I’m wondering, did you buy the Vita recently or did you buy it while it was still sold in stores? I’m seeing a big resurgence of handheld emulation and think it’s wonderful that it lets us play through famous older titles! I just bought a 3DS XL and am planning to play some old games I missed, too!

I was also a latecomer to this game (played it in college). The time jumps were crazy!

I stand corrected - there are versions for other platforms available according to Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Journey_(2012_video_game)

I believe it is still an exclusive

With the emphasis that they have done certain elements better: Brothers: A Tale of two sons (Show, Don’t Tell) , Dark Souls (silent companion), Shadow of the Colossus (feeling of isolation/scale). I might add some more if I find the time.

I had a similar experience. Funnily enough I love walking simulators, or slow burns with similar mechanics so I was exactly in the target audience for this game but somehow it didn’t click with me. I can understand which elements make the game great, but these elements have been done better by other games (in my opinion). I have great respect for the craft though.

Happy to hear that Torna is a good game, Xenoblade 2 is my favorite. I think the best part of the Xenoblade games are the Titans. The environments are incredible because there is always a reminder that people are living their lives on a huge flying colossus

It is a bit better on the PC where you use the mouse

This is going to be a bit of a grating answer, but, aside from Undertale which is a partial homage/subversion, the Mother series is very unique (on purpose).

You might like Live a Live if you want a JRPG. Otherwise, The World ends With You is a gamr that overlays a fantasy world over a seemingly ‘normal’ setting with a very unique art style. There are versions for different platforms but if you decide to play it you absolutely need to have a (3)DS

Added Ctrl Alt Ego to my Steam Wishlist - never heard of it, great tip!

I love the jankiness of the era. I also played most of the post-2010 games that are similar to it.

It was my first game I bought for the PS4! I was skeptical because I am not a fan of walking simulators but the detective angle made it really fun! I was also surprised at how good the graphics were, it’s a darn beautiful game!

Even speaking as a big fan of Xenoblade, it is a typical JRPG with an extremely expansive story. I hope you like it and then play the second part which is my personal favorite.

The Mass Effect Trilogy is a masterpiece. You’re in for a wild ride!

Wow, thanks! I have CFW but haven’t thought of patching the game

What a fantastic write-up! The Xbox 360 was my first console, before that I used to be a PC-exclusives gamer. At the time the Xbox 360 was mostly known for shooters so I was surprised to learn that there had been a push to put some JRPGs on the platform. Eventually I got my hands on an X360 Version of Lost Odyssey, having heard that it is a much more accomplished title than some others that came out on X360 (like Blue Dragon). I agree with many of your points. But what delighted me personally was the visual design of the game. It was derivative, yeah, but it had such a great aesthetic that I still fondly remember the cutscenes. I love that JRPG era.

Honestly it didn’t bother me that much, the story to me was more 7/10 forgettable rather than off-putting.

If I may add a different suggestion: have you considered hacking one of the old consoles that you have/can buy used to enable retro gaming? A used Wii or Wii U for instance have great wireless controllers available, especially used Wiis without the games and accessories are dirt cheap. The process is very simple, just do a quick google. Basically, hack an old console, load the ROMs you have, get an appropriate wireless controller (8bitdo makes A LOT of compatible wireless gamepads), and you’re good to go.

Here is an example, for the Wii U, though the Wii is probably even easier (but SD)

https://youtu.be/HRXwzGh-FoY?si=EG6HfJHcOGiJvrEs

You could also get the games using the virtual console offerings for the Switch if you don’t want to mess with ROMs. I know the switch has that adapter thing that holds the nunchucks in a ‘classic controller’ gamepad form. Even very old consoles sometimes have great retro gaming or homebrew options, the classic Xbox to name one example.

All in all I think this would be the fastest and maybe even cheapest option.

Also, kudos for nurturing the love of video games in your son.

I agree, it looks really good!

For me it was Ocarina of Time. Ugly, and very clumsy. And I play tons of retro games. Early 3D stuff can be rough.