I have a video game weakness, and that is role playing games – specifically, Japanese role playing games. Something about their involved story-lines, side quests, endless equipment combinations and specializations, and music and artwork hooks me no matter what world or crisis it surrounds. My initial love for the Playstation system specifically comes from these types of experiences. Nothing hooked me more into a video game than the beautiful, intricate details in the art style of Dark Cloud, as primitive as it was, and I’m sure we’ve all experienced that moment of excitement when a cut scene would begin: I remember yelling for my brother when one would pop up in Final Fantasy IX. They’ve made me smile, cry, and occasionally throw my controller down in anger (FFVII. end of disc 1. you know.).

When I first started gaming on my own, and buying games outside of the influence of my brother, I gravitated towards games like Tales of Symphonia and Final Fantasy VII, VIII and IX. As I grew up this love for what they offered grew, and I not only indulged in new titles like Star Ocean and Resonance of Fate, but also went back and experienced games I had previously missed, like Kingdom Hearts and Phantom Brave. Now, as an adult with my own money, I have started the slow (and expensive) process of picking up those titles that I may have missed before. Collecting them adds to my enjoyment: having them on display seems fitting for the role they’ve played in my life, and collecting the ones I’ve missed as a kid gives me the opportunity to more completely immerse myself in the genre.

My love for a magical experience and a complex story has greatly affected how I play games today. Many times I have suffered through not so intuitive gameplay (ahem, Final Fantasy XIII) because I love the involved, complex storyline, something that role playing games have in spades. For me, it’s more important what the story is and how it’s told in a game, than how the game ‘handles’ or how repetitive the combat becomes. Sometimes I find myself thoroughly enjoying something that got less than stellar ratings across the board because what the general gaming community likes and what I like can be focused on much different things.

Recently, Sony has continued to supply my need for JRPG’s with titles like Ni No Kuni, new iterations in the Disgaea franchise, and new Persona and Atelier games as well. Ni No Kuni has been an especially wonderful experience, combining everything I loved about Dark Cloud, Pokemon, and the involved, complex, stories of all the RPG’s from my past. It has become the Platinum trophy that I am the most proud of. The Playstation Vita has also come to bring JRPG experiences to the gaming community, now in a conventient handled – games like Ragnarok Odyssey, Persona 4 Golden and Muramasa are recent releases that I can’t wait to get my hands on.

Now looking into the future, Sony and Playstation are still at the forefront in bringing these JRPG experiences to gamers in the west. Just in the next few months we have to look forward to Valhalla Knights 3, Time and Eternity, Final Fantasy XIII Lightning Returns, Dragon’s Crown, Ys: Memories of Celceta, and Tales of Xillia. Coming up as well we know there will be even more Final Fantasy, both in terms of a new story in Final Fantasy XV, as well as an HD remake of Final Fantasy X and X-2 for both console and the handheld. What’s especially interesting is how JRPG’s have begun to migrate, and in fact flourish, on the Playstation Vita. More and more PS classic games are becoming available via PSN as well, and many of the upcoming JRPG releases are either available cross platform or in fact exclusive to the Vita.

Over the past few years there have been many Western RPG’s released, mimicking the involved nature of their Japanese counterparts in terms of story, decision making, and differentiating experience that comes from how you play. I’ve played Mass Effect, and dabbled in Skyrim and Red Dead Redemption, but they just don’t do the same for me as the art style and music of the Japanese games do. Something about the magical, fantastical adventures that are so different from anything made in the west takes me out of this world and transports me to another, and I can’t help but be enthralled by them.

Guess it’s time to buy a Vita.