Japan-Only Games

Do any of you have those games that are only released in Japan, but you really really really want to play it so you get it anyway even without understanding Japanese?

I have Rurouni Kenshin for the PS2, and it's fully Japanese, although it's pretty easy to go through Kenshin story, but I'm stuck on the other two stories since I don't know Japanese and the only walkthroughs for the game are for Kenshins story.

I also really want lots of Shin Megami Tensei games, like SMT NINE for the XBox, SMT Devil Children for the PSX, and a few more Japanese only games, but I'm afraid of getting Japanese only RPG's since those tend to be pretty text heavy and it wouldn't be reccomended to play without being an english version.

(Also, let's assume the only thing stopping you would be not knowing Japanese, forget region locked games and such, I have both NTSC-J and PAL PS2)

I have plenty of games which were Japan only , though its mostly fighting games as its not exactly a text heavy genre, and usually the menus are in English

At one time I considered it pretty exotic with japanese-language games. Then I came to realize that I had little real interest in actually playing them - and going through the hassle to look things up in a kanji reference book didn't seem worthwhile if I could already figure out what the game was basically gonna be. So I thought "what's the point?" and didn't bother picking them up anymore. Even if I knew japanese I wouldn't be any more interested - although I might likely have been at a younger age. Part of the reason is also that I can hardly stand JRPGs anymore. And japanese adventure games - "visual novels", another text-heavy genre, - I've played my share of (translated ones). They don't appeal to me. As far as I'm concerned, the typical japanese game might as well stay in Japan, never to be brought over. I wouldn't suffer. But that should be up to the fans to decide.

the dozens of shin megami tensei games.tab134

I have a japanese Saturn for several reasons, one because it was supported way more in Japan and because games like Panzer Dragoon Saga and other high-dollar Saturn games are a fraction of the price (bought japanese Panzer Dragoon Saga for $8 in like-new condition). But knowing some Japanese helps in having japanese games (I have moderate proficiency, at least enough to understand 50% of what is going on). However most, of my import games are fighting and Shmup games.

[QUOTE="tab134"] the dozens of shin megami tensei games.Dudersaper

I have some Japan only games and some Japan-PAL only games. Some of these are just pending localization, like Tales of Xillia and Final Fantasy Type-0. Others are more up in the air, like Trails of Zero (supposedly it is supposed to come out eventually, but X-SEED seems less enthusiastic about the series). Then there are the games that just don't have a western ver and aren't going to, like Wachenroder and Terra Phantastica. I also own the Japanese versions of games that have been localized in my region.

You'd be surprised at how many games actually have been localized in the PS1-PS2 eras. It's fairly uncommon to find games that haven't been localized.

Only like most of my game collection. Even games that did were released outside of Japan, I prefer and mostly own the Japanese versions.

For me it was always easier getting games from Asia than from the US.

Just got Soul Hackers ... I didn't know ATLUS was making collectable cards. :o

Just got Soul Hackers ... I didn't know ATLUS was making collectable cards. :o

hakanakumono

[QUOTE="hakanakumono"]

Just got Soul Hackers ... I didn't know ATLUS was making collectable cards. :o

Dudersaper

Persona 2 is the better choice, most likely. But go for the PS1 ver. if you speak Japanese. I don't know, but I know that SMT reuses demons and has been doing so since forever. They probably didn't keep doing the cards very long.

I know enough to navigate through menus, and that's all I need really, as I don't play text heavy games.

Yup, quite a few Sega Saturn imports. My favorites are Lunar: Magic School, and the 2 scenarios of Shining Force III that never made it here. I also import games from Japan if they're significantly cheaper than the American release (Panzer Dragoon Saga, for example). I've studied elementary level Japanese and can use hiragana, but haven't been disciplined enough to learn enough to seriously play the games yet.

[QUOTE="Dudersaper"][QUOTE="hakanakumono"]

Just got Soul Hackers ... I didn't know ATLUS was making collectable cards. :o

hakanakumono

Persona 2 is the better choice, most likely.

I differ with you. I liked and enjoyed Soul Hackers a whole lot more than the two Persona 2 games.

Though its obviously a matter of opinions, I don't see anything in Persona 2 inherently superior to Soul Hackers to consider it the superior game by default.

It doesn't have the challenge and immersion of Soul Hackers, for instance.

[QUOTE="hakanakumono"]

[QUOTE="Dudersaper"]I was gonna get it but I decided to go for Persona 2 first. And are the cards just about Soul Hackers or do they include other SMT titles? :oPanzer_Zwei

Persona 2 is the better choice, most likely.

I differ with you. I liked and enjoyed Soul Hackers a whole lot more than the two Persona 2 games.

Though its obviously a matter of opinions, I don't see anything in Persona 2 inherently superior to Soul Hackers to consider it the superior game by default.

It doesn't have the challenge and immersion of Soul Hackers, for instance.

Well, as you've said yourself, you seem to prefer Saturn RPGs.

My comment was a bit premature, considering I haven't actually played through Soul Hackers, but from what I know about the game, its predecessor (which I beat), and Persona 2 Innocent Sin, it's my guess.

For one thing, Persona 2 has just about one of the best stories in a JRPG from the PS1 era. Moreover, it's the most well rounded ATLUS game I've played from that era. ATLUS seems to have a habit of trying to stretch out the most amount of game time with the least amount of content possible, half-assing what they can get away with along the way. With Persona 1 this meant the mindnumbing dungeons. With Devil Summoner this was the battle graphics (although it did have very impressive spell animations for the Saturn). Persona 2 didn't give me this feeling at all. Soul Hackers does look better than both Persona 1 and the original Devil Summoner, but I dobt it will be able to match Persona 2. It may be more challenging (hopefully not in the sense that SMTIII is "challenging"), but the story reeks of 90s internet fantasy and I don't know if it will stand the test of time.

All of this being said, I fully expect to enjoy Soul Hackers moreso than both Persona and Devil Summoner (the latter I actually enjoyed more than the former).

Boy, where do I start? Japanese games are part of the reason why I'm interested in learning Japanese professionally. But given the motivation and time-constraints I've been having ever since, I don't think I'll ever get to it. Not unless I move to Japan for life, which is also pretty nonsensical.

Captain Tsubasa, Super Robot Wars, Detective Conan games to name a few. I grew up watching a ton of dubbed Japanese Anime and most of the games of them I'd wanna try out. Also those games that never got a localized sequel and I enjoyed the originals very much.