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Metal Max 2 is a post-apocalyptic JRPG, which is heavy inspired by the Mad Max movies. It is the sequel to the Famicom RPG Metal Max, and the precursor to Metal Saga.
Abandoned Places: A Time for Heroes is a computer role-playing game for Amiga and PC/DOS in which four heroes must save their world, Kalynthia.
The Stunt Flying and Filming Simulation!
The first entry in ASCII's RPG Maker series to use the name 'RPG Tsukuru', the name by which the franchise is known as in Japan.
Also known as Star Cruiser II: The Odysseus Project, Star Cruiser 2 was released in 1992 for the NEC PC-98 and Fujitsu FM Towns computers.
As Treasure Hunter Nigel, journey to Mercator Island in search of the forgotten treasure of King Nole. Battle hordes of monsters, solve brain-bending riddles, and trek across the perilous island to uncover its secrets.
An RPG with eight characters whose stories are played sequentially (instead of simultaneously and together like other RPGs) and where one character's play will alter subsequent story and play.
Metal Max is a 1991 sandbox role-playing game set in a futuristic, post-apocalyptic, open-world environment, where the surviving humans cluster in villages and ruins while "hunters" fight the monsters and outlaws outside.
Prince Garrett of Baltia must rescue his homeland from the Dalsis Empire in this strategy RPG and the first game in Masaya's Langrisser franchise.
Released in 1989, Sweet Home is quite possibly the first survival horror, or console horror RPG. A small team enters a haunted house to study the deceased owner's frescoes, only to become trapped by the angered spirits within. It inspired Resident Evil, the game that established the survival horror genre. Sweet Home can also be considered an early immersive sim.
The first installment in the highly acclaimed SimCity franchise by Maxis' Will Wright. The gameplay centers around developing and managing a city in a variety of scenarios using a combination of different zones and buildings.
Midwinter is a First Person strategy/role playing game with some first-person shooting. Controlling up to 32 characters, players must defend an immense playing area of over 160,000 square miles. Players can ski, hang-glide, snow-buggy or travel by cable car across the glacial landscape.
The title roughly translates to "Seal of Darkness". It is a Famicom exclusive action RPG released on April 27, 1989 in Japan and is a prequel to the 1985 game Dragon Buster.
Scrolling brawler with RPG attributes. Fight through street gangs as Alex and Ryan in search of Ryan's kidnapped girlfriend. This game was basically an early proto-GTA sandbox brawler, where the player can explore the city, beat up or steal from random people, and shop around.
An early first-person role-playing shooter released by Arsys Software. Ahead of its time, it had 3D polygon graphics, FPS gameplay, strafing controls, open-world space exploration, and an epic sci-fi space opera plot.
Final Fantasy II follows four heroes who join a resistance group and try to stop an empire from taking over the world. Its gameplay deviates greatly from the first game by utilizing a usage-based growth system.
The Scheme is an action RPG released by Bothtec (later known as Quest) for the PC-88 in 1988. It features Metroidvania-style open-world exploration, side-scrolling run & gun shooter combat, and chiptune music by Yuzo Koshiro.
The third release of the Dragon Warrior franchise saw the story take a trip back in time before one and two, taking up the sword of the warrior of legend, Loto. In this game the hero sets out to destroy Baramos after his/her late father Ortega fails.
Released in 1987, War of the Dead is considered to be the first true survival horror game. SWAT officer Lila must rescue survivors in the demon-infested small town of Chaney’s Hill. It also featured open-world gameplay and RPG elements.
A turn-based strategy game originally released in 1987 by Koei, the creators of Nobunaga's Ambition and Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
Sorcerian, also known as Dragon Slayer V: Sorcerian, is an action RPG released by Nihon Falcom in 1987. It was considered unique for its party-based action combat, magic combination system, and open-ended multi-scenario system that could be extended with expansion packs.
The third game in T&E Soft's Hydlide series of action RPGs, released on various home computers and consoles. Originally released in 1987, a graphically enhanced version was released in 1989, called Super Hydlide on the Mega Drive / Genesis console and Hydlide 3: Special Version on computers.
A spin-off to Nihon Falcom's Xanadu series, Faxanadu is a side-scrolling action RPG developed by Hudson for the NES.
Reviver: The Real-Time Adventure is an adventure game designed by Katsunori Yoshimura and released by Arsys Software in July 1987. It featured the concept of a real-time persistent world.
Alex Kidd puts his life on the line in pursuit of video games in this combination adventure-platformer for the Sega Master System.
An early example of a "Metroidvania"-style platformer, Legacy of the Wizard tells the tale of a family of adventurers who must use their combined abilities to seek the Dragon Slayer sword and defeat a powerful dragon deep in a twisting labyrinth.
Action-adventure-RPG released in 1987 by Konami only in Japan. It features both side-scrolling and "3D" (third-person, behind-the-shoulder) segments, open-world exploration, and hack & slash combat, including the earliest third-person hack & slash combat.
The second game in the Dragon Warrior/Quest series. It continues the legacy of Erdrick/Loto.
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link is the second entry in the ground-breaking Zelda franchise. This controversial follow-up ditches the original's top-down perspective for 2D side-scrolling exploration and combat. The 2D towns, dungeons and combat arenas are tied together by a top-down overworld.
Known outside of Japan as "Takeshi's Challenge", this game is an unconventional action-adventure platformer created by famous Japanese comedian Beat Takeshi. Along with its open world exploration and mature themes, the game is known for its unorthodox game progression (where the game can easily be made unwinnable).
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