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Help me decide which retro JRPG I'm playing next

heringer

Member
Hi guys. Lately I feel like playing a new (old) JRPG. Right now I'm between the following options:

- Grandia 2
- Xenogears
- Breath of Fire 4 (actually switched this one for Breath of Fire 3)
- Star Ocean 2 (PSP)
- Suikoden 2
- Trails in the Sky
- Valkyrie Profile

I suspect most people will say Suikoden 2, but let's see. Please describe why you are recommending the game, and if you can rank the games in your opinion, even better!

I'll briefly describe my superficial thoughts about each game:

- Grandia 2: I honestly don't know much about this game, but the battle system looks fun.
- Xenogears: I've heard it's one of the best stories in videogames, which is definitely a huge plus. Complaints about second disc leave me a bit worried. I kind of like the visuals, for some reason. Xenoblade is my favorite JRPG ever, but I guess the games don't have much in common.
- Breath of Fire 4: great visuals, playing with a villain seems like it could be a very cool story device.
- Star Ocean 2: don't know much about it, but the battle system looks very fun
- Suikoden 2: I've also played this one for a few hours a couple of years ago. Enjoyed, but couldn't see why it was regarded as such a classic. Obviously, I've played too little of it to know.
- Trails in the Sky: people seem to really love this one. I'll tell you one thing, I kind of hate the visuals. Not because they are old, but because the characters skating animation while walking drives me nuts. I could probably get past this if the game is REALLY good, but keep that in mind. It's weird because Adol in Ys: OiF (which is visually fairly similar) is animated just fine.
- Valkyrie Profile: Don't know much about it. Good visuals, but I've heard there's a time limit thing, which concerns me.

If you have other suggestions, be my guest! Just remember I already played all the usual suspects (Final Fantasy, Chrono Trigger, Vagrant Story, Dragon Quest, etc).
 

Peroroncino

Member
Well if you've already played the ususal suspects, then definitely go with Xenogears. Great story and adventure awaits.
 
IDGAF about Trails, but the rest are all excellent choices.

Valkyrie Profile I'd suggest playing on hard, but with a guide. It's the only way to get the most out of the game.
 

Dark_castle

Junior Member
They're all great, but the stand out are Xenogears and Suikoden 2. In fact, these two are must plays for all JRPG lovers, so get on em'!

Anyways if you want reasons, Xenogears for its impeccable story and characters, Suikoden 2 for the pretty much the same reason. Xenogears had better gameplay but Suikoden 2 is one of its kind.
 

heringer

Member
Well if you've already played the ususal suspects, then definitely go with Xenogears. Great story and adventure awaits.
Well, mostly the higher profile JRPG's. Maybe I haven't played some, name it anyway! :)

Live A Live.

(but if I really have to stick with your list, go for Valkyrie Profile)
Never heard of it! Tell me about it.

What was your last RPG, might impact my suggestion.

Hmm, I think it was Final Fantasy IX? It's my least favorite Final Fantasy (yeah, I know).
 

Ouroboros

Member
Star Ocean 2 or VP.

I enjoyed SO2 better, but VP has a very strong fanbase and I'm pretty sure everyone will say VP > SO2.
 
Grandia 2, Breath of Fire 4, Star Ocean 2 & Suikoden 2 are all great choices

Grandia 2 & Star Ocean 2 have fantastic battle systems (though neither has a story as good as their predecessor), so if you want something that'll keep you on your toes, go with one of them.
BOF4 is fantastic, though nowhere near as good as BOF3 (which I assume you've played?)
Suikoden 2 is, as you're no doubt aware, overall considered the best game on your list. Doesn't do anything fantastically different, but delivers very well on everything.

Are you interested in SRPG's?
 

kamineko

Does his best thinking in the flying car
Some good things to choose from.

Don't force yourself to play Suikoden II if you don't like it, but give it enough time to be sure. It's a GOAT-tier game
 
I know Suikoden 2 gets a lot of praise, but when I tried to play it on Vita, everytime I booted it up I would have bought idea where to go next.

No quest markers, I spent like six hours wandering around and accidentally over levelling myself
 

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Fuck .. OP That's a *VERY* solid list.

I'll recommend my 3 in order but honestly they're all games worth playing. You won't be at a loss with any single one of them.


- Xenogears
It's a timeless classic. The final stretch will feel rushed but the game is amazing. A unique battle style too.

- Trails in the Sky
Huge game, excellent protagonists and great dialogue. Also will set you up for the sequels and the greater Trails of... series. It did for me.

- Grandia 2
Excellent stand alone game. Don't get swayed by the number 2, this is standalone. Great story. Great (?) voice acting. It has both the voice actors for Liquid Snake and Col. Campbell. Worth playing it for that fact alone.


If you can't find any one of the 3, swap with Valkyrie Profile. But if you get the opportunity to, keep all those games in your bucket list, you will absolutely love all of them.
 

heringer

Member
Grandia 2, Breath of Fire 4, Star Ocean 2 & Suikoden 2 are all great choices

Grandia 2 & Star Ocean 2 have fantastic battle systems (though neither has a story as good as their predecessor), so if you want something that'll keep you on your toes, go with one of them.
BOF4 is fantastic, though nowhere near as good as BOF3 (which I assume you've played?)
Suikoden 2 is, as you're no doubt aware, overall the best game on your list.

Are you interested in SRPG's?

I love SRPG's! I think I exausted most of what I wanted to play in the genre though. I do have Front Mission 3 in my backlog.

I have not played BOF3, no. Actually, never played any of them. Isn't this the one with the botched translation?
 
Breath of Fire IV is fucking awesome, but I also very much enjoyed Star Ocean 2. You can't go wrong there.

Have you played Golden Sun? If not then you should someday, that game is also great.
 

shark sandwich

tenuously links anime, pedophile and incels
Xenogears is the best of that list IMO.

It has easily the biggest, most ambitious story ever told in a JRPG. Second disc was disappointing (basically you do a lot of reading in place of exploration/cutscenes). But even so, its a meaty 60-hour game with absolutely zero filler. So it's nothing like, say, Final Fantasy XV where it feels like half the content got cut out and you spend all your time doing stupid busywork.

It also has an incredible soundtrack by Yasunori Mitsuda - same guy who did Chrono Trigger.
 

Rymuth

Member
Well, mostly the higher profile JRPG's. Maybe I haven't played some, name it anyway! :)


Never heard of it! Tell me about it.



Hmm, I think it was Final Fantasy IX? It's my least favorite Final Fantasy (yeah, I know).
I tend to change the type of gameplay with each subsequent game. Helps cleanse the palette and avoid getting burned.

As you've come from a turn based RPG (set in medieval times) I'd say go for Star Ocean 2. Unique battle system, multiple ending/very light dating sim mechanics, scifi story. Should be a far cry from the game you came from.
 

jon bones

hot hot hanuman-on-man action
Man I wish some of these would be available on iOS - wouldn't mind some nonFF/DQ jrpgs on my phone.
 

heringer

Member
Thanks for the very helpful suggestion guys, keep them coming!

Breath of Fire IV, Grandia II, Golden Sun, and you can get a repro of Terranigma.

Breath of Fire IV is fucking awesome, but I also very much enjoyed Star Ocean 2. You can't go wrong there.

Have you played Golden Sun? If not then you should someday, that game is also great.

Actually, I almost put Golden Sun on the list. It definitely interests me!
 

heringer

Member
I tend to change the type of gameplay with each subsequent game. Helps cleanse the palette and avoid getting burned.

As you've come from a turn based RPG (set in medieval times) I'd say go for Star Ocean 2. Unique battle system, multiple ending/very light dating sim mechanics, scifi story. Should be a far cry from the game you came from.

Interesting perspective. I'll keep that in mind!

Man I wish some of these would be available on iOS - wouldn't mind some nonFF/DQ jrpgs on my phone.

Have you tried Chaos Rings 3? It's pretty good.
 

cireza

Member
I haven't seen any console restriction, so I would recommend :

Phantasy Star IV : great SF story, game has a fast pacing, battle are not too long, yet interesting. Great story and characters, very nice graphics (especially the battle animation). Truly a master piece in terms of SF RPG, at least in my opinion.

Shining Force III : the game is pretty easy. The story is great, complicated with a lot of things happening. Political subjects. Very entertaining. Battles are fun and have a good variety. Great soundtrack and graphics overall, especially for 1997.

Lunar Eternal Blue (Sega-CD) : story driven game. Great characters and sequences add to the story. Explore a huge world and lively towns. Pretty close to Grandia in terms of "feel" of the game, but I preferred Lunar EB a lot. Impressive graphics and soundtrack for 94.
 
Suikoden 2 is short, and amazing. It's one of only two games to make me cry. Granted I was a kid at the time but still. I honestly don't think I've ever been more emotionally invested in an rpg.
 

shark sandwich

tenuously links anime, pedophile and incels
After Xenogears, my second choice would be Star Ocean 2. It has a really slow start, but it has a really fun battle system, great music, and a huge cast of crazy characters who are all fun to use in battle.

Might want to use a guide as a couple of the best characters are very easy to miss.
 
Thanks for this thread Op. Very timely, as I am considering playing an older jrpg too, with some of the same games on my shortlist as yours.
Very interested to read peoples suggestions.
 

heringer

Member
Thanks for this thread Op. Very timely, as I am considering playing an older jrpg too, with some of the same games on my shortlist as yours.
Very interested to read peoples suggestions.

Cool man. Let us know your pick when you decide. I still can't make up my mind, heh.
 

Misterhbk

Member
Grandia II has by far the best battle system of the games you listed. It's also pretty dark in tone which I loved. I'd go with that one.
 

kromeo

Member
Xenogears has a great story but it feels very clunky now even for a ps1 game, the menus in particular are horrible. Go for it if that doesn't bother you. Personally I'd recommend all those games you've listed except for Trails in the Sky

Grandia 2 is a a pretty straightforward story but it has a kind of Skies of Arcadia style lighthearted charm to it with the character interactions in between the serious bits, and the combat is great. I think I slightly preferred the first game though
 

Rad-

Member
Suikoden 2 really is the stand out game in that list so I'm just going to recommend it. In my opinion it belongs to the masterpiece level JRPGs a la FFVI, FFVII, Chrono Trigger etc. Good story, good battle system, good characters, good music. It doesn't really have any major flaws. Oh and it delivers dem FEELS.
 

10k

Banned
Xenogears is my favourite of that last but it definitely falls apart on disc 2. Great setting and battle system though.

Star Ocean 2 is probably Star Ocean in its prime along with 3.
 

kromeo

Member
And if you have any way of playing it I would really recommend Shadow Hearts Covenant, probably my favourite non-FF jrpg
 

Taruranto

Member
- Grandia 2
- Xenogears
- Breath of Fire 4
- Star Ocean 2 (PSP)
- Suikoden 2
- Trails in the Sky
- Valkyrie Profile

They are all good expect SO2 which it's terrible.

Xenogears and VP are the best in there. I would go with Gears personally.

Did you play Suikoden 1 before 2? Also Tits, you'll probably want to start SC immediately after. BoF4 is good, but not as good as the others.
 
They are all good expect SO2 which it's terrible.

Xenogears and VP are the best in there. I would go with Gears personally.

Did you play Suikoden 1 before 2? Also Tits, you'll probably want to start SC immediately after. BoF4 is good, but not as good as the others.

Star Ocean 2 is terrible? What kind of crazy notion is this?

SO2 is easily my favorite in the entire series, and even among other people, it's generally well-regarded.
 
I love SRPG's! I think I exausted most of what I wanted to play in the genre though. I do have Front Mission 3 in my backlog.

I have not played BOF3, no. Actually, never played any of them. Isn't this the one with the botched translation?

BOF2 is the one with the botched localisation (there's a translation patch available online, it's a great game, though rather unforgiving with random battles).

BOF3 is, imo, by far the strongest of the series. It has one of my favourite video game stories ever. Whenever I replay it I find myself amazed at how well crafted the ostensibly generic plot was.
Add to this an interesting fusion system for the MC, my favourite roster of characters in any rpg ever - all of which have their own "moments" in the game and are not overlooked, a Master system allowing you to basically manipulate characters growth to your own preference and an incredible soundtrack, you end up with one of the finest games ever made. PSP version is the preference as it fixes some bugs and annoyances in the original game.

SRPG wise, I'd recommend Vandal Hearts 1 and Vanguard Bandits on the PSX. Both have fun stories, and vanguard bandits even branches depending on your actions.

I should also mention Shining Force 3 S1-S3 on the saturn, which I consider the greatest SRPG ever - three scenarios connected together to tell a grand story, with saves migratable between the three.
Parts 2 & 3 are import only, but have translation patches available.
This one would be a bit tough for you to play, as you'd have to import 2 of the games, rip them, apply patches & emulate. Just mentioning it because of the sheer quality of the game and in case you're experienced with emulation.
If you want to give it a bash, the reasons I like it so much are:
-It's the most fun I've ever had in an srpg - the perfect blend of a great story and a great battle system.
-all characters are "story" based with no custom characters, which for me makes them far more relatable
-level ups that make sense and don't rely on garbage RNG
-fun classes and weapons
-fully explorable towns
-fun secrets
-tombs. basically SF3 has some maps with a tomb in them, and bandits will try to raid them for items - you have a decision to make as to whether to split some characters off to beat them to the treasure, which makes the main fight more satisfying as you have to make an assessment as to who you can spare for however long the tomb takes to clear without losing the level.

And this doesn't even get into the cool ways in which the three scenarios work together, as different decisions in earlier games will result in changes in later scenarios, and parts of the games take place at the same time, letting you see the same situation from a differen point of view.
 

Famassu

Member
Out of those, either Suikoden 2, Valkyrie Profile or Trails in the Sky.

Suikoden 2 if you like some tragedy, war-mongering & politics, Valkyrie Profile if you want something a bit different (from a story/game structure & gameplay POV) and Trails in the Sky if you want an enjoyable adventure that has a bit of a "good saturday cartoon"-y vibe going on. It's a slow-burner and has some cliches that might seem off-putting at first, but if you stick with it the likable cast of characters can grow on you if you don't find the style too off-putting.
 

Nose Master

Member
Trails. Don't bother with cold steel, though.

Suikoden 2 really doesn't pick up until you get your base, really. Which is ten or so hours in.
 

bendeboy

Neo Member
Don't know if it's a usual suspect (I think it is), but Lufia 2 is my pick. That game just struck a chord. combat is pretty simple, but they mix in elements from zelda and pokemon very well. It's long which I love and one of a handful of games that never got boring anywhere for me from start to finish.
 
I've played all of those except Grandia 2 and I'd say Suikoden 2 is the best. It might help if you play the original Suikoden first, it's a nice warmup to the main attraction and I think you get a bit more out of 2 if you've played the original.

Xenogears would be my second pick. The battle system is kind of crappy, but the story (although slow text and a shoddy translation bring it down a bit) world, and music are all top notch. The 2nd disc isn't as bad as its reputation suggests. It's unfortunate that it had to come to that, but I don't think it's a deal breaker.
 
I'd go for Xenogears personally. If you have ever read a book on philosophy or theology, studied philosophy/theology or even just have a basic understanding of the subjects then the story is seriously let down due to the archetypal anime nonsense but overall is an enjoyable game with good characters, good gameplay and looks good, with a story that is better than most JRPGS or anime and more ambitious than most. This is a game I'd have liked to have played as a young teen when it first came out so I could have been interested in more of the story.

I thought Suikoden 2 was massively overhyped, gameplay isn't all that great and political rumblings that everyone raves about are extremely weak, oh and a plot twist that you see coming from miles away as it is done to death. If you actually enjoy political drama and expect it to be even close to that genre due to peoples hype about that in the game you will be massively disappointed.

If JRPG's are your thing though you can't really go wrong with any of them, they are all pretty meaty with Trails and Xenogears being the longest.
 

Powerpuff

Member
BOF2 is the one with the botched localisation (there's a translation patch available online).

BOF3 is, imo, by far the strongest of the series. It has one of my favourite video game stories ever. Whenever I replay it I find myself amazed at how well crafted the ostensibly generic plot was.
Add to this an interesting fusion system for the MC, my favourite roster of characters in any rpg ever - all of which have their own "moments" in the game and are not overlooked, a Master system allowing you to basically manipulate characters growth to your own preference and an incredible soundtrack, you end up with one of the finest games ever made.

SRPG wise, I'd recommend Vandal Hearts 1 and Vanguard Bandits on the PSX. Both have fun stories, and vanguard bandits even branches depending on your actions.

I should also mention Shining Force 3 S1-S3, which I consider the greatest SRPG ever - three scenarios connected together to tell a grand story, with saves migratable between the three.
Parts 2 & 3 are import only, but have translation patches available.
This one would be a bit tough for you to play, as you'd have to import 2 of the games, rip them, apply patches & emulate. Just mentioning it because of the sheer quality of the game and in case you're experienced with emulation.
If you want to give it a bash, the reasons I like it so much are:
-It's the most fun I've ever had in an srpg - the perfect blend of a great story and a great battle system.
-all characters are "story" based with no custom characters, which for me makes them far more relatable
-level ups that make sense and don't rely on garbage RNG
-fun classes and weapons
-fully explorable towns
-fun secrets
-tombs. basically SF3 has some maps with a tomb in them, and bandits will try to raid them for items - you have a decision to make as to whether to split some characters off to beat them to the treasure, which makes the main fight more satisfying as you have to make an assessment as to who you can spare for however long the tomb takes to clear without losing the level.

And this doesn't even get into the cool ways in which the three scenarios work together, as different decisions in earlier games will result in changes in later scenarios, and parts of the games take place at the same time, letting you see the same situation from a differen point of view.

Breath of Fire 3 is a better game than the 4. The story and the cast of characters are good and well written and its system is pretty solid. BOF4 is an average and pleasant game to play: its visual identity is very nice but its story and cast are a let down compared to the previous episodes in the series and less engaging. If you have to choose between the 3 and the 4, BOF4 is better in its graphics, BOF3 is better in all the rest.

BOF3 is probably the best entry point in the series as it is solid and deep and still pleasant to play today. However if you can pass some system archaisms and enjoy a retro experience, I would suggest you the second episode which remains the best in the series to me and one of the best JRPG ever. BOF2 is bad in its English translation but very well written in the structure of its story. It is a perfect mix of epic and dramatic, especially in the fate of its characters which are all well developed and interesting to follow. BOF2 offers some varied and original situations to play which makes the game always feel fresh all your progression long.
For a better Breath of Fire 2 experience, I would suggest you its fan English retranslation and enhancement hack. http://www.romhacking.net/translations/1384/
 

zelhawks37

Member
Those are some solid picks! Between them, Id have to go with either Star Ocean 2, Xenogears, or Trails.

Star Ocean 2 has amazing combat and a nice story. Its pretty difficult especially on the harder settings but a really fun old school game.

Xenogears has the deepest story and it has nice pacing. The second disc isnt a huge deal imo, but you can tell that they changed the storytelling right away.

Trails is a slow grind in story and combat, but stick with it and you will not regret it. Loved the characters, especially the main character Estelle. An amazing game and the sequel is even better!

All three have an amazing soundtrack though. Overall, you cant go wrong with any of the ones you listed, so whichever you choose, it should be a nice gaming experience.
 

heringer

Member
BOF2 is the one with the botched localisation (there's a translation patch available online, it's a great game, though rather unforgiving with random battles).

BOF3 is, imo, by far the strongest of the series. It has one of my favourite video game stories ever. Whenever I replay it I find myself amazed at how well crafted the ostensibly generic plot was.
Add to this an interesting fusion system for the MC, my favourite roster of characters in any rpg ever - all of which have their own "moments" in the game and are not overlooked, a Master system allowing you to basically manipulate characters growth to your own preference and an incredible soundtrack, you end up with one of the finest games ever made. PSP version is the preference as it fixes some bugs and annoyances in the original game.

SRPG wise, I'd recommend Vandal Hearts 1 and Vanguard Bandits on the PSX. Both have fun stories, and vanguard bandits even branches depending on your actions.

I should also mention Shining Force 3 S1-S3 on the saturn, which I consider the greatest SRPG ever - three scenarios connected together to tell a grand story, with saves migratable between the three.
Parts 2 & 3 are import only, but have translation patches available.
This one would be a bit tough for you to play, as you'd have to import 2 of the games, rip them, apply patches & emulate. Just mentioning it because of the sheer quality of the game and in case you're experienced with emulation.
If you want to give it a bash, the reasons I like it so much are:
-It's the most fun I've ever had in an srpg - the perfect blend of a great story and a great battle system.
-all characters are "story" based with no custom characters, which for me makes them far more relatable
-level ups that make sense and don't rely on garbage RNG
-fun classes and weapons
-fully explorable towns
-fun secrets
-tombs. basically SF3 has some maps with a tomb in them, and bandits will try to raid them for items - you have a decision to make as to whether to split some characters off to beat them to the treasure, which makes the main fight more satisfying as you have to make an assessment as to who you can spare for however long the tomb takes to clear without losing the level.

And this doesn't even get into the cool ways in which the three scenarios work together, as different decisions in earlier games will result in changes in later scenarios, and parts of the games take place at the same time, letting you see the same situation from a differen point of view.

Breath of Fire 3 is a better game than the 4. The story and the cast of characters are good and well written and its system is pretty solid. BOF4 is an average and pleasant game to play: its visual identity is very nice but its story and cast are a let down compared to the previous episodes in the series and less engaging. If you have to choose between the 3 and the 4, BOF4 is better in its graphics, BOF3 is better in all the rest.

BOF3 is probably the best entry point in the series as it is solid and deep and still pleasant to play today. However if you can pass some system archaisms and enjoy a retro experience, I would suggest you the second episode which remains the best in the series to me and one of the best JRPG ever. BOF2 is bad in its English translation but very well written in the structure of its story. It is a perfect mix of epic and dramatic, especially in the fate of its characters which are all well developed and interesting to follow. BOF2 offers some varied and original situations to play which makes the game always feel fresh all your progression long.
For a better Breath of Fire 2 experience, I would suggest you its fan English retranslation and enhancement hack. http://www.romhacking.net/translations/1384/

Ok, I have switched BOF4 for BOF3 in my list. Still leaning more towards other games, but I've read that the story in the game covers many years, like Dragon Quest V? That's a big plus to me, as I love timeskips.
 

Lothar

Banned
Xenogears definitely. It has perhaps the best story in gaming, characters with depth that you care about, one of the best soundtracks, a unique and cool fighting system, and charming graphics. The 2nd CD is totally fine. It's missing a few dungeons. The last thing I wanted to do at that point was play more dungeons. I've replayed the 2nd CD more than I've replayed the 1st.

Ranking

Xenogears

Suikoden 2. It's a fine game but if you're playing that, you're mostly playing it for the story, and that's not in the league of Xenogears. I preferred Suikoden 1.

Trails of the Sky. I only played this for about 20 hours so far. I'm still playing it. It's nice. There's a unique relaxing pace and atmosphere. Very fun characters with a ton of personality. Great music. I'm not too much of a fan of the gameplay though. It's too easy on normal and it's just tedious on hard.

Star Ocean 2. This is a terrible game. The story, characters, dialogue, world, towns, and music are so unremarkable. Battles aren't really fun at all. They consist of pressing X a lot. You can honestly look away and surf the internet during battles and win them just by pressing attack over and over. The other characters heal you when you get hurt. I swear that when a battle started, I often took out my phone and played on it while I tapped X with my other hand until the battle ended. Even for bosses. It felt like they didn't even try with SO2. The setting is incredibly disappointing and ordinary and bland for a game called Star Ocean.

I didn't and won't play Breath of Fire 4 because I didn't like Breath of Fire 3 much. There was nothing special about it. Everything was just okay. And the countless awful forced mini games made me want to die.

Now for retro games you may have missed. I think the following are all excellent and must be played by anyone that likes RPGs. Earthbound, Lufia 2, Lunar: SSSC, Lunar: Eternal Blue, Parasite Eve. If you want Action RPGs, Secret of Mana, Adventures of Mana, Illusion of Gaia, and Terranigma are all great. Shining Force 2 and Vandal Hearts if you want Strategy RPGs.
 
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