Fayceless on 17 February 2012
FF13's story was at least interesting enough to get me through the game. 12's on the other was so bland, cliche, and entirely predictable (and certainly NOT subtle and nuanced as many suggest) that I couldn't even finish the game despite a decent battle system.
I don't really think of Pokemon as a typical JRPG though, it's nothing like anything else out there. (other than Pokemon clones) It is a category of its own.
So, yes. A JRPG definitely needs a good story. It is the driving force behind the game.
