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What are your top 3 Sega Genesis RPGs

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Vanillalite

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So GAF what are your top 3 Genesis RPGs. I know 3 isn't a big number, but I wanted to make it hard so you have to narrow your list down. :P
 
Phantasy Star II
Phantasy Star IV
Beyond Oasis

Super Hydlide may take the spot of Beyond Oasis... I loved SH, but haven't played it in like 20 years so I have no idea if it's still good.
 
Shining Force 2, Phantasy Star IV and Shining in the Darkness

Phantasy Star IV is one of the most ahead of its time games I have ever played.

The Shining games are just plain fun and charming as hell.
 
Phantasy Star 4

Shining Force

Shining in the Darkness (easily one of the best experiences on the console....the art style..music..and pace are almost perfect)
 
Phantasy Star IV
Shining Force 2

...uhhh...

yeah I don't really think of the Genesis when I think RPG. And that's fine. But PSIV is probably up with Chrono Trigger and Skies of Arcadia in my top 3 JRPGs of all time.
 
I remember playing Phantasy Star IV at the time, it was my first ever JRPG. I had no idea what I was supposed to do and just gave up on the "stupid weird game" and went back to Sonic 3 & Knuckles.

I guess an 8 or 9 year old going blind into a JRPG with no guide, no experience of the genre and a complete unwillingness to read the manual was never going to end well.


I really need to go back and actually play it. I think it got a Steam release didn't it?
 
As much as I loved the Mega Drive, I never played any RPGs on it back in the day other than Sword of Vermillion which I liked but always found quite difficult. Come to think of it, I think it was probably my first RPG ever.

I need to get into MD RPGs more in 2017, I have played briefly Shining Force and PS4, very briefly.
 
Shining Force 2, Shining in the Darkness, Shining Force 1.

Honestly I don't love Genesis RPGs. PS2 has a fun story but the game is trash to play. PS4 has some good ideas and would be fourth on this list but it's never been more than a B/B+ game to me and my recent playthrough in December only solidified that. PS3 is garbago with one really great idea.
 
Shining Force 1

Shining Force 2

...

The 3rd is a bit of a toss-up, as it's a huge gap from SF 1 and 2 to the next one.
The Phantasy Star series never really appealed to me much.
Is it cheating to say Pier Solar?


Seriously though, Shining Force 1 was the game that convinced me to get a Genesis (alright, that and ToeJam & Earl)
 
Phantasy Star II
Sword of Vermilion
Phantasy Star IV

Phantasy Star II is easily my favorite, maybe due in large part to nostalgia.

Sword of Vermilion gets a spot by default, since it's the only other Genesis RPG I've played to completion. But I don't remember liking it too much. It would probably easily get replaced by Shining Force I or II, or Shining in the Darkness if I ever decide to put some decent time into any of them.

Though I haven't played a whole lot of PSIV, I'm confident enough in it to give it the third spot.
 
It's weird, I love the Shining Force games and Phantasy Star, but I've never beaten a single Genesis RPG.... I'm a bad fan.

Anyway mine are:

Shining Force 2
Shining Force
Phantasy Star 2
 
Nobody remembers Warriors of the Eternal Sun. Hell, I can hardly remember any details, but I know I loved it.
 
Phantasy Star IV
Shining Force
Story of Thor

Spasm said:
Nobody remembers Warriors of the Eternal Sun. Hell, I can hardly remember any details, but I know I loved it.
Click to expand...

I've still got my copy from back in the day, and the saves still work, but I haven't played it in years. I remember it being hard unless you knew exactly what you were doing.
 
Not just RPGs, but my favorite Genesis games regardless of genre.

1. Shining Force 2
2. Phantasy Star 4
3. Shining Force
 
Spasm said:
Nobody remembers Warriors of the Eternal Sun. Hell, I can hardly remember any details, but I know I loved it.
Click to expand...

I remember it, and I remember really having trouble with it when I played it as a kid as I had never actually played D&D before at that point, and the whole, lower number is better for armor class threw me for a loop, I kept re-rolling until the value was higher *laughs*
 
Weltall Zero said:
I haven't played Super Hydlide, is it that good?
Click to expand...

I remember renting it when I was a kid and being absolutely blown away by it and then asking my parents to buy me a copy after I returned it. The music is really good, and I recall the story being great because it was sort of science fiction. The game gives really zero direction to the player, it's as hardcore as old school RPGs come. I'm thinking I'll just replay it soon
 
Mondrian said:
I remember renting it when I was a kid and being absolutely blown away by it and then asking my parents to buy me a copy after I returned it. The music is really good, and I recall the story being great because it was sort of science fiction. The game gives really zero direction to the player, it's as hardcore as old school RPGs come. I'm thinking I'll just replay it soon
Click to expand...

You ever get that copy? I remember loving the hint book that came along with it.

Also...
 
Shining Force, Phantasy Star 4, Shining Force 2.

I feel like Shining Force 2 gets a bit tedious when you get to Northern part of Parmecia. Otherwise it's perfect. Shining Force and Phantasy Star 4 are both perfect games for me.
 
Spasm said:
Nobody remembers Warriors of the Eternal Sun. Hell, I can hardly remember any details, but I know I loved it.
Click to expand...

I do. I've played through it a couple times. Getting your party past level 1 is tough (old-school D&D). Once you get the Entangle spell and the fire rings, you can go grind red dragons to max level, though. Game is never easy, but after you get past level 1 it's a lot more manageable..

I'd probably put it in my top 10 of Genesis/Sega CD RPGs (at the 10 spot). Maybe 6-7 for cart only.

However, my personal top 3 are:

Shining Force 2
Phantasy Star IV
Sword of Vermillion

I know SoV isn't a great game, but there's something really charming about that game for me. I've played through that game probably a dozen times or so (I generally only play through RPGs once).
 
Mondrian said:
I did :) And I have very clear memories of reading the hint book... along with the hint book that was included with PSII.
Click to expand...

I remember calling the Sega tip line when I was playing the original Phantasy Star and a few days later, I received an envelope with printed sheets of all the dungeon maps. Never would have passed Baya Malay Tower without it.
 
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