RPGCast – Episode 518: “Cohesive Beginning, Middle, and End”
This week, Alex and Anna Marie can talk about their embargoed games, Peter finishes a SNES classic, and Chris worries about his cats. Kelley’s question of the week leads us down rabbit holes we probably shouldn’t have explored, but we’re doing it live and that’s how we roll.
Question of the Week
What is your “unpopular game opinion” when it comes to RPGs?
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QotW: The only definitive version of Chrono Trigger is the SNES version because it eliminates the DS version’s ties to Chrono Cross.
I’ve grinded in every single dragon quest I’ve played. I think 11 has less of it, but I still did.
Unpopular opinion- while I do enjoy kingdom hearts I think a lot of squares bad habits and downward trends can be traced back to it.
The last question of the week asked for bad performances from otherwise good actors. Arc Rise Fantastia isn’t exactly known for its good actors. 😛 If anything, I could list two of the best actors in that game, out of a sea of terrible ones.
Anyway, I’ve already shared a few Unpopular video game opinions, but I’ve got a ton!
There is no single “golden age of RPGs.” Every era of gaming has its share of excellent games.
Wow… What was going on with Chris this week? Between his extreme ADD and interrupting and talking over everyone he could as much as he could, I was ready to reach my hands the the internet and strangle him. Is everything okay in your life, Chris? You good? Was this some kind of cry for help?
QOTW: #REALLYUnpopularRPGOpinion Final Fantasy X is an extremely overrated game that has very interesting characters that are all entirely overshadowed by the story of two of the blandest characters ever written who’s only romantic chemistry that brings them together is that they both have daddy issues. … Fite me. Sorry, Not Sorry. (that’s what you’re suppose to say at the ends of those kinds of statements, right?)
Since it has been brought up in this podcast, Why does everyone hate Witch and the Hundred Knight. I played and enjoyed the Revival edition on the PS4. The music was really good, combat was repetitive but fun switching between the different styles and weapons to cause massive damage. I thought Metallia was actually a good character. At the start of the game she was harsh and cruel but as the game progressed I thought she became more compassionate and went from villian to hero. You also learn more about who she is and here relationship with the forest witch. Everyone hated her for being the swamp witch so she in turn hated the world, but her character changed as she met the Visco. Granted the original ending was a complete 180 what the hell, this makes no sense. But then If you complete certain tasks it opens up a whole story and ending and you learn a lot more about the world and characters, and learn about the real villian.
Hmmm, I also think Chrono Trigger is overrated. For me, it’s a good but not great game, in the 3.5 range – rather like Undertale. However, I am glad to hear I am not alone in this, so maybe this doesn’t count enough as an unpopular opinion!
How about this, then? The World Ends With You – one of my all-time favourite games – is better on mobile than on DS. Come at me!
QOTW: All NES era RPGs are so primitive and player-unfriendly that even the best of them (Final Fantasy, Dragon Warrior IV) are barely playable.
I also hold this unpopular opinion for SNES/Genesis era RPGs, although not quite as fiercely. RPGs didn’t reach the point where they’re good enough to play entirely on the merits of the game alone (as opposed to gaining a historical/cultural context, appreciation for RPG speedruns, knowledge to write a review, competing against other people in a randomizer, etc. in addition to whatever fun the player can extract) until the PSX/N64 era.
(Bonus popular opinion: The N64 had one good RPG, and it was Paper Mario).
Modern remakes of ancient RPGs (see: Sega Ages Phantasy Star) are less subject to this unpopular opinion, since they have a ton of quality of life enhancements to make the game more fun.
I barely did and haven’t since 2004ish played a PS1 game. Can’t do it. Graphics just too horrible. I just skipped that era.
Chrono Trigger is average.
FFXII plays itself.
NES & SNES era games are too primitive.
QOTW: Persona 5’s stylish visuals and mechanical polish can only do so much to hide its severe issues w/r/t writing and pacing.
Bestheda open-world RPGs(i.e. Fallout 3/4 and Skyrim) are some of the most drab, boring games I’ve ever played. Couldn’t get more than 10 hours into any of them.