• Light/Dark
  • Ever wanted an RSS feed of all your favorite gaming news sites? Go check out our new Gaming Headlines feed! Read more about it here.
  • We have made minor adjustments to how the search bar works on ResetEra. You can read about the changes here.

Ys VIII is the best JRPG of at least the past five years. And I think I've played virtually all noteworthy ones.

Tibarn

Tibarn

Member
Oct 31, 2017
13,370
Barcelona
The Anonymous Wizard said:
Sorry, Persona 5 has been the Best JRPG in years, without a doubt. Even with its pacing issues, it's just incredibly good in every other aspect - art, music, gameplay and style are unmatched.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I used to think like this too, but as I reflected more and more on my P5 experience, I realized it's a worse P4 with a really good visual style. The story, characters and combat system are not that great tbh.

I think that P5 is top 5 JRPG (but I don't consider Ys VIII, Automata or Valkyria Chronicles 4 JRPG tbh) from this gen without a doubt, but I don't think is any better than Cold Steel games (and I didn't even played III, that is considered the best), Xc2, SMT IV, Tokyo Mirage or other great modern JRPGs. It's good, but it also has a big style-over-substance problem and can't come close to the story and setting from P4 IMO.
 
Laur

Laur

Member
Oct 27, 2017
366
I loved it as well OP, such a great feeling of progression in terms of adventuring through the island. Not sure how they'll manage to top it with Ys IX being based in a city now, but I have hope :)

I'd say it stands up there otherJRPG greats that have released in the last 5 years like ToCS, XBX, Nier: Automata and P5 to name a few of mine. We have a really good line up of JRPG's to look forward to with any luck a new bar will be set.

P.S I think the party style Ys games are better than Felghana style, that being said my second favorite Ys game is Ys Origin.
 
JustTom

JustTom

Member
May 28, 2018
1,445
Germany...
Well, well, well.
It's a 2010er list and there is no Persona 4 Golden. As Teddie would say: This list is un-bear-able. It makes me beary sad.
 
Łazy

Łazy

Member
Nov 1, 2017
5,249
My brother also like this one the most.

I don't. It's fun and overall pretty solid, but has some pretty disappointing scenes/writing.

Not the best. Buy a very good one for me.
Musics help.
 
KamenRiderEra

KamenRiderEra

Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,154
I've tried it and for me no... Persona 5, DQXI, Trails of Cold Steel, Xenoblade X, Valkyria Chronicles 4, all better jrpg IMHO
 
Kass15

Kass15

Member
Jan 14, 2018
1,147
Very good game but not the best.

DQXI
Xenoblade 2
Persona 5
Octopath Traveler

Are all better. In my opinion of course
 
mogster7777

mogster7777

Member
Oct 27, 2017
3,980
I agree with OP it is probably the best if it wasn't for DQXI for me. They are both incredible games.

I like Octopath but it feels kinda disjointed with its pacing. Persona 5 was more of a slog and visual novel with little engaging gameplay if any throughout a lot of the playtime. Xenoblade 2 has too many convoluted mechanics and annoying characters to just drop in and play.

They all have issues that affected the gameplay for me. DQXI and Ys VIII we're both solid 9s with very minor issues.
 
60fps

60fps

Banned
Dec 18, 2017
3,492
TimeFire said:
On another topic, I'll be forever wondering why people love Xenoblade 2 so much. I found it pretty much a worse and more pandering version of the first game with super annoying characters. The combat is pretty good at least.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
It's one of those games that, once you "get it" and everything "clicks", provides a very unique experience unlike anything else.

Probably like Dark Souls games for the people who "get it". I enjoyed some of them on a basic level and really like their atmosphere, but never finished any of them and certainly don't see them as masterpieces (but will finish at least DS3 one day, I'm sure!), because trial and error gameplay and memorizing fixed enemy placement + attack patterns is just tedious to me; and beating ultra hard bosses after the 20th attempt doesn't give me satisfaction but burns me out. I also laugh at people who praise Dark Souls for its compelling story. So, I am one of the people who don't really "get" Dark Souls and therefore these games are nothing special to me. Yet I always hear what giant masterpieces they supposedly are.

Xenoblade 2 is probably a similar kind of game - the entry barrier is pretty high, but once you're really into it it is unlike anything else.
 
Neoleo2143

Neoleo2143

Member
Oct 27, 2017
3,462
tenderbrew said:
Lots of vocal XB2 haters prowling the streets making sure everyone knows it.

☔
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

I mean it's a divisive game. Elements of it are less interesting than they could have been. The costume design is very much the kind of anime horny oft-criticized (and deservedly so, it would be even easier to enjoy had this been toned down). The mechanics aren't straightforward. This inevitably creates detractors.

People like me who like it, just happen to look past those issues and see a lot of merits as well, some very powerful merits like pyra and mythra's character arc across Torna and the main game, Jin's conflict and tragedy, the kinetic combat when you put together a huge combination on higher difficulties, the thoughtfulness in the societies of the world as well as the beauty in their art direction as per monolith soft's forte, and the outstanding choreography in battle scenes.
 
Calvin

Calvin

Member
Oct 26, 2017
1,583
I tried Ys VIII and couldn't get past the late 90s histrionics of the animation of the first hour or so on the ship. One thing I have loved about the newer Final Fantasy games is that even while they are still relatively absurd, the animation and dialog has matured in a way that makes the presentation feel much less juvenile. I say this as someone who loved the Ys 8 demo and wanted to play the game because the combat felt so smooth but was totally turned off by the presentation and story. Is it worth pushing forward?
 
Discoalucard

Discoalucard

Member
Oct 28, 2017
240
NJ
Calvin said:
I tried Ys VIII and couldn't get past the late 90s histrionics of the animation of the first hour or so on the ship. One thing I have loved about the newer Final Fantasy games is that even while they are still relatively absurd, the animation and dialog has matured in a way that makes the presentation feel much less juvenile. I say this as someone who loved the Ys 8 demo and wanted to play the game because the combat felt so smooth but was totally turned off by the presentation and story. Is it worth pushing forward?
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Falcom games are kinda mid-budget so I wouldn't expect anything fancy out of them. The story overall is OK but the characters might grow on you after a bit (more the secondary ones than the main ones, for me at least). You don't REALLY play Ys games for the plot though, it's more about the action, and this is one of the best of its kind.
 
Chief Malik

Chief Malik

Member
Oct 25, 2017
9,737
Land of the free, Home of the slave
Can't take the list seriously when you have Xenoblade with it's awful MMO combat and cringe worthy character design and anime sexualization pandering fanservice shit on there. I can't believe Nintendo puts out games like that. They supposed to be above that.
 

cecilpaladin32

Member
Apr 24, 2018
3,608
Evil Lucario said:
You might want to go back, because it took me 45 hours to beat the game. Still a great game so hopefully you finish it eventually!
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Definitely planning to go back - just a matter of when hehe. I think from what I remember, I estimated having about 20 hours left in the game when I quit. Too many good games to play these days, not nearly enough time!
 
d00d3n

d00d3n

Member
Oct 27, 2017
908
Sweden
How do the time limits for "board quests" work? Actual hidden timer or is it enough to delay main quest progress?
 
Macross

Macross

Member
Nov 5, 2017
694
USA
I played and enjoyed the last two Ys games, but your list lacks P4G and P5, so I am not sure we agree....
 
OP
OP

Deleted member 2834

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
7,620
Glimlocker

Glimlocker

Member
Mar 7, 2019
3,592
Empire of the Inland Realm, USA
Might be a case of me just being unskilled at action RPGs (or whatever genre Ys VIII fits into), but the dodging mechanic seemed...off.
There were times when I clearly dodged before getting hit by an attack, but I still got whalloped. Some specific enemy attacks especially seemed like the frames for dodging were completely off.
And this was most certainly not an isolated incidence.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the raids became terribly tedious for me and eventually felt like padding.

The game went on for about 5-10 hours too long, and the story was decent.
Overall, I found it to be an average game.

I don't play many modern JRPGs, so goodness knows this could still be the best JRPG as of recent - but I preferred the older Ys series to this one.
 
TYRANITARR

TYRANITARR

Member
Oct 28, 2017
3,967
Thanks to this thread I just bought this on Steam for $40.

I played about halfway through the game on Switch version, but couldn't handle the 30 FPS. Playing the game on low settings but 60 FPS on my laptop makes it so much better. I can time properly every perfect dodge and guard now. This game is a blast!
 
Stryda

Stryda

Member
Aug 20, 2018
1,794
This thread is a warzone and its entertaining tbh.
If Xenoblade 2 and Radiant Historia didn't exist OP I would've wholeheartedly agreed with you, phenomenal game but these other two were just fantastic and I hold them much closer to me. Also I agree with people in the thread saying Persona 5 isn't good/very flawed because it definitely wasn't good, excited for P5R though because of how much they're changing
 
OP
OP

Deleted member 2834

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
7,620
Stryda said:
This thread is a warzone and its entertaining tbh.
If Xenoblade 2 and Radiant Historia didn't exist OP I would've wholeheartedly agreed with you, phenomenal game but these other two were just fantastic and I hold them much closer to me. Also I agree with people in the thread saying Persona 5 isn't good/very flawed because it definitely wasn't good, excited for P5R though because of how much they're changing
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
I love these two games as well.

angelgrievous said:
So if I want a "lost" JRPG I should play this? Cause I love that show.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Yes.
 
Ænima

Ænima

Member
Oct 27, 2017
3,513
Portugal
Ys VIII was the best JRPG surprize this gen for me. Had never played an Ys game before and the game dosent look very atractive cuz outdated graphics, and after playing it, it became my 3rd favorite JRPG this gen. Persona 5 and Dragon Quest XI take the crown though.
 
Leviathan

Leviathan

Banned
Oct 28, 2017
2,065
I don't know about Ys VIII but I'm unlikely to look into it after seeing your top ten list. It's obviously all a matter of personal taste, but we're clearly looking for different markers of quality.

XCX isn't even on the list but XC2 is? And it's not even at least at the bottom. Persona Q made it over 5. Etrian Odyssey got a choice spot. No Trails.

Edit: Just saw in the thread that you did not play X, which is fair. 2 being there is still a huge red flag though, and I might hesitate to phrase the title as you have given your incomplete library.
 
Last edited:
SolidSnakex

SolidSnakex

Member
Oct 25, 2017
23,391
A Ys VIII thread has gone on for nearly 300 replies and no ones posted Sunshine Coastline? Well, allow me

 

Lemon

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
54
I prefer early Ys games. Adding one off characters no one cares and bunch of bloated dialogues from Kiseki suckass. It should be Adol and Dogi gayventure finding artifact and smashing wall and shit.
 
Altera

Altera

Banned
Nov 1, 2017
1,963
I never got around to finishing YS8, but with that being said I find DQ11 to be the best RPG of this generation.
 
MaverickHunterAsh

MaverickHunterAsh

Good Vibes Gaming
Verified
Oct 24, 2017
1,396
Los Angeles, CA.
Ys VIII is indeed utterly brilliant and took me completely off guard. Couldn't put it down until I had 100%'d it. Amazing, amazing game and definitely one of best JRPGs of recent times.

A couple of the other games on your list really don't deserve to be there though -- for example, no version of Final Fantasy XII is worthy of even standing in Ys VIII's shadow, IMO. I know a certain segment of the FF fanbase loves it, but it's easily one of my least favorite games in the series. Different strokes for different folks, though!
 
OP
OP

Deleted member 2834

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
7,620
MaverickHunterAsh said:
Ys VIII is indeed utterly brilliant and took me completely off guard. Couldn't put it down until I had 100%'d it. Amazing, amazing game and definitely one of best JRPGs of recent times.

A couple of the other games on your list really don't deserve to be there though -- for example, no version of Final Fantasy XII is worthy of even standing in Ys VIII's shadow, IMO. I know a certain segment of the FF fanbase loves it, but it's easily one of my least favorite games in the series. Different strokes for different folks, though!
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Did you play Zodiac Age? It's way better than 2006 FFXII.
 
MaverickHunterAsh

MaverickHunterAsh

Good Vibes Gaming
Verified
Oct 24, 2017
1,396
Los Angeles, CA.
Imp the Dimp said:
Did you play Zodiac Age? It's way better than 2006 FFXII.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Oh, for sure -- and I agree with you, it absolutely is enormously better than vanilla FF XII in every way and undoes most of what I couldn't stand about the License Board and general character progression/building. Those improvements pushed me farther into the game than I had ever gotten previously before dropping it.

But I still ended up dropped The Zodiac Age somewhere around halfway-ish through the game, right after the Tomb of Raithwall. I couldn't get past how horrifically dull and uninteresting the narrative and main characters -- Balthier, Fran, and Basch excepted -- remained even up to that point, and I still don't like the Gambit/"program the game to play itself while you watch" system at all. I recognize that it isn't an objectively bad game and that some people really adore it, but I just will never be one of those people. :(
 
Kickfister

Kickfister

Member
May 9, 2019
1,791
I don't play a lot of JRPGs (turn based combat totally bores me because it's usually bogged down in animation or other things that strip agency for a period of time, though there are exceptions...just keep in mind that for the most part, turn based games aren't contenders for me), but Ys 8 is one of the best JRPGs I've played. It's not particularly innovative, and nothing in the game is necessarily best in class, but as a cohesive package it's one of the most enjoyable gaming experiences I've had. It's an RPG that understands that less can be more, which I really appreciate. It doesn't get bogged down in unncessary mechanics, weird stats, bizarre progression systems, or whatever. You go around hitting things, you level up, you find materials to get better weapons, you hit things harder. It keeps things fresh by throwing new characters and skills at you, simply by playing the game how you want (no skill trees or whatever). It's simple, it's effective, and you feel like you are progressing. It's ultimately a game I'd recommend to just about anybody, and it's honestly a shame that more people don't give it a shot (though the pricing NISA went with for a low effort vita port is understandably a turn off).
 
AzureFlame

AzureFlame

Member
Oct 30, 2017
4,253
Kuwait
My top 5 JRPGs of the 2010s for me are ( not in order):

-Dark Souls 1
-Persona 5
-Dragon Quest 11
-Xenoblade 1
-Dragon Dogma
 
Jangowuzhere

Jangowuzhere

Attempted to circumvent ban with alt account
Banned
Oct 28, 2017
1,505
I just think the story and cutscenes are pretty boring. And there are A LOT of cutscenes in YS VIII.

The game would be so much better if it focused on exploration and its action.
 
Druffmaul

Druffmaul

Attempted to circumvent ban with alt account.
Banned
Oct 24, 2018
2,228
Eh, I've been burned before. More than 20 years ago when the hipsters were at war will all of the little FFVII newbie fanboys, I'd hear someone say, "Actually, Ys is the best JRPG ever made" or "Actually, Lunar is the best JRPG ever made" or whatever. However long it took, one way or another I'd hunt these games down and play them to see for myself. And they almost always turned out to be a pile of shit as far as I was concerned. The couple of Ys games I played certainly did.
 
Neoleo2143

Neoleo2143

Member
Oct 27, 2017
3,462
Druffmaul said:
Eh, I've been burned before. More than 20 years ago when the hipsters were at war will all of the little FFVII newbie fanboys, I'd hear someone say, "Actually, Ys is the best JRPG ever made" or "Actually, Lunar is the best JRPG ever made" or whatever. However long it took, one way or another I'd hunt these games down and play them to see for myself. And they almost always turned out to be a pile of shit as far as I was concerned. The couple of Ys games I played certainly did.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Ys 1 and 2 are pretty good. Which Ys games did you play, there's a bunch of ports, some better than others.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.