Whenever I hear people complain about JRPGs they say they haven't evolved really other than graphically. So with that in mind, and if it's true, would I be able to play a Playstion One JRPG like Chrono Cross or Final Fantasy VII and get the same experience without feeling like I was playing a bad, dated video game? I realize that the graphics would be PSX graphics, but I'm fine with that. Any advice is welcome, and so are recommendations for games. Thanks.
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Sony's first video game console established the PlayStation brand. It dominated the 32/64-bit era and was the best-selling home console up until the PlayStation 2.
PSX JRPG's
I played Chrono Cross again last year. I still believe it's an amazing game that holds up due to its unique battle system.
I don't understand why you're looking for recommendations though. Have you played many PSX Rpgs and want to know if they stand up? Or have you played none of them and want to see if you still can without them seeming terrible?
Oh, well if that's the case there are a ton of games you should play.
-Vagrant Story
-Xenogears
- Final Fantasy 4,6,7,8,9
-Chrono Cross
-Legend of Dragoon
I could go on, but these are the games I can think of that were great. There were so many good JRPGs for PS1. They're all still fun to play, you just have to like JRPGs.
Final Fantasy holds up pretty well, especially 8 and 9 since the character detail was much better.
@Laketown said:
" I'm actually playing through Persona 2: Innocent Sin right now and really enjoying it. well, if the battle system wasn't so fucking slow D: "
This too. Started playing it not long ago on a whim and it's actually pretty damn enjoyable.
" Ask people what their favourite JRPG is, and I think most would say one from the SNES - PSX era. So if anything, JRPGs are worse today than back then. "nostalgia dude. Sure, FF might have been better back then (I personally think 12's the best but I'm weird) but other JRPG's completely kick the ass of most early JRPG's.
" Wait, are you trying to get recommendations or are you trying to prove a point? If you want a recommendation then play Legend of Dragoon. I also suggest Legend of Legaia, but I'm hearing from a lot of people that it's crap. I actually don't think so. "I was really wondering if they were still playable compared to recent JRPG's. But, I also asked for recommendations. I've seen Legend of Dragoon fairly cheap, I'll probably pick that one up then.
@rasko9 said:
" i think there should be more jrps now like ff13 and star ocean. western rpgs like fallout 3 are hella boring. "I would disagree. But it seems like you're trolling, so whatever.
Legend of Mana
Thousand Arms (some of the writing could be better though)
Valkyrie Profile
Star Ocean: The Second Story
Tales of Destiny
Azure Dreams
plus a bunch of others already mentioned and probably a good number more that I forgot about.
FFVIII Is the best Final Fantasy on the PS1, I would definitely reccomend that. The whole leveling, skill and battle system is a lot different than any other FF
And Star Ocean: The second Story is really good too. I actually currently have Wild Arms on hold right now as I really wasn't enjoying it but hopefully it gets better, but after seeing all these people recommend it, it can't be that bad of a game.
While I generally applaud some Vagrant Story love, or non-FF JRPGs in general, I honestly think that some UI and gameplay elements haven't aged well.
Vagrant Story's blacksmithing is incredibly obtuse as is the Blunt / Sharp / Piercing and Dragon / Human / Phantom / Beast / Undead / etc. mechanic.
FFT is hampered by a terrible translation (a sign of the times) and game breaking exploits (hello, fully decked out calculator).
Even a late JRPG like Persona 4 still has some UI relics that just bog the game down.
They're still great games, but... The sheen has dulled a bit since they were first released.
Played Final Fantasy IX couple of weeks ago. Sure the graphics aren't aged that well, but it's propably one of the better looking PSX games out there. Great characters, music, atmosphere and a good story. Definitely recommend that one.
" The PS1 was the Golden Age of the JRPG. Games to play: WILD ARMS Grandia Xenogears Breath of Fire 3 & 4 Suikoden 2 (expensive purchase nowadays) Alundra Brave Fencer Musashi Final Fantasy Tactics Final Fantasy 7, 8, 9 And others, but this is off the top of my head. "yeah! when squaresoft actually made good games
Definitely play Grandia 3. Also consider Legend of Legaia . I got it for a friend on his birthday a long time ago, and he liked that. I haven't played too much of it, but what I have played I liked. Its battles have you select attacks by inputting them fighting game style, only there's no time limit. It's interesting.
i played final fantasy vii last year and loved it
im sure if you can get over the graphical antiquity, you can have a great time with psx or earlier jrpgs
you cant go wrong with one of the psx final fantasies
" These are pretty goodLegend of Mana Thousand Arms (some of the writing could be better though)Valkyrie Profile Star Ocean: The Second Story Tales of Destiny Azure Dreams plus a bunch of others already mentioned and probably a good number more that I forgot about. "Wow, points for mentioning obscure titles like Thousand Arms and Azure Dreams.
Playing through Tales of Destiny myself at the moment. It has its charm, but the Tales series has definitely come a long, long way since then.
Lots of good games mentioned in this thread... Xenogears would get my recommendation as the absolute must-play PSX JRPG. That game is phenomenal.
@kingzetta said:
" yeah! when squaresoft actually made good games "Squaresoft published good games in the west, you mean. Square Co. Ltd. was their Japanese parent company. ;P
" @FateOfNever said:same thing" These are pretty goodLegend of Mana Thousand Arms (some of the writing could be better though)Valkyrie Profile Star Ocean: The Second Story Tales of Destiny Azure Dreams plus a bunch of others already mentioned and probably a good number more that I forgot about. "Wow, points for mentioning obscure titles like Thousand Arms and Azure Dreams.
Playing through Tales of Destiny myself at the moment. It has its charm, but the Tales series has definitely come a long, long way since then.
Lots of good games mentioned in this thread... Xenogears would get my recommendation as the absolute must-play PSX JRPG. That game is phenomenal.
@kingzetta said:" yeah! when squaresoft actually made good games "Squaresoft published good games in the west, you mean. Square Co. Ltd. was their Japanese parent company. ;P "
" @McGhee_the_Insomniac said:I actually didn't hate FF 13 like so many do, but it definitely doesn't stand up to past games. I have high (maybe misguided) hopes for Versus 13. What I've seen of that game so far looks really amazing." The PS1 was the Golden Age of the JRPG. Games to play: WILD ARMS Grandia Xenogears Breath of Fire 3 & 4 Suikoden 2 (expensive purchase nowadays) Alundra Brave Fencer Musashi Final Fantasy Tactics Final Fantasy 7, 8, 9 And others, but this is off the top of my head. "yeah! when squaresoft actually made good games "
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