We won: On The Last Story and American release
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A scant two days before its European release, us Western RPG players got the best news we could hope for: The Last Story is getting an American release. The forces of good have prevailed. We’ve now gone full circle on the saga of Xenoblade and The Last Story, having moved from full on depression at the idea that Nintendo of America would throw away the most critically acclaimed JRPGs of this generation to cautious, restrained optimism at the idea that Xenoblade would release as a Gamestop exclusive to now, finally, acceptance thanks to Nintendo and XSeed coming together to bring The Last Story to America. It doesn’t take a genius to see that the JRPG has been at best mediocre across the board, at worst utterly decrepit on modern consoles. Sure, it’s experienced a renaissance on handhelds, with brilliant, top five JRPG of all time caliber games like Radiant Historia, but these games did nothing but reinforce the trope that the JRPG was a relic of the past. The “best” console JRPG of the generation, Mistwalker’s Lost Odyssey, felt like a good title lost at sea trying to find relevance in a market that didn’t desire it. By way of comparison, it felt like Jade Empire or Knights of the Old Republic stripped of its Star Wars trappings: Lost Odyssey was a good game that wasn’t quite sure how to conquer the realities of the modern HD generation.
By this metaphor, Xenoblade and The Last Story appear to be JRPG’s Mass Effect and Dragon Age, where the genre finally figured out how to take bold new steps into the future. They take classic JRPG ideas and meld them with novel strategies, something which has to be exciting for any fan of the genre except the most hardened traditionalist. Because here’s the thing: while the last two generations were defined by JRPGs (the Playstation by Final Fantasy VII, the Playstation 2 by Final Fantasy X and, in the minds of its rabid fans, Persona), in this one they’ve barely been a footnote. Which is what made it so strange that Nintendo would reject these two titles. Sure, lots of gamers express scorn at JRPGs, but it’s a pretty beloved genre for a large portion of the internet. And here were two games that, apparently, do everything right: they hit all the high notes of the JRPG and enough new ones to be revolutionary experiences. On a console as dead as the Wii is right now, I’m still amazed these games were plotted for quicker releases. Then again, now they’ll come out in the relatively dead summer months (JRPG fans are laughing knowingly, because the summer has always been Atlus time, when Atlus releases their new games to avoid the holiday rush), where they might make some more mainstream noise. JRPG fans are no doubt even more thrilled, especially with titles like Gungnir and Growlanser: Wayfarers of Time holding down the traditional JRPG fort on the PSP. And as a fan of the genre, it’s hard not to go through today and think that we won. Operation Rainfall did it. The JRPG isn’t dead; long live the JRPG. |
I didnt want to post on this nothing site but now I am going to have to teach them about rpgs
Theres been hundreds of critically acclaimed japanese rpgs this gen. Metacritic, is a companies waste of time.
It doesnt take a genius to see that considering consoles position in japan, there have been more japanese rpgs than ever, and alot of really stunning ones.
“but these games did nothing but reinforce the trope that the JRPG was a relic of the past. ”
So because a game is on a handheld its a relic of the past? Is that why handhelds are number 1 worldwide? Maybe consoles are a relic of the past.
I would take twewy over skyrim anyday
“The “best” console JRPG of the generation, Mistwalker’s Lost Odyssey, felt like a good title lost at sea trying to find relevance in a market that didn’t desire it. By way of comparison, it felt like Jade Empire or Knights of the Old Republic stripped of its Star Wars trappings: Lost Odyssey was a good game that wasn’t quite sure how to conquer the realities of the modern HD generation.”
this is the most retarded statement Id ever read. Lost oddessy was critically acclaimed and sold very well. It seems like the market did desire it. Disgaea 4, highest selling disgaea. 13-2 critically aclaimed
“:Because here’s the thing: while the last two generations were defined by JRPGs (the Playstation by Final Fantasy VII, the Playstation 2 by Final Fantasy X and, in the minds of its rabid fans, Persona), in this one they’ve barely been a footnote.”
oh so your a sony troll who is so insecure that japanese rpgs are actually MORE popular this gen. Thats why we are seeing older titles
Your a troll, and an rpg moron
Thanks for commenting on our nothing site. I bet you have a better one!
I agree with you on handhelds, which is why I didn’t comment on them. The SNES-era revival on the DS and PSP have produced tons of excellent JRPGs. Two of my favorite JRPGs of all time (Devil Survivor and Radiant Historia) have both been handheld releases. So I’m with you on that. They are “relics”, though, in the sense that they could have existed without much alteration on the Super Nintendo.
But saying Lost Odyssey was critically acclaimed is pretty much bullshit. 78 on Metacritic, less than a million copies means a decent reception critically and commercially but hardly “acclaim”.
You didnt comment on handhelds? no you only said being on them proves japanese rpgs are relics. If thats an insult. I dont know what is
The ps3 has sprite rpgs. Is that snes revival? No
So radiant historia and devil survivor arent either. They are just as modern as anything else. No they couldnt of existed on the snes. Nor would the ever have been localized.
Megaten was never localized before the jrpg community grew, and now they are localized.
Metacritic doesnt mean anything. Especially when not every site reviews the same game, nor the same reviewer, with the same bias. You want critical acclaim, ask the fans.
According to mistwalker it did go platinum worldwide which for a new ip rpg is PHENOMENAL
There hasnt been a single western rpg better than even a mid tier japanese rpg this gen which has seen more rpgs, on more systems than ever.
In fact weve seen more rpgs from past gens, in this one. Because they are so popular
No offense dude, but you saying your a japanese rpg fan is an insult to the genre.
You are knowledge less, you generalize, and you hate
Yes jrpgs defined the psx and ps2.
And this gen they define the ds,psp, the wii, and even the ps3 in terms of rpg
And you say handheld rpgs prove they are relics of the past? really? The prove to me that handhelds are number 1 worldwide and they have gotten so much incredible rpg support, I cant help but be blessed
skyrim is generic garbage, mass effect isnt an rpg, dragon age 2 was shovelware.
I would take any japanese rpg over any western rpg any day
Your insulting lost oddessy comes off as hollow shit. It was critically and commercially successful
No offense dude, but you saying your a japanese rpg fan is an insult to the genre.
You are knowledge less, you generalize, and you hate
Yes jrpgs defined the psx and ps2.
And this gen they define the ds,psp, the wii, and even the ps3 in terms of rpg