Good DS RPGs?

[KallDrexx]

I'm trying to find a good RPG to buy for my DS (non-3d).  I finished Chrono Trigger (awesome) and just returned The World Ends With You (not awesome) and I'm trying to figure out what to get next.   I've played Etrian Odessey 1 a long time ago and it seem to remember it being OK, and I was tempted to give #3 a try but I'm not sure I want to deal with the whole mapping crap (though the high-difficulty does sound appealing).

Any suggestions?

[Kail]

Personally, I enjoyed Final Fantasy Tactics A2, but that's a TBS/RPG hybrid, so might not be what you're looking for.  Rune Factory 1 and 2 were fun for me, but you gotta enjoy the whole Harvest Moon subgenre to really enjoy it, I think.

Otherwise, I'm not aware of that much.  Contact is kind of neat (more weird quirky game than epic drama RPG though).  There's Final Fantasy Revenant Wings if you want some halfassed RTS in your FFXII spinoff, but that's about all I've played that's decent.

[cosapi]

Radiant Historia has been a blast for me. It basically uses a time traveling mechanic between two different timelines where you do something in one in order to fix something in the other. The battle system is pretty decent too once you get to parts of the game where you can put it to good use. Also the music is decent. It reminded me of when I enjoyed console rpgs.

[Rendakor]

For a traditional JRPG, go with Dragon Quest (9?) Sentinels of the Starry Skies. It plays just like the old school FF games, and is very good.

The Castlevania games are good if you like action RPGs; they play like SOTN so if you liked that you'll like them. Of the three, Order of Ecclesia is probably the weakest so I wouldn't start there.

If you're into SRPGs like FFT, Luminous Arc is good, as is the Disgaea port; both of those are better than FFTA2 with its stupid laws system.

[Selby]

I picked up all the Dragon Quest games for my DS.  Hours of fun for someone who enjoys old school gaming.

[KallDrexx]

Personally, I enjoyed Final Fantasy Tactics A2, but that's a TBS/RPG hybrid, so might not be what you're looking for.  Rune Factory 1 and 2 were fun for me, but you gotta enjoy the whole Harvest Moon subgenre to really enjoy it, I think.

I've kept seeing Rune Factory while browsing Amazon but I never even heard of the harvest Moon stuff and all I got from the reviews is that there is farming, and socializing, and a little bit of combat and I was left confused. 

I like TBS type of games, so I'll look at Luminous Arc, Disgea, and FFT.  What's the law system Rendakor is referring to?

[Hawkbit]

Radiant Historia has been a blast for me. It basically uses a time traveling mechanic between two different timelines where you do something in one in order to fix something in the other. The battle system is pretty decent too once you get to parts of the game where you can put it to good use. Also the music is decent. It reminded me of when I enjoyed console rpgs.

Second vote for RH.  Also, it had a limited press, so if you're a collector it will likely be worth a bit in a few years.  Maybe.

[Kail]

What's the law system Rendakor is referring to?

They're in Final Fantasy Tactics A2; I'd forgotten about that when I recommended the game, and yeah, it is kind of annoying.  There are rules in each battle which are decided beforehand.  I forget exactly what the penalty is for breaking them, but if I recall correctly it's something like you forfeit the lot at the end of the mission, your clan privilege (basically like a universal bonus to your characters) is turned off, and you can't res people for the rest of the fight.  It doesn't kill you, but it is a pain in the ass if you break it.

The laws themselves vary a lot and range from minor inconveniences to major restrictions you have to balance your entire battle strategy around.  Often they're forbidding using specific types of weapons (e.g. no swords allowed) or magic (e.g. no ice magic).  I think the intent was to keep players fluid, so that there wouldn't be one uberstrategy/superteam you'd always use in all situations, and it succeeds in that, but I don't know that the payoff is woth the annoyance.

I've got an old rant about it here:
http://forums.f13.net/index.php?topic=13654.msg494650#msg494650

[trias_e]

Shin Megami Tensei:  Devil Survivor is solid if you enjoy turn based tactics-like RPGs.

Final Fantasy 3 (Japanese 3) might be worth a buy if you like old school RPGs.

Phoenix Wright, Ghost Trick, and 999 aren't RPG's, but adventure games and RPG's are kinda similar, right?  Not really I know, but they are so awesome that I feel like bringing them up anyways.

[KallDrexx]

I decided to get Radiant Historia for now, and I'll probably go into the Dragon Quest games next then. 

Thanks :D

[Yegolev]

I generally agree with the above but not sure about Order of Ecclesia being the weakest Castlevania on DS.  Mostly because I can't remember anything about Dawn of Sorrow and Portrait of Ruin will lock up on you.  I don't have any issues with OoE except that the advancement system is a tad opaque.

I also would say that DQ Starry Skies is like DQ, since FF1 is like DQ1 in chronological terms.  That's a nitpick, you should know what to expect.  Combat is "any DQ" with modern DS graphics.

[Simond]

Find a copy of FFVI Advance on ebay.

[Rendakor]

My big complaint about OoE is that there wasn't one giant castle; I didn't care for the smaller dungeons, particularly because it made returning to areas when you have new powers tedious, as you can't clearly see where you didn't explore. It fucked with the formula that's been perfect since SOTN in a way that really put me off; it's the only 2d Castlevania game I haven't beaten because of it.

[Maledict]

How can you talk about DS RPGs and not mention 'The World Ends With You'. It's incredibly bold and inventive, and well worth looking at. I many ways, it feels like more effort and invention went into this than most other JRPGs combined this generation.

[KallDrexx]

How can you talk about DS RPGs and not mention 'The World Ends With You'. It's incredibly bold and inventive, and well worth looking at. I many ways, it feels like more effort and invention went into this than most other JRPGs combined this generation.

I mentioned it in my original post, and I hated the combat system in the game I couldn't play it for more than a few hours and ended up trading it back to amazon

[trias_e]

How can you talk about DS RPGs and not mention 'The World Ends With You'. It's incredibly bold and inventive, and well worth looking at. I many ways, it feels like more effort and invention went into this than most other JRPGs combined this generation.

I mentioned it in my original post, and I hated the combat system in the game I couldn't play it for more than a few hours and ended up trading it back to amazon

I'm with you.  I actually got decently far, perhaps 6-7 hours into the game, waiting to 'get' the combat system.  Never 'got' it.

[Rendakor]

I liked it a lot, but I didn't mention it since you said you didn't care for it.

[Margalis]

Might and Magic is kind of a puzzle/RPG, really more puzzle than RPG I guess, but quite good.

[Amaron]

Infinite Space is probably my fav on the DS.   It's not a straight up RPG but I find it fills much of that sort of itch via the space ships/crew.   Plus it's a fun sci fi romp which is hard to find these days.

[Yegolev]

My big complaint about OoE is that there wasn't one giant castle; I didn't care for the smaller dungeons, particularly because it made returning to areas when you have new powers tedious, as you can't clearly see where you didn't explore. It fucked with the formula that's been perfect since SOTN in a way that really put me off; it's the only 2d Castlevania game I haven't beaten because of it.

I don't want to get off track but if you go into the menu and check Maps you will see your completion percentage for each without the tedious traveling.  The only things left for later is the Paries glyph found in the castle and a revisit to two stages.  Unless you revisit to grind but that's a separate discussion.  But I can see how one could not like the multiple, often tiny maps; Ruvias Forest seems very pointless due to size and simplicity.  SotN is still incredibly playable and impressive, best of the lot.

I started a game of FFIV on DS but I think the improved translation has removed my nostalgia.  Still my favorite in the series.

[Margalis]

I just finally beat DQ9 last night. Great game and you certainly get your money's worth.