The Black Tower

jaes

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A small french indie studio is developing a JRPG inspired by PS1 era RPGs (pre-rendered backgrounds, etc.). It looks quite promising, and since the style isn't "hardcore" anime, it could have broader appeal than the typical JRPG. And the PS1 era inspiration is nice for a change.

They just launched a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo:
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-black-tower?c=home

And they're on Steam Greenlight as well:
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=148498979

InGG_slums.jpg
 
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I see a game name I am not familiar with. The Black Tower. Cool. I see it's from a "small indie team". I love to support small indies. Cool. I see "JRPG." Well, it's been fun. See you later.
 
I see a game name I am not familiar with. The Black Tower. Cool. I see it's from a "small indie team". I love to support small indies. Cool. I see "JRPG." Well, it's been fun. See you later.
I love how everywere but Japan the word JRPG is somehow the new dreaded word of gaming. They were once on top of the food chain now no one will admit to liking them not even reviewers. I'm not blaming you just calling what I see on the internet.
 
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Yeah, I don't understand that myself.

There is a great variety of JRPGs out there, even more so than WRPGs. And many are them are excellent. Immersive gameplay, involving characters and beautful art. Also many JRPGs try to change up many tried-and-true game mechanics.

Anybody who shuns all JRPGs as pointless, garishly colored fluff so casually is not much of an RPG fan, me thinks.
 
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I never said they were "pointless" or "garishly colored fluff." Don't put words in my mouth. You have your opinion of them, I have mine. I have tried many of them. I simply don't care for them. I dont like the gameplay or the "art."So that makes me "not much of an rpg fan"? How will I ever sleep tonight. :rolleyes:
 
A bit sensitive there, Icefire? :) I didn't single you out - I'm describing detractors collectively.

You didn't like a single JRPG despite trying many of them? Then I guess they're just not for you. Out of curiosity, I've attached some screenshots of some of the most beautiful JRPGs I've personally seen - what are your opinions on these? Respectfully asking, that is.
 

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A bit sensitive there, Icefire? :) I didn't single you out - I'm describing detractors collectively.

You didn't like a single JRPG despite trying many of them? Then I guess they're just not for you. Out of curiosity, I've attached some screenshots of some of the most beautiful JRPGs I've personally seen - what are your opinions on these? Respectfully asking, that is.

You get all upset when someone doesn't like jrpg's and I am the sensitive one? Ok.

You didnt single me out? Someone quoted my post and you responded to that. Kind of hard to reach any other conclusion. Especially when you say "anybody who shuns jrpg's" They are not for me. I simply don't understand why anyone gets all in a twist because someone doesnt like a game style, or genre. I don't like shooters either. Does that make me "not much of a PC gamer?" I like ARPG's. A lot of people don't. Some despise them with a passion. Doesn't affect me one way or another. I dont play a game for graphics or looks, I dont care about story at all either. I just want to forget my troubles and have fun for a little while. What I find fun is different than what you find fun, and different for everybody else. Doesnt make anyone less of anything.

Forgot about the games. The first one I assume is turn-based? I dont care for turn based combat in an rpg. The second looks interesting, but I dont read or understand japanese, so unless the game is in English, no I wouldnt try it. Ditto for the third. Fourth one maybe, I dont care for the looks but if the gameplay was good, I would give it a whirl.
 
For what it's worth, I wasn't upset at all. I started my post with an observation that you didn't like JRPGs and ended with a broadly sweeping statement about critiques I've often noticed elsewhere. I should have been a bit more precise there, my bad.

I'm confused about this because personally I find JRPGs not so much as a different genre but as a cultural take on RPGs. So I react the same way as someone would if they knew, for example, a fan of rock music who doesn't like J-Rock or a foodie who hates Mexican cuisine.

As you can see, over-analyzing is sadly something I often do. :p

And thanks for expressing your thoughts. I agree that fun is subjective and so are opinions :)

As for the games, unfortunately they are not on the PC but console/handhelds games.

1) Odin Sphere - side scrolling ARPG on the PS2/PS3.
2) Valkyria Chronicles - turn based tactical RPG on the PS3
3) Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch - Anime based typical (realtime overworld, team based combat) JRPG on the PS3
4) Okami - not an RPG but an action/adventure on the PS2/PS3/Wii/3DS
 
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Are there any JRPG's that are more along the lines of Sacred or Titan quest? Those I would try. I dont like TB combat in an rpg. Most jrpg's have that. Theres nothing wrong with it, just too slow paced for me. I remember one. I dont recall the name, but it was on the ps2. They said the attack they were using EVERY SINGLE TIME THEY ATTACKED. "Super hammer smash!" Oh my God. It wore on me. I shut it off and havent played one since.

I love a well done TB strategy game though.
 
...They said the attack they were using EVERY SINGLE TIME THEY ATTACKED. "Super hammer smash!" Oh my God. It wore on me. I shut it off and havent played one since...

Hahaha, Ok that does sound annoying! Many JRPGs tend to go over-the-top :D

I can't really think of any hack-and-slash JRPGs off the top of my head. But I must add that the newly released Amazing Adventures of Van Helsing is a fantastic game and Titan Quest fans have Grim Dawn to look forward to this year.
 
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Hahaha, Ok that does sound annoying! Many JRPGs tend to go over-the-top :D

I can't really think of any hack-and-slash JRPGs off the top of my head. But I must add that the newly released Amazing Adventures of Van Helsing is a fantastic game and Titan Quest fans have Grim Dawn to look forward to this year.

Playing both of them and enjoying them tremendously!!

There was a Lord of the Rings ps2 game which I really enjoyed. The Third Age. Don't know if was considered a JRPG or not, but I did really like that one. And I shouldn't say I don't care for TB combat. I like it in certain games. The over the top ones definitely not! Sometimes they are just way too slow, and happen way too often for my tastes.
 
As for the games, unfortunately they are not on the PC but console/handhelds games.

1) Odin Sphere - side scrolling ARPG on the PS2/PS3.
2) Valkyria Chronicles - turn based tactical RPG on the PS3
3) Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch - Anime based typical (realtime overworld, team based combat) JRPG on the PS3
4) Okami - not an RPG but an action/adventure on the PS2/PS3/Wii/3DS

The only one of those titles that I'm familiar with is Valkyria Chronicles, but it is indeed pretty good for a console RPG. I was annoyed that the sequels were only released for the Playstation Portable.
 
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I love how everywere but Japan the word JRPG is somehow the new dreaded word of gaming. They were once on top of the food chain now no one will admit to liking them not even reviewers. I'm not blaming you just calling what I see on the internet.

Top of the food chain? When was that? And in what countries? I've never even played one, nor wanted to.
 
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Maybe I don't dislike JRPGs.

I've just disliked every single example I've played - and I suppose that's around 50 JRPGs or so.

Bad luck?
 
I have tried 3 JRPGS and disliked them all. Have yet to see any review, clip, or demo that interests me on them. Not a fan of Anime either (well except one movie). Enough other games to keep me busy as it is.
 
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Maybe I don't dislike JRPGs.

I've just disliked every single example I've played - and I suppose that's around 50 JRPGs or so.

Bad luck?

Yikes, DArtagnan! I think you can stop trying any more JRPGs. They are definitely not your cup of tea. I must say you're a trooper for trying so many though! :salute:
 
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I like JRPGs and WRPGs almost equally. I haven't played a lot JRPGs, but the ones I played mostly differed from WRPGs in the following areas:
- The visual aspect, obviously
- The way skills was handled. The games had no/few skills outside combat, so skills like Lock-picking, Sneak, Charisma seem rare in JRPGs
- None/few of the games had interactive dialog
- Few quests with multiple solutions, partly because of the less focus on skills outside combat

I understand why some people don't like these aspects of JRPGs, but if the world is interactive enough, the story and characters interesting, and I like the combat system, I personally don't mind (I'll come back to the visual aspect). The design philosophy is probably to sacrifice multiple approaches and parts of the character development to keep the plot and characterization stronger, and interwoven.

The main reason I personally like this sub-genre is because of the different approach to setting and the over-the-topness. Especially the enemy design tend to be very charming and creative. I'm not that much into games with the typical/clichéd anime inspired humans/human-like characters, so I tend to avoid those games. IMO, far too many WRPGs are based on more or less the same Medieval inspired setting and enemies. The western sci-fi ones come in more shapes and colors, but still feel a bit samey after a while, IMO, and are unfortunately a bit less common than western fantasy RPGs. So after I've played one or two western fantasy RPGs I'm a bit sick of "realistic" environments, orcs, dragons, brown and grey - or similar traits and features. Then I either turn to a western sci-fi RPG or a JRPG to mix things up a bit.

But actually a lot has happened the past 5-6 years, and nowadays a lot of JRPGs have action-based combat, at least to a degree, but AFAIK in most of them the combat takes place on a different map, and my guess is that it turns some people off.

EDIT: Clarified a few things.
 
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in most of them the combat takes place on a different map, and my guess is that it turns some people off.

Bingo. I just didn't explain what I didn't like about TB combat in an rpg very well. This is it right here.
 
Ok, I can't remember if I've ever liked one either. Are there any that don't have cartoonish graphics? I prefer almost anything to cartoon. I also hate for a weapon to be bigger than the character wielding it. I had a rough time with Frayed Knights because of the cartoon look of the party. That and the lame anti-stereotypical party. I got fairly far in the game though, before the tedium kicked in. The game was fun when I was dungeon crawling.
 
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