Games The RPG thread

[Jammin]

Did anyone here play Disgaea series? If so, please tell me if it's good cuz I don't trust internet reviews anymore.

I love it but whether or not you think it's good is going to be a matter of taste.

Disgaea is a slightly peculiar form of turn based strategy JRPG with some neat puzzle elements and an unbelievable amount of depth. The graphics aren't very flashy but all the stories are funny and enjoyable. The actual gameplay is something that's hard to explain because of how unique it is. I suspect the only way to truly know whether it's your kind of thing or not is to give it try.

In terms of story I would rate them....

Disgaea - 9/10
Disgaea II - 8/10
Digaaea III - 6/10
Disgaea IV - 7/10

 

[riki]

Game of Thrones...Everywhere...Everywhere !
It's VOSTfr so you can watch it.

I don't know what to expect from this game, I fear the usual stupid licenced game but I don't know.

Hopefully the game is good because my brother and I are thinking of buying it because of the preorder bonuses:

 

[kakashi919]

Disgaea is awesome!

 

[Shinsatsu]

thanks guys. I'll give them a try.

 

[benelori]

I think Martin is working with the game producers on the plot, so I think it would be a cool story...but a good RPG has other elements besides story, so I'm a bit in doubt with this GoT game

 

[riki]

True, gameplay and camera settings are other factors to consider. ^^

 

[Gats]

They released an explanation about the combat system while ago :

 

[Jammin]

I find it very interesting that Atlus is involving in this.

I consider them to be a pretty good RPG developer. They tend to be a bit more daring with game design than other companies. That could be a good sign for this game. While it doesn't necessarily mean the game will be great, as Atlus isn't the only company involved, it's worth noting that titles like Persona 4, Catherine, and Demon Souls were all projects Atlus was involved in.

I'm not a big Game of Thrones fan (I was no fan of the books, nor the HBO series, TBH) but I'm going to keep an eye on this game it might not just been the classic popular movie/tv show tie in travesty that people might expect.

 

[riki]

Oh, Atlus is only publishing the game in N. America; they're not developing it. The good thing about Atlus is that they usually give out good preorder goodies. ^^

 

[Jammin]

Oh, Atlus is only publishing the game in N. America; they're not developing it. The good thing about Atlus is that they usually give out good preorder goodies. ^^

Yeah, I realize that; it was the same way with Demon Souls and 3D Dot Heroes. My point was that projects they are involved with tend to be at least interesting. That's kinda Atlus' market niche. If Atlus is producing there must have been something about the concept they were pitched that they liked.

Which gives reason for some optimism because the worst problem with most tv/movie tie in games is that they tend to be boring linear things with forgettable stories and gameplay; and those are just not the kind of projects Atlus involves themselves with normally.

 

[Gats]

The game is developed by Cyanide (a French studio I think), difficult to have an opinion about their RPG experience, their past creations were essentialy sport games. Among those, a heroic-fantasy sport game named Blood Bowl.

The thing is, in this case, the game is also a book serie tie-in. The series itself comes from the books. So we have a lot of materials for the game, unlike some other licenced game.

 

[riki]

Unfortunately there are some bad games (e.g. The Cursed Crusade), but I agree that Atlus usually pick the good ones. ^^ You'll be surprised to read some comments onine complaining that Atlus is becoming too "mainstream" because they don't always license niche JRPG. In fact, some people complained when they first announced that they're publishing GoT. >.>

 

[Shinsatsu]

Unfortunately there are some bad games (e.g. The Cursed Crusade), but I agree that Atlus usually pick the good ones. ^^ You'll be surprised to read some comments onine complaining that Atlus is becoming too "mainstream" because they don't always license niche JRPG. In fact, some people complained when they first announced that they're publishing GoT. >.>

Amen to The Cursed Crusade... it was disturbingly bad.

As for Disgaea, it's funny as hell ^^

 

[Gats]

GRR Martin is talking about the Game of Thrones game and video games in general :
http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/03/translating-a-game-of-thrones-with-george-r-r-martin/

One interesting quote among many others :

"The entire game was written by Cyanide, including the plot and character dialogue. But I did have creative input at many points during the process," Martin told Joystiq. When he met with members of Cyanide to review the game's design document, he made sure that the experience wouldn't break canon. "What they're doing is a parallel story to some of the early events in Ice and Fire, so my primary concern was that nothing in the game altered the events in the books."

---------- Post added at 10:49 AM ---------- Previous post was at 04:44 AM ----------

Breaking news :

Following the fanrage, BioWare will release a free DLC (named "Extended Cut") which will give a new conclusion to the game.

 

[Jammin]

That interview from George RR Martin has me even more intrigued about this game.

It seems in development they were very aware of what a dangers tie in games seem to suffer from. Namely how they tend to be extremely linear and very non-immersive. And understanding those potential problems and how they can ruin a gaming experience is a big step toward avoiding those issues.

 

[Gats]

Someone listed all the official promises about Mass Effect 3 end :
Without spoiling, how far from the truth was it ? A blatant lie or a twisted truth ?
I think I'll receive the game after they release the free DLC which changes the ending.

Official Mass Effect Website
http://masseffect.com/about/story/

“Experience the beginning, middle, and end of an emotional story unlike any
other, where the decisions you make completely shape your experience
and outcome.”

Interview with Mac Walters (Lead Writer)
http://popwatch.ew.com/2012/02/28/mass-effect-3-mac-walters/

“[The presence of the Rachni] has huge consequences in Mass
Effect 3. Even just in the final battle with the Reapers.”

Interview with Mac Walters (Lead Writer)
http://business.financialpost.com/2...on-how-the-game-tries-to-reach-all-audiences/

“I’m always leery of saying there are 'optimal' endings, because I think
one of the things we do try to do is make different endings that are
optimal for different people “

Interview with Mike Gamble (Associate Producer)
http://www.computerandvideogames.co...rought-back-a-lot-of-what-was-missing-in-me2/

“And, to be honest, you [the fans] are crafting your Mass Effect story as
much as we are anyway.”

Interview with Mike Gamble (Associate Producer)
http://www.360magazine.co.uk/interview/mass-effect-3-has-many-different-endings/

“There are many different endings. We wouldn’t do it any other way. How
could you go through all three campaigns playing as your Shepard and
then be forced into a bespoke ending that everyone gets? But I can’t
say any more than that…”

Interview with Mike Gamble (Associate Producer)
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2...s-effect-3-ending-will-make-some-people-angry

“Every decision you've made will impact how things go. The player's also the
architect of what happens."

“You'll get answers to everything. That was one of the key things. Regardless
of how we did everything, we had to say, yes, we're going to provide
some answers to these people.”

“Because a lot of these plot threads are concluding and because it's being
brought to a finale, since you were a part of architecting how they
got to how they were, you will definitely sense how they close was
because of the decisions you made and because of the decisions you
didn't make”

Interview with Casey Hudson (Director)
http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2011/04/28/casey-hudson-interview-mass-effect-3.aspx

“For people who are invested in these characters and the back-story of the
universe and everything, all of these things come to a resolution in
Mass Effect 3. And they are resolved in a way that's very different
based on what you would do in those situations.”

Interview with Casey Hudson (Director)
http://venturebeat.com/2012/03/02/c...t-3-with-the-sometimes-cranky-fans-interview/

“Fans want to make sure that they see things resolved, they want to get
some closure, a great ending. I think they’re going to get that.”

“Mass Effect 3 is all about answering all the biggest questions in the
lore, learning about the mysteries and the Protheans and the Reapers,
being able to decide for yourself how all of these things come to an
end.”

Interviewer: “So are you guys the creators or the stewards of the franchise?”
Hudson: “Um… You know, at this point, I think we’re co-creators with
the fans. We use a lot of feedback.”

Interview with Casey Hudson (Director)
http://www.gameinformer.com/b/featu...fdsafdhudson-interviewae.aspx?PostPageIndex=2

Interviewer: [Regarding the numerous possible endings of Mass Effect 2] “Is that
same type of complexity built into the ending of Mass Effect 3?”
Hudson: “Yeah, and I’d say much more so, because we have the ability to
build the endings out in a way that we don’t have to worry about
eventually tying them back together somewhere. This story arc is
coming to an end with this game. That means the endings can be a lot
more different. At this point we’re taking into account so many
decisions that you’ve made as a player and reflecting a lot of that
stuff. It’s not even in any way like the traditional game endings,
where you can say how many endings there are or whether you got
ending A, B, or C.....The endings have a lot more sophistication and
variety in them.”

“We have a rule in our franchise that there is no canon. You as a player
decide what your story is.”


EDIT: Couple more interesting quotes I found, enjoy......or not.


Mike Gamble (Associate Producer)
http://www.nowgamer.com/news/1027650/mass_effect_3_reapers_can_win_bioware.html

Mass Effect 3 will shake up the player's moral choices more than ever
before, even going so far as allowing the Reapers to win the battle
for Earth, according to BioWare's community representative Mike
Gamble.


In an inteview with NowGamer at Gamescom, we asked if BioWare was taking risks with Mass Effect 3's
plot, including a negative ending in which the Reapers win. Gamble simply said, "Yes". We asked him again to confirm what he had just said and he said, "Yes".


Mike Gamble (Associate Producer)
http://www.nowgamer.com/features/12...per_interview_shepard_coop_story_details.html


"Of course you don’t have to play multiplayer, you can choose to play
all the side-quests in single-player and do all that stuff you’ll
still get all the same endings and same information, it’s just a
totally different way of playing"


Casey Hudson (Director)
http://gamescatalyst.com/2012/03/casey-hudson-kinect-the-future-of-interactive-stories/

“The whole idea of Mass Effect3 is resolving all of the biggest questions, about the Protheons and
the Reapers, and being in the driver's seat to end the galaxy and all
of these big plot lines, to decide what civilizations are going to
live or die: All of these things are answered in Mass Effect 3.”

Casey Hudson (Director)
http://www.computerandvideogames.co...-go-on-holiday-our-dlc-is-really-good/?page=2

“There is a huge set of consequences that start stacking up as you approach the end-game. And
even in terms of the ending itself, it continues to break down to
some very large decisions. So it's not like a classic game ending
where everything is linear and you make a choice between a few things
- it really does layer in many, many different choices, up to the
final moments, where it's going to be different for everyone who
plays it.”


EDIT: Thanks to Skidrow-Garrett for pointing out another mystifying quote or two. It seems Bioware worked for years on the ending and are really pleased with it. I think it makes new DLC to address all the concerns less likely, unfortunately.

Ray Muzyka (Co-Founder of Bioware)
http://penny-arcade.com/report/edit...ss-the-old-republic-launch-ending-a-trilogy-a

“I just finished an end to end playthrough, for me the ending was the
most satisfying of any game I’ve ever played….the decisions you make in
this game are epic,”

“The team has been planning
for this for years, since the beginning of the Mass Effect franchise.
Largely the same team, most of the same leads have worked on this for
years and years. They’ve thought about [the ending] for years and years.
It’s not something they’ve had to solve in a week or a month even, but
over the course of five or ten years.”

 

[Jammin]

Wow, it's actually impressive how ever single one those is a lie in one way or another. Some of those aren't even close to the truth.

I'd say the only statement there that could be entirely true is this one

Interviewer: “So are you guys the creators or the stewards of the franchise?”
Hudson: “Um… You know, at this point, I think we’re co-creators with
the fans. We use a lot of feedback.”

Because they are at least trying to address the the core issues gamers such as myself have with the ending, so in a way that proves that they really do listen and care.

Some of those are bold faced lies though. Like this one...

“The team has been planning
for this for years, since the beginning of the Mass Effect franchise.
Largely the same team, most of the same leads have worked on this for
years and years. They’ve thought about [the ending] for years and years.
It’s not something they’ve had to solve in a week or a month even, but
over the course of five or ten years.”

The mass effect team has openly admitted that the ending wasn't even really decided upon till late November of last year. As they admitted to delaying Martin Sheen's Illusive Man voice acting session for just that reason. So it really was a last minute thing.

 

[Gats]

Wow, it's actually impressive how ever single one those is a lie in one way or another. Some of those aren't even close to the truth.

I'd say the only statement there that could be entirely true is this one

Because they are at least trying to address the the core issues gamers such as myself have with the ending, so in a way that proves that they really do listen and care.

Some of those are bold faced lies though. Like this one...

The mass effect team has openly admitted that the ending wasn't even really decided upon till late November of last year. As they admitted to delaying Martin Sheen's Illusive Man voice acting session for just that reason. So it really was a last minute thing.

I also read somewhere (bioware forum I think) that several of these..."official statements" have been made less than one month (or was it within 6 weeks ?) before the game's release, which means the game was "ready" at the time.

 

[Jammin]

I also read somewhere (bioware forum I think) that several of these..."official statements" have been made less than one month (or was it within 6 weeks ?) before the game's release, which means the game was "ready" at the time.

It's really hard to imagine how they could have thought all this stuff was true. I think they might have just been saying what they thought gamers wanted to hear without really considering what was true, and just figuring that no matter what they do fans would love it; and since they would love it nobody would ever really consider how it was sold to them. It's the only explanation I can think of.

Because whether someone liked or disliked the ending, it is nothing like what is being described in all these.

 

[Gats]

It's really hard to imagine how they could have thought all this stuff was true. I think they might have just been saying what they thought gamers wanted to hear without really considering what was true, and just figuring that no matter what they do fans would love it; and since they would love it nobody would ever really consider how it was sold to them. It's the only explanation I can think of.

Because whether someone liked or disliked the ending, it is nothing like what is being described in all these.

With what they said we can even file a complaint and make them pay. It's unbelievable that they crossed the line that much even from a cynically point of view.

Luckily the fanrage was huge enough.