Finally a mans speaks up for Sky the 3rd. Never understood the lukewarm feelings on the game that seem to be common in the fandom. If nothing else, Sky the 3rd is not only our first (and still biggest) window into the Septian Church, but is a critical game for the series’ most tragic and sympathetic character: Renne. Sky the 3rd is directly responsible for taking me straight from 0 to “I will protect it” on Renne. Without this game’s no-holds-barred on the gruesome details of Renne’s past and her genuine interactions with the party this time around, I wouldn’t have broken down in tears at her protecting Colin in Zero.
Sorry in advance for the long essay response, but I'd like to try and explain the "lukewarm feelings on the game", at least in my eyes. The issue is that the game focuses far too much on being an epilogue to the Liberl arc, rather than being a more self-contained, deep-dive into Kevin's character and the Septian Church. The majority of the game is more focused on tying up loose ends in character backstories/motivations and giving us little data entries about miscellaneous events that rarely have anything to do with the main story; it's interesting to read about them, but the execution was off the mark. So many of the doors only exist as fluff and could be cut from the game without affecting our knowledge of the story in the slightest, like Moon Doors 1, 2 & 5; Star Doors 1, 3, 6, & 9, and all of the Sun Doors naturally. And even without those miscellaneous doors, some of the better doors, like Moon Doors 3 & 4, and Star Doors 2, 4, 8, 10, 13 & 14, should have been included in the last two games, Sky FC & Sky SC! Most notably, Star Door 2, which would've been PERFECT for explaining Kevin's salt-tipped arrow before we see him fire it off in Sky SC. And Moon Door 3 being included in Sky SC as a mandatory story segment where Kloe recounts her early years at Jenis Royal Academy to Estelle during some downtime (as well as her meeting with Lechter) would've added much-needed depth to her character back when Kloe was still uncertain on whether or not to inherit the throne from her grandmother. Anyway, the point is, there's a lot of content in Sky the 3rd, but very little of it actually adds to the narrative in any meaningful way. Plus, a lot of it feels out of place in a story that SHOULD be Kevin's, and Kevin's alone, but, like I said before, is instead focused on being an epilogue to the Liberl arc through tying up loose ends and whatnot. This is important, because all of the content I mentioned above actively distracts you from Kevin's character story, instead of keeping you engaged and adding more layers to him (on top of eating up his precious screen-time!). You can't simply ignore this fact either, as skipping the Doors entirely would be... foolish, to say the least, especially knowing that great doors such as Star Door 15 exist (plus all of the crucial rewards you receive for completing them). So, your experience ends up being a very fragmented one because of this; one where you have to constantly go back and forth between slowly progressing the story, and backtracking to read through several doors that have little meaning in the grand scheme of things. And this fundamental issue with the pacing is probably why I, and many others, found ourselves burning out more than a few times while playing the game, which isn't helped by how pointlessly drawn out the mystery behind Phantasma is. Now, as for Kevin's story itself, ON PAPER, a story about self-hatred, deception, and the inevitable redemption should've been one with the potential to resonate with audiences all over, as issues like these are getting more and more common by the day, but, IN EXECUTION, it was far less stellar. Possibly the most egregious example of this is the entirety of Chapter 7, which was supposed to be one of the heaviest segments in the game, and a pivotal turning point in Kevin's character arc, yet ended up hitting like a wet noodle due in large part to what I mentioned above about the Doors/focus of Sky the 3rd overshadowing his character as a whole. The game insists on making you feel for these... blobs of slime(?) that apparently share history with Kevin, yet NEVER EVER show/tell you ANYTHING beyond the BARE MINIMUM along with a single line about how sad Kevin feels about having to kill them again... And then they try to sell his redemption by having you traverse through a recreation of Gehenna, a segment of which lasts a mere 15-20 minutes depending on how fast you are; undeniably rushed for what should've been handled much more delicately. Self-hatred isn't an issue that's resolved so easily, and the fact that it happened like it did in Chapter 7 was insulting. Joshua took 2 games to come to terms with himself and face reality once more. Renne took 3(!) whole games to finally accept Estelle and Joshua's love for her. And you're telling me that all Kevin needed was a short backstory cutscene at the beginning of each chapter, a few pointed conversations sprinkled throughout the game, and a leisurely stroll through Gehenna?? Kevin honestly deserved so much more than what he was given. Which brings me back to my main point: Rather than being so utterly focused on being an epilogue to the Liberl arc, it should've cut all of the excess and used the free space to give us a story focused SOLELY on Kevin and the Septian Church. Think about it: How interesting would it have been if, instead of Phantasma, they completely scrapped the concept and let us go through every stage of Kevin's life ourselves, giving us a first-hand experience of his childhood up until the present. Each phase of his life could be 1-2 Chapters long, with the Prologue being his early childhood living with his mother, Chapter 1 being his daily life after his chance encounter with Ries and Rufina, Chapters 2 & 3 being his initiation into the Gralsritter and his days as a fledgling Squire, Chapter 4 could be THE moment that broke him at Aster House, Chapters 5 & 6 could place us in his depressed mindset during the lowest point of his life after he becomes the Fifth Dominion, and take us on a globe-trot introducing us to all of the heretics that he'd slain while traveling all over the continent of Zemuria like that Owen guy from the Church that we still know very little about, even though his character is INTEGRAL to the ongoing drama over at Crossbell's Cathedral, and so on, which would make his story feel that much more personal. And while doing so, they could also give us an EXCLUSIVE look into the inner-workings of the Septian Church; probably not show us all of the other Dominions just to keep them a secret, but at least allow us to explore The Holy City of Arteria and demonstrate the leverage it has in politics and whatnot. Like, there was just SO MUCH potential when it came to having Kevin as the protagonist and seeing the world through his eyes that was wasted when they made whatever Sky the 3rd was... Anyway, TL;DR - Trails in the Sky the 3rd has a plethora of issues and fundamental flaws that I tried my best to convey, like it getting its priorities mixed up (Paragraph 1), the off-kilter pacing that makes it a slog to play through (Paragraph 2), Kevin's rushed character arc crippled by the story's 'Tell, Don't Show' approach (Paragraph 3), and the wasted potential that Sky the 3rd had to become a truly personal story that cuts deep (Paragraph 4). P.S. - Whew, that ended up being a lot longer of a response than I was expecting, but I didn't know how else to explain the "lukewarm feelings on the game" that you insisted were so common (although I personally don't think this is true at all, since everywhere I go nowadays I see people praising this game) without going into detail. I'd be glad if you, or anyone else, were to give me your thoughts on this, and maybe prove me wrong! Oh and, hopefully I didn't come off as being a belligerent hater or anything, because I think this game on its own is genuinely solid (all things considered), and, like you said, contains a CRUCIAL part of Renne's-a FAVORITE of mine's-story. And I think that in and of itself makes it more than worth the price of admission!
@@semblance6433 Thanks for the detailed response. Most people wouldn't have bothered to explain and simply insist that "game bad" lol. It's nice to see someone actually back themselves up for once. I only wish I had time atm to give you an equally long response. As an aside, damn, I don't think I've ever heard anyone praise this game, you and I have had very different experiences XD
I never understood it either. Sky the 3rd is actually my favorite entry in the Sky Trilogy because of the huge focus on the church, fleshing out the characters that needed it the most, all the interesting lore and set up for future games, and making one of my favorite characters from SC the main character. I loved (almost) every moment (screw that sky bandit mini game with Gilbert lol) and was genuinely shocked when I came across people who were overly negative or felt it was all filler and did nothing for the overall story.
To me, it always felt more like an add-on to Sky SC instead of a whole new game. Like they simply put all of the stuff in it that didn't fit into the main game and added a crawl through a mysterious dungeon into the mix to tie all of the lose info dumps together. I liked getting more intel on the church and their handling of artifacts as well as the additional stories of all the characters, but as a standalone game it's simply not as good as the previous or following ones.
This is going to be a pretty late and unfocused follow-up, but I only recently came up with these concepts and just wanted to get them out there for anybody who cares: First off, like I mentioned in paragraph 4 of my first post, to elaborate on the inner-workings of the Septian Church, Ein is a character who would’ve been perfect to explore as Kevin’s mentor and best friend of Rufina Argent; she’s a pivotal character in Kevin’s life, and the fact that Sky the 3rd only gave her 2 mins of screen time in the post-credits scene where they only talk about getting a new title for Kevin is... more than a little disappointing. There was potential to develop Ein as a mentor figure for Kevin throughout the game, one who would give him advice every now and then, recount her early years within the church and how she came to befriend Rufina, and so on and so forth, which would also serve to flesh out both her character and Rufina’s too. I could also see her being a key player in Kevin’s character arc as one of the people who would help him realize his self-worth (being his teacher she would know Kevin best after Ries), and start him down the path of redemption. Continuing with that line of thought, they could also introduce us to characters like Toval and Barkhorn, who have deep ties with the church (and are pretty important characters in their own right) that receive next to no meaningful screen time to develop their characters when they actually show up/are mentioned in the Erebonia arc. (Note: I am aware that Toval’s character is explored in the Carnelia novels and in a spin-off manga series, but I’ve always been of the opinion that if they can develop characters within the games themselves, then they should do so without forcing us to turn off our game and read a random manga series to know what they should’ve told us in-game.) I also want to add that Star Doors like Renne’s would still be able to work even if they got rid of the whole Phantasma pocket dimension gimmick, by running with my idea of playing through Kevin’s past up until the present day (After Sky SC and before Zero), due to the fact that Kevin actually took part in the operation to shut down the D.G. Cult back in 1200 or something. So, based on that fact, they could’ve used his perspective to give the player a first-hand account into the horrors of the D.G. Cult as Kevin and the other Gralsritters go around and storm each base, eventually stumbling onto Paradise (of course, by that point, Renne would’ve already been saved by Loewe and Joshua, but the player would still be able to piece together the events that transpired at the location through context clues and a general investigation of the premises conducted by Kevin alongside Arios as he mentions in Trails to Azure having worked alongside him to shut down the D.G. Cult back in the day). Annnnd that's about it. I've got a few more ideas for a complete remake of Sky the 3rd floating around deep in the recesses of my mind, but these were the only ones I felt were relevant enough to share underneath this post, as they related directly to my first post 4 months ago. So, uh, to whoever stumbles upon this addendum, I hope you found these concepts interesting, or at the very least plausible. Have a nice day!
Basically all game series from this develeoper are underrated in West (Phantasy Star, Shinobi, Streets of Rage, The House of The Dead, Dragon Force, Sakura Wars, Skies of Arcadia, Valkyria Chronicles, Shining). It's Sega America sabotage their games, for focus only on advertaising Sonic ?
My only complaint with Replicant was the side quests were just tedious busy work (think I heard somewhere from developers it was intentional trolling) while Automata they added a lot to the lore and experience. From what I’ve heard a lot of people were turned off by Lydie and Suelle due to the dropped dub which is a shame because it’s one of the best games in the Atelier series.
The side quests being busywork in Replicant is mainly before the time skip when Nier is a boy. After, the side quests develop confusing and morally grey twists to them that almost feel like they're mocking versions of the first half of the game (which is very much a reoccurring motif of ignorance in the game) I will admit that it's very committed to that idea to a significant degree that it isn't always fun especially the first half, but I respect the hell out of them designing it that way
Nice one with Tokyo Xanadu, more Trails & Ys fans really should try Tokyo Xanadu, because it feels like a perfect combination of Ys and Trails, but with a brand new story and characters, it's also a falcom's game which is a game that i should play I really want Tokyo Xanadu to get sequels btw
Man I really love Sakuna of Rice and Ruin. I love it so much that I wish that I could go back in time to before the first time I played it just to relive it anew.
I definitely have had my eye on Tokyo Xanadu Ex+ for a while. You've talked it up enough that I put it on my list, ha ha. Basically just waiting for a sale. And I did pick up TMS way back when it released on the Wii U and I loved it. The only real complaint that I had was that Itsuki kinda has the personality of a plank of wood. It's another one that I've been waiting for a sale to pick up the rerelease on the Switch. And then the likes of Radiant Dawn, Ys Seven, and Sky 3rd are all in my backlog. I got distracted from Path of Radiance, a little burned out of Ys by the time I got to Seven, and am currently midway through SC. Kind of affirming to see half of the games on the list are ones already on my radar, ha ha. Anyway, thanks for the video. Just as true that half of that half wouldn't be in my mind without your channel.
A tip - If you are looking for a sale of Tokyo Xanadu eX+ - It's on summer sale (12-6 until 3-7) now on GOG. It's €11 at this moment. While that's not the bottom-line cheapest I have ever seen through the years, it's still way cheaper than normal and on Steam (€54,99). I don't know if these are regional prices though, so you have to take a look for yourself...
I had no idea Tokyo Xanadu was getting a Switch release! You, sir, have made my month! As far as the other games are concerned, you are absolutely spot on. Ys VII still looks good, especially on a handheld device as dated as the PSP. I have the Vita version, so my playthrough may look better because of that handheld upgrade. I'm not really sure, but it is an excellent addition to the series!
Ngl I miss the boss design and the way perfect guarding worked in Ys Seven. I'd say Ys seven is my favorite of the party system for ys games just for the combat alone. I liked having to time it or else you'd be stuck in place and take double damage or even having to use your entire party on the final fight and ending it with an Adol 1v1. The main thing that makes it tough for me to go back is having to manually charge your attack since its pretty slow in the begining lol
The way Crystal Chronicles does multiplayer was always frustrating cuz none of my friends ever had the cable or GBA to play it, and when I heard they were remastering it I was excited but then they screwed up the multiplayer even worse!!! I loved Crystal Chronicles, but I always felt like I was missing half the game because I was stuck playing solo.
I love Tokyo Xanadu. I don’t know what it is about it, I wouldn’t say it’s a masterpiece or anything, but there’s just something about it that really clicked with me. The music, gameplay, sound effects, it’s honestly one of my favorite Falcom games.
I agree Radiant Dawn is an amazing game, what it does better than most Fire Emblem games is since it switches characters you get to actually play and get to know more characters. Most Fire emblem games have like 40 characters and you either have to replay the game to see more or just witness like 12 out of the 40. Persona clone to me just means "oh this game took the worst part of the Persona which is making me have to play the game multiple times to get to know all the characters/endings". Who wants to play 60+ games more than once, this shit needs to stop! This is a hill I would die on, haha.
Tokyo Xanadu Ex+ is fantastic! I highly recommend it. People calling it a Persona clone don't know what they are talking about. Also the original game came out even before Persona 5! So the more real world setting (party members having smart phones) was rather unique then. Also it has action combat. This is like how I remember people used to call Yakuza or any open world game in a city a GTA clone. Some people are just so lazy and dismissive and take some stuff at such a basic surface level. Sorry for sounding grumpy here, but I put off trying Tokyo Xandadu Ex+ for awhile because all I heard is that it was a mediocre Persona clone (and I do like Persona 5 ha I am playing Royal right now as I never bothered with it much after beating the original).
It's an easy tell that somebody never even touched the game. It's more of a combination of Cold Steel and Ys than anything even remotely connected to Persona.
I first got into the Blue Reflection game series. And later I found out about the Atelier games cause of the Atelier related DLC Costumes and levels you can get in both Blue Reflection games. I first started the Atelier Escha & Logy Alchemist of the Dusk Sky Anime. Just like I love the Blue Reflection series, Atelier is another cute series fans of Blue Reflection and gaming would enjoy.
as for final fantasy crystal chronicles I love the gamecube version of the game with multiplayer it was very well done but expesnive since you needed game boy advance systems for more then one character to have their own separate menu for the inventory on the controller. I don't know they if they fixed the mountain of bugs with the remaster versions but i heard it was a trainwreck.
I am completely with you for these choices. I love Tokyo Xanadu eX+, and I would LOVE to see a sequel of that (Do you hear me Falcom? 😉). I like Tokyo Mirrage Sessions #FE. Sadly, as a PC gamer I can only run it under an emulator. And that locks me out of the Encore version, because that one won't run without problems (cut scenes won't play for instance). I really hope it will come one day to the PC, but I admit those wishes are not very likely honored (sigh). The same goes for Fire Emblem. I would really, really love to play that game, but I can't - End of story. I liked the first Blue Reflection game, although it's not without it's flaws (long pauses in voice acting and weird animations). The second one showed here was a massive improvement, and a great game. I completely agree with the other games you named. I love the Atelier series, so Lydie & Suelle was a no-brainer. I tried the Final Fantasy games, but could not really "click" with it. I am sure that's a "sort of" defect on my side, but yeah...
Wasn't Tokyo Mirage Sessions a spinoff of Persona? Or maybe SMT? Either way, close enough that it wouldn't really be a Persona "clone" - rather, just Persona. I do agree with much of the rest of the list. From Falcom: Tokyo Xanadu Ex+ was very good. Overstayed it's welcome, but good through the second of three endings. Ys Seven is also a great game. For me its #4 in the franchise though, after 8, 9, and Celceta. TiTS3 is one I do plan on playing this year. So far I've found the franchise to be very good - maybe not as legendary as it's reputation, but certainly worth playing. As long as this game keeps that up I'll be happy. From GUST: I've heard a lot of good things about Lydie and Suelle. It is one of the Atelier games I have not played yet. I usually try to play the trilogies in order, but Sophie wasn't great and I bounced of Firis pretty hard. I might just have to skip Firis and play Lydie and Suelle one of these days. Blue Reflection 2 was my favorite game of that year. I've really enjoyed many games from that studio, from Atelier to Ar tonelico to Nights of Azure. BR2 has been their best game to date in my opinion.
19:00 I agree, Trails the third can be skipped... but I am happy I did not skip it. I had to use a cheatengine for the (or one of the) last battle(s) but the story behind all the doors was so worth it. Missed one of them somewhere, watched it on YT to keep my sanity though. Not to mention, I think I remember it mentioned in later games once or twice? More like passing remarks than actually talking about it.
Viewing Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn together as a duology, these games really are special. Many plot threads that are left dangling in Path of Radiance are addressed in Radiant Dawn, and Radiant Dawn does a good job at providing a more detailed look at the world of Tellius that was established in Path of Radiance. These games both excel in different areas. Radiant Dawn having a stronger overall soundtrack, graphics, gameplay, and a deeper story. Path of Radiance is easier to get into for newcomers, has a simpler but still strong story, and much better characterization than Radiant Dawn. Ike's origin story and character growth was simple but enjoyable, and others like Soren, Titania, and Jill to name a few are some of the most popular characters in the series today. Overall, the Tellius Duology is quite beloved within the Fire Emblem community, and I wouldn't really call them underrated within the hardcore fanbase. It's just that these games haven't been exposed to a wider audience due to poor sales and being locked on older consoles. Come on IS, PoR and RD for Switch!
True+ The last chapters of Radiant Dawn are just epic with a massive number of characters and a chances to use lot of them (at the opposite of other games where an endgame team will rarely change)
One of the most consistent things I notice with a lot of these is being overshadowed by other games in their own series, or sharing surface-level attributes with something more popular. It's a good lesson to remember not to let expectations cloud judgement, but also highlights a mentality I just don't get: the "Well Game A does this better, why wouldn't I just play that?" not taking into account, ya know, I played Game A already, I want new twists and takes on something I liked! The old "two cakes" theory in action. Also, it doesn't help that a lot of these came out in the "dark ages" of RPGS from the late 00s to the mid 10s, when the genre's popularity was at its lowest
I think people put too much weight on games with 'similar concepts'. So what, all games are influenced by others in various ways. It's just a very narrow way of thinking and discredits what each game does differently in their own ways.
Because God forbid people be allowed to want something genuinely different as opposed to the same basic idea with a different coat of paint right after.
I agree with you on Tokyo Xanadu, while I don't have the ex version (as I played it on the vita), I had such a great time with it (I also played it right after beating Ys VIII). It was such a feel good story too. I'm currently going through a New game plus route in Ys VIII then I'm going to do the same for Tokyo Xanadu.
Speaking of Xanadu, Xanadu Next is a fine game as well, but it feels more western sprinkled with Falcom DNA. The Zwei games are also worth a look. I've only played the demo thus far, but Astlibra Revision seems to be a hidden gem and a recommendation for Ys fans. Recently I'm into Scarlet Nexus, that's a modern game which seems to be a bit overlooked as well. And yes, don't skip Sky 3rd, Kevins story is great and the game is very important to Trails lore.
I agree, I can only assume that people that say sky 3 is skippable are ones that haven't played it, Kevin is a great protagonist when you unravel his story although I never liked his character design at first, by the end of the game I thought he was really well written and the 3rd game was awesome. Perhaps the majority of people that say it's skippable say so because you spend the majority of the game going through previously played through dungeons, however that wouldn't make sense because sky 2 has you doing the same thing and that is revered by most as the best in the sky arc. Sky 3 imo is definitely not skippable though, it sets up so many future scenarios and is a great game.
I have bought about all Falcom games on GOG. I will go through Xanadu Next soon. The zwei games are just fun. I go through them at this moment for a second time. There is also Gurumin: A Monstrous Adventure. Although it's VERY basic, it's still a fun game. It's more aimed at kids, but who cares about that? 🙃
The characters in Nier Replicant are a lot better than in Automata. While the combat is not Platinum tier, it is good. Every time I try to decide which game I love more, I default to Replicant, then debate myself for an hour before deciding on "I don't know."
Both of them shine in different ways. But the amount of times I've seen Replicant dogpiled on because it doesn't play as well as Automata is crazy. You'd think it was one of the worst action based games ever made.
Automatas characters have a lot more nuance and subtlety to them than replicants, and their lore is fascinating. I'd wager anyone saying replicants characters are better hasn't read the lore of automata. The games use their lore to expand on different things. Replicant has an incomplete story so its side materials explain its story more. Meanwhile it has tons of text segments to expand on its characters. Automata has no text segments explaining its main characters. A2 only kind of gets one. All of automatas lore explains and expands on its characters. Automatas story is entirely contained within the game though. Automata can't really give the player text sections on 2B or 9S without giving massive spoilers that takes away from the reveal at the top of the tower. The secrecy and unexplained strange familiarity between 2B and 9S is a big part of automatas setup and overall story, and is a very captivating dynamic. Aside from having much more in depth lore on its characters and just outright darker and sadder side stories, automatas main cast is much more important than replicants. The story revolves around 2B and 9S, and without their characters being written the exact specific way they are and put in the exact kind of relationship they have, automatas story just wouldn't work. Its very centralized on 2B and 9S. Replicants story functions based on the effects its main cast has on the world/people around them. You could replace kaine with any number of different characters, and that character could fulfill kaines role just as easily. The main casts characters are not integral to the story since they are not narratively baked into the structure and purpose of the story as much as 2B and 9s are. Kaines romantic feelings aren't even focused on, and get suddenly dropped on the player at route C with nothing to build that up. Kaine and emil serve more functional roles in the story/plot rather than integral roles. Integral roles of replicant are the protagonist and weiss. Protagonist for his narrow minded view of his world and situation, and weiss for overall role in project gestalt and choice in rejecting that role. Kaine and emil just feel replaceable. They're great characters, they're just not narratively important. Replicant is more about the suffering the main cast inflicts onto others anyways. Whereas automata is more about the suffering that the main characters are put through.
Ah, Trails the 3rd! It's funny because I had played and beaten the first two Sky games (which are my favorite in the entire series) btw, and I can remember how excitedly I fired up Trails the 3rd when it came out, and how my heart sank when I realized it would be a dungeon crawler. I was disappointed and frustrated - but only for a little while. Because, yes, while I LOVE the trails world, and everything they had built to that point, Sky the 3rd won me back over in almost no time flat. The cast is as wonderful as they ever are in 3rd, the gameplay is FANTASTIC, with tons of teambuilding options, and the OST is a complete banger like it always is. And that's all before, as you say, the doors. Which just elevate the game to even further heights. I always say Sky FC is the series' foundation because, well, it's the first entry. But Sky the Third is the first game in the series where you REALLY get to glimpse outward to characters who would be HUGE players (Osborne, anyone)? So much good stuff in those doors.
I've had so much fun completing tokyo xanadu a couple of years ago, while it wasnt anything new or complex I loved the setting, characters and mostly the OST (to this day "my blaze, my truth" is one of my favourite tracks in terms of JRPG), mechanics were simple enough and the jp voice acting as always superb. Honestly it is a shame that this Falcom entry is mostly underrated and overshadowed by other big names (Im looking at you Trail series), I remember picking it up randomly on sale at a very dirt cheap price, it provided many many hours of entertainment and it delivered a lot, I'll probably replay it again soon
Tokyo Xanadu is indeed a masterpiece and i wish Falcom'd expand on it, though i'm pretty sure it doesn't have anything to do with the other Xanadu series. Ys seven is what's got me into Falcom games to begin with and it has some of my most favorite ost tracks in it too, it absolutely is worth playing and is a great starting point for getting into the series(Also, the only game with Dogi playable, sadly). As for Atelier, the trilogy(or saga now due to Sophie 2 release) i'd honestly recommend starting with Sophie since the games are connected and reference previous events a lot, all in all mysterious games are great, simple and without time limits...except first half of Firis...sigh, Koei truly did those games dirty with garbage pc ports with memory leaks, gamepad-related fps drop issues(yes, that's a thing) and the like.
I would definitely recommend playing the entire trilogy of Atelier, but its more the fact that Lydie and Suelle hardly gets mentioned even in Atelier circles, like it's been forgotten.
No such thing, it's either all or nothing. Every Arc has its fair share of large cast, along with what people want to call "bloated" which leads to CS being dogpiled on despite Sky having a cast that is of similar/equal size. It's ridiculous and shows the clear bias against CS.
@@toiletseat777 yes the issues i "overlook" such as outdated combat system that gets boring after 2 fights, long confusing dungeons with no maps, no fast travel, having to mod your own voices in, some doors in sky 3rd taking forever with little payoff, unused party members not leveling up after a chapter,... But yeah assume all of that about me after 1 comment that's half about cold steel...
I'm glad that great games like these are being talked about. Tokyo Xanadu, Tokyo Mirage sessions and even the Blue Reflection series is a must play for Anime and gaming fans. We also got Blue Reflection Sun game. So don't forget about that. NeiR is another great game series. NeiR is also another great series to play. Fire Emblem is a another series I need to try. Looks kool.
honestly am actually of those people who wishes for a sequel to Tokyo Xanadu, the opening is still a banger too. I gave Blue Reflection a go but i couldnt get into it. For Sky the 3rd, why would one wanna skip this? Also the reason why Kevin hasnt been utilized much after Sky 3rd was that he was literally forgotten even by the creator himself i believe. I heard in Reverie that when all the church members were revealed in a portrait Kevin wasnt there until a later patch added him in, poor Kevin 😂. The door that hit the hardest is still Renne's.
Yes when I was first looking into Trails everyone said skip Sky 3rd. I didn’t skip it thank god. It was my favorite of the arc. There is so much great story that fleshes out the world. I do not understand why people say skip it. That is the worst trails advice I see everywhere. Worst of all, people listen to it because its repeated so much. PLAY SKY 3RD
@@drowningin I am glad I didn't listen to people saying skip the 3rd, however it is definetively not my favourite of the 3 games. I didn't really like the doors and I never found Kevin to be that interesting, not sure why to be honest. That said, replaying FC an SC I do miss the combat from 3rd. And I loved meeting the whole cast again and getting more backstory/seeing what they've been up to, I just didn't enjoy HOW we got those stories...
Oh yes! Sequel to Tokyo Xanadu is what I'd gladly go for. I genuinely enjoyed the original story with Ex+ addition. Would love to see these characters again. As of Sky 3rd Kevin and Ries are my two favorite characters from the trilogy. In my opinion Kevin is one of the most complex characters in the series. I really felt in tune with him all the way. And was really happy to see him and Ries again in Crossbell duology 😊
You'd be surprised, so many people have either asked or actually followed through and dodged it completely. Guess what, they don't understand why characters like Renne are so well liked because of it.
I did not skipped Sky the 3th, but at the other hand I did not really loved it. I loved Kevin and Rie as characters, and found their story very good. And without living through Stardoor 15 I guess people feel far less connected to Renne (one of my favorite female characters, together with Estelle, Rixia and Juna). However I really hated those dungeons. Especially that dungeon you had to work through to activate Stardoor 15. It was floor after floor after floor after floor after floor after floor (you get the picture). That very game mechanics made me enjoy the game a lot less (I also did not like that very last part of Cold Steel II for that reason, although it was luckily a very small part of the game)... And I think almost anyone that has played Tokyo Xanadu eX+ would really, really LOVE to see a sequel. So far Falcom has given some slight hints, but nothing specific. Well - We can dream about it at least...
From this list, other than OBVIOUSLY playing "Trails in the Sky: The 3rd", I would be interested in playing "FE: Radiant Dawn" ONLY if it gets a remaster/remake with "modern features" because *I don't want to deal with "permanent death"* (HATE reseting over and over again just to not lose a single character to see all possible dialogue). As for the "Atelier" series, I want a *remaster/remake of "Atelier Iris 1: Eternal Mana" and especially "Atelier Iris 2: The Azoth of Destiny"* (PS2) because both are AWESOME and deserve to be played on modern hardware.
Valkyria Chronicles is the highest ranked franchise from Sega (higher than Fire Emblem), but sells like utter shit, which means this franchise is UNDERRATED and UNDERADVERTISED from publisher as hell.
@@TheKisekiNut Maybe because people still talking about this franchise, but not buying games (at least not for full price, or just publisher marketing sucks), which is so rare in game industry. This franchise is in weird spot everyone prise about this series how good and underatted is, but on other hand publisher sabotage this series. This franchise should be on the same level of popularity like Fire Emblem games (based on score on Metacritic), but publisher clearly don't want advertise this series in West from some reasons (Sega America hate japanese games ?). Maybe Mediavision should search for new publisher, like Platinum Games did with Bayonetta ?
I loved radiant dawn so much. But you must play path of radiance. Both are amazing and path of radiance really gives the beginning of radiant dawn such an interesting perspective.
The 3 Super Famicom Fire Emblem games have the most rich and dark story, but they are challenging and long (60-80 hours each for Geneology of the Holy War and Thracia 776).
@@Haarwyvern Counting every time you died and had to restart? I think it took me 60 hours, but I spent some time in the colloseum levelling up my characters. Geneology of the Holy War is the longest Fire Emblem game, and you should play that before playing Thracia.
@@therealjaystone2344 FE4 remake won't happen, it's too dark. Murder and rape are central themes to the plot, and without it the story wouldn't make sense (Some characters are offspring from raped characters). The team who made FE 1-5 are a different group that the ones who made FE6+. I think FE6 is the most likely to get a remake since it's the game with Roy and it's never been localized.
Games being compared to Persona constantly is one of the worst things to happen to games lately. Trails is like Persona. Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth is like Persona. Tokyo Xanadu is like Persona. Tokyo Mirage Sessions is like Persona. Caligula Effect is like Persona. Devil Survivor is like Persona. SHIN MEGAMI TENSEI IS LIKE PERSONA!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! Now personally I hate the aspects of Personas 3 and 4 that people keep comparing games to. P3P was an absolute slog to go through but I did beat it. I couldn't finish Persona 4 Golden though. I hate being so limited in how I play my game like it's done in these games. I kind of understand why people might like this style but for me it all just falls flat. However I love Trails. I loved Cyber Sleuth. I Loved TMS. I loved Devil Survivor. I hate Caligula Effect. I liked what I played of Tokyo Xanadu and plan to get back to it soon. And what the hell with people comparing SMT proper to Persona? That bothers me to no end. Having known a bunch of people from different schools and cliques in different states that loved RPGs back in the day and having had many video game magazines back then as well I can say one thing. Nobody gave a fuck about Persona or even heard of it until the PSP. People did not play them. They did not talk about them. They never seemed to be featured in the magazines. Nothing. You know what was though? Nocturne. Digital Devil Saga as well. They were pushed quite well especially when they started winning awards like "game of the year" and the like. So how did history flip things to try and say that nobody ever heard of the those other SMT games and that Persona was the only thing anyone ever knew of the series as a whole? As someone who was older and always on the lookout for RPGs, Persona just wasn't on anyone's radar back then. Neither was Earthbound so don't let anyone tell you otherwise but that's beside the point. Chrono Trigger wasn't a huge deal until after Chrono Cross too but again, beside the point. Personal hatred of the series aside, I guess what I'm trying to say is that the way that people constantly compare games to Persona is puzzling. It wasn't a big series until pretty much the RUclips era of things. So how did this one niche series become the one that people compare so many games that are nothing alike to? It's not even the whole series either, it's really just 3 and 4. Nobody seems to have played 1, 2 or the other 2. I tried 1 and was on board until I got hit with the first person movement. No thanks. I never got 2 for PSP but I hear I'd actually like that one. When I just started collecting for PSP, the special edition of 2 for PSP was super cheap but I had just got a bunch of game and limited myself. When I went back a month or two later to get it, the ten of them they had were gone. Meanwhile nobody wanted them until that time which was funny since the workers had tried to sell them to me multiple times as they weren't moving. Oh well, I have too many games to play before worrying about not having picked up a game that's only really half a game or whatever is going on with there being two Persona 2s. Again, it's just odd and annoying that everything gets compared to Persona.
Even funnier, most of those franchises you mentioned are much older than Persona 3, and Persona 3 was not even first franchise mixed Dating Sim / Time Managment with RPG elements. Earlier we have: Sakura Taisen, Langrisser 3-5, Growlancer or Thousand Arms, but most of them never left outside of Japan, or were released in West to early for those kind of games (Thousand Arms). Persona series started be popular, because: - they were released in best time, when anime (especially highschool anime) started gain in popularity in West + RUclips was founded just when P3/P4 was released - no competition in West, there was competition in Japan but publishers did not take the chance to localize this type of games in the west, or were localized too late on dead platform (Sakura Taisen is best example) - MASSIVE good word of mounth from weebs (anime fans are the biggest part of jrpg players) - milking from ATLUS, if you advertise only one franchise for many years it overshadow others - portable consoles are best consoles for Visual Novel / heavy text games, i think this is reason why Persona 3 Portable started gain popularity (especially in Japan) compared to P3 / P3 FES on PS2 - game were very casual friendly compared to mainline SMT games, and other SMT spin-offs - the games were aimed at a younger audience (teens), and most of jrpg fans are teens
Got Tokyo Xanadu on my backlog, can't wait to play it, for now though I have to get through sakura wars. I've been playing this because you recommended it, too. So, thanks dude 😅
One of my favorite underrated games is World of FF. difficulty was a tad easier than I prefer but it is literally one of my favorite FF games, and JRPGs in general
i've never seen a better story in any kind of media, like in star door 15 in Sky 3rd, it was heavy and boosted the related character to it on one of the top spots on fandom
So happy to see Radiant Dawn on this list!!!! It’s my all time favorite game so it’s cool to see it get the love it deserves❤ The Tellius games are definitely peak FE imo.
Radiant dawn is great I'm playing on emulator on my phone but u should definitely make some time for path of radiance it'll make u appreciate Radiant dawn more
I have lydie and suelle on my ps4 disc backlogs. Eill start after im done with sophie2 switch ver. I agree with BR second light. I got the platinum for both Blue Reflection games. Br isnt perfect, but it is definitely a good franchise with much potential. And i still underrated. I luv gust games ngl, these games like project diva and animal crossing balances out the more intense game i play like sekiro, doom eternal/2016, soulsborne, sw fallen order, spiderman 2018, gow, and ace combat 7.
I'm one of the few fans of both smt and fe that didn't throw a fit and gave tms a chance and ended up liking it quite a lot. This is a great list with several of my favorite jrpgs. The reason why radiant dawn doesn't get talked about is that it really did not sell well(think it is one of the, if not the, lowest selling entries). Occupying that weird lull that happened in-between the first wave of hype that followed it western introduction during the gba era and the rebith of the franchise on the 3ds onwards that brought in most of the current fanbase. So, yeah. There were just so few fe fans that existed when it released(and further hurt by the translation error that caused the game to be way harder for people than it was meant to be).
That translation error was a real killer. I'm even more impressed I managed to beat it as a 15 year old back then with no prior SRPG experience, though I definitely lost a few characters on the way.
You never fail to deliver a good argument and content. Also Sky 3rd was my first trails then back to Cold Steel until I went to the Sky trilogy that I didn't know existed
And I need to say that I started playing Blue Reflection Second Light and I love it more than Atelier Sophie ☺️❤️ (wich was first honest try to get into the Atelier series I also enjoy playing it but Blue Reflection got my attention because it’s also a game from KT) and I love anything so far in this game from the combat to the character and the writing of the story and how the game even started ❤️ it’s a great game and I hope KT maybe will try to make a similar game in the near future because like I said I love ANY ASPECT of Blue Reflection and it’s still in some ways very different from the Atelier games wich I appreciate ❤️❤️❤️
You're wrong about Radiant Dawn. It's an overall underrated game yeah. But not by fans, more by occasional FE players . It's probably one of the most favorite (In a reddit poll RD has the best ratio : how many fe games have you completed results write on google) It's really a beloved game outside japan. In my country (France) it's by far the most popular amoung community of fans. It less polish than Path of Radiance but go further. And it has the best Level Design of the franchise since a long time. Engage and Conquest does have interesting LD, but RD has narration by the map, they means much more. And Awakening is awful on this aspect and 3H pretty average. So this is a game love by people who want a great tactical, and by people who loved old-school fantasy. There is some people who don't like it, it's easier to dislike than PoR, but it's also easier for it to being people number 1. I think FE4 is still considered has the best Fire Emblem of all time, but Radiant Dawn (FE10) is maybe the most beloved. As I said you still have to remember that it's work with FE Fans who loved the franchise and play most of them, obviously by pure number more recent game like 3H are more popular. I agree about 3rd, it's in my top 3 trails ! And I bought BR2, didn't start it tho.
@@TheKisekiNut Yeah I said it, I say you we're wrong about what you explain, not what is on the list itself. The presence of RD here is legit, and it's could be the same for most FE from 3 to 12 ! On the other hand, it's not a game fans don't talk about. The only one I'm maybe not agree would be NieR, I find it pretty famous nowadays and well receive.
Gotta agree with Sakuna of Rice and Ruin. That game really help me appreciate your personal growth. Going from the long way you grow the rice through after going further in the game the tilling and making the rice.
I know I'm kind of cheating here as it's not a Japanese RPG but hell I'm gonna say it. Child of Light is a beautiful styled RPG with a charming story, lovely characters, great gameplay and a fantastic soundtrack. How a game like this came fron Ubisoft of all companies is beyond me but if you're looking for a fairy tail like RPG check it out.
I'm with you, I always tell people to play trails in the sky the third, mainly because Kevin is one of the best characters and also because seeing how some characters stories thus far end is amazing
The sky trilogy needs a remaster just so as many people as possible can play the whole series. I think replicant is better than automata but in my defense Kaine and Weiss are delightful, I'm nearing the end of ending A and am glad I went back to it.
I wish the enhanced/definitive versions of the Sky games on the PS Vita came out in the west. Those are the versions I might've actually enjoyed playing.
I remember that Tokyo Mirage Sessions was first announced as SMT x Fire Emblem, I was so excited for it and while I was a bit disappointed that it wasn't what I'd thought it would be I still really liked it.
TMS is a fascinating contradiction of a game. It's a bad crossover that fails to deliver or showcase most of the appeal of its source material (especially Fire Emblem), but its a good game in its own right, from the distinct presentation to the entertaining cast of characters and solid gameplay loop. Yet while almost everyone is quick to call out its faliures, TMS really doesn't get enough credit for everything it does right...
I'd agree that Replicant has a better and relatable story than Automata despite the gameplay. As for Ys Seven, I quite liked it, especially the Ost. Idk why but i remember 7s battle themes much more clearly than 8 or 9s. Hmm, I know you didn't like Vesperia but I'd suggest giving Tales of the Abyss a go. It legit can go toe to toe with Trails in the story and char department.
I find automatas story to be better and more relatable than replicants. How am I supposed to relate to kaine? I don't have body dsymorphia and I don't get bullied for my appearance, I'm not an outcast for the way I was born. How am I supposed to relate to emil? I don't look like a freak, I'm not a gentle person that gets forced to kill. I'm not an experiment. I don't hate the way I am and then accept myself. How am I to relate to weiss? That one's just self explanatory. Nobody should be able to relate to weiss. The protagonist? I don't obsessively protect a sibling like my will to live depends on it and I would never go that far to begin with. Also not xenophobic and a narrow minded killer. The way the characters speak to each other is more relatable and fun to listen to, but automatas characters for what they go through emotionally and mentally are much more relatable. And since automata manages to pull off its philosophical themes so well, I'd say automatas story is a lot better than replicants. Philosophical stories > moral stories any day.
Found the first half of Tokyo Xanadu boring personally and had to force myself to play the rest. Lo and behold though I actually came to enjoy it the second half as it got better (though still not really a masterpiece of any sort), so also recommend here. I disagree about Ys Seven's graphics personally, I think they're charming af. Do agree with it having a better feel than Celceta though, definitely. Also yeah, 100% the best antagonist in the series. A couple I'd like to recommend myself to you and to others, especially if you're Ys fans: - Gurumin: A Monstrous Adventure - Eternal Senia (free on Steam, has bump combat, is actually really good for what it is)
Thank you, someone finally said it. Tokyo Xanadu is not similar to Persona! There’s no monster capture/fusion, no silent protagonist and it’s not turned based. And those elements aren’t exclusive to Persona. I mean, you might as all call Persona “Pokemon rated mature.” Also, the high school bonding and calendar system isn’t exclusive to Persona. The most logical explanation is Ys + Trails = TX. Ys 7 was the game that got me into Nihom Falcom. I pretty much abandoned Square Enix overnight for at least a decade.
Um, yeah. TMS is more like SMT (Press Turn Battle System) + Fire Emblem mechanics (waepon triangle system) + dungeon crawler + idol / highschool setting. The only one thing TMS is similar to Persona is UI similar to P4 and highschool setting, that's all. Rest of game is diffirent.
@@nr2676 To clarify, my comment was about the initial use of the phrase when he pointed out that people say that about Tokyo Xanadu EX, not about him saying TMS was more of a Persona clone than it. I don't have any input on the latter since it's the one game on this list I never got the chance to play.
@@saintfayde4438 I know what you mean. Tokio Xanadu and Valkyria Chronicles 2 situation is very similar with TMS. Casuals mostly call them ,,Persona rip-off'' only because those games are in highschool setting, which is ridicilous. Tokio Xanadu is not even turn based JRPG like Persona.
Basically it's any jrpg that's set in modern day Japan and has a teenage cast. People just look at surface level stuff and make hot takes based on that. Just like souls like is just any game with above average difficulty.
Yes, it is very difficult. I have an unfinisjed run on hardmode still open, but my first attempt softlocked me at chapter 1. I couldn't beat the first chapter. I suck at videogames but that was just bad. I then played again on normal and that playthrough I could beat. I then found out almost every secret and even got the secret ending with every character. But only on normal! I could never do that on hard or maniac. And you can get stuck at certain maps if you want every character to live. Which I did and that only made it harder. But yeah, the mistranslation basically made everyone play the game on hard instead of normal first. But hey, everyone who beat the game on hard can be proud of themselves.
Hey there, thanks for the recommendations ✨ I did skip Sky the 3rd in the videos because it's litteraly the next game I'm going to play, but I've taken note of everything else otherwise 👌🏿I was also wondering if you have played the Zweii The Ilvard Insurrection ? Because I would have definitely pictured it being part of the list as well. Thanks for the video, looking forward to more of your content, I really enjoy it !
2:37 "Speaking of Persona clones, why isn't this labeled as one?" It is. Tokyo Mirage Sessions was a joint production between Atlus and Intelligent Systems to be a crossover of Shin Megami Tensei and Fire Emblem.
I missed the notification about this video. Anyway, I will likely give Ys VII a try on the PC. I am mainly a console gamer which is why I may have missed it, but I had to get into PC gaming to play the Sky Trilogy. Speaking of which, I am glad Trails in the Sky the 3rd made it on your list. I don't know why people say to skip it, but there are a few impactful character arcs that carry through the Crossbell games that are not as impactful of one skips this one. Also, as you said, some of the stories behind the doors literally set up the later games in the series.
Lydie & Suelle best Atelier girls!!!! ❤❤❤❤❤❤💛💛💛💛💛💛 It is a title absolutely WORTHY of the name [Mysterious]. 9001% more than the first two. //-- Blue Reflection first game have some design issue that makes me ehhhh.... I might try the second, I hear they fixed the design problems.
I'll admit, my favorite here was Tokyo Xanadu EX+. Specifically THAT version too, as the original kind of...well it left you on a sour note, given you suddenly encounter a god, and they grant you a miracle. Not to say you don't have to earn it, they are a HARD bonus boss, but still, it kind of grates. EX+ not only gives two different Side Stories hinting at it, AND a cool powerup to the lead (playable) heroine that is VERY nice, but also gives more context for the ending itself, and allows you to finally meet the evil god that started all this...while asking more questions afterwards. Meanwhile, Nier Remake? No thank you. You will NEVER get me to play that again...that flower quest man. It can get bent. Yes, they removed two steps from it, I know, but it's a PTSD trigger now, and they left in the outlaw family thing. I like Yoko Taro's works, and would LOVE a Drakengard Trilogy edition, even if it means having to face the final boss of Drakengard 3 again to 100% it, but I will never play Nier again, and you can't make me.
I have no idea what happened to my OG comment, but here I go again. TMS was great. Yes, it is silly and Anime and has idols with a complete FE plot at the end. But I love it! The music was amazing and I had so much fun with the gameplay and using the DLC area to break the game, becuase I was too underleveled for Tsubasas sidestory. And then I won! And nobody can tell me that the FE Opera cutscene isn't the greatest thing ever made! Too many people complain about the cringe. We must embrace the cringe and let our weeb hearts sing with joy at it! But yeah, TMS was great fun. I played RD before PoR actually. Weird order, I know. But you also played the second hardest game before anything else, so there is that. My dad got me both Tellius games back then. Thankfully, PoR wasn't overpriced yet! But RD is great. And it made me a bit psychotic. Nothing major, I just had moments were I roleplayed as an evil overlord with a crazy evil laugh until I managed to snap out of it. I also really love the animations of RD and the charactera and story. Tellius has by far the best women. I love Elincia and Micaiah and Marcia is just a gem with most of her dialogue. Jill is cool too. My favorite is Nephenee. I love Sky the 3rd and it is actually my favorite in the trilogy. Kevin is amazing and so is Ries. His personal story is just great. We also get so much crazy lore in this game and I haven't seen all the doors yet. I did not want to do the fishing minigame. Josettes minigame sucked. But the arena was cool. The Jojo art is super funny. I really like the doors. Except the sun doors. But I just really hate minigames. Tokyo Xanadu and Ys 7 are games I haven't played yet and still plan on playing. I have them ready to go on steam anytime. Unless Falcom decides to bring TXs Switch version to the west. In which case: Damn, I wasted money on nothing. I also have Origin on the switch and steam. I played it on switch and the steam version will forever rot in my library now. At least it was cheap. But damn, Hugo destroyed my hands. I hope I get to Ys 7 soon. Sometimes. Maybe. In a while. Ys is still fun though. I really liked it. And I even played the first 2 games! The final Boss of Ys 1 is bullcrap! I still beat him! Never again. I hope Ys X comes west too.
Marvelous picks. However I'd like to add World of Final Fantasy Maxima and FF Type-0. Especially WoFF as it is rather a full-fledged FF than just another monster taming Pokemon clone. Ohh and Trails in the Sky The 3rd is a must!!! :)
You should actually watch the Blue Reflection Ray Anime before playing through Second Light. Cause once you meet Hiori Hirahara, Mio Hirahara and Uta Komagawa and you go through some of their backstories, you begin to wonder what happened between them three back than. So i highly recommend fans of JRPGS and Anime to check out the Blue Reflection Ray Anime. It's a must watch for all fans.
It looks like the Atelier Lydie & Suelle game can't be purchased separately on PS4, even though in the description of the Trilogy bundle it says the games CAN be purchased separately... which is weird. There's a season pass for it, but there's no base game called that. Unless it's just the PS App on my iPod acting weird. I'm not sure if people would want to buy the whole "Mystery trilogy" or whatever, even though they're apparently the definitive versions of the games and include some of the DLC? I certainly wouldn't for the $90 it appears to be going for, when you only showed footage of 1 game that interested me at all lol.
If you are reading this, play sakuna PLAY SAKUNA!! Do yourself this favour, this is SUUCH a good, beautiful and relaxing game, its really the best thing ever after a work day, and also in the weekend when you have some extra time, i didnt even listen to any background noise, just immersed myself in its beauty and its relaxing gameplay loop.
While I love both PoR and RD, my issue with RD is more I really REALLY don't like the dawn brigade.... the story is interesting sure but as characters and the maps themselves? As soon as I saw my girl Elincia again I was like "FINALLY"... oh man and then that scene leading into act 3? Oh boy.... thats when the game really started for me... only for the game to drag you back to dawn brigade time only in FoW swamps and NPC bloated boulder pushing maps. At least the game lets you take your frustration out on them in another swamp later. I will say the gameplay does feel more finetuned, and is especially good when you compare it to a lot of other more popular entries. But the lack of meaningful supports also feel super missed. Radiant Dawn is still a great game don't get me wrong, I still consider it the last time we had a fire emblem game that didn't have to sacrifice gameplay for story, or story for gameplay, and we got both. Just that for me its held back a bit and PoR pulls ahead, again for me.
I feel like Stella Glow should be on a list like this as well, focused a lot on the characters and i kinda liked that you had to spend time with them outside of combat to get deeper bonds and more skills unlocked. With the main girls/witches having special levels in which you fight their insecurities to strengthen their quite powerful magic skills which could ultimately change the outcome of a battle
I haven't played Second Light, but I'm surprised to hear that you have so much praise for the original. I can only say that it was...okay... Though, it did have an AMAZING soundtrack.
I tried the Blue Reflection demo and...while the combat is cool, folk just couldn't get into it at all. Games like it and Atelier seem very niche & a good amount of people recommend them apparently...but nah; not until they get some English VAs or more Action focused. When I know is a tall ask & likely to never happen.....so yeah 🤷🏾♂
Honestly I have to disagree with you about Sky the 3rd. I played 1 and 2 and went on to play 3 and I felt I had basically be duped. Though it might not be pointless, it shouldn't have been called the 3rd game and should have been it's own thing. The ONLY reason it is 3rd is to attach it to games that are 100000% better than it is. For me, there was very little to like or enjoy about 3rd, it felt like a slog, mostly because I didn't give a crap about the character. If it was a standalone game, maybe I wouldn't be so bitter about it. It is completely skippable and I say skip it unless you really want to waste your time.
Sakuna of rice and ruin was charming and excellently executed. I wish I could relive the experience. Hell I have 39/40 achievements, only left to clear the aphids, and then this would be my first perfected game. That's how much I loved it
Tokyo Mirage Sessions was a really good game, despite the silliness of the whole Pop Idol theme. I'll play Tokyo Xanadu...someday...but I strongly prefer Turn-Based, so that always takes priority.
@thekisekinut sir... THANK YOU!! Your videos got me into the ys franchise when I first started playing video games.... Well today i got to meet brianna herself at a convention by my home.. I got to meet Dana herself and I could not be more grateful for it. I never would have meet her if you hadnt gotten me into ys 8!!
If anyone with Playstation Plus does want to give Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin a shot it's just been added to the game collection. Downloaded it the other day because you've recommended it before. There's also so many games on this list on my backlog. I've got the first Blue Reflection, but barely played it, and while I have all of the Trails in the Sky trilogy on Steam I've only played the first game but fully intend to play them all.
Lydie & Suelle, it would have been great if they had not side-tracked the conclusion of the Plachta Story as a small, short, side Event. Older Firis OP (in many elements) and her Sister turning Yandere were quite a sight to behold though. Still have the Console Fire Emblems on my Backlog, same as Xanadu Next.
Mysterious trilogy feels so... Low stakes and too slice of lifey to me. Granted i absolutely love sophie 2. Also loved dusk trilogy where there is a huge problem to be solved.
I implore you, if you have not played Trails in the Sky the Third, you are vehemently doing yourself a disservice for not going through those doors of lore... Especially Star Door 15...
Tokyo Xanadu was a great game! I watched your review before I bought this game and this is how I know your channel. I have to admit I had an impression it is similar to Persona series and this is now I decided to buy this game
At least I bought when it was on sales like less than $10, but I really had a good time with and it deserves way more than that. And if it has sequence I am willing to buy with full price
How Nier Replicant Ver some number and Ys 7 is underrated? People do need play those two games, they are so good in their own way. I have complete Neir Rep not so long ago, and I love it, with completing all the ending (last one is best one for me). The combat very good, I love all the characters and the story is very good. Some of the side quest can be very annoy but the reward can be good. It is same with Ys7, it is 4th of best ys game i have play (i have complete every ys game, but not spin-off one). Some of the game from this underrated list I will be look at in the future, one of the game stand out to me is blue reflection, i might play the first game as well, as i would like to get know the story and char.
Replicant is, hardly ever mentioned when people ask for ARPG recommendations. And one reason is many immediately point Automata out, it gets overshadowed.
Where would/should i start the trails series? Im very curious since watching your videos and more, i havent played a single one yet but i have cold steel 1,2. Though it seems a bit tricky since some arent on consoles from what i understand. And i dont have a pc😅, so where is the best/most optimal startpoint for me? I would love to give this series a shot/ get into this series as it looks really cool and intresting with the overarching stories and characters and such😊👍(I apologise in advanve since i had this comment on another/older video of yours aswell recently😅)
It's called Tokyo Xanadu, and it's very well regarded by people who have played it. Unfortunately, some people refuse to give it a chance because it 'looks stiff and clunky'.
Hi there. Leaving sub for 2 reasons :D first is most of the games in the list has pc versions which is great since im using pc mostly. Second is, how should i put it... english isnt my native lang but i can understand what ur saying and i like formats like that in general. Additionally i saw or rather heard u in at least two videos from David. Enough reason for me to join in, looking forward to see anything new.
Finally a mans speaks up for Sky the 3rd. Never understood the lukewarm feelings on the game that seem to be common in the fandom.
If nothing else, Sky the 3rd is not only our first (and still biggest) window into the Septian Church, but is a critical game for the series’ most tragic and sympathetic character: Renne. Sky the 3rd is directly responsible for taking me straight from 0 to “I will protect it” on Renne. Without this game’s no-holds-barred on the gruesome details of Renne’s past and her genuine interactions with the party this time around, I wouldn’t have broken down in tears at her protecting Colin in Zero.
Sorry in advance for the long essay response, but I'd like to try and explain the "lukewarm feelings on the game", at least in my eyes.
The issue is that the game focuses far too much on being an epilogue to the Liberl arc, rather than being a more self-contained, deep-dive into Kevin's character and the Septian Church. The majority of the game is more focused on tying up loose ends in character backstories/motivations and giving us little data entries about miscellaneous events that rarely have anything to do with the main story; it's interesting to read about them, but the execution was off the mark. So many of the doors only exist as fluff and could be cut from the game without affecting our knowledge of the story in the slightest, like Moon Doors 1, 2 & 5; Star Doors 1, 3, 6, & 9, and all of the Sun Doors naturally. And even without those miscellaneous doors, some of the better doors, like Moon Doors 3 & 4, and Star Doors 2, 4, 8, 10, 13 & 14, should have been included in the last two games, Sky FC & Sky SC! Most notably, Star Door 2, which would've been PERFECT for explaining Kevin's salt-tipped arrow before we see him fire it off in Sky SC. And Moon Door 3 being included in Sky SC as a mandatory story segment where Kloe recounts her early years at Jenis Royal Academy to Estelle during some downtime (as well as her meeting with Lechter) would've added much-needed depth to her character back when Kloe was still uncertain on whether or not to inherit the throne from her grandmother. Anyway, the point is, there's a lot of content in Sky the 3rd, but very little of it actually adds to the narrative in any meaningful way. Plus, a lot of it feels out of place in a story that SHOULD be Kevin's, and Kevin's alone, but, like I said before, is instead focused on being an epilogue to the Liberl arc through tying up loose ends and whatnot.
This is important, because all of the content I mentioned above actively distracts you from Kevin's character story, instead of keeping you engaged and adding more layers to him (on top of eating up his precious screen-time!). You can't simply ignore this fact either, as skipping the Doors entirely would be... foolish, to say the least, especially knowing that great doors such as Star Door 15 exist (plus all of the crucial rewards you receive for completing them). So, your experience ends up being a very fragmented one because of this; one where you have to constantly go back and forth between slowly progressing the story, and backtracking to read through several doors that have little meaning in the grand scheme of things. And this fundamental issue with the pacing is probably why I, and many others, found ourselves burning out more than a few times while playing the game, which isn't helped by how pointlessly drawn out the mystery behind Phantasma is.
Now, as for Kevin's story itself, ON PAPER, a story about self-hatred, deception, and the inevitable redemption should've been one with the potential to resonate with audiences all over, as issues like these are getting more and more common by the day, but, IN EXECUTION, it was far less stellar. Possibly the most egregious example of this is the entirety of Chapter 7, which was supposed to be one of the heaviest segments in the game, and a pivotal turning point in Kevin's character arc, yet ended up hitting like a wet noodle due in large part to what I mentioned above about the Doors/focus of Sky the 3rd overshadowing his character as a whole. The game insists on making you feel for these... blobs of slime(?) that apparently share history with Kevin, yet NEVER EVER show/tell you ANYTHING beyond the BARE MINIMUM along with a single line about how sad Kevin feels about having to kill them again... And then they try to sell his redemption by having you traverse through a recreation of Gehenna, a segment of which lasts a mere 15-20 minutes depending on how fast you are; undeniably rushed for what should've been handled much more delicately. Self-hatred isn't an issue that's resolved so easily, and the fact that it happened like it did in Chapter 7 was insulting. Joshua took 2 games to come to terms with himself and face reality once more. Renne took 3(!) whole games to finally accept Estelle and Joshua's love for her. And you're telling me that all Kevin needed was a short backstory cutscene at the beginning of each chapter, a few pointed conversations sprinkled throughout the game, and a leisurely stroll through Gehenna?? Kevin honestly deserved so much more than what he was given.
Which brings me back to my main point: Rather than being so utterly focused on being an epilogue to the Liberl arc, it should've cut all of the excess and used the free space to give us a story focused SOLELY on Kevin and the Septian Church. Think about it: How interesting would it have been if, instead of Phantasma, they completely scrapped the concept and let us go through every stage of Kevin's life ourselves, giving us a first-hand experience of his childhood up until the present. Each phase of his life could be 1-2 Chapters long, with the Prologue being his early childhood living with his mother, Chapter 1 being his daily life after his chance encounter with Ries and Rufina, Chapters 2 & 3 being his initiation into the Gralsritter and his days as a fledgling Squire, Chapter 4 could be THE moment that broke him at Aster House, Chapters 5 & 6 could place us in his depressed mindset during the lowest point of his life after he becomes the Fifth Dominion, and take us on a globe-trot introducing us to all of the heretics that he'd slain while traveling all over the continent of Zemuria like that Owen guy from the Church that we still know very little about, even though his character is INTEGRAL to the ongoing drama over at Crossbell's Cathedral, and so on, which would make his story feel that much more personal. And while doing so, they could also give us an EXCLUSIVE look into the inner-workings of the Septian Church; probably not show us all of the other Dominions just to keep them a secret, but at least allow us to explore The Holy City of Arteria and demonstrate the leverage it has in politics and whatnot. Like, there was just SO MUCH potential when it came to having Kevin as the protagonist and seeing the world through his eyes that was wasted when they made whatever Sky the 3rd was...
Anyway, TL;DR - Trails in the Sky the 3rd has a plethora of issues and fundamental flaws that I tried my best to convey, like it getting its priorities mixed up (Paragraph 1), the off-kilter pacing that makes it a slog to play through (Paragraph 2), Kevin's rushed character arc crippled by the story's 'Tell, Don't Show' approach (Paragraph 3), and the wasted potential that Sky the 3rd had to become a truly personal story that cuts deep (Paragraph 4).
P.S. - Whew, that ended up being a lot longer of a response than I was expecting, but I didn't know how else to explain the "lukewarm feelings on the game" that you insisted were so common (although I personally don't think this is true at all, since everywhere I go nowadays I see people praising this game) without going into detail. I'd be glad if you, or anyone else, were to give me your thoughts on this, and maybe prove me wrong! Oh and, hopefully I didn't come off as being a belligerent hater or anything, because I think this game on its own is genuinely solid (all things considered), and, like you said, contains a CRUCIAL part of Renne's-a FAVORITE of mine's-story. And I think that in and of itself makes it more than worth the price of admission!
@@semblance6433 Thanks for the detailed response. Most people wouldn't have bothered to explain and simply insist that "game bad" lol. It's nice to see someone actually back themselves up for once. I only wish I had time atm to give you an equally long response.
As an aside, damn, I don't think I've ever heard anyone praise this game, you and I have had very different experiences XD
I never understood it either. Sky the 3rd is actually my favorite entry in the Sky Trilogy because of the huge focus on the church, fleshing out the characters that needed it the most, all the interesting lore and set up for future games, and making one of my favorite characters from SC the main character. I loved (almost) every moment (screw that sky bandit mini game with Gilbert lol) and was genuinely shocked when I came across people who were overly negative or felt it was all filler and did nothing for the overall story.
To me, it always felt more like an add-on to Sky SC instead of a whole new game. Like they simply put all of the stuff in it that didn't fit into the main game and added a crawl through a mysterious dungeon into the mix to tie all of the lose info dumps together. I liked getting more intel on the church and their handling of artifacts as well as the additional stories of all the characters, but as a standalone game it's simply not as good as the previous or following ones.
This is going to be a pretty late and unfocused follow-up, but I only recently came up with these concepts and just wanted to get them out there for anybody who cares:
First off, like I mentioned in paragraph 4 of my first post, to elaborate on the inner-workings of the Septian Church, Ein is a character who would’ve been perfect to explore as Kevin’s mentor and best friend of Rufina Argent; she’s a pivotal character in Kevin’s life, and the fact that Sky the 3rd only gave her 2 mins of screen time in the post-credits scene where they only talk about getting a new title for Kevin is... more than a little disappointing. There was potential to develop Ein as a mentor figure for Kevin throughout the game, one who would give him advice every now and then, recount her early years within the church and how she came to befriend Rufina, and so on and so forth, which would also serve to flesh out both her character and Rufina’s too. I could also see her being a key player in Kevin’s character arc as one of the people who would help him realize his self-worth (being his teacher she would know Kevin best after Ries), and start him down the path of redemption. Continuing with that line of thought, they could also introduce us to characters like Toval and Barkhorn, who have deep ties with the church (and are pretty important characters in their own right) that receive next to no meaningful screen time to develop their characters when they actually show up/are mentioned in the Erebonia arc. (Note: I am aware that Toval’s character is explored in the Carnelia novels and in a spin-off manga series, but I’ve always been of the opinion that if they can develop characters within the games themselves, then they should do so without forcing us to turn off our game and read a random manga series to know what they should’ve told us in-game.)
I also want to add that Star Doors like Renne’s would still be able to work even if they got rid of the whole Phantasma pocket dimension gimmick, by running with my idea of playing through Kevin’s past up until the present day (After Sky SC and before Zero), due to the fact that Kevin actually took part in the operation to shut down the D.G. Cult back in 1200 or something. So, based on that fact, they could’ve used his perspective to give the player a first-hand account into the horrors of the D.G. Cult as Kevin and the other Gralsritters go around and storm each base, eventually stumbling onto Paradise (of course, by that point, Renne would’ve already been saved by Loewe and Joshua, but the player would still be able to piece together the events that transpired at the location through context clues and a general investigation of the premises conducted by Kevin alongside Arios as he mentions in Trails to Azure having worked alongside him to shut down the D.G. Cult back in the day).
Annnnd that's about it. I've got a few more ideas for a complete remake of Sky the 3rd floating around deep in the recesses of my mind, but these were the only ones I felt were relevant enough to share underneath this post, as they related directly to my first post 4 months ago. So, uh, to whoever stumbles upon this addendum, I hope you found these concepts interesting, or at the very least plausible. Have a nice day!
Skies of Arcadia is one of my favorite JRPG but I feel it has been forgotten
Basically all game series from this develeoper are underrated in West (Phantasy Star, Shinobi, Streets of Rage, The House of The Dead, Dragon Force, Sakura Wars, Skies of Arcadia, Valkyria Chronicles, Shining). It's Sega America sabotage their games, for focus only on advertaising Sonic ?
@@nr2676 dragon force was working designs. But i do agree, almost all rpgs on the sega consoles have been forgotten.
@@az_tinkerer_gamer Dragon Force was coop-developed with Overworks (former AM1) who made Skies of Arcadia, Shinobi games on PS2 and Sakura Wars 1-5.
My only complaint with Replicant was the side quests were just tedious busy work (think I heard somewhere from developers it was intentional trolling) while Automata they added a lot to the lore and experience. From what I’ve heard a lot of people were turned off by Lydie and Suelle due to the dropped dub which is a shame because it’s one of the best games in the Atelier series.
The side quests being busywork in Replicant is mainly before the time skip when Nier is a boy. After, the side quests develop confusing and morally grey twists to them that almost feel like they're mocking versions of the first half of the game (which is very much a reoccurring motif of ignorance in the game)
I will admit that it's very committed to that idea to a significant degree that it isn't always fun especially the first half, but I respect the hell out of them designing it that way
Koei clearly didn't care about dubs after Firis. Not sure why, but evidently the cost wasn't worth it in their eyes.
Nice one with Tokyo Xanadu, more Trails & Ys fans really should try Tokyo Xanadu, because it feels like a perfect combination of Ys and Trails, but with a brand new story and characters, it's also a falcom's game which is a game that i should play
I really want Tokyo Xanadu to get sequels btw
Man I really love Sakuna of Rice and Ruin. I love it so much that I wish that I could go back in time to before the first time I played it just to relive it anew.
It's excellent. Yeah, not a typical JRPG but I don't really care, it's a game that fans of the genre can enjoy.
Is Tokyo Xanadu EX+ in someway related to the trails series, lorewise? Looking at the footage it all feels so familiar.
I definitely have had my eye on Tokyo Xanadu Ex+ for a while. You've talked it up enough that I put it on my list, ha ha. Basically just waiting for a sale. And I did pick up TMS way back when it released on the Wii U and I loved it. The only real complaint that I had was that Itsuki kinda has the personality of a plank of wood. It's another one that I've been waiting for a sale to pick up the rerelease on the Switch. And then the likes of Radiant Dawn, Ys Seven, and Sky 3rd are all in my backlog. I got distracted from Path of Radiance, a little burned out of Ys by the time I got to Seven, and am currently midway through SC. Kind of affirming to see half of the games on the list are ones already on my radar, ha ha.
Anyway, thanks for the video. Just as true that half of that half wouldn't be in my mind without your channel.
A tip - If you are looking for a sale of Tokyo Xanadu eX+ - It's on summer sale (12-6 until 3-7) now on GOG. It's €11 at this moment. While that's not the bottom-line cheapest I have ever seen through the years, it's still way cheaper than normal and on Steam (€54,99). I don't know if these are regional prices though, so you have to take a look for yourself...
I had no idea Tokyo Xanadu was getting a Switch release! You, sir, have made my month! As far as the other games are concerned, you are absolutely spot on. Ys VII still looks good, especially on a handheld device as dated as the PSP. I have the Vita version, so my playthrough may look better because of that handheld upgrade. I'm not really sure, but it is an excellent addition to the series!
Aksys owns the translation rights to the game so let's hope they'll bring it over later.
Ngl I miss the boss design and the way perfect guarding worked in Ys Seven. I'd say Ys seven is my favorite of the party system for ys games just for the combat alone. I liked having to time it or else you'd be stuck in place and take double damage or even having to use your entire party on the final fight and ending it with an Adol 1v1. The main thing that makes it tough for me to go back is having to manually charge your attack since its pretty slow in the begining lol
The way Crystal Chronicles does multiplayer was always frustrating cuz none of my friends ever had the cable or GBA to play it, and when I heard they were remastering it I was excited but then they screwed up the multiplayer even worse!!! I loved Crystal Chronicles, but I always felt like I was missing half the game because I was stuck playing solo.
I love Tokyo Xanadu. I don’t know what it is about it, I wouldn’t say it’s a masterpiece or anything, but there’s just something about it that really clicked with me. The music, gameplay, sound effects, it’s honestly one of my favorite Falcom games.
It's a very good game, did a lot of things right. Impressive when you consider it was basically it's own IP!
I agree Radiant Dawn is an amazing game, what it does better than most Fire Emblem games is since it switches characters you get to actually play and get to know more characters. Most Fire emblem games have like 40 characters and you either have to replay the game to see more or just witness like 12 out of the 40.
Persona clone to me just means "oh this game took the worst part of the Persona which is making me have to play the game multiple times to get to know all the characters/endings". Who wants to play 60+ games more than once, this shit needs to stop! This is a hill I would die on, haha.
Tokyo Xanadu Ex+ is fantastic! I highly recommend it. People calling it a Persona clone don't know what they are talking about. Also the original game came out even before Persona 5! So the more real world setting (party members having smart phones) was rather unique then. Also it has action combat. This is like how I remember people used to call Yakuza or any open world game in a city a GTA clone. Some people are just so lazy and dismissive and take some stuff at such a basic surface level. Sorry for sounding grumpy here, but I put off trying Tokyo Xandadu Ex+ for awhile because all I heard is that it was a mediocre Persona clone (and I do like Persona 5 ha I am playing Royal right now as I never bothered with it much after beating the original).
It's an easy tell that somebody never even touched the game. It's more of a combination of Cold Steel and Ys than anything even remotely connected to Persona.
I don't mind people skipping a game if its not for them. But to lambast one that they clearly haven't played is where I call it out.
I first got into the Blue Reflection game series. And later I found out about the Atelier games cause of the Atelier related DLC Costumes and levels you can get in both Blue Reflection games. I first started the Atelier Escha & Logy Alchemist of the Dusk Sky Anime. Just like I love the Blue Reflection series, Atelier is another cute series fans of Blue Reflection and gaming would enjoy.
as for final fantasy crystal chronicles I love the gamecube version of the game with multiplayer it was very well done but expesnive since you needed game boy advance systems for more then one character to have their own separate menu for the inventory on the controller. I don't know they if they fixed the mountain of bugs with the remaster versions but i heard it was a trainwreck.
I am completely with you for these choices. I love Tokyo Xanadu eX+, and I would LOVE to see a sequel of that (Do you hear me Falcom? 😉). I like Tokyo Mirrage Sessions #FE. Sadly, as a PC gamer I can only run it under an emulator. And that locks me out of the Encore version, because that one won't run without problems (cut scenes won't play for instance). I really hope it will come one day to the PC, but I admit those wishes are not very likely honored (sigh). The same goes for Fire Emblem. I would really, really love to play that game, but I can't - End of story.
I liked the first Blue Reflection game, although it's not without it's flaws (long pauses in voice acting and weird animations). The second one showed here was a massive improvement, and a great game. I completely agree with the other games you named. I love the Atelier series, so Lydie & Suelle was a no-brainer. I tried the Final Fantasy games, but could not really "click" with it. I am sure that's a "sort of" defect on my side, but yeah...
Wow, to think I have played a portion and plan to play literally all of the games you mentioned, id recommend the same.
Wasn't Tokyo Mirage Sessions a spinoff of Persona? Or maybe SMT? Either way, close enough that it wouldn't really be a Persona "clone" - rather, just Persona.
I do agree with much of the rest of the list.
From Falcom:
Tokyo Xanadu Ex+ was very good. Overstayed it's welcome, but good through the second of three endings. Ys Seven is also a great game. For me its #4 in the franchise though, after 8, 9, and Celceta. TiTS3 is one I do plan on playing this year. So far I've found the franchise to be very good - maybe not as legendary as it's reputation, but certainly worth playing. As long as this game keeps that up I'll be happy.
From GUST:
I've heard a lot of good things about Lydie and Suelle. It is one of the Atelier games I have not played yet. I usually try to play the trilogies in order, but Sophie wasn't great and I bounced of Firis pretty hard. I might just have to skip Firis and play Lydie and Suelle one of these days.
Blue Reflection 2 was my favorite game of that year. I've really enjoyed many games from that studio, from Atelier to Ar tonelico to Nights of Azure. BR2 has been their best game to date in my opinion.
19:00 I agree, Trails the third can be skipped... but I am happy I did not skip it. I had to use a cheatengine for the (or one of the) last battle(s) but the story behind all the doors was so worth it. Missed one of them somewhere, watched it on YT to keep my sanity though. Not to mention, I think I remember it mentioned in later games once or twice? More like passing remarks than actually talking about it.
Bad localization killed Tokyo Mirage Session & Blue Reflection.
tokyo mirrage is a persona x fire emblem colab spin off
LMAO every Nier/Drakengard game is Overrated garbage, not Underrated "Hidden Gem" or something.
Nier will always be more popular than Yokai Watch - there's a reason it died. :)
Viewing Path of Radiance and Radiant Dawn together as a duology, these games really are special. Many plot threads that are left dangling in Path of Radiance are addressed in Radiant Dawn, and Radiant Dawn does a good job at providing a more detailed look at the world of Tellius that was established in Path of Radiance. These games both excel in different areas. Radiant Dawn having a stronger overall soundtrack, graphics, gameplay, and a deeper story. Path of Radiance is easier to get into for newcomers, has a simpler but still strong story, and much better characterization than Radiant Dawn. Ike's origin story and character growth was simple but enjoyable, and others like Soren, Titania, and Jill to name a few are some of the most popular characters in the series today.
Overall, the Tellius Duology is quite beloved within the Fire Emblem community, and I wouldn't really call them underrated within the hardcore fanbase. It's just that these games haven't been exposed to a wider audience due to poor sales and being locked on older consoles. Come on IS, PoR and RD for Switch!
True+ The last chapters of Radiant Dawn are just epic with a massive number of characters and a chances to use lot of them (at the opposite of other games where an endgame team will rarely change)
We will never see a remake for both games for a long long time
@@therealjaystone2344 A remaster would be fine, right?
That and the physical game are just real expensive now.
@@thunderknight4149 I mean, if you're willing, you can play both for free with an emulator on your PC
One of the most consistent things I notice with a lot of these is being overshadowed by other games in their own series, or sharing surface-level attributes with something more popular. It's a good lesson to remember not to let expectations cloud judgement, but also highlights a mentality I just don't get: the "Well Game A does this better, why wouldn't I just play that?" not taking into account, ya know, I played Game A already, I want new twists and takes on something I liked! The old "two cakes" theory in action.
Also, it doesn't help that a lot of these came out in the "dark ages" of RPGS from the late 00s to the mid 10s, when the genre's popularity was at its lowest
I think people put too much weight on games with 'similar concepts'. So what, all games are influenced by others in various ways. It's just a very narrow way of thinking and discredits what each game does differently in their own ways.
@@TheKisekiNut Exactly! 100%
Because God forbid people be allowed to want something genuinely different as opposed to the same basic idea with a different coat of paint right after.
Please if you like Ys and Trails, you need to play Tokyo Xanadu Ex. Im always happy when this game gets mentioned in your videos :))
I agree with you on Tokyo Xanadu, while I don't have the ex version (as I played it on the vita), I had such a great time with it (I also played it right after beating Ys VIII). It was such a feel good story too. I'm currently going through a New game plus route in Ys VIII then I'm going to do the same for Tokyo Xanadu.
Speaking of Xanadu, Xanadu Next is a fine game as well, but it feels more western sprinkled with Falcom DNA. The Zwei games are also worth a look.
I've only played the demo thus far, but Astlibra Revision seems to be a hidden gem and a recommendation for Ys fans.
Recently I'm into Scarlet Nexus, that's a modern game which seems to be a bit overlooked as well.
And yes, don't skip Sky 3rd, Kevins story is great and the game is very important to Trails lore.
I agree, I can only assume that people that say sky 3 is skippable are ones that haven't played it, Kevin is a great protagonist when you unravel his story although I never liked his character design at first, by the end of the game I thought he was really well written and the 3rd game was awesome. Perhaps the majority of people that say it's skippable say so because you spend the majority of the game going through previously played through dungeons, however that wouldn't make sense because sky 2 has you doing the same thing and that is revered by most as the best in the sky arc. Sky 3 imo is definitely not skippable though, it sets up so many future scenarios and is a great game.
I have bought about all Falcom games on GOG. I will go through Xanadu Next soon. The zwei games are just fun. I go through them at this moment for a second time. There is also Gurumin: A Monstrous Adventure. Although it's VERY basic, it's still a fun game. It's more aimed at kids, but who cares about that? 🙃
The characters in Nier Replicant are a lot better than in Automata. While the combat is not Platinum tier, it is good. Every time I try to decide which game I love more, I default to Replicant, then debate myself for an hour before deciding on "I don't know."
Both of them shine in different ways. But the amount of times I've seen Replicant dogpiled on because it doesn't play as well as Automata is crazy. You'd think it was one of the worst action based games ever made.
Bruh.
@@TheKisekiNutwhen you played rogue galaxy, you know it's not true.
Automatas characters have a lot more nuance and subtlety to them than replicants, and their lore is fascinating.
I'd wager anyone saying replicants characters are better hasn't read the lore of automata.
The games use their lore to expand on different things. Replicant has an incomplete story so its side materials explain its story more. Meanwhile it has tons of text segments to expand on its characters.
Automata has no text segments explaining its main characters. A2 only kind of gets one. All of automatas lore explains and expands on its characters.
Automatas story is entirely contained within the game though.
Automata can't really give the player text sections on 2B or 9S without giving massive spoilers that takes away from the reveal at the top of the tower.
The secrecy and unexplained strange familiarity between 2B and 9S is a big part of automatas setup and overall story, and is a very captivating dynamic.
Aside from having much more in depth lore on its characters and just outright darker and sadder side stories, automatas main cast is much more important than replicants.
The story revolves around 2B and 9S, and without their characters being written the exact specific way they are and put in the exact kind of relationship they have, automatas story just wouldn't work. Its very centralized on 2B and 9S.
Replicants story functions based on the effects its main cast has on the world/people around them. You could replace kaine with any number of different characters, and that character could fulfill kaines role just as easily. The main casts characters are not integral to the story since they are not narratively baked into the structure and purpose of the story as much as 2B and 9s are.
Kaines romantic feelings aren't even focused on, and get suddenly dropped on the player at route C with nothing to build that up.
Kaine and emil serve more functional roles in the story/plot rather than integral roles.
Integral roles of replicant are the protagonist and weiss.
Protagonist for his narrow minded view of his world and situation, and weiss for overall role in project gestalt and choice in rejecting that role.
Kaine and emil just feel replaceable. They're great characters, they're just not narratively important.
Replicant is more about the suffering the main cast inflicts onto others anyways. Whereas automata is more about the suffering that the main characters are put through.
Ah, Trails the 3rd! It's funny because I had played and beaten the first two Sky games (which are my favorite in the entire series) btw, and I can remember how excitedly I fired up Trails the 3rd when it came out, and how my heart sank when I realized it would be a dungeon crawler. I was disappointed and frustrated - but only for a little while. Because, yes, while I LOVE the trails world, and everything they had built to that point, Sky the 3rd won me back over in almost no time flat. The cast is as wonderful as they ever are in 3rd, the gameplay is FANTASTIC, with tons of teambuilding options, and the OST is a complete banger like it always is.
And that's all before, as you say, the doors. Which just elevate the game to even further heights. I always say Sky FC is the series' foundation because, well, it's the first entry. But Sky the Third is the first game in the series where you REALLY get to glimpse outward to characters who would be HUGE players (Osborne, anyone)? So much good stuff in those doors.
I feel bad for the people who willingly don't blame it without at least trying the first few hours. They're missing out.
I've had so much fun completing tokyo xanadu a couple of years ago, while it wasnt anything new or complex I loved the setting, characters and mostly the OST (to this day "my blaze, my truth" is one of my favourite tracks in terms of JRPG), mechanics were simple enough and the jp voice acting as always superb. Honestly it is a shame that this Falcom entry is mostly underrated and overshadowed by other big names (Im looking at you Trail series), I remember picking it up randomly on sale at a very dirt cheap price, it provided many many hours of entertainment and it delivered a lot, I'll probably replay it again soon
Tokyo Xanadu is indeed a masterpiece and i wish Falcom'd expand on it, though i'm pretty sure it doesn't have anything to do with the other Xanadu series. Ys seven is what's got me into Falcom games to begin with and it has some of my most favorite ost tracks in it too, it absolutely is worth playing and is a great starting point for getting into the series(Also, the only game with Dogi playable, sadly). As for Atelier, the trilogy(or saga now due to Sophie 2 release) i'd honestly recommend starting with Sophie since the games are connected and reference previous events a lot, all in all mysterious games are great, simple and without time limits...except first half of Firis...sigh, Koei truly did those games dirty with garbage pc ports with memory leaks, gamepad-related fps drop issues(yes, that's a thing) and the like.
I would definitely recommend playing the entire trilogy of Atelier, but its more the fact that Lydie and Suelle hardly gets mentioned even in Atelier circles, like it's been forgotten.
Sakura wars on ps4 is massively underrated
But this is not JRPG, it's mostly VN, that's why is not on the list.
The entire Sky cast being playable in Sky the 3rd never felt bloated to me, can't say the same thing about the later games of the Cold Steel arc...
Agreed, Sky 3rd felt like it was just fan service to see your fave characters again, didn't have the substance of the rest of the series, tho.
Eh, neither felt bloated in my opinion. Both feel epic but in different ways. But agree to disagree
I have a feeling there are plenty of issues you overlook in the Sky games but criticize in Cold Strel.
No such thing, it's either all or nothing. Every Arc has its fair share of large cast, along with what people want to call "bloated" which leads to CS being dogpiled on despite Sky having a cast that is of similar/equal size. It's ridiculous and shows the clear bias against CS.
@@toiletseat777 yes the issues i "overlook" such as outdated combat system that gets boring after 2 fights, long confusing dungeons with no maps, no fast travel, having to mod your own voices in, some doors in sky 3rd taking forever with little payoff, unused party members not leveling up after a chapter,...
But yeah assume all of that about me after 1 comment that's half about cold steel...
I'm glad that great games like these are being talked about. Tokyo Xanadu, Tokyo Mirage sessions and even the Blue Reflection series is a must play for Anime and gaming fans. We also got Blue Reflection Sun game. So don't forget about that. NeiR is another great game series. NeiR is also another great series to play. Fire Emblem is a another series I need to try. Looks kool.
honestly am actually of those people who wishes for a sequel to Tokyo Xanadu, the opening is still a banger too. I gave Blue Reflection a go but i couldnt get into it.
For Sky the 3rd, why would one wanna skip this? Also the reason why Kevin hasnt been utilized much after Sky 3rd was that he was literally forgotten even by the creator himself i believe. I heard in Reverie that when all the church members were revealed in a portrait Kevin wasnt there until a later patch added him in, poor Kevin 😂. The door that hit the hardest is still Renne's.
Yes when I was first looking into Trails everyone said skip Sky 3rd. I didn’t skip it thank god. It was my favorite of the arc. There is so much great story that fleshes out the world. I do not understand why people say skip it. That is the worst trails advice I see everywhere. Worst of all, people listen to it because its repeated so much.
PLAY SKY 3RD
@@drowningin I am glad I didn't listen to people saying skip the 3rd, however it is definetively not my favourite of the 3 games. I didn't really like the doors and I never found Kevin to be that interesting, not sure why to be honest. That said, replaying FC an SC I do miss the combat from 3rd. And I loved meeting the whole cast again and getting more backstory/seeing what they've been up to, I just didn't enjoy HOW we got those stories...
Oh yes! Sequel to Tokyo Xanadu is what I'd gladly go for. I genuinely enjoyed the original story with Ex+ addition. Would love to see these characters again.
As of Sky 3rd Kevin and Ries are my two favorite characters from the trilogy. In my opinion Kevin is one of the most complex characters in the series. I really felt in tune with him all the way. And was really happy to see him and Ries again in Crossbell duology 😊
You'd be surprised, so many people have either asked or actually followed through and dodged it completely. Guess what, they don't understand why characters like Renne are so well liked because of it.
I did not skipped Sky the 3th, but at the other hand I did not really loved it. I loved Kevin and Rie as characters, and found their story very good. And without living through Stardoor 15 I guess people feel far less connected to Renne (one of my favorite female characters, together with Estelle, Rixia and Juna). However I really hated those dungeons. Especially that dungeon you had to work through to activate Stardoor 15. It was floor after floor after floor after floor after floor after floor (you get the picture). That very game mechanics made me enjoy the game a lot less (I also did not like that very last part of Cold Steel II for that reason, although it was luckily a very small part of the game)...
And I think almost anyone that has played Tokyo Xanadu eX+ would really, really LOVE to see a sequel. So far Falcom has given some slight hints, but nothing specific. Well - We can dream about it at least...
From this list, other than OBVIOUSLY playing "Trails in the Sky: The 3rd", I would be interested in playing "FE: Radiant Dawn" ONLY if it gets a remaster/remake with "modern features" because *I don't want to deal with "permanent death"* (HATE reseting over and over again just to not lose a single character to see all possible dialogue). As for the "Atelier" series, I want a *remaster/remake of "Atelier Iris 1: Eternal Mana" and especially "Atelier Iris 2: The Azoth of Destiny"* (PS2) because both are AWESOME and deserve to be played on modern hardware.
For Atelier, i think it's possible after they deal it with Salburg series Remake.
Valkyria Chronicles is the highest ranked franchise from Sega (higher than Fire Emblem), but sells like utter shit, which means this franchise is UNDERRATED and UNDERADVERTISED from publisher as hell.
Valkyria was on the shortlist but at the last second I took it off, not sure why.
@@TheKisekiNut Maybe because people still talking about this franchise, but not buying games (at least not for full price, or just publisher marketing sucks), which is so rare in game industry. This franchise is in weird spot everyone prise about this series how good and underatted is, but on other hand publisher sabotage this series. This franchise should be on the same level of popularity like Fire Emblem games (based on score on Metacritic), but publisher clearly don't want advertise this series in West from some reasons (Sega America hate japanese games ?). Maybe Mediavision should search for new publisher, like Platinum Games did with Bayonetta ?
I loved radiant dawn so much. But you must play path of radiance. Both are amazing and path of radiance really gives the beginning of radiant dawn such an interesting perspective.
The 3 Super Famicom Fire Emblem games have the most rich and dark story, but they are challenging and long (60-80 hours each for Geneology of the Holy War and Thracia 776).
@@michaelp4122 Thracia isn't really long. I've beat it in like 35 hours
Can’t wait for fe4 remake
@@Haarwyvern Counting every time you died and had to restart? I think it took me 60 hours, but I spent some time in the colloseum levelling up my characters.
Geneology of the Holy War is the longest Fire Emblem game, and you should play that before playing Thracia.
@@therealjaystone2344 FE4 remake won't happen, it's too dark. Murder and rape are central themes to the plot, and without it the story wouldn't make sense (Some characters are offspring from raped characters).
The team who made FE 1-5 are a different group that the ones who made FE6+.
I think FE6 is the most likely to get a remake since it's the game with Roy and it's never been localized.
Games being compared to Persona constantly is one of the worst things to happen to games lately. Trails is like Persona. Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth is like Persona. Tokyo Xanadu is like Persona. Tokyo Mirage Sessions is like Persona. Caligula Effect is like Persona. Devil Survivor is like Persona. SHIN MEGAMI TENSEI IS LIKE PERSONA!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
Now personally I hate the aspects of Personas 3 and 4 that people keep comparing games to. P3P was an absolute slog to go through but I did beat it. I couldn't finish Persona 4 Golden though. I hate being so limited in how I play my game like it's done in these games. I kind of understand why people might like this style but for me it all just falls flat.
However I love Trails. I loved Cyber Sleuth. I Loved TMS. I loved Devil Survivor. I hate Caligula Effect. I liked what I played of Tokyo Xanadu and plan to get back to it soon. And what the hell with people comparing SMT proper to Persona? That bothers me to no end.
Having known a bunch of people from different schools and cliques in different states that loved RPGs back in the day and having had many video game magazines back then as well I can say one thing. Nobody gave a fuck about Persona or even heard of it until the PSP. People did not play them. They did not talk about them. They never seemed to be featured in the magazines. Nothing. You know what was though? Nocturne. Digital Devil Saga as well. They were pushed quite well especially when they started winning awards like "game of the year" and the like.
So how did history flip things to try and say that nobody ever heard of the those other SMT games and that Persona was the only thing anyone ever knew of the series as a whole? As someone who was older and always on the lookout for RPGs, Persona just wasn't on anyone's radar back then. Neither was Earthbound so don't let anyone tell you otherwise but that's beside the point. Chrono Trigger wasn't a huge deal until after Chrono Cross too but again, beside the point.
Personal hatred of the series aside, I guess what I'm trying to say is that the way that people constantly compare games to Persona is puzzling. It wasn't a big series until pretty much the RUclips era of things. So how did this one niche series become the one that people compare so many games that are nothing alike to?
It's not even the whole series either, it's really just 3 and 4. Nobody seems to have played 1, 2 or the other 2. I tried 1 and was on board until I got hit with the first person movement. No thanks. I never got 2 for PSP but I hear I'd actually like that one. When I just started collecting for PSP, the special edition of 2 for PSP was super cheap but I had just got a bunch of game and limited myself. When I went back a month or two later to get it, the ten of them they had were gone. Meanwhile nobody wanted them until that time which was funny since the workers had tried to sell them to me multiple times as they weren't moving. Oh well, I have too many games to play before worrying about not having picked up a game that's only really half a game or whatever is going on with there being two Persona 2s.
Again, it's just odd and annoying that everything gets compared to Persona.
Even funnier, most of those franchises you mentioned are much older than Persona 3, and Persona 3 was not even first franchise mixed Dating Sim / Time Managment with RPG elements. Earlier we have: Sakura Taisen, Langrisser 3-5, Growlancer or Thousand Arms, but most of them never left outside of Japan, or were released in West to early for those kind of games (Thousand Arms). Persona series started be popular, because:
- they were released in best time, when anime (especially highschool anime) started gain in popularity in West + RUclips was founded just when P3/P4 was released
- no competition in West, there was competition in Japan but publishers did not take the chance to localize this type of games in the west, or were localized too late on dead platform (Sakura Taisen is best example)
- MASSIVE good word of mounth from weebs (anime fans are the biggest part of jrpg players)
- milking from ATLUS, if you advertise only one franchise for many years it overshadow others
- portable consoles are best consoles for Visual Novel / heavy text games, i think this is reason why Persona 3 Portable started gain popularity (especially in Japan) compared to P3 / P3 FES on PS2
- game were very casual friendly compared to mainline SMT games, and other SMT spin-offs
- the games were aimed at a younger audience (teens), and most of jrpg fans are teens
Got Tokyo Xanadu on my backlog, can't wait to play it, for now though I have to get through sakura wars. I've been playing this because you recommended it, too.
So, thanks dude 😅
You've got two awesome games on the radar then!
After experiencing the exceptional English dubbing work of games like Persona 5 and Fire Emblem Three Houses I can't come close to Tokyo Mirage =/.
One of my favorite underrated games is World of FF. difficulty was a tad easier than I prefer but it is literally one of my favorite FF games, and JRPGs in general
i've never seen a better story in any kind of media, like in star door 15 in Sky 3rd, it was heavy and boosted the related character to it on one of the top spots on fandom
So happy to see Radiant Dawn on this list!!!! It’s my all time favorite game so it’s cool to see it get the love it deserves❤ The Tellius games are definitely peak FE imo.
Radiant dawn is great I'm playing on emulator on my phone but u should definitely make some time for path of radiance it'll make u appreciate Radiant dawn more
Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn is a game so close to my heart; first game I ever worked on; really happy to see it in your list!
Sakuna is such a gem and was made by a team of like 2 people afaik. Truly worth supporting.
I have lydie and suelle on my ps4 disc backlogs. Eill start after im done with sophie2 switch ver.
I agree with BR second light. I got the platinum for both Blue Reflection games. Br isnt perfect, but it is definitely a good franchise with much potential. And i still underrated.
I luv gust games ngl, these games like project diva and animal crossing balances out the more intense game i play like sekiro, doom eternal/2016, soulsborne, sw fallen order, spiderman 2018, gow, and ace combat 7.
I'm one of the few fans of both smt and fe that didn't throw a fit and gave tms a chance and ended up liking it quite a lot.
This is a great list with several of my favorite jrpgs.
The reason why radiant dawn doesn't get talked about is that it really did not sell well(think it is one of the, if not the, lowest selling entries). Occupying that weird lull that happened in-between the first wave of hype that followed it western introduction during the gba era and the rebith of the franchise on the 3ds onwards that brought in most of the current fanbase. So, yeah. There were just so few fe fans that existed when it released(and further hurt by the translation error that caused the game to be way harder for people than it was meant to be).
That translation error was a real killer. I'm even more impressed I managed to beat it as a 15 year old back then with no prior SRPG experience, though I definitely lost a few characters on the way.
Blue Reflection Second Light is one of my favorite games ever! I'm so happy people are talking about it!
You never fail to deliver a good argument and content. Also Sky 3rd was my first trails then back to Cold Steel until I went to the Sky trilogy that I didn't know existed
And I need to say that I started playing Blue Reflection Second Light and I love it more than Atelier Sophie ☺️❤️ (wich was first honest try to get into the Atelier series I also enjoy playing it but Blue Reflection got my attention because it’s also a game from KT) and I love anything so far in this game from the combat to the character and the writing of the story and how the game even started ❤️ it’s a great game and I hope KT maybe will try to make a similar game in the near future because like I said I love ANY ASPECT of Blue Reflection and it’s still in some ways very different from the Atelier games wich I appreciate ❤️❤️❤️
You're wrong about Radiant Dawn. It's an overall underrated game yeah.
But not by fans, more by occasional FE players . It's probably one of the most favorite (In a reddit poll RD has the best ratio : how many fe games have you completed results write on google)
It's really a beloved game outside japan.
In my country (France) it's by far the most popular amoung community of fans. It less polish than Path of Radiance but go further. And it has the best Level Design of the franchise since a long time. Engage and Conquest does have interesting LD, but RD has narration by the map, they means much more. And Awakening is awful on this aspect and 3H pretty average.
So this is a game love by people who want a great tactical, and by people who loved old-school fantasy. There is some people who don't like it, it's easier to dislike than PoR, but it's also easier for it to being people number 1.
I think FE4 is still considered has the best Fire Emblem of all time, but Radiant Dawn (FE10) is maybe the most beloved.
As I said you still have to remember that it's work with FE Fans who loved the franchise and play most of them, obviously by pure number more recent game like 3H are more popular.
I agree about 3rd, it's in my top 3 trails ! And I bought BR2, didn't start it tho.
Then it gets put on the list, you said it yourself. This video wasn't exactly tailored to Fire Emblem fans alone.
@@TheKisekiNut Yeah I said it, I say you we're wrong about what you explain, not what is on the list itself.
The presence of RD here is legit, and it's could be the same for most FE from 3 to 12 !
On the other hand, it's not a game fans don't talk about.
The only one I'm maybe not agree would be NieR, I find it pretty famous nowadays and well receive.
Gotta agree with Sakuna of Rice and Ruin. That game really help me appreciate your personal growth. Going from the long way you grow the rice through after going further in the game the tilling and making the rice.
I know I'm kind of cheating here as it's not a Japanese RPG but hell I'm gonna say it. Child of Light is a beautiful styled RPG with a charming story, lovely characters, great gameplay and a fantastic soundtrack. How a game like this came fron Ubisoft of all companies is beyond me but if you're looking for a fairy tail like RPG check it out.
I forgot to add that technically 2 people can play with 1 player controlling a companion character to assist in battle!
Child of Light is a great little game and hey, it has RPG elements in it!
I'm with you, I always tell people to play trails in the sky the third, mainly because Kevin is one of the best characters and also because seeing how some characters stories thus far end is amazing
The sky trilogy needs a remaster just so as many people as possible can play the whole series. I think replicant is better than automata but in my defense Kaine and Weiss are delightful, I'm nearing the end of ending A and am glad I went back to it.
I wish the enhanced/definitive versions of the Sky games on the PS Vita came out in the west. Those are the versions I might've actually enjoyed playing.
I likle Tokyo Xanadu a lot, game made me cry at the end
I remember that Tokyo Mirage Sessions was first announced as SMT x Fire Emblem, I was so excited for it and while I was a bit disappointed that it wasn't what I'd thought it would be I still really liked it.
TMS is a fascinating contradiction of a game.
It's a bad crossover that fails to deliver or showcase most of the appeal of its source material (especially Fire Emblem), but its a good game in its own right, from the distinct presentation to the entertaining cast of characters and solid gameplay loop.
Yet while almost everyone is quick to call out its faliures, TMS really doesn't get enough credit for everything it does right...
@@finaldusk1821 pretty much, it doesn't feel like either of the games its supposed to be a crossover of but its still a great game!
Sky 3rd is the best game in the series. Best music, best gameplay, best story.
I'd agree that Replicant has a better and relatable story than Automata despite the gameplay. As for Ys Seven, I quite liked it, especially the Ost. Idk why but i remember 7s battle themes much more clearly than 8 or 9s.
Hmm, I know you didn't like Vesperia but I'd suggest giving Tales of the Abyss a go. It legit can go toe to toe with Trails in the story and char department.
Abyss is on my retro list, so it all depends on the patrons to decide if I play it or not.
I find automatas story to be better and more relatable than replicants.
How am I supposed to relate to kaine? I don't have body dsymorphia and I don't get bullied for my appearance, I'm not an outcast for the way I was born.
How am I supposed to relate to emil? I don't look like a freak, I'm not a gentle person that gets forced to kill.
I'm not an experiment. I don't hate the way I am and then accept myself.
How am I to relate to weiss? That one's just self explanatory. Nobody should be able to relate to weiss.
The protagonist? I don't obsessively protect a sibling like my will to live depends on it and I would never go that far to begin with.
Also not xenophobic and a narrow minded killer.
The way the characters speak to each other is more relatable and fun to listen to, but automatas characters for what they go through emotionally and mentally are much more relatable.
And since automata manages to pull off its philosophical themes so well, I'd say automatas story is a lot better than replicants. Philosophical stories > moral stories any day.
Found the first half of Tokyo Xanadu boring personally and had to force myself to play the rest. Lo and behold though I actually came to enjoy it the second half as it got better (though still not really a masterpiece of any sort), so also recommend here.
I disagree about Ys Seven's graphics personally, I think they're charming af. Do agree with it having a better feel than Celceta though, definitely. Also yeah, 100% the best antagonist in the series.
A couple I'd like to recommend myself to you and to others, especially if you're Ys fans:
- Gurumin: A Monstrous Adventure
- Eternal Senia (free on Steam, has bump combat, is actually really good for what it is)
Thank you, someone finally said it. Tokyo Xanadu is not similar to Persona! There’s no monster capture/fusion, no silent protagonist and it’s not turned based. And those elements aren’t exclusive to Persona. I mean, you might as all call Persona “Pokemon rated mature.” Also, the high school bonding and calendar system isn’t exclusive to Persona. The most logical explanation is Ys + Trails = TX.
Ys 7 was the game that got me into Nihom Falcom. I pretty much abandoned Square Enix overnight for at least a decade.
"It's a Persona clone" is the JRPG equivalent of "It's a Soulslike." Everyone saying it doesn't know what makes these games what they are.
Um, yeah. TMS is more like SMT (Press Turn Battle System) + Fire Emblem mechanics (waepon triangle system) + dungeon crawler + idol / highschool setting. The only one thing TMS is similar to Persona is UI similar to P4 and highschool setting, that's all. Rest of game is diffirent.
@@nr2676 To clarify, my comment was about the initial use of the phrase when he pointed out that people say that about Tokyo Xanadu EX, not about him saying TMS was more of a Persona clone than it. I don't have any input on the latter since it's the one game on this list I never got the chance to play.
@@saintfayde4438 I know what you mean. Tokio Xanadu and Valkyria Chronicles 2 situation is very similar with TMS. Casuals mostly call them ,,Persona rip-off'' only because those games are in highschool setting, which is ridicilous. Tokio Xanadu is not even turn based JRPG like Persona.
Basically it's any jrpg that's set in modern day Japan and has a teenage cast. People just look at surface level stuff and make hot takes based on that. Just like souls like is just any game with above average difficulty.
@@ericp631 Which is now most GENERIC setting ever made in JRPG and anime (modern day, highschooler as MC).
Radiant Dawn is overlooked not because of PoR but it's because it's very difficult, all because of a mistranslation.
Yes, it is very difficult. I have an unfinisjed run on hardmode still open, but my first attempt softlocked me at chapter 1. I couldn't beat the first chapter. I suck at videogames but that was just bad. I then played again on normal and that playthrough I could beat. I then found out almost every secret and even got the secret ending with every character. But only on normal! I could never do that on hard or maniac. And you can get stuck at certain maps if you want every character to live. Which I did and that only made it harder. But yeah, the mistranslation basically made everyone play the game on hard instead of normal first. But hey, everyone who beat the game on hard can be proud of themselves.
Hey there, thanks for the recommendations ✨ I did skip Sky the 3rd in the videos because it's litteraly the next game I'm going to play, but I've taken note of everything else otherwise 👌🏿I was also wondering if you have played the Zweii The Ilvard Insurrection ? Because I would have definitely pictured it being part of the list as well.
Thanks for the video, looking forward to more of your content, I really enjoy it !
I've never understood people who think Sky 3 is skippable, the story is brilliant and absolutely integral imo
Another great video. Definitely agree with Xanadu. Very underrated. If you like Trails, check it out.
2:37 "Speaking of Persona clones, why isn't this labeled as one?" It is. Tokyo Mirage Sessions was a joint production between Atlus and Intelligent Systems to be a crossover of Shin Megami Tensei and Fire Emblem.
I missed the notification about this video. Anyway, I will likely give Ys VII a try on the PC. I am mainly a console gamer which is why I may have missed it, but I had to get into PC gaming to play the Sky Trilogy. Speaking of which, I am glad Trails in the Sky the 3rd made it on your list. I don't know why people say to skip it, but there are a few impactful character arcs that carry through the Crossbell games that are not as impactful of one skips this one. Also, as you said, some of the stories behind the doors literally set up the later games in the series.
Lydie & Suelle best Atelier girls!!!! ❤❤❤❤❤❤💛💛💛💛💛💛
It is a title absolutely WORTHY of the name [Mysterious]. 9001% more than the first two.
//--
Blue Reflection first game have some design issue that makes me ehhhh.... I might try the second, I hear they fixed the design problems.
I'll admit, my favorite here was Tokyo Xanadu EX+. Specifically THAT version too, as the original kind of...well it left you on a sour note, given you suddenly encounter a god, and they grant you a miracle. Not to say you don't have to earn it, they are a HARD bonus boss, but still, it kind of grates. EX+ not only gives two different Side Stories hinting at it, AND a cool powerup to the lead (playable) heroine that is VERY nice, but also gives more context for the ending itself, and allows you to finally meet the evil god that started all this...while asking more questions afterwards.
Meanwhile, Nier Remake? No thank you. You will NEVER get me to play that again...that flower quest man. It can get bent. Yes, they removed two steps from it, I know, but it's a PTSD trigger now, and they left in the outlaw family thing. I like Yoko Taro's works, and would LOVE a Drakengard Trilogy edition, even if it means having to face the final boss of Drakengard 3 again to 100% it, but I will never play Nier again, and you can't make me.
I have no idea what happened to my OG comment, but here I go again. TMS was great. Yes, it is silly and Anime and has idols with a complete FE plot at the end. But I love it! The music was amazing and I had so much fun with the gameplay and using the DLC area to break the game, becuase I was too underleveled for Tsubasas sidestory. And then I won! And nobody can tell me that the FE Opera cutscene isn't the greatest thing ever made! Too many people complain about the cringe. We must embrace the cringe and let our weeb hearts sing with joy at it! But yeah, TMS was great fun.
I played RD before PoR actually. Weird order, I know. But you also played the second hardest game before anything else, so there is that. My dad got me both Tellius games back then. Thankfully, PoR wasn't overpriced yet! But RD is great. And it made me a bit psychotic. Nothing major, I just had moments were I roleplayed as an evil overlord with a crazy evil laugh until I managed to snap out of it. I also really love the animations of RD and the charactera and story. Tellius has by far the best women. I love Elincia and Micaiah and Marcia is just a gem with most of her dialogue. Jill is cool too. My favorite is Nephenee.
I love Sky the 3rd and it is actually my favorite in the trilogy. Kevin is amazing and so is Ries. His personal story is just great. We also get so much crazy lore in this game and I haven't seen all the doors yet. I did not want to do the fishing minigame. Josettes minigame sucked. But the arena was cool. The Jojo art is super funny. I really like the doors. Except the sun doors. But I just really hate minigames.
Tokyo Xanadu and Ys 7 are games I haven't played yet and still plan on playing. I have them ready to go on steam anytime. Unless Falcom decides to bring TXs Switch version to the west. In which case: Damn, I wasted money on nothing. I also have Origin on the switch and steam. I played it on switch and the steam version will forever rot in my library now. At least it was cheap. But damn, Hugo destroyed my hands. I hope I get to Ys 7 soon. Sometimes. Maybe. In a while. Ys is still fun though. I really liked it. And I even played the first 2 games! The final Boss of Ys 1 is bullcrap! I still beat him! Never again. I hope Ys X comes west too.
Marvelous picks. However I'd like to add World of Final Fantasy Maxima and FF Type-0. Especially WoFF as it is rather a full-fledged FF than just another monster taming Pokemon clone.
Ohh and Trails in the Sky The 3rd is a must!!! :)
Nier Replicant Remake has to be in my top 10 favorite games ever.
I'd put NieR:Automata as my #1, replicant as my #2, baldurs gate 3 as my #3, bloodborne as my #4, darksiders 2 as my #5.
That's my top 5.
You should actually watch the Blue Reflection Ray Anime before playing through Second Light. Cause once you meet Hiori Hirahara, Mio Hirahara and Uta Komagawa and you go through some of their backstories, you begin to wonder what happened between them three back than. So i highly recommend fans of JRPGS and Anime to check out the Blue Reflection Ray Anime. It's a must watch for all fans.
It looks like the Atelier Lydie & Suelle game can't be purchased separately on PS4, even though in the description of the Trilogy bundle it says the games CAN be purchased separately... which is weird. There's a season pass for it, but there's no base game called that. Unless it's just the PS App on my iPod acting weird. I'm not sure if people would want to buy the whole "Mystery trilogy" or whatever, even though they're apparently the definitive versions of the games and include some of the DLC? I certainly wouldn't for the $90 it appears to be going for, when you only showed footage of 1 game that interested me at all lol.
If you are reading this, play sakuna
PLAY SAKUNA!! Do yourself this favour, this is SUUCH a good, beautiful and relaxing game, its really the best thing ever after a work day, and also in the weekend when you have some extra time, i didnt even listen to any background noise, just immersed myself in its beauty and its relaxing gameplay loop.
While I love both PoR and RD, my issue with RD is more I really REALLY don't like the dawn brigade.... the story is interesting sure but as characters and the maps themselves? As soon as I saw my girl Elincia again I was like "FINALLY"... oh man and then that scene leading into act 3? Oh boy.... thats when the game really started for me... only for the game to drag you back to dawn brigade time only in FoW swamps and NPC bloated boulder pushing maps. At least the game lets you take your frustration out on them in another swamp later. I will say the gameplay does feel more finetuned, and is especially good when you compare it to a lot of other more popular entries. But the lack of meaningful supports also feel super missed.
Radiant Dawn is still a great game don't get me wrong, I still consider it the last time we had a fire emblem game that didn't have to sacrifice gameplay for story, or story for gameplay, and we got both. Just that for me its held back a bit and PoR pulls ahead, again for me.
I feel like Stella Glow should be on a list like this as well, focused a lot on the characters and i kinda liked that you had to spend time with them outside of combat to get deeper bonds and more skills unlocked. With the main girls/witches having special levels in which you fight their insecurities to strengthen their quite powerful magic skills which could ultimately change the outcome of a battle
I haven't played Second Light, but I'm surprised to hear that you have so much praise for the original. I can only say that it was...okay...
Though, it did have an AMAZING soundtrack.
I tried the Blue Reflection demo and...while the combat is cool, folk just couldn't get into it at all. Games like it and Atelier seem very niche & a good amount of people recommend them apparently...but nah; not until they get some English VAs or more Action focused.
When I know is a tall ask & likely to never happen.....so yeah 🤷🏾♂
I gotta jump into Tokyo Xanadu ex+. I love action rpgs and it screams play me everything I see it but I got so many games ahead of it on my backlog
Honestly I have to disagree with you about Sky the 3rd. I played 1 and 2 and went on to play 3 and I felt I had basically be duped. Though it might not be pointless, it shouldn't have been called the 3rd game and should have been it's own thing. The ONLY reason it is 3rd is to attach it to games that are 100000% better than it is. For me, there was very little to like or enjoy about 3rd, it felt like a slog, mostly because I didn't give a crap about the character. If it was a standalone game, maybe I wouldn't be so bitter about it. It is completely skippable and I say skip it unless you really want to waste your time.
Sakuna of rice and ruin was charming and excellently executed. I wish I could relive the experience. Hell I have 39/40 achievements, only left to clear the aphids, and then this would be my first perfected game. That's how much I loved it
Tokyo Mirage Sessions was a really good game, despite the silliness of the whole Pop Idol theme.
I'll play Tokyo Xanadu...someday...but I strongly prefer Turn-Based, so that always takes priority.
@thekisekinut sir... THANK YOU!! Your videos got me into the ys franchise when I first started playing video games.... Well today i got to meet brianna herself at a convention by my home.. I got to meet Dana herself and I could not be more grateful for it. I never would have meet her if you hadnt gotten me into ys 8!!
I loved Crystal Chronicles. With friends it was a really great game. Wished they had of did better on bringing it to current gen consoles.
If anyone with Playstation Plus does want to give Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin a shot it's just been added to the game collection. Downloaded it the other day because you've recommended it before. There's also so many games on this list on my backlog. I've got the first Blue Reflection, but barely played it, and while I have all of the Trails in the Sky trilogy on Steam I've only played the first game but fully intend to play them all.
Astral Chain, Tokyo Xanadu eX+, Fire Emblem Warriors (2017), & Trails of the Sky Trilogy:
Are you forget about me?
Lydie & Suelle, it would have been great if they had not side-tracked the conclusion of the Plachta Story as a small, short, side Event. Older Firis OP (in many elements) and her Sister turning Yandere were quite a sight to behold though.
Still have the Console Fire Emblems on my Backlog, same as Xanadu Next.
Mysterious trilogy feels so... Low stakes and too slice of lifey to me.
Granted i absolutely love sophie 2. Also loved dusk trilogy where there is a huge problem to be solved.
Xanadu Next is a nice one, but also take a lot at the two Zwei games. They are also loads of fun...
I implore you, if you have not played Trails in the Sky the Third, you are vehemently doing yourself a disservice for not going through those doors of lore...
Especially Star Door 15...
Tokyo Xanadu was a great game! I watched your review before I bought this game and this is how I know your channel. I have to admit I had an impression it is similar to Persona series and this is now I decided to buy this game
For me the impression Tokyo Xanadu is like how Trails and Ys next games will be. The game is fun too each chapter is like episode because of Opening.
It has similar elements, but I see so many call it a 'rip-off' of Persona, like Persona itself made the genre. Crazy really, but I enjoyed it.
At least I bought when it was on sales like less than $10, but I really had a good time with and it deserves way more than that. And if it has sequence I am willing to buy with full price
How Nier Replicant Ver some number and Ys 7 is underrated? People do need play those two games, they are so good in their own way. I have complete Neir Rep not so long ago, and I love it, with completing all the ending (last one is best one for me). The combat very good, I love all the characters and the story is very good. Some of the side quest can be very annoy but the reward can be good. It is same with Ys7, it is 4th of best ys game i have play (i have complete every ys game, but not spin-off one).
Some of the game from this underrated list I will be look at in the future, one of the game stand out to me is blue reflection, i might play the first game as well, as i would like to get know the story and char.
nier Underrated ?! huh ?!
Replicant is, hardly ever mentioned when people ask for ARPG recommendations. And one reason is many immediately point Automata out, it gets overshadowed.
Tokyo Xanadu, Tokyo Mirage Sessions, and Nier Replicant (I actually platinumed that one, love it so much) are the only games I've played on this list.
Where would/should i start the trails series?
Im very curious since watching your videos and more, i havent played a single one yet but i have cold steel 1,2. Though it seems a bit tricky since some arent on consoles from what i understand. And i dont have a pc😅, so where is the best/most optimal startpoint for me?
I would love to give this series a shot/ get into this series as it looks really cool and intresting with the overarching stories and characters and such😊👍(I apologise in advanve since i had this comment on another/older video of yours aswell recently😅)
That first game looks so stiff and clunky lol no idea how you can even enjoy looking at it
It's called Tokyo Xanadu, and it's very well regarded by people who have played it. Unfortunately, some people refuse to give it a chance because it 'looks stiff and clunky'.
@@TheKisekiNut yeah man, it’s just not for me dude lol aesthetically I can’t give it a chance, sorry
I'm very confused about your comments on Radiant Dawn's reception, as it seems to be MORE popular than Path of Radiance...
Hi there. Leaving sub for 2 reasons :D first is most of the games in the list has pc versions which is great since im using pc mostly. Second is, how should i put it... english isnt my native lang but i can understand what ur saying and i like formats like that in general. Additionally i saw or rather heard u in at least two videos from David. Enough reason for me to join in, looking forward to see anything new.