Some games start incredibly well, like Final Fantasy Tactics or Baldur’s Gate 3. There’s no denying that the story and gameplay of those two RPGs will draw players in right away. Sometimes, even if a game is fun, it takes a bit longer to get going.
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There could be hidden mechanics that will change up gameplay in a big way, or perhaps a shift in perspective to new characters. Final Fantasy 13 is an older example, while Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined is a newer example. What makes these games take forever to get going, and what other games make the list?
Fit the 9 games into the grid.
Final Fantasy 13
Getting To The Archylte Steppe
Final Fantasy 13 is unlike most entries in the Final Fantasy series for many reasons. First, the party is constantly split up into duos, sometimes trios, and things are always switching up depending on how the story plays out. Dungeons are typically very linear, too, with the sidetracks being very easy to navigate to hidden chests.
Eventually, players will be allowed to form the party they wish and also get to explore a large open area called the Archylte Steppe. There are rare monsters to take down, hard-to-find gear, and quests, mirroring a more typical Final Fantasy adventure. The linearity isn’t necessarily a bad thing, nor is the constant party switching, as it does fit the narrative. Still, Final Fantasy 13 does improve dramatically in the Archylte Steppe, leading to dozens of hours of extra content just before the finale.
Xenoblade Chronicles X
Unlocking The Skell
Xenoblade Chronicles X is an anomaly within the Xenoblade Chronicles series, as players get to create a character who is also voiceless. Combat and exploration fall very much in line with the ref of the games, save for two key differences. The story takes a backseat compared to the highly driven numbered titles, and there is an incredibly fun mechanic to unlock about twenty hours in, depending.
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A Skell is what this world calls a mech, and once players unlock their license, they pretty much open a completely different world. Skells can be used in combat, they can be flown, and they can even be driven, as they can transform. The MMO-style combat is great, but the Skells are definitely THE reason to buy and check out Xenoblade Chronicles X above all other entries. If players are big fans of mechs, that is.
Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined
Getting Alltrades Abbey
Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined is the latest Dragon Quest game to get the remake treatment. Like most entries, it has a slow start, and it wasn’t fixed in this version. For about the first third of the game, players will fight their turn-based battles as a normal RPG with characters leveling up and learning skills as they go along.
Around the twenty-hour mark, or sooner, depending on whether players are using an easier difficulty, they will come to a place known as the Alltrades Abbey. Here, each character in Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined can take on a class called a Vocation, like a Warrior or a Mage. This changes the gameplay completely, which is both great and odd considering how deep players have to go to unlock it. Knowing this beforehand may keep players from grinding too much or doing too many side quests beforehand. It’s best to get to the Alltrades Abbey first and then branch out.
Dragon Age: Inquisition
Getting Past The Hinterlands
Like most BioWare games, the meat of Dragon Age: Inquisition is in the sweet middle. Players start with a humble fortress, but the further they get, the more options they will unlock on the war table. Also, the more companions they will unlock, and getting to talk to party members, and possibly romance them, is just as much fun as the action combat.
The first major area of Dragon Age: Inquisition is The Hinterlands, and players may fool themselves into doing every single quest imaginable in there. Not knowing there is much more to see, this could lead to a bit of burnout before the game really gets going. The Hinterlands is like a good demo section of the game, along with the next several areas, but once players get enough hours in, they’ll start to feel like the resistance general that they are role-playing as.
Etrian Odyssey 4: Legends Of The Titan
Flying To New Lands
Etrian Odyssey 4: Legends of the Titan is another RPG example that is different than most other entries. Typically, players will create their party at the HUB town and then venture into a seemingly endless dungeon, escaping only to heal and buy better gear before returning. In this first entry for the 3DS, the entire world is a series of interconnected dungeons. Players can complete them and then exit onto the world map in their airship to navigate to a new dungeon, or a different entrance to the same dungeon in some cases.
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The world map has its own dangers as well, since this is where a lot of the super bosses hide out. Players will definitely make it to the world map in under twenty hours, but the game won’t feel entirely complete until players find their rhythm between the dungeon crawling, exploration, and combat. It’s a hard-as-nails turn-based RPG that demands grinding, the best gear, and smart strategies to survive. Like a Soulslike game, Etrian Odyssey 4: Legends of the Titan is incredibly rewarding beyond the challenge.
Resonance of Fate
Figuring Out The Gunkata
Resonance of Fate is an RPG set with its three party members at the start: Zephyr, Vashyron, and Leanne. All three are essentially bounty hunters, doing odd jobs around town to make their way up society’s ranks. The story is a bit episodic, and the gang is akin to the team aboard the Bebop in Cowboy Bebop, one of the best anime shows of all time. The more they play, the more players will start to get accustomed to their antics, as bizarre as these characters may appear at first.
More so than the party, the combat is the real challenge here. Battles are turn-based, with each character having several gun-based options during their turn. Pulling off a quick shot will provide a low-damaged and more accurate hit, while going for something elaborate requires following lines to make sure the movement trajectory is not interrupted before the weapon can fire. Resonance of Fate is one of the most complex RPGs of all time, and it’s a lot to ask players to struggle through twenty hours just to get to the good stuff. That said, there’s no other turn-based RPG like it.
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