DS (The only good N1 DS game)
Knights in the Nightmare (The only bullet hell RPGish game)
Dokapon Journey (Kingdom on Wii/PS2 is so much better, but this shit is portable)
Golden Sun 3
KH stupid subtitle that's not RE:Coded
Might and Magic:Clash of Heroes
Final Fantasy 4 Heroes of Light (Most controversial game up here)
SMT Devil Survivor (Best art of any game on here)
Suikoden Tierkreis THE WORLD ENDS WITH YOU
Mid tier RPG/SRPG games ~ Most of these are actually still worth playing
Luminous Arc
Sands of Destruction
Blue Dragon anything DS
Phantasy Star Zero
Children of Mana
Heroes of Mana (Is a lot better than CoM)
FF XII:RW
Final Fantasy CC: Ring of Fates (better story)
Final Fantasy CC: Echoes of Time (better mechanics)
Lufia 2 (Not as good as original, but maybe just good enough)
Orcs and Elves
My World, My Way
Glory of Heracles
Lost Magic
Contact
The Dark Spire
Super Robot Taisen OG Saga: Endless Frontier
The story is trifling, the characters are bland, the arbitrary plot devices are awful, the combat system is middling. Above all, enemies are relentless nonstop. Each and every last one of them is a pain to deal with at various points in the game. In the very first hour, you will get petrified and you will die. It may have been a milestone back in 1991, but the year is now 2010. Time to move on and look for greener pastures.
If you're a masochist though, then this may be the perfect RPG for you!
The story is trifling, the characters are bland, the arbitrary plot devices are awful, the combat system is middling. Above all, enemies are relentless nonstop. Each and every last one of them is a pain to deal with at various points in the game. In the very first hour, you will get petrified and you will die. It may have been a milestone back in 1991, but the year is now 2010. Time to move on and look for greener pastures.
If you're a masochist though, then this may be the perfect RPG for you!
Is this a troll post? You have to be trolling.
Seriously, I don't know how to respond to this other than to say you are wrong in pretty much every conceivable way.
Posts
Do either of those games require previous games for story continuity or something similar?
As for Advance Wars, not really. You'll be missing out on a super boss, but that's a small price to pay for the most complete package of the series. Warning: it is seriously addicting.
Get anything Dragon Quest or Shin Megami Tensei first, and The World Ends with You. That'll cover the best RPGs on the system.
Also consider:
Etrian Odyssey 1, 2, 3
Shiren the Wanderer
Final Fantasy: 4 Heroes of Light
Rune Factory 2, 3
On strategy games, Dual Strike is probably your best bet.
Gameplay
The last chapter is a little unbalanced, but it's such a good game. There's also an HD enhanced port coming to XBLA and PSN at some point, though it's been delayed for a while and I haven't heard any updated news about a release.
Devil Survivor is a pretty awesome strategy RPG. I wish I could find more time to finish up some of my DS RPGs.
My favorite DS realtime/turnbased/tactical/strategy/bullethell RPG of all time is Knights in the Nightmare. It's pretty awesome in my book.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2u3ZukJPb8
What is a reliable vendor for importing from UK to USA?
Devil Survivor; Devil Survivor: Devil Survivor!!!!
Assuming a few things.
1. you don't mind playing younger kids 17ish.
2. you don't mind JRPG styling and a japan setting.
3. you don't mind a bad ass fucking story that offers 7ish endings one of them being the 'Fuck this I quit' ending
4. you don't mind an innovative combat system that mixes best parts of SRPG with RPG.
5. you don't mind an experience that will forever change you, and make all other games look like shit.
7. You're okay with the general SMT staple of demon fusions, and planning them out in order to overcome elemental weaknesses and such.
Probably not a problem, considering he's asking for RPG and strategy games. But it's good to put out there, as such things can stagger the pace of the game enough to put off some folks.
I was hoping a newish puzzle game was out to entertain me for the flight home for the holidays but nothing arose, so ill probably just play through picross again.
I would like to know this as well.
Oh, and there are some awesome Dungeon Crawlers on the DS as well. If you like self flagellation, hunt down a copy of The Dark Spire and learn the true meaning of despair. Or you could play the Etrian Odyssey games and merely meet despairs cousin, FOE.
Golden Sun is ridiculously good. I'm shocked there isn't a thread for it here, actually. Though I guess it is a bit too straightforward to prompt much discussion.
It's right over here
Oh, I plan on buying it, don't you worry.
Buy
Newegg
Toyrus
Kohls
Gohastings
Gamefly (used)
Overstock
I just wish they'd make concessions for the color-impaired.
I'm still stuck on the Tavern puzzle.
At least Strategy only has maybe ten good options.
Maybe fifteen.
A couple of sleeper recommendations in the small but fairly awesome category of DS Real Time Strategy games, both by Square Enix. Final Fantasy XII: RW and Heroes of Mana are oddly satisfying titles.
I was looking at Heroes of Mana the other day, I need to check the reviews on this one.
As for Picross, should I skip the first and go straight to the 3D one?
But seriously, I picked up my fiance's GBA a few weeks ago and started up a Fire Red game. Very satisfying. I hate all the new crap that's past Gold/Silver. I may end up forking over the cash for Soul Silver on the DS...but that's a stretch.
To be fair, Diamond/Pearl/Platinum are the most boring entries in the entire series.
Try HG/SS, they're much more engaging.
You should fight the first two gym leaders in about two hours in DP, the next one is four hours later.
In Platinum the next one is an hour/hour and a half later.
Along those lines, the Mario and Luigi games are the best original RPGs on the system. Mario and Luigi: Partners in Time, and Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story are must-haves.
It's faster, but still quite boring. I was only really engaged during the Elite Four in Platinum. The graphics are also pretty drab (lots of grey and brown) outside of the Elite Four.
BiS and especially SS are, but PiT is not a must-have. Weakest entry in the entire Mario RPG series. Just too linear, samey and uninspired.
(Not in any particular order, but I will comment on some of the absolute must try games)
Partners in Time
Bowser's Inside story (Best game on system nominee)
Final Fantasy III
Final Fantasy IV (The version to play)
Etrian Odyssey I-III (Three is best)
Dragon Quest IV-VI and IX (I don't care that six isn't out in English, it is fuck awesome. IX is another game of the system nominee)
Strange Journey
Infinite Space
Final Fantasy Tactics Advance 2:Stupid Subtitle addition (Nominee for oh my god, how many hours did I play this game for.)
Rune Factory 1-3 (3 is nominated for most improved game on an already solid series foundation)
Pokemon: All of them (Platinum and Soul Silver are the consensus best)
Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon (If you can get into it)
Meteos (Made for the DS)
Kirby's Canvas Curse (See above, also breakout game on the system)
Advance Wars Dual Strike
Advance Wars Days of Ruin
Puzzle Quest (Admittedly better on other systems)
Planet Puzzle League (AKA Tetris Attack, AKA best fucking game ever.)
Tetris DS (The superior, rare as shit Tetris on DS experience.
Picross, 3D Picross
Mr. Driller DS (I can't remember the name)
Disgaea DS (The only good N1 DS game)
Knights in the Nightmare (The only bullet hell RPGish game)
Dokapon Journey (Kingdom on Wii/PS2 is so much better, but this shit is portable)
Golden Sun 3
KH stupid subtitle that's not RE:Coded
Might and Magic:Clash of Heroes
Final Fantasy 4 Heroes of Light (Most controversial game up here)
SMT Devil Survivor (Best art of any game on here)
Suikoden Tierkreis
THE WORLD ENDS WITH YOU
Mid tier RPG/SRPG games ~ Most of these are actually still worth playing
Luminous Arc
Sands of Destruction
Blue Dragon anything DS
Phantasy Star Zero
Children of Mana
Heroes of Mana (Is a lot better than CoM)
FF XII:RW
Final Fantasy CC: Ring of Fates (better story)
Final Fantasy CC: Echoes of Time (better mechanics)
Lufia 2 (Not as good as original, but maybe just good enough)
Orcs and Elves
My World, My Way
Glory of Heracles
Lost Magic
Contact
The Dark Spire
Super Robot Taisen OG Saga: Endless Frontier
Also you forgot Tetris Party
Tetris DS is superior, that's why.
I mean, why get these inferior games when the GBA has Fire Emblem and FFVI to offer?
Wait, FFIV is mediocre? Am I in parallel universe land where amazing games are mediocre now?
The story is trifling, the characters are bland, the arbitrary plot devices are awful, the combat system is middling. Above all, enemies are relentless nonstop. Each and every last one of them is a pain to deal with at various points in the game. In the very first hour, you will get petrified and you will die. It may have been a milestone back in 1991, but the year is now 2010. Time to move on and look for greener pastures.
If you're a masochist though, then this may be the perfect RPG for you!
Is this a troll post? You have to be trolling.
Seriously, I don't know how to respond to this other than to say you are wrong in pretty much every conceivable way.