20 JRPGs you must play
- Thread starter ForceStealer
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Kermitu Kleric Katie
KULT OF KERMITU
Honestly, if I were to make a list like this, based on RPGs I've played, here's what it would be, with the games grouped by series:
1. Pokemon Black and White Version 2: The best Pokemon games so far. There's so many awesome new features such as PokeStar Studios, Pokemon World Tournament, etc. Plus they have Dunsparce.
2. Pokemon Heartgold and SoulSilver: The second best Pokemon games, having taken the title of best from the gen 2 games upon release and later lost it to B2 and W2. They took what were the awesomest Pokemon at the time and made them better. Plus Dunsparce.
3. Pokemon Platinum: The best of the Sinnoh games, and the second best(next to gen 2) at the time of its release.
4. Pokemon Emerald: The best of the Hoenn games, what with all its new features and such, and gen 3 has also seen a recent surge in popularity lately, so.. yeah.
5. Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen: These games take the ever so nostalgic gen 1 games and make them even better, 'nuff said. Dunsparce.
6. Fire Emblem Awakening: The only Fire Emblem game I can recommend for everyone, thanks to its much easier difficulty compared to previous games, while still reatining most of the core strategic elements. This is my favorite strategy RPG already and I haven't even beat it yet.
I honestly think it's even better than WotL.
7. EarthBound: Being in my opinion the funniest game of all time, with the best battle system for an RPG make this a must play for any lover of RPGs and hell, even haters of RPGs, who both could appreciate the blatant parodying of the RPG genre.
8. Mother 3: With humor on-par with its predecessor(the aforementioned EarthBound), almost the exact same battle system(only difference is auto wins don't yield EXP
, and the addition of a difficult but thankfully unnecessary rhythm system), and an improved item storage system, this game is a definite must play for fans of the previous game.
9. Kingdom Hearts: The first in this popular SE series, and a must play for anyone getting into the series.
10. Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, while vastly different in battle system, this game is just as good as the first IMO with just as much fun and replay value, fun and interesting new characters, and a story mode for Riku.
11. Kingdom Hearts II: Considered by many to be the best in the series, it's a definite must play, though the above two games I highly recommend you play before this one for plot related reasons.
12. Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days: A must-play for fans of the organization, this game features fun characters, an awesome mission mode where you can play as anyone in the organization plus Sora, Donald, Goofy, Mickey, and Riku, and a fun story mode too. Like with the other games, it's recommended you play the previous games in the series first.
13. Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep: Another game often considered the best in the series, this one has an amazing(ly long) story mode thanks to having 3 protagonists, each with their own story. Gameplay is fun, as are characters, and one can easily get absorbed in this game. Unlike the previous entries, one can easily play this game without having any plot troubles thanks to its status as a prequel, though for the sake of call forwards I still recommend playing its predecessors.
14. Kingdom Hearts 3D: This game is fun and exciting, with great new worlds and some awesome new music as well, and easily one of the best but oft-overlooked RPGs on the 3DS. The only flaws are a Dream Eater system that might seem complex at first to some and the fact that it's rather short. As always, play the previous games first.
15-20. FFS IV, V, VI, VII, IX, and X. I'm getting lazy and so I'm not gonna bother explaining why they're great, most of you have probably already played them anyway.
1. Pokemon Black and White Version 2: The best Pokemon games so far. There's so many awesome new features such as PokeStar Studios, Pokemon World Tournament, etc. Plus they have Dunsparce.
2. Pokemon Heartgold and SoulSilver: The second best Pokemon games, having taken the title of best from the gen 2 games upon release and later lost it to B2 and W2. They took what were the awesomest Pokemon at the time and made them better. Plus Dunsparce.
3. Pokemon Platinum: The best of the Sinnoh games, and the second best(next to gen 2) at the time of its release.
4. Pokemon Emerald: The best of the Hoenn games, what with all its new features and such, and gen 3 has also seen a recent surge in popularity lately, so.. yeah.
5. Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen: These games take the ever so nostalgic gen 1 games and make them even better, 'nuff said. Dunsparce.
6. Fire Emblem Awakening: The only Fire Emblem game I can recommend for everyone, thanks to its much easier difficulty compared to previous games, while still reatining most of the core strategic elements. This is my favorite strategy RPG already and I haven't even beat it yet.
As of now I got the final future child, Nah, yesterday and having been grinding the future children into having the skills I want them to learn and into the classes I want them to be in. I only have 5 children left to finish grinding, and took to grinding Virion as well since he's my weakest unit, having not been used since chapter 3 since I never had anyone I wanted to pair him with. Libra is the same, having only been used in chapter 9, champions of yore 2, and I think paralogue 9, but he's at least a pre-promote so he's not as bad as Virion. I also finally had everyone I wanted to marry marry yesterday, having gotten Yarne and Kjelle, Noire and Laurent, and Gerome and Nah to finally tie the knot during my grindfest. Funnily enough these are the only ones I still haven't finished grinding, besides Laurent, who just barely has. But I digress...
7. EarthBound: Being in my opinion the funniest game of all time, with the best battle system for an RPG make this a must play for any lover of RPGs and hell, even haters of RPGs, who both could appreciate the blatant parodying of the RPG genre.
8. Mother 3: With humor on-par with its predecessor(the aforementioned EarthBound), almost the exact same battle system(only difference is auto wins don't yield EXP
, and the addition of a difficult but thankfully unnecessary rhythm system), and an improved item storage system, this game is a definite must play for fans of the previous game.9. Kingdom Hearts: The first in this popular SE series, and a must play for anyone getting into the series.
10. Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, while vastly different in battle system, this game is just as good as the first IMO with just as much fun and replay value, fun and interesting new characters, and a story mode for Riku.
11. Kingdom Hearts II: Considered by many to be the best in the series, it's a definite must play, though the above two games I highly recommend you play before this one for plot related reasons.
12. Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days: A must-play for fans of the organization, this game features fun characters, an awesome mission mode where you can play as anyone in the organization plus Sora, Donald, Goofy, Mickey, and Riku, and a fun story mode too. Like with the other games, it's recommended you play the previous games in the series first.
13. Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep: Another game often considered the best in the series, this one has an amazing(ly long) story mode thanks to having 3 protagonists, each with their own story. Gameplay is fun, as are characters, and one can easily get absorbed in this game. Unlike the previous entries, one can easily play this game without having any plot troubles thanks to its status as a prequel, though for the sake of call forwards I still recommend playing its predecessors.
14. Kingdom Hearts 3D: This game is fun and exciting, with great new worlds and some awesome new music as well, and easily one of the best but oft-overlooked RPGs on the 3DS. The only flaws are a Dream Eater system that might seem complex at first to some and the fact that it's rather short. As always, play the previous games first.
15-20. FFS IV, V, VI, VII, IX, and X. I'm getting lazy and so I'm not gonna bother explaining why they're great, most of you have probably already played them anyway.
Strangelove
AI Researcher
- AKA
- hitoshura
unoriginal stealing of aaron's list
1. Final Fantasy VI: I still haven't finished this. Stuff I play on my computer I have a bad tendency of not finishing, but I want to get back to it.
2. Illusion of Gaia: Heard of it, but haven't played.
3. Lunar: Eternal Blue Complete: Heard of it, but again haven't played.
4. Ni no Kuni: Know of it, but haven't played.
5. Phantasy Star IV: Haven't played.
6. Chrono Trigger: Another 'started of my computer but never finished'. I might try to get the DS port at some point.
7. Persona 4: Started, but haven't finished. Was planning on getting back to it at some point soon.
8. Final Fantasy VII: Finally one I have completed.
9. Xenogears: Started, but haven't finished due to stuff getting in the way and putting it down.
10. The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky: I think I have this (it was one of the free games on the Japanese PS Plus), but I've not started it or anything.
11. Earthbound: Something I've wanted to play, but haven't gotten around to it.
12. Radiant Historia: Haven't played.
13. Lufia 2: Haven't played.
14. Suikoden II: Haven't played, but would like to.
15. Super Mario RPG: Haven't played.
16. Final Fantasy IX: Completed.
17. Dragon Quest VIII: Haven't played. The only DQ I've played is DQ1.
18. Final Fantasy Tactics: I played the PSP version up until the start of the last chapter when the battle difficulty suddenly spiked and I couldn't get past even the random battles. I would like to finish it.
19. Kingdom Hearts II: Completed.
20. Secret of Mana: Started on computer but didn't finish.
1. Final Fantasy VI: I still haven't finished this. Stuff I play on my computer I have a bad tendency of not finishing, but I want to get back to it.
2. Illusion of Gaia: Heard of it, but haven't played.
3. Lunar: Eternal Blue Complete: Heard of it, but again haven't played.
4. Ni no Kuni: Know of it, but haven't played.
5. Phantasy Star IV: Haven't played.
6. Chrono Trigger: Another 'started of my computer but never finished'. I might try to get the DS port at some point.
7. Persona 4: Started, but haven't finished. Was planning on getting back to it at some point soon.
8. Final Fantasy VII: Finally one I have completed.
9. Xenogears: Started, but haven't finished due to stuff getting in the way and putting it down.
10. The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky: I think I have this (it was one of the free games on the Japanese PS Plus), but I've not started it or anything.
11. Earthbound: Something I've wanted to play, but haven't gotten around to it.
12. Radiant Historia: Haven't played.
13. Lufia 2: Haven't played.
14. Suikoden II: Haven't played, but would like to.
15. Super Mario RPG: Haven't played.
16. Final Fantasy IX: Completed.
17. Dragon Quest VIII: Haven't played. The only DQ I've played is DQ1.
18. Final Fantasy Tactics: I played the PSP version up until the start of the last chapter when the battle difficulty suddenly spiked and I couldn't get past even the random battles. I would like to finish it.
19. Kingdom Hearts II: Completed.
20. Secret of Mana: Started on computer but didn't finish.
X-SOLDIER
Harbinger O Great Justice
- AKA
- X
I've never played any Tales game
Tbqh, I think that Tales of Graces F is more awesome. That being said, Xillia's not a bad game.
X
looneymoon
they/them
- AKA
- Rishi
all my favourite FFs are on here yay
Alex Strife
Ex-SOLDIER
Everyone's doing it so...
1. Final Fantasy VI: Played it of course, and a good deal. But haven't finished it. Yes I know, I should be ashamed. But I tend to have the same problem as hito. Playing on a PC makes it hard for me to finish them, somehow, and I never got the game!
2. Illusion of Gaia: I know about it, haven't played it.
3. Lunar: Eternal Blue Complete: Had never heard about it.
4. Ni no Kuni: For some reason I'm not so interested... I mean a classic style RPG, and the art direction... the parts are good, but somehow the mixing together doesn't do it for me. I know it's supposed to be really good but... In the end, haven't played it even.
5. Phantasy Star IV: Haven't played.
6. Chrono Trigger: Haven't played it! I should be ashamed, too.
7. Persona 4: And there I go, haven't played it.
8. Final Fantasy VII: I guess the amount of hours put here kind of compensate the rest...
9. Xenogears: Always been kind of interested, but the whole Xeno-games, since I know something was unfinished, I am hesitant to go at it. Plus I hear they're not for everyone.
10. The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky: Never heard of it.
11. Earthbound: I know about it but haven't played it.
12. Radiant Historia: Know about it; haven't played.
13. Lufia 2: Hell yeah! One of my all-time favourites!
14. Suikoden II: Haven't played.
15. Super Mario RPG: I played some time ago... wasn't sold, somehow.
16. Final Fantasy IX: Yep! Played the hell out of it!!
17. Dragon Quest VIII: Haven't played.
18. Final Fantasy Tactics: The amount of hours I put on this is quite scary. I even got to to most of the multiplayer missions with my ex-gf. Obviously can't do it now but oh well
. Great game.
19. Kingdom Hearts II: Of course! Had a great time with it. Finished it some times.
20. Secret of Mana: Played it when I was really young... In the end I finished it.
1. Final Fantasy VI: Played it of course, and a good deal. But haven't finished it. Yes I know, I should be ashamed. But I tend to have the same problem as hito. Playing on a PC makes it hard for me to finish them, somehow, and I never got the game!
2. Illusion of Gaia: I know about it, haven't played it.
3. Lunar: Eternal Blue Complete: Had never heard about it.
4. Ni no Kuni: For some reason I'm not so interested... I mean a classic style RPG, and the art direction... the parts are good, but somehow the mixing together doesn't do it for me. I know it's supposed to be really good but... In the end, haven't played it even.
5. Phantasy Star IV: Haven't played.
6. Chrono Trigger: Haven't played it! I should be ashamed, too.
7. Persona 4: And there I go, haven't played it.
8. Final Fantasy VII: I guess the amount of hours put here kind of compensate the rest...
9. Xenogears: Always been kind of interested, but the whole Xeno-games, since I know something was unfinished, I am hesitant to go at it. Plus I hear they're not for everyone.
10. The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky: Never heard of it.
11. Earthbound: I know about it but haven't played it.
12. Radiant Historia: Know about it; haven't played.
13. Lufia 2: Hell yeah! One of my all-time favourites!
14. Suikoden II: Haven't played.
15. Super Mario RPG: I played some time ago... wasn't sold, somehow.
16. Final Fantasy IX: Yep! Played the hell out of it!!
17. Dragon Quest VIII: Haven't played.
18. Final Fantasy Tactics: The amount of hours I put on this is quite scary. I even got to to most of the multiplayer missions with my ex-gf. Obviously can't do it now but oh well
. Great game.19. Kingdom Hearts II: Of course! Had a great time with it. Finished it some times.
20. Secret of Mana: Played it when I was really young... In the end I finished it.
Cat Rage Room
Great Old One
- AKA
- Mog
*obligatory 'for a jrpg based community you guys haven't played very many of them' post*
Over the years I've played almost all of these games. I seriously recommend almost every single one mentioned so far.
Over the years I've played almost all of these games. I seriously recommend almost every single one mentioned so far.
Shademp
420
Every time you write this I die a little inside. You express too much implied disappointment in us. Plus points for saying "I recommend" in this post, but it's a serious downer whenever you make it sound like we don't live up to expectation.
Drax
Pro Adventurer
- AKA
- Benoist; Captain Highwind
Kinda related, just saw this on youtube now, but man it's a crime that the Tales games have utterly forgettable battle themes. Except for Legendia, that OST was fantastic. Why didn't they hire that man for the rest of the games.
I guess the other Tales game I really want to play is Innocence. I like it's style. That and Xilia 2 for going completely Steampunk/Noir.
Might as well post the remake op while I'm here, but doesn't have the impact the first does:
I guess the other Tales game I really want to play is Innocence. I like it's style. That and Xilia 2 for going completely Steampunk/Noir.
Might as well post the remake op while I'm here, but doesn't have the impact the first does:
Cat Rage Room
Great Old One
- AKA
- Mog
Don't take it to heart; when I get back from deployment (whenever that is; watch the news), I'll be glad to formally introduce you guys to some of my favorites. The interest has to be there, though.
Tetsujin
he/they
- AKA
- Tets
I don't see why being part of an FFVII community implies that people here necessarily have a massive craving to play shitloads of other JRPGs as well.
I haven't even played or completed all FF games, nor do I wish to. :p
Cat Rage Room
Great Old One
- AKA
- Mog
It usually does, for me! This isn't the only community I'm a member of that's dedicated to a JRPG, but this is the only one of those communities I've experienced where the majority of members haven't played many JRPGs. It's not a bad thing, it's just an unusual corrolation in my subjective experience with these things.
It does give me a lot less to talk about, but its whateves, homie.
Alex Strife
Ex-SOLDIER
We European people got quite fucked over in terms of game releases. A lot of games reaching the US from Japan but never Europe. Also bear in mind that I, for example, got Internet "late", so by that time, when I started finding out about games, I was "past" the 16 bit era. Which means I've "only" played the things I could find and some great games that caught my eye.
Old games that I never owned and/or that did not catch my eye for whatever reason were left unplayed. I've played my fair share of JRPG's AFTER I began being more in touch with releases thanks to the world wide web. I think I must have 13 or 14 RPG's in my PSP, with quite a few of them being JRPG's...
I know emulators help a lot but I never felt it was the same, playing on my pc or playing on a console. It's never felt the same. For instance, I'm unable of playing any Mario platformer on my PC. Almost literally impossible for me.
And then, there's the case of some modern games, which are a bit more difficult to emulate and cost money, which is not something everyone has in a huge amount. Add to that that I enjoy other genres that take some of my time and that equals my story.
Everyone has their own (story), anyway.
It's not that I'm responding to Mog specifically. I just feel like explaining.
Old games that I never owned and/or that did not catch my eye for whatever reason were left unplayed. I've played my fair share of JRPG's AFTER I began being more in touch with releases thanks to the world wide web. I think I must have 13 or 14 RPG's in my PSP, with quite a few of them being JRPG's...
I know emulators help a lot but I never felt it was the same, playing on my pc or playing on a console. It's never felt the same. For instance, I'm unable of playing any Mario platformer on my PC. Almost literally impossible for me.
And then, there's the case of some modern games, which are a bit more difficult to emulate and cost money, which is not something everyone has in a huge amount. Add to that that I enjoy other genres that take some of my time and that equals my story.
Everyone has their own (story), anyway.
It's not that I'm responding to Mog specifically. I just feel like explaining.
Flintlock
Pro Adventurer
Splintered
unsavory tart
That interesting but I think it makes sense. I'm with some of the others, I haven't played most of these on the list. But Final Fantasy VII is as mainstream as JRPGs get, so it just might be that it hit a wider audience than other JRPGs might have.
VII was my first JRPG, and even then I had to play the PC port because we had a N64, not a playstation, and I can't really recall a big JRPG on the 64. So a lot of the older JRPG's I did play (Breath of Fire III, Chrono Trigger, the Legend of Dragoon, earlier FFs), I had to go out of my way to play retrospectively, and then I didn't have the internet to tell me which were the good ones. I suspect this might be the case with a lot of people.
Oh and I actually think the combat for Ni no Kuni isn't so bad once you start getting more monsters/characters.
Lord Noctis
Harbinger of Darkness
- AKA
- Caius Ballad
I've never played any Tales game
I've sunk about five hours into Xillia so far, and I'd say its pretty good. Certainly I'd say its the best jrpg to come out in recent years.
Vespa
❍
- AKA
- ワスプ
Ew. I do not agree with this list. Half of those games suck.
In no particular order:
1. Mother 3
2. Persona 2
3. Persona 4
4. SMT: Strange Journey
5. SMT: Nocturne
6. Soul Nomad & the World Eaters
7. Chrono Trigger
8. Vagrant Story
9. FFTactics
10. Breath of Fire 2
11. Grandia 1
12. Xenogears
13. FFVII
14. Star Ocean: The Second Story
15. Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together
16. Earthbound
17. Star Ocean Til the End of Time
18. Growlanser Generations
19. Growlanser Wayfarer of time
20. Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance
swap Star Ocean Til the End of Time for Valkyria Chronicles if it counts
In no particular order:
1. Mother 3
2. Persona 2
3. Persona 4
4. SMT: Strange Journey
5. SMT: Nocturne
6. Soul Nomad & the World Eaters
7. Chrono Trigger
8. Vagrant Story
9. FFTactics
10. Breath of Fire 2
11. Grandia 1
12. Xenogears
13. FFVII
14. Star Ocean: The Second Story
15. Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together
16. Earthbound
17. Star Ocean Til the End of Time
18. Growlanser Generations
19. Growlanser Wayfarer of time
20. Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance
swap Star Ocean Til the End of Time for Valkyria Chronicles if it counts
Cat Rage Room
Great Old One
- AKA
- Mog
Which ones?
Cat Rage Room
Great Old One
- AKA
- Mog
Which ones?
Vespa
❍
- AKA
- ワスプ
FFVI is fucking boring. Suikoden II is only memorable for the boss because instead of a gigantic retarded dragon it's just a mass murderer. Kingdom Hearts II is just trash. Dragon Quest VIII is worse than Dragon Quest and Dragon Quest is itself an overrated series. Ni no Kuni was a joke. Phantasy Star IV? Sega can't make good RPGs. And how exactly did a Wild Arms game fail to make that top 20?
ForceStealer
Double Growth
ワスプ;549369 said:
