Final Fantasy

>Final Fantasy
>Dragon Quest
>Shin Megami Tensei
>Pokemon

Which one is the best jrpg franchise?

Personally I love DQ the most.

Ogre Battle/Tactics Ogre

FF is not even on top 5

SMT>DQ>Tales>Pokemon>FF

in my opinion.

Agree, no opinion on Tales though since I only played Symphonia.

1. SMT
1. DQ
2. shit
3. FF
3. diarrhea
4. Pokemon

Are you retarded?

There is no 'one best'. They all do different things in unique ways.

>Dragon Quest: Classic style and retro stories and visuals appeal to nostalgia but also have a strong base of gameplay. Rarely innovates but creates an enjoyable adventure that feels like an 80s or 90s anime. The re-used monsters are iconic and comforting, and the stories are always hopeful and end on upbeat notes. Nothing revolutionary but always a joy, and you can see the creators love the series as much as the players do.

>Final Fantasy: Basically the polar opposite of DQ, always trying something new (for better or worse) and providing vastly different characters or settings, but with a throughline of familiar elements, creatures and abilities to retain a strong brand name. Your mileage may vary.

>SMT: Darker and with more ambiguous tones, often requiring more strategic gameplay and planning in terms of gathering demons and utilizing them in the best ways. The stories are less focused but have deeper themes and more philosophical undertones; how deep or shallow you see these may affect how much you care about the story. The few same demons and creative settings always provide something interesting to discover while retaining familiar skills and elements to connect with. Pretty good.

>Pokemon: It's shit.

Pokémon. How is this even a contest? Everything else is shitty Pokémon.

SMT>Pokémon>DQ=FF
Then again, I've only played FF 1-4 and only DQ 4 of the two last while almost every Pokémon and SMT game. Both DQ and FF feel stale as fuck desu.

Grandia :^)

SMT and its spinoffs > Pokemon > DQ > FF isn't worth your time anymore

Etrian Odyssey

All dragon quest games make me feel happy, it's not nostalgia because I only started playing it with VI on DS (I've played all of them now, except VIII). Pokemon lost its charm after moving to 3D since it stopped the potential for content if they kept B2/W2 graphics. Haven't played SMT. Final Fantasy always seems weird with how anime they get and I can never seem to enjoy the games.

FF(I, III, V, VI, VII, IX, XII)=DQ(III, IV, V, VII, VIII)=SMT(I, II, Nocturne, side-series don't count in this one)>Pokemon(R/B, S/G)
Wow, so hard

>always trying something new
>FF

FFIII basically expanded the FFI core gameplay, FFIV straight out replays the FFII plot with a really basic fixed class system from FFIII, FFV is quite literally Super FFIII Turbo Arcade Edition&Knuckles, FFVII is FFVI with more slot options and so on, and this is without even considering that hardly anything changes on the meta in terms of spell design, items, summons and so on.
FF started changing when the series' popularity began to decline, but it's hardly a series that has considerable changes in mechanics or designs.
Sure, it might have more variety than DQ, but DQ actually keeps building on the core design with each title, whereas FF usually just swaps a few things around, gives them fancy new names and calls it a day, there might be the occasional oddballs like FFII, VIII or XIII, but even in those games, most of the core design rules are exactly the same.

>FFIV
>Replays FFII's plot
Did you play with your ass?

Final Fantasy is easily the best, even if it hasn't been that good in years. FFIV, FFVI, FFVII, FFIX, FFX, and FFT are considered some of the best games ever made, let alone JRPGs.

I really don't care for SMT too much anymore. I used to fall for the hype of the series, but after playing a few of the games, all of the games are pretty much clones of each other, and elemental rock paper scissors is one of the laziest things ever. Pokemon's combat is 1000x better than SMT's.

DQ is my personal favourite of the bunch.
It's consistently high quality and has been for over 30 years.
That's pretty fucking impressive.

This is easily the worst post I've seen on all of Sup Forums

I can agree with these terms

you forget 13, the worst of the series.

I did not necessarily mean in terms of gameplay. The story always tries to be something "unique" if not from its own series, then other RPGs.

an actual description for Pokemon

>more focused on a social aspect than other RPGs. From the ground up it was conceptualized with trading in mind to get kids to interact with each other. Stories are simple and light (comparatively) and the games are generally really easy but it provides a unique experience no other RPG series has been able to capture, although many have tried.

Suikoden 1 and 2 are the pinnacle of the genre.

>FFIV straight out replays the FFII plot with a really basic fixed class system from FFIII
4's plot is nothing like 2's. And you forgot the introduction of ATB.

There WAS however a pattern for the first 6 games where they alternated between plot-light games with variable classes and plot heavy games with fixed classes.

SMT>Dragon Quest>pokemon>FF

smt and dragon quest are pretty close but smt edges dq out by gameplay. Both are great JRPG series that have lots of love and care put into them. Even the spin-offs tend to be really good.

Pokemon is pretty consistent even if it's not amazing. I can't get into the newer ones nearly as much but other people seem to just as well.

Final Fantasy is wildly inconsistent and can never seem to rise to it's old heights anymore.

FFIV is so inspired by II they even directly reference it with Kain, let alone the basic plot progression.
>The story always tries to be something "unique" if not from its own series, then other RPGs.
You must be joking, it's the most generic JRPG together with DQ in terms of stories.

Didn't know you go to the moon in II. Also, there were dragoons in III, reatardo, was that game also literally FFII again?

Yes obviously. Dragoons are in FF14 too. FF14 is literally FF2 as well.

I think you underestimate how generic many JRPGs are, especially back in the 90s.

>both games have dragons that means their stories are the same
Alright then

>Every FF is literally FFII
>FF as a series is shit since FFII is shit
Woooooow, how will FFshitters ever recover?

*dragoons
Whatever you know what meant.
One thing I can sort of give you is that both games have an empire/kingdom ravaging the world but those are handled radically different.
Is ff12 a retread of 2 as well? What about 6?

Interesting that Final Fantasy is the only one without a monster collection aspect (allowing for DQM). Wonder when/if they'll ever go for that.

>Didn't know you go to the moon in II.
You go to Hell which is the exact same thing plotwise.
>Also, there were dragoons in III, reatardo,
Both FFII and FFIV have a Kain Highwind, Both Kains lose their fathers and are the last of their kind in their respective universe, then there's the whole brother brainwashing betrayal with Leon and Golbez, both pull out the same exact ending, then there's the whole part of temporary party members that sacrifice themselves to let you get to the bad guys, and there's more and more, like Edward.
>I think you underestimate how generic many JRPGs are
And I think you overestimate FF too.

13-2 has monster collecting

The time has passed. Monster collecting was all the rage in the early 2000, I'm actually surprised we didn't collect monsters in 8.

Did it? I wouldn't know, I never touched the entire XIII series. Was it executed well? I like the idea of fucking up monsters with my own pet Malboro.

DQ>Pokémon>Old FF>SMT>New FF

>The time has passed. Monster collecting was all the rage in the early 2000
If the gatcha mobage scene is anything to go by, it's back and stronger than ever.

>both games have a kain high wind
His name is Ricard in 2 though

So close.
>Old SMT>DQ>Old Pokémon>Old FF>New SMT>New FF>New Pokemon

Wouldn't know. Have no interest in the 13 series.

Have you even played FFII? Kain is the little kid that Ricard adopts, he's the son of Ricard's best friend and after Ricard dies he's the last Dragoon in FFII.

SMT and Pokémon are my favourites. Don't really care for DQ or FF though they're decent from what I've played.

I can agree to that, only with DQ first.

It's been a while I actually forgot about that. I thought he was referring to the dragoon that actually joins your party.

And in 5 you go to a different dimension. In VI you climb a magic tower. It's called "final dungeon", lunatic. If anything IV is radically different since Moon is has a full-blown world map.
>Highwind
What is a reference? Also, the fates and decisions of both characters are radically different. You're pushing it when comparing a kid to a full-blown party member.
>Leon and Golbez
Leon was never brainwashed and the reveals have nothing in common. One is about "Holy shit, new villain", another is "literally Darth Vader".
>Character sacrifices
Show crucial differences in the tone and direction of two games. In II people die a lot and the world is in ruin, it's a full-blown war after all. In IV everyone lives, because muh fantasy.
Overall, you're a retard ready to jump on the most surface-level similarities without ever looking deeper. Eliminate yourself forever.
Old and New pokemon are the exact same shit.

From that list: FF = DQ > SMT >>> Pokemon
Played all FF and DQ, but only 3 SMT (not counting Persona), so that ">" could still change into a "="; also first 3 and the last generation of Pokemon.
I'd add Tales of as a great (although uneven as fuck) series and Breath of Fire (all four games are top tier).
Also, Chrono, but with only two games it's not much of a "series".

phantasy star and legend of heroes

They're all good.

Nobody's making you choose.

>And in 5 you go to a different dimension. In VI you climb a magic tower. It's called "final dungeon"
Yeah, it's the same shit.
>If anything IV is radically different since Moon is has a full-blown world map.
With one location, it's literally a huge dungeon.
>Overall, you're a retard ready to jump on the most surface-level similarities without ever looking deeper.
The devs themselves literally said that FFII was used as a base for FFIV because it was the first FF with a focus on the story, stop trying to nitpick when it's obvious FFIV copied FFII's plot and characters, Yang and Joseph are the exact same character, same with Edward and Gordon.
>and the reveals have nothing in common.
Both are the MC's brother, both pull the Darth Vader meme with the black armor and all, both don't stay with the MC in the end to atone for their sins, they're the same character using the same story with insignificant differences.
>In II people die a lot and the world is in ruin, it's a full-blown war after all.
This is completely irrelevant because the characters still die for the same narrative purpose.

Chrono Trigger is a shit rpg

...

>phantasy star
mah nigger

Digimon

Moe Chronicle is literally the dumbest thing I've ever played and I don't know why I bought it.

Needs a bottom category for doujin JRPGs. And one beneath it for ones that'll never be localised.

it's the worst kind of moe, the "dude look at me i'm really moe but not really i'm being ironic lmao".

Dark souls

I like FF the best.

I'd place old FF = new SMT
otherwise I can agree with

Depends on where you draw the line on old and new SMT, I guess.

Personally I would say FF.
>FF
I didn't exactly grow up with this series. Played FFVII in 2009 at age 17, wasn't bothered by the graphics. A few years later, I tried XIII and dropped it (so cringy!) - then 2 years later, I got the trilogy, enjoyed it and started working through the rest of the series. Not every game is a 9/10, but they all feel unique enough to warrant experiencing.
>SMT
I only played 4 on 3DS. The idea of "catching" monsters via betting is interesting, but they are too random. And the story, aesthetic, etc. is very dour. Things like having to look at your best friend slashed up and bloody, going to Hell forever, seeing the world end and everyone die - eww. I understand the morbid fetish for this type of stuff, but I'm not a fan.
>Pokemon
Stopped playing after Gold/Silver, because it started to feel too samey. I do follow the Pokegirls though. I wouldn't be surprised if Nintendo has a computer generating "new" settings and characters, possibly even ideas for Pokemon. It's formulaic to the extreme.
>Dragon Quest
Haven't played it, can't comment.

DQ>SMT>POKEMON>FF out of the options given

SaGa

>most of the casual listed series are better then stuff below it
Also
>golden sun
>good
Ayy lmao

Mid SMT/Early Persona > Mid Pokemon = DQ = Old FF > Old Pokemon > Old SMT > New SMT > New Persona > New FF > New Pokemon

Yes. There's no Malboro in the XIII universe, but there's a bunch of other stuff - some of which looks cool, some which looks dumb and makes no sense. Each monster has a set role you develop, and can gain skills from other monsters. You can increase their Strength, Magic, or both depending on the items you give them (be smart). Best of all, you can give them cute little accessories to wear during battle.

>it's a "child who can't read charts" episode
tell me where it's a chart about quality

Suikoden > Megami Tensei > SaGa > Shining > Ogre > Langrisser > Growlanser > Front Mission > Phantasy Star > Xeno > Grandia > Shadow Hearts > Ys > Breath of Fire > Legend of Heroes > Final Fantasy > Wild Arms > Pokemon > Mana > Dragon Quest > Star Ocean > Atelier > Tales > Kingdom Hearts > Neptunia

Ones with at least 5 games (except Shadow Hearts with 4).

SaGa should be in its own tier.

That sounds kind of neat, in it's own way. Is it worth picking up? I can't imagine it'd be a good idea to play it without playing FFXIII first, but I don't know if I even want to do that.

>Mixing turn-based, SRPGs, ARPGs and hybrids
By what standard are you even comparing them at that point? Just overall quality?

Why is Shining so high?

Final Fantasy has the highest highs and lowest lows, while Dragon Quest is very consistent and always a good time. It's hard for me to put one above the other because FF is such a mixed bag, my feelings on FF6 and FF7 are vastly different from my feelings on FF8 and FF3.

I haven't played enough MegaTen to really have a solid opinion, only played through the SNES games and a bit of Persona 4 at this point. It's decent, some solid ideas and I like the demon battle system but it needs to work out a lot of kinks. Persona on the other hand needs to just give up its lite dungeon crawling gameplay, which doesn't work for it at all, and find a better balance between the highschool hijinx and main story since 4 sacrificed the latter to develop the social links. It looks like Nocturne and Persona 5 answer both of those concerns though, so I'm looking forward to getting around to them.

I've completely fallen off Pokemon. It's various sequels have even less substantial improvement and innovation than Dragon Quest does, and its gone in a direction I don't really care for in its new emphasis on complete linearity and long-winded cutscenes for the most shallow of plots and characters. If I'm ever looking for a Pokemon fix I'll just replay FRLG and HGSS.

FF > SMT > Pokemon > DQ

Having played FFXIII and kinda liking it, I can safely say that you can skip its "story" entirely. A lot of it makes little sense, and for most of the game you will wonder what your characters are actually supposed to be doing. Maybe just watch some cutscenes on Youtube? The sequel doesn't really continue things in a logical way anyway, so you'd just be watching XIII cutscenes to get familiar with the characters. Many of which are annoying.

As for the gameplay, XIII-2 is an improved version of XIII. Progression doesn't feel as linear, you don't Game Over unless both characters get KOd, Instead of 3 human party members you can't choose between until 30 hours in, there's 2 likable human characters plus 1 monster of your choice. And because some of the strongest buffs/debuffs/etc. are limited to monsters, you have a real incentive to take advantage of this system. The difficultly is also more even than in FFXIII, where certain bosses could show up and wreck you within seconds and it's not clear how to win. Kinda like some of the old games, but fuck, it's not the 90s anymore. Overall, I'd say XIII-2 is a more palatable RPG experience. I hope you're good at puzzles though.

Ftfy

79th post best post

Are you seriously such a faggot that you think shit is better than diarrhea?

>jrpgfan golden sun
>babies first rpg

Xenoblade

>This "Xeno- is a series" meme again
Stop.

smt did not evolve like pokemon did, they need a new mechanic, it is always about dumping points into magic. dragon quest x was a really sad thing, but the next one sounds really good

Pokemon. It has GeoDude. Thats a rock with fists.

It's as much a series as FF.