Six classic JRPG series we want on Xbox 360

OXM - So there I was writing yesterday's blog about how a Final Fantasy VII remake would be bad, doing what I always do when I encounter a line in the sand, which is to stand on one side and yell belligerently. Suddenly: a Great Sadness. Who am I to deny countless JRPG players a dream that has become all but inseparable from this, most wistful of genres? Who am I, but a man taking pleasure from the thought of telling children that Santa Claus is a lie?

[dirigiblebill]

Mana.

[-Mezzo-]

Would love to see some of them.

[WeskerChildReborned]

Me too.

[Skateboard]

God forbid fanboys have to buy a PS3 to play them, LOL. You can play all those games on a PS3. I'm sorry that it's not green and white.

Don't get mad at me for keeping it real.

[Irishguy95]

God forbid wanting to play them if you only have an Xbox!

/s

[Lucretia]

yeah for real. they gladly pay 60$ a year for online but they would never pay 250 for a console with a bunch of games they want to play......so damn stubborn

[supraking951]

lol jrpgs on 360. 360 was the one to bring down Square Enix they released exclusive at the time, The Last Remnant and Infinite Undiscovery.

[TheDivine]

Both games were good. Last Remant had some technical issues but was great. If it were on ps3 exclusively it wouldve been praised and adored. Infinite Undiscovery was one of my favorite rpgs ever. The story and ending was killer. Dont forget the 360 also has Vesperia, Magna Carta 2, Blue Dragon, and Lost Odyssey. It hasnt gotten any recently but then again neither has the ps3. The only good ones not on 360 were on the wii.

You reminded me i need to finish the last area in Magna Carta 2.

[Lucretia]

i liked infinite undiscovery. wasnt the best but i had alot of fun, but im a tri-ace fanboy lol.

i wanted magna carta 2....never got around to it, so scared because of how bad part 1 was lol.

[Tuxedo_Mask]

The PS3 has had it's fair share of RPG exclusives.
Valkyria Chronicles, White Knight Chronicles 1/2, Ar Tonelico Qoga, the Atelier games, and Graces F. There are also some on the way too like Xillia, Ni No Kuni, and even a possible Western release of Toki to Towa.

[UnitSmiley]

*Facepalm* The whole time i'm thinking to myself "just go buy a PS3". 360 became popular because of western shooters, and the original xbox's success is due to the fact they offered WESTERN rpgs normally only playable on pc's to people who couldn't afford gaming pc's. Square tried with jrpgs on the 360 and Japan basically said " lol nope, we don't care".

Buy a PS3.

[Hicken]

Want Gears on PS3?

"You should just get a 360, lol."

Halo?

"Too bad you don't have an Xbox, lmao."

But when it comes to the other way around...

"What's wrong with wanting these games on 360?"

Oh, the hypocrisy.

[amaguli]

If you are a fan of JRPGs, well the 360 is not the best choice. Microsoft did experiment with the genre, as most of you guys above stated, but the target 360 demographic just would not buy those games. Also, you can get all but Vandal Hearts and Front Mission over the PSN.

[omarzy]

I saw JRPG and 360, no need to read further. The genre is just not very successful on 360 seeing as how japan does not buy the xbox.

[digitalkid]

I bought XBox to stay away from that crap. )))

[baodeus]

@omazrzy

and that is the problem right there with JP developers. They can't expand outside to Western with their RPG. They could do well in JP, but most just don't do well outside of Japan beside FF.

Look at the sell of JRPG (except FF) on ps3 as well, not just x360 and see how they are doing. Not that well right? Actually even looking back at PS2 era, most really don't sell that well either even with +140 million ps2 owner out there.

Problem with JRPG in HD generation:
1. Take too long to develop (hence JRPG are doing better with handheld and Wii than HD console)
2. Long development time = require more investment, but getting practically very little in return, unprofitable or even loss -> reason why u see why developers want to try to appeal to more gamer, not just in JP (even though they haven't been successful)
3. Current trend is moving toward FPS or shooter types of games.

[Hicken]

FF, Tales, Breath of Fire, Xenogears/Xenosaga, Mana series, SaGa series, Persona, .hack, Atelier/Alchemist franchises, Shining franchise and plenty more all do well outside of Japan. The problem you and many others have is that you're expecting millions and millions of sales for these games, and only a handful have ever done that; none of them have ever NEEDED that to be successful.

They don't take that much longer to develop than anything else, IF they take longer. We see so many on handhelds because there are more handhelds out than anything else: the DS and PSP have sold more than everything this gen, though the Wii DID outsell the PSP. And while there are plenty of excellent JRPGs on the two handhelds, it wasn't until recently that the Wii got some really good ones. Meanwhile, the two HD systems have had at least a handful of gems apiece, from Lost Odyssey to Valkyria Chronicles and a few more inbetween.

Keep in mind that a lot of games- like the trio that comprise Operation Rainfall- don't make it West, or do MUCH later. Bizarre stuff happens too: Tales of Vesperia released here on the 360, later got a PS3 port, but the port never made it West.

There's a lot going on in the JRPG landscape; the biggest part, in reference to Japanese developers, is that they're afraid they won't get sales because of the popularity of FPS. That competition doesn't exist so much on handhelds, so that's one more reason why it would make more sense to put their games elsewhere.

[baodeus]

Games back then can sell a little and could be profitable because you don't need a lot of people working on them, less development time, less investment. Even though it is true that they are consider successful back then, the fan based for these type of games hasn't really change, not to mention they are in decline recently right?

RPG tend to include exploration elements, larger world, etc...so what you need are details (higher polygons, HD textures); i haven't include HD console complex physics (lighting, shading,particles,motion, etc....). The higher/polish the details, the more human resources/development time you will need. Evidently, game nowadays has +100 of people working on it (compare to last gen or gen before that), longer development times, massive investment. Do you think selling around 800K something would suffice going HD? Look at what happen with some of the studios with long development time and fail to sell well? Look at FF13 for example, how long did it takes? In fact, looks at FF13vs for example, announce since 2005, and release date is still no where to be found. If that isn't long development time, i don't know what is and you know SE have hundreds of people working on these games. It is a major risk to make AAA JRPG for HD console.

Of course developers can take easier route focusing on artistic style instead of using higher/complex tech:

-Use cell shade method (don't require complex lighting, texture, polygons, etc...,etc..) that can be done on handheld or even last gen console. Namco bandai with their Tales series for example. And if you look at many other JRPG games on ps3 (valkyrie chronical, WKC, demon soul, etc..) as well, do they use any high resolution textures, high tech shader/lighting, AA, etc...? No, right?

- Use Unreal engine to shorten development time dramatically while getting decent results (lost Odyssey, Last Remnant, magna carta 2, ME, Blade & soul, including large environmental games like Batman: Arkham City, etc..., and tones more games using it to shorten development time).

With that said, I do agree with you that handheld are preferred over HD console for JRPG because:
- developer can use lower tech and they don't have to worry about higher/complexity of HD console.
- more handheld sold than console (like you mentioned)
- less investment with higher profit yield (less human resource or development time required)

it is a no brainer that going for handheld would be more profitable.

I based this debate on your own assessment as well. You said that JRPG do start out on HD console first (true), but do you also see why they are shifting toward more handheld and lower spec console like the wii recently? Look at Valkyrie Chronical for example, start out on ps3 now switching to PSP instead. Why do you think that is? Why RPG games are becoming more linear instead of open? How long does it takes to make large games for HD console (skyrim, RDR, GTA, FF13vs, etc...)? Consider with such a long development time and large investment, do you think it is profitable for developers if they sell just as much as last gen or less?

If you read around what JP developers are saying about making JRPG for HD consoles, you will see what i mean. You don't have to take my words for it.

I love JRPG to death, and it sadden me that JP are struggling to expand their games. I wanted a sequal to Lost Odyssey, but they can't because it didn't do well; sell wise. WRPG are becoming more popular now too so that make it worst for JP developers.