Strategy RPGs

Strategy RPGs are part of an RPG sub-genre that deserves special mention in this blog. The fact they're a hybrids of two kinds of games makes them stand out. Though they are also known as TRPGs or Tactical RPGs, I will henceforth refer to them as SRPGs to avoid confusing them with Tabletop RPGs (also abbreviated as TRPGs).

Strategy RPGs incorporate elements from RPGs but focus more heavily on strategy, hence their name. This is not to suggest that "normal" RPGs don't require any kind of strategy from the player -- they do. What it does suggest is that these RPGs borrow more from strategy games than from their traditional RPG cousins. Think of them as special RPGs with tactics on steroids.

An old friend of mine introduced me to a turn-based tactics game called S-COM: UFO Defense many years ago. I didn't really get into the game, but it did get me curious about the genre. That curiousity led me to my first strategy RPG years later: Final Fantasy Tactics.

By that time, I was already familiar with the Final Fantasy franchise, so I figured, why not? I took it for a spin and I was immediately hooked. In fact, I enjoyed that particular strategy RPG so much that I graduated to Tactics Ogre sometime later. Looking back, I felt it was several hundred hours of game time well spent.

How can you identify a strategy RPG? It isn't too hard : a third-person isometric view may be a good sign. Sometimes, the mere appearance of the word "tactics" in the title of the game is already a dead giveaway.

If you're into RPGs, then you owe it to yourself to pick up a good strategy RPG every now and then. If you're a PC gamer, some titles I'd recommend include Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel (especially if you're a Fallout series fan) and Silent Storm series. If console gamers are more your cup of tea, you may want to check out Disgaea: Hour of Darkness and Disgaea 2.

Well, that's it for today. Thank you for reading. Next time, I'll tackle yet another RPG sub-genre. For now, though, just sit back, break out your copy of Sun Tsu's Art of War and have some clean tactical fun with strategy RPGs.

Atlus RPGs

Atlus RPGs, it seems, have been quite the sleeper hits until fairly recently. The success that their latest Shin Megami Tensei games have enjoyed have arguably catapulted them onto the mainstream RPG scene.

Atlus RPGs have a distinct feel to them that makes them stand out from the rest of the RPG crowd. There's something inherently quirky and even controversial about them that makes RPG players like myself sit up and take notice.

In Nocturne, for example, the world ends roughly five minutes into the game, and the apocalyptic scenario sets the stage for the adventure. Persona 3 had high school students "shooting" themselves in the head with what looked like handguns. Persona 4 had some characters questioning their gender and their sexuality.

Oh, and for the followers of Sigmund Freud, there's always Mara.

Of the few Atlus RPGs I've played, I must admit that I'm biased toward the Persona series, at least for the time being. The quality of interaction between the different characters in the games makes them endearingly fun to play. Nocturne has awesome gameplay mechanics, but there isn't exactly much interaction because your party members aren't human to begin with.

A common question I've encountered on forums is, "Do I have to play past Persona games in order to appreciate the latest installment?" The answer is no. While Atlus RPG veterans will definitely appreciate the Easter eggs and references to earlier games, playing the predecessors first isn't really necessary. Each Persona game (with the exception of the two halves of Persona 2) are stand-alone adventures.

So which Atlus RPG should you pick up first? It depends on the kind of game that you're looking for. If hardcore gameplay is your cup of tea, you may want to check out Nocturne (The game was re-released recently, so now may be a good time to do so.).

If you prefer bittersweet, epic battles and the challenge of not being able to directly control over your party, then P3 may just be the Atlus RPG for you. If character rapport, laughs and whodunits are more your thing, however, Persona 4 is the way to go.

PC RPGs are fun, but if you have access to a PS2 (or even a PS3 with backward compatibility), I highly recommend that you pick up some Atlus RPGs.

JRPGs

JRPGs (aka Japanese role-playing games, eastern RPGs or console RPGs) may be considered a niche market for Western RPG fans. While these games retain a lot of elements present in most RPGs, there are cultural nunances in these games that make them a treat to play.

JRPGs officially make their way to Western shores if the demand is great enough and if a a company is willing to market them on foreign soil. It falls to the publisher to adapt the game for a foreign audience who may not be familiar with the Eastern cultural themes presented in the game.

So how do you identify a JRPG from a Western one? There are many telltale signs, but take note that the following may not apply in each and every case.

For one thing, the way each one tells their story is already a dead giveaway. JRPGs tend to be more linear and scripted than their Western cousins. The trade-off is that the former often possess very dramatic characterization and plot events, so much so that they feel like interactive epic movies.

Secondly, certain archetypes tend to crop up more in JRPGs. The concept of the bishounen or "pretty boy" character is an Eastern concept, as is the tendency for characters to develop romantic relationships with each other (particularly if they're introduced early on in the game). The last two games in Atlus' Shin Megami Tensei's Persona series are good examples of this.

Thirdly, JRPGs often make use of the classic elements. I take it you've seen Avatar: The Last Airbender? Fire, water, earth and air spells can be seen in most Eastern RPGs such as the Final Fantasy series, with other elements like light and darkness thrown in for good measure.

Lastly, the so-called "random enemy encounter" is a console RPG staple. This happens when your heroes are wandering around, minding their own business, when they're suddenly whisked off to battle. It's a double-edged sword, and some of the more modern JRPGs no longer employ this feature.

Anyway, if you're interested in learning more about recurring themes in eastern RPGs, check out this tongue-in-cheek set from TVtropes.org regarding "RPG cliches." It's an amusing read.

Well, that's it for now. Thank you for reading my blog post. In my next article, I'll spend a little more time talking about one Eastern RPG I've had the privilege to play: Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4. Stick with me for more info on the wonderful world of JRPGs.

console RPGs

Console RPGs make up yet another facet of the RPG phenomon I've gotten into lately. It's interesting how a humble little experiment ultimately caused a domino effect which opened up so many gaming possibilities for me.

Console RPGs first came to my attention during the late 1990s. The very first one I got into was Final Fantasy VII. Little did I know back then that it would eventually become the RPG introduced the non-Japanese world to the concept of JRPGs.

If I'm already into PC RPG games, why play console RPGs in the first place? Simple: diversity. I may be an RPG fan, but there's no reason to put all my eggs in one basket, especially when there are other good games to be experienced and enjoyed on other systems.

Some RPGs that started off on consoles eventually found their way to the PC. Certain installments in the Final Fantasy series come to mind. Likewise, there are RPGs that are available on both consoles and PCs (Interplay's Fallout 3, for instance) thanks to the current trend in multi-platform releases.

If you're new to the console RPG scene and you're looking for some good titles, there are some I'd highly recommend. In general, keep your eye out for any of the following series in their titles: Final Fantasy, Tales Of... (e.g. Tales of Heart, Tales of Vesperia, etc.) and Shin Megami Tensei. These games are property of the renowned companies Square-Enix, Namco and Atlus, respectively.

A word of advice: don't box yourself in and limit yourself to only titles from the Big 3 above. You'll never know what other good console RPGs may come from other, lesser known developers and publishers. Try whatever looks interesting (rent first if you can), and most importantly, have fun.

Today's blog was a bit on the general side, which is why next time, I hope to focus more on one the differences between Western and Eastern RPGs. Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for more goodies related to console RPGs.

Strategy PC Games

Strategy PC games deserve a special mention as an alternative form of electronic entertainment. Now you're probably asking why I'm writing about a different genre of games in this blog. Good question. The answer may be found in one of past blog entries -- I'm simply broadening my horizons and having a heck of a time enjoying it.

Strategy PC games can be just as entertaining as PC RPGs, only in a different way. If you've been playing turn-based RPGs for a while, immersing yourself in the adrenaline-rich environment of a real time strategy game can provide you that much-welcome break.

My first foray into the world of strategy PC games came with a classic game that my friend recommended to me: Dune II. I eventually graduated to the Command & Conquer series and eventually to the Warcraft series.

Being a deliberate person who prefers to think things through slowly, I initially found the frenetic a bit of a culture shock. I gradually warmed up to it, though. I can't say I'm the best strategy PC game player out there, but I've definitely gotten better at it as compared to when I first started out.

If you're a turn-based RPG player who's thinking of taking tentative steps into the world of strategy PC gaming, here are a few tips for you that may help ease the initial discomfort:

1. Try watching how other players play the game before you try it yourself. This is partly how I got interested in the genre. It also helped me learn a lot about game mechanics, team coordination and strategy.

2. Play the one-player campaign mode before even attempting to tackle other players. Granted, AI will always be different from human intelligence, but at least you can take the time to learn the ropes that way.

3. Play with experienced players. So what if you get creamed? Remember, you're not playing to win; you're playing to learn. You'll learn a lot more from players of a higher skill level than from those of your own skill level.

4. Talk to experienced players before and after you play them. Read guides and do some research. While there are only some things you can learn in the thick of battle, preparing beforehand and learning from other people's experiences is a good way to go.

5. Above all, don't forget to have fun. If you find yourself continually frustrated, then you're trying too hard and you're missing the point. If need be, take a break and come back to it another day. The worst case scenario is to accept that strategy PC games may not be for you and move on.

Well, that's it for today. There's nothing wrong with enjoying PC RPG games, but sometimes it pays to step out of your comfort zone once in a while and try something new -- in this case, strategy PC games.