Gaming Anyone else dissapointed w/the T-RPGs on the NDS?

[zragnarok]

Hoshigami Remix, Heroes of Mana, and Luminous Arc... three high profile T-RPGs (tactical rpg) on the DS and they are all very mediocre. This is my favorite genre and it seems like every release has fallen short. Hoshigami had a very unpolished feel and horrible storyline. Heroes has control and performance issues. And luminous arc is just plain boring. I also feel like the storylines and characters for all three are very cliche and cookie cutter anime clones. I dont like how they are catering to the kids and the noobs. I want something engaging and deep like disgaea and final fantasy tactics (ps1).. im starting to feel that perhaps I should sell my DS and go with the PSP since it has the FFT Remake coming out and also Jeanne d'Arc which got really good reviews..

http://psp.ign.com/articles/812/812668p1.html

anyone else feel like i do?

 

[thegame07]

Wheres vandal hearts ds

 

[Deanwick]

Well, we have FFXII coming hopefully soon, so I wouldn`t panic just yet. Having played the jap-version of it, I think it will fill the gap just fine. I haven`t tried HoM yet, but I agree that Hoshigami and LA were both disappointments.

FFT-remake is nothing to be jealous about, but Jeanne D`Arc is a different deal. Maybe I really should get a

too.

 

[ediblebird]

tactical rpgs are my favourite as well, and i have been disappointed with the ones released so far. Im really hanging out for Final Fantasy Tactics A2. But i have to admit i have been ogling Jeanne d'Arc for a while now, that may just push me to get a psp as well.

 

[Lodis]

I have been playing Heroes Of Mana and I am not impressed at all. The units move too slowly by default, they have no sense of direction, they have no intelligance and everything seems to suffer from some type of slow down. This title has so much potential but is totally ruined.

Here is an example, I sent a few units to a destination to attack an enemy, they were moving so slowly that by the time they got near the location, the enemy had already started to attack them (had probably had a sleep too).

After this, my clever units decided that they would just ignore all of the attacks they were getting and proceed to the destination that the enemy no longer existed at. Consequently most of my units were killed.

Another example is when you send units anywhere close by, they decide to take a long route because of how they have been programmed. Good luck to anyone who has the full 25 units to control because even a Mushroom cant find its way to an enemy that is right next to it.

I have a Psp and have played the Jeanne D`Arc demo, there were no problems with slow downs and this is definately one to look out for, Field Commander was also excellent (completed twice). I am glad to have a Psp and a DS.


On the DS, I look forward to Advance Wars 2. If they were going to do a decent RTS on the DS they should have done it with Age Of Empires, Command % Conquer or something similar to Buglord BugLord PocketPC

 

[When Im Gone]

I hated Luminous Arc and Hoshigami Remix isnt much better. Heros of mana is ok the only semi decent game that just game out is Harvest Moon and its has many flaws.

 

[GeekyGuy]

im starting to feel that perhaps I should sell my DS and go with the PSP since it has the FFT Remake coming out...

Hmm...but then you'll miss out on FFT2.

I haven't yet gotten to Luminous Arc, but so far Heroes of Mana is better than I expected. Yes, the story can be seen as "cookie-cutter," but the gameplay seems (again, so far) to be a nice fit for on-the-go RTS gaming. I'm glad that the unit structure is kept rather simple -- I don't want anything too deep on my DS -- I've got Warcraft for that (and soon Spore and Starcraft 2). The game also walks you through everything you need to know in order to get started. And there is actually a bit of added depth in the fact that you can armor individual characters, as you would in a traditional RPG. This is certainly a huge step up from Lostmagic -- a game that wasn't quite an RTS nor an RPG. Heroes feels like a real RTS, just very streamlined. Again, though, I'll reserve any judgment about pathing and AI `til later, when I've had more of a chance to see how it performs. Right now, though, it doesn't seem terrible by any means. Yeah, units do tend to take "the long way," as opposed to diagonally making their way toward an enemy / destination. But it's nothing that makes the game unplayable. I may change my mind about that later, of course.

Hoshigami Remix was boring, and that's why I stopped playing it after only a short time. But I think there was potential there for people who enjoy that sort of thing. It seems to be to DS TBSes what Etrian Odyssey is to DS RPGs: bare-bones, old-school and kinda plain.

 

[CockroachMan]

Heroes of Mana is not a Tactical RPG.. it's a RTS!
You shouldn't try to compare it to FF Tactics..

 

[TheNeck]

As for Luminous Arc, i think its a decent game, better than i thought it would be.

Heroes of Mana is below average to me that is.

And I still have to play the Jeanne D`Arc demo, i just to lazy to check it out.

I am glad to have a Psp and a DS.

I have a psp and dsl as well, which I think is the best option. That way you can have the best & worst of both worlds.

Also you can get a refurbed psp for $129.99 from Tigerdirect, if $169.99 is to much for you to get a new one.

 

[Jax]

Please, I just want some classic turn based or action RPGs...

 

[HellShade]

Heroes of Mana is a great game, most of the complaints here are just people who are spoiled by computer-genre RTSes, where the AI can take you through most of the game with a simple attack-move and occasional manual skill casting.

Seriously, microing isn't hard, especially with a stylus.

I've gotten through three missions without a single death or damage to my ship.

 

[zragnarok]

Heroes of Mana is a great game, most of the complaints here are just people who are spoiled by computer-genre RTSes, where the AI can take you through most of the game with a simple attack-move and occasional manual skill casting.

Seriously, microing isn't hard, especially with a stylus.

I've gotten through three missions without a single death or damage to my ship.

what the hell kind of lame excuse is that? so if a game has crappy AI, then we are just spoiled by games that have great AI?

 

[HellShade]

Yes, on systems with much greater processing power, sure they can afford to have better AI.

Think about this for a second, if everything is in real time, the DS is constantly processing. Now, if you include the enemy AI, how much priority do you really think the player AI can take up? Not much, I'd say.

Sure, it's not the greatest thing in the world, but I don't expect a game to be perfect just because it has a history of a good franchise, or it's raved about pre-release.

 

[GeekyGuy]

...Seriously, microing isn't hard, especially with a stylus....

Well, I can appreciate what the DS can do, so I won't admit to being spoiled by PC-quality RTSes. I try to appreciate each game within the context of its system.

That said, I'm in agreement with you, so far. I think I can see what Gamespot may have been complaining about, but at this point -- where I'm at in the game -- it seems like they greatly overstated it. The main issues I'm seeing are that the units waste a fair amount of time trying to figure out how to get to their destination because other units are in the way. The invisible grid only allows the units to move along very strict lines, so they tend to get in each other's way a lot. But it doesn't seem to be anything that's crippling to the point of making the skirmishes unenjoyable or win-able. Heck, even WC3: TFT has that kinda crap, and it's fully polygonal.

I still don't excuse the fact that Square Enix didn't offer online multiplayer for this game. It truly pissed me off in the case of Rocket Slime (and to a lesser extent Children of Mana and Mario Hoops). They put out these great games with a multiplayer focus, and then stick you with local multi-card play only? I don't know about you, but I don't know many folks nearby who have the same games and are willing or available to play. It's a real waste of potential, I say.

 

[Gimmy]

Joining the club ):
I'm also dissapointed from the RPG's on the DS. I was very happy yasterday to see 3 new RPG's to the DS, but was dissapointed after a minute of reserch on these games.

 

[Opium]

Final Fantasy Tactics Advance 2 is coming along with FF XII RW. With any luck they'll be half decent.

But as far as I'm concerned it'll take something truly amazing to topple Tactics Ogre: The Knight of Lodis (GBA). Best handheld TRPG I've ever played.

 

[MC DUI]

Joining the club ):
I'm also dissapointed from the RPG's on the DS. I was very happy yasterday to see 3 new RPG's to the DS, but was dissapointed after a minute of reserch on these games.

Mate you were asking if you should get a PSP or not, you are answering your own question in this thread, there are a bunch of sweet RPGs on the PSP especially if you count the PSX games you can play. Plus DISGAEA!!! Woot

 

[HellShade]

...Seriously, microing isn't hard, especially with a stylus....


Well, I can appreciate what the DS can do, so I won't admit to being spoiled by PC-quality RTSes. I try to appreciate each game within the context of its system....

...I still don't excuse the fact that Square Enix didn't offer online multiplayer for this game....

FINALLY, someone who knows what I'm talking about.

Judging by the post, I'd say you an I are in full agreement.

And for people hating Heroes of Mana: slow movement speed = easier micro, think of it that way.

I agree it's not what it could've been, but it's not a godawful. In fact, the game has its fun points, and I look forward to playing this on the plane ride home.