Hey JD, I just wanted your take on Final Fantasy Tactics... I missed it last year and am wondering whether to get it as opposed to the newer and more expensive Lunar. I am looking for something that will be fun and intriguing. I am already a great fan of the FF series (who isn't) but am curious about Lunar. What should I do?
-One confused RPG guy

JD:
You can't go wrong with either game. Both games are great on their own right. I guess it depends which you enjoy more Strategy/RPG or RPG. As good as FFT is, in my opinion Lunar SSSC wins hands down.

Is Ogre Battle 3 comming out in the US? If so, is there a date set?

JD:
Yes. The game is now titled Ogre Battle 64 and will be released in the US late '99.

I can't believe why the majority of the RPGaming population HATEs SaGa Frontier. I mean, okay, it might be frustrating at first, but I loved it. Yes, I LOVED it. L-O-V-E-D it. I've seen the Programmer's Room, but it wasn't too good. All you get it a bunch of programmers disguised as the characters in da game, wacky battles, fighting all 7 last bosses and a hidden Juke Box feature including unreleased music, like Blue's Ending, etc. The best thing was comparing my System Data with my friends'... but that's not saying much. My fav character was Asellus... I started 16 games, finished 21 times but the game counted 5 as 'real'. I got all three endings, but they were too dang short to be an ending... I can't believe that guy in your column said 'It's OK to hate SaGa Frontier'. Sorry for the bad English, I'm an Indonesian.

- Joji Halim

Hey JD! (when viewed sideways, "JD" looks like a very happy fellow with a candy-cane for eyes. Odd.)
Well, here you go. Questions, comments, AND Ego Enlargement! (my own ego and yours. For free! How about that?)

1. Why, in the name of all that is good, is Ehrgeiz not included in the RPG section? I bought the d*mn game, and I now have all the endings, and the secret characters. (yeah, I know, I'm good....of course it's not not that hard when set on very easy...d'oh!) I decided to give that "Brand New Quest" mode a swing. And that's a(n?) RPG if I ever saw one. Yes, I've seen one. Armor, weapons, materia (yes, materia), potions, magic, monsters, story line (quest for the secret of immortality)...etc. This thing has all the RPG elements!!
2. JD....you rule!!! Uh...but lay off of Ryan, okay?
3. My uncle owns DC shoes!! Ha ha!! Hey, and if he, (or any o' his associates) see this, "Hey Ken!!! Thanx for the PSX!!! You rock!!!" :) Sorry, I'm done with the gloating for now.
4. Star Ocean 2....80 endings...?!?!?! Holy frick!! I'm buyin' that game!! (See? The 80 endings marketing ploy works. ^_^)
5. Why do you bash SaGa Frontier? It had it's flaws (cough) but still managed to be a decent game. It made me nostalgic for those 16 bit games I still play every day...*sigh* Okay, that's enough for me! C U L8er! (can you read that? I hope so) ~Katt "Oh... No... I... Have... Zeromus... Syndrome..."

- Chuan

JD:
1. Because, it's not a RPG. Period!
2. Thanks for the kudos. Do I really have to? It's been so fun...Seriously though when have I done contrary to that?
3. Does he have a DC hat too?
4. 80+ endings is an interesting concept. We'll see how the endings pan out though. I doubt I could have the stomach to play through more than twice.
5. Look above.

JD:
Instead of trying be fashionable maybe Square should concentrate on making better games? No I'm not dissing Square people, so don't even try sending me any flames. :P

JD:
Let me guess nature hasn't called yet?

JD:
That's too thought provoking for me to answer.