Last summer, after much research and poking around, I bought Tales of Vesperia, an action-RPG from publisher Namco Bandai. My reasoning behind the purchase was simple: I hadn’t played a traditional, non-Pokémon JRPG since I started Lunar 2: Eternal Blue two autumns ago, and wanted desperately to see if the current generation of consoles could hack a new, quality take on the genre. After six months of play, I’m still only eleven hours in, but the time I’ve spent so far has satisfied my craving for J-gaming experiences, and helps me remember why I love the genre in the first place.
My love for JRPGs began when I was much younger, after hearing one of my friends raving about Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. Being a lover of all things Mario, I went out of my way to go to Hastings and rent the game, only to be incredibly perplexed by it when I got home. “Where’s the action?” I cried, confused at the isometric perspective used by the game. “Where are the Goombas? Why can’t I jump on anything? This is boring!”
After learning about the game’s mechanics and taking my time to look around, though, I found myself intrigued by this new way to play. The emphasis on talking and learning about the game’s story fascinated me, and I grew to appreciate roaming around the environments and exploring, chatting with townsfolk and discovering hidden treasures. If there’s one thing I love about JRPGs, it’s getting caught up in the game’s universe and imagining the world, places, and characters outside of the main storyline.
From what I’ve played so far, Tales of Vesperia does a good job of world-building, and, after a convoluted start, establishes itself as well as any other JRPG in my “favorites” pile. Vesperia follows Yuri, a cocky ex-soldier from the kingdom of Zaphias’ lower quarter. A magical object used to purify the quarter’s water is stolen, and Yuri must track down the thief before his home becomes unlivable. Along the way, he is joined by almost every hoary JRPG character cliché, including the Princess In Disguise, Mysterious Loaner, and Plucky Kid, though expressive voice-acting and pleasant, conversational writing help keep the eye-rolling to a minimum. While the story is somewhat familiar, at least in the early goings, Tales of Vesperia‘s world has an established and involved backstory, though the game never insists on too much lore. I’m enjoying discovering new towns, as well as each place’s role in the world—always a good sign when I’m playing a JRPG.
Probably my favorite aspect of the story, compared to other, more modern takes on the genre is how simple it is. Tales of Vesperia has a light, pleasant tone to it, and avoids feeling as laborious as seemingly every JRPG released after Final Fantasy VII, with main characters constantly plagued by self-doubt and dark secrets and blah blah blah. Vesperia realizes there will be plenty of time to fill in character details of Yuri and crew over the course of the game, and wisely avoids front-loading its cast with any heavy baggage at the outset. That’s not to say that that everyone is devoid of personality—they’re simply not over-encumbered by so-called “characterization.”
Another aspect of classic JRPGs I love is the combat. True, at its worst, JRPG combat boils down to staid menu selection screens, standing idly by and watching characters take turns hitting each other. Personally, though, I like the pacing change-up in JRPGs, and how different turn-based or active-time systems feel from other game mechanics. Plus, there’s something inherently satisfying about beating a monster about the face and watching the damage numbers pile up.
The Tales series has always eschewed turn-based battles in favor of real-time ones, and Vesperia is no different. Like past games, players control the party on a 2D plane, running back and forth whacking the crap out of enemies with weapons and casting spells called Artes. Vesperia follows the precedent set by the GameCube’s Tales of Symphonia and adds the option to run into and out of the background, changing the angle of the fight while still keeping it 2D. It’s faster than other JRPGs, and gets a bit button-mashy, but Vesperia‘s combat is still more leisurely than other action games, and feels like a welcome change of pace from so much shooting and frantic quick-time events.
In fact, this is my favorite aspect of JRPGs: they feel like a break from most other games. Sure, JPRGs have frustration points that other genres don’t (random battles, experience grinding, etc.), but the moment-to-moment gameplay often feels relaxing for me, like I’m playing the game to unwind, rather than to further tense up. My favorite JRPGs heavily focus on story, with a de-emphasis on gameplay, and I find the differences liberating.
Though it’s more action-packed than the likes of Final Fantasy VI, Tales of Vesperia hangs onto this leisurely feeling, with its tonally-light story and slower-paced gameplay. Indeed, when I first bought it back in July, I played it exclusively on weekend mornings to wake up, getting me acclimated and adjusted to the real world while I met new characters and learned new spells. Sure, that kind of pacing is a terrible way to expediently finish a game, but it’s my preferred method of play by a stretch.
So far, I’ve had a great time with Tales of Vesperia, which hangs on to my favorite JRPG tropes while still creating its own identity. Surely, my affection for the genre comes from a nostalgic place, but Vesperia manages to tap what I love about the genre so much, and for that I’m grateful. They say you can’t go home again, but with Tales of Vesperia, I always feel like I have a room at the inn.
Mario Kart was one of the first games I bought for my Nintendo 64, and my love for the series has gone strong for the past fifteen years (and cripes, do I feel old typing that). It’s been a while since I’ve had any new experiences in dropping banana peels and power sliding to victory, which is where Mario Kart 7 comes in. Featuring what some reviewers call the strongest track collection to date, Mario Kart 7 graces the 3DS with classic (“klassic”?) kart-racing action, along with a few sprinkles of new gameplay, like the return of coins as speed-boosters, or the addition of gliders and propellers to give karts added movement. Mario Kart‘s gameplay is perfectly suited to three-to-four minute bursts, and Mario Kart 7 looks to be another fine addition to Nintendo’s esteemed racing series.
Not owning a Wii, my life has been cruel and Zelda-less ever since I finished The Wind Waker way back in 2003. Fortunately, Zelda has two lengthy, quality offerings for the DS, giving me an opportunity to quest for the Master Sword and stop Ganon on the go. Two touch screen-controlled Zelda games have been released so far: Phantom Hourglass from 2007, and Spirit Tracks from 2009. Either would feed my Hylian action-adventure fix, but for the purposes of this list, I’m choosing Spirit Tracks–I like the idea of using the train to navigate, even if it does cut down on the series’ signature exploration, and I’d prefer to avoid the much-maligned Temple of the Ocean King from Phantom Hourglass, a timed stage that players must complete after completing each dungeon. Fun stuff.
Turn-based JRPGs are some of my favorite games, and Nintendo handhelds generally have a nice repository of quality menu-driven action. Several recent games vyed for a spot on this list, but I’m most excited about Golden Sun: Dark Dawn. Having played through the first game (and completely missed out on the second), I have an attachment for the Golden Sun universe, and for its emphasis on puzzle-solving as well as combat. Dark Dawn carries on its predecessors’ legacy, with multiple Psyenergies to utilize, as well as more elusive Djinn to track down for summoning purposes. I’m not sure if anyone else is excited at the prospect of returning to Camelot’s much-acclaimed GBA series, but I love the idea of having more advenures with Isaac, Mia, and all the rest.
All of the hype and kind words about this game have driven me this close to purchasing a 3DS, and even now, I’m not so sure that I won’t find myself leaving Target one day, $169.99 poorer and enjoying one of Mario’s best handheld outings in years. The little I’ve played of Super Mario 3D Land feels significantly more tight and precise than I thought the 3DS circle pad could manage, and the 3D effects give the game a unique flavor that I can’t find on other consoles (lacking, as I do, a 3D-capable television set). The other footage I’ve seen looks like a fantastic collection of gameplay tropes from Super Mario Galaxy mixed with the art design from Super Mario Bros. 3, alternating between 2D and 3D space with few hiccups and even fewer complaints. Solid 3D platformers are a rare treat nowadays, and Mario is still the best in the biz at what he does.
Every once in a while (about three times a week, by my count), gamers who grew up on 16- and 32-bit JRPGs lament their absence from the current gaming climate. “Why don’t they make ‘em like they used to?” we cry, dismayed at the notion that games like The Last Remnant and Nier are expected to carry the mantel established by Dragon Quest, Breath of Fire, and more. Well, now’s the time for me to put up or shut up, because Atlus has given me exactly (and if everything I’ve ready is true exactly exactly) what I’ve asked for. Radiant Historia is a sprite-based 16-bit RPG with turn-based combat and an emphasis on character-interaction and deep, layered storytelling. From its unique, grid-based battle system to its tricky, time-twisting story, Radiant looks to tread an expert balance between nostalgic design and progressive ideas. In his review, Game Informer editor Joe Juba mentioned Radiant Historia in the same breath as Earthbound, Final Fantasy, and Chrono Trigger, saying that anyone who has longed for 16-bit RPGs needs to play this game sooner than later. If I have my way, dear readers, I’ll make it sooner.
If you’ve paid close attention to my post tags, you may have noticed one called “grim shootin’,” which I generally append to games that put on a big ol’ Serious Face under the pretense that it makes the game more fun. Most modern FPS fall under the grim shootin’ banner, which is a shame, because it didn’t always used to be so. Heck, I don’t even have to reach all the way back to the 90’s, when Quake and Doom showed gamers the simple joy of circle-strafing and comically over-large weaponry—I merely have to go back to 2008, when one of my favorite shooters of all time graced store shelves, Battlefield: Bad Company.
Lunar is a series of RPGs originally released for the Sega CD, and later ported to the PlayStation. The first game in the series, Lunar: The Silver Star Story, is one of my favorite games, with a strong cast of characters, an engrossing, if familiar story, and a clever, incredibly competent English localization. Lunar: The Silver Star Story did little to move the RPG genre forward (though considering it was based on a game originally released in 1992, this isn’t too surprising), but it did foster a warm, lovingly nostalgic experience for RPG fans like myself, making return to its world a welcome option.
Beetle Adventure Racing!’s title is more self-explanatory than it first appears: you race exclusively using Volkswagen Beetles, and the game emphasizes exploring over simply getting the quickest lap time. The game’s unconventional mix of racing and discovery gave it a unique flavor, and to this day, nothing quite matches the size and scale of BAR!’s courses; each lap takes anywhere from two to four minutes to complete, often with more hidden passages than can fit into three circuits around the track. I wrote a whole piece last year for 
The spiritual successor to Goldeneye 007, Perfect Dark saw multiplayer life in my household like few games before or sense. With its future-cool vibe, impressive arsenal of weapons, and impeccable shooting mechanics, Perfect Dark managed to carry Bond’s secret agent mantel while carving out its own identity. Awesome, too, was the multiplayer, improving on Goldeneye by adding customizable weapon packages, AI bots to populate the field, and myriad sliders and options for customizing matches. Played today, Perfect Dark is still a rush, even among other modern shooters. Disregarding the sub-par sequel that Rare released alongside the launch of the Xbox 360, Perfect Dark is one of Rare’s strongest franchises, and I hope they can grant fans with a new entry sometime soon.
Released during the twilight years of the Nintendo 64, Jet Force Gemini is a combination action-platforming game in the same vein as the Ratchet and Clank series: players are given a series of open levels to jump and shoot through with increasingly-creative weapons, along with several sections for backtracking. JFG lacks the polish Ratchet games are known for, but the results are still quite fun—blowing cyborg bugs to high heck with a three-barreled rocket launcher never, ever gets old, and the combination of exploration and heavy artillery is still an appealing one. Ratchet proved that action and platforming make for one hell of a blend, and Rare is missing out by not reviving one of its best forgotten brands.
Lord knows if anyone else will buy it, but Zone of the Enders is one of my all-time favorite series in games, and I would welcome a new entry with a fervor generally reserved for seven or nine prodigal sons. ZOE (an abbreviation I have lovingly used since I caught first wind of the game in 2001) is perhaps the most Andrew-specific series in the industry, appealing to both my love of stylish action games and giant robot anime, and excelling in both areas. My favorite part about ZOE is how it feels like playing a Super Robot animation, perfectly capturing the fantastical, frantic, heavily-stylized action I love about the genre. Rumors of a 
I was a major Disney-phile back during my tender, formative years (similar to how I am now, actually), and it was my good fortune that back in the 90’s, most games based on Disney properties were actually pretty fun. From early gems like Chip and Dale: Rescue Rangers and Ducktales for the NES, to later 16-bit entries like Aladdin, The Lion King, Mickey Mania, Disney games were among the best platformers a boy could want. I’m actually quite saddened to think how Disney’s licensed games have gone from some of the best in the business to some of its most unkind of shovelware, give or take Warren Spector. Seriously, if Disney releases a crappy game adaptation of Wreck-It Ralph
The game title that coined the best, most-nonsensical gaming term since “Metroidvania,” Metal Gear Rising: Revengence (it’s so bad, and I love it) is a sidestep for the series, focusing on wimpy-kid-turned-ninja-badass Raiden. I’ve never been a huge fan of the Metal Gear Solid franchise, mostly because I’m absolutely awful at stealth games, so Revengence‘s new emphasis on hack-y, slash-y, stylish action is a welcome departure for me. Plus, it’s being developed by Platinum Games. Platinum Games! The goodwill I have for Bayonetta alone is enough to convince me to rush out and buy this one, no questions asked.
I’ve already discussed how much I love 
Tony Hawk suffered probably the most painful, easily-followed journey from riches to rags in gaming history, going from universally acclaimed (Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2) to universally reviled (Tony Hawk Ride) in the span of eight short years. After taking a year off, the Birdman is back, and returning to his roots. THPS HD is a download-only XBLA and PSN game, and an attempt to recapture what fans loved about the series (fun, tight skating mechanics) while getting rid of what they didn’t (content-bloat; skateboard peripheral; Bam Margera; etc.). I spent entirely too much of my youth perfecting virtual kickflips and finding hidden tapes, and the prospect of doing it again in HD greatly excites me. 
Yet another reveal at the Spike VGAs, The Last of Us is the newest original game from Naughty Dog, who, after three stellar Uncharted entries, could convince me to buy an up-resed version ET for the Atari 2600 if they claimed they developed it. Little is known about The Last of Us, but the trailer’s choice to focus on character interaction rather than straight-up zombie shootin’ is a telling one; besides, Naughty Dog knows a thing or three about how to create compelling characters, and I see no reason for them to stop now. With luck, The Last of Us will do for post-apocalyptic zombie games what Uncharted did for action-adventure games.
When SSX first premiered last year under the subtitle Deadly Descents, I was worried; gone were the whimsical, Uber-tricking antics that made SSX Tricky and SSX 3 so gargantuan and fun, and in their stead was a new, grim tone, more befitting of Call of Duty: Black Ops than Cool Boarders. Since then, EA has released a bevy of new screenshots, trailers, and gameplay showing that, yeah, SSX will be just fine. Demonstrating the same over-the-top flair as previous entries while adding new elements like wing suits and the brand new Survive It mode, SSX is back to show the Shawn Whites and Stokeds of this generation how snowboarding games are supposed to play. February 28 cannot come soon enough.
November 18, 2001. After months of anticipation and fevered desire, I was finally about to lay my hands on Nintendo’s newest home console, the GameCube. I remember explicitly telling my mom to take me to K-Mart; I didn’t want my precious system to be sold out, so I figured it would be safest to look in a place where no one regularly shops (ohhhh!). My savings had grown to a staggering three hundred dollars, and for my troubles, I picked up the ‘Cube, a 59-block memory card, an extra controller, and one of the best launch titles my 14-year-old self could have asked for—Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader.
