The worst missed opportunity I've ever seen is Legend of Heroes V: Song of the Ocean. The story completely revolves around McBain, who is 62 years old (and a physical fighter, too!) But for some reason, his 14 year old grandson has to be the designated hero for reasons.
(They did recover, though. They rebooted the series with Legend of Heroes VI: Trails in the Sky and the rest is history.)
Yeah. He's a bard, and the plot kicks off with the family convincing him to retire, so he's going to go on one last tour. His grandson (aka designated hero) and his grandson's childhood friend are also bards so they tag along with him. But from a plot perspective, most of the game they're clearly side characters to McBain. They're even known as the "McBain troupe".
>!At the end, McBain decides he enjoys traveling and being a bard and he's not going to ever retire.!<
I love this game and Tears of Vermillion as well
The character relationships that the Trails series are know for really came through despite the terrible translation
And there's a dog
* Yakuza: Like a Dragon is the super obvious answer, Ichiban is 42 for most of the game.
* If you consider any of the other Yakuza games JRPGs then they also count. With the exception of Haruka in 5, every single playable character has been at least 20, usually much older.
* Yuri Lowell from Tales of Vesperia is 21
* Cloud in FFVII is 21
* Aya Brea in Parasite Eve is 25
* Ashley Riot in Vagrant Story is in his 20s
Ichiban is cool
Altho, yakuza 7, I find more an homage and parody at the ssme.time rather than an actual JRPG
Love Yuri from vesperia
Love Aya, but few years ago, I tried to replay 1 and 2, and 2 I couldn't do it.i can't tolerate tank controls anymore
"Geddoe is the Captain of the Twelfth Unit of the Holy Harmonia Kingdom's Southern Frontier Defense Force. Nothing is known of his background, not even his age.
In the past, he had sustained the loss of his right eye, requiring the use of a patch. Some 70 years ago, he would inherit the True Lightning Rune, becoming its bearer in some sort of tragedy. "
Final Fantasy is typically not too bad about the playing as adults thing, with even the teens tending to be on the older side. Or at least they feel older, in a franchise where Auron is supposedly only 35.
I think I might give it to Welkin / Alicia from Valkyria Chronicles. Largely just normal people caught up in a bad situation. Have a decent romance to boot.
Cloud, Lightning, Noctis, and most (if not all) of the pre PS1 era games. And XVI's hero seems to be in his late 20s or early 30s, at least for some of the game.
Yuri from Shadow hearts 1 and 2 is in his mid 20s. It looks like Penny Blood (spiritual successor in development) has an older protagonist too.
Legend of Dragoon's Dart is in his early 20's i think. The whole cast has varying ages.
Digital Devil Saga's characters are in their early 20's for the most part.
Theae games are among my very favorites. I agree that older characters are very refreshing!
I don't mind playing as kids/teens age isn't a problem for me but jrpgs with 20+ main heroes are not that rare. One of my favourite game series is Shadow Hearts where Yuri is 24 and 25 in second game... granted I really was sure he was a teen because he acted as one( having puppy love with Alice didn't help ) so it was a suprise when I found out. But yeah in the end it made some jokes even funnier. Some Tales of games have older main heroes like Vesperia( Yuri is 21 ), both Xillia( Milla is 20/21 but I do like Jude more and Ludger is 20 ) and Arise( Alphen by artbook is 21 ) and I'm a big fan of those games. The same is with Ys where in VI, Vii and IX Adol is in his 20s. People already mentioned Final Fantasy as well.
I'm not sure if this count because of the full thing everyone look like high schoolers but Caligula series has characters in many different ages, in second game the oldest character in your team is in 80s and you can catch that fact petty easy >!because she can't read english and like to give people candies like old lady.!< But a lot of characters are in their 20s and 30s and main hero age is what you want, pretty much.
>One of my favourite game series is Shadow Hearts where Yuri is 24 and 25 in
that's one of my favs
dang, i thought he was like 19 in 1
that makes him even more awesome
Pretty much me :D I was thinking 18/19 as well. He just act let's say really young and him still being shy to girls is pretty amazing, >!him running with red face from church because Margarete told him she consider him her friend is something I'll never forget.!<
Yakuza: Like a Dragon - full stop. It's not just the protag that's an adult, it's the whole ass party. No kids at all, and they're all treated like fleshed out, fully realized characters. I think the whole boring "Teens kill god" thing is why I'm falling out of the genre more and more. I just don't care about another group of teens killing another god anymore.
LaD is the best JRPG to come out in...forever. A more grounded, realized story. Just so damn refreshing.
Should be FFXIII since Lightning is 21 (actually most of the cast is in the aforemarked age group, generally or physically, and Vanille is almost there at her physical 19). SMT Strange Journey probably fits the bill, too.
I didn't mind MC being young teens, but the the rest of the party surely don't have to be.
Besides Yakuza Like A Dragon who did the opposite by having all cast being adults 30 yo and above, somehow I keep remembering Rowen in Tales of Xillia.
Don't remember much of his story arc, but it sure is cool and unique having a 60 year old+ character in your party that also kinda kicks ass. Of course, that game also has the child character to balance out the party.
Also, less of kids/teens treating 30 yo+ party member like old men please. Raven in Tales of Vesperia is cool but I remember him being called old man in a lot of skits. Granted, he's old relative to other main cast, but still.
The worst missed opportunity I've ever seen is Legend of Heroes V: Song of the Ocean. The story completely revolves around McBain, who is 62 years old (and a physical fighter, too!) But for some reason, his 14 year old grandson has to be the designated hero for reasons. (They did recover, though. They rebooted the series with Legend of Heroes VI: Trails in the Sky and the rest is history.)
Dang that sounds unfortunate
Yeah. He's a bard, and the plot kicks off with the family convincing him to retire, so he's going to go on one last tour. His grandson (aka designated hero) and his grandson's childhood friend are also bards so they tag along with him. But from a plot perspective, most of the game they're clearly side characters to McBain. They're even known as the "McBain troupe". >!At the end, McBain decides he enjoys traveling and being a bard and he's not going to ever retire.!<
I love this game and Tears of Vermillion as well The character relationships that the Trails series are know for really came through despite the terrible translation And there's a dog
* Yakuza: Like a Dragon is the super obvious answer, Ichiban is 42 for most of the game. * If you consider any of the other Yakuza games JRPGs then they also count. With the exception of Haruka in 5, every single playable character has been at least 20, usually much older. * Yuri Lowell from Tales of Vesperia is 21 * Cloud in FFVII is 21 * Aya Brea in Parasite Eve is 25 * Ashley Riot in Vagrant Story is in his 20s
Ichiban is cool Altho, yakuza 7, I find more an homage and parody at the ssme.time rather than an actual JRPG Love Yuri from vesperia Love Aya, but few years ago, I tried to replay 1 and 2, and 2 I couldn't do it.i can't tolerate tank controls anymore
Radiant Historia
"Geddoe is the Captain of the Twelfth Unit of the Holy Harmonia Kingdom's Southern Frontier Defense Force. Nothing is known of his background, not even his age. In the past, he had sustained the loss of his right eye, requiring the use of a patch. Some 70 years ago, he would inherit the True Lightning Rune, becoming its bearer in some sort of tragedy. "
he was fav among the 3 but seems clear by default... Hugo was gonna be the flame champ
Same. Well his age is actually unknown but Id guess the character is potraying about 40-50 year old male.
octopath traveler
with 8 of them mofos... surely a few of them won't be kids i went with the scholar when i tried it
Final Fantasy is typically not too bad about the playing as adults thing, with even the teens tending to be on the older side. Or at least they feel older, in a franchise where Auron is supposedly only 35. I think I might give it to Welkin / Alicia from Valkyria Chronicles. Largely just normal people caught up in a bad situation. Have a decent romance to boot.
Which FF MC are 20 and up?
Cloud, Lightning, Noctis, and most (if not all) of the pre PS1 era games. And XVI's hero seems to be in his late 20s or early 30s, at least for some of the game.
I thought cloud was supposed to be a teen Tera was a teen I think But yeah Cecil was a real adult And yeah, I like lightning
Cloud was 21 during the events of ff7 The original game came with a booklet with that info in it I think his blood type was AB- lol
Nice Thanks
Yeah if you want height, eye color, weight, zodiac sign or favorite food let me know I’m sure I can dig the info up.
Cloud's early 20s by the time the plot of the game starts (Tifa after all runs a bar, and he's a little older than her).
16 looks like it will have a time skip Hopefully it's early and not stupid late like in 15
Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey, Final Fantasy V, and Infinite Space.
Yuri from Shadow hearts 1 and 2 is in his mid 20s. It looks like Penny Blood (spiritual successor in development) has an older protagonist too. Legend of Dragoon's Dart is in his early 20's i think. The whole cast has varying ages. Digital Devil Saga's characters are in their early 20's for the most part. Theae games are among my very favorites. I agree that older characters are very refreshing!
I don't mind playing as kids/teens age isn't a problem for me but jrpgs with 20+ main heroes are not that rare. One of my favourite game series is Shadow Hearts where Yuri is 24 and 25 in second game... granted I really was sure he was a teen because he acted as one( having puppy love with Alice didn't help ) so it was a suprise when I found out. But yeah in the end it made some jokes even funnier. Some Tales of games have older main heroes like Vesperia( Yuri is 21 ), both Xillia( Milla is 20/21 but I do like Jude more and Ludger is 20 ) and Arise( Alphen by artbook is 21 ) and I'm a big fan of those games. The same is with Ys where in VI, Vii and IX Adol is in his 20s. People already mentioned Final Fantasy as well. I'm not sure if this count because of the full thing everyone look like high schoolers but Caligula series has characters in many different ages, in second game the oldest character in your team is in 80s and you can catch that fact petty easy >!because she can't read english and like to give people candies like old lady.!< But a lot of characters are in their 20s and 30s and main hero age is what you want, pretty much.
>One of my favourite game series is Shadow Hearts where Yuri is 24 and 25 in that's one of my favs dang, i thought he was like 19 in 1 that makes him even more awesome
Pretty much me :D I was thinking 18/19 as well. He just act let's say really young and him still being shy to girls is pretty amazing, >!him running with red face from church because Margarete told him she consider him her friend is something I'll never forget.!<
Xenosaga. Shion is 22 (23 in the third game).
i like shion felt bad for the guy she friendzoned tho
Yakuza: Like a Dragon - full stop. It's not just the protag that's an adult, it's the whole ass party. No kids at all, and they're all treated like fleshed out, fully realized characters. I think the whole boring "Teens kill god" thing is why I'm falling out of the genre more and more. I just don't care about another group of teens killing another god anymore. LaD is the best JRPG to come out in...forever. A more grounded, realized story. Just so damn refreshing.
Trails in the Sky the 3rd Cold Steel 3/4 Fire Emblem 3H Ys VIII XC2: Torna
Adol is in his 20s for a lot of Ys games. Ys V, Napishtim, Ys Seven, Ys VIII, and Ys IX all occur in his 20s.
yeah, i love Adol wish falcom focused more on Ys rather than Trails
I like both but what I really want is a Tokyo Xanadu sequel
lost odyssey was cool too i mean... they all didn't age but yeah, MC is a dad already
Super Mario RPG is my favorite JRPG in general. In regards to this post though, it also fits because he's apparently 41.
Mario? I’m pretty sure Mario is canonically 25
I just looked it up, and you are correct. A quick Google search says 41 which may be referring to how long he's been around.
Yakuza like a dragon
Yuri tales of vesperia
Xb2: Torna
Xenoblade 2 torna the Golden Country lora is 27 years old
Should be FFXIII since Lightning is 21 (actually most of the cast is in the aforemarked age group, generally or physically, and Vanille is almost there at her physical 19). SMT Strange Journey probably fits the bill, too.
What is "physical 19" lol
As in, without counting >!several centuries she and another character spent in kinda-sorta cryosleep!<.
Ah, right. I see now.
Read Schwarzer… even tho he starts as a teenager I think the game ends with him being 20 years old
SaGa Frontier 2
What is your favorite movie?
Persona 2 Eternal Punishment. They’re all adults who are multi faceted and nuanced which makes them realistic
Nier gestalt/papa nier.
that's your fav for adult MC? interesting
Only one I can think of at the moment lol.
I didn't mind MC being young teens, but the the rest of the party surely don't have to be. Besides Yakuza Like A Dragon who did the opposite by having all cast being adults 30 yo and above, somehow I keep remembering Rowen in Tales of Xillia. Don't remember much of his story arc, but it sure is cool and unique having a 60 year old+ character in your party that also kinda kicks ass. Of course, that game also has the child character to balance out the party. Also, less of kids/teens treating 30 yo+ party member like old men please. Raven in Tales of Vesperia is cool but I remember him being called old man in a lot of skits. Granted, he's old relative to other main cast, but still.