JRPG general discussion

megaten

I always wanted to give ff8 another go. I had no clue how it worked when I was younger. Does the PC version not have speedup hacks?

K.O.Kiki

FFVII Remako HD Project

What is the Remako Mod?
The Remako HD Graphics Mod is a mod that completely revamps the pre-rendered backgrounds of the classic JRPG Final Fantasy VII. All of the backgrounds now have 4 times the resolution of the original.

Using state of the art AI neural networks, this upscaling tries to emulate the detail the original renders would have had. This helps the new visuals to come as close to a higher resolution re-rendering of the original as possible with current technology.

K.O.Kiki

Found more on this, too:
Modders are using AI to upscale pre-rendered PS1 backgrounds with phenomenal results

Retr0gamer

It's nice but it gives it a painterly look rather than the CGI look that the original had. Totally changes the aesthetic.

Apparently Square hung on to the high res renders for FF9 and you can find a few online.

Sieghardt

Retr0gamer wrote: »

Playing FF8 on the PC. Modded it up to look a lot better.

And... not enjoying it that much. The drawing system is awful and the game is just slow. Doesn't help that the cast are a bunch of absolute fannies.

Laguna and his group are great, it's such a shame the game isnt about them

Retr0gamer

Sieghardt wrote: »

Laguna and his group are great, it's such a shame the game isnt about them

Think they are fannies as well. And every time I play the game I wonder what those sections even bring to the story.

K.O.Kiki

Retr0gamer wrote: »

It's nice but it gives it a painterly look rather than the CGI look that the original had. Totally changes the aesthetic.

Apparently Square hung on to the high res renders for FF9 and you can find a few online.

IDK, I think some of the FFVII ones are relatively CGI-like

Retr0gamer

Ok those FF7 ones look gorgeous.

Just that FF9 one you posted looks more like an oil painting than the cgi look.

Sephiroth_dude

Any interest in god eater 3?

Kiith

Mod has been released now.

https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/final-fantasy-7s-ai-upscaled-graphics-mod-is-now-downloadable/

nix

Is there a good version of VIII i can play on PC? That isnt bug ridden or prone to breaking. I havent played it since release back in 1999, I'd be tempted to play it again, i enjoyed my recent replay of IX, but that was a better game. But still wouldnt mind tackling VIII to see how it holds up in my adult age.

VII was played so much, it would never need a replay, i could replay it section by section in my mind :pac:

Retr0gamer

nix wrote: »

Is there a good version of VIII i can play on PC? That isnt bug ridden or prone to breaking. I havent played it since release back in 1999, I'd be tempted to play it again, i enjoyed my recent replay of IX, but that was a better game. But still wouldnt mind tackling VIII to see how it holds up in my adult age.

VII was played so much, it would never need a replay, i could replay it section by section in my mind :pac:

I'm playing it at the moment, it hasn't held up

The steam release of FF8 is fine. You can play the hardware accelerated version which is messy in the overworld or with the original blocky graphics.

There's a lot of mods for the game which I'm playing with. You can add new filtered backgrounds, fix the texture seam issue with the game and also replace all the battlefields and character/enemy models with new high quality ones.

raze_them_all_

Retr0gamer wrote: »

I didn't like FF12 until I played the Zodiac Spear version and loved it.

FF8 is just too slow with drawing. You are either playing it wrong and using GF summons and having a horrible time or breaking the game drawing 100 of every spell which slows the game down. I remember having fun with it on a playthrough years ago when I finally understood the game but at the moment disc one is very slow. Maybe it gets better once I have the game fully broken and I'm steamrolling it.

Ff8 can be too easy with some grinding, you can get squalls ultimate weapon and ability fairly quickly using shivas card mod ability. The card game well and truly breaks the games. Especially come disk 3 when you can make 100 hero megaelixers. But early on for fun and useful stuff the card game is still the best

K.O.Kiki

nix wrote: »

Is there a good version of VIII i can play on PC? That isnt bug ridden or prone to breaking. I havent played it since release back in 1999, I'd be tempted to play it again, i enjoyed my recent replay of IX, but that was a better game. But still wouldnt mind tackling VIII to see how it holds up in my adult age.

VII was played so much, it would never need a replay, i could replay it section by section in my mind :pac:

PSX emulation is probably a better bet than official ports.

Kiith

Been trying to get into Tales of Vesperia, but the combat is rough, and there is a lot of it. Seems to just be a case of spam one move for the entire fight. Not sure i'll be able to stick with it tbh.

Retr0gamer

Kind of found that with all the Tales of games. I finished symphonia many moons ago and feel that's all I really need from the franchise, other than maybe some of the older games which are quite different.

megaten

Retr0gamer wrote: »

Kind of found that with all the Tales of games. I finished symphonia many moons ago and feel that's all I really need from the franchise, other than maybe some of the older games which are quite different.

I feel the same way, its worth trying one tales game but they're very similar too each other so its hard to recommend the series as a whole.

K.O.Kiki

Kiith wrote: »

Been trying to get into Tales of Vesperia, but the combat is rough, and there is a lot of it. Seems to just be a case of spam one move for the entire fight. Not sure i'll be able to stick with it tbh.

Just research "Tales of (xxx)" + "broken / infinite combo".

Xenji

Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth is coming west on the 4th of June, need to dust off the 3DS again.

super_furry

There's a decent NIS 3DS sale on at the moment, The Legend of Legacy for €19.99, Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner for €7.49, Stella Glow for €19.99.

Some Switch deals too but not as big in terms of price cut. Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana for €40 is tempting me though, anyone played it?

Sephiroth_dude

super_furry wrote: »

There's a decent NIS 3DS sale on at the moment, The Legend of Legacy for €19.99, Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner for €7.49, Stella Glow for €19.99.

Some Switch deals too but not as big in terms of price cut. Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana for €40 is tempting me though, anyone played it?

I played it on switch and thought it was brilliant, have to finish it though, on the last chapter.

skerry

I'm loving me some JRPG's at the moment. Looking for thoughts on Disgaea 5 as it's on sale for Switch at the moment and thinking of picking it up. My more recent experiences are Octopath Traveller, Persona 5 and Xenoblade Chronicles 2. Any thoughts on how it compares to these titles and the franchise overall?

megaten

skerry wrote: »

I'm loving me some JRPG's at the moment. Looking for thoughts on Disgaea 5 as it's on sale for Switch at the moment and thinking of picking it up. My more recent experiences are Octopath Traveller, Persona 5 and Xenoblade Chronicles 2. Any thoughts on how it compares to these titles and the franchise overall?

Haven't played 5 specifically but SRPG's from Disgaea are quite different. There's no real overworld. You have a home base and them the rest is battle maps. Battles are generally a lot longer too in SRPGs.

Xenji

skerry wrote: »

I'm loving me some JRPG's at the moment. Looking for thoughts on Disgaea 5 as it's on sale for Switch at the moment and thinking of picking it up. My more recent experiences are Octopath Traveller, Persona 5 and Xenoblade Chronicles 2. Any thoughts on how it compares to these titles and the franchise overall?

Disgaea 5 is a totally different beast to the 3 games you have mentioned, it is a tactical RPG and has a very quirky cast of characters and story line, the whole franchise is very good and 5 would be a good entry point as it is far less grindy than previous entries.

From playing all 4 I would probably put Disgaea top of the pile, edging out Persona 5 and Xenoblade, and far better then the derivative slog that was Octopath.

skerry

Xenji wrote: »

Disgaea 5 is a totally different beast to the 3 games you have mentioned, it is a tactical RPG and has a very quirky cast of characters and story line, the whole franchise is very good and 5 would be a good entry point as it is far less grindy than previous entries.

From playing all 4 I would probably put Disgaea top of the pile, edging out Persona 5 and Xenoblade, and far better then the derivative slog that was Octopath.

Glowing praise so. I'm about 30 hrs into Xenoblade 2 at the moment and really enjoying it. I've played a decent amount to turn based RPG's in the last 6 months but no tactical ones. Switch has a demo of D5 so definitely gonna give that a go over the weekend, can pick it up for around 25 bob at the moment.

I'm all for Japanese wackiness and it seems D5 has no shortage of that. I was starved of these type of games on the Xbox but having picked up a PS4 and Switch in the last 6 months there are a lot more options out there.

Cryan1011

l

Retr0gamer

I never gave Disgaea a chance. I tried La Pucelle Tactics and it didn't click but heard Disgaea is fantastic.

I wouldn't mind but I think I own the first and second disgaea about 4 times.

Sephiroth_dude

skerry wrote: »

Glowing praise so. I'm about 30 hrs into Xenoblade 2 at the moment and really enjoying it. I've played a decent amount to turn based RPG's in the last 6 months but no tactical ones. Switch has a demo of D5 so definitely gonna give that a go over the weekend, can pick it up for around 25 bob at the moment.

I'm all for Japanese wackiness and it seems D5 has no shortage of that. I was starved of these type of games on the Xbox but having picked up a PS4 and Switch in the last 6 months there are a lot more options out there.

Give Ys VIII a go next, great game.

Retr0gamer

Sephiroth_dude wrote: »

Give Ys VIII a go next, great game.

Seconded

skerry

Sephiroth_dude wrote: »

Give Ys VIII a go next, great game.

I actually glanced at that last night and it just so happens to be on sale too, this could be dangerous . Looks very like Xenoblade which I'm enjoying a lot.

Had a very quick game of Disgaea 5 earlier and not like anything I've played before but looks fun.

I'll play through the demo a bit more but Ys VIII looks like a buy to me from the few reviews I've checked out and will give D5 demo more time and see if it clicks with me.