Western JRPGs

March 26, 2014 7:14 AM

So, the recent release of South Park: The Stick of Truth got me thinking about western rpgs that use JRPG style combat. I've enjoyed the South Park game, and one of my all time favorite games is Anachronox, which fused JRPG style combat with a ridiculous sci-fi storyline. Does anyone know of any games similar to South Park or Anachronox that aren't actual JRPGs (which I tend to hate for their aesthetic and narrative choices)?
posted by dortmunder to Media & Arts (12 answers total)

Mardek was made by a 21-year-old guy in Flash and it's really, really good and fun. So much more than I ever expected out of a Flash game. Except for the writing, which is abysmal, although in a very different way from JRPGs.

Zeboyd's games are highly-lauded JRPG-style games developed in the West.

Barkley, Shut Up and Jam: Gaiden is, uh, well, you just have to play it. The sequel is in the works as well.
posted by griphus at 7:27 AM on March 26, 2014

What about Earthbound or Super Mario RPG?

Also, while still technically JRPG's, games like Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy 6 and 4 (III and II in the US) aren't as grindy JRPG'ish as many of the more hardcore JRPG's and are among my favorite RPG's of all time. All easily played via emulator.
posted by OuttaHere at 7:49 AM on March 26, 2014 [1 favorite]

Did you ever play Septerra Core?

It's kind of a weird hybrid of FF7-esque visual design and ATB combat with late-90's era PC writing and overally design. It's totally worth the $5 just to check it out.
posted by Oktober at 8:40 AM on March 26, 2014

Zeboyd is the first name that comes to mind here. They do good work.

Sonic Chronicles, the DS game, is a Japanese-style RPG developed by Bioware. However, there is a slight problem in that the game is boring and terrible.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 8:44 AM on March 26, 2014 [2 favorites]

The first game in the Penny Arcade Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness series (I never played the others) also used a vaguely FF6-like combat system, with a constantly-running timer between combat actions and occasional button-mashing for special moves.
posted by Strange Interlude at 9:02 AM on March 26, 2014 [1 favorite]

Seconding the Penny Arcade games (I played the first two).

I don't know if you'd care for (as mentioned above) Final Fantasy 4, Final Fantasy 6, and Chrono Trigger, as they are definitely JRPGs, but they are on my personal list of greatest games ever made.

Also, new-ish game The Banner Saga uses combat gameplay along the lines of Final Fantasy Tactics. I don't know if I'd call that a WRPG though. It's like a hybrid child of Oregon Trail and FF Tactics, raised in a Norse-inspired fantasy world. Three thumbs up.
posted by JimBJ9 at 11:14 AM on March 26, 2014

The first two Penny Arcade games have a combat system that's based heavily on Panzer Dragoon Saga, if (against all odds) you've played that, while the latter two are Zeboyd games and go more 16-bit. Both pairs are worth playing.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 11:22 AM on March 26, 2014 [1 favorite]

the combat in Costume Quest felt like a JRPG to me. and the game is funny in that Double Fine way.
posted by bruceo at 12:38 PM on March 26, 2014 [1 favorite]

Eternal Sonata is technically a JRPG but narratively felt very western to me (in part because it's about hey what if Frederic Chopin had magical powers).
posted by jbickers at 1:59 PM on March 26, 2014

The Mario and Luigi rpgs are very fun. They're aimed at kids and have pretty surreal plots.
posted by martinX's bellbottoms at 3:13 PM on March 26, 2014

It doesn't come out until later this month, but it looks like Child of Light will be right up your alley.
posted by jbickers at 1:52 PM on April 4, 2014

If you haven't tried anything by Zeboyd yet, their Penny Arcade games just went on a weeklong sale at Steam for a dollar each.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 12:58 PM on April 7, 2014