Here's a dull-looking Japanese game from a developer you used to really like!

[Mr. Gundam]

Is there a single decent iOS JRPG that isn't a port? And by "decent" I mean "longer than five hours" and "doesn't have a puzzle battle interface."

I'm perfectly fine with the idea of playing good games on my phone. It's just that native mobile games always seem to be developed with a minimum-resources, minimum-effort, maximum-monetization model so that nothing keeps my attention for longer than 15 minutes total. That, and I'm still not comfortable with touch screen controls for action. I mean, it works well enough for the Cave shooters and Raiden Legacy, but there's something about the transition to mobile that makes them feel like insubstantial, throwaway experiences. Which pretty much describes 99% of mobile games I've played.

The best, most long-lived iOS game I've played is still Game Dev Story (though I realize it's a port from JP featurephones). The best Android games I've played are Dungeon Diary and Pixel Dungeon.

Isn't there a pretty-good Gameloft Final Fantasy ripoff?

edit: Eternal Legacy
https://itunes.apple.com/US/app/eternal-legacy/id402027104?mt=8

[Rahxephon91]

The future is so bleak for gaming.

[demi]

Is there a single decent iOS JRPG that isn't a port? And by "decent" I mean "longer than five hours" and "doesn't have a puzzle battle interface."

Final Fantasy Dimensions

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/final-fantasy-dimensions/id540992837?mt=8

Chaos Rings, Chaos Rings Omega, Chaos Rings 2

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/chaos-rings/id365678365?mt=8
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/chaos-rings-o/id424794827?mt=8
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/chaos-rings-ii/id495153860?mt=8

Adventure Bar Story

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/adventure-bar-story/id489454710?mt=8

[Human Snorenado]

The future is so bleak for what I think of as gaming.

.

[Stoney Mason]

The future is so bleak for gaming.

I don't feel that way at all. And I'm one one of the older dudes on the board. Darn young cynical people.

[Rahxephon91]

The future is so bleak for what I think of as gaming.

.

No shit.

You mean to tell me it's not bleak for those who like iOS gaming or whatnot and it is for those not interested in mobile gaming? Gee, who would've thought?

[Positive Touch]

waaah i want this type of good game but instead i have to settle for that type of good game

[Great Rumbler]

The future is so bleak for gaming.

There's still time to join the Kickstarter bandwagon!

[demi]

Ugh, Kemco pap is definitely not worth playing.

[D3RANG3D]

How is that vampire rpg that square made?

[magus]

Ugh, Kemco pap is definitely not worth playing.

there was one of them on psp so i tried it and it was the dullest thing ever,not even at the level of a gba game... think it was called mystic chronicles

[Great Rumbler]

Most of those Kemco games just look like the worst kind of RPG Maker garbage that some kid cranked out in a couple weeks.

[chronovore]

Is there a single decent iOS JRPG that isn't a port? And by "decent" I mean "longer than five hours" and "doesn't have a puzzle battle interface."

I'm perfectly fine with the idea of playing good games on my phone. It's just that native mobile games always seem to be developed with a minimum-resources, minimum-effort, maximum-monetization model so that nothing keeps my attention for longer than 15 minutes total. That, and I'm still not comfortable with touch screen controls for action. I mean, it works well enough for the Cave shooters and Raiden Legacy, but there's something about the transition to mobile that makes them feel like insubstantial, throwaway experiences. Which pretty much describes 99% of mobile games I've played.

The best, most long-lived iOS game I've played is still Game Dev Story (though I realize it's a port from JP featurephones). The best Android games I've played are Dungeon Diary and Pixel Dungeon.

What Demi listed is good.  I'd also add Square's Drakerider, though it's a bit unconventional.  Unlucky Hero is pretty good.  25 hours long, fairly conventional mechanics but the formation of your party is very important in battles, and bosses are a real fight.  It's from the guys who made Across Age, Dragon Odyssey Frane, and a couple of Kemco's RPGs.

Speaking of Kemco, there are a few decent ones in their lineup of monthly releases.  Machine Knight and Dark Gate are alright, 15-20 hour affairs.  Just be careful with Kemco.  There are a few genuine clunkers in their lineup, though mostly it's average stuff.

Didn't Kemco put out the Worst Batman Game Ever?
Ah, yes:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batman:_Dark_Tomorrow

[demi]

How is that vampire rpg that square made?

It requires online connection, and its basically infinity blade.

[demi]

Here's one that isnt JRPG but it's totally Fire Emblem and seems cool.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/partia/id572432485?mt=8

[chronovore]

The future is so bleak for gaming.

The future is so bleak for what I think of as gaming.

.

Yeah, I'm not enjoying the uncertainty the game industry is undergoing right now, but this is a transformative, exciting time. We're getting new gameplay; risks are being taken with gameplay which could never get past a board review for a $100M triple-A game, or even a $50M or $20M game. We are seeing new things happening for the first time in ages.

The old cycle was unsustainable, and is in its death throes.

LONG LIVE THE NEW FLESH.

[Great Rumbler]

I'm mostly happy because Steam and Kickstarter. So whatever.

[chronovore]

I'm mostly happy because Steam and Kickstarter. So whatever.

I'ma bag me a wired 360 controller for PC and then be happy.

The future is bleak for that type of gaming pretty much specifically because of the demands of people who want that type of gaming.

Y'all wanted the big budgets, the prettier graphics, the envelope pushing in terms of production values.  Well, welcome to your own personal hell.  You asked for too much, and now you shall have nothing.

Those people will still get the same three games for this next generation... and then probably nothing, since there won't be any more consoles. 

However, larger companies will just transition to putting out the most outrageous looking tablet and iphone games, since that will have the largest install base.

[Great Rumbler]

I'm mostly happy because Steam and Kickstarter. So whatever.

I'ma bag me a wired 360 controller for PC and then be happy.

The 360 controller is one of the best things to happen to PC gaming in the past decade.

[chronovore]

True.

Then there are the Infinity Blade audience, which seemed to signal the onset of AAA Syndrome on mobile, though it is by far not the default mode, which is what plagued console these past years.

[Great Rumbler]

Assuming consoles go away forever and take the AAA games with them, that leaves just a few options:

1. Hardcore gamers stop playing games
2. Hardcore gamers start playing smaller, less expensive mobile games
3. Hardcore gamers demand bigger, more expensive mobile games

1 and 2 just don't seem overly likely to me.

[Tasty]

The future is bleak for that type of gaming pretty much specifically because of the demands of people who want that type of gaming.

Y'all wanted the big budgets, the prettier graphics, the envelope pushing in terms of production values.  Well, welcome to your own personal hell.  You asked for too much, and now you shall have nothing.

I didn't Oscar. I wanted the Wii to save the industry with low dev costs. The dudebros have doomed us all.

[Great Rumbler]

True.

Then there are the Infinity Blade audience, which seemed to signal the onset of AAA Syndrome on mobile, though it is by far not the default mode, which is what plagued console these past years.

Sure, but Infinity Blade, while very successful, pales in comparison to many other games, and apps that try to go Infinity Blade's route have met with far less success.  I've no doubt the infection will spread, but the nice thing about iOS gamers being cheapskates is that there's little possibility for that at the moment.

Don't worry, the mobile platformers will be flooded with dudebros soon enough.

[recursivelyenumerable]

The future is so bleak for gaming.

I don't feel that way at all. And I'm one one of the older dudes on the board. Darn young cynical people.

I think older folks can sometimes actually be more chill about economic/cultural/technical/etc change because they've been through a couple of these kinds of changes/cycles before. Either they break you or they make you stronger

[tiesto]

The future is so bleak for gaming.

Agreed. Good thing I love retro games and have a huge backlog. Not to mention am getting too old that I don't have the time to keep up with every new release anymore.

[Great Rumbler]

Adventure Bar Story

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/adventure-bar-story/id489454710?mt=8

Thanks for recommending this, I picked it up off the Google Play store yesterday and I've been enjoying it.