My Top 5 PS Vita JRPGs

I’ve always been a fan of portable consoles and for a long time, the PS Vita was my favourite. As I transitioned into work life, the PS Vita was what helped me keep my gaming time in tact and introduced me to some of my all-time favourite immersive JRPG series during small moments of free time in my day and for that, it holds a special place in my portable console collection. Unfortunately, the world of PS Vita has grown quiet as of late, particularly in the west with Sony’s announcement a few months ago of the end of physical Vita cartridge production, along with the innovative Nintendo Switch providing current-gen console game quality on the go and eliminating the need for Cross-Buy as a portable and home console hybrid. But that doesn’t mean the PS Vita isn’t still a useful console with its library of amazing JRPGs new and old and its ability to play PS One Classics and PSP games meaning there is still a big library of great games for portable gamers looking to experience classic games and Vita exclusives. So as a look back at the portable console that got me more into the JRPG genre, here are my five favourite PS Vita JRPGs.

Games That Changed My Life: Final Fantasy X

A long time ago, I wrote about how much Persona 4 Golden changed my life. Even now, it's still one of the most significant JRPGs I've ever played and I can safely say if I hadn't played it when I did, I don't know if I'd be making JRPG content at all. But before Persona 4 Golden, there was another JRPG that struck a chord in me that made me realise video games were much more than just finding gems and beating up bad guys. That game was Final Fantasy X. I've probably mentioned on here before many reasons why Final Fantasy X is so important to me, but I don't think I've dedicated an entire post to it. My journey with Final Fantasy X is significant enough to get its own post, as my first story-driven JRPG, my first video game addiction and the first one that moved me.

I discovered Final Fantasy X when I was around my early teens at a friend’s house. A slightly older friend was playing it and it was one of the prettiest games I'd ever seen. As someone who had mostly played kids games like Spyro and Crash Bandicoot, the world of super detailed graphics and tons of voice-acted cutscenes was pretty much new to me. Partnered with the big summons and overdrives making it visually stunning at the time, Final Fantasy X was probably the closest I'll ever get to love at first sight. I had to convince my parents (who would've preferred me to play a game that wasn't M15+ in Australia) to get it for me and thankfully thanks to the lack of blood and gore, I was allowed to play it and only got in trouble when Yunalesca showed up on screen (and I'll never like her because of that).

Whether it was the graphics, the deep story or the turn-based mechanics, I instantly adored Final Fantasy X. In fact since I was so young and impressionable at the time, I'm probably not exaggerating when I say I loved everything about it. It was different to everything I'd experienced in video games. I was connected to the characters on a whole new level, with Tidus’ outbursts catering well to the angsty teen in me and the story covering romance, life, death and friendship was what I never knew I wanted from a game. It was like a movie, except it felt like I had some control over where it went. Most of all, the characters taught me some weirdly good life lessons, such as laughing when things are hard or not just accepting bad situations. I didn't know at the time, but I'm pretty sure these things subconsciously influenced some of my high school and ultimately life decisions as there are things and values in Final Fantasy X that are still important to me now.

Final Fantasy X also was the perfect thing to set my developing completionist tendencies on fire. I'd already completed all the Spyro games to completion, but I found doing quests and finding extras in Final Fantasy X much more rewarding since completing things had the potential to reveal more cutscenes and more story. I still haven't completed Final Fantasy X 100% to this day, but the amount of things to complete and do in Final Fantasy X will probably always impress me and I know I've spent hundreds of hours trying to do them all.

Other than helping me become the completionist I am now, it was my first story-driven JRPG. If it wasn’t for Final Fantasy X, I wonder when, or even if, I would love the Final Fantasy series, which is almost strange to think about with my current Final Fantasy XV addiction. And without my love of turn-based JRPGs, would I have even been interested in Persona 4 Golden or even knew that it existed? JRPGs are such a big part of me now, so I'll always be grateful for Final Fantasy X starting my love for them.

Final Fantasy X was a standout game for its time and will always be a standout game to me. Falling in love with its world and characters are some of my fondest gaming memories and my love of it drove me to my love of Final Fantasy, which led me well down the path into JRPGs being one of my favourite things ever. It put me on the path to being a JRPG fan and for that, I'm forever grateful and can safely say that Final Fantasy X definitely changed my life.

You can pick up Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD at Play-Asia.com!

(This is an affiliate link that helps support my JRPG Jungle content, so if you use it, thank you! <3)

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What JRPGs have changed your life? Which Final Fantasy game was most significant to you?

Leave a comment below, send me a tweet at @JRPGJungle, hit me up on Facebook, Youtube or Instagram and let's talk!

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JRPGs I Played In Winter 2016!

During Winter, appropriate to the indoorsy weather, I played a lot of games. I'm meant to exclusively be playing Persona 3 in order to play it faster, but I got swayed by a lot of cool games. For a start, Final Fantasy Record Keeper got it's hooks in me again, I really wanted to play Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth and I wanted to platinum Final Fantasy X (still going for it!). Persona 3 is long and while it's really good, I wanted to keep trying new stuff. So here's what I played during Winter while I should have been playing just Persona 3. Let me know what you played too!

Persona 3 FES (PS2 Classic)

Status: 50+ hours in and going strong!

I've spent a surprising amount of time grinding and versing bosses, but I'm sure I have a minimum of another 50 more hours in the game because the story is huge! Usually by this point, I know if what I'm playing is a game that's for me and I'm pleased to say that I'm totally enjoying it. The story, albeit a little slow moving, is interesting and the whole concept of the Dark Hour still feels very mysterious. My opinions of the characters keep changing as I play the game, which is keeping my interest. I will say one thing though, although I'm enjoying it, I still haven't gotten completely hooked by the game, which is probably evident in how many games I've played while playing it. I don't want to say too much because I haven't finished the game yet, so I still have hope it'll suck me in like Persona 4 Golden did.

Final Fantasy X HD Remaster (PS Vita)

Status: finished the story, now platinuming

I'm very proud to say that Final Fantasy X is the first game I've completed in Japanese. I know the story really well, so it may not have been as difficult as playing a story that was new to me, but my Japanese reading and listening skills benefited from playing it again and it was really interesting to hear the Japanese voice staff and see the small localisation differences. (I wrote an article about my experience playing the Japanese version if you want to read more about it!)

Now I'm onto focusing on getting the Platinum Trophy for it, which is going to take some time, I know for sure it's going to take probably another 50 hours since I'm 50% in and I haven't done the lightning challenge yet or started cranking the sphere grid yet. But, since it's not my New Years Resolution to Platinum it this time, it's nice to have it as a casual game between JRPGs and it's a fun way to study Japanese.

You can pick up Final Fantasy X HD Remaster from Play-Asia.com!

Hyperdimension Neptunia: Producing Perfection (PS Vita)

Status: Finished for the second time, considering platinuming it one day.

I really enjoyed playing Hyperdimension Neptunia: Producing Perfection again! I needed a break from long RPGs and this Neptunia game delivered yet again as a great light game for the weekend. Since it had been a while since playing it for the first time, the story felt fresh again. I had to relearn how to play again, but after 20 in game days (which is probably equivalent to about half an hour of playing), I was right in, remembered my strategies from my first time playing and was laughing at Neptune's witty humour again. You can read my full review here.

You can pick up Hyperdimension Neptunia: Producing Perfection from Play-Asia!

Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth (PS4)

Status: 32 hours in and will probably finish it soon (hoping to review it this week or next week if all goes to plan!)

I'm so pleased to say that a PS4 game finally got it's hooks into me. I've had my PS4 since launch and have been a little disappointed that I had nothing that made me keep the console plugged in for more than a few days. Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth both scratches the Digimon game itch I've had (I played Digimon World on PS One a lot as a kid and it was a big favourite of mine) and means I finally have a worthy JRPG I can play on PS4. I intended to only play the game for a week, but I've been so into the monster collecting and case solving that I may as well just finish it this point.

(I kind of want to get all the Digimon too, so I may try to get the platinum trophy for this one too.... :) )

You can pick up Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth at Play-Asia.com!

Final Fantasy Record Keeper (iOS)
Status: Playing the Final Fantasy X Jecht Event

I've found a healthy way to play Record Keeper: events only. As I mentioned recently, I got back into the game during the Rikku event and after remembering how much I enjoyed weapon and character collecting, I decided to stay on, but manage my gaming time better. It's good, casual fun at the moment, although I do wish they added something like Conception II's ability to skip battles where you'll win with one hit, as I find a lot of the initial battles are way too easy if your characters are anywhere higher than 20 and while they're quick, the time could be better spent on the later levels. But anyway, I'm having fun after winning Jecht's bandana and plan to win him and maybe Tidus' memory crystal before this week's event is done.

Spring's Game Plan

Despite getting a 3DS LL for Christmas, I've barely touched it other than to check the eShop and for the occasional Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai 2 song. Once I finish Persona 3, I'd like to either jump into Persona Q or Digimon World ReDigitize: Recode on 3DS and keep my PS4 plugged into the TV for awhile. I also currently have Danganronpa: Ultra Despair Girls on my Vita, so that's something I'm interested in completing as well. But the main plan for Spring is to play some 3DS, which should be a lot of fun!

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What did you play during Winter? Do you have any gaming plans for Spring?

Leave a comment below or send me a tweet at @JRPGJungle and let's talk!

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Make sure to follow @JRPGJungle on Twitter for updates on content and random, shorter musings on JRPG news and games. You're awesome! <3

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What I Learned: Finishing A Native Japanese RPG For The First Time

If you've been following the blog for over a year, you'll know I made 'Play a native Japanese RPG from start to finish' one of my New Years Resolutions for 2015. I didn't completely finish any during 2015 despite trying to play a few, such as Ciel no Surge and Omega Quintet. However, as of February 5th 2016, I finished the Japanese edition of Final Fantasy X!

I've played Final Fantasy X in English a bazillion times, so my experience is probably quite different to playing a completely new story in another language. It was still challenging but it was also an interesting and enjoyable experience, thanks to the interesting differences between the import and localised versions. Because I initially found it challenging coming from it with a "I must learn all words and sentences for my Japanese" perspective, my strategy for enjoying and completing this kind of game changed a lot along the way. I hope this can help anyone trying to do the same thing!

Playing a game in a foreign language is only as difficult as you make it!

While difficult gameplay crosses language borders, a language barrier is only a barrier if you let it be. Before I decided to play Final Fantasy X in Japanese, I had tried to play a few games in Japanese, including Ciel no Surge, Persona 4 Dancing All Night and Omega Quintet. I'm a story fiend, so I tended to make them all more difficult for myself because I wanted to understand everything. Dictionaries were used, notes were made and I was overwhelmed at the extra work I had to do while trying to have fun. Learning to play a new game's mechanics is enough for me, especially long games, which is typically what JRPGs are.

I played Final Fantasy X using what I already knew about the game and Japanese, and after awhile it became easier to match regularly seen and used buttons and words to the visuals and dialogue. It took a lot of trial and error at first, but I forced myself to only pull my dictionary out when I was curious about something rather than when I needed it. Eventually you learn 'these symbols will take me to the sphere grid' and 'this part of the menu is usually casts fire'. This made my experience much more about playing and exploring the game than studying or having a foreign language in front of me.

You might learn some really random words anyway, whether you intend to or not.

Repetition is a funny thing and a great tool for learning. After playing Final Fantasy X, I now know that random words like 'shoukan' means summon and 'wairo' means bribe. They're probably words I won't use a lot in daily conversation with Japanese people, but I know them because I've seen and heard them so often. I found it really fun remembering really random Japanese words like this and attack names. It's not only useful for getting through the game, it's kind of fun if you have an interest in languages or playing similar games.

(Side note: and after looking up the kanji/reading for the word summon, I've noticed it in other JRPG trailers which is kind of cool. Thanks FFX!)

If you've played the localised version of the Japanese game you're playing, expect some interesting voices.

I was highly entertained by hearing the voices and mannerisms of some of my favourite characters' Japanese voice counterparts. A big difference I noticed was the high voices of female characters like Rikku and the baritone voices of characters like Auron and Seymour. The English version of the game does it's best to echo this (and voice actors like Tara Strong for Rikku definitely do a great job of it), but hearing what these were based was an experience nonetheless. For Rikku, I felt like I really understood her young age a bit more (she's 15 in Final Fantasy X) and for Wakka, it was almost beautiful not to hear him say 'ya' about everything. It made me appreciate English localisers for the care they usually put into localising things accurately and also gave me a new appreciation for the talented voice actors on the Japanese version too. I definitely still like the voice actors in the English version, but I did find some characters, like Wakka and Seymour, that I preferred as the Japanese voice actors.

You may notice some dialogue differences from the localised version (depending on the game).

I've played Final Fantasy X on PS2 more times than I can count, so my memory of the game's dialogue was my little secret weapon for if I had a point of total confusion. Because of my memory of the English dialogue, it was extremely interesting to see small little dialogue choices in the Japanese version. I don't want to spoil anything, but a certain key dialogue change in a certain goodbye scene (If spoilers aren't an issue, you can read about on the Final Fantasy wikia) was quite surprising to me until I read into it and other little changes like that in scenes made me stop and think for a second about why they chose to change it for the English edition. I can imagine most of it's just nuance and culture differences, but it makes me interested in the little changes that have been made to some of my other favourite series, such as Persona or Danganronpa, that I may not have ever known about otherwise.

It also really made me realise why localisations exist.

Localisations make these Japanese games much easier for us to understand and consume. Although it's definitely possible to play through a Japanese game and still have a relaxing, fun time, it's also much easier and faster to absorb the dialogue and story in your native language and requires less brain work and trial and error. I really enjoyed trying a native Japanese JRPG, but I also realise why there's no harm in waiting for a localisation and for the English voice acting. Reading subs or trying to understand a language you don't know as well your native language does require more patience, so I have a deeper respect for the people who make playing Japanese RPGs much easier for those who don't speak Japanese.

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In the end, my experience playing a game in a foreign language was defined by the way I approached it. I didn't understand everything, but I understood enough from context and the Japanese I already knew. If you're studying Japanese, it's a great way to reinforce words and a fun way to learn some weird JRPG specific words. If you're just playing for fun, if you can get past the foreign language, it provides some new entertainment from the wonderful Japanese voice actors, story changes and the universally fun gameplay (if you're playing a good game of course). If you're up for a challenge or you're a patient person, I recommend giving it a try if you're interested!

Whether you're looking for a localised or import game, you can find both at Play-Asia.com.

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Have you tried playing an imported game? Do you prefer playing native or localised JRPGs?

Leave a comment below or send me a tweet at @JRPGJungle and let's talk!

Thanks so much for stopping by!
Make sure to follow @JRPGJungle on Twitter for updates on content and random, shorter musings on JRPG news and games. You're awesome! <3

Note: This article does contain affiliate links to Play-Asia to help support this site. You can read our Affiliate Link Policy here.

The Definition of Too Much Blitzball (A Celestial Weapon/Sigil Rant)

I've said it before, but platinuming my favourite games truly gives me a lot of joy. It's a good excuse to stay in the game world a little longer and if the gameplay is good, it's super fun to be challenged in the smaller parts of the game, such as mini games and collecting things.

I made the decision last year to platinum Final Fantasy X HD as a New Years Resolution. It didn't work out. But it's still a goal of mine, since now that it's on PS Vita, I can finally satisfy past me by getting the ultimate weapons, beating the dark aeons and everything else. When I was a teenager, I'd read walkthroughs and found a whole new world of gameplay inside Final Fantasy X. It had levels of depth that were totally optional and kind of secret if you didn't stray from the story, which I thought was really cool. I wanted to get all the Celestial Weapons and fill the Sphere Grid for each character, but I couldn't find the time or reason to go for it when I needed to study for my final exams (I did however end up writing part of my English essay on the game though in a burst of in-exam inspiration). Now that I'm an adult, I make more time than I probably should for games simply because I can and it's fun. So, now seems like a good time to achieve that goal.

At the time of writing this article, I have found and charged Tidus's Celestial Weapon, mostly without much difficulty. I've nearly got Yuna's too, I just need more items to sell and generally more Gil to get Yojimbo. Since I could just earn Gil during battles, next in line was Wakka's Blitzball filled journey, which I now realise I was not at all prepared for. It's a long process that involves far more Blitzball matches than I expected and I'm still at it.

Before trying to get Wakka's sigil, I liked the occasional Blitzball match. In fact, before I saved my game in what was probably the first half of the story, I used to usually try to get a match in just to build up my team and earn some items. After now having won 55 matches (or more after this goes up) and not finding the sigil yet, my Blitzball love is quickly waning and it's requiring a new level of dedication to that Platinum Trophy.

To gain Wakka's Sigil, it has to show up in League as first prize, then I have to have the most team points at the end of the 10 League matches to win it. As part of the prerequisites for it to show, I've already won all three of Wakka's overdrives and I have no doubt that I've done the right amount of battles for it to pop, it's just waiting and hoping for it to randomly appear after finishing League again. I could reset my Blitzball data; it would re-cycle the prizes and make my life easier. But my Blitzball team is at a high level (Tidus is Level 40+), so the idea of resetting my Blitzball data (separate to my FFX game data) hurts me inside because I'd lose all my hard earned EXP. So, I will just play more and more Blitzball, until it eventually appears in League where I can win it.

It's a long process. A very long process.

Despite this, I still wouldn't say Blitzball is a bad mini game at all. It's crazy underwater fun when in small doses, but I've hit a point where each match is very similar and it makes it feel a little chore-like. It's no secret that Platinum trophies have challenges like this but it's the first one that's truly frustrated me this much. Yet I will keep playing through these matches to test my own dedication to the platinum. If I complete this Platinum Trophy, I'm either crazy or a legend. Probably crazy when you factor in the 200 Lightning Strikes I have to dodge at the Thunder Plains for Lulu though. Oh boy. Wish me luck!

(One thing worth noting is that I've found out that you don't need the character Sigils or Crests technically to get the Platinum Trophy, which means I could also end my Blitzball challenge sooner than expected. However, I feel charging these weapons with their Sigils and Crests will be helpful to defeating enemies like Nemesis and Penance, thanks to the Double and Triple Overdrive abilities, so I consider it related to trophy hunting :) )

You can pick up Final Fantasy X HD Remaster for PS Vita, PS3 or PS4 from Play-Asia.com now!

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Do you like Blitzball? What's the most difficult Platinum Trophy you've ever won?

Leave a comment below or send @JRPGJungle a tweet and let's talk!

Thanks so much for stopping by!
Make sure to follow @JRPGJungle on Twitter for updates on content and random, shorter musings on JRPG news and games. You're awesome! <3

Note: This article does contain affiliate links to Play-Asia to help support this site. You can read our Affiliate Link Policy here. Photos in this post are also from Play-Asia.

2015 New Years Resolutions Revisited! Success or Failure?

Generally, people have trouble keeping New Years Resolutions, myself very much included. However I had never tried doing Gaming New Years Resolutions, so last year I wrote a post containing five New Years Resolutions for my gaming life. It's not totally the end of 2015, but it's close enough to know results and to start thinking of a game plan for next year's. Here's a progress report on the progress and failures of last year's gaming resolutions.

1. Platinum Final Fantasy X HD

Result: Not Platinumed

Looking at my gaming habits of last year, this was a pretty ambitious one. With a very full backlog and no guarantee of a working TV after moving my life to a new place, I didn't really have a method for this one. By the time everything was set up, I really just wanted to play games I hadn't experienced before.

However, after a very delayed start, I am playing Final Fantasy X HD again on my Vita and I'm loving it. I bought it in an attempt to consume more Japanese media and to get the platinum and it's been a great solution for when I need a change of pace from any game I'm playing. I've set aside a little time each weekend to work on platinuming games and replaying old favourites, so I'm confident I will platinum it sooner rather than later. I will be sure to report back when I do!

2. Play a native Japanese RPG from start to finish.

Result: Very close to finishing this one. Likely to achieve this before the year ends!

I was super excited and confident in this goal, despite my Japanese level at the time. Once I arrived in Japan, I realised a lot about Japanese - mostly that I didn't know as much as I thought. So along with being overwhelmed with the language being all around me, when I began trying to play Ciel no Surge, the amount of words I didn't know was overwhelming enough for it to only last a month in my Vita.

Instead of totally giving up, I switched my 'game' plan and started playing less story orientated Japanese games, like Hatsune Miku Project Diva and Persona 4 Dancing All Night. Not only was this fun, I got a lot more comfortable with not understanding things, which I think is essential for playing Japanese games when you're starting out.

For my Platinum goal, I needed to play a FFX HD again which was fine. But playing in Japanese would mean I could grind both resolutions and hear the infamous 'hahaha' scene in Japanese. The experience has been really enjoyable thus far (I'm almost at the Calm Lands FYI) and if you're okay with not understanding everything, I definitely recommend trying games in another language. It's a very cool way to experience games again or ones not available in your region and with some patience, you can find ways to get around things you don't understand.

3. Chip away at my backlog

Result: Nailed it!

This is one of the best things I've ever done for my gaming life. It's funny how gaming libraries pile up - we buy games because they seem cool and then get distracted by another 'cooler' game and then have a pile of unplayed cool games. I definitely still have plenty of games in my backlog and probably added many more. But I also have a new found love of the Danganronpa series, an appreciation of Final Fantasy IX and closure for Conception II that I wouldn't trade the time back for.

I recommend doing this to every gamer. Your new favourite series may be waiting for you!

4. Play more PS4 Games

Result: Yes and No.

This was kind of difficult, especially when this goal directly contradicted with getting through my backlog. While PS4 games like Sword Art Online: Lost Song and Tales of Zestiria definitely tickle my fancy, the Australian PSN store prices always kept me away, because I would be like 'I could pay $100 for a new game...or I could play through the great games I already own'. Persona 5 was meant to be my ticket to PS4 heaven, but that got delayed until next year so there weren't many JRPGs to keep me to it. Not only that, but the TV that came with my new place had no HDMI, so I had to save some money to buy a monitor to even play my PS4 at all. Things were looking pretty grim for my PS4 life....until I renewed my PS Plus subscription.

The PS4 Instant Game Collection is kind of a goldmine, especially if you've had it since the PS4 was released. I was pleasantly surprised when I continued my subscription after missing a month or so to see all of my previous games from PS Plus still waiting for me. This allowed me to continue playing games like Resogun that I loved at release. My boyfriend and I also love having random Rocket League matches nowadays and I'm looking forward to diving into Fallout 4 more. Things are definitely looking up in PS4 land right now, so I hope to play more next year (however I probably won't make a resolution about it this time).

Hindsight note: If games you like are on an older console, it's totally okay. I don't feel bad for unplugging my PS4 to play Persona 3 on PS3 anymore, which is the opposite to the resolution but that's okay. I love my PS4. I love my PS3. Other consoles are cool too. I'll play whatever has the coolest games at the time because both are great.

5. Buy a 3DS XL

Result: Technically a failure, but I'm getting it as a gift for Christmas.

I've had many opportunities to buy a 3DS this year. There are many new and pre-owned ones around for decent prices, but I never felt the need to buy it because I have so many games in my PlayStation backlog. But, when my boyfriend asked if I still wanted it for Christmas this year, it was an easy yes. Although it's a terrible decision for my backlog, I really want to play some modern Pokemon, Yo-Kai Watch, Persona Q and Phoenix Wright. My love for PlayStation is pretty real, but I'm also excited to branch out into the world of Nintendo.

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Looking back on my gaming life this year, I really put a priority on balancing playing new games and getting through my backlog. I didn't play a large amount of games right on release this year but I still had plenty of fun exploring series that were new to me, like Danganronpa (which has become a big new favourite in my collection). I'm excited to try make a gaming plan for the new year again, perhaps with less contradicting goals this time. It was a lot of fun and I think even though I failed a few of these, the small changes made to my gaming life have all been for the better.

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Did you make any gaming related New Years Resolutions this year or last year? How did you go?

Leave a comment below and let's talk!

Thanks for stopping by and make sure to follow @JRPGJungle on Twitter for updates on content and random, shorter musings on JRPG news and games!

JRPG Appreciation Post: Final Fantasy X's Sphere Grid

Revisiting old games definitely has it's perks. Not only do you get that cool, video game nostalgia feeling, but you also get to remember why you loved that game in the first place. There are always things that stand out as what we appreciated most about the game and revisiting them can almost feel like being with an old friend again. For me, as I take myself on another Platinum trophy journey, Final Fantasy X HD is being that game for me once again.

Final Fantasy X was a notable change in Final Fantasy's direction, with areas and visuals being beautifully upgraded when compared to it's predecessors and voice acting being added for the first time. I loved the game's story, but with this game being my first 'big kid' JRPG (when compared to something like Pokemon that I played as a kid), the Sphere Grid system was a breath of fresh air from the grind and level up formula I was so used to. Many years and many JPRGs later, I know it's not the only skill tree type leveling system around, but these are a few reasons why it remains one of my favourite leveling mechanics of all time.

It's Linear, Yet You Have Control

For the most part, once the sphere grid is completed, you'll end up with the same stat increases across all your characters, just at a different pace due to the different starting points of the sphere grid. But even though you're bound to the same skills and stats, you do have control over the order you get them. Thanks to Level spheres, you can break the locks that make the standard sphere grid so linear as soon as you get one. This allows you to turn Auron into a mage for awhile or make Yuna a combat beast early on in the game and can make for a very different gameplay experience to the easy path set out. This welcome choice makes leveling much more interesting and creates an importance in choosing the right stats for the right point in the game. I usually find myself following the main path (the one not closed off by locks), but I love that point after finishing the main story of breaking into another characters grid and sharing their abilities with another character.

It's Huge and The Whole Process Is Kinda Intricate

With all the level blocks, ability and character placements around the board, completing the Sphere Grid isn't a small feat. And beyond that, limit break (that awesome ability that allows you to deal over 9999 damage) isn't even on the board, adding an important extra step! Even if you goal isn't to complete the Sphere Grid, the sheer size of the sphere grid is just enough to show the amount of stats on the board and it's long journey encourages much grinding and strategy to get as much EXP as possible and as many sphere levels as possible. Then there's going back and filling in the empty nodes with even more stats by using Teleport spheres!

Even Though It Takes Forever, It's Still Fun To Watch The Characters Progress

Each unlocked node or stat shows you exactly what has been upgraded to your character. I love unlocking a stat and noticing the effect immediately in battle. A little bit of extra strength can go a long way, as can an ability or a little HP. Other game's leveling mechanics just show you a quick summary of your characters improves but in the sphere grid, because you unlock it yourself, you're way more involved and it's awesome.

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Feel like a trip down memory lane but in beautiful HD? You can buy Final Fantasy X HD from Play-Asia.com!

What's your favourite JRPG levelling system? Leave it in the comments below, I may just play with it!

Did you this type of post? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter and I'll do more of them!

Thanks for stopping by and make sure to follow @JRPGJungle on Twitter for updates on content and random, shorter musings on JRPG news and games!

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This Week's PSN EU/AU PSN Releases, JRPG Style! (16/5/15)

Why hello! Welcome to this week's edition of Europe and Australia's new PSN releases, pulling the specific content related to the JRPG genre and other Japanese games. This week's main release for JRPG's without question is Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster, this time for PS4. While a second re-release is slightly annoying to those who purchased the PS3 version, Final Fantasy X (and to a lesser extent X-2) is still a game with a powerful story that does deserve to be played by a new generation of gamers. Along with this Final Fantasy remaster, there is some DLC and a couple of good deals, including Catherine again (which I still need to play).

Enjoy your week and this post. :) Happy gaming!

New Releases

• Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster (PS4)

DLC

Hatsune Miku Project Diva f 2nd (PS3, PS Vita)

Paid:

• Angel Module
• Electric Angel (Song)
• Extra Character Swimwear Pack
• P-Style CG Module
• Swimwear Pack
• Though My Song Has No Form (Song)

Toukiden: Kiwami

Paid:

• Mitami - Sugi Fumi

Deals

• Catherine (PS3)
• Saint Seiya: Brave Soldiers (PS3)

Video

Final Fantasy Type-0

• 'We Have Arrived' - Launch Trailer

You can check out these games and more at the Playstation Network Store.

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Pick of the week: Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster. As much as I don't want to put the money down to buy it again, I love that game and I need to get the Platinum in the best graphics possible. :p

What's your pick of the week? Will you be picking up anything from the PSN this week?

I love hearing your thoughts, so please comment below or send a tweet to @JRPGJungle and follow if you want to keep up the content we post. Thanks for stopping by!

Please note the content available is subject to change by region and the content listed in this post is based on the European/Australian PSN at the time of writing.

Five New Years Resolutions For Gaming in 2015!!

People usually make New Years Resolutions for life improvement things, like 'lose weight!', 'learn a new language' or 'be a better person'. Of course, you should work on your goals whenever you want and if that's on New Years Day, then good for you. For the sake of this blog, I wanted to do something much more fun and game related. This is 10 days late, but this year let's strive to better our gaming habits with five Video Game New Years Resolutions! Below are mine and you can add yours in the comments below. Happy 2015, friends!

1. Platinum Final Fantasy X HD

I've had this goal since I was in primary school to completely finish Final Fantasy X and have always become overwhelm by the massiveness of the game. When I say 'finished', I'm talking with the ultimate weapons, all Aeons obtained, completed sphere grids for all characters and everything else. I always got part way through this goal multiple times, but never achieved it. This time though, there are platinum trophies to be won and to document my progress, which for me is honestly a game changer. I will complete this goal....Then cry over the total amount of hours I've spent in this game in my whole life.

2. Play a native Japanese RPG from start to finish

I've been studying Japanese on a serious level for over a year now and I'm actually heading to Tokyo later this month for a few months. Let's just say if that doesn't improve my Japanese, then I have no idea what will.

The existence of this blog is a testimony to my love of Japanese RPGs but I want to take my relationship with these wonderful games to the next level. I want to play at least one JRPG that hasn't been localised. And not just play it for a little bit - from start to finish. I've played bits and pieces of old Japanese Gameboy games and Visual Novels and it's a struggle that involves a lot of dictionary use and note taking, so this will not only allow me to play games I've always wanted to play but couldn't, but will hopefully improve my Japanese even more. Learning can be fun!

So far, I'm tossing up between Ciel nosurge or Persona 5, depending on how far apart the English release of Persona 5 is from the Japanese one. I've already started playing through/translating the demo version of Nekopara Vol. 1 (Steam Version) for my own personal use and it's taking awhile, meaning this goal will probably take me most of the year to complete. I should get started soon!

3. Chip away at my backlog

Probably an impossible goal to fully complete, but I would love to delve into my backlog of games collecting physical and digital dust. Along with free Playstation Plus games I've been saving up throughout a one year subscription, I have gems such as Catherine and Persona 2 to start, Persona 3 and Tales of Xillia to finish and I don't even want to think about the rest. Most of you will understand this big task, but I don't buy games to sit on my shelf. Let's get playing!

4. Play more PS4 games

I'm hoping this year's release schedule fixes this, but my PS4 is collecting dust and I don't like it. I'm taking it with me to Japan, so games like Omega Quintet will no doubt end up in my possession, but I'm also thinking of trying some of the various indie games available on the PSN. I'm sure there's some gems I'm missing out on, so comment below if you know anything I should try!

5. Buy a 3DS XL

I've wanted a 3DS for awhile, although I feel like I'm two timing my Vita a little. In saying that it's not like I drive so I always have more time than most for handheld gaming in my commute and variety is never a bad thing. I really want to play Bravely Default and Persona Q, along with all of the Pokemon games I've been missing out on since the Gameboy Colour was out of style.

I've never actually purchased a Nintendo console with my own money. I'm quite thoroughly a Playstation person, but I love and respect Nintendo's creativity and am keen to get involved. Fingers crossed I find a good bundle in Japan!

Bonus: Blog about all of the above things and film some videos.

I've been wanting to get the confidence and equipment to make videos and expand this blog for awhile and I should really just DO IT. I'm gonna wait till during my Japan trip, so if you're interested in unboxing or gameplay videos from a JRPG perspective, please let me know! It'll motivate me more than I can say!

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Got your own video game resolutions for 2015?

I'd love to hear yours, so comment below or send a tweet to @JRPGJungle. Thanks always for reading!

Review: Final Fantasy X HD Remaster

Do you remember the game that made you fall in love with video games? That one you sat down for days upon days, hours upon hours finding every kook and cranny in the game and then going back to do it all again,  just for fun. The one you thought about after playing, that gave you the craziest itch to pull all-nighters and kill your social life for multiple weekends because you just had to beat that last boss. Final Fantasy X was that game for me. I am pleased to say that Final Fantasy X HD Remaster gives a more polished experience to something that is nearly as magical as the first time I played it.

Our story begins in the futuristic city of Zanarkand, with the upbeat and sporadic Blitzball player Tidus (the game gives him the option of being renamed and never uses his name in the game, but let's face it - he's Tidus to the fans) as our protagonist. The story doesn't waste much time getting started - after a few stunning FMV sequences, a monster called Sin rips apart the town, you learn how to fight and are sent off to the world of Spira. Once Tidus finds his way to Besaid, with nowhere else to go, he joins summoner Yuna on her journey to defeat Sin.

Tidus is the perfect person to be giving the point of view in the game as he is a total outsider. You find out about the nature of the world of Spira just as he does. Tidus' inner thoughts not only tie you to him as a character but also point out the many flaws of Spira. This makes it easy to connect emotionally when something may be wrong morally in the game. The world of Spira is very complex - it is deep rooted in religion and tradition based on a thousand year old war and is up against Sin, a nearly indestructible monster that can attack their well-being at anytime. Religion is further tied in with summoners such as Yuna, whose job it is to destroy Sin by going on a pilgrimage to Zanarkand and collecting strong Aeons along the way to become stronger.

A lot happens in the story and it only becomes deeper as you go further into the game. There is a sense of urgency throughout the game that really encouraged me to prepare for each battle and each part of the story. Against some modern video game stories, the story of definitely Final Fantasy X still stands strong with it's solid cast of characters and in-depth story that challenges themes of love, politics and religion and introduces what I still think is one of the best video game romances to date. While Tidus and Yuna are great main characters, the other main characters all have a back story and create a colourful cast full of people with different ideas and personalities.

Final Fantasy X HD is a Remaster and not a Remake. While the HD visuals definitely improve upon the more jagged PS2 visuals, sometimes you will see textures that haven't been re-done and will be briefly reminded it was a PS2 game. You can really notice the effects of the remaster in the landscapes, boss enemies and the faces of the main cast, which have been noticeably redone to be more expressive and more dimensional. This was a nice touch although amusing next to their flat-faced NPC counterparts. The music of the game has also been remixed to be more dynamic - I mostly noticed more layering of instruments and I really enjoyed the difference to the still great soundtrack.

The turn-based battle system of Final Fantasy X is a treat, with many different mechanics such as various Overdrives, Aeons, Status Effects and Weapons able to switch the odds within seconds. Turn-based battle systems have the potential to be very simple (think Pokemon), yet these attack options really make it very complex and strategic. I also still enjoy the freedom of the Sphere Grid leveling system and for those wanting to customise their characters more in the earlier stages of the game, the Expert Sphere Grid can be a lot of fun.

Speaking of the Expert Sphere Grid, if you've never played the International version of Final Fantasy X, along with the new Sphere Grid you will be treated to new features and challenges such as Dark Aeons and the Omega Ruins. These weren't actually new to me, but I'm much more enticed to put the time into them now that trophies are involved. They are not for the faint-hearted though - they require lots of grinding and strategy, which gives a new challenge to old players. Also included in the Remaster is the video Eternal Calm, which occurs two years after the end of Final Fantasy X. It's basically a prequel to Final Fantasy X-2 and while it isn't groundbreaking, it's still cool to see once you've finished X.

If you loved Final Fantasy X ten years ago and feel the itch to play again, you will definitely not be disappointed. For a game that was already great, Final Fantasy X HD Remaster's improvements and new features make it even better and give old players new things to explore. If you've never played Final Fantasy X, this is a story you don't want to miss, especially in it's best form.

Score: 9.5/10

I played 50+ hours over a month and that's not including the amount of boss battles I had to redo because I forgot to level grind.
Definitely still one of my favourite games of all time.

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Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster is available for PS3 and PS Vita from Play-Asia and other retailers.

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