Show #335 - THX

[Tolkoto]

http://ebpodcast.com/2014/09/05/show-336-thx/

Things we talked about this episode:

The New 3DS. Who plans to get one?
Does Final Fantasy XV decide the future of JRPGs?
Anyone else playing Gunvolt or Velocity X2?

[Angry Jedi]

- I'll probably get one. Not sure if I'm up for playing through all of Xenoblade again, though it's a possibility. I'm interested in the new possibilities the more powerful tech offers, though. Contemplate how jiggly the Senran Kagura ladies could be with that additional horsepower

- Of course not. While Final Fantasy is the mainstream face of JRPGs, it's by no means the genre leader any more. There are other companies out there who have made many more RPGs this last generation who have helped to shape what that genre "means" now, for better or worse. Final Fantasy will remain its own thing as it always has, but I doubt it having a huge impact on the genre as a whole.

- Playing Velocity 2X. It's really great. Beautifully smooth and fluid movement in both the ship combat and on-foot segments. I'm glad it lived up to the potential it showed when I saw an early version at the Eurogamer Expo a while back -- and I'm also glad that they've refined the teleportation mechanic while on foot well beyond the bizarre system they had back then.

[Alex Connolly]

I liked AJ's observation that the JRPG now resembles the adventure genre, circa mid-2000s. It could be perceived as a negative, but I think there were a lot of interesting AG experiences in that era. Loved it for things like Benoît Sokal's post-Syberia work like Paradise and the Nikopol game. Moments of quiet creativity that outside observers might see as staid, but for those invested, quite a unique time.

Oh, and as said elsewhere, it's great to see Velocity receive such a rousing critical reception. Like the original Mini and redux, I like the game in concept far more than I do in reality, but that's a personal preference and it absolutely does what it needs to do and more. Would love them to make a pure platformer, riffing on the teleportation mechanic.

[asatiir]

- While I'm interested in finally getting Xenoblade as a handheld RPG, I'll wait. I bought the 3DS day one and was pretty disappointed with the line up, doesn't help that my XL is currently collecting dust either.

- The same conversation came up around the time of the first FF13, I remember Shane Bettenhausen on 1UP Yours once said that "JRPG devs are waiting to see what FF13 brings to the table before they do anything drastic". I think that's a bit of a stretch though, I like RPGs but FF as a series doesn't do much with me, I tend to like their offshoot games (namely Tactics) more than their mainline games.

- Velocity 2X is all what I've been playing for the past week, love it.