JRPGs That Have Too Much Dialogue

Key Takeaways

Xenogears features a second disc filled with text-heavy storytelling, almost like a visual novel.
Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth offers a vast adventure with numerous characters and side quests.
Triangle Strategy leans too hard into telling rather than showing, with excessive dialogue in its storytelling.

As a long-time JRPG enthusiast who’s navigated through countless epic tales and labyrinthine narratives, I find myself both captivated and slightly overwhelmed by the dialogue-heavy journeys some of these games present. While I appreciate the depth they offer, it’s essential to know what one is getting into before diving headfirst.

Is it possible for a JRPG to become overburdened with narrative and character interactions, despite its engaging stories and characters? Just because a game features extensive dialogues doesn’t automatically make it inferior or poorly designed.

Perhaps some players find value in the extensive text that offers a thorough grasp of each character, antagonist, and intricacies within the game universe. Nonetheless, it’s important for readers to be aware of what they can anticipate if they opt to engage with these specific JRPGs. Regardless of the quality of the writing, everyone is familiar with the idea that too much of a good thing might become overwhelming.

1 Xenosaga Episode 1: Der Wille Zur Macht

A Lot Different Than Xenoblade Chronicles

Enthusiasts of the game “Xenoblade Chronicles” might find interest in another series carrying the “Xeno” name. It’s correct that both series share a director and incorporate common science fiction elements, but it’s important to note that they are fundamentally distinct types of Japanese Role-Playing Games (JRPGs).

In contrast to Xenoblade Chronicles, which offers expansive areas for exploration, Xenosaga delivers a more structured journey with extended scenes that rival Metal Gear Solid in length. The narrative is also strictly guided, providing minimal side activities, making it ideal for those who prefer linear gameplay experiences.

2 Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth

An Epic Saga With A Lot Of Laughs And A Lot Of Heart

1) In the “Like a Dragon” series, you embark on enormous journeys filled with numerous characters and side missions that are almost endless. Some of these optional activities could easily stand alone as separate games. The writing in the 2024 release, “Infinite Wealth,” is exceptional, skillfully blending family conflicts, elements typical of Japanese gangster films, and witty humor to create a JRPG narrative experience that stands out distinctly.

Before diving headfirst, players should understand what they’re committing to for an enriched experience. Excluding side quests, the game “Infinite Wealth” is approximately 50 hours long to complete. Initial playtime will involve a few hours of watching cutscenes and dialogues before gaining access to one of the game’s multiple open-world settings.

3 Persona 5

As Much Reading As Real School

In Persona 5, the game follows the structure of an academic year. Players follow a daily routine, attending school during the day, socializing with other characters, and then venturing into dungeons and delving into the classic role-playing game aspects in the evenings. Spanning almost a hundred hours to complete, Persona 5 is an expansive JRPG from Atlus.

As a devoted fan, I find myself immersed in the story for an extensive period, with plenty of reading involved. Some parts tend to repeat, which could be strategic to keep gamers mindful of key plot details. However, it’s hard not to wish for a more streamlined narrative at times, as repetition can be quite noticeable and detract from the overall gaming experience.

4 Triangle Strategy

A Turn-Based Strategy Game With A Ton Of Talking

The game Triangle Strategy carries a significant amount of genetic material from classic turn-based strategy games such as Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together and Final Fantasy Tactics. Similar to its ancestors, the storyline is rich with traitors, characters concealing their true intentions, and multiple political groups.

Explaining all this detail to gamers can be quite challenging, as Triangle Strategy tends to present most of it in text format right off the bat instead of gradually revealing it throughout the gameplay. The initial portion is particularly dialogue-heavy, which might be a bit overwhelming for players. Balancing exposition and keeping the player informed while not overloading them with information is crucial in fantasy games, and Triangle Strategy seems to lean more towards telling rather than showing, potentially causing some confusion early on.

5 Metaphor: ReFantazio

Familiar To Persona Fans

From the creative mind of Katsura Hashino, known for his work on Persona 3 to Persona 5, comes Metaphor: ReFantazio. Since 1994, this talented individual has been crafting games under Atlus, a developer and publisher. Consequently, it’s not surprising that Metaphor: ReFantazio features dialogue reminiscent of those titles. However, unlike his previous works which were set in reality, this game is embedded in a richly detailed fantasy universe, offering players more time to explore its entirely distinct world.

Regardless, this game is ideal for avid JRPG enthusiasts who enjoy immersing themselves deeply, as completing it might take around 65 hours, even before considering additional content. However, for gamers who prefer different genres, they may find themselves overwhelmed by the excessive text and its frequent appearance. While lengthy games do not inherently equate to slow pacing, some games from this developer have been criticized for it. The term “Metaphor” and other titles from the same developer have been noted for this issue.

6 Xenogears

A Second Disc That’s Almost Exclusively Text

The Xeno series of JRPGs traces its roots back to 1998’s Xenogears. Similar to its subsequent sequels, the story delves into religious concepts and ponders profound questions about life and the universe. Gameplay is reminiscent of typical JRPGs from that era, but there are still some distinctive elements such as Gears – giant mechs that players can utilize in both battle scenes and navigating the world map.

The game’s unique layout makes it worth mentioning due to its structure. The second disc seems to lean towards being a narrative-focused experience with plenty of story sequences rather than interactive gameplay, and it maintains a similar playtime duration of around ten to fifteen hours, making it a substantial part of the overall game.

In the end, the creators had insufficient time to thoroughly blend gameplay and narrative elements together. Consequently, they opted to concentrate the contents of the second disc predominantly on the storyline rather than the gameplay. As such, the final product may appear somewhat lopsided, but it does effectively convey the entire tale.

2024-11-22 03:36