Quote Originally Posted by Bolivar View Post
I think I fully admit in my post that WKC is not a great game, only that I had a lot more fun playing it, exploring the contours of every map, bashing baddies and customizing my characters.
I understand, I actually agree that when I first started playing, having no other real JRPG goodness to delve into besides XIII, I was also just eating everything up, but the game kind of grew tedious for me. After awhile, once I kind of filled my thirst for RPG goodness and came back to the game, I started to see its faults. I consider the game better than FFXIII personally but I feel it's only a good JRPG because it has no real competition.
And I don't think I've ever said Valkyria Chronicles has had an impact (yet), but it absolutely is the biggest innovation to the SRPG formula we've seen in quite some time. Every fan of the genre should play it.
I can agree on it being innovated, but whether it has an impact hasn't been seen yet, but I honestly feel it will be a niche series within the larger SRPG genre much like Disgaea. I don't actually see it having a huge impact on the sub-genre to be honest, simply because it's innovations may not transfer over as well to something like the Tactics Ogre franchise, or Nippon Ichi's games.

I have to say I do think Demon's Souls is an RPG because it has character creation, and a degree of randomization to its numbers systems. You loot items and customize equipment. Unlike action games where every action you take is immediate or near-instantaneous, every action has a charge time to it that can be shortened or lengthened by the equipment you're using, the stats you have, and combat effects like being encumbered. It would be hard to imagine what game could legitimately be called an "Action RPG" if Demon's Souls isn't one.

I think my issue stems from the fact another From Software series, Armored Core, has most of those features as well, but no one would call Armored Core an Action RPG. Assassin's Creed also has charge times based on what weapon you use as well, and you purchase items and equipment from shops that can affect your characters "stats", so I feel Demon's Souls "RPG" elements are weak. It's still a fantastic game, but I kind of feel like it's in the same category as Vagrant Story, which is called an "Action RPG" despite most of its core elements leading one to believe the game defies any true genre, but we can't just say ??? when the genre entry comes up.

But I wasn't just talking about console games here. The issue was: whether Final Fantasy XIII is better than the new RPGs of today? If you limit that to big budget, AAA titles, then yeah, it's probably better than The Last Remnant. But if you look at the titles that have come out on handheld and console, a lot of awesome stuff is still being made that shows you shouldn't have to lower your expectations. As Del said, Radiant Historia is the kind of game Square used to make and it's a shame that they don't seem to know how to do it anymore.
Agreed, in fact I find that Squenix's handheld titles are more true to form of the old days, granted most of them are remakes which is why, but games like KH: Birth By Sleep, Dragon Quest IX, and even FFIV:The After Years, are all well made, and perfectly palpable for more traditional minded fans. I am actually really impressed with the Agito/Type 0 game after playing the demo for awhile, and can honestly say I'm really looking forward to it. Hell, it has some elements in its design that I feel you would appreciate, like blending gameplay and storytelling with in-game cinematics. That Scorpion Tank encounter in the early part of the demo made my jaw drop actually, as well as the atmosphere leading up to the first boss encounter. I'm honestly still in disbelief this game was made by the same guy who did the sub-par Crisis Core. The game has blossomed into something truly more ambitious than its console big brother.