Action RPG (I`m down to 2)

[Tommy]

It`s finally boiled down to two. I haven`t played a good Action RPG since Kingdom Hearts and I decided to get a new one, but I`m stuck between two:

(1) Full Metal Alchemist and the Broken Angel
(2) Samurai Legend Mushashi

I`m not looking for better 'voice-acting'. I`m looking for:

Gameplay
Storyline
Legnth

Which has better Gameplay, storyline, or legnth? I`ve seen the graphics for both.

I debating wheter I should play Brave Fencer Mushashi or not but I`m sorry, when it comes to Action RPGs, those horrible worse-than-FF7 graphics won`t cut it for me. I know Brave Fencer is better, but playing with those graphics would make me squint.

For the record, Brave Fencer is Two Discs. Is the second disk the FF8 demo or does the game really span across two discs?

[Link Antilles]

I have not played either, but if you are looking for a solid action RPG, I would recommend checking out Dark Cloud 2. It is a very polished and well-made game.

http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/adventure/darkcloud2/review.html

[Tommy]

That was one of the ones I felt like getting but then chose these two over it.

[Ky Kiske]

shoulda stuck with that one it's better than your other choices...

[Tommy]

Who cares?! Just compare those two.

If it helps, I watch FMA occasionally.

[Galant]

Erm, perhaps this is way off but have you played either Gothic or Gothic 2?

They're fantasy and not anime/manga style, but both are good games. You could go for the second without the first, I didn't play much of the first myself. Thoroughly good games, and long too. Also, without a walk through, chances are you wont see everything in the game first time around since as the chapters progress old quests and items vanish and new ones appear. There isn't the character building aspect of Morrowind to begin with, but as you go you can pretty much choose how you want to develop the character. My brother ended up going with a Paladin Cross-bow specialist. I opted for the Dragon-Hunter two-handed sword specialist. Neither of us have tried going the mage route. Gothic 3 should be out sometime in the not-too-distant future. But I'd certainly recommend '2'.

I am assuming of course that you've tried Morrowind. If not - buy it - as long as you're into wasting a lot of time playing games. The world and options are massive!

[Myoti]

If it helps, I watch FMA occasionally.

Buying a game because you like the show is typically a bad idea. I mean, look at the numerous subpar DBZ games (which still manage to sell somehow -_- ).

[Yojimbo]

The Full Metal Alchemist games are pretty mediocre. I've only played the demos of both but that's about as much as I wanted to. Extremely simplistic combat, the alchemy spells were cookie cutter you could only do about 4 of them. Of course the original voice actors are there so that's nice I guess. The second one follows the storyline from the beginning of the show. The graphics are typical cell shaded ok looking, but it's just window dressing.

Don't know anything about Samurai Legend Musashi, but I remember Brave Fencer Musashi on the PS1 was fun.

I agree though go with Dark Cloud 1 or 2. You can get them for pennies now anyway.

[Ky Kiske]

seriously we are suggesting different games for your own good, we don't want to suggest a mediocre title when there are really good ones around.

[Tommy]

Ok, Mushashi it is. I remember trying Dark Cloud 2 over someones house and I found it a corny experience. The kid`s weapon is a wrench........ok.

Isn`t the first one like Zelda?

[Tommy]

Did I say Mushashi? I meant Dark Cloud. It`s at Ebgames for $7.99. Do you think it doesn`t have a case? I`m assuming they`re going to give it to me in an envelope.

Sorry guys, this game does look as lot better.

[Knives]

It`s finally boiled down to two. I haven`t played a good Action RPG since Kingdom Hearts and I decided to get a new one, but I`m stuck between two:

(1) Full Metal Alchemist and the Broken Angel
(2) Samurai Legend Mushashi

I`m not looking for better 'voice-acting'. I`m looking for:

Gameplay
Storyline
Legnth

Which has better Gameplay, storyline, or legnth? I`ve seen the graphics for both.

I debating wheter I should play Brave Fencer Mushashi or not but I`m sorry, when it comes to Action RPGs, those horrible worse-than-FF7 graphics won`t cut it for me. I know Brave Fencer is better, but playing with those graphics would make me squint.

For the record, Brave Fencer is Two Discs. Is the second disk the FF8 demo or does the game really span across two discs?

FMA got a really bad rating from game informer, I would go with Mushashi. Neither of them are really that great though, you should check out Diabolo for the PC, and Sword of Mana for GBA, I also second the Dark Cloud, thats a good game.

[Tommy]

Ok, I have Dark Cloud 1 and 2 for PS2. Haven`t played two. I personally like the fighting systems for Full Metal and Samurai Legend Mushashi much better than Dark Cloud 1. My huige source is Xplay.
I`ll pick up mushashi and Metal later. If it wasn`t for the Georama it would be a Zelda clone. It`s good though, but the fact the only way to get money is to sell rare items annoys.

[MasterDias]

The general consensus is that Dark Cloud 2 is far better than the first Dark Cloud was in virtually every way. I can't say I'm the biggest fan of randomly generated dungeons but DC2 made them pretty fun...

Full Metal Alchemist 2: The Curse of the Crimson Elixer has been getting better reviews than the first FMA game did. But it really sounds far too short(7-10 hrs to beat...) and easy to justify a purchase. It might make a decent weekend rental however.

[Yojimbo]

Yeah rent it or wait 6 months and it'll be $20 like the first game.

[Michael]

In my opinion, don't play Dark Cloud 1 unless you enjoy pain. It has its moments, but man, is it boring. Dark Cloud 2 was a really good game though. Alundra 2 was a good action-RPG, but it fits into the sub-par FF7 graphics area.

I couldn't choose between FAM or Brave Fencer.

[Tommy]

I`m borrowing Musashi from my friend and I have both Dark Clouds so this is the rating I have to give them.

Musashi: Ok at best. That same friend might buy the first. I heard it was great. You know how I stated voice effects can`t effect the fun meter of a game. Thuis is a strict excpetion. I think Ryudo`s voice from Grandia II matches Musashi MUCH better. The belly shirt and thel ightning bolt ponytail is just...ugh.


Dark Cloud: Great! Boring at first, but once you finish rebuilding Norune Village it becomes a great game. I am now at Matataki village on the 12th territory. Is it just me or does Goro bear an unusual resemblence to Yajarobi (bad spelling) from Dragon Ball Z?

Dark Cloud 2: My second favorite action RPG. Sorry the prize for 1st gpes to Kingdom Hearts. I have a question: Are Dark Cloud 1 and 2 connected in ANY way whatesover. Like, the armlet Monica has is the same Toan has and If I recall in the last dungeon in Dark Cloud 1 you travel through the past. I think so far, the Georama in Dark Cloud 1 is better and more simple. Only one question comes to mind:

There aren`t plans for a Dark Cloud 3, are there?

[Mr. SmartyPants]

Tom, please stop comparing many games to Zelda. Like "It is a Zelda clone" Because really, it isn't. There are TONS of games like zelda, and heck im sure Zelda was based off of other RPGs. The only zelda clone I can think of is Star Fox Adventures. It gets kinda annoying when you say something is a zelda clone just because the style is the same. Because that style is used for many games.

[Tommy]

Ok, if it wasn`t for the Georama it would be basically the same thing as Zelda except much more repeadative. My friend has Star Fox Adventures and it is nothingl ike Zelda IMO. Back on topic, I chose neither but I did borrow musashi from my friend and plan on buying Brave Fencer.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

Star Fox Adventures is pretty much a "zelda clone"... the buttons are practically identical, you jump when running off a ledge, puzzles, etc. Sure there are the differences, but gameplay is fairly the same