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Playing Japan-Only RPGs

Issun

Issun

I've started Live A Live, and after totally boning the Ninja scenario the first time around, I'm using a walkthrough, and I'm glad I did. There's already so much cool stuff in this game!

I plan to play a few other SFC only RPGs too, and I will post about them here, and I figure if anyone else is taking such a journey, this is their thread.
 
Sarge

Sarge

hardcore retro gamin'
Ooh, hopefully you'll give either Treasure of the Rudras or Front Mission: Gun Hazard some run. Both are fantastic games, with the latter being my choice for best SFC game we never got.
 
Beowulf

Beowulf

Son of The Answer Man
(He/Him)
Oh, there are some gems in there. Treasure of the Rudras is amazing. Treasure Hunter G is a super-fun pseudo-trpg. Lennus 2 and Mystic Ark are both deeply flawed but cool expansions of series that we only got one installment of. Magical Kingdom of Wozz...has some interesting ideas that fall flat. You might see Dual Orb 2, Villgust, Arabian Nights on various lists; you can honestly give them all a miss.

I played all of these 5-7 years ago; I can pull the reviews I wrote at the time if people are interested.
 
Sarge

Sarge

hardcore retro gamin'
Mystic Ark was definitely interesting, even if I think The 7th Saga is the better game, difficulty and all. Still worth playing, though.

Wozz is one I've been told is quite good, but it sounds like it doesn't quite measure up. I've heard Dual Orb 2 gets really tough in the back half, but I have a hard time believing it's harder than The 7th Saga.
 
Issun

Issun

For those interested, the other games I have lined up are Wozz, Tengai Makyou Zero, and Bahamut Lagoon.

For the time being though, I'm looking forward to playing and talking about Live A Live. I'm hoping no other scenarios are as walkthrough-necessary as ninja man.
 
Sarge

Sarge

hardcore retro gamin'
I admit, that's where I bombed out on Live A Live myself. That ninja scenario is nuts. I'm pretty sure I hit the end boss and was in no way ready for it, too.
 
Issun

Issun

Sarge said:
I admit, that's where I bombed out on Live A Live myself. That ninja scenario is nuts. I'm pretty sure I hit the end boss and was in no way ready for it, too.
Click to expand...
It's certainly a heck of an entry point.

And I was on the fence about Gun Hazard but with your recommendation I may add it to the 1996 list.
 
Sarge

Sarge

hardcore retro gamin'
At a minimum, give it a shot and see if you like it. I realize mech games aren't everyone's cup of tea (not even mine in many cases), but Gun Hazard really impressed me.
 
Kirin

Kirin

Summon for hire
(he/him)
Issun said:
For those interested, the other games I have lined up are Wozz, Tengai Makyou Zero, and Bahamut Lagoon.
Click to expand...
Oh good! I was about to bring up Bahamut Lagoon. It’s the other one that comes to mind when people are talking about games like LaL and Rudras. I’ve seen a bit of gameplay from it and it always looked like a really interesting TRPG from Square’s 16bit heyday that we missed. And goddamn, that sprite art. (Yeah some of it’s in FFVI as well but still.)
 
Super Megaman X

Super Megaman X

dead eyes
(He/Him)
Really convenient you made this thread, Issun, as I'm currently wrapping up Mother 3! I'm in the final dungeon as I post this, I'll update again when I finish it with my thoughts on everything.
 
Sarge

Sarge

hardcore retro gamin'
Oh, speaking of Bahamut Lagoon, Near recently released a fantastic patch for it. (I'm sure the old patch is good, too.)
 
Beowulf

Beowulf

Son of The Answer Man
(He/Him)
Sarge said:
Wozz is one I've been told is quite good, but it sounds like it doesn't quite measure up. I've heard Dual Orb 2 gets really tough in the back half, but I have a hard time believing it's harder than The 7th Saga.
Click to expand...
If by "really tough" you mean "seemingly impossible without cheat codes", then yes. I have a review with spoilers from when I played it; the difficulty started high (with a trap for unwary players) and ramped into "breaks the game system."
 
JBear

JBear

Internet's foremost Bertolli cosplayer
(He/Him)
I played through Rudras last year and it's an amazing success for fan-translation, given that its core mechanic is kind of inherently untranslatable. It doesn't quite work, but it's amazing that they were able to get it to where they did.

Also, the game was really fun. I liked it a lot!
 
Issun

Issun

Finished the Ninja and Fightmans chapters, just started the Prehistoric chapter.

Live A Live's battle system is amazing. It's not too punishing, but still requires a learning curve. And it's extremely flexible, too. I'd love to see another game develop it further someday.
 
Kirin

Kirin

Summon for hire
(he/him)
Is it possible to give a quick overview of how it works and what's cool about it? I don't think I've actually seen it in action.
 
Lokii

Lokii

—
(He/Him)
Staff member
Moderator
From the wiki, which has a very through breakdown

In the game, battles are turn based and take place in a 7x7 grid in which you will be able to pick between 4 options:

  • Fight: Select and use a technique
  • Pass: Pass your turn to the next character
  • Item: Use an item in battle
  • Run/Teleport: Escape battle
During battles, your team and the enemies will be able to move in the 7x7 grid and use techniques to deal damage, inflict status effects, heal allies and cause damage fields. All techniques have a specific area of effect and different damage types. Some techniques can raise or decrease stats.
Click to expand...

I like it a lot too. It's varied, with lots of different encounter situations depending on what characters/moves are involved. Some of the chapters are specifically set up to explore combat situations. like the wonderful mega-man-esque wrestling tournament or the Captain Square battles. Really, the only place where the battles start to feel tedious is in the mecha chapter, and that's largely because they all sorta play out the same way.

I'd like to see an expansion on the system too in a sequel, or really just an HD port/remake. Live-A-Live is such a wonderful hidden gem.
 
Lokii

Lokii

—
(He/Him)
Staff member
Moderator

Neck Stiffness​

There are seven main known Status effects: Stoned, Drunk, Sleep, Numb, Poisoned, Disabled Hand and Disabled Foot. But in reality there is a hidden Status effect called Neck Stiffness. Since an icon is not displayed when this status effect is adquired, it is difficult to tell when in has been inflicted and when it has been cured. It is unknown what symptoms the character that suffers from Neck Stiffness presents, but according to the above rule, Neck Stiffness causes enemies to avoid using that same technique that caused the status.

This is why enemies may use different techniques after hitting a target with certain attacks. For example, if you were to be poisoned by the Yellow bite and have neck stiffness from the Blue bite, there is a guaranteed chance that Great Asia will use a special technique against you. Another example happens with Miyamoto Musashi, who after using Secret: Annihilation Sword, will stop using this move for a while since this causes Neck Stiffness.
Click to expand...

Is it intended? Is it a bug? Sounds like a SNES game alright.
 
Pajaro Pete

Pajaro Pete

(He/Himbo)
Lokii said:
I'd like to see an expansion on the system too in a sequel, or really just an HD port/remake. Live-A-Live is such a wonderful hidden gem.
Click to expand...

mSNihrh.png

i still believe even though it's been over a year, tokyo game show is gonna be lit
 
Kirin

Kirin

Summon for hire
(he/him)
This is why enemies may use different techniques after hitting a target with certain attacks. For example, if you were to be poisoned by the Yellow bite and have neck stiffness from the Blue bite, there is a guaranteed chance that Great Asia will use a special technique against you. Another example happens with Miyamoto Musashi, who after using Secret: Annihilation Sword, will stop using this move for a while since this causes Neck Stiffness.
Click to expand...

This is one of the most amazing "video games!" paragraphs I have ever read.

(Also I'm curious whether Stoned and Drunk are variants of the usual confusion status or what.)
 
Issun

Issun

Kirin said:
Is it possible to give a quick overview of how it works and what's cool about it? I don't think I've actually seen it in action.
Click to expand...
It's kind of like if Grandia had ATB and complete freedom of movement around the battlefield. And no MP.
 
Sarge

Sarge

hardcore retro gamin'
So that "neck stiffness" sounds intentional, and a way they controlled a boss potentially using a move too often, particularly if it was a powerful one. Are there any actual negative effects on the player, or is it only that bosses are forced to use different moves?
 
Super Megaman X

Super Megaman X

dead eyes
(He/Him)
So, uh, Mother 3. Quite an ending, that.
I was bawling at the end when Claus killed himself. You'd think Lucas and Flint had been through enough as it was, and then Claus had to go and do that. Overall, I loved the game, as I expected to, but I do wish the ending was slightly less ambiguous. It would have been nice to know how everyone survived, what the dark dragon looked like, what the future holds for everyone, but ultimately that's not the point, is it? The family is restored, and everyone is safe, and that's all the tale feels fit to give you. It works.
 
Issun

Issun

Mother 3 is one I'm looking forward to playing. It'll be awhile, though, as I'm only on 1994 in my "Play several games from each year in release order" project. I'm thinking I'll hit 2006 in a couple of years, though.
 
Issun

Issun

Cube's tale turned out to be some very effective sci-fi horror. It was actually more chilling than some actual horror games.
 
MetManMas

MetManMas

Me and My Bestie
(He, him)
Issun said:
Cube's tale turned out to be some very effective sci-fi horror. It was actually more chilling than some actual horror games.
Click to expand...
It's pretty amazing how Cube's story feels like a precursor to indie horror games. I mean, it's obviously another space game inspired by 2001: A Space Odyssey and other anime/manga/games inspired by that, but it's really neat how it takes the emphasis off of combat in favor of puzzle-solving and atmosphere. I was far more intimidated by doors suddenly shutting and steam shooting out of places than the actually lethal Behemoth; I knew where I stood with that guy.

Even the few actual fights in the chapter are largely puzzle-based; the optional Captain Square minigame fights are all about figuring out how to best use your limited toolset and learning how each new set of enemies works. Fixing the ship AI at the end works similarly, it's just that you're using a different toolset now.
 
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