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[Neoleo2143]

The game pulls out all the stops in from the high level of how the overall world is presented to the low level of the dialogue.

The Line by Line dialogue is bar-none the best in a JRPG. Every line, text box and sound effect were considered to grant the best effect they could. And the result is that many characters are incredibly charismatic and unusually detailed despite many of the characters you fight having brief dialogue. Every piece of dialogue does something. And that's so valuable and incredibly rare, especially for videogames.

The chapter structure lends a natural pacing throughout the game that is absolutely and naturally filled with variety, from mystery stories to tension-filled tournaments. This keeps the story fresh constantly but it provides many ways to throw new mechanics and constantly mix up the situations that the player has to face in gameplay. Thus, the player is seldom likely to be bored from either angle of gameplay or narrative and the way the battle system is presented ties them both in a cohesive and clever manner.

The battle system's presentation itself as a stage play is extremely clever and many situations in the game provide twists on the formula as needed and helps to make every situation that much more convincing.

The mystery of Rogueport and how it unravels is a great tale as it grows increasingly screwed up as you learn more about the dark undersides of the world which contrast well with the clever and ever witty dialogue.

To be cliche, TTYD is the closest I've ever gotten to seeing a Shakespeare comedy in videogame form.

 

[EVA UNIT 01]

OP got it.
Every point on there.
And what really cements it is that a game with that story would never get made in todays scene.
The budget and the concepts would be rejected by any publisher today.
Crowdfunding would be the only possibility.

 

[Kevdo]

For me Tales of Symphonia is always gonna be up there as a compelling example of JRPG storytelling. It comes from a time before Tales games started overly relying on anime tropes (they were still there but now it's just waaaaay more prevalent) and had decent writing. I'll break down my thoughts based on the categories OP outlined:

The Plot - Symphonia does a good job of scaling up the story and the stakes as it goes along. It's pretty common for JRPGs to have a "hidden" villain, and the premise of the adventure that you start is usually pretty different from the motivations and enemies you discover along the way, but I really like the way Symphonia handled it. It's not like the first half of the game is completely unrelated to the "real" antagonist, and nothing gets shoehorned in unnaturally -

Spoiler

before you even realize that Mithos even exists or what his motivations are, you're already playing the parts that he engineered you to play, and the progression of the story is all about learning how to subvert his machinations and free the two worlds from Mithos' plan.

It's a story steeped in themes of racism, abuse, and family; and yes, you do "save the world", the stakes are cliche, but it's not your typical "I'm going to destroy everything!" plot.

The Dialogue - It's been a few years since I've replayed this (for the who knows how many'th time lol) so I could just be remembering in rosy tones, but I don't recall ever thinking any of the dialogue was unrealistic, poorly written, or unnatural. Characters interact well with each other, speak like normal people, and outline realistic thought processes. Nothing like Elize in Tales of Xilia spouting nonsense like basically

Spoiler

"wait when I act like a spoiled bitch it hurts people? OH I never realized!"

. I guess in the end without replaying all I can really say is that as far as I remember the dialogue is serviceable and not bad.

The Characters - The main party of Symphonia are all pretty much caricatures you've probably seen dozens of times over - the innocent "I wanna save the world!" hero, the clumsy childhood friend, the nutty professor, the womanizer, the soulless child, etc. The're not breaking ground in the qualities that define the main cast, but at the very least they're not overbearing in their portrayals and every single member of the party grows and learns as you go along. They're not defined by their obvious tropes, and are all endearing people with more stakes in the outcome of their adventure than the player at first realizes. In particular, though,

Spoiler

Mithos

as a villain displays a lot more depth than I've seen in most JRPGs I've played. In many ways he's sympathetic, and it's easy to understand the reasons he has for what he's doing. If he had only met the right people, he could have been one of the good guys all long. He also makes for a great foil to Lloyd, the main protagonist; at the end, when

Spoiler

Mithos says "Farewell, my shadow: you who stand at the end of the path I chose not to follow. I don't regret my choice."

...damn, that's some shivers right there.

The World - In a lot of ways the Symphonia world is pretty standard JRPG world fare, environment-wise. You got your desert, your snow area, a forest, etc. At first glance, nothing too special, but where the "world" category shines is in that

Spoiler

it's actually two worlds. The dynamic of two parallel worlds that feed off each other in cycles of power like waxing and waning makes for some very interesting and realistic reactions between people of those two different worlds. While one side is prospering, the other is declining, and the dispositions of those in both worlds are very much influenced by that status quo. The plot begins with the main characters trying to set their world towards prosperity (without even realizing that there's another world or that it will suffer because of their actions). Understandably, those in the other world who are aware of the dynamic are not particularly happy or trustful.

It's a great way to create drama and contrast between different characters, and in that way the world itself is a pretty compelling plot point.

The Mood - Being a more or less standard anime-ish JRPG, the overall tone of the game is, for the most part, pretty light. It does have some heavy moments, and some fairly dark subplots, but generally it's fairly palatable. It never gets overtly heavyhanded, though a few characters allude to uncharacteristically dark backstories. I suppose for the most part I'd simply say that the mood and atmosphere are easily digestible.

So in summary I'd say that despite some cliche anime tropes and standard JRPG fare, the plot, characters, and worldbuilding of Tales of Symphonia make for a very compelling and worthwhile story experience. It has likable characters that learn and grow, a believable and sympathetic villain, a plot with unexpected twists and turns, a world full of real problems and contentions that makes you want to actually save it and make it a better place. For those reasons it remains one of my favorite JRPG stories and one that I come back to from time to time.

 

[Robert at Zeboyd Games]

Not necessarily the best story, but it's hard to beat Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter for cutscene direction and its use of music to support the story beats.

 

[casiopao]

Infinite Space.

Not only it is one of a few game which really picture Grand Space Opera story on such huge scale, it also had such huge world with tons of characters and battle ship which is develop with each planet/nation special focus.

The stories also spread toward two arc which really flesh the MC as not only character growth, age progression and time progression also happen.

It is easily one of the best stories in Jrpg especially if you are huge Space Opera fans like me.^^

 

[Strings]

Man, this is tough... But I'd probably go with FFT: War of the Lions.

Mostly because the line to line writing is so strong, and the dialogue severely outclasses just about everything else. Though it is short on 'fantastical ideas', which I really dig in my JRPGs.

EDIT: Other highlights would be stuff like Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door (the AI falling in love with captive Peach is such a perfect development), Xenogears (basically the opposite of FFT - some slapdash execution, but loaded with interesting ideas), Earthbound...

 

[Fou-Lu]

I do agree with both choices in the OP. Xenogears and Chrono Cross have great stories. The other game that immediately comes to mind for me is Mother 3.

Mother 3 has possibly the most emotional story in gaming, it will destroy you and uplift you again and again. It's told in a way very different from most games, the episodic structure and the various point of view characters weave a complex tale and give you strong connections to every person in the world of Mother 3. It's a game that can make you feel for the plight of an item that in any other game would just be your standard grappling hook. It stands alone incredibly well, yet connects to Earthbound in ways that a fan will not only appreciate but be surprised by.

Mother 3 is powerful.

The Plot - It comes together beautifully and everything is connected. It has something to say about coming of age, about grief, about consumerism and happiness and many other things.

The Dialogue - Probably some of the best written and funniest dialogue ever written in a game.

The Characters - As I said, even your grappling hook is a memorable character. That just goes to show how memorable every character is.

The World - It's beautiful, it's mysterious, it's well realized.

The Mood - It is whimsical and dark in equal parts. One of the few truly mature games I have ever played.

 

[Zap Rowsdower]

I also want to give a shoutout to Koudelka, the first in the Shadow Hearts series, because while Nier has rather grown out of its lesser known cult status thanks to Automata, Koudelka is still fairly forgotten even among people who've heard of Shadow Hearts which itself is rather forgotten.

Koudelka is still really unique among JRPGs even today. The game is influenced heavily by Gothic horror; it's set during the 1890's in a monastery in the Welsh hills. The protagonist, Koudelka Iasant, is a bitter and world-weary Roma woman with physic powers drawn to the monastery on Halloween night by a mysterious voice pleading for her help. Once she enters the monastery she's attacked by monsters and eventually meets two other people drawn to the monastery, Edward Plunkett, a spoiled British aristocrat looking for treasure and women, and Father James O' Flaherty, a scholarly and pious Irish bishop.

What makes the three of them really unique as JRPG parties go is that none of them can stand each other all at first, i.e. both Koudelka and James consider Edward to be nothing more than a rakish buffoon while James is completely appalled at Koudelka's outspoken atheism and Koudelka in turn is disgusted by what she sees as James' blind faith. They only work together out of sheer necessity and survival as they battle their way through the monster infested monastery and begin to uncover its dark past. Through the course of the game they eventually begin to all understand each other and get to the point where they treat each other like friends, even though none of them would readily admit it. All three are just well done, fleshed out characters.

It also has surprisingly great voice-acting for a PS1 game, even on par with the likes of Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen/Soul Reaver and MGS1. This is because the devs got English VAs to voice the game from the start and they all recorded together. Koudelka telling Edward about her past is probably the standout scene of the whole game when it comes to the writing and voice-acting.

The tone is fantastic, being oppressively bleak but also very human and mature in a good way. Koudelka and pals run into some screwed up stuff and they themselves are rather screwed up, but ultimately the game is quite optimistic in the end.

The other Shadow Hearts games are all great games and they do have really nice writing, but they don't have the same maturity and strong character development that Koudelka had.

 

[BocoDragon]

Before I said this thread, I instinctively said Xenogears too.

It has solid interpersonal relations, as well as a sprawling backstory of the heroes reincarnated multiple times in multiple eras.

I should replay it.

 

[Taruranto]

I don't know, I can see why someone would call it one.

It has instanced encounters, levels, experience, items, sidequests, et cetera.

The only thing that's different is that the instanced encounters are brawler combat instead of being ATB, turn-based or whatever.

It definitely fits into the Action RPG (Raidou, Ys) umbrella, aesthetics don't make a game belong to a certain genre.

 

[Megalosaro]

Mother 3.

Emotional focused story about grieving.

 

[Kwame120]

Final Fantasy VI for me. Firstly, from my point of view FFVI has the best characters of any RPG I've played. They've all got depth, and the game manages to tie that depth into the plot of the story (without it seeming contrived), as well as their own sidequests in the second arc of the game. It doesn't only have that however, it also has a great plot, world, mood, and dialogue. Even better, they all fit together. The themes of friendship and love are felt throughout the entire game, and it's their acceptance that allows the plot to be resolved. The mood of the second arc fits perfectly, and again ties into our themes, leading to a satisfying resolution. While I may prefer Xenoblade for its plot and lore (I'm a sucker for philosophical themes), and it's characters (mainly Melia as my avatar betrays, but the others are pretty fun), in terms of sidequests and tying the whole package together, FFVI has it beat.

 

[TurboKiller]

Between Xenogears (even with the second disc!) and Vagrant Story for me.

 

[OuterLimits]

No love for the Suikoden series in here? . Especially number 2 and 5 in my opinion. Great stories with political shenanigans and fairly good plot twists. Even the trinity system in Suikoden 3 was an interesting experiment, although it had flaws. Only real clunker in the series in regards to story was Suikoden 4.

Plus Suikoden 2 still has one of the best villains ever.

 

[pbayne]

The World Ends with You

Its actual story is never overly complex but is littered with lots of little mysteries to mull over while you play. Some of the twists are absolute gut punches without being cheap or overly tacky. Characters have development. They're not all overly unique but its appreciated that the whole main cast at least has a closed arc that makes sense. The villains are endlessly weird and entertaining. The dialogue really sparkles when the villains are involved. The message of opening yourself towards others maybe a bit cliche but hey it pulls it off well.

And the world and mood of the game is just one of a kind. Perfect integration of a real world setting and an iconic soundtrack that enhances the experience. And a battle/equipment system that actually has fully justified in world logic.

All the sums of its parts just com together perfectly for me.

Back up would be FF9. Lol though maybe i love it so much because in retrospect it was a very simple story that followed the absolute clusterfuck that was Final Fantasy 8.

 

[SMattera]

Suikoden 2.

I've played most of the classically great JRPGs, and it's the only one I'd say would have a decent chance of being adapted to a relatively interesting TV show, book, or movie.

Most of the characters are well developed and interesting, with complex motivations and back stories. For example, in most JRPGs, the main villain is evil because he/she is evil. Nothing more. Luca Blight is evil because

Spoiler

he watched his mom get gang raped in front of him at a young age

.

It also excels at world building. You get a sense that the story is taking place only within the narrow bounds of a specific area, and that's much more going on that you're not privy to. This gives it more of an epic feeling, as opposed to most JRPGs where, by the end of the game, you've explored the whole world and found it relatively small.

 

[Fisico]

I'm often puzzled reading names of JRPG from the 90's because every single game I didn't play back then and tried for the past decade just didn't catch me
I couldn't bother to play more than 5h of Grandia, the goofy dialogues, battle system and graphics were just too much
Suikoden II I went through most of it, it was an okayish game, no main default that I could think of, but no special quality either, in the end I just grow tired of it and didn't bother finish it despite being very close to the end.
Final Fantasy VI had amazing sequences that's for sure, but most of what was in between wasn't as good, the random encounter rate was horrible and I couldn't cross the 10h mark.
Chrono Trigger is a masterpiece on the graphic and and sound side, but in a similar fashion than FFVI it didn't catch me at all and 8h was all I could put in it.

It's probably nostalgia bias but the more straightforward Illusion of Time/Gaia is a game I can go back easily and the simple plot and dialogues always get me, it's also pretty linear which is something I tend to like more and more rather than having your typical huge empty areas, shitton of battles or dumb fetch quests that just break the flow of a plot imo.
Years later I didn't manage to enjoy Terranigma as much as I should have which is why I think I, and most likely many others, just have a big nostalgia bias when it comes to games from when we were teenagers or younger (it's probably even more obvious with me though).

It's odd because I still manage to finish and put dozen of hours in more recent games, good ones (SMTIV A, Pokemon X, Fire Emblem Awakening, Bravely Default) less good ones (One Way Heroics, Fantasy Life Tales of Zestiria, Child of Light, Trails of Cold Steel), very good ones (Oreshika, SMT IV) and still drop a few dissapointment along the way (Bravely Second, Persona Q, Fire Emblem Fates)

Although in all the games above I would struggle to even consider more than one as a contendant for "best story in a JRPG" (SMTIV), maybe twenty years ago I would have consider it as a masterpiece?

Thus I'm a bit afraid to try Vagrant Story, Xenogears or the two Shadow Hearts which I always thought were games that could go right into my alley from what I read.

Anyway not there to randomly bash everyone's favourite game (I did quote Illusion of Time/Gaia which is rarely mentionned as one of the top JRPG from the 90s), just a rant to wonder how well these games really aged and how much playing them at an age where our emotions are at their highest have an influence in our overall appreciation.

But back on topic I already named it multiple times, and will probably keep doing so for the years to come, but if it's one game that would be Baten Kaitos Origins which work tremendously well as a prequel of Baten Kaitos as it explains a lot of things that were barely hinted in the first game, manage to retcon perfectly a lot of things none would have imagined, and is tied to its sequel in many dramatics way that just make you sad as the one guiding the protagonists through the games.
It's also a plot where not everything is laid in front of you, there is no blatant exposition and to understand the whole thing you will need to pay attention, use your brain and connect the logical elements between them to get what happened to everyone what they did and how it got them there and where they will be in the next Baten Kaitos.

Spoiler

Guess what? I was 17 when I played it

 

[Zap Rowsdower]

Thus I'm a bit afraid to try Vagrant Story, Xenogears or the two Shadow Hearts which I always thought were games that could go right into my alley from what I read.

You should really play Shadow Hearts: Covenant, its one of the best JRPGs ever made that barely anyone played, but anyone who has usually lauds it as such. I also have no childhood nostalgia for it because I played it years after it came out. It's the same with FF6 and Chrono Trigger, they're some of my favorite games and I never played them as a kid.

 

[Murdamonk]

No love for the Suikoden series in here? . Especially number 2 and 5 in my opinion. Great stories with political shenanigans and fairly good plot twists. Even the trinity system in Suikoden 3 was an interesting experiment, although it had flaws. Only real clunker in the series in regards to story was Suikoden 4.

Plus Suikoden 2 still has one of the best villains ever.

Yes, i will have to go Suikoden 2. The deep story, the twist and the greatest antagonist in a jrpg. Cruel and ruthless! He is the true face of evil.

I don't know if there is an antagonist that is in the same league as Luca Blight.

 

[isamu]

I really need to play Suikoden 2 one of these days. I don't suppose Konami has said anything regarding a possible Steam release, have they?

 

[Svejk]

Ha! I was gonna say Xenogears too.

 

[Robert at Zeboyd Games]

Thus I'm a bit afraid to try Vagrant Story, Xenogears or the two Shadow Hearts which I always thought were games that could go right into my alley from what I read.

Be warned, Xenogears is one of the least interactive RPGs of the era. I love it and all, but there are huge stretches where you don't do much besides read text and watch cutscenes and it gets even worse once you switch to the 2nd disk.

 

[SolVanderlyn]

Yes, i will have to go Suikoden 2. The deep story, the twist and the greatest antagonist in a jrpg. Cruel and ruthless! He is the true face of evil.

I don't know if there is an antagonist that is in the same league as Luca Blight.

Suikoden III one-ups Luca.

REAL SPOILERS.

Spoiler

All they did was take the a away. Luc is a fantastic villain you don't see coming at all. Minor character in S1 and S2, MAIN VILLAIN IN S3? WHAT?

Suikoden would be next on my list for greatest story. I wrote all about the strengths of its worldbuilding here.

 

[Magusx]

For me it's Xenogears no contest.

 

[LordYeezus]

Funny how ppl say Xenogears is "hard to play" or "hasn't aged well". I played it recently and had no problems at all. It was just a blast all the way through.

 

[Vincent Grayson]

A dark, mature, political thriller involving a super spy in a fantasy world that deals with a cult, sacrifices, and mind blowing twists. Ashley Riot is a badass, Sydney is one of the best antagonists of all time, and the flow of dialogue has only been matched by the likes of The Witcher 3.

Written and directed by the mind of Yasumi Matsuno - the creator of Ivalice, Final Fantasy Tactics, Tactics Ogre, Final Fantasy XII. Oh how even better FFXII would've been had he been allowed his original vision.

Even Vagrant Story had some significant cuts, IIRC.

 

[Talax]

That would be Shadow Hearts Covenant for me. It's like the ultimate balance between good mood/atmosphere and the actual plot. Plus I think the OST was really well placed in the scenes to give that extra edge to what's going on in the game's plot.

 

[Rad-]

I think it's Suikoden 2. Interesting political plot, diverse cast of characters, big plot twists and emotional endings. Oh and probably the best villain in any game.

 

[redcrayon]

I'll say of the games I've played, it is probably Dragon Quest V.

Just the structure of the narrative where you start out as the young son, see your father killed, grow up while enduring a life of slavery to the same people responsible for your father's death, to finally becoming the father and having your son be the legendary hero that everyone has been searching for all game. The way the game comes full circle in so many ways (especially if you aren't a heartless bastard and marry Bianca) is just really touching. And all of this is accomplished without any convoluted plot ideas or ridiculous leaps in logic or anything like that.

Yeah, DQV gets my vote too. Three generations of a family involved in an epic quest, plus the Sabrecat is probably my favourite game 'pet' ever. So many great moments of loss and triumph, it's one of the stories that's stayed with me, and I must have played 50+ JRPGs by now.

Suikoden II would be another one with great writing. The battle with Luca not being atop some magic fortress, just a

Spoiler

desperate gamble on a dirty ambush in the woods, aiming to assassinate the evil bastard. He's also not possessed by a supernatural force, just a total psychopath.

I love stuff like that.

 

[Adam Prime]

Really fun thread to read! All of my favorites have already been mentioned so I have nothing to add.

The DQV posts make me want to pick it up next. Still have to finish DQVIII first! Which has a pretty 'whatever' scenario, but lots of good writing and characters.

 

[BasilZero]

Final Fantasy IX


The characters, the plot in general, the setting and the music all go well together with the overall story.



The same can be said for Chrono Trigger and also Final Fantasy VI.

 

[jb1234]

Suikoden II has its share of epic moments but whenever I replay the game, I'm deeply impressed and moved by its characterizations, especially between the hero and his best friend, forced to fight against each other. Even more impressive is that this tightly woven melodrama comes through despite one of the worst translations of the PSX era.

 

[Taruranto]

Persona 2 is the game I feel delivered everything it set out to do and has no major story flaw, it's always a pleasure to re-play it because the amount of foreshadowing is insane (and goes as far as EP), the party's dynamics are good and the characters all develop nicely along the plot, no one is forgotten. Even the NPCs are good. Great themes and villains to boot (Maybe some of the best ever).

Gears is a fantastic of course, though the story has a lot of problems. Even without mentioning the CD2, a lot of characters are underdeveloped, the script contradicts some of the background material and even itself in the game and you have silly stuff like Chu-Chu. This said, the flaws don't take away from the story, but they are noticeable on replays. Also, I hate tournament arcs and the game has two. I replay it like once a year and the Aveh-Kislev segments are always a pain.

Xenosaga ep III is a favorite of mine, even if the trilogy's story is kinda of clusterfuck filled with bad choices, executive meddling and the list goes on. But hey, the ending still tears me up years later, and not just because Hepatica rocks.


Nier is pretty good. Honestly, I don't have any major issue with the story, maybe too much stuff is hidden in the official, extra-game stories, but it doesn't take away from the protagonist and his companions' journey. Kaine/Emil/Weiss really make the game, though.

Anachronox

Spoiler

yes, it's a JRPG

has probably the best dialogs.

 

[SolVanderlyn]

Suikoden II has its share of epic moments but whenever I replay the game, I'm deeply impressed and moved by its characterizations, especially between the hero and his best friend, forced to fight against each other. Even more impressive is that this tightly woven melodrama comes through despite one of the worst translations of the PSX era.

A remade Suikoden II would be a dream.

They'd have to do the first one too though (they connect together so well).

If I had to choose I'd rather they just finish the series though.

 

[silva1991]

Persona 4 for me.

the mystery and uniqueness of the plot and the twists. It's just unmatched.

 

[manzoman96]

Out of the ones I've played definitely Final Fantasy VII. Just a very layered story where all plot points are engaging. Avalanche vs Shinra, cloud vs sephiroth, dynamics within the party, the story of each town, mako and the lifestream, and more.

 

[Eccocid]

Breath Of Fire Dragon Quarter... I really loved the non super epic saved the world story in it. Characters felt real, there were no cliche anime dramas, there were no god wanna be evil guys. It was very condensed but impactful for me.

 

[BaasRed]

For me it has to be Bloodborne:

The Plot: Barely there, but it has interesting messaging and themes if you dig enough. Admittedly not it's strong suit.

The Dialogue: no dialogue exists in this game besides some cutscenes since the main character is silent, again a weak point of the game.

The Characters: Many amazing characters from the Doll and Gehrman to Gascoigne, Laurence, and Maria. I found Maria's motivations (OLD HUNTERS DLC SPOILERS)

Spoiler

hunting down the orphan of a God to ascend and conducting experiments quite interesting all up to her suicide due to the knowledge of her discovering all the research and people she killed in the village was for naught, especially interesting.

I like how every side character has some story to them.

The World: Yharnam is the only hell hole I will miss. Beautiful Victorian design comboed with beautiful aesthetics and horrific beasts make for my favorite nightmare.
The Fishing Hamlet/ Research Lab/ Astral Clocktower make for my favorite areas in the game thanks to the beautiful theme and how unique it was. Chills down my spine when I first entered the Fishing Hamlet man.

The Mood: Game keeps me on edge and maintains a vibe of unknown forces toying with you while you struggle and squirm around the beasts. The second half of the game is especially entertaining with its plethora of horror themes coming from Lovecraft looking horrors and Berserk designs. The high reliance on jump scares or monster closets are off putting, but ultimately the game manages to pay it's debts with many more worthwhile horrifying moments.

I'm excited for the new idea From Soft will explore next!

 

[Shahed]

Well that's just unfair OP. You've listed the two games I would have chosen.

While there's more games I've probably overlooked, and I might still be on the honeymoon period, one game that comes to mind really strong right now is Nier Automata. It might not have the best written story, the most believable or even likeable characters. What it nails though is execution, and how it tells it's story in a way that would only work in a game. It relies of the players familiarity with the medium, and then plays with their perception and defies the expectations players due to experience with games. It starts off pretty normal but the way it handles so called new game plus and extra plathroughs is masterful. The opening of the third run in particular is utter genius and one of my hallmark moments in any game I've ever played

 

[jb1234]

A remade Suikoden II would be a dream.

They'd have to do the first one too though (they connect together so well).

If I had to choose I'd rather they just finish the series though.

Yeah, given the choice, I'm with you. Finish the series over a remake. But they'd need good leadership and writers and I'm not convinced Konami has those anymore.

 

[Timeaisis]

I'm going with Final Fantasy IX. It might not be the most complex story, but it's well written, has great characterization (with charcter motivations!), and is very well paced.

I cannot say the same for most RPGs.

 

[Cloud7]

Xenogears is a fantastic choice, OP.

But I'm going to go with my game, Final Fantasy VII. I know that's an easy choice and I know that it's fun to hate it on the Internet. That's ok. I can live with that. The memories this game brought me will live forever.

This game features a main character going through an identity crisis which can be very relatable. This game also features a story that includes geopolitical terrorism and a corporation stealing a planet's natural resources and using them for greed which is actually one of the central plot points. The story hasn't aged a single bit. If you play it in 97 and play it in 2017, most of the themes are still relatable today and are a joy to go through. This is a basic overview of how I feel and not meant to be a deep dive but I simply believe that Final Fantasy VII is the greatest JRPG of all time. if I gotta "put up my flame shield" then so be it but it's my jam.

 

[Eila]

I would say Terranigma is the most grandiose. Being a SNES game and not being made by the top house at the time limits it somewhat but the whole concept is just so appealing to me. Don't want to give out too much of the story.

 

[GLAMr]

FFIX is the first thing that comes to mind for me. Characters were so endearing and interesting, and the story was a rollercoaster ride of fun. As a teenager, Zidane was the first FF main protagonist I could relate to. He was funny, passionate and into girls. All the protags before had seemed like stiff, heartless, wooden mannequins.

Spoiler

The ending scene where everybody thinks Zidane is dead then he reveals himself to Garnet in the middle of "I want to be your Canary" is a top 10 gaming moment for me.

I also give an honorable mention to BD for

Spoiler

how they use the camera to insert the player into the game at the end as a deity who brought the main character back to life to save the world

.

Also, that Lufia: Rise of the Sinestrals ending T_T

 

[SaniOYOYOY]

For me it has to be Bloodborne:

The Plot: Barely there, but it has interesting messaging and themes if you dig enough. Admittedly not it's strong suit.

The Dialogue: no dialogue exists in this game besides some cutscenes since the main character is silent, again a weak point of the game.

The Characters: Many amazing characters from the Doll and Gehrman to Gascoigne, Laurence, and Maria. I found Maria's motivations (OLD HUNTERS DLC SPOILERS)

Spoiler

hunting down the orphan of a God to ascend and conducting experiments quite interesting all up to her suicide due to the knowledge of her discovering all the research and people she killed in the village was for naught, especially interesting.

I like how every side character has some story to them.

The World: Yharnam is the only hell hole I will miss. Beautiful Victorian design comboed with beautiful aesthetics and horrific beasts make for my favorite nightmare.
The Fishing Hamlet/ Research Lab/ Astral Clocktower make for my favorite areas in the game thanks to the beautiful theme and how unique it was. Chills down my spine when I first entered the Fishing Hamlet man.

The Mood: Game keeps me on edge and maintains a vibe of unknown forces toying with you while you struggle and squirm around the beasts. The second half of the game is especially entertaining with its plethora of horror themes coming from Lovecraft looking horrors and Berserk designs. The high reliance on jump scares or monster closets are off putting, but ultimately the game manages to pay it's debts with many more worthwhile horrifying moments.

I'm excited for the new idea From Soft will explore next!

you, i like you. Soulsborne might not be an jrpg for some people but for it is for some peole(me) and damn if someone say this game has mediocre story.

I havent seen persona 3 come out yet, I dont know many people prefer 4's story rather than 3. for me, while persona 4 has one of the best casting in gameever, I prefer darker tone of 3

 

[Robert at Zeboyd Games]

I also want to give a shoutout to Koudelka, the first in the Shadow Hearts series, because while Nier has rather grown out of its lesser known cult status thanks to Automata, Koudelka is still fairly forgotten even among people who've heard of Shadow Hearts which itself is rather forgotten.

Koudelka is still really unique among JRPGs even today. The game is influenced heavily by Gothic horror; it’s set during the 1890's in a monastery in the Welsh hills. The protagonist, Koudelka Iasant, is a bitter and world-weary Roma woman with physic powers drawn to the monastery on Halloween night by a mysterious voice pleading for her help. Once she enters the monastery she's attacked by monsters and eventually meets two other people drawn to the monastery, Edward Plunkett, a spoiled British aristocrat looking for treasure and women, and Father James O' Flaherty, a scholarly and pious Irish bishop.

What makes the three of them really unique as JRPG parties go is that none of them can stand each other all at first, i.e. both Koudelka and James consider Edward to be nothing more than a rakish buffoon while James is completely appalled at Koudelka's outspoken atheism and Koudelka in turn is disgusted by what she sees as James' blind faith. They only work together out of sheer necessity and survival as they battle their way through the monster infested monastery and begin to uncover its dark past. Through the course of the game they eventually begin to all understand each other and get to the point where they treat each other like friends, even though none of them would readily admit it. All three are just well done, fleshed out characters.

It also has surprisingly great voice-acting for a PS1 game, even on par with the likes of Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen/Soul Reaver and MGS1. This is because the devs got English VAs to voice the game from the start and they all recorded together. Koudelka telling Edward about her past is probably the standout scene of the whole game when it comes to the writing and voice-acting.

The tone is fantastic, being oppressively bleak but also very human and mature in a good way. Koudelka and pals run into some screwed up stuff and they themselves are rather screwed up, but ultimately the game is quite optimistic in the end.

The other Shadow Hearts games are all great games and they do have really nice writing, but they don’t have the same maturity and strong character development that Koudelka had.

I really need to play this game sometime.

 

[poodaddy]

You nailed it OP, it doesn't get better than Xenogears.

I adore Chrono Chross, but I think I'd give the 2nd spot to FF Tactics if only because Chrono Chross's story is pretty convoluted and I'm not one of these people who believe stories that rely on purposeful obfuscation and the intent of convolution equals good writing. I adore Chrono Cross though for sure though. I also think that, despite being derived from a book in Japan, Parasite Eve's writing holds up quite well and is very maturely delivered and put together; much more so than the norm for the medium at the time.

 

[KZXcellent]

For me it has to be Persona 4

The Plot - The story of a group of teenagers learning to deal with the parts of themselves that they're ashamed of and try to ignore was gripping. Add to that a serial murder case in a small town and I was interested from the very start.

The Dialogue - As expected for the series it's very grounded and natural compared to most JRPGs. It has plenty of anime-styled gags and cliches but has so many lines that are kept me interested it made the characters feel more real.

Characters - The strength in Persona is the strength in the bonds of the people you meet. You spend so much time with not only your main party but the random people in your town. From Nurse at a nearby Hospital to the one of the dudes at the school Basketball Club. The game's social links let you get to know these people develop a true friendship with them. By the end of the game I felt a deep connection with these characters and a feeling of sadness when it was time to say goodbye.

The World - A small country town in Japan. It has a cozy and nostalgic feel to it. It's a refreshing contrast to the typical big bombastic city or the big fantasy world with numerous towns. With the exception of dungeons the game is contained within this small foggy town.

The Mood - The game, to me jumps from two distinct tones throughout the story. One is the serious story bits involving the murder mystery happening in the town and the struggles your party and other characters are undergoing. If you take out the magical concept of "The Midnight Channel" and Personas the game's overall story is grounded and the characters struggles are very real and relatable The other is the main cast living a somewhat normal highschool life. This is where it's very bubbly, happy and filled with jokes, gags and good times. It jumps to the more happy-go-lucky stuff just enough to keep the game from feeling too dark and depressing.

The Soundtrack - I feel like music is extremely important in JRPGs, especially Persona. You're gonna spend close to 70+ hours playing and a strong soundtrack will keep the game fresh. Persona 4 features a lot high energy tracks with great vocals by Shihoko Hirata that set the positive mood for the game whether you're getting into a battle or thinking about getting that one skill boosting book on a cloudy Thursday afternoon. Of course there are also some great variety in music style for the various dungeons and more somber and intense music when they need to set the tone of a scene.

For me, with the reinvention of the series with Persona 3 the Persona series has become of the best JRPG series. Living in the worlds they have crafted for entire school year with well-written and relatable characters is an experience I have only gotten from their games. Persona 3 is fantastic but the main cast ever really felt as strong as Persona 4's. Persona 4's strength over it's predecessor is that the everyone in the main cast become best friends. Their camaraderie and inner struggles made them feel unique and real. Persona 3's cast feels and is very disconnected from each other a lot of the time and some characters don't even like each other until the back half of the third act. While I feel that some aspects of P3 beat P4 when it comes to the bread and butter of the series, the characters it's in this category that P4 wins in spades.

I have very high expectations for Persona 5. It's been nearly 9 years since Persona 4 was released on the PS2 and I am incredible excited to see if this team can bring out their magnum opus and create an experience that can crush the juggernaut that is P4. From the trailers I've seen and the phenomenal soundtrack I think it can.

Replaying the intro is pretty rough tho.

 

[Zap Rowsdower]

I really need to play this game sometime.

Fair warning its combat is pretty jank unlike the other Shadow Hearts games and may be too sluggish and cumbersome for some. It's also a bit expensive to track down, I was lucky enough to snag a copy complete with manual for a cheaper price than the ones currently listed on Amazon. You could emulate it too. At the very least its totally worth watching a Let's Play or playthrough of it.

 

[BaasRed]

you, i like you. Soulsborne might not be an jrpg for some people but for it is for some peole(me) and damn if someone say this game has mediocre story.

I havent seen persona 3 come out yet, I dont know many people prefer 4's story rather than 3. for me, while persona 4 has one of the best casting in gameever, I prefer darker tone of 3

Yeah P3 definitely hits the right tonal spots for me, even though I preferred P4G's gameplay and characters. Story I can't comment on since I still haven't finished P3. Boy is fusing Personas in that game a chore.