Let's discuss non-RPG games, too
 

I know the title is counter-intuitive, but we have a non-RPG subforum. And while it would be a weird idea to ask for non-JRPG subforum ;), we can create one thread here to talk about console and handheld Japanese games that aren't RPGs. Agreed?

My favorite non-RPG Japanese games are Phoenix Wright (DS, 3DS) and Danganronpa (PSP, Vita) series. Both are mystery games with detective and trial sections. Very exciting. And as far as visual novels go, Higurashi is my absolute favorite, it's full of masterfully crafted mystery and you don't know until late whether it's all about supernatural occurences or, say, mental illness.

Share your favorites :)

I definitely don't have a problem with this. :) As long as the admins don't mind, I'm okay with you bringing up non-rpg's in the JRPG forum, so long as they fall under the category of Japanese or pseudo-Japanese.

One game I'm really enjoying is Strider (2014). It's a sequel to the NES Strider from 1989, which was a very Japanese game, but this one was made by an American team (I think?). They tried their best to keep the manga feel, since Strider was originally a manga. It's loads of fun. :)

And Ultra Street Fighter 4 is actually a lot more fun than it looks too. :)

(I don't know that the admins will give us that subforum, so until they do, I'm totally fine with us discussing non-JRPG's here :) )

We're not going to talk about dating birds are we? ;)

I wouldn't call Valkyria Chronicles a JRPG. It's more of a squad-based tactics game, IMHO, with a lot of story.

Hmm…well, considering how much we've covered it on the Watch, I would lump it in with JRPG's, even if you could argue that the association is loose. It's still got enough RPG elements…

I didn't even know that Hatoful Boyfriend was Japanese! Never played it, but heard a lot about it :) The idea seems too zany to play it, however, I heard many good things about the game's story and characters. I just wish they used people.

I've never heard of Strider before!

There's probably no need to ask, unless someone actually wants to discuss non-JRPG Japanese games a lot, my guess is the subforum wouldn't be very popular. :)

Finished 2013 Tomb Raider this weekend. Wow. Just wow. Never played a TR game in my life, but it was a well crafted brutal rollercoaster of a game from start to finish.

Proper blown away by it, the gameplay is great, is really well paced, and the lead actress is superb.

Not without it's flaws, but a joy to play. 9/10

Tomb Raider is a console series now? Live and learn! Things change so drastically, not only there's a trend to port famous console games to PC, but vice versa, too :)

I wonder if the developers are really Japanese, though. A cursory look at wikipedia leads to Crystal Dynamics with HQ in California.

Glad that you liked the game :)

I love me some Mario games. I'm going to buy a bluetooth Wiimote soon so I can use Dolphin emulator and play some of those great Wii gems. Mario Galaxy is crack! :nod:

It always was. The original Tomb Raider was released on the Playstation 1 in 1996 the same date as the PC version.

The new Strider is a nice little budget title. It was co-developed by Double Helix Games, which is an American developer, and Capcom who of course created the original arcade and NES Strider games.

Speaking of Capcom, they're probably my favorite Japanese developer. I've been a fan since Ghost 'n Goblins on the NES, and Resident Evil is one of my favorite non-RPG series.

I'd also mention Konami (Castlevania, Silent Hill), From Software (King's Field, Dark Souls), and Nintendo (Zelda, Metroid).

I also used to be a fan of Square back in the days before they merged with Enix. I enjoyed the earlier Final Fantasy titles (I-VII) and Chrono Trigger.

Yep, and even though the publishing rights are now owned by Square-Enix, Tomb Raider has never been a Japanese-developed game.

All of this. :)

SquareSoft released amazing title after amazing title until they merged with Enix, and after that, their games started to feel halfhearted, childish, and strange.

Though Capcom has been really consistent in releasing really solid games.

Some great non-rpg japanese video games.

-Metal gear solid series
-Resident evil games: RE 1-4 and RE code veronica (don't really care much about the sequels after re4)
-Silent hill. A real horror game. Silent hill would definitely need a modern remake.
-Bushido Blade and Bushido Blade 2 are in my opinion the best fighting games ever made. Great story mode, partly non linear levels and there are no health bars. The fight can be over with one sword hit.
-Way of the Samurai. Not as realistic as bushido blade series, but one of the better samurai themed games.
-Tekken 3. An arcade fighting game does not get any better. A blast to play with friends.
-Samurai Showdown. A really fun arcade classic.
-Soul Blade ( or Soul Edge) Check out the intro by the way and say you don't want to play this. :)
-Castlevania symphony of the night

Ah Capcom and Konami. Two names which almost guaranteed a top quality game back in my gaming prime during the 16bit era.

Hadn't realized they'd made a Strider sequel, will have to check it out, loved the original!

Cool stuff :)

When I picked up the GBA and then DS, I fell in love with the Fire Emblem and then Advance Wars games. Cool stuff.

I like shmup games, but I'm really not so good at them.
I have had Ikaruga for years, and I never managed to finish it (OK, I didn't try that hard, but still :x).
Otherwise, I'm currently playing Steins;Gate on PSVita, it's a real visual novel (you don't have investigation and trial parts as in Dangan Ronpa), but it's quite nice. I think it's one of those rare japanese games where I'm not bored by the massive amount of dialogues.

I watched Steins;Gate, it was quite good, indeed. The VN must be even better than the animated adaptation. I heard that it has different endings.

IMO you should sell gadgetery and grab real anime series instead.
It's one of very good ones. Not supergreat, but very good.

Elel >> The visual novel has different endings, but it's really difficult to know what will have consequences on the scenario. All you can do is: read dialogue (all with voice acting) and sometime answer phonecalls or emails (for phonecall you can choose to answer or not, and for emails you can select different part of the message that will lead to different answers).
You also have access to a big "data base" full of explanations about the game universe (which is funny because some are real informations about real things, and some are about things that only exist in the game).

joxer >> The visual novel was made before the anime, so I wanted to "play" (with quotation marks, because it's more like "read and listen" XD) the game rather than watch the anime. ;)

The Japanese make some absolutely wonderful games; some of my non-RPG favorites include:

- Tenchu series. (Especially 1+3, still haven't finished Fatal Shadows…)
One can satisfy an indulgence for majestic oriental beauty as well as explore a childhood obsession with the world of ninjas! Excellent stealth game-play, lushly atmospheric and memorable soundtracks )
- Raiden series (I love old school arcade games and these particular vertical scrolling shoot 'em ups deliver amazing yet simple and addictive game-play that is hard as nails. Fantastic synth-soaring chip-tunes and BGM to boot. )
- Castlevania (I've beaten the first game (NES) Super Castlevania IV (SNES) Bloodlines (Megadrive) and Symphony of the Night (PS1). Some great memories here. Would love to play some more but there's so many of varying quality and it's hard to know what to play next! I still have the N64 game to finish yet…