Four Outstanding JRPGs That Every Gamer Should Play

wanderofys - 126 days 23 hours ago

Right on. Shadow Hearts was the only one I was happy to see they mentioned. However, it does say "that every gamer should play". Every gamer will NOT like SMT: Nocturne. It's my favorite game (ever), but it's punishing difficulty and overall weirdness won't appeal to everyone (or many people at all, really).

Also I miss Suikdoen II, the 150 bucks I got for it on ebay wasn't worth it :(

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zlatko - 126 days 16 hours ago

I have a lot of friends who aren't gamers, let alone RPG fans, but I have recommended a few I felt would be stand out to them enough so they'd want to complete it. Sure enough I was right, but who can say I'd be right on a mass scale.

1) Legend of Dragoon
2) Final Fantasy 7
3) Demon's Souls(Action-RPG, but it's appealing to many if you tell them its brutally hard and you are a girl if you can't beat it:P)
4)Paper Mario(It IS a RPG, and most gamers find it amusing)

My personal list of top 4 in no order:
1) Final Fantasy IX
2) Suikoden 2
3) Star Ocean: The Second Story
4) Chrono Cross

There's more RPGs than you can shake a stick at that I've played and loved. If you'd talked to me back to PS1 and PS2 era I would've said at some point even casual gamers will have RPGs as their favorite genre just based on how wide spread and varied the RPGs were then. Then we hit this console era, and it's as if is a dying breed. I just don't get why JRPG developers don't stick a new coat of paint(better graphics) on a turn based RPG. Look at Tales of Vesperia for 360, not outstanding reviews by any means, but a great title this generation in terms of quality.

I hope Tokyo Game Show finally brings back the JRPG wave in Tsunami form. :(

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ApocalyPS3 - 126 days 13 hours ago

It's sad that they have to leave out so many, 4 just isn't enough as any real jrpg enthusiast would know. And they left out a few consoles as well. It's true that PS2 had the majority...I never owned a PS2 but I kept up with it. But there were also a lot of generalized rpgs, and several that were just cookie cutter copy and paste reiterations of material already done in better rpgs. I agree that Shadow Hearts was awesome, I remember watching some gameplay footage once.

Saturn had some amazing rpgs, although the definitive Lunar was on PS. But they had Shining Force and the Panzer Dragon series. Too bad Working Designs isn't around anymore, I would've loved to see where they could've gone with these consoles.

N64 had some awesome ones too, but I found it be instead more of a platformer's paradise, with Mischief Makers (you have to hardcore if you know that one) and several others.

On PlayStation they missed quite a few. Legend of Legaia was a pretty solid effort, mixing in a Xenogears-like combo system for fights. Of course, just mentioning Xenogears you already know that it was the better of the two. And GrandStream Saga, which was a pretty fun top-down rpg from Konami. It had an awesome Zelda-like battle system and plenty of great Anime sequences.

(Gosh, I miss the Anime sequences, they've all been traded in for CG)

You could also throw in genre hybrids, like Tomba. It had an excellent mission based structure and lots of hidden stuff to abound and was an awesome platformer. And it had great graphics for its time. There was also Jade Cocoon, which was funny during a time when I was really into Pokemon, since it mixed creature handling and growing into the rpg system. It also had a decent battle system.

On Xbox 360 the best we have right now is Blue Dragon, it edges out Lost Odyssey in my eyes simply because it's so artful and inspired compared to LO's much more lifelike approach. They're both excellent jrpgs, and LO even has 5 voice over languages to chose from! Eternal Sonata was beautiful, so was Tales of Vesperia. Personally I'm waiting for Mystwalker to wow us again with something new, they have a new artist and he's pretty sharp.

Anyway, that's my 2 pennies.

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thelastawakening - 126 days 11 hours ago

my list, Xenogears, xenosaga 1+3 , Lunar 1 and 2, all final fantasy main series ( they've all been great , stop hating), chrono trigger and cross, Legends of dragoon (hmm I think it was made by an america studio , not sure but still a great rpg , Phantasy star 4

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Killjoy3000 - 126 days 10 hours ago

Is personally my favorite RPG of all time.

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nothere413 - 126 days 8 hours ago

I'd enjoy this list if I didn't have such a strong dislike of Kingdom Hearts.

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Millah - 126 days 8 hours ago

that list is a joke. i mean, shadow hearts is an awesome game, but i wouldn't call it one of 4 absolute must play jrpgs. its not even the best game in the series :P

Valkyrie Profile...another incredible game, but its not something that everybody will enjoy. its more for the die hards IMO.

and Kingdom Hearts...just lol @ that.

agreed with Light-kun...Xenogears and Suikoden 2 by far are better than the games on that list.

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Arnon - 126 days 4 hours ago

I thoroughly enjoyed Nocturne, Final Fantasy VII, Legend of Dragoon and Kingdom Hearts. The others I don't care too much about.

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N4Flamers - 126 days 2 hours ago

oh man FFIV the first final fantasy, I like FF8 better than 7 and I loved FFX. I miss chrono trigger, and I loved shining force, both games, even played shining in the darkness. So far this generation I hated Eternal Sonata, It was a good looking game but the overall preachyness of the game and low replay value killed it. I played the hell out of star ocean 4 despite the weak acting, it was ok. I loved LO and BD. Mystwalker has to do something new, im waiting. I thought LO was the better of the two, because,well no maru maru.

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militant07 - 126 days 18 hours ago

i disagree, JRPG mean turn based for me. i hate KH and thats just me !.

persona4, persona 4,LO is my kind of JRPG

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militant07 - 126 days 13 hours ago

oops i meant persona 3,persona 4 :/
and FFX for sure

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GamerMan - 126 days 12 hours ago

apparently you haven't played Kingdom Hearts or you would of realized its an Action JRPG and not a Turned-based JRPG. So your assumption all JRPG based games are turned based is inaccurate.

Nothing against you not liking JRPG's just wanted to clear that up.

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militant07 - 126 days 11 hours ago

I said i hated because its "NOT" turn based !!!

and I know...

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GamerMan - 126 days 11 hours ago

I'm sorry but I misunderstood your post in your sentence structure and it came out the other way. I personally like strategy and turned base JRPGs much better than Action JRPGs but if it's a RPG I will play it to see if I like it. Never know until you try.

Please disregard my previous disagreeing. :) I apologize.

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Avenged Sevenfold - 126 days 10 hours ago

I love KH and KH2 even more. I mean the KH2 has the best story in any videogame ever created. Well, right beside MGS.

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SaiyanFury - 126 days 21 hours ago

I must agree with Shining Force 3. With that I include Shining the Holy Ark. 2 of the must play RPGs that came out on the Saturn. Not even talking about Panzer Dragoon Saga.

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Immortal Kaim - 126 days 21 hours ago

Agree about the horrible list, you guys have mentioned some classics.

Will also throw in Secret of Mana, Lufia 2, Landstalker, Grandia 1 & 2, Skies of Arcadia, Tales of Symphonia...Jesus I could go all day, I love my JRPG's

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Major_Tom - 126 days 17 hours ago

Phantasy star sure is awesome.

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Myze - 126 days 15 hours ago

While I don't like the list either, I do like all the games on it. To name all my favorite RPGs would take a long time and a hurt on my brain making sure I remember them all.

I still have Xenogears as my favorite by a good margin (notice my avatar), with FF6, FFT, Secret of Mana, Persona 4 (new one to the list), and Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross all being at the top.

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KionicWarlord222 - 127 days ago

Kingdom of Hearts....isnt a must play?

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Godmars290 - 127 days ago

VP, along with Persona 3 and Vagrant Story push it out of the running. At least in a top 3 list.

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KionicWarlord222 - 126 days 23 hours ago

Yeah..Persona 3 alone does that,But Kingdom of Hearts is a must play.

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playinitcool - 126 days 22 hours ago

That game had one of the most original and best stories behind it...ahh back in the days when square were truly great..

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Black Maverick - 126 days 19 hours ago

I still consider Xenogears one of the greatest games of all time.

Here's my top five RPGs that every gamer should play:

5. Kingdom Hearts series

4. Golden Sun series

3. Persona 3: FES

2. Final Fantasy IV

1. Xenogears

Honorable Mentions:

Rogue Galaxy
Dragon Quest VIII
Skies of Arcadia
Lunar series
Star Ocean Series

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Trebius - 126 days 15 hours ago

Xenogears, FFVII, Chrono Trigger

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FantasyStar - 126 days 15 hours ago

Weird, why Final Fantasy 8? Just curious.

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ApocalyPS3 - 126 days 13 hours ago

I swear, if we have to defend FF VIII ONE MORE TIME I'll just explode! It was a great game, they outdid FF VII in graphics story and gameplay. The characters weren't as over the top as FF VII but there was just so much done in FF VIII that was ahead of its time. I would consider it Squaresoft's best rpg of that era if not for how much I know VII is still better...but not by much!

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FantasyStar - 126 days 10 hours ago

Hey, hey. I agree that FF8 is a great game! It's just odd that someone put it on their list when that game is always overshadowed by the more flagship title. Usually when I see someone put FF7 down. I hardly see FF8 on that same list. So I was just curious.

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Baka-akaB - 126 days 19 hours ago

Agreed , we'll obviously get disagrees , but removes the popular ff and disney universe , and you're left with a game that is good indeed , but nothing particularly awesome .

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Natsu X FairyTail - 126 days 21 hours ago

Agree for FF9. not so much for 10 tho.

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mastiffchild - 126 days 19 hours ago

I forgot about persona! Great games and, imo, P4 is even more great than P3 was! IMO, they're better than anything on the HD consoles this gen even if they are PS2 games-brilliantly devised game world too!

Have got to catch up on my PSP jrpgs as well with the first Persona(which I never played), Phantasy Sta and Star Ocean all looking pretty good-in fact I haven't been on any portable rpgs since TWEWY on the DS-which is one of the better recent efforts from SE even if it was a game that split opinion a little-I thought it was quite interestingly done though.

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ButterToast - 126 days 12 hours ago

I've only played Luminous Arc 1, but it really is just a sub-par to average SRPG IMO. if you want to play a SRPG you should look into FFT, Disgaea, Jeanne d'arc, Valkyria Chronicles, Wild arms xf.

Others that should be good (that I have yet to play) are:

La Pucelle: Tactics
Front Mission series
Phantom Brave
Tactics Ogre series

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wanderofys - 125 days 23 hours ago

The Etrian Odyssey games are HARD. HARD HARD HARD. Not bad at all, but you're going to deal with a LOT of frustration with those titles. Same with The Dark Spire.

I really like the Luminous Arc games. The stories were fun to follow and the SRPG system wasn't too overbearing like it is in some SRPGS.

Of the ones the guy above me has yet to play, play all of them except Phantom Brave. It isn't good. The ones he recommended are all pretty good too, though I'm not personally a big fan of FFT. Suikoden Tactics is better than many would have you believe.

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bankai - 126 days 17 hours ago

P3 was dark, had some moving death scenes and had a some really good endings. the only bad thing about it to me was that is seemed to drag on and on and on.

P4 was more lite hearted but replaced the darkness with great humor. had an excellent antagonist. i could go to more than one dungeon, which was nice and the ending was ok. asside form the bland ending the only complaint i have was that it left its really dark story telling which SMT is known for. even though it wasnt dark though is was still a very good story.

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Gaara_724 - 126 days 15 hours ago

you must be retard-d because 3 of them games are the worst JRPG'S EVERInfinite Undiscovery, Blue Dragon, Lost Odyssey
well at least you got one right thats star ocean: the last hope (aloth the voice acting will put 90% of the people who play it off)but the best JRPG'S ever are as followed: final fantasy X, Final fantasy vii, star ocean: the last hope, mass effect and one on the ps3 cant renembe the name but its made by sega and has a hand drawen look to it

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