i couldn't disagree more. there's RPGs with really deep storylines that drag you in of course. but not every RPG has a really amazing story. just look at pokémon games. RPGs mostly meant deep storylines originally, but that's certainly not true anymore. and let's face it, the previous digimon games had pretty pitiful stories.
... I'd have to disagree with you on gameplay being more important now, the reason a game is a game is due to setting/story. Without it it couldn't really be called a game (to me). The story defines how the game is gonna be played, or why stuff is happening, without it, the game gets boring really quickly. Try playing this game in Japanese, you don't need a translation to play and complete the game, but it's tiring doing that without reading the story. I've tried to complete it two times now, both times I gave up around half to 3/4ths of the way cuz I couldn't get into the game, unlike the other two where I easily completed them. Main reason is that I could read the story and feel like I'm actually playing a game, rather then trying the game out or something along that line.
To me, and probably many others, story lines, no matter how simple, engross you into the game. That's probably why you're coming back here waiting for the translation yourself. You can easily play the game without the translation, but you can't get engrossed without getting into the story.
Ps. True that the stories/settings are 'pitiful', but even with how pitiful it is, you were still playing and waiting for a sequel, like all the pokemon fans out there, and I doubt it's cuz of the game play ( there are quite a few others with similar game play out there, after all).
PS2. Games are kind of like life, without a goal you're just idling by, but once you have a goal, it becomes brighter, fuller, and more enjoyable. (and that's what the story is.)
