Breath of Fire III
Chrono Trigger
Diablo
Dragon Quest V
Earthbound
Final Fantasy VII
Gothic
Star Ocean: the Second Story
Suikoden II
Xenogears
Motivations:
- Breath of Fire III: often overlooked among RPGs, this game puts you into a world that's at peace and stays so till the end. What's to do in it then? Adventuring, to learn about the world and find your purpose. The game plays slow and its mechanics are classic turn-based RPG stuff (with a good number of novelties though), but it's very immersive, with well-animated characters and great-looking special effects. Also, fishing!
- Chrono Trigger: a classic JRPG which incorporates a lot of great elements of the genre, that are often times not found in later games
- Diablo: more action game than RPG, but still uniquely great. I prefer the first to the sequel because of its atmosphere, progression (more limited, but more rewarding and varied), and because it came out 4 years before
- Dragon Quest V: representative of the Dragon Quest series, this one's arguably got the best plot. Challenging, immersive, with interesting characters and monsters
- Earthbound: anyone who can understand the world Earthbound represents (and pokes fun at) will enjoy this game. Excellent writing, simple yet solid game mechanics and elements often missing in modern games
- I was tempted to put in Final Fantasy VI in its place, but the influence the seventh episode of the series had on the videogame world is undeniable, good and bad. Complex yet accessible, home to many memorable characters, and an amazing effort for the time it was released
- Gothic: the first of a series known more for its bugs than its merits, unfortunately. Great sense of immersion in a cohesive world that's fun to just explore; unique setting and likable, not overplayed characters. I chose the first one instead of Gothic II because, despite being more buggy, the world in it makes more sense
- Star Ocean: the Second Story: cliché story and characters, but still interesting to follow. Great battle system and item creation mechanics. Progression is varied and challenges abound. You'll be impressed with the amount of details in things usually only found in traditional WRPGs
- Suikoden II: how to make a game with dozens of characters and make it work. Healthy mix of war, heroes, political intrigue and fantasy elements, this games captures the essence of the Chinese classic Shui Hu Zhuan pretty well (as far as I can tell) and makes it very fun to play
- Xenogears: cult classic or not, you have to give it credit for a bunch of stuff, like the great-looking scenery, the music, the combat system and the ambitious, if at times pretentious, story
Notes: Games I'm not very familiar with haven't been included, despite me knowing how influential they may be in the RPG world. Games I consider belonging to a different genre aren't listed (mainly the Zelda series)
Chrono Trigger
Diablo
Dragon Quest V
Earthbound
Final Fantasy VII
Gothic
Star Ocean: the Second Story
Suikoden II
Xenogears
Motivations:
- Breath of Fire III: often overlooked among RPGs, this game puts you into a world that's at peace and stays so till the end. What's to do in it then? Adventuring, to learn about the world and find your purpose. The game plays slow and its mechanics are classic turn-based RPG stuff (with a good number of novelties though), but it's very immersive, with well-animated characters and great-looking special effects. Also, fishing!
- Chrono Trigger: a classic JRPG which incorporates a lot of great elements of the genre, that are often times not found in later games
- Diablo: more action game than RPG, but still uniquely great. I prefer the first to the sequel because of its atmosphere, progression (more limited, but more rewarding and varied), and because it came out 4 years before
- Dragon Quest V: representative of the Dragon Quest series, this one's arguably got the best plot. Challenging, immersive, with interesting characters and monsters
- Earthbound: anyone who can understand the world Earthbound represents (and pokes fun at) will enjoy this game. Excellent writing, simple yet solid game mechanics and elements often missing in modern games
- I was tempted to put in Final Fantasy VI in its place, but the influence the seventh episode of the series had on the videogame world is undeniable, good and bad. Complex yet accessible, home to many memorable characters, and an amazing effort for the time it was released
- Gothic: the first of a series known more for its bugs than its merits, unfortunately. Great sense of immersion in a cohesive world that's fun to just explore; unique setting and likable, not overplayed characters. I chose the first one instead of Gothic II because, despite being more buggy, the world in it makes more sense
- Star Ocean: the Second Story: cliché story and characters, but still interesting to follow. Great battle system and item creation mechanics. Progression is varied and challenges abound. You'll be impressed with the amount of details in things usually only found in traditional WRPGs
- Suikoden II: how to make a game with dozens of characters and make it work. Healthy mix of war, heroes, political intrigue and fantasy elements, this games captures the essence of the Chinese classic Shui Hu Zhuan pretty well (as far as I can tell) and makes it very fun to play
- Xenogears: cult classic or not, you have to give it credit for a bunch of stuff, like the great-looking scenery, the music, the combat system and the ambitious, if at times pretentious, story
Notes: Games I'm not very familiar with haven't been included, despite me knowing how influential they may be in the RPG world. Games I consider belonging to a different genre aren't listed (mainly the Zelda series)