Looking for a hard hitting JRPG. (For PS2, PSP, Gamecube, or Xbox)

I am longer for a deep, long, intense Role Play game for either; The Playstation 2, PSP, Xbox, or Gamecube. Here are things I want it to have...

1. No button mashing attacks or mini games. For almost two years now I have had a repetitive stress motion injury in my right wrist. And sadly, it only hurts when I play the games that gave me it; Console action hack and slash games like Devil May Cry and Ninja Gaiden. Sense it is a JRPG, I inspect it to be fully turn based were I can take as much time as I want, and won't have any 'action' segments like "Press X 100 times in 30 seconds to power up his/her ultimate attack!" As much as I really do like that, it can't have that. I won't even be holding the controller right as I play this JRPG.

(1 Is the only requirement, the others are just bonuses.)

2. I want a game that was translated well. For some reason, despite being my first and only language I am still bad at English... I think he has to do with playing online games with players who even admit they're not fro, English countries. :P Please nothing with a ton of funny and mind numbing mistralrations such as "I feel asleep!"

3. Something with a 'dark' theme. I don't want the typical day were the hero is just out hunting and something bad happens so he leaves his home and it accidentally turns into a saving the world thing, I want a crusade type of thing were the hero is a cold blooded fighter who is actually a soldier or something going to war instead of a kid who always won his pretend sword fights with his friends. Anything with vampires and demons to add to this would be great as well.

4. I want juicy secrets, just as secret bosses and secret controllable characters. Whatever game I'm going get I'm going at least play it twice; once on my own and another time with a walk through to find all the secrets and such I missed.

5. A full cast of serious characters, I don't want to go adventuring with a giant cat or anything.

Any Shin Megami Tensei game will be right up your alley. All have dark themes, mature enough characters, and pretty long adventures.

ahh such jrpgs do not exist. "emo soldier and his quest for glory" wont be made so long as square curbs the market for such a thing. about the closest you would probably ever get would be somewhere in the "tales of" franchise or perhaps in "the bouncer" however the bouncer is a better fighting game than a jrpg and the tales of is probably best considered "the anime franchise that never was" as its about 20% anime cutscene. another title one might consider is for the PC called "alien shoter: vengance" its by no means demanding at all however its hard to find and isnt a jrpg. your final option is last remnant however i cannot speak for its tone or its story or content but it is jrpg and on ps2.

Yeah I hear for you man. They just don't make RPG's like they used to... look at Fallout, Planescape: Torment, Myst. If you want an story-based game not revolving around some unbelievable, and more often than not frighteningly feminine pre-teen protagonist, just set the clocks back 10 years xD.

Any Shin Megami Tensei game looks to be right up your alley. (Especially the Persona games.) Avoid the Devil Summoner series though, as that's an action rpg which, persumably, would have button mashing.

I'd recommend Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Sagas and Persona 3. Persona 4 is also pretty good, but it's more light hearted in comparison.

I would highly recommend the Shadow Hearts Series. They take place in a unique time period (World War era) and star pretty dark and interesting characters.

Get Persona 3 or 4, you won't regret it.

Just pretty much finished playing Tales of Symphonia (original) and it matches your list quite well.

1. No button mashing, the combat system is quite indepth... I only found out about certain things torwards the end of the game. There is a huge range of combos and ultis, it isn't the hardest, I got away with not knowing a lot... but either way, if you do take time to learn about the game it probably gets much easier... and the more you learn the less button mashing.

- There are lots of puzzles, it was a core part of the game, so that's one downside looking at what you are looking for.

2. Translated well, pretty good voice-acting... hardly any real anime-cut scenes, but overall it is pretty good in this area.

3. Bad guys are pretty much Nazi's that farm humans for power crystals. The themes it brings up early on are extremely interesting, e.g. is sacrificing the life/soul of one person for the world or should you find another way? Or... do you NOT fight the evil people who are farming humans just so you can have a type of peaceful life? ... And many themes like that (e.g. the main character has a certain personalty and is challenged on his thinking). Interesting and 'complex' themes like that challenge the characters through the story, even though, at certain "times" it gets a bit cheesy and kinda ruins what could have been interesting character devolopments. Overall for a JRPG it is pretty good though.

4. There are many different things someone can find, you can have certain characters join you up at certain times, many hidden items or story devolopments can be missed... This game is playable multipile times and can be played in different ways, I don't think there is a "hard" setting though, so that kinda sucks if you wanted to go through it again and enjoy a new challenge with the experienced you gained.

5. All characters are serious.

The things I have against it... The story can go on for too long. Where to go next can be very confusing, one could revisit all the other towns before actually getting somewhere again. The great combat system can be put on hold for long periods, of course most of the time one could fight random monsters... but most of the time they aren't a challenge.

Only played the GC version on my wii, I know the PS2 version only uses one disc, not sure if that makes it better or not. Anyway, I was addicted to it for more then a week.

I agree with most people on this one, and say go with Persona 3 or 4, or Shadow Hearts.

Though if you choose Personas, go with 3. It's darker and more brutal then 4.

Shin Megami Tensei (especially the Digital Devil Saga games) and Shadow Hearts are for you. Some to keep away from are the Tales of series and Dragon Quest. Not because they're bad games (although, they are :p) but they're so sugary sweet your teeth will rot just looking at the boxes.karriston

Actually Shadow Hearts does not sound like it is the game you are looking for. While SH Covenant is the greatest RPG made for the PS2 and it has the dark atmosphere you crave, it has other things that you specifically said you did not want:

Combat consists of a timed mini-game where a needle spins around a pie and you have to press the button on the correct wedges to do a successful attack. You said you didn't want button pushing or mini games.

Also, there was a giant cat character in Shadow Hearts 3. You said you didn't want to hang out with a giant cat. (SH2 has a wolf, a little girl with a camera, and an old guy who plays with puppets. Not sure if those kinds of characters are OK with you.)

Also be aware that all the Tales games involve heavy button mashing in their battle systems.

The Shin Megami Tensei games do sound like your best bet. Based on your criteria I would say Digital Devil Saga is the best match for you. It has basically adult type characters who are on a dark mission. Persona 3 is my personal favorite SMT game but I'm not sure you would like the highschool stuff which forms a major part of that game.

While these have already been named:

Shin Megami Tensei Nocturne or Digital Devil Saga would probably be your best choices considering what you're looking for, although Nocturne can be hard to find.

Shin Megami Tensei Persona 3 is also a good choice, although slightly more lighthearted. Persona 4 is likely not what you're looking for as it is much more lighthearted and has a mascot-like character.

The Shadow Hearts games may also be worth looking for.

I liked Arc the Lad;Twilight of the Spirits for PS2, and Star Ocean:Second Story for PS1 (Star Ocean 3 for PS2 was pretty cool, too).

Actually Shadow Hearts does not sound like it is the game you are looking for. While SH Covenant is the greatest RPG made for the PS2 and it has the dark atmosphere you crave, it has other things that you specifically said you did not want:

Combat consists of a timed mini-game where a needle spins around a pie and you have to press the button on the correct wedges to do a successful attack. You said you didn't want button pushing or mini games.

Also, there was a giant cat character in Shadow Hearts 3. You said you didn't want to hang out with a giant cat. (SH2 has a wolf, a little girl with a camera, and an old guy who plays with puppets. Not sure if those kinds of characters are OK with you.)

Solori

Incidentally, you can set the ring to auto and it becomes just like any other turn based combat system (if I'm not mistaken).3KindgomsRandy

I think you're right, there was some sort of option like that. But would the game still be as fun without the judgment ring? Plus, what about the lottery mini-game? Surely, there was no auto option for that???

Anyway, that's good news for the OP then -- Shadow Hearts:Covenant is an excellent game. Of all the games mentioned in this thread, it is the best.

BTW Star Ocean 3 is an action-RPG (requiring you to use heavy and light attacks in real time) -- assuming there is not a special option to turn all the people on automatic that I am forgetting about.:)

If you don't necesarily need an rpg shadow of the colossus is outstanding and basically fits your list perfectly (except for the fact that it's not an rpg)

If you don't necesarily need an rpg shadow of the colossus is outstanding and basically fits your list perfectly (except for the fact that it's not an rpg)

kingofcosmos231

And except for the fact that OP said he had a wrist injury and didn't want a game that involved action sequences. SotC is a great platformer --which sounds exactly like the kind of game the OP wouldn't want.

I know this isn't a JRPG, but you should try Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic for Xbox. You can choose to play using the dark side of the force and have a lot of control over decisions in the game.

Paper Mario. :P

Digital Devil Saga is great, but imo the Persona series are a little more "relaxing", just because you can expect a lot of instant fights in DDS, Persona eases this with the storyline and school stuff.

Also, the Xenosaga trilogy is fantastic. Its very anime-ish but has a very dark storyline despite its looks. The first two are great, but the third is amazing. All together a great gaming experience. And Xenogears for PS1 also has the darkest storyline in an rpg you can find. I also vouch for Shadow Hearts 1 and 2, I'd avoid 3 though.