Topic: Best jRPGs

[Ratty]

So, what are your favorite games in the genre?

I recently (finally) finished Chrono Trigger after a few months hiatus right before the final boss. (I just needed to do some grinding and hadn't felt like it.) And now I'm considering playing Chrono Cross or some other game in the genre soon. I need to go back and play Valkyrie Profile, which I had false starts on twice now, and I've been meaning to play Phantasy Star II and Final Fantasy tactics for some time now. Final Fantasy 6 and 9 are some of my favorite games ever, and Chrono Trigger is an amazing game I fully plan to replay sometime. But I just have trouble keeping my attention on one game for more than 14 or 15 hours at a stretch. What about you?

[RegalX7]

Xenogears is my favorite game of all time, but I also love the first ten Final Fantasy games as much as someone can love a video game (6 and 9 are my favorites, though).
Chrono Trigger ranks pretty high for me.
I'm a fan of Xenoblade as well, so I have high hopes for "X" on the Wii U - despite Nintendo & Monolith Soft being so secretive with it.
I have a limited knowledge of the Tales Of series, but the games I've beaten from it, I've enjoyed enough to mention.

[ganonfloyd]

Paper Mario is and forever will be my favorite in the genre. Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne is probably number two.

[RegalX7]

You reminded me - I completely forgot about Paper Mario & SMT! I loved The Thousand Year Door & Persona 3 & 4.

[darkmanx_429]

Xenogears, Chrono Trigger-Chrono-Cross-Radical-Dreamers, Parasite Eve, Vagrant Story, Legend of Dragoon

[crisis]

its almost as if no matter who u ask, your always gonna get the same answers: the top RPGs ever will always be rotated between chrono trigger, xenogears, one of the FFs (typically 6), etc.

same if you ask someone what are the best castlevania games, the answer is always gonna be either cv3, symphony, rondo, super castlevania 4

[X]

I can remember asking my Bro about some of the FF games he liked. He told me that FF-X killed it for him. As he was finishing the game and seeing the ending his reaction was; "WTF!" And he has no intentions to try any of the later ones, especially the FF-XIII trilogy. He feels that Lightning is one of the worst characters to come out of FF. And it doesn't help the fact that there are rumors of the creator having some sort of obsessive compulsion with the character Lightning and even calling his wife by that name rather then by her real name. Sounds like the guy needs to get out more, lol. Although my Bro does enjoy FF-XIV: A realm Reborn as it's more a kin to the earlier FF games which he likes. And he also gets a laugh out of all the cat people in the game. Here's a quote from one of the players; "We need to go N'yaow! Right N'yaow!" LOL!!

Me personally in terms of FF, I liked the series all the way up to 6. After that they weren't FF games anymore. Although FF 9 went back to what they once were, especially the battle system so I can't see this one as a bad game. It just got ridiculous with all the grinding alone with the boss under the world tree-esque dungeon. Couldn't kill that son-of-a-b***h no-matter how much I grinded..! Oh well... That's what game shark is for.

On to other JRPG's Chrono Trigger was a good one, though I've never finished it. And considering how many different endings there are I'm not sure if I will ever get around to completing it. I own two Ocean Star games for the PSP that were originally from the Super Famicom. There almost like play episodes of Star Trek in a fantasy world so that kind drew me in 

I also own all the Valkyrie Profile games but like Chrono Trigger I've never finished them. The first game has that damned clock and you need to finish the game within the time limit in order to get the best ending. This in my mind is a 'WTF' moment. You don't put in a time limit in an RPG. It just doesn't work well IMO. VP2 was better as you weren't under pressure form some stupid clock so I could play the game at my own pace which is how RPGs should be played. VP 3: Covenant of the Plume gameplay is more overhead oriented (kinda like Brandish 4). I also own the whole original Phantasy Star series for my PS3 Genesis collection. Had to buy a second controller in order to unlock the first PS game (WTF?, lol). Aside from Lunar: Silver Star Harmony I also have CrowLancer. I guess I might as well put Dragon's Crown in the list too. I do own a physical SNES cart of Brandish and I've recently finished Brandish 2: The Planet Buster thanks to a fan translation patch. Would the Y's series be considered a JRPG? Oh well, it's in the list now.

[Dark Nemesis]

Well, while i like almost every FF game, i started to dislike them after FF XII came out. For me my most liked are FF IV, FF VI, FF VIII and FF X. Now about Chrono Trigger, you should really finish it, one of the best RPG games in gaming history. Now, about Valkyrie games, the first one, while it has a clock time(periods)like system, to really enjoy it, you should play it on hard mode. More time, more characters and more dungeons to explore. about the good ending, time has nothing to do, other factors are the key for obtaining the best ending. The second one is really good and favorite to me, along with the first one, but 3 is just mediocre for me.

[Jorge D. Fuentes]

Does Fire Emblem Awakening count as a "jRPG"? or is it a "jStrategy"?
'cuz no matter what the answer, it's such an awesome game.

I've put 300 hours into it.  I'm so insane about it. 

[Viskod]

A forum dedicated to a Konami franchise and no one mentions Suikoden? For shame. Suikoden 2 is my favorite jrpg by far.

[GuyStarwind]

Does Fire Emblem Awakening count as a "jRPG"? or is it a "jStrategy"?
'cuz no matter what the answer, it's such an awesome game.

I've put 300 hours into it.  I'm so insane about it.

Yeah same here. I have the Fire Emblem 3DS which came with the game pre installed so I always have it with me.

[Neobelmont]

A forum dedicated to a Konami franchise and no one mentions Suikoden? For shame. Suikoden 2 is my favorite jrpg by far.

That's because I was not here(so how about vandal hearts?) but seriously all of you have disappointed me     


I read everything and not one of you mention this?

Dragon Warrior (NES) Music - Battle Theme With Intro


For shame, for shame... 

its almost as if no matter who u ask, your always gonna get the same answers: the top RPGs ever will always be rotated between chrono trigger, xenogears, one of the FFs (typically 6), etc.

same if you ask someone what are the best castlevania games, the answer is always gonna be either cv3, symphony, rondo, super castlevania 4

That's debatable don't you think?  I've play a lot of rpgs to say that's not true. From valkyrie profile, to star ocean, tales, SMT, Lunar, suikoden, fire emblem, dragoin warrior, hell I even got air's adventure that's saying alot. and there's a whole lot more

Also bloodlines and belmont's revenge are awesome 

Aside from Lunar: Silver Star Harmony I also have CrowLancer.

I hate the psp version I had to get the ps1 version for my birthday and don't you mean growlanser?


Also here's some I have not seen listed

[07] Cross Counter ~ Breath of Fire II [2] Original Game Soundtrack


Wild Arms - Critical Hit!(Battle Theme)

Wild ARMs 3 ~ "Intro v01"



Grandia II ost - FIGHT!! Version #1 [Extended]


Grandia II freaking rocks

[X]

don't you mean growlanser?

Yeah i do, lol! Sorry about that, I read the lettering wrong 

I also forgot to mention that I have the entire Dragon Quest: Zenithian trilogy (4, 5, 6) on DS as well as Dragon Quest 9. My bro has him the original Dragon Warrior 4 for the NES as well as FF 1.

Now, about Valkyrie games, the first one, while it has a clock time(periods)like system, to really enjoy it, you should play it on hard mode. More time, more characters and more dungeons to explore. about the good ending, time has nothing to do, other factors are the key for obtaining the best ending.

From what I've read on multiple walkthroughs cutting down on game time (the clock) is part of getting the best ending. I may have read them wrong but that's what was mentioned. I'll have to check again since it's been several years.

[Kale]

Time has to do with it. Not doing things fast but doing things right and on time or the right chapter.

[GuyStarwind]

So, many great games are being listed here. I kinda want to replay Breath of Fire again.