Blue Reflection is a Gust game made before they got all the Ryza bucks, so of course it was made on a budget of about $20 where 95% of it was (well) spent on the soundtrack and character art. But it's one of those games that hits in all the right places once you get over that lack of polish. The writing really is that incredible. The ending absolutely broke me. This is the first Gust game I played, and I was immediately drawn in.
I love the concept of this video so much. As someone who loves niche hidden gems that might be under-appreciated, it spoke to my soul. There have been so many games where the gameplay got tedious or wasn’t on par with AAA RPGs, BUT they were some of my favourite, deepest experiences ever. I’ll definitely give one of these a try some day. (Edit: Holy sh**, Blue Reflection! Yes 🙌🏽)
I think I’m like 30 hrs into Harvestella (Ch 7 I think) and on the one hand, nothing about it really stands out… but it’s somehow SO MUCH BETTER than the sum of its parts.
I’m just playing Reynatis! I agree with all of these, I like them all. Here are a few others: Tales of Zestiria, Valkyria Revolution and Star Ocean Integrity and Faithlessness
Tales of Zestiria was good but definitely one of the weaker entries. The battle camera angle alone was an absolute nightmare at times as the scenery would often block your view of whatever was happening. I didn't like the way you powered up your characters through equipment although it wasn't a deal breaker for me like it was for a lot of people. Star ocean 5 wasn't the best, I finished it but it felt on a much smaller scale than all the others and having a larger battle party was a bit much at times. I much preferred star ocean the last hope to it which in my opinion has the best battle system of all the games. I have valkyria revolution but I haven't touched it yet so I can't comment on that one.
IIRC Crystar had 100 or close to 100 User Ratings on Metacritic. The game itself has middling critic scores, but it left a strong impression on people who played it for the story. I include myself in that group, the gameplay is not particularly great, but the story was very compelling.
Sometimes I think critics get into a sort of groupthink situation and you have to also look at the general player response to really get a full picture of the game
I got Crystar earlier this year and we really enjoyed it. I picked up Reynatis at launch. I've been having a blast, but maybe my love of TWEWY makes me a bit biased. It's definitely heavily influenced by it... the collab makes it that much better. I absolutely love Blue Reflection Second Light, still haven't played the first.
Completely 100% agree with everything you said about Blue Reflection. Holy sh**, you literally put my exact feelings into words so well, particularly about the soundtrack and vibes. I love Gust’s games. EVERYONE should at least play the sequel, as it’s a genuinely good game.
We need more videos like this, as a person who genuinely likes FF2 a lot... i feel like mob piling on games often makes people ignore or come in biased against games they would have otherwise enjoyed.
I personally liked Crystar and Reynatis. To me, if a game is fun, then that's awesome but more than that, "Tell me a story." I can forgive a lot of flaws for good story telling, and that's with all genres.
Tales of Legendia was awesome and I love it, I don't care what anyone else thinks. I also love all the other Tales Of games. I really enjoyed Eternights as well. Watching reviews about games like these are so eye rollingly annoying that I've completely stopped watching reviews in recent years. FF XV is one of my all time favorite games. I'll definitely check these other games out!
Amusing that the first two games on the list share a composer. Go Shiina is truly one of the most underrated and underutilized composers in gaming. Great list too, by the way. Several of my favorites on there too.
What a great concept. I really hope you'll make other videos lile this one. Harvestella, Cry machina and Reynatis are all games I ended up buying despite the critics being very bad. I enjoyed all of them
Hmmm….There’s at least a couple of games that come to mind that aren’t listed here…. -“Lord of Magna: Maiden Heaven.” published by XSEED d developed by marvelous for the 3DS -“Maglam Lord” published by PQube and developed by Felistella. -“Nights of Azure’s 1&2” developed by Gust. Neither of these games had like some sort of emotional or memorable story to them (well maybe Nights of azure games, they definitely have a form of emotion to them…) but I generally liked the gameplay for these games that I mentioned, and I definitely enjoyed the music for all of them. Anyways…It’s nice to see in the comments that some of us generally agree that games like “Blue Reflection” & “Crystar” has left an impression on us that some of us can all appreciate the two games even with the flaws. I definitely need to get my hands on CryMachina, really like the art style and music (when I’ve been listening a lot.)
Man hearing you talk about Tales of Legendia in a modern setting is incredibly pleasing. Tales of Legendia is in my top 5 all time favorite videos games ever mainly for the characters and music. Amazing list. Gonna check out Harvestella
interesting seeing legendia on here. it’s a game i started recently on a whim and you’re right: i was absolutely floored by the soundtrack. phenomenal and FAR better than the tired, recycled sakuraba compositions. i’m looking forward to continuing the game.
Hi! Really appreciate your lists. I like the looks of Tales of Legendia and Blue Reflection. With Tales I wonder if it'll be part of the anniversary remakes they're working on. Keep it up!
*Tales of Legendia is actually in my top 5 favorite Tales of games,* especially the character quests after the main game. The battles have a different "feel" to 'em, probably 'cuz they consist of devs from the Tekken & Soulcalibur fighting games. I have all the other games mentioned in this, too (except Harvestella), but haven't gotten to all 'em yet, so I skipped watching 'em. I'll try out Reynatis & Crystar soon, which I heard good & bad about, but I'll see for myself. Great topic.
You can't really trust "critics" anymore. Either they are forced by NDA for 8/10 or higher review for an early copy or they get handed a game to review that they don't like in that genre because they are on a smaller team. So you should always hold people who actually like that genre and play those types of games in higher regard.
You are so right, there are so many games that seem to reach JRPG perfection that if any game falls short they are said to be mid or worse. I’ve been looking for hidden gems and was on the fence about Crystar-I’m gonna check it out!
I mean, I've ever once in my life ever trusted critic scored of any form of media, usually if games aren't constant high octane action critics seem to always rate it low
I feel like there are so many games, let alone JRPGs that are overhated. Silent Hill 2R was a great recent example lol. Even before it came out! Personally my favorite overhated one is Sakura Wars on PS4. Sure it's nit as beautifully made with the same quality of music, art design, and character work... but it's still stupid fun, with a lot of heart.
This video was so refreshing, thank you. I was very happy to see many games on here that I feel similar about. Seriously though, it is so nice to see a video that isn’t just hating on games in general.
I have a very stubborn appreciation for Crystar despite its problems. It’s hard to recommend because of the gameplay, but it’s still a really striking game. Also I really feel you on Dirge of Cerberus. I always really liked that one. Anything after FFX gets ripped to shreds. Some of those games get a second chance, while the smaller stuff like Dirge gets ignored usually. And my biggest personal choice for a poorly reviewed JRPG is Monark. I won’t babble on about it because I already mentioned it in a previous comment on this channel, but it’s far better than reviewers believe. That game was one of those moments where I felt like I played a totally different game from what most other people were describing.
Hey thanks for covering Tales of Legendia. It donest deserve the hate it gets. It was my first tales game and I like the story and the world it's set in and the combat was fun. Also Samurai Legend Musashi is such a fun ps2 action rpg that gets dunked on
I haven't played Harvestella yet, but it's one game that, the more I see of it, the more I fall in love with! It seems like it hits right up my alley and I did not see eye to eye with the critics of this game, at least from what I have seen of it so far. I'm definitely going to spend a loooong time playing that one when I get the chance!
You are the ultimate Harvestella Chad! 🎉 I need to give Legendia a try, the art looks lovely! Crystar does look pretty interesting! I love the characters and story of Dirge to no end, but the game is so terrible to play! Honestly, bad reviews make me more likely to play a game! Great video, Brother! 👏
It looks like I have some games to add to my list to try out.Thanks to you dirge of cerberus is one of my favorite spin-off games. I never played final fantasy seven, but I played this
Man, you are so close to 10k subs! I hope you can get there by Halloween. Your content and sense of humor in your videos is perfect and I'm looking forward to seeing the channel grow even further! I've always wanted to create videos just like this but can't bring myself to sit down and talk to a camera haha. Keep up the great work, man!
Always happy to see Dirge get some recognition. I was a day 1 buyer and still have that copy in my collection. As for it not being fun… I think for the modern landscape DoC presents a nice change of pace. It’s a fast game to get through, the systems aren’t overly complicated, and it runs great on emulators. Highly suggest that folks check it out if they need a palate cleanser and crave some FF7.
I saw Crystar in the thumbnail and knew i had to click on it. This game took me by surprise since it was just a a gane i bought to pass time. The music and viduals are beautiful, and the dtory is something i didn't expect to remember and think about so long after finishing it. I'm glad i found out about the game when the "sequel" was announced because they're both beautiful underrated games.
Hey guys we finally found him! We found the Tenth Dentist! My favorite "mid" JRPG is either Arc Rise Fantasia or Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World.
I played Harvestella a couple of months ago based on your recommendation Brandon and boy am I glad I did! I'm not a huge story guy, but the story and many of the side quests were just so charming. I haven't played too many games with farming aspects to it, and I really liked that part too. It is definitely one of my favorite games of all time so thank you! I also want to mention Final Fantasy 12 and 13 as sorely underrated and I played 12 pre-Zodiac age.
Not sure if you have checked it out, but Edge of Eternity is a super good RPG made by a French company. It’s a smaller studio and the game has its issues for sure! I think it’s a gem for sure though.
@@JustTheGems I can’t say it’s the best JRPG ever, however if you stick with it then I think you can see it’s charm. It looks like they’re a great company to work for too (Midgar Studios).
Blue Reflection is one of my favorite games of all time. Really happy to see it here. Been recently playing through CryMachina and it seems to be in a very similar boat to Crystar. It's even better, but somehow no one has really noticed.
The realism with the weather's a nice touch, other games you get drenched... meh, my clothes are immune to rain... HAHA! Blue Reflection: Dammit, it's raining so i'm drenched now!
Half the games on this list are still games I'm considering. Harvestella doesn't even seem like I game I should be interested in because of the farming part but after playing a bit of sakuna and Dave the diver (well actually a LOT of this one) and similar breaks in gameplay I think I can handle that part. Reynatis and crymachina both look like they'd give me an experience I'd fondly remember maybe a decade down the line.
I’d love to have Dirge of Cerberus in my collection. Mostly just to have it for the FF7 fan in me. I also enjoyed FFXV, but I’ve bounced off of FFXIII too many times to count. Every so often I think, “maybe I should try it again.”
I bounced off 13 as well, but I eventually went back to it (and the rest of the trilogy) and finished it out. I have kind of middling feelings on it overall.
Good list on a topic that really resonates with me! Dirge is so underrated. I really want it to get a remake to cap off the FF7R project. I think they could do a great job with the new engine.
If I had to name the Switch game that left the strongest impression on me I'd definitely choose Harvestella. I loved almost everything about it, especially the music and the general atmosphere. It's been a while since I played it, but I still remember how much some of the conversations made me laugh, and still they didn't clash at all with the more serious moments. I never finished it (was distracted and then got stressed about no longer remembering my routine and the fighting system), maybe I should dig it out again. If they ever make it a series (which would be a dream come true), I'd love for them to flesh out the combat a little bit more though. It always annoyed me how you couldn't evade most attacks, so an option to dodge would be nice.
I don’t even love most JRPGS and Blue Reflection emotionally hooked me way more than I thought it would. It is a very special game to me as well. Top 5 osts for any game in my opinion
I played Harvestella based on your recommendation and really enjoyed it. It is totally not a farming sim. That’s such a small part of it. They have really done it a disservice by marketing it as one. I hope it gets a sequel someday, or maybe DLC. Though, I sadly doubt it. Probably the game I really love that gets a lot of hate (though not an RPG, but action adventure) is Immortals Fenyx Rising.
I loved the story in Legendia and the characters and the Music was amazing! I did not love the dungeons and felt they over stayed their welcome and then the fact that you have to go through them again in the second half of the story.
Clicked this video thinking "dont know this dude, lets see if hw knows what he's talking about" Then he pulled Harvestella first thing. Yeah, he know what he's talking about. Harvestella is a delicacy that rewards those who give it a chance.
Star Ocean the Divine Force at a 69 (NICE) score, would be my pick, while sure it's a bit on the unpolished side and may look a little ugly in places. The exploration with DUMA is addictive, the combat is the fastest and fun it's been since Star Ocean 4, the music is solid, and the cast is some of the best written characters of the series in a VERY long time. And has decent amounts of content and lots of cute easter eggs that will definitely appease Star Ocean fans for sure
i love me some blue reflection 1 and 2. I think the most important thing about a gamer is the games you like that everyone doesnt like, also like forspoken and love that combat.
Gotten excited when I saw the Crystar thumbnail 🤓 Gotten introduced to the game because of youtube music adding tracks from the soundtrack into my Playlists. Waited for a sale but the game started to get expensive 😒 Eventually got it on an eShop sale and 100% the entire game and had a blast 💪
This reminds me of my last few game searches i did on steam which most had mixed or bad reviews. But for the most part were bad because there were game breaking bugs that got fixed at some point and just no one bothered to update their reviews, or sometimes the games just wasn't for them so reading through their complaints or cons was a pro for me, to each their own. Games like Harvestella i do have on my wish list, but its kind of in the same group as other daily time limited farming games that may or may not have rpg exploration, ie Rune Factory, Atelier, harvest moon, on top of the many... MANY indie farm sim games that have huge followings. Personally i can't justify paying 80$ (cad) to get it when other games like it are much cheaper. Basically im over-saturated lol. I did pick up blue reflection during the turn-based rpg fest and already did own the 2nd game on the ps4, so i can see why people may dislike it but really to each their own. Some people like the school setting with teen drama and some people REALLY hate it. Dirge on the other hand i can see why people like it, but i'm in the camp that liked FF as a turn-based rpg franchise so ill stick to my grouchy ways lol.
Harvestella attracted my attention, however, I am not really into farming simulation (like Harvest moon or stardew valley), but I will put it on my wishlist to play it when is discounted at least. Also, (and I am talking in modern times), is it possible that game journalists only play the beginning and that is why they are unable to appreciate totallycorrectly the game. And remember everyone, every review is a personal opinion of the author of the review, so even if a famous person doesn't like it, doesn't mean that you wouldn't like it
Legendia is one of the only games that I've cried at and Shirley is one of the best characters in the series (Also if tou want more Go Shiina the Idolm@ster franchise has some of his best works inclsuing Tonari ni... and Tiny Ambition)
Yes! Dirge of Cerberus is better than a lot of people give it credit for. Forget all this alternate timeline, alternate dimension, whispers, stealth sequel junk. I like sequels that are straightforward and conclusive like Dirge of Cerberus. :)
I never consider Metacritic scores when choosing a game. Reviews are just opinions. I watch many of them and gameplay videos and decide myself if it’s something I want to play or not.
Why have I played Dirge of Cerberus but haven't finished any of the other Final Fantasy 7 games? I actually liked that game a lot. And while not a jrpg, Bleak Faith: Forsaken got a 63 on Metacritic and I think it deserves way more than that considering it was made by like 2 or 3 people.
Legendia is hated by most of the tales community, I haven't played it but it's important to always try a game yourself. My group of friends bashed on 3 houses but when I played it I loved it, despite watching game play vids and thinking I wouldn't be into it. Also. "the gamer" and metacritic aren't worth your time for an honest critique of a game. Metacritic user score are ok though
I thoroughly enjoy Blue Reflection. And I never mind the stuff I always hear people don't like with a lot of JRPGS. The game is a little slow but I don't mind at all.
I’m concerned that the new Romancing Saga 2 remake is going to experience the same type of review. I really enjoyed the demo which gives me hope for the full game but it definitely has its flaws. With that said that doesn’t mean it’s not going to be an enjoyable game. Thank you for your video! You’ve inspired me to pick up Harvestella.
Romancing Saga 2 is a wild fucking game. It feels like on the moment to moment it’s kinda generic and you might hesitate to pick it up and play it… but then 3 hours has gone by and a few quests have opened and a bunch of different places you can go and leads to follow make themselves apparent.
Hmmm. Maybe I need to take another look at Harvestella. I basically avoid any game with farming or “slice of life” mechanics. Some of the others here I’ve tried, and they’re not for me (Eternights, 5 mins). The 1st games that came to mind when seeing the title of this video are Reynatis & Crystal. 2 games I really liked. Dirge of Cerberus needs a remake with better mechanics. It’s a good game. Final Fantasy XV is my favorite FF. The “road trip with your bros” set up is nostalgic for me, especially the landscapes. The world, as an older person, is highly reminiscent of eastern California between San Francisco(where I grew up) and Tahoe / Sierra Nevada, along with the “1960s America” art and mechanical designs. Me and my bros did many camping and roadtrips as teens in the late 80s, and a lot of the game reminds me of those days.
I pressed like on the video, but in all honesty I loved this. I’m one of those people who has a lot of faves in what would be considered the ‘B tier’ space. Nier was one of the most important games in my life and that got horrendous reviews when it came out on the 360. That being said, Dirge of Cerberus is a tough one to get through. (Also you’re not nuts for the most part, tho I doubt their being a renewed appreciation for FFXV. It’s just too fractured tho admittedly, the DLC was a lot of fun.)
Honestly the best youtuber i started watching this year. You have some many takes that i agree with especially in the jrpg space where everyone can be so hateful. I no longer take reviewers seriously anymore as most rather tear a game down. I missed so many games from only looking at review scores that im still catching up.
Blue reflection feels like a weekly magical girl anime For teens and Young adults. The gameplay loop, and Plot loop, Is segmented like "episodes" of an anime, centered around the problems of One New girl at a time. The art Is great, it sets the mood perfectly. Calming, soft, atmosferic, just beautiful, really Nice to look at ... The monsters look nasty though. Gameplay Is quite basic, there Is some depth to it, but not much.
I love the new FF games and I’m an old fan. I started with FF1 when it came out and I was still in grade school. I have a hard time with enjoying turn based games now with all the great ARPGs.
Blue reflection was enjoayble. I got suckered spending $182 for it before it got rereleased lol so i actually bought a second copy and have it sealed. It inspired me to buy and complete second light. The second i don't think is good as the first.... I might need to revisit.
Blue Reflection is a Gust game made before they got all the Ryza bucks, so of course it was made on a budget of about $20 where 95% of it was (well) spent on the soundtrack and character art. But it's one of those games that hits in all the right places once you get over that lack of polish. The writing really is that incredible. The ending absolutely broke me. This is the first Gust game I played, and I was immediately drawn in.
2 things i learned from this video:
1 - Good music can make a game way easier to forgive
2 - Game reviews are BRUTAL
I love the concept of this video so much. As someone who loves niche hidden gems that might be under-appreciated, it spoke to my soul. There have been so many games where the gameplay got tedious or wasn’t on par with AAA RPGs, BUT they were some of my favourite, deepest experiences ever. I’ll definitely give one of these a try some day.
(Edit: Holy sh**, Blue Reflection! Yes 🙌🏽)
I think I’m like 30 hrs into Harvestella (Ch 7 I think) and on the one hand, nothing about it really stands out… but it’s somehow SO MUCH BETTER than the sum of its parts.
I’m just playing Reynatis! I agree with all of these, I like them all.
Here are a few others: Tales of Zestiria, Valkyria Revolution and Star Ocean Integrity and Faithlessness
Oh, those are some actually hated games. ^^;
Tales of Zestiria was good but definitely one of the weaker entries. The battle camera angle alone was an absolute nightmare at times as the scenery would often block your view of whatever was happening. I didn't like the way you powered up your characters through equipment although it wasn't a deal breaker for me like it was for a lot of people.
Star ocean 5 wasn't the best, I finished it but it felt on a much smaller scale than all the others and having a larger battle party was a bit much at times. I much preferred star ocean the last hope to it which in my opinion has the best battle system of all the games.
I have valkyria revolution but I haven't touched it yet so I can't comment on that one.
Add in SO3 Till the End of Time and that’s a great list
I like this channel specifically because you aren't chugging the Haterade
🥂
It’s all about the love juice? 🤔
IIRC Crystar had 100 or close to 100 User Ratings on Metacritic. The game itself has middling critic scores, but it left a strong impression on people who played it for the story. I include myself in that group, the gameplay is not particularly great, but the story was very compelling.
Sometimes I think critics get into a sort of groupthink situation and you have to also look at the general player response to really get a full picture of the game
I got Crystar earlier this year and we really enjoyed it. I picked up Reynatis at launch. I've been having a blast, but maybe my love of TWEWY makes me a bit biased. It's definitely heavily influenced by it... the collab makes it that much better.
I absolutely love Blue Reflection Second Light, still haven't played the first.
Completely 100% agree with everything you said about Blue Reflection. Holy sh**, you literally put my exact feelings into words so well, particularly about the soundtrack and vibes. I love Gust’s games. EVERYONE should at least play the sequel, as it’s a genuinely good game.
I played Blue Reflection Second Light first and fell in love with it and went back and bought the first one and loved it too
Similar journey, I almost played the first one to completion
We need more videos like this, as a person who genuinely likes FF2 a lot... i feel like mob piling on games often makes people ignore or come in biased against games they would have otherwise enjoyed.
I personally liked Crystar and Reynatis. To me, if a game is fun, then that's awesome but more than that, "Tell me a story." I can forgive a lot of flaws for good story telling, and that's with all genres.
Tales of Legendia was awesome and I love it, I don't care what anyone else thinks. I also love all the other Tales Of games.
I really enjoyed Eternights as well. Watching reviews about games like these are so eye rollingly annoying that I've completely stopped watching reviews in recent years.
FF XV is one of my all time favorite games.
I'll definitely check these other games out!
Crystar is very underrated. I always thought the art style was beautiful and I find the combat quite alright.
Amusing that the first two games on the list share a composer. Go Shiina is truly one of the most underrated and underutilized composers in gaming.
Great list too, by the way. Several of my favorites on there too.
"Short Circuit" has been stuck in my head for nearly twenty years.
@@adammason4314 Dude, excellent pick. Possibly my most listened to song on the ToL soundtrack.
It's all a mindset, savour what a game does well rather than what it doesn't. There's worse things in life than some jank in video games.
Huge harvestella fan. Recently the creators have been sharing lore and drawings about the game
What a great concept. I really hope you'll make other videos lile this one.
Harvestella, Cry machina and Reynatis are all games I ended up buying despite the critics being very bad. I enjoyed all of them
Dirge of Cerberus is like Final Fantasy 15 in that it suffers more from the expectations of being a Final Fantasy than it does from its own flaws.
The problem with XV is that it requires too much external media to be understood
@@varenoftatooine2393 Right? Like, a day 1 patch that's just a scene from the movie that nobody watched.
The Last Remnant did not deserve all bad criticism it got
Harvestella and Tales of Legendia were games I loved.
Hmmm….There’s at least a couple of games that come to mind that aren’t listed here….
-“Lord of Magna: Maiden Heaven.” published by XSEED d developed by marvelous for the 3DS
-“Maglam Lord” published by PQube and developed by Felistella.
-“Nights of Azure’s 1&2” developed by Gust.
Neither of these games had like some sort of emotional or memorable story to them (well maybe Nights of azure games, they definitely have a form of emotion to them…)
but I generally liked the gameplay for these games that I mentioned, and I definitely enjoyed the music for all of them.
Anyways…It’s nice to see in the comments that some of us generally agree that games like “Blue Reflection” & “Crystar” has left an impression on us that some of us can all appreciate the two games even with the flaws.
I definitely need to get my hands on CryMachina, really like the art style and music (when I’ve been listening a lot.)
Man hearing you talk about Tales of Legendia in a modern setting is incredibly pleasing.
Tales of Legendia is in my top 5 all time favorite videos games ever mainly for the characters and music. Amazing list. Gonna check out Harvestella
The thing I remember most about tales of legendary, is body slamming a whale in slow motion 😂. That and a rather good story twist
Awesome list! I usually don't like mid games but Harvestella is NOT mid at all! One of my favourites! Blue Reflection is also oddly amazing haha
Great list Branden! Glad to see Harvestella in here!
Thanks! Harvestella hype!!
interesting seeing legendia on here. it’s a game i started recently on a whim and you’re right: i was absolutely floored by the soundtrack. phenomenal and FAR better than the tired, recycled sakuraba compositions. i’m looking forward to continuing the game.
So glad when I find someone else who gets it!
Hi! Really appreciate your lists. I like the looks of Tales of Legendia and Blue Reflection. With Tales I wonder if it'll be part of the anniversary remakes they're working on. Keep it up!
I hope they do keep releasing remasters of Tales, I want the series to grow over here (and maybe finally get some of the games we missed).
*Tales of Legendia is actually in my top 5 favorite Tales of games,* especially the character quests after the main game. The battles have a different "feel" to 'em, probably 'cuz they consist of devs from the Tekken & Soulcalibur fighting games.
I have all the other games mentioned in this, too (except Harvestella), but haven't gotten to all 'em yet, so I skipped watching 'em. I'll try out Reynatis & Crystar soon, which I heard good & bad about, but I'll see for myself. Great topic.
Fun fact about Legendia. Only half the English version is dubbed. Fans had to put together an undub patch just to restore the muted dialogue.
You can't really trust "critics" anymore. Either they are forced by NDA for 8/10 or higher review for an early copy or they get handed a game to review that they don't like in that genre because they are on a smaller team. So you should always hold people who actually like that genre and play those types of games in higher regard.
~70 Metacritic grade is usually the max grade a game will get if it isn’t a mainstream blob made to please anyone
Thank you for a genuinely honest review.
Too many reviews today aren't reviews. And companies like IGN accept bribes to give good or bad reviews
You are so right, there are so many games that seem to reach JRPG perfection that if any game falls short they are said to be mid or worse.
I’ve been looking for hidden gems and was on the fence about Crystar-I’m gonna check it out!
I mean, I've ever once in my life ever trusted critic scored of any form of media, usually if games aren't constant high octane action critics seem to always rate it low
This made me realize that I love your channel so much because of how chill you are. Nothing is too terrible. Keep it up please ❤
I feel like there are so many games, let alone JRPGs that are overhated. Silent Hill 2R was a great recent example lol. Even before it came out!
Personally my favorite overhated one is Sakura Wars on PS4. Sure it's nit as beautifully made with the same quality of music, art design, and character work... but it's still stupid fun, with a lot of heart.
This video was so refreshing, thank you. I was very happy to see many games on here that I feel similar about.
Seriously though, it is so nice to see a video that isn’t just hating on games in general.
As a huge Code Vein fan, I love hearing all this Go Shiina love.
I have a very stubborn appreciation for Crystar despite its problems. It’s hard to recommend because of the gameplay, but it’s still a really striking game. Also I really feel you on Dirge of Cerberus. I always really liked that one. Anything after FFX gets ripped to shreds. Some of those games get a second chance, while the smaller stuff like Dirge gets ignored usually.
And my biggest personal choice for a poorly reviewed JRPG is Monark. I won’t babble on about it because I already mentioned it in a previous comment on this channel, but it’s far better than reviewers believe. That game was one of those moments where I felt like I played a totally different game from what most other people were describing.
Monark is getting moved up on my list for sure
It's been 84 years and finally someone gives Tales of Legendia its flowers
Hey thanks for covering Tales of Legendia. It donest deserve the hate it gets. It was my first tales game and I like the story and the world it's set in and the combat was fun. Also Samurai Legend Musashi is such a fun ps2 action rpg that gets dunked on
I liked both Eternights and Crystar.. and I have the Platinum for both
And I also own Blue Reflection and Reynatis but haven't played it..
biggest complaint, a fair few of these games only have japanese voice acting
Also bothers me tbh
I haven't played Harvestella yet, but it's one game that, the more I see of it, the more I fall in love with!
It seems like it hits right up my alley and I did not see eye to eye with the critics of this game, at least from what I have seen of it so far.
I'm definitely going to spend a loooong time playing that one when I get the chance!
It's a breathtaking game in a lot of ways, I highly recommend it
You are the ultimate Harvestella Chad! 🎉 I need to give Legendia a try, the art looks lovely! Crystar does look pretty interesting! I love the characters and story of Dirge to no end, but the game is so terrible to play! Honestly, bad reviews make me more likely to play a game! Great video, Brother! 👏
Thanks man!!
It looks like I have some games to add to my list to try out.Thanks to you dirge of cerberus is one of my favorite spin-off games. I never played final fantasy seven, but I played this
I'm playing CRYSTAR and is basically like you said, others like "ultra age" have it's charms as well if you give time .
Man, you are so close to 10k subs! I hope you can get there by Halloween. Your content and sense of humor in your videos is perfect and I'm looking forward to seeing the channel grow even further! I've always wanted to create videos just like this but can't bring myself to sit down and talk to a camera haha. Keep up the great work, man!
Always happy to see Dirge get some recognition. I was a day 1 buyer and still have that copy in my collection. As for it not being fun… I think for the modern landscape DoC presents a nice change of pace. It’s a fast game to get through, the systems aren’t overly complicated, and it runs great on emulators. Highly suggest that folks check it out if they need a palate cleanser and crave some FF7.
I saw Crystar in the thumbnail and knew i had to click on it. This game took me by surprise since it was just a a gane i bought to pass time. The music and viduals are beautiful, and the dtory is something i didn't expect to remember and think about so long after finishing it.
I'm glad i found out about the game when the "sequel" was announced because they're both beautiful underrated games.
Tales of Legendia shoutout. One of my all time favorites as a kid with some of my favorite characters!
Yes! Always happy to find another Legendia fan!
Tales of Legendia is incredibly underrated
It has the best music from all the games in that era
Hey guys we finally found him! We found the Tenth Dentist!
My favorite "mid" JRPG is either Arc Rise Fantasia or Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World.
I played Harvestella a couple of months ago based on your recommendation Brandon and boy am I glad I did! I'm not a huge story guy, but the story and many of the side quests were just so charming. I haven't played too many games with farming aspects to it, and I really liked that part too. It is definitely one of my favorite games of all time so thank you! I also want to mention Final Fantasy 12 and 13 as sorely underrated and I played 12 pre-Zodiac age.
Yes! So glad to hear that!
You’re not nuts. I love a lot of these games. I wouldn’t have loved playing Harvestella if I hadn’t seen one of your old videos.
So glad to hear that!!
Not sure if you have checked it out, but Edge of Eternity is a super good RPG made by a French company. It’s a smaller studio and the game has its issues for sure! I think it’s a gem for sure though.
I own it, but I haven't tried it yet!
@@JustTheGems I can’t say it’s the best JRPG ever, however if you stick with it then I think you can see it’s charm. It looks like they’re a great company to work for too (Midgar Studios).
Blue Reflection is one of my favorite games of all time. Really happy to see it here.
Been recently playing through CryMachina and it seems to be in a very similar boat to Crystar. It's even better, but somehow no one has really noticed.
The realism with the weather's a nice touch, other games you get drenched... meh, my clothes are immune to rain... HAHA!
Blue Reflection: Dammit, it's raining so i'm drenched now!
Half the games on this list are still games I'm considering. Harvestella doesn't even seem like I game I should be interested in because of the farming part but after playing a bit of sakuna and Dave the diver (well actually a LOT of this one) and similar breaks in gameplay I think I can handle that part.
Reynatis and crymachina both look like they'd give me an experience I'd fondly remember maybe a decade down the line.
Harsh reviews are the reason I ignore metacritic scores. I'd rather experience it myself and decide whether it was worth my time or not.
Yeah, I always look at Eternight in my wishlist just floating there, waiting for me to buy it. Same with crystar. Guess I give them a chance.
I’d love to have Dirge of Cerberus in my collection. Mostly just to have it for the FF7 fan in me.
I also enjoyed FFXV, but I’ve bounced off of FFXIII too many times to count. Every so often I think, “maybe I should try it again.”
I bounced off 13 as well, but I eventually went back to it (and the rest of the trilogy) and finished it out. I have kind of middling feelings on it overall.
Good list on a topic that really resonates with me!
Dirge is so underrated. I really want it to get a remake to cap off the FF7R project. I think they could do a great job with the new engine.
If I had to name the Switch game that left the strongest impression on me I'd definitely choose Harvestella. I loved almost everything about it, especially the music and the general atmosphere. It's been a while since I played it, but I still remember how much some of the conversations made me laugh, and still they didn't clash at all with the more serious moments. I never finished it (was distracted and then got stressed about no longer remembering my routine and the fighting system), maybe I should dig it out again.
If they ever make it a series (which would be a dream come true), I'd love for them to flesh out the combat a little bit more though. It always annoyed me how you couldn't evade most attacks, so an option to dodge would be nice.
I don’t even love most JRPGS and Blue Reflection emotionally hooked me way more than I thought it would. It is a very special game to me as well. Top 5 osts for any game in my opinion
Next thing you know, you'll tell me that The DioField Chronicle was the true 2022 GOTY.
I played Harvestella based on your recommendation and really enjoyed it. It is totally not a farming sim. That’s such a small part of it. They have really done it a disservice by marketing it as one. I hope it gets a sequel someday, or maybe DLC. Though, I sadly doubt it.
Probably the game I really love that gets a lot of hate (though not an RPG, but action adventure) is Immortals Fenyx Rising.
Oh I haven't played Immortals yet, I'm glad to hear it's enjoyable!
I'm having a blast playing Reynatis and I'm glad that Eternights is on the the list. Me and my friend enjoy that game when we played it on steam.
I loved the story in Legendia and the characters and the Music was amazing! I did not love the dungeons and felt they over stayed their welcome and then the fact that you have to go through them again in the second half of the story.
Clicked this video thinking "dont know this dude, lets see if hw knows what he's talking about"
Then he pulled Harvestella first thing. Yeah, he know what he's talking about.
Harvestella is a delicacy that rewards those who give it a chance.
whats that wall scroll in the background there?
It is the Trails Of aka Kiseki protagonist tapestry/poster that came with Trails of Cold Steel 4 and maybe other editions of things
Star Ocean the Divine Force at a 69 (NICE) score, would be my pick, while sure it's a bit on the unpolished side and may look a little ugly in places.
The exploration with DUMA is addictive, the combat is the fastest and fun it's been since Star Ocean 4, the music is solid, and the cast is some of the best written characters of the series in a VERY long time. And has decent amounts of content and lots of cute easter eggs that will definitely appease Star Ocean fans for sure
i love me some blue reflection 1 and 2. I think the most important thing about a gamer is the games you like that everyone doesnt like, also like forspoken and love that combat.
Gotten excited when I saw the Crystar thumbnail 🤓
Gotten introduced to the game because of youtube music adding tracks from the soundtrack into my Playlists. Waited for a sale but the game started to get expensive 😒
Eventually got it on an eShop sale and 100% the entire game and had a blast 💪
Suikoden 4! It's not at all bad and it's directly related to Suikoden Tactics, my favorite of the series.
This reminds me of my last few game searches i did on steam which most had mixed or bad reviews. But for the most part were bad because there were game breaking bugs that got fixed at some point and just no one bothered to update their reviews, or sometimes the games just wasn't for them so reading through their complaints or cons was a pro for me, to each their own.
Games like Harvestella i do have on my wish list, but its kind of in the same group as other daily time limited farming games that may or may not have rpg exploration, ie Rune Factory, Atelier, harvest moon, on top of the many... MANY indie farm sim games that have huge followings. Personally i can't justify paying 80$ (cad) to get it when other games like it are much cheaper. Basically im over-saturated lol.
I did pick up blue reflection during the turn-based rpg fest and already did own the 2nd game on the ps4, so i can see why people may dislike it but really to each their own. Some people like the school setting with teen drama and some people REALLY hate it. Dirge on the other hand i can see why people like it, but i'm in the camp that liked FF as a turn-based rpg franchise so ill stick to my grouchy ways lol.
I enjoyed harvestella very much. Fun combat, gorgous audio and visual.
Harvestella attracted my attention, however, I am not really into farming simulation (like Harvest moon or stardew valley), but I will put it on my wishlist to play it when is discounted at least.
Also, (and I am talking in modern times), is it possible that game journalists only play the beginning and that is why they are unable to appreciate totallycorrectly the game.
And remember everyone, every review is a personal opinion of the author of the review, so even if a famous person doesn't like it, doesn't mean that you wouldn't like it
The kill thing is about TikToks algorithm specific, it's hates "bad" words like kill and sex
Legendia is one of the only games that I've cried at and Shirley is one of the best characters in the series
(Also if tou want more Go Shiina the Idolm@ster franchise has some of his best works inclsuing Tonari ni... and Tiny Ambition)
Yes! Dirge of Cerberus is better than a lot of people give it credit for.
Forget all this alternate timeline, alternate dimension, whispers, stealth sequel junk. I like sequels that are straightforward and conclusive like Dirge of Cerberus. :)
I knew Harvestella was gonna be in the video!
Jokes aside, though, I didnt even know any of these were getting hate. Most are on my backlog right now
Harvestella is good, most of this list is good, blue reflection is a vibe second light is soooo good 💯 good vid
Do you think the switch chibi ff15 is worth playing? I think its the only way I can play 15
I remember enjoying Dirge of Cerebrus alot when I was a kid and in my opinion is highly underrated and then I'm a FF7 maniac so of course I'm biased.
I never consider Metacritic scores when choosing a game. Reviews are just opinions. I watch many of them and gameplay videos and decide myself if it’s something I want to play or not.
Why have I played Dirge of Cerberus but haven't finished any of the other Final Fantasy 7 games? I actually liked that game a lot. And while not a jrpg, Bleak Faith: Forsaken got a 63 on Metacritic and I think it deserves way more than that considering it was made by like 2 or 3 people.
Legendia is hated by most of the tales community, I haven't played it but it's important to always try a game yourself. My group of friends bashed on 3 houses but when I played it I loved it, despite watching game play vids and thinking I wouldn't be into it. Also. "the gamer" and metacritic aren't worth your time for an honest critique of a game. Metacritic user score are ok though
I thoroughly enjoy Blue Reflection. And I never mind the stuff I always hear people don't like with a lot of JRPGS. The game is a little slow but I don't mind at all.
I’m concerned that the new Romancing Saga 2 remake is going to experience the same type of review. I really enjoyed the demo which gives me hope for the full game but it definitely has its flaws. With that said that doesn’t mean it’s not going to be an enjoyable game. Thank you for your video! You’ve inspired me to pick up Harvestella.
I hope you enjoy it!
Romancing Saga 2 is a wild fucking game. It feels like on the moment to moment it’s kinda generic and you might hesitate to pick it up and play it… but then 3 hours has gone by and a few quests have opened and a bunch of different places you can go and leads to follow make themselves apparent.
Hmmm. Maybe I need to take another look at Harvestella. I basically avoid any game with farming or “slice of life” mechanics. Some of the others here I’ve tried, and they’re not for me (Eternights, 5 mins).
The 1st games that came to mind when seeing the title of this video are Reynatis & Crystal. 2 games I really liked.
Dirge of Cerberus needs a remake with better mechanics. It’s a good game.
Final Fantasy XV is my favorite FF. The “road trip with your bros” set up is nostalgic for me, especially the landscapes. The world, as an older person, is highly reminiscent of eastern California between San Francisco(where I grew up) and Tahoe / Sierra Nevada, along with the “1960s America” art and mechanical designs. Me and my bros did many camping and roadtrips as teens in the late 80s, and a lot of the game reminds me of those days.
I just wish Blue Reflection ran better than a slideshow on my PC >.>
I pressed like on the video, but in all honesty I loved this. I’m one of those people who has a lot of faves in what would be considered the ‘B tier’ space. Nier was one of the most important games in my life and that got horrendous reviews when it came out on the 360. That being said, Dirge of Cerberus is a tough one to get through. (Also you’re not nuts for the most part, tho I doubt their being a renewed appreciation for FFXV. It’s just too fractured tho admittedly, the DLC was a lot of fun.)
hey man have you heard about Bloodless? Its an action adventure that's a hidden gem. Very unique.
Honestly the best youtuber i started watching this year. You have some many takes that i agree with especially in the jrpg space where everyone can be so hateful. I no longer take reviewers seriously anymore as most rather tear a game down. I missed so many games from only looking at review scores that im still catching up.
I really appreciate hearing that, it's validating because that's what I want to be, a place of general positivity in the genre.
Always glad to see FFXV get some love. Way too many people drinking the Haterade on that one.
Blue reflection feels like a weekly magical girl anime For teens and Young adults. The gameplay loop, and Plot loop, Is segmented like "episodes" of an anime, centered around the problems of One New girl at a time.
The art Is great, it sets the mood perfectly. Calming, soft, atmosferic, just beautiful, really Nice to look at ... The monsters look nasty though.
Gameplay Is quite basic, there Is some depth to it, but not much.
As far as i can tell, old final Fantasy fans generally dislike modern final Fantasy due to the series departure from turn based combat.
💯 I think a lack of a top down world to explore hurts the experience for many of us as well.
Yes we do
Not me, I like where rebirth is taking things
I love the new FF games and I’m an old fan. I started with FF1 when it came out and I was still in grade school. I have a hard time with enjoying turn based games now with all the great ARPGs.
Blue reflection was enjoayble. I got suckered spending $182 for it before it got rereleased lol so i actually bought a second copy and have it sealed. It inspired me to buy and complete second light. The second i don't think is good as the first.... I might need to revisit.
I'd love for a Harvestella 2... a couple hundred years into the future with a bit more refinement. One can dream...