I'm so into trails that I might aswell own no other games at the minute. Started cold steel and stopped at the end of 2 to go back and do trails in the sky . All thanks to your channel . So cheers bud
If you ever do play Ar Tonelico 2 there's a bug in the US copies of the game you should be aware of. During the second to last boss fight (I believe it's the Raki fight) the game will freeze after three turns. If you can deal enough damage to kill her before that point then the game continues as normal, but for some reason it's just her boss that's bugged. I remember playing the game and pouring through forums to see if I had a bad disc or something but discovered that no, her boss is just bugged for some reason. If you can play it online via an emulator with patches to fix said bug I'd recommend going that route.
Xenogears is an amazing game, i wish i could go back and experience it again for the first time. Not perfect by any stretch, but a compelling adventure that sticks with you.
Radiant Historia was absolutely amazing. Great cast of characters, plenty of mystery, great battle system, great story and a great looking game. The 3DS has some of my most beloved JRPGs ever (along with Stella Glow and Lord of Magna). The only negative I can say about the game is, that you really need a guide, or at least I definitely did. You don't always know where to go, sometimes it's somewhat obvious, other times, it's really not. It wasn't a dealbreaker or anything, it's just something fairly minor. The quality of this game is something to behold.
Radiant Historia is legendary in my eyes, I haven't played anything like it in years and it's one of the reasons why I still play my 2DS XL. I even played the original on my old DS Lite. I'd give it a 10/10.
Radiant Historia was one of the most unexpected surprises for me. I just played it because it had Xander Mobus and was by Atlus (i wanted more after Persona 5). Highly recommended! There’s really no game out there like it
The first Mana Khemia title is an ABSOLUTE treat. Highly recommend! Every character in the cast is extremely viable without being too overpowered and it helps everyone find a combat style they like. Music is an absolute banger too
Radiant Historia Perfect Chronology is one of the best games I've ever played. The battle system is amazing and the possibility to travel between parallel realities was well done.
Did you ever play the original version on the DS? If so, how does it compare? I've played that, and thought it was excellent enough as it was. I have to wonder if they actually managed to improve the experience. >.>
@@drakenstoc4885 I didn't played the original, but after seeing some arts in game of it, I'm sure the remaster is definitely better. Also, it has more extras
@@lucbauer Having done a bit of research on it in the time I asked the question, my understanding is that they added voice acting, a new timeline, and some other things here and there. So yeah, it does sound like an improvement on the original. XD It is hard to know sometimes, because some ports can be pretty lazy. So, it is nice to know that actual effort was put into making it a good one.
You'll likely find some things in Xenogears/saga that remind you of Trails. Having played those 4 games first and then playing Trails later, I definitely found a number. Given that Takahashi started with Falcom before even Square, they have a particular fondness for him and his works.
I've actually drawn this comparison myself. I couldn't quite get into the Xenoblade games for some weird reason, but I loved Gears and Saga, and in hindsight, they definitely occupy the same space in my heart that the Trails games now settle in. The characterization, the twists, the scope, the effort put into making it feel like a lived-in world and explain technical aspects... Even the pacing of the first half of Xenogears feels reminiscent of Trails in the Sky. I had no idea Takahashi used to work for Falcom, but much like Matsuno with FFT/Ogre Battle, that causes the differences from Square's usual stuff to make an absolute ton of sense all of a sudden.
@@neodav00001 So far I've only played Xenoblade 1, and it knocked the others down my list in priority lol. I've heard the later ones are better in some respects, but I'll get to them eventually.
@@jmporkbob Yeah, I was in the same boat there too! I beat Xenoblade, and even did all the sidequests, so I guess I must have enjoyed it, but it didn't really grab me, I skipped the epilogue chapter, and, I always bounce off 2 when I try to start it. I just don't like the Blade games much compared to Gears and Saga. Glad Takahashi's finally getting the attention and sales he deserves, though.
@@neodav00001 I did most of the sidequests, begrudgingly.. because of the awful combat mechanics where they force you to miss the enemy half the time if they're 3 lvls higher than you. That infuriated me beyond belief, because I had the dmg to win... the game just artificially disallows it... Beyond that, the combat itself and other general MMO designs just didn't click with me at all.
I’ve recently started playing Xenogears for the first time and I can say if your a huge fan of the blade trilogy you will absolutely love the story and characters that Takahashi has created in gears. The protagonist Fei has easily become one of my favourite jrpg protagonists in just the first few hours of playing.
Lunar SSE and EB are amazing games. Some of the first jrpgs I've ever played, and helped turn me into a JRPG lover. Thanks to your video, I remembered them and I hope to replay them sometime soon though, I'm sure I'll appreciate them even more as an adult.
Grandia, Wild Arms, and Parasyte Eve if you want to look into more. I actually never heard of Thousand Arms and I had hyper JRPG phase during my younger years that I just fell off during my PS4 years. Now I'm lucky to get through at least two a year, so I wish you luck.
Xenogears is one of my favorite games of all time. I really hope they remake it, so we get a flushed out disc two. Baten Kiatos remaster is my most anticipated retro game of this year.
Very fond memories of artonelico 1&2 as well as the mana khemia games and atelier Iris games. You are in for a well deserved treat my friend. So many of these games embody my first foray into the genre so happy to see you playing them.
Such a great list! I have played most of these and they did not disappoint! Can't wait to see which ones you play. Ar tonelico 2, shadow hearts, mana khemia are great! Radiant historia is amazing, nothing else like it for me.. but my favorite is and will always be Lunar silver star story. I played it as a child, but I still play it at least once every few years, its just like a home cooked meal. 😊
Vagrant Story is a masterpiece. But very complex and difficult in times. it's one game i spend the most time with in the ps1 era and the story is very good too
Another Playstation 2 title you would probably enjoy is Radiata Stories. The world of that game felt very alive and "whole" in a way that you didn't really see in a lot of games of the era, which made it very memorable. That game is fun and you can make a dozens of friends!
This list makes me so happy, especially the very last one! You're hitting on a lot of my personal faves, and even if you don't love them as much as I do, I'm just happy to hear you talk about 'em :D
Tales of the Abyss and Golden Sun have special places in my heart. Genuinely looking forward to your thoughts on them whenever you get around to them. I also recommend Suikoden 3, Skies of Arcadia Legends, and Radiata Stories
So glad you're checking out some retro stuff! There are so many amazing older JRPGs, you're going to have a ton of fun. And I must say, you picked some great initial games on your list there :)
Dragon Quest V is one of the most emotional games I have ever played, I was brought to tears multiple times, it's just a perfect story. I recommend the PS2 version tho, the music is orchestral and hits home.
Glad to see you thinking about Valkyrie Profile!! The guide comment is correct, but it's a lot of fun. The voice acting is also great because a huge portion of the cast is straight out of the original Pokemon cast.
I've played most games on your list and others are also in my backlog, i think it is a very good list, there is almost no one that i could not recomend.
I'm always torn between Lunar 1 and 2 with regards to which one I like more. I like Lunar 1's story more, but I like Lunar 2's love story more. Both have their merits regardless. It is a real shame that Dragon Song was such a disappointment. =/
you're 100% right about vagrant story - it truly is a love/hate affair w/ this game. if you can get past how convoluted the battle system is then the game is absolutely one of a kind. that said - the battle system is very ... unique.
It is the one I am on the fence about. I'll play it, but I just have a feeling it's going to annoy me a bit, but won't know till I get the hands on impression.
I just love that you included and even made an exception for Radiant Historia, that game is such a gem! I haven't found any other games like it (with the time traveling aspect). You won't regret playing either versions! I personally finished the ds version and loved it so much I also got it for 3ds! Didn't get around to finishing it tho unfortunately I literally clicked on this video the moment I saw the thumbnail including Radiant Historia and watched everything just for the Radiant Historia mention. 😂
Geneticist here. When I played Xenogears back when it released on the original playstation, I was amazed at the amount of scientific terms used to flesh out its world and story. I mean, they talk about encoding memories in introns to preserve them across generations, and the potential unlocked in mitochondria. Very interesting sci-fi fare, as genetics and cellular biology are rarely used in the medium. I mean, the game world and setting was so clearly laid out and convincing that it almost rivals reality! The combat and pacing probably haven't aged well, but the story of Xenogears is something that influences me to this day. Also, the soundtrack still gives me chills.
I can highly HIGHLY. Reccomend both Xenogears and Xenosaga. These games are some of the most epically ambitious and simultaneously tragically unfinished artworks in the industry. Xeno series is my favourite RPG series and I like many followed the pipeline of Xeno to Kiseki after finishing Xenoblade 3. Lots of similarities between the series so if you like one you'll likely enjoy the other. Hope you enjoy them as much as I did!
Radiant Historia Perfect Chronology was one of the games that helped me through the tough days of the pandemic. I can't recommend it enough, it's a thoroughly enjoyable game, and story. Have fun friend.
Golden Sun and Tales of the Abyss are pretty good in my opinion. I enjoyed them. I also love Mana Khemia but the game is centered around crafting. The only way you can increase your stats or learn new attacks for characters is by crafting items. You have to craft your weapons and armor/accessories too.
@@TheKisekiNut When you get past that though the Khemia games are quite fun. The battle system itself is pretty simple and enjoyable. It builds off of Atelier Iris 3's combat system.
Nice list. Some are in mine, too. Abyss is my favorite tales of. Shadow Hearts is an amazing saga and Covenant is one of my favorites games of all time. Have fun!
Fun list TKN! I think I'm a bit older than you, and have been a JRPG player since the early 90's. I can give a little high-level feedback on some of the titles here that may or may not help you chart a course: 1. Shadow Hearts - I never actually played it, but always wanted to. I have friends and family who have, and they've all sung its praises. 2. Xenogears - One of the greatest RPG's of all time, and its flaws don't hold it back from that. Easily top 3 of all time for me (maybe against Trails in the Sky and Suikoden II). The storyline is unparalled in its depth and quality. And I beat it a few years ago just to see if I was wearing rose-tinted glasses. I wasn't. The game still plays great, and it is gripping through and through. Easily my top recommendation here. 3. Xenosaga - Solid, but also with some flaws - and imo not as good as gears. Still a good game that I think you'll like. 4. Lunar - A wonderful game (pair of games, really, the 1st and 2nd are a LOT alike). It's a fun little adventure that you should do between bigger and weightier jaunts like Xenogears. 5. Star Ocean Second Story - Good, although I think others like it a bit more than I did. 6. Tales of the Abyss - Deserves its praise, it's one of the better Tales games, and the character development is spot-on. 7. Breath of Fire III - My second favorite pick on this whole list (behind Xenogears). It has some dated things that you might not like, but it's a WONDERFUL game - every single breath of fire is. If you haven't played BoF IV either, I'd go to the mat saying that's the best title in the series, and knowing your taste in JRPGs, I think it'd be one for you to put on your radar. Without saying too much, it does something VERY unique in its storytelling that really works and gives the player a sort of bond with the main antagonist (alongside the protagonist). Cheers, you've got some WONDERFUL retro games on this list that you'll be glad to have experienced!
Mana Khemia in my timeline, it’s more likely than u think, woah I remember playing it on the psp and it was my introduction to the Atelier franchise. Hope u have a good time with it!
The games I will recommend the most! Of old hidden gems, is the Arc of Lad series, especially 1 and 2. The first one is short and simple but is needed for the second one which is a direct sequel and if you ask me one of the best designed strategy RPG's of all time. The best way to describe the games are what if we took an actual standard JRPG story and gameplay but just gave them fun tactics game battles, instant classics. You could also play the PS2 one, which is probably the second best one of the series, but they are all fun if you ask me. Some people don't like the third game, but it was inoffensive and had its own charms.
Xenogears, as a warning that I don't see many people actually talk about, has parts that if you didn't save up money you need to grind to just to get money to get parts for your Gear to just barely survive.
Ahhhhh ... *Breath of Fire III* ... WHAT A GAME! 👍 This one is a rolercoaster of emotions paired with a rather large playtime. Go play it! You won't regret it!
Xenogears and Xenosaga are both great, I see you enjoying both of them. Along with Star Ocean 2 I recommend you try out the remake of star ocean 1 it's on the ps4 and switch
0:15 Ar Tonelico 2 is one of my top 3 all time favorite games along with Breath of Fire V and Final Fantasy X. Ar Tonelico 2 is absolutely amazing with a unique story and game-play and features the greatest video game sound track of all time. If you enjoyed the first one, this game is better in pretty much every way. The music though, I liked it so much that I bought the albums off of CD Japan back in the day. Can't recommend that game enough.
You can't really go wrong with Koudelka, Shadows Hearts 1 and 2, Xenogears, Lunar 1 and 2, Valkyrie Profile, Star Ocean 2, Vagrant Story and Breath of Fire III. I'd recommend the Front Mission series as well
Yep I agree with this, the psp version is just 100% better version of the PS1 and recommend playing that one. Better graphics without changing much of anything else.
My first experience with Lunar 1 was actually the Game Boy Advance version (Lunar Legend), and I had a lot of fun with it. Really, I think the game is probably going to be good no matter what platform someone plays it on (although I'd never seriously recommend playing it on the GBA if you have any other option, haha).
@@GrayWolf323 Yeah, I was extremely bummed out when they never ported it. I hope we get an HD remaster collection of both of them some day on modern platforms.
Lots of fond memories from your list. 😊 Star Ocean 2nd Story is one of my favorite JRPGs. Loved playing through with both Claude and Rena. I had a blast cooking/crafting, doing the arena and the secret dungeon was a good challenge. Radiant historia is epic. I love how the time travel is done. It gives you a lot of freedom without feeling too 'what do I do next'. I adored Lunar SSS on Ps1 when I played it back in the day, but I'd bet some of the strong points of the game (story) aren't enough to carry the clunky parts of gameplay. Currently playing through Golden Sun The Lost Age. Never played the 1st 😅. I think I'd put it as decent. Class system seems to have some interesting quirks. Navigation is a little eh on my SP or DS lite screens as the world map is pretty bad. Combat is fairly snazzy for the age of the game but seems to be quite repetitive. I'll definitely finish it, but I think the puzzle dungeons will get old eventually. I think my main problem these days is trying to be too completionist in my playthroughs. Once I get enough freedom to explore...I can get a little bored if it drags on too much. Modern games with some quality of life improvements (ie turbo combat) can really cut down on how this feels.
Radiant Historia is absolutely fantastic, you're in for a real treat with that one. Tales of the Abyss is also very good, personally my favourite Tales game. I need to get around to playing the Shadow Hearts and Xenosaga games at some point myself (particularly the latter, given how much I love Xenoblade Chronicles).
As some one who played both the kiseki series and shadow hearts, and is a mega shadow hearts fan, i can say with vonfiedence that the chance is high that you enjoy the story of shadow hearts one and two. And yes 2 or convenant has a reall great story and is one of my favorite games of all time for it.
I love the Shadow Hearts series. Always made me sad it wasn't as popular than it was, and I'd love modern remasters of these games on modern platforms.
Big, big Vouch for Tales of the Abyss and Radiant Historia. For TotA it's absolutely the character development that makes it shine so bright, although you will have to go through some pretty annoying dialogue before it comes to shine. Radiant Historia's Plot is just ... chef's kiss. In the end I just wanted to know how it ends so badly.
Man. It's weird to see games that came out in the US when I was 19 (Tales of the Abyss), or were released in Japan when I was 20 (Ar Tonelico II), being retro. As for Golden Sun, I think you should enjoy it. I turned 14 in 2001 and associate Golden Sun with 8th grade. The game's main claim to fame back in those days was definitely its incredible-for-the-time graphics, since everyone thought of handhelds prior to 2001 as just portable 8-bit games, but it's a perfectly solid and very traditional Dragon Quest-style JRPG. At worst it can be seen as generic by some, but there's nothing outright bad about it.
I’ve played so many of these and I recommend all of then as you get to them 😂 Personally Tales of the Abyss is my favorite game, and Radiant Historia is a close second
One game I would love to see you cover is Steamboat Chronicles on the PS2, it was a action combat style mech game made by Irem that also made the Zettai Zetsumei series or Raw Danger as it's known in the west
Radiant Historia is amazing. My favorite handheld jrpg of all time. Amazing atmosphere, fun combat, awesome characters, and a really great soundtrack. I think you should play this one ASAP. Damn, this video made me realize how many of these games I own, have played a bit of, but have never finished. Shadow Hearts rules, DQV is one I beat recently and I loved it. Koudelka is slooooow as hell. I tried multiple times. Nope. Vagrant Story is a love/hate game for me. The game's concept is amazing and I love ALMOST everything about it... Except it's vague as hell, clunky, and impossibly difficult. Good luck on your backlog quest!
Tales of the abyss is probably the second best entry in the series, and really close to Vesperia imho, Field of fonons mechanic makes the game really enjoyable in multiplayer as you can coordinate with your partner to create your desided FoF whenever you want. And the story is awesome
Now this was a great nostalgia trip i finished everything on this list when i was younger and prefered grinding and long games. Hoping you will enjoy your trip on probably the best era for jrpg
Just make sure to play both GBA Golden Suns. Dark Dawn is a stand-alone title but The Lost Age is most decidedly not and you could pretty much weld it right to the end of the first game without anybody noticing.
Lunar SSSC is a very bog standard game in a lot of ways, but Eternal Blue is very worth experiencing and I highly recommend checking it out even if you find SSSC boring.
Yeah, you 100% need a guide for Star Ocean 2. In particular, most of the characterization of the primary antagonist (and various other antagonists to a lesser extent) is locked behind one of the most obtuse and irritating side quests in the history of video games.
Seeing BpF3, Lunar SSSC, and Thousand Arms makes me very happy. Thousand Arms has some of the funniest villains in the Mecha 5 and the dialogue is light hearted. If you enjoy Lunar you should go into Lunar 2 Eternal Blue. The story is just as good though for it being a darker story than the first one.
As a Tales fan, im happy you enjoyed Tales of Symphonia and i share your opinion of Vesperia in some ways. I am confident you will enjoy Abyss. Wholeheartedly confident. (Oh and btw your channel helped me finally take the dive into the Trails series and i have been enjoying it!)
I'm a huge Tales of Symphonia fan and have completed that game several times. It's the only game in that series that I honestly enjoyed. I have Abyss, I have Vesperia, and I've never completed either of them. The only other game I played through to the end was Tales of Xillia and I think that's because that game was mercifully short and only took like 30 hours.
Golden sun is amazing, it's been probably 20 years since I actually played it, but as a Sega and then nintendo 64 kid my options for jrpgs were limited. My first real jrpg was Quest 64, which I highly enjoyed as a 7 year old, because any game was enough to enthrall me. Golden sun was the first real jrpg I played as a game that I consciously understood as a turn based rpg. The battle system is awesome, the puzzles are meh, but it's a great game.
Can attest to mana khemia, dq5, and Radiant historia, nothing but bangers but man... this is legit a list of games I neeeed to go through myself! Edit: man if you can finish these games in a year I give you props lol. I'm barely finishing more then like 4 games a year
I feel lucky to have played a good 85% of this list. If you want a suggestions, I'd say that Shadow Hearts (especially Covenant) and the Xeno games are the best of the bunch IMHO. Xenogears is a game I played for the first time last year and still blew me away becoming one of my favourite games ever. Xenosaga I and 3 are also incredible, unfortunately you have to bear 2 and hunt for the missing content here and there, but the payoff is incredible. Also Valkyrie Profile and Radiant Historia are a great pick. Also, outside of your list, you should keep close to your radar both Wild Arms 3 and Alter Code F and Star Ocean Till the End of Time God by seeing this video I reminded myself how much I love the JRPGs of the PS2 Era
Radiant Historia is a beautiful game. Absolutely worth it. Non-spoiler suggestion : DO NOT choose "append" mode...for...reasons. No, seriously, totally not worth it.
Every single one of these games is *absolutely* worth a play, for anyone who's a fan of JRPGs. I'm rather fond of a very large majority of them, including Golden Sun, VP1, Tales of the Abyss, Xenogears, and DQ5! Should also mention, though, that the original Star Ocean on SuFami had Private Actions as well! Once you had a party and had gotten through the main introduction, when you stood by the entrance to any of the towns, a prompt would come up for PAs. So Second Story is just carrying on the tradition. Can't wait to hear your thoughts on all of these!
Valkyrie Profile is kino. Don't use a guide for your first run, this is a game meant to be played twice, first time on normal and the second time on hard and that's when you should check a quick ending guide.
Great list. Abyss is my favorite Tales game and one of my all-time favorite video games. It also had the same scenario writer as Symphonia, so that may be a point in its favor for you as well.
The retro series is now in full swing, and here's 16 that are on my list for the time being (sure there's gonna be way more over time).
I'm so into trails that I might aswell own no other games at the minute. Started cold steel and stopped at the end of 2 to go back and do trails in the sky . All thanks to your channel . So cheers bud
XENOGEARS is a mind blowing experience
I hope you enjoy Shadow Hearts, xenosaga and golden Sun as much as I did :)
If you ever do play Ar Tonelico 2 there's a bug in the US copies of the game you should be aware of. During the second to last boss fight (I believe it's the Raki fight) the game will freeze after three turns. If you can deal enough damage to kill her before that point then the game continues as normal, but for some reason it's just her boss that's bugged. I remember playing the game and pouring through forums to see if I had a bad disc or something but discovered that no, her boss is just bugged for some reason. If you can play it online via an emulator with patches to fix said bug I'd recommend going that route.
Growlanser series, Suikoden, Skies of Arcadia, Stella Glow, Grandia, & Wild Arms are some further considerations to consider in the future as well.
Xenogears is an amazing game, i wish i could go back and experience it again for the first time. Not perfect by any stretch, but a compelling adventure that sticks with you.
Radiant Historia was absolutely amazing. Great cast of characters, plenty of mystery, great battle system, great story and a great looking game. The 3DS has some of my most beloved JRPGs ever (along with Stella Glow and Lord of Magna). The only negative I can say about the game is, that you really need a guide, or at least I definitely did. You don't always know where to go, sometimes it's somewhat obvious, other times, it's really not. It wasn't a dealbreaker or anything, it's just something fairly minor. The quality of this game is something to behold.
That's all good! I intend to use a guide for a fair few of these games anyway so it's not an issue on my side.
radiant historia was INCREDIBLE. One of the few games that I did not stop playing until i finished it. I did not expect it to hook me so much.
It actually looks like that will be the next game, Patrons have spoken!
I hope it will unDSed like the Etrian Odyssey... It was released twice on the end of life of DS and 3DS... so minimal hype was build up
Radiant Historia is legendary in my eyes, I haven't played anything like it in years and it's one of the reasons why I still play my 2DS XL. I even played the original on my old DS Lite. I'd give it a 10/10.
Radiant Historia was one of the most unexpected surprises for me. I just played it because it had Xander Mobus and was by Atlus (i wanted more after Persona 5). Highly recommended! There’s really no game out there like it
i thought it was a lame rpg..but this game got me hooked instantly with the storyline. I keep playing because i want to know more about stories
The first Mana Khemia title is an ABSOLUTE treat. Highly recommend! Every character in the cast is extremely viable without being too overpowered and it helps everyone find a combat style they like. Music is an absolute banger too
Radiant Historia Perfect Chronology is one of the best games I've ever played. The battle system is amazing and the possibility to travel between parallel realities was well done.
Did you ever play the original version on the DS? If so, how does it compare? I've played that, and thought it was excellent enough as it was. I have to wonder if they actually managed to improve the experience. >.>
@@drakenstoc4885 I didn't played the original, but after seeing some arts in game of it, I'm sure the remaster is definitely better. Also, it has more extras
@@lucbauer Having done a bit of research on it in the time I asked the question, my understanding is that they added voice acting, a new timeline, and some other things here and there. So yeah, it does sound like an improvement on the original. XD
It is hard to know sometimes, because some ports can be pretty lazy. So, it is nice to know that actual effort was put into making it a good one.
I've only soon footage myself, but it ticks every box for me.
agree.i thought the parellel travel between realities sounds very generic, but this game story make you really want to progress the game a lot more
You'll likely find some things in Xenogears/saga that remind you of Trails. Having played those 4 games first and then playing Trails later, I definitely found a number. Given that Takahashi started with Falcom before even Square, they have a particular fondness for him and his works.
I've actually drawn this comparison myself. I couldn't quite get into the Xenoblade games for some weird reason, but I loved Gears and Saga, and in hindsight, they definitely occupy the same space in my heart that the Trails games now settle in. The characterization, the twists, the scope, the effort put into making it feel like a lived-in world and explain technical aspects... Even the pacing of the first half of Xenogears feels reminiscent of Trails in the Sky. I had no idea Takahashi used to work for Falcom, but much like Matsuno with FFT/Ogre Battle, that causes the differences from Square's usual stuff to make an absolute ton of sense all of a sudden.
@@neodav00001 So far I've only played Xenoblade 1, and it knocked the others down my list in priority lol. I've heard the later ones are better in some respects, but I'll get to them eventually.
@@jmporkbob Yeah, I was in the same boat there too! I beat Xenoblade, and even did all the sidequests, so I guess I must have enjoyed it, but it didn't really grab me, I skipped the epilogue chapter, and, I always bounce off 2 when I try to start it. I just don't like the Blade games much compared to Gears and Saga. Glad Takahashi's finally getting the attention and sales he deserves, though.
@@neodav00001 I did most of the sidequests, begrudgingly.. because of the awful combat mechanics where they force you to miss the enemy half the time if they're 3 lvls higher than you. That infuriated me beyond belief, because I had the dmg to win... the game just artificially disallows it... Beyond that, the combat itself and other general MMO designs just didn't click with me at all.
That's always a plus! Seems like loads of notable developers/writers started at Falcom before moving on.
I’ve recently started playing Xenogears for the first time and I can say if your a huge fan of the blade trilogy you will absolutely love the story and characters that Takahashi has created in gears. The protagonist Fei has easily become one of my favourite jrpg protagonists in just the first few hours of playing.
Lunar SSE and EB are amazing games. Some of the first jrpgs I've ever played, and helped turn me into a JRPG lover. Thanks to your video, I remembered them and I hope to replay them sometime soon though, I'm sure I'll appreciate them even more as an adult.
Grandia, Wild Arms, and Parasyte Eve if you want to look into more. I actually never heard of Thousand Arms and I had hyper JRPG phase during my younger years that I just fell off during my PS4 years. Now I'm lucky to get through at least two a year, so I wish you luck.
Xenogears is one of my favorite games of all time. I really hope they remake it, so we get a flushed out disc two. Baten Kiatos remaster is my most anticipated retro game of this year.
Very fond memories of artonelico 1&2 as well as the mana khemia games and atelier Iris games. You are in for a well deserved treat my friend. So many of these games embody my first foray into the genre so happy to see you playing them.
Such a great list! I have played most of these and they did not disappoint! Can't wait to see which ones you play. Ar tonelico 2, shadow hearts, mana khemia are great! Radiant historia is amazing, nothing else like it for me.. but my favorite is and will always be Lunar silver star story. I played it as a child, but I still play it at least once every few years, its just like a home cooked meal. 😊
Vagrant Story is a masterpiece. But very complex and difficult in times. it's one game i spend the most time with in the ps1 era and the story is very good too
Another Playstation 2 title you would probably enjoy is Radiata Stories. The world of that game felt very alive and "whole" in a way that you didn't really see in a lot of games of the era, which made it very memorable. That game is fun and you can make a dozens of friends!
An amazing list of games! Valkyrie Profile will continue to be one of my favorite games of all time and I implore anyone who can to give it a shot.
Shadowhearts 1 and 2 are two of my favorite ps2 rpgs of all time.
This list makes me so happy, especially the very last one! You're hitting on a lot of my personal faves, and even if you don't love them as much as I do, I'm just happy to hear you talk about 'em :D
I haven't heard of many of these titles, but highly recommend tales of the abyss and golden sun. both are easily among the best jrpgs of all time
I feel old. Im familiar with all of these
Played Golden Sun last. It was AWESOME!
The radiant historia remake is the best way to play extra content is always a +
Tales of the Abyss and Golden Sun have special places in my heart. Genuinely looking forward to your thoughts on them whenever you get around to them.
I also recommend Suikoden 3, Skies of Arcadia Legends, and Radiata Stories
So glad you're checking out some retro stuff! There are so many amazing older JRPGs, you're going to have a ton of fun. And I must say, you picked some great initial games on your list there :)
Dragon Quest V is one of the most emotional games I have ever played, I was brought to tears multiple times, it's just a perfect story. I recommend the PS2 version tho, the music is orchestral and hits home.
DQ8 is also pretty great.
Glad to see you thinking about Valkyrie Profile!! The guide comment is correct, but it's a lot of fun. The voice acting is also great because a huge portion of the cast is straight out of the original Pokemon cast.
I've played most games on your list and others are also in my backlog, i think it is a very good list, there is almost no one that i could not recomend.
Lunar is very good. Still holds up, especially if you like Trails
I'm always torn between Lunar 1 and 2 with regards to which one I like more. I like Lunar 1's story more, but I like Lunar 2's love story more. Both have their merits regardless.
It is a real shame that Dragon Song was such a disappointment. =/
you're 100% right about vagrant story - it truly is a love/hate affair w/ this game. if you can get past how convoluted the battle system is then the game is absolutely one of a kind.
that said - the battle system is very ... unique.
It is the one I am on the fence about. I'll play it, but I just have a feeling it's going to annoy me a bit, but won't know till I get the hands on impression.
I just love that you included and even made an exception for Radiant Historia, that game is such a gem! I haven't found any other games like it (with the time traveling aspect). You won't regret playing either versions! I personally finished the ds version and loved it so much I also got it for 3ds! Didn't get around to finishing it tho unfortunately
I literally clicked on this video the moment I saw the thumbnail including Radiant Historia and watched everything just for the Radiant Historia mention. 😂
Geneticist here. When I played Xenogears back when it released on the original playstation, I was amazed at the amount of scientific terms used to flesh out its world and story. I mean, they talk about encoding memories in introns to preserve them across generations, and the potential unlocked in mitochondria. Very interesting sci-fi fare, as genetics and cellular biology are rarely used in the medium. I mean, the game world and setting was so clearly laid out and convincing that it almost rivals reality!
The combat and pacing probably haven't aged well, but the story of Xenogears is something that influences me to this day. Also, the soundtrack still gives me chills.
I discovered trails after playing gears and all three sagas. You’re gonna love that series. Gears is roughhhhh to play at points but worth it.
The koudelka/shadow hearts series is absolutely fantastic, you're in for a treat when you get round to them
I can highly HIGHLY. Reccomend both Xenogears and Xenosaga. These games are some of the most epically ambitious and simultaneously tragically unfinished artworks in the industry. Xeno series is my favourite RPG series and I like many followed the pipeline of Xeno to Kiseki after finishing Xenoblade 3. Lots of similarities between the series so if you like one you'll likely enjoy the other. Hope you enjoy them as much as I did!
Xenogears/saga, Valkyrie Profile, Shadow Hearts 1&2 and Vagrant Story are fantastic.
Damn, that's a huge list ot classic jrpg. You are lucky to play these games for the first time/blindly. You're in for a treat. 😁
Better late than never! Getting in to JRPGs during the 360 era was a minor blessing in some regards.
Star Ocean Second Story deserves its own video. Not needs, deserves. Top 5 of my personal games of all time.
Star Ocean 2 is in my top list of jrpg's along side grandia 2, skies of arcadia and super mario rpg. It's a banger.
Radiant Historia Perfect Chronology was one of the games that helped me through the tough days of the pandemic. I can't recommend it enough, it's a thoroughly enjoyable game, and story. Have fun friend.
Golden Sun and Tales of the Abyss are pretty good in my opinion. I enjoyed them. I also love Mana Khemia but the game is centered around crafting. The only way you can increase your stats or learn new attacks for characters is by crafting items. You have to craft your weapons and armor/accessories too.
Perfectly fine by me, that's the whole idea of Atelier games so no surprise there.
@@TheKisekiNut When you get past that though the Khemia games are quite fun. The battle system itself is pretty simple and enjoyable. It builds off of Atelier Iris 3's combat system.
1:00 atelier Ryza npc shop music.
Nice list. Some are in mine, too. Abyss is my favorite tales of. Shadow Hearts is an amazing saga and Covenant is one of my favorites games of all time. Have fun!
I loved Vagrant Story when I played it 20 odd years ago, but I can understand why it wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea
By all means I might love it, but the gameplay I saw made me apprehensive.
So many great games on this list... The Lunar and Xeno games are some of my favorites. Don't forget Lunar: Eternal Blue Complete as well.
Fun list TKN! I think I'm a bit older than you, and have been a JRPG player since the early 90's. I can give a little high-level feedback on some of the titles here that may or may not help you chart a course:
1. Shadow Hearts - I never actually played it, but always wanted to. I have friends and family who have, and they've all sung its praises.
2. Xenogears - One of the greatest RPG's of all time, and its flaws don't hold it back from that. Easily top 3 of all time for me (maybe against Trails in the Sky and Suikoden II). The storyline is unparalled in its depth and quality. And I beat it a few years ago just to see if I was wearing rose-tinted glasses. I wasn't. The game still plays great, and it is gripping through and through. Easily my top recommendation here.
3. Xenosaga - Solid, but also with some flaws - and imo not as good as gears. Still a good game that I think you'll like.
4. Lunar - A wonderful game (pair of games, really, the 1st and 2nd are a LOT alike). It's a fun little adventure that you should do between bigger and weightier jaunts like Xenogears.
5. Star Ocean Second Story - Good, although I think others like it a bit more than I did.
6. Tales of the Abyss - Deserves its praise, it's one of the better Tales games, and the character development is spot-on.
7. Breath of Fire III - My second favorite pick on this whole list (behind Xenogears). It has some dated things that you might not like, but it's a WONDERFUL game - every single breath of fire is. If you haven't played BoF IV either, I'd go to the mat saying that's the best title in the series, and knowing your taste in JRPGs, I think it'd be one for you to put on your radar. Without saying too much, it does something VERY unique in its storytelling that really works and gives the player a sort of bond with the main antagonist (alongside the protagonist).
Cheers, you've got some WONDERFUL retro games on this list that you'll be glad to have experienced!
Mana Khemia in my timeline, it’s more likely than u think, woah I remember playing it on the psp and it was my introduction to the Atelier franchise. Hope u have a good time with it!
Thousand Arms is in my top 3 JRPGs and has been since the 90s when I played it.
Golden Sun and its sequel are still my favorite games of all time and i cannot wait for them to be released on NSO
The games I will recommend the most! Of old hidden gems, is the Arc of Lad series, especially 1 and 2. The first one is short and simple but is needed for the second one which is a direct sequel and if you ask me one of the best designed strategy RPG's of all time. The best way to describe the games are what if we took an actual standard JRPG story and gameplay but just gave them fun tactics game battles, instant classics. You could also play the PS2 one, which is probably the second best one of the series, but they are all fun if you ask me. Some people don't like the third game, but it was inoffensive and had its own charms.
It's rare to see people recommending Arc the Lad, but yes, they are pretty good games. =)
Xenogears, as a warning that I don't see many people actually talk about, has parts that if you didn't save up money you need to grind to just to get money to get parts for your Gear to just barely survive.
There are some real gems in there, you have some work to do!
Ahhhhh ... *Breath of Fire III* ... WHAT A GAME! 👍
This one is a rolercoaster of emotions paired with a rather large playtime.
Go play it! You won't regret it!
Xenogears and Xenosaga are both great, I see you enjoying both of them. Along with Star Ocean 2 I recommend you try out the remake of star ocean 1 it's on the ps4 and switch
0:15 Ar Tonelico 2 is one of my top 3 all time favorite games along with Breath of Fire V and Final Fantasy X. Ar Tonelico 2 is absolutely amazing with a unique story and game-play and features the greatest video game sound track of all time. If you enjoyed the first one, this game is better in pretty much every way. The music though, I liked it so much that I bought the albums off of CD Japan back in the day. Can't recommend that game enough.
You can't really go wrong with Koudelka, Shadows Hearts 1 and 2, Xenogears, Lunar 1 and 2, Valkyrie Profile, Star Ocean 2, Vagrant Story and Breath of Fire III. I'd recommend the Front Mission series as well
Thousand arms is extremely rare, and I have never met anyone who has played it but me. Grandia 1 should be on this list its a epic game.
Ahhh, Valkyrie Profile. Back in the day when we printed the entire GameFAQs text guides because our internet was very slow.
We're lucky nowadays, everything's there at the click of a button!
Our tastes never aligned too much but for what it is worth Radiant Historia is a top 3 jRPG for me and I believe everyone should play it.
incredible playlist; I think BoF3, Lunar n Thousand Arms are games that every gamer should at least played once in their life
And I agree with this list have fun getting to them all 😅
Lunar is phenomenal man. The psp version is the best one to play.
Yep I agree with this, the psp version is just 100% better version of the PS1 and recommend playing that one. Better graphics without changing much of anything else.
after they started updating it again recently I honestly think the iOS version might be the best one
My first experience with Lunar 1 was actually the Game Boy Advance version (Lunar Legend), and I had a lot of fun with it. Really, I think the game is probably going to be good no matter what platform someone plays it on (although I'd never seriously recommend playing it on the GBA if you have any other option, haha).
@@drakenstoc4885 agreed on that, the game is amazing, I just wish Lunar 2 had eventually come to PSP and/or iOS :(
@@GrayWolf323 Yeah, I was extremely bummed out when they never ported it. I hope we get an HD remaster collection of both of them some day on modern platforms.
Some incredible titles on this list and some I’ve been meaning to play, too. I’ll refrain from posting my bias but curious what you go with.
Lots of fond memories from your list. 😊
Star Ocean 2nd Story is one of my favorite JRPGs. Loved playing through with both Claude and Rena. I had a blast cooking/crafting, doing the arena and the secret dungeon was a good challenge. Radiant historia is epic. I love how the time travel is done. It gives you a lot of freedom without feeling too 'what do I do next'. I adored Lunar SSS on Ps1 when I played it back in the day, but I'd bet some of the strong points of the game (story) aren't enough to carry the clunky parts of gameplay.
Currently playing through Golden Sun The Lost Age. Never played the 1st 😅. I think I'd put it as decent. Class system seems to have some interesting quirks. Navigation is a little eh on my SP or DS lite screens as the world map is pretty bad. Combat is fairly snazzy for the age of the game but seems to be quite repetitive. I'll definitely finish it, but I think the puzzle dungeons will get old eventually.
I think my main problem these days is trying to be too completionist in my playthroughs. Once I get enough freedom to explore...I can get a little bored if it drags on too much. Modern games with some quality of life improvements (ie turbo combat) can really cut down on how this feels.
Radiant Historia is absolutely fantastic, you're in for a real treat with that one. Tales of the Abyss is also very good, personally my favourite Tales game. I need to get around to playing the Shadow Hearts and Xenosaga games at some point myself (particularly the latter, given how much I love Xenoblade Chronicles).
As some one who played both the kiseki series and shadow hearts, and is a mega shadow hearts fan, i can say with vonfiedence that the chance is high that you enjoy the story of shadow hearts one and two. And yes 2 or convenant has a reall great story and is one of my favorite games of all time for it.
I love the Shadow Hearts series. Always made me sad it wasn't as popular than it was, and I'd love modern remasters of these games on modern platforms.
Big, big Vouch for Tales of the Abyss and Radiant Historia.
For TotA it's absolutely the character development that makes it shine so bright, although you will have to go through some pretty annoying dialogue before it comes to shine.
Radiant Historia's Plot is just ... chef's kiss. In the end I just wanted to know how it ends so badly.
Man. It's weird to see games that came out in the US when I was 19 (Tales of the Abyss), or were released in Japan when I was 20 (Ar Tonelico II), being retro.
As for Golden Sun, I think you should enjoy it. I turned 14 in 2001 and associate Golden Sun with 8th grade. The game's main claim to fame back in those days was definitely its incredible-for-the-time graphics, since everyone thought of handhelds prior to 2001 as just portable 8-bit games, but it's a perfectly solid and very traditional Dragon Quest-style JRPG. At worst it can be seen as generic by some, but there's nothing outright bad about it.
Playing through Radiant Historia now, absolutely fantastic game.
I’ve played so many of these and I recommend all of then as you get to them 😂
Personally Tales of the Abyss is my favorite game, and Radiant Historia is a close second
Xenosaga, gears and mana khemia are the main games I play when I'm feeling nostalgic they've really withstood the test of time for me.
One game I would love to see you cover is Steamboat Chronicles on the PS2, it was a action combat style mech game made by Irem that also made the Zettai Zetsumei series or Raw Danger as it's known in the west
Lunar 1 has one of the best cutscenes on the PS1
Believe me, Shadow Hearts 1 WILL hit home and you will want to play Convenant et probably From the new world for the heck of it.
Radiant Historia is amazing. My favorite handheld jrpg of all time. Amazing atmosphere, fun combat, awesome characters, and a really great soundtrack. I think you should play this one ASAP. Damn, this video made me realize how many of these games I own, have played a bit of, but have never finished. Shadow Hearts rules, DQV is one I beat recently and I loved it. Koudelka is slooooow as hell. I tried multiple times. Nope. Vagrant Story is a love/hate game for me. The game's concept is amazing and I love ALMOST everything about it... Except it's vague as hell, clunky, and impossibly difficult. Good luck on your backlog quest!
Tales of the abyss is probably the second best entry in the series, and really close to Vesperia imho, Field of fonons mechanic makes the game really enjoyable in multiplayer as you can coordinate with your partner to create your desided FoF whenever you want. And the story is awesome
Now this was a great nostalgia trip i finished everything on this list when i was younger and prefered grinding and long games. Hoping you will enjoy your trip on probably the best era for jrpg
Breath of Fire 3 is my favorite game of all time. You'll have a blast with it, I promise.
Nice list. Lunar, Tales of the Abyss, Vagrant Story, Radiant Historia, Dragon Quest V, and Breath of Fire III are also backlog items for me as well.
Just make sure to play both GBA Golden Suns. Dark Dawn is a stand-alone title but The Lost Age is most decidedly not and you could pretty much weld it right to the end of the first game without anybody noticing.
Lunar SSSC is a very bog standard game in a lot of ways, but Eternal Blue is very worth experiencing and I highly recommend checking it out even if you find SSSC boring.
If you havent, you need to play xenogears, is one of those gems... that I dont understand why is not more hyped
Yeah, you 100% need a guide for Star Ocean 2. In particular, most of the characterization of the primary antagonist (and various other antagonists to a lesser extent) is locked behind one of the most obtuse and irritating side quests in the history of video games.
Seeing BpF3, Lunar SSSC, and Thousand Arms makes me very happy. Thousand Arms has some of the funniest villains in the Mecha 5 and the dialogue is light hearted. If you enjoy Lunar you should go into Lunar 2 Eternal Blue. The story is just as good though for it being a darker story than the first one.
i recommend playing the first star ocean for whoever is interested in the series :)
As a Tales fan, im happy you enjoyed Tales of Symphonia and i share your opinion of Vesperia in some ways. I am confident you will enjoy Abyss. Wholeheartedly confident. (Oh and btw your channel helped me finally take the dive into the Trails series and i have been enjoying it!)
I hope you enjoy the rest of your journey through Trails!
I'm a huge Tales of Symphonia fan and have completed that game several times. It's the only game in that series that I honestly enjoyed. I have Abyss, I have Vesperia, and I've never completed either of them. The only other game I played through to the end was Tales of Xillia and I think that's because that game was mercifully short and only took like 30 hours.
The Shadow Hearts series is pretty good I'd give it a try
Great list. I’m pretty new to the genre so this movie is a great way to get exposures to retro games
Golden sun is amazing, it's been probably 20 years since I actually played it, but as a Sega and then nintendo 64 kid my options for jrpgs were limited. My first real jrpg was Quest 64, which I highly enjoyed as a 7 year old, because any game was enough to enthrall me. Golden sun was the first real jrpg I played as a game that I consciously understood as a turn based rpg. The battle system is awesome, the puzzles are meh, but it's a great game.
Wild Arms and Suikoden are good too! Always enjoy your videos!
I own all 3 shadow hearts and the first 2 are so fucking good. Some of the best battle mechanics and the music and story is AMAZING!
...I've played damn near EVERY game on this list.
Good picks.
And yeah, Shadow Hearts 2 is AMAZING!
Those are some excellent choices, but those 16 titles are going to take you about a year to finish.
Can attest to mana khemia, dq5, and Radiant historia, nothing but bangers but man... this is legit a list of games I neeeed to go through myself!
Edit: man if you can finish these games in a year I give you props lol. I'm barely finishing more then like 4 games a year
I definitely won't be finishing these all in a year, this is for the foreseeable future, a never-ending retro list on top of my current one. :)
Lunar is a classic. I definitely feel like Trails in the Sky has some inspiration from it.
A lot of good games on this list. Radiant Historia especially. Been a long time since I've played Shadow Hearts, but I remember liking that one a lot.
I feel lucky to have played a good 85% of this list.
If you want a suggestions, I'd say that Shadow Hearts (especially Covenant) and the Xeno games are the best of the bunch IMHO.
Xenogears is a game I played for the first time last year and still blew me away becoming one of my favourite games ever. Xenosaga I and 3 are also incredible, unfortunately you have to bear 2 and hunt for the missing content here and there, but the payoff is incredible.
Also Valkyrie Profile and Radiant Historia are a great pick.
Also, outside of your list, you should keep close to your radar both Wild Arms 3 and Alter Code F and Star Ocean Till the End of Time
God by seeing this video I reminded myself how much I love the JRPGs of the PS2 Era
Radiant Historia is a beautiful game. Absolutely worth it. Non-spoiler suggestion : DO NOT choose "append" mode...for...reasons. No, seriously, totally not worth it.
Every single one of these games is *absolutely* worth a play, for anyone who's a fan of JRPGs. I'm rather fond of a very large majority of them, including Golden Sun, VP1, Tales of the Abyss, Xenogears, and DQ5!
Should also mention, though, that the original Star Ocean on SuFami had Private Actions as well! Once you had a party and had gotten through the main introduction, when you stood by the entrance to any of the towns, a prompt would come up for PAs. So Second Story is just carrying on the tradition.
Can't wait to hear your thoughts on all of these!
I swear seeing raynie with the word "retro" in the thumbnail made me age by 7 years
Valkyrie Profile is kino. Don't use a guide for your first run, this is a game meant to be played twice, first time on normal and the second time on hard and that's when you should check a quick ending guide.
Great list. Abyss is my favorite Tales game and one of my all-time favorite video games. It also had the same scenario writer as Symphonia, so that may be a point in its favor for you as well.
I'll take that! Really liked Symphonia and I've got high hopes for Abyss.