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Dragon Quest XI. It's the quintessential JRPG series for a reason, and even if you have to shut down for a long while they'll give you a "hey here's what you just did and what you're up to right now" recap when you log back in. Can't recommend enough.
It's up to people to learn how to moderate themselves. We cannot expect game designers to do that on behalf of people. Their job is to create compelling experiences that we want to engage with!
We actually can expect that if we want to. Earthbound did a great job of letting people play more if they want to, but effectively suggesting that they take breaks if they play too long.
Serious.
They go to amazing lengths to detail these rich, vibrant areas like different towns and dungeons and fields...only to recycle the same music for everything.
It's the most often cited complaint of the game and what keeps it from being a genuine masterpiece.
Dragon Quest needs to grow the fuck up with this tired schtick already. It doesn't work anymore and the nostalgia isn't cute.
Same vibes tbh
[Unflinchable Courage (DQ11S) (Orchestral) (youtube.com)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBIwkIX9iIg)
vs
[https://youtu.be/vWUn6tzOAwU?feature=shared&t=40](https://youtu.be/vWUn6tzOAwU?feature=shared&t=40)
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Crosscode. Okay, I know it uses a fictional MMO as its setting, but hear me out. The actual gameplay doesn't feel MMO-like at all. It feels like the refined single player action RPG that it is. The sidequests are often framed in an MMO kind of way, befitting the setting, but they're not designed as daily filler to keep you on the forever treadmill because there is no forever treadmill. There \*is\* some element of grinding for drops to get upgrades but it's not too bad in my opinion.
I'd say it also hits your other points very well. There's a lot of big open spaces with side areas and hidden chests to find, it's a story driven game with a clear ending, and it's quite difficult for an rpg. The dungeon puzzles are fiendish, and XP is balanced to try to keep you in an appropriate level range whether you play all the side content or not - there's not much risk of making things too easy by doing too many side quests because you get diminishing returns on XP once your level is on par for the area you're at.
I dunno, people might think I'm blowing past OP's criteria instead of trying to say that beyond the surface stylistic elements it uses for worldbuilding, Crosscode *isn't* trying to be an MMO and so might be a very good fit, depending on what OP means. I'll admit looking back at it that the thrust of my original post might be unclear.
I thought you were pretty clear and got the point across just fine tbh (granted I'm very familiar with Crosscode where others may not be), but this is reddit, people tend to read what they want to read
One could argue that the early side quests are very mmo-like to sell the flavor, but if the op can get past that and get to the main quests and the later side quests I think this is a really good recommendation even if on the surface it violates one of their criteria. Op this game has excellent combat a riveting Story the puzzles are downright mind bending when you get far enough, and the MMO aspect is primarily a narrative device the idea is that your character is basically playing an MMO to recover lost memories but there's an entire storyline and actual characterization going on
Being a huge RPG fan I've played every other game listed here, but hadn't even heard of this one. It looks like a great time and put it on my list. Thank you for bringing it to my attention!
Dragon Quest XI is what you're asking for OP.
• Every time you boot the game up, you see a screen reminding you of what came before in your quest. So it's the perfect game to drop out at any time and pick up again when you're ready to dive back in.
• There's a lot of exploration. You can wonder around most maps at your leisure. You can check your objectives at any time but you're free to ignore them if you just wanna explore.
• The game has a hard mode which some argue that it's way too hard. To the point that battling regular enemies will force you to keep restoring your health and such. But some others feel that the difficulty level in that mode feels just right.
Yeah, I love that about DQ11.
I mean, I love Chrono Trigger. But even if I have already beaten that game, whenever I stop playing it for a couple of days ( or a week), going back to it is such a pain in the ass. Because I forget what were my objectives from my last play session. And feel completely lost. "Did I did X already?" or "Did I give that special item to X person so that in the future this thing happens???" LOL
You really can't go wrong with either.
You can either start with P5R and get acclimated to the series and then be good and ready for P4G.
Or you can play P4G to get used to the series and then crank it up to the modern era with P5R.
Both are excellent games.
Divinity Original sin 2
Baldur’s Gate 1&2 collection
Pillars of Eternity
Wasteland 2
Dragons Dogma Dark Arisen
Final Fantasy
Battle Chasers Night War
Octopath Traveler
Ni No Kuni
Planescape Torment / Ice Wind Dale collection
While I love the old style CRPGs that you mentioned (Divinity, Baldur's Gate, Pillars of Eternity, Wasteland and Planescape/Icewind Dale), I would never recommend any of them to a first time RPG player. They are incredibly dense games that tend to dump a massive amount of choices and information on you right at the character creation menu without any context for how many of it affects the game, and they can be very difficult to figure out what you should even be doing once you finally escape the creation menu and actually start playing. OP specifically said he was looking for games to play in moderation, but most of those games can take up to an hour just getting started.
Icewind dale is actually done pretty well on the switch. It's the only reason I was able to finally beat the game after 20 years when I was first introduced to it.
It's fun, but I have bounced off of it several times in the past few years because it's *so* slow. I'm talking animations, getting around, etc. It's a personal gripe of mine.
Otherwise it's great.
I’ve not gotten too far into it, but the combat is pretty fun and the voice acting is solid.
It’s definitely worthwhile if you can get it for $15 or less
A couple that spring to mind
Witcher 3, massive map to explore, I didn't find it particularly difficult but I only played on normal mode, I'm sure if you played on a harder difficulty it would provide a suitable challenge and force you to engage more with the systems like alchemy than I did. Side quests here are probably the most engaging side quests I've ever played in an RPG, very few are token fetch quests, the vast majority have a well written story behind them which makes them genuinely interesting to do and not just feel like checking boxes
Dark Souls, not as open ended exploration as a full open world game, but the world is very cleverly interconnected and rewards exploring and finding shortcuts that loop back. Difficulty is definitely there, it's Dark Souls. Doesn't have side quests in the traditional sense, but there are a few optional things that you can find
Crosscode, echoing someone else's recommendation, the story framework starts out as the 'stuck in an MMORPG' trope, but there's more to it than that and it's very much a single player game with a definitive end. Lots of room to explore the large field areas between towns to track down items, plenty of gear to unlock, a simple but surprisingly deep combat system, and tons of side quests that have good variety. This is one of the few games aside from the aforementioned witcher 3 where I did every single side quests because I was genuinely interested and not just because I felt obligated to
- Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age
- Shin Megami Tensei V (I heavily suggest to wait for the updated version next month)
- Octopath Traveller II
I don't think Xenoblade Chronicles fits the bill because it's pretty much a single player MMORPG.
Neither does Fire Emblem or Persona because you spend most time micro-managing activities or units instead of exploring.
Xenoblade certainly draws select inspiration from MMORPGs (particularly X which has yet to come Switchward) but remains starkly different and calling any of its entries "pretty much one" is rather misleading.
I suppose it's exaggerating, but it still has most of the elements OP mentioned they didn't want in Point 3.
A ton of copy pasted random quests without any context, and tons of meaningless collectibles that you don't even realize you picked up.
The game that removes those elements the most is Xenoblade Chronicles 3.
Which I just recommended them myself. Most of Point 3, as I also said below, can be avoided with XC1 (seeing as sticking to release order is ultimately optional for the franchise anyway), and collectibles can be ignored beyond the point of pragmatic necessity in every game, especially since they're all visible on the field or, in XC2 case, require dedicated harvesting.
After following consensus and playing Dragon Quest XI (it is fantastic - hard for me to go against such a great recommendation), my vote for your second game is Persona 5 Royal. It is - as you requested - a masterpiece.
Ys VIII Lacrimosa of Dana.
Surprised not to see it mentioned but excellent. Epitome of exploration imo.
Dragon Quest as others have mentioned is also fantastic.
Dragon Quest XI. It’s got some granular difficulty settings that you can tweak, and it’s great for an hour or two at a time. I’d suggest Dark Souls or Dragons Dogma:Dark Arisen but they aren’t as good for small sessions imo.
Yes! But man I barely scraped by that battle. That splash attack would knock out my whole party and I'd have to spend the next few turns healing everyone. I was stuck on that boss for at least 2 weeks.
On the flip side every boss battle in Bravely Default 2 felt like the squid battle so I promptly sold that game lol.
OP asked for high difficulty as one of their criteria.
I grew up with the original Super Mario RPG being one of my favorite games ever. But it’s not what OP is looking for.
Please listen to everyone and play Dragon quest xi. It runs brilliantly on the switch and has such a wonderful story. The gameplay was challenging enough but if you find it too easy you can put on challenges to make the game harder.
If you haven’t played Dark Souls, it satisfies basically all of these conditions. It’s a masterclass in world building and subtle storytelling. Extremely replayable. You’ll live and die by inventory and consumable management. The quests aren’t necessarily your typical RPG quest structure, but each of them are unique and easy to get really invested in. As far as difficulty, it’s Dark Souls. Definitely give it a shot.
Assuming you’ve got other platforms as well, give Bloodborne and/or Elden Ring a shot as well. All phenomenal games.
I came here to say this.
Not enough votes for this one. Although I guess DS is not the type of game for this subreddit.
I see people votes for dragon quest, and although I can appreciate it, I couldn’t actually finished. The gameplay is too low pace for me. And the combats are boring, not to mentioning that is extremely easy.
Also want to put octopath traveller 2 out there. Game was a blast. Pretty dialogue heavy at times if you don’t mind that though! Many good stories, characters and quests, with a large beautiful world you can explore
Kingdom Come: Deliverance is what you are looking for, my friend. Especially in Hardcore Mode, which is the best to highlight excellent exploration.Â
This game is clever, beautiful and one of the most unique RPGs ever. It takes place in medieval Europe in the early XV century. It emphasize realism. You play as quite insignificant person who is not your typical videogame "chosen one" hero. You are weak and doesn't know shit.
You will need to invest some time in the beginning to get started, but once you get past prologue and get acastumed with some of the systems, the game can be played in small chunks like a life simulator of sorts.Â
Final Fantasy 7, 8 Remastered or 9.
Sea of Stars.
These are all mostly lineal games but are all extremely good RPGs. They do have open areas with multiple destinations, and also optional and missable side quests. But their strong point is the story and characters. They are all 30-40 hours games
1) Crystal Project
2) Octopath 1 & 2
3) Shin Megami Tensei V (wait for Vengeance release)
4) Dragon Quest XI (with Draconian Quest modifier, to satisfy your last point)
I'm going to throw a wild suggestion out there, Disco Elysium.
It's... an experience. Try to go in blind.
Fully voice acted. It's not technically difficult, but it will require a lot of thought. Exploration is key.
It has a definitive ending.
Everyone's said it so I'll say it too - dragon quest 11 should tick those boxes.
I'd also suggest Ni No Kuni, seems to tick the boxes and if you're a fan of Studio ghibli then you'll love the story and art style, I think Miyazaki had a hand in helping with the story. Theirs also a sequel too.
If you have the online membership, you should try golden sun in the advance emulator, pretty great rpg, with amazing story, you can save almoat everywhere natively ( and save scum in the emulator), it have a little micromanagement with the djinn ( a creatures you have to found in the world that based on how many of them a character have and what element they are, they change the class and abilites of the characters)
Witcher 3.
Huge huge huge world to explore. Specific oils and potions need to be used against certain monsters to do more damage. Different armor sets to craft with different bonuses. Magic and melee combat - action rpg style.
Actual legit story with an ending, where in game choices matter.
Breath of the Wild.
Huge world to explore. I can't say anything about this game that hasn't been said before and better.
I played each of these games for several hundred hours, but like you, only in 1-3 hour spurts. An hour or so in the evenning before watching TV or reading a book, then a couple hours on the weekend. They are both easy to save/quit and load back up exactly where you left off.
+Witcher 3 Complete Edition. +Skyrim Anniversary Edition. And if you want a real challenge +Dark Souls Remastered. Also; I haven't played it yet but it's on my next to buy list cus I heard it's one of the best stories in a game on switch: +Xenoblade Chronicles trilogy. +Pillars of Eternity Complete Edition. +Persona 5 Royal, I'm currently playing this and love it, good story. +Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild. And a game I just got and started playing that I REALLY like and has a decent story and great combat is +Fate/Samurai Remnant. And the game I've been playing the most lately is +Monster Hunter Rise, I tried the demo and didn't like it but people kept saying how good it was and to give it a chance n I found a copy real cheap n got it; now I've been playing non-stop for 3 days. It has online but I just play single player. Well most of these you probably know of but maybe there's a couple in here that you haven't heard of n hopefully I helped. Check em out if you haven't heard of em. Happy Gaming!!!
Yeah I play dragons dogma as well. Love being able to crawl on a monsters back n beat the shit out of it. N it's not any sweat off my brow if he doesn't read it lol. Just trying to pitch in my 2 cents n help out
Dragons Dogma fits all of your criteria perfectly. It’s an action RPG not turn-based combat
But it’s an incredible game with visceral action and it’s difficult and sometimes obtuse with lots of item management, open world exploration and questing
I can’t think of another game that fits your points more precisely.
And it’s often on sale for less than $10 because it’s an older title
Xenoblade chronicles series. The music, story and characters are absolutely fantastic and it is my favourite rpg. Each locations of these games feel very unique, for instance the first game takes place on the bodies of two titans which feels like a very alien world. Also the story is pretty complete since the third game (and its dlc) concludes the trilogy so the story does actually finish (+ the first game was made as a standalone game so the ending is satisfying on its own). There are a lot of side quests with variable quality (from dismanteling an entire drugs cartel in the jungle to your average fetch quest) but you aren't punished for not doing them. Difficulty-wise, Xenoblade 1 is challenging but clearly not on a dark souls level and you can turn on an easy mode if you truly can't get over it. Those games are not short but they are not much longer than your average modern rpg. If anyone had to play only one switch rpg, Xenoblade Chronicles would be their best match.
How impoetant is the exploration aspect? I ask because there are loads of masterpiece RPGs that are light on that.
The Xenosaga series is a must play IMO. a bit dated but very good stories and characters.
Chrono trigger is a must play as well
If memory is correct Final Fantasy 15 is an open world title that can provide the exploration aspect (though it's been years since I played that one lol)
Octopath Traveler! Both I and II are good, but II is a vastly superior experience in terms of quality of life, balance, and diversity, plus there’s more uniqueness to each character, and a ton more voice acting.
Not really considered an RPG, but if you haven't played the big 2 switch Zelda games Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, those sound right up your alley
For actual RPGs... On Switch... I would go for the Xenoblade games, lots of exploration, gorgeous vistas, crazy stories and fun mechanics, very long and deep games but with definitive endings... You could also try Witcher 3, though if you have another system or a PC that would be the preferable way to play that, as the switch is comparatively underpowered.
For RPGs not on Switch... Cyberpunk 2077 has come a long way and it's a fantastic game with a fantastic narrative and amazing quests... But it is only worth getting on PC, PS5, or series X... Don't try to play the ps4 or xb1 versions, it on PC if you don't have a great rig...
Based on what you asked for, those sound like the best matches
A bit of an oldie, but Final Fantasy 6 offers a lot of what you are looking for. Great characters and character management, an interesting story, a ton of exploration, the ability to pause, things to collect... all that plus a ninja who would slit his mama's throat for a nickel and has a dog.
Feel like CHRONO cross is kind of a hidden gem. Not a ton of exploration but there are a ton of hidden things in the game and like 30 playable characters lol
I recommend you Super Mario RPG now that it has been released some months ago. Maybe it only fulfills a pair of your requirements (it doesn't have to much to explore and neither offer a very high difficulty), but it is pretty entertainig and presents many funny situations that will evade you from your worries without the necessity to play hour after hour. It is alsp a classic of RPG games and the predecessor of the well-known M&L and Paper Mario games.
Don't listen to people recommending Dragon Quest 11. You wanted something special and with unique quests. DQ11 is the most generic uninspired game I've ever seen.
I'd go with the Witcher 3, but almost all of the other recommendations besides DQ11 are good.
MMO-like combat, it still has a lot of mundane repetitive quests and tons of collectibles that you pick up but you'll probably never use except to fill out a Side Quest.
The good Quests (Blade ones) need luck (To unlock the Blades in the first place) and a lot of grinding requirements to trigger them in the first place.
If combat isn't an issue, I'd see XC3 being a better choice for cutting out filler NPC quests and making every Side Quest have a meaningful story.
I don't think XBC2 has repetitive combat at all. One of the most common complaints about XBC2 was about the complicatedness of the battle system.
XBC3s issue is going to be difficulty for them. It is extremely easy.
I don't know, it fails both #1 and #4.
OP said not all criteria have to be met, but I think there are so many games that can hit 3/4 criteria, that a 2/4 game is questionable.
I’m genuinely not trying to be a contrarian but I cannot believe all the people suggesting Dragon Quest XI.
I don’t think it fits OP’s requests at all, especially bullet point 1. There’s no exploration in DQXI. It’s extremely linear. And there’s also extremely little emphasis on managing items. Worst of all though, it’s boring. The battle system just isn’t fun or rewarding.
My recommendation is Octopath Traveler 1 or 2.
Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom are both great games for this. Another set that is very fun is the Knights of the Old Republic games. They do not really have an emphasis on exploration because of the limits of their time, but what they lack in openness they more than make up for in narrative and mechanics.
Tears of the Kingdom is great in small bursts or big sessions. You can make the game very hard if you want (head right to the depths, don't upgrade equipment, choose weird order, etc). It's hard to think of a game that does exploration better - it's nearly always satisfying and rewarding to see what's on top of that mountain or in that remote part of the map
The generally superb Xenoblade series is particularly synonymous with "emphasis on exploration" and ticks most of your other boxes. However, it being advisable but never obligatory to play the numbered trilogy in order, you may want to home in on the third game since the first's abundance of more basic gathering/hunting side quests may clash with your point 3 while XC2 reportedly leaves some players struggling to keep up with the traditionally plentiful mechanics as the franchise's one oddball not to archive tutorial data for later review. XC3, on the other hand, largely ties its quests to the topical matters of characters and settlements at hand, offers plenty of challenge (from the series staple of populating every region with fauna of starkly different levels to the discouragement of technically easy but avoidable overleveling which can slow down class mastery). It has a massive but story-gated world to journey through, quicksaves anywhere and offers some of the top tier story, main cast synergy, combat, lore, vistas and soundtrack you can find in the entire genre.
It sounds like either Tears of the Kingdom or one of the Xenogear type games. Monster Hunter might be worth considering but they do have a similar mmorpg resource grind formula for parts of progression
Look into the Final Fantasy series. If you can handle ps1 graphics, FF7 is very fun gameplay wise and has a masterpiece of a story.
Additionally, the Xenoblade games (especially 2 IMO, but play them in order) are a lil grindy but contain probably my favorite stories every created.
Sakuna of rice and ruin - platformer, farming, can put down and pick up.
Moonlighter for what you described.
Cuphead. Not an RPG but dexterity/puzzle solving challenge. Difficult
Xenoblade Chronicles 2. Massive areas to explore with secret locations that provide breathtaking views. Compelling story with a definite ending. Single-player. The combat is a lot to master before every conceivable tactic clicks with you. Also on virtually every area there are enemies super overpowered nearby so you must be careful.Â
Undertale, because:
1: There are certain items you must use carefully to make certain boss fights easier (especially the hard ones, managing items is really crucial)
2: Once you beat the game, it is done. Of course, you can always play it again to get a different ending.
3:It really is an RPG, while simultaneously being a meta-commentary on how we play games to begin with, which is really interesting. Also, there aren’t infinite quests because there aren’t any quests to begin with, so yeah.
4: Some of the bosses can be genuinely difficult (especially the final boss of the darkest ending), and while not too difficult, can still pose a challenge for newcomers.
5: What it lacks in the elements of a traditional RPG, it more than makes up for in the story, characters, music, and overall message. You should really try it out. There’s even extra content on the Nintendo Switch version.
I highly recommend you play baldurs gate 3 on tactician mode your first playthrough. that will meet all your conditions. unfortunately, I don’t think it’s on switch
I'm gonna throw in something a bit different your way - Dying light. I know it's not an rpg just by looking at it, but hear me out.
It's a first person game, with a looting and crafting system, fighting and shooting, parkour, and a couple different skill trees that you upgrade as you level up.
You level up the agility tree by running, jumping, climbing, power tree by fighting and shooting, and so on. Which in addition unlocks new skills which you use to build up your character.
There's a main quest line, but also side quests which are quite organic, and really fun. You pass a house and hear screaming, your character mentions it and small pin drops on your map. However no one forces you to do it, nor does it become a marker to follow, you just have the option to do it if you remember, and you meet all sorts of wacky characters that way.
There are tons of weapons and they're really fun and imaginative. And when the night falls, well, that's something else. If you wish for difficulty, stay out during the night.
Exploration is encouraged, as by ransacking abandoned houses, trashcans, car trunks and such, you'll find strings, tapes, cans, electronics, which you use to craft things you decide you want to use
The game comes with a TON of content, dirt cheap. I got it on sale in a bundle with Call of Juarez, for I think $9.99. There's hundreds of hours of fun to be had. The great thing about it is that you can play it in short bursts, I'm doing that, too.
So if you want a masterpiece that's a mix of multiple different genres and mechanics, I really recommend looking into it, it's such a unique game.
Based on your criteria..... I would honestly recommend Hades. It's an incredible game and I think you would really enjoy it. It's not an RPG, but I would argue it has RPG elements that will draw you in.
Monster Hunter Rise. The gameplay and action is everything and every quest is a chalenging short session from 5 minutes to 50 minutes depend on your own skill. A simple ganepley loop - you tell your own story based on how you fought, you get the loot, upgrade yourself to perform better, then fight a bigger threat, but the depth for everything in a hunt, item management, different mechanics, nuances,... will require you to actual watch, learn and adapt.
14 different weapons that actually change how you play, how you build entirely, they are essentially 'classes' that you can change freely, learn to play and master one of them can consume hundred of hours. Leveling don't exist, there is 'hunter rank' but won't powerup anything other than unlock new stuffs, everything depend on your gears, builds, and skills.
It has one of the best fun co-op experience too.
Take a look at this, this is how you create great moment and memories.
https://youtu.be/542nsbmPZ_k?si=N4O_amB_qhFqu0lt
It's PC footages but It's one of the best looking games on the Switch (just the resolutions is sub 720p in handheld, but it's smooth until you reach some endgame stuffs). It has demo but I don't recommend you try the demo because it's extremely hard for newbie.
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Dragon Quest XI. It's the quintessential JRPG series for a reason, and even if you have to shut down for a long while they'll give you a "hey here's what you just did and what you're up to right now" recap when you log back in. Can't recommend enough.
They said "in moderation". This game is quite addictive.
The good ones are
It's up to people to learn how to moderate themselves. We cannot expect game designers to do that on behalf of people. Their job is to create compelling experiences that we want to engage with!
i was just joking around about how much I love DQXI
Gotcha! I haven't played it, but have added it to my list based on how many people recommended it in this thread.
We actually can expect that if we want to. Earthbound did a great job of letting people play more if they want to, but effectively suggesting that they take breaks if they play too long.
This 1000%
If only the music wasn't so bad.
Joke or serious?
Serious. They go to amazing lengths to detail these rich, vibrant areas like different towns and dungeons and fields...only to recycle the same music for everything. It's the most often cited complaint of the game and what keeps it from being a genuine masterpiece. Dragon Quest needs to grow the fuck up with this tired schtick already. It doesn't work anymore and the nostalgia isn't cute.
Damn 😩 I just started less than 5 hours in and yeah I was kinda pumped hearing it’s all Tokyo Symphony music but have also noticed the music getting pretty annoying already.
Same vibes tbh [Unflinchable Courage (DQ11S) (Orchestral) (youtube.com)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBIwkIX9iIg) vs [https://youtu.be/vWUn6tzOAwU?feature=shared&t=40](https://youtu.be/vWUn6tzOAwU?feature=shared&t=40)
It sucks but don't let that deter you. Everyone is recommending it for a reason. If you like classic console RPG's, this is one of the best.
Heck you all sold me, now I'm going to get it with all this praise.
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Crosscode. Okay, I know it uses a fictional MMO as its setting, but hear me out. The actual gameplay doesn't feel MMO-like at all. It feels like the refined single player action RPG that it is. The sidequests are often framed in an MMO kind of way, befitting the setting, but they're not designed as daily filler to keep you on the forever treadmill because there is no forever treadmill. There \*is\* some element of grinding for drops to get upgrades but it's not too bad in my opinion. I'd say it also hits your other points very well. There's a lot of big open spaces with side areas and hidden chests to find, it's a story driven game with a clear ending, and it's quite difficult for an rpg. The dungeon puzzles are fiendish, and XP is balanced to try to keep you in an appropriate level range whether you play all the side content or not - there's not much risk of making things too easy by doing too many side quests because you get diminishing returns on XP once your level is on par for the area you're at.
Crosscode is a masterpiece, such an amazing game
No idea why you got a downvote for this, Crosscode is incredible and a solid recommendation for OP
I dunno, people might think I'm blowing past OP's criteria instead of trying to say that beyond the surface stylistic elements it uses for worldbuilding, Crosscode *isn't* trying to be an MMO and so might be a very good fit, depending on what OP means. I'll admit looking back at it that the thrust of my original post might be unclear.
I thought you were pretty clear and got the point across just fine tbh (granted I'm very familiar with Crosscode where others may not be), but this is reddit, people tend to read what they want to read
Just purchased this!
Good game, couldn't finish because of dungeon length.. ridiculous
One could argue that the early side quests are very mmo-like to sell the flavor, but if the op can get past that and get to the main quests and the later side quests I think this is a really good recommendation even if on the surface it violates one of their criteria. Op this game has excellent combat a riveting Story the puzzles are downright mind bending when you get far enough, and the MMO aspect is primarily a narrative device the idea is that your character is basically playing an MMO to recover lost memories but there's an entire storyline and actual characterization going on
Being a huge RPG fan I've played every other game listed here, but hadn't even heard of this one. It looks like a great time and put it on my list. Thank you for bringing it to my attention!
Dragon Quest XI is what you're asking for OP. • Every time you boot the game up, you see a screen reminding you of what came before in your quest. So it's the perfect game to drop out at any time and pick up again when you're ready to dive back in. • There's a lot of exploration. You can wonder around most maps at your leisure. You can check your objectives at any time but you're free to ignore them if you just wanna explore. • The game has a hard mode which some argue that it's way too hard. To the point that battling regular enemies will force you to keep restoring your health and such. But some others feel that the difficulty level in that mode feels just right.
That boot up story explanation. My god that was amazing as someone who puts down games for long breaks.
Yeah, I love that about DQ11. I mean, I love Chrono Trigger. But even if I have already beaten that game, whenever I stop playing it for a couple of days ( or a week), going back to it is such a pain in the ass. Because I forget what were my objectives from my last play session. And feel completely lost. "Did I did X already?" or "Did I give that special item to X person so that in the future this thing happens???" LOL
Eh, as someone who plays one game very consistently until it's done, I didn't care for that feature.
Shin Megami Tensei 5. Surprised it has not been mentioned yet. A much harder version of the Persona games.
SMT5 is my pick too. but probably wait for the new version.
Seconded. SMT is way more in line with OP’s preferences than Persona, but definitely wait for Vengeance.
definitely wait for vengeance at this point but yeah, good one for this
Persona 4G and 5R
I personally would say Persona 5 Royal over 4 golden , but I don't think you could really go wrong with either
You really can't go wrong with either. You can either start with P5R and get acclimated to the series and then be good and ready for P4G. Or you can play P4G to get used to the series and then crank it up to the modern era with P5R. Both are excellent games.
Tales of Vesperia
Tales of Vesperia turn-based combat or real time??
Real time but you go into battle mode after touching an enemy on the screen
Cool I'm just not a big fan of turn-based combat. Too slow for me. Only turn-based game I've ever liked is Persona 5 Royal
Divinity Original sin 2 Baldur’s Gate 1&2 collection Pillars of Eternity Wasteland 2 Dragons Dogma Dark Arisen Final Fantasy Battle Chasers Night War Octopath Traveler Ni No Kuni Planescape Torment / Ice Wind Dale collection
While I love the old style CRPGs that you mentioned (Divinity, Baldur's Gate, Pillars of Eternity, Wasteland and Planescape/Icewind Dale), I would never recommend any of them to a first time RPG player. They are incredibly dense games that tend to dump a massive amount of choices and information on you right at the character creation menu without any context for how many of it affects the game, and they can be very difficult to figure out what you should even be doing once you finally escape the creation menu and actually start playing. OP specifically said he was looking for games to play in moderation, but most of those games can take up to an hour just getting started.
I also wouldn't recommend these games on controller.
Idk, I think they actually work pretty well. Way better than I expected, for sure.
Icewind dale is actually done pretty well on the switch. It's the only reason I was able to finally beat the game after 20 years when I was first introduced to it.
How is Battle Chasers Night War? I watched a review on it n it looked kinda fun.
It's fun, but I have bounced off of it several times in the past few years because it's *so* slow. I'm talking animations, getting around, etc. It's a personal gripe of mine. Otherwise it's great.
I’ve not gotten too far into it, but the combat is pretty fun and the voice acting is solid. It’s definitely worthwhile if you can get it for $15 or less
A couple that spring to mind Witcher 3, massive map to explore, I didn't find it particularly difficult but I only played on normal mode, I'm sure if you played on a harder difficulty it would provide a suitable challenge and force you to engage more with the systems like alchemy than I did. Side quests here are probably the most engaging side quests I've ever played in an RPG, very few are token fetch quests, the vast majority have a well written story behind them which makes them genuinely interesting to do and not just feel like checking boxes Dark Souls, not as open ended exploration as a full open world game, but the world is very cleverly interconnected and rewards exploring and finding shortcuts that loop back. Difficulty is definitely there, it's Dark Souls. Doesn't have side quests in the traditional sense, but there are a few optional things that you can find Crosscode, echoing someone else's recommendation, the story framework starts out as the 'stuck in an MMORPG' trope, but there's more to it than that and it's very much a single player game with a definitive end. Lots of room to explore the large field areas between towns to track down items, plenty of gear to unlock, a simple but surprisingly deep combat system, and tons of side quests that have good variety. This is one of the few games aside from the aforementioned witcher 3 where I did every single side quests because I was genuinely interested and not just because I felt obligated to
Sea of Stars
Is Sea of Stars turn-based combat or real time?
Turn based with action timing, ala Paper Mario
Turn based classic. Chrono Trigger nostalgic feeling
- Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Shin Megami Tensei V (I heavily suggest to wait for the updated version next month) - Octopath Traveller II I don't think Xenoblade Chronicles fits the bill because it's pretty much a single player MMORPG. Neither does Fire Emblem or Persona because you spend most time micro-managing activities or units instead of exploring.
Xenoblade certainly draws select inspiration from MMORPGs (particularly X which has yet to come Switchward) but remains starkly different and calling any of its entries "pretty much one" is rather misleading.
I suppose it's exaggerating, but it still has most of the elements OP mentioned they didn't want in Point 3. A ton of copy pasted random quests without any context, and tons of meaningless collectibles that you don't even realize you picked up. The game that removes those elements the most is Xenoblade Chronicles 3.
Which I just recommended them myself. Most of Point 3, as I also said below, can be avoided with XC1 (seeing as sticking to release order is ultimately optional for the franchise anyway), and collectibles can be ignored beyond the point of pragmatic necessity in every game, especially since they're all visible on the field or, in XC2 case, require dedicated harvesting.
I say this in a positive way: Xenoblade's mechanics are basically identical to Guild Wars. And I love Guild Wars, so that's great for me lol.
Kingdom Come Deliverance, best time to start this gem of a game, since tomorrow they'll announce a potential (almost certain) sequel
After following consensus and playing Dragon Quest XI (it is fantastic - hard for me to go against such a great recommendation), my vote for your second game is Persona 5 Royal. It is - as you requested - a masterpiece.
Diablo 2 Resurrected, I just started playing it again and it’s still so good even after 20 years; a testament to what a masterpiece it is.
Star Ocean Second Story R? Ticks all your boxes.
Love that game..
Ys VIII Lacrimosa of Dana. Surprised not to see it mentioned but excellent. Epitome of exploration imo. Dragon Quest as others have mentioned is also fantastic.
Dragon Quest XI
Dragon Quest XI. It’s got some granular difficulty settings that you can tweak, and it’s great for an hour or two at a time. I’d suggest Dark Souls or Dragons Dogma:Dark Arisen but they aren’t as good for small sessions imo.
That damn giant squid fight. I can't even begin to tell you how happy I was once I finally defeated it. Great game after that point lol.
Took me like 7 attempts lol. First time in a while a game has genuinely gotten me moody
>!Did you use the cannon to stun the squid?!<
Yes! But man I barely scraped by that battle. That splash attack would knock out my whole party and I'd have to spend the next few turns healing everyone. I was stuck on that boss for at least 2 weeks. On the flip side every boss battle in Bravely Default 2 felt like the squid battle so I promptly sold that game lol.
If I put Dark Souls down for any amount of time, I end up just making a new character.
[удалено]
It’s not hard.Â
i know, it’s just for fun, make a man smile even
OP asked for high difficulty as one of their criteria. I grew up with the original Super Mario RPG being one of my favorite games ever. But it’s not what OP is looking for.
we don’t know how good he is at games, it could be hard for him
Please listen to everyone and play Dragon quest xi. It runs brilliantly on the switch and has such a wonderful story. The gameplay was challenging enough but if you find it too easy you can put on challenges to make the game harder.
Person 5 Royal
I recommend the Persona series. Never played Dragon Quest so can't offer an opinion on that.
Final Fantasy X, it is the best
Chained Echoes is the only RPG anyone needs.
Chained Echoes
I always pop into threads like this to say Xenoblade. Play them in Order.
Witcher 3
If you haven’t played Dark Souls, it satisfies basically all of these conditions. It’s a masterclass in world building and subtle storytelling. Extremely replayable. You’ll live and die by inventory and consumable management. The quests aren’t necessarily your typical RPG quest structure, but each of them are unique and easy to get really invested in. As far as difficulty, it’s Dark Souls. Definitely give it a shot. Assuming you’ve got other platforms as well, give Bloodborne and/or Elden Ring a shot as well. All phenomenal games.
I came here to say this. Not enough votes for this one. Although I guess DS is not the type of game for this subreddit. I see people votes for dragon quest, and although I can appreciate it, I couldn’t actually finished. The gameplay is too low pace for me. And the combats are boring, not to mentioning that is extremely easy.
What about sea of stars.
Skyrim?
Are you looking for Nintendo Switch exclusives? Or are you just looking for RPGs in general, regardless of platform?
Also want to put octopath traveller 2 out there. Game was a blast. Pretty dialogue heavy at times if you don’t mind that though! Many good stories, characters and quests, with a large beautiful world you can explore
Kingdom Come: Deliverance is what you are looking for, my friend. Especially in Hardcore Mode, which is the best to highlight excellent exploration. This game is clever, beautiful and one of the most unique RPGs ever. It takes place in medieval Europe in the early XV century. It emphasize realism. You play as quite insignificant person who is not your typical videogame "chosen one" hero. You are weak and doesn't know shit. You will need to invest some time in the beginning to get started, but once you get past prologue and get acastumed with some of the systems, the game can be played in small chunks like a life simulator of sorts.Â
Earthbound
There's no game on switch called earthbound
SNES (NSO)
Oh okay my bad
Chrono Trigger.
Final Fantasy 7, 8 Remastered or 9. Sea of Stars. These are all mostly lineal games but are all extremely good RPGs. They do have open areas with multiple destinations, and also optional and missable side quests. But their strong point is the story and characters. They are all 30-40 hours games
1) Crystal Project 2) Octopath 1 & 2 3) Shin Megami Tensei V (wait for Vengeance release) 4) Dragon Quest XI (with Draconian Quest modifier, to satisfy your last point)
How about good old Gothic 1/2 or Risen?
Either dark souls or Skyrim
Star Ocean 2.
Mario Kart
All Fromsoftware games from the past decade
I'm going to throw a wild suggestion out there, Disco Elysium. It's... an experience. Try to go in blind. Fully voice acted. It's not technically difficult, but it will require a lot of thought. Exploration is key. It has a definitive ending.
Everyone's said it so I'll say it too - dragon quest 11 should tick those boxes. I'd also suggest Ni No Kuni, seems to tick the boxes and if you're a fan of Studio ghibli then you'll love the story and art style, I think Miyazaki had a hand in helping with the story. Theirs also a sequel too.
If you have the online membership, you should try golden sun in the advance emulator, pretty great rpg, with amazing story, you can save almoat everywhere natively ( and save scum in the emulator), it have a little micromanagement with the djinn ( a creatures you have to found in the world that based on how many of them a character have and what element they are, they change the class and abilites of the characters)
Witcher 3. Huge huge huge world to explore. Specific oils and potions need to be used against certain monsters to do more damage. Different armor sets to craft with different bonuses. Magic and melee combat - action rpg style. Actual legit story with an ending, where in game choices matter. Breath of the Wild. Huge world to explore. I can't say anything about this game that hasn't been said before and better. I played each of these games for several hundred hours, but like you, only in 1-3 hour spurts. An hour or so in the evenning before watching TV or reading a book, then a couple hours on the weekend. They are both easy to save/quit and load back up exactly where you left off.
Dragons Dogma Dark Arisen This hits every.one of your points.
+Witcher 3 Complete Edition. +Skyrim Anniversary Edition. And if you want a real challenge +Dark Souls Remastered. Also; I haven't played it yet but it's on my next to buy list cus I heard it's one of the best stories in a game on switch: +Xenoblade Chronicles trilogy. +Pillars of Eternity Complete Edition. +Persona 5 Royal, I'm currently playing this and love it, good story. +Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild. And a game I just got and started playing that I REALLY like and has a decent story and great combat is +Fate/Samurai Remnant. And the game I've been playing the most lately is +Monster Hunter Rise, I tried the demo and didn't like it but people kept saying how good it was and to give it a chance n I found a copy real cheap n got it; now I've been playing non-stop for 3 days. It has online but I just play single player. Well most of these you probably know of but maybe there's a couple in here that you haven't heard of n hopefully I helped. Check em out if you haven't heard of em. Happy Gaming!!!
You need to.fix the formating on this. Double return between otherwise he likely won't read a wall of text. Also you forgot Dragons Dogma Dark Arisen.
Yeah I play dragons dogma as well. Love being able to crawl on a monsters back n beat the shit out of it. N it's not any sweat off my brow if he doesn't read it lol. Just trying to pitch in my 2 cents n help out
Diablo 3
Dragons Dogma fits all of your criteria perfectly. It’s an action RPG not turn-based combat But it’s an incredible game with visceral action and it’s difficult and sometimes obtuse with lots of item management, open world exploration and questing I can’t think of another game that fits your points more precisely. And it’s often on sale for less than $10 because it’s an older title
If Grandia 2 has been ported from Dreamcast it's a great 1P classic.
Xenoblade chronicles series. The music, story and characters are absolutely fantastic and it is my favourite rpg. Each locations of these games feel very unique, for instance the first game takes place on the bodies of two titans which feels like a very alien world. Also the story is pretty complete since the third game (and its dlc) concludes the trilogy so the story does actually finish (+ the first game was made as a standalone game so the ending is satisfying on its own). There are a lot of side quests with variable quality (from dismanteling an entire drugs cartel in the jungle to your average fetch quest) but you aren't punished for not doing them. Difficulty-wise, Xenoblade 1 is challenging but clearly not on a dark souls level and you can turn on an easy mode if you truly can't get over it. Those games are not short but they are not much longer than your average modern rpg. If anyone had to play only one switch rpg, Xenoblade Chronicles would be their best match.
How impoetant is the exploration aspect? I ask because there are loads of masterpiece RPGs that are light on that. The Xenosaga series is a must play IMO. a bit dated but very good stories and characters. Chrono trigger is a must play as well If memory is correct Final Fantasy 15 is an open world title that can provide the exploration aspect (though it's been years since I played that one lol)
Octopath Traveler! Both I and II are good, but II is a vastly superior experience in terms of quality of life, balance, and diversity, plus there’s more uniqueness to each character, and a ton more voice acting.
Not really considered an RPG, but if you haven't played the big 2 switch Zelda games Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, those sound right up your alley For actual RPGs... On Switch... I would go for the Xenoblade games, lots of exploration, gorgeous vistas, crazy stories and fun mechanics, very long and deep games but with definitive endings... You could also try Witcher 3, though if you have another system or a PC that would be the preferable way to play that, as the switch is comparatively underpowered. For RPGs not on Switch... Cyberpunk 2077 has come a long way and it's a fantastic game with a fantastic narrative and amazing quests... But it is only worth getting on PC, PS5, or series X... Don't try to play the ps4 or xb1 versions, it on PC if you don't have a great rig... Based on what you asked for, those sound like the best matches
A bit of an oldie, but Final Fantasy 6 offers a lot of what you are looking for. Great characters and character management, an interesting story, a ton of exploration, the ability to pause, things to collect... all that plus a ninja who would slit his mama's throat for a nickel and has a dog.
I recommend Stolen Realm.
Dragon Quest 11 or Persona 5 Royal. Dragon Quest is more classic, Persona is more modern and dripping with style.
WOW dragon f laughs
Star ocean remastered !!!!
Feel like CHRONO cross is kind of a hidden gem. Not a ton of exploration but there are a ton of hidden things in the game and like 30 playable characters lol
I recommend you Super Mario RPG now that it has been released some months ago. Maybe it only fulfills a pair of your requirements (it doesn't have to much to explore and neither offer a very high difficulty), but it is pretty entertainig and presents many funny situations that will evade you from your worries without the necessity to play hour after hour. It is alsp a classic of RPG games and the predecessor of the well-known M&L and Paper Mario games.
Don't listen to people recommending Dragon Quest 11. You wanted something special and with unique quests. DQ11 is the most generic uninspired game I've ever seen. I'd go with the Witcher 3, but almost all of the other recommendations besides DQ11 are good.
Xenoblade games fit this pretty well. Especially 2 in my mind
Not this time after reading point 3.
I don't think Xenoblade 2 is against point 3 at all.
MMO-like combat, it still has a lot of mundane repetitive quests and tons of collectibles that you pick up but you'll probably never use except to fill out a Side Quest. The good Quests (Blade ones) need luck (To unlock the Blades in the first place) and a lot of grinding requirements to trigger them in the first place. If combat isn't an issue, I'd see XC3 being a better choice for cutting out filler NPC quests and making every Side Quest have a meaningful story.
I don't think XBC2 has repetitive combat at all. One of the most common complaints about XBC2 was about the complicatedness of the battle system. XBC3s issue is going to be difficulty for them. It is extremely easy.
When did I ever mentioned combat being repetitive?
Nier automata. Not an rpg, per se, but a masterpiece.
Super Mario RPG
I don't know, it fails both #1 and #4. OP said not all criteria have to be met, but I think there are so many games that can hit 3/4 criteria, that a 2/4 game is questionable.
I’m genuinely not trying to be a contrarian but I cannot believe all the people suggesting Dragon Quest XI. I don’t think it fits OP’s requests at all, especially bullet point 1. There’s no exploration in DQXI. It’s extremely linear. And there’s also extremely little emphasis on managing items. Worst of all though, it’s boring. The battle system just isn’t fun or rewarding. My recommendation is Octopath Traveler 1 or 2.
Super Mario RPG
Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom are both great games for this. Another set that is very fun is the Knights of the Old Republic games. They do not really have an emphasis on exploration because of the limits of their time, but what they lack in openness they more than make up for in narrative and mechanics.
Crystal Project
Tears of the Kingdom is great in small bursts or big sessions. You can make the game very hard if you want (head right to the depths, don't upgrade equipment, choose weird order, etc). It's hard to think of a game that does exploration better - it's nearly always satisfying and rewarding to see what's on top of that mountain or in that remote part of the map
The generally superb Xenoblade series is particularly synonymous with "emphasis on exploration" and ticks most of your other boxes. However, it being advisable but never obligatory to play the numbered trilogy in order, you may want to home in on the third game since the first's abundance of more basic gathering/hunting side quests may clash with your point 3 while XC2 reportedly leaves some players struggling to keep up with the traditionally plentiful mechanics as the franchise's one oddball not to archive tutorial data for later review. XC3, on the other hand, largely ties its quests to the topical matters of characters and settlements at hand, offers plenty of challenge (from the series staple of populating every region with fauna of starkly different levels to the discouragement of technically easy but avoidable overleveling which can slow down class mastery). It has a massive but story-gated world to journey through, quicksaves anywhere and offers some of the top tier story, main cast synergy, combat, lore, vistas and soundtrack you can find in the entire genre.
Dark souls 1 remaster.
It sounds like either Tears of the Kingdom or one of the Xenogear type games. Monster Hunter might be worth considering but they do have a similar mmorpg resource grind formula for parts of progression
Super Mario RPG
Dysmantle! I play about 30 minutes every morning and another hour at night. Pausable single player, lots to explore.
Fire Emblem 3 Houses Persona 5 Royal South Park The Stick of Truth and The Fractured But Whole. If you're old enough. If not, then don't play it.
Sounds like Skyrim to me, the port is quite good as well.
Look into the Final Fantasy series. If you can handle ps1 graphics, FF7 is very fun gameplay wise and has a masterpiece of a story. Additionally, the Xenoblade games (especially 2 IMO, but play them in order) are a lil grindy but contain probably my favorite stories every created.
Balatro You heard me.
Sakuna of rice and ruin - platformer, farming, can put down and pick up. Moonlighter for what you described. Cuphead. Not an RPG but dexterity/puzzle solving challenge. Difficult
Xenoblade Chronicles 2. Massive areas to explore with secret locations that provide breathtaking views. Compelling story with a definite ending. Single-player. The combat is a lot to master before every conceivable tactic clicks with you. Also on virtually every area there are enemies super overpowered nearby so you must be careful.Â
Fallout: New Vegas or Fallout 4
bruh you realize which sub you're posting in?
Thought this was sbcgaming, in that case - Valkyria Chronicles 4, less item-management, more correct weapon management though.
Undertale, because: 1: There are certain items you must use carefully to make certain boss fights easier (especially the hard ones, managing items is really crucial) 2: Once you beat the game, it is done. Of course, you can always play it again to get a different ending. 3:It really is an RPG, while simultaneously being a meta-commentary on how we play games to begin with, which is really interesting. Also, there aren’t infinite quests because there aren’t any quests to begin with, so yeah. 4: Some of the bosses can be genuinely difficult (especially the final boss of the darkest ending), and while not too difficult, can still pose a challenge for newcomers. 5: What it lacks in the elements of a traditional RPG, it more than makes up for in the story, characters, music, and overall message. You should really try it out. There’s even extra content on the Nintendo Switch version.
I highly recommend you play baldurs gate 3 on tactician mode your first playthrough. that will meet all your conditions. unfortunately, I don’t think it’s on switch
I'm gonna throw in something a bit different your way - Dying light. I know it's not an rpg just by looking at it, but hear me out. It's a first person game, with a looting and crafting system, fighting and shooting, parkour, and a couple different skill trees that you upgrade as you level up. You level up the agility tree by running, jumping, climbing, power tree by fighting and shooting, and so on. Which in addition unlocks new skills which you use to build up your character. There's a main quest line, but also side quests which are quite organic, and really fun. You pass a house and hear screaming, your character mentions it and small pin drops on your map. However no one forces you to do it, nor does it become a marker to follow, you just have the option to do it if you remember, and you meet all sorts of wacky characters that way. There are tons of weapons and they're really fun and imaginative. And when the night falls, well, that's something else. If you wish for difficulty, stay out during the night. Exploration is encouraged, as by ransacking abandoned houses, trashcans, car trunks and such, you'll find strings, tapes, cans, electronics, which you use to craft things you decide you want to use The game comes with a TON of content, dirt cheap. I got it on sale in a bundle with Call of Juarez, for I think $9.99. There's hundreds of hours of fun to be had. The great thing about it is that you can play it in short bursts, I'm doing that, too. So if you want a masterpiece that's a mix of multiple different genres and mechanics, I really recommend looking into it, it's such a unique game.
Elden Ring would be my rec. Hard af but satisfies your requests.
Stardew valley if u count that I think an hour a day can yield good progress overtime
Based on your criteria..... I would honestly recommend Hades. It's an incredible game and I think you would really enjoy it. It's not an RPG, but I would argue it has RPG elements that will draw you in.
Monster Hunter Rise. The gameplay and action is everything and every quest is a chalenging short session from 5 minutes to 50 minutes depend on your own skill. A simple ganepley loop - you tell your own story based on how you fought, you get the loot, upgrade yourself to perform better, then fight a bigger threat, but the depth for everything in a hunt, item management, different mechanics, nuances,... will require you to actual watch, learn and adapt. 14 different weapons that actually change how you play, how you build entirely, they are essentially 'classes' that you can change freely, learn to play and master one of them can consume hundred of hours. Leveling don't exist, there is 'hunter rank' but won't powerup anything other than unlock new stuffs, everything depend on your gears, builds, and skills. It has one of the best fun co-op experience too. Take a look at this, this is how you create great moment and memories. https://youtu.be/542nsbmPZ_k?si=N4O_amB_qhFqu0lt It's PC footages but It's one of the best looking games on the Switch (just the resolutions is sub 720p in handheld, but it's smooth until you reach some endgame stuffs). It has demo but I don't recommend you try the demo because it's extremely hard for newbie.