When he said these games are unlikely to get a rerelease or remaster, I thought “you never know. Baten Kaitos 1&2 just got a remaster for the Switch.” At minute 18 I finally realized this was a year old video.
In Germany, CrossCode is at least a little bit more known in the JRPG fan circles I think. Really enjoyed the different gameplay around throwing the balls mixed with melee combat and platforming. And one of the very few RPGs which have a very nice German script with localized puns and humor while maintaining the atmosphere. It's so rare and just adds so much to the whole feeling of the game that I enjoyed it more than any other game in a long time :D Always nice to have some game devs in your own country with the same taste
Yeah I’m not surprised to hear the game gets more love in its home country. As a German JRPG fan I’m sure it was super awesome to get some representation in the genre, and especially one that was done extraordinarily well
Just found this game this year and while I didn't beat it, I absolutely loved the experience so far. I will go back and beat it eventually, just needed a break from those long ass dungeons. lol I love how they took a character that could barely speak and made her the most personable character in the game through expressions and one liners alone.
Wild arms 2 deserved so much more. One of my first rpgs and one of my personal favorites. Wild Arms 1 was good yes, but WA2… The story was so great, the characters were so interesting, the gameplay was engaging, the battles were fun, and twists were crazy. If they ever make a remake for ps5, this game would be crazy. But I hope they reboot the franchise.
Man nothing would make me happier than a reboot to the franchise these days. Out of all the now dead JRPG series from back in that era, the Wild Arms series just might be the one I have the most nostalgia for
Man, I absolutely loved Working Designs and still think about them like once a month. Hope those people are all doing well. Those Lunar releases were just so comforting. Quintessential JRPG experiences.
Don't do a part 2; just make this a regular feature! "Underappreciated RPGs You May have Missed Vol.x" would be great to see, there's always so many to talk about! Heck, this year alone two of my favorite games are ones that definitely flew under most people's radar; Star Ocean VI: The Divine Force and... um, well, it's a _Chinese_ RPG but the point still stands, Sword & Fairy 7: Together Forever. Both games are gorgeous, tell interesting stories, are really fun to play and have great real-time action combat. Sword & Fairy especially, since Chinese/Taiwanese/Korean RPGs aren't well-established in the West yet, struggles for attention, but Star Ocean 6 is really good and, I dunno.... maybe people were just burned by the previous entries or maybe Square's lack of marketing for it/releasing WAY too many games in the same few weeks (DioField Chronicles and Valkyrie Elysium also ate sh** at retail, it seems) just caused people to not notice it, which is a real shame. Btw, I *really like* that you put CrossCode on here. In today's modern indie world where devs are inspired to make and remake and iterate on the games they grew up with, there are FAR too many JRPGs that aren't made in Japan anymore. I personally consider the 'J' to stand to "Japanese _style_ RPG" now, lol. But c'mon, how can you not? Stuff like the EvoLand games, Earthlock: Festival of Magic, Legrand Legacy, Light Fairytale 1 & 2, Eternal Radiance, Valthirian Arc 1 & 2, Rise of the Third Power, TemTem, Eastward, Bug Fables, The Ruined King, etc. are all clearly inspired by the genre and yet NONE of them hail from Japan. We live in crazy times, man - you could do a whole video just on the topic of non-Japanese JRPGs, honestly. If it weren't for Eiyuden Chronicles Rising and upcoming titles like Armed Fantasia and Penny Blood, I genuinely think I'd struggle to name indie JRPGs actually made by Japanese talent. Way too many of their "doujin" devs just make really low-effort pixelated Touhou games anyway, but that's neither here nor there I suppose. Great video! Keep 'em coming, Gaming Broductions!
Alundra was an incredible experience. I got the game basically for free. It is pretty difficult and towards the end there are some rough bosses. It's some of the best music ever and it's dated quite well.
Great list. Thanks for including CrossCode. Such a "under the radar" game. I don't know why that didnt get any more attention or marketing upon its release. It is great.
I know a lot of people love the Atelier series these days as its really found its niche but I’ve always wished they would go back to the Atelier Iris formula again. Having more traditional JRPGs in a super charming, vibrant, lighthearted atmosphere was incredibly awesome
Always glad to see Growlanser get the recognition it deserves! The series is seriously underrated. Play these games however you can; I just wish we had official translations for the 1st and 6th games
I really need to go back and play all the others in the series. Maybe one of these days we’ll get a translation for 1 and 6, whether fan or official (realistically probably fan though)
Thanks for mentioning Alundra and Cross Code (proud to have worked on the latter and seeing it here :D)! Alundra was one of my favourite childhood games that was WAY too underappreciated. Also a nice game to mention: Guardians Crusade. Absolute blast on the PS1!
Alundra was absolutely fantastic, boss fights, story themes, the dark nature of the plot despite the anime art style, it really was underrated. I only knew of it due to demo discs and seeing the opening intro and knowing I had to play that game when it came out.
I feel like that sentence writes itself lol, I’m surprised it hasn’t been said more often but I guess it could just be too low hanging of fruit for some
Great list, every one of these feels likes a good game that...well deserved more recognition. I personally passed on Arc Rise Fantasia after seeing 6/10 reviews, and I think many of us passed on these games for similar reasons. But reviews don't determine how good a game is. Of these, I did beat Baten Kaitos 1, and that's all. Some others I suggest are Knight Quest for GB (Think of 1991 Dark Souls on Gameboy, but not as hard), Front Mission for DS, Vanguard Bandits for PS1, Tear Ring Saga for PS1 (Was suppose to be Fire Emblem 6) and Drakengard 1-3 for PS2 & PS4.
I've been wanting to play Wild Arms for a while. Now every RPG channel I follow has covered #1 but hearing the rest are worth it is good news. Time for a new RPG adventure!
It does feel like the first one and to a lesser extent number the third occupy a lot of the conversations when talking about the series these days but I always found the second to be very underrated in comparison. It’s a great series overall so regardless I’m just happy to hear that more people are going to give it a shot!
I absolutely love WA2 man! Criminally underrated! Definitely up there as my favorite of the series next to 3. Go back and forth on which is my favorite.
Hell yeah! Super underrated for sure, it seems like most people either bring up 1 or 3 when talking about the series these days but 2 has always been my favorite. I do really love the first 3 though, they’re all incredible games. Wish the series would make a comeback!
I'm glad they stuck with 3 characters for Baten Kaitos Origins. Their banter and chemistry is so good. Great list BTW! Some of these are Hella deep dives. I'm happy there are people out there that enjoyed some of these less known games like me.
Yeah the character amount is definitely subjective, I see your point about only 3 characters creating more party chemistry and fleshing them out more. Thank you for the kind words!
I can't overstate how happy I am about a lot of PS1 era JRPGs are getting remasters. That being said I still want to see Skies of Arcadia get an HD remaster. Also since I've never seen you mention it on this channel, I suspect you have never played The Granstream Saga? I would have complained about the fact you left out the Suikoden series, but since 1 & 2 are getting remasters I guess they aren't underappreciated anymore.
I’m so glad you brought up Baten Kaitos. I still have my original copy I purchased back in the early 2000s. I’ve replayed it at least five times in my life. One of my favorite games of all time. I still haven’t been able to experience BK Origins though. A single copy is over $100. I’ve been hoping for a remaster of both games on switch ever since the switch came out. Could you imagine playing it hand held on the OLED screen!? Oh man what a dream.
Origins is great, if you love the first game you’ll definitely love it as well as it reuses a lot of the same environments. Idk how I got so lucky but I found a copy at Vintage Stock for $40 a few years ago right before the GameCube price explosion happened, probably the last good retro game deal I’ll ever find out in the wild
At least we're getting Armed Fantasia (Wild Arms) and Penny Blood (Shadow Hearts) in 2025. All because Sony told both developers no to making another entry in the series.
what a find this channel is shaping up to be. i discovered it just tonight through one of your jrpg music playlist uploads, and then i took a peep at the rest of the channel. this is the first games video i checked out and I come to find that you covered my FAVORITE GAME of all time, "Alundra". I know i am going to fall in love with this channel in 2023 as i return to the land of jrpg's. thanks for your contributions and i look forward to more. cheers!
Great stuff! I've played Growlanser 2+3 and really enjoyed the unique battle system. I played through them a couple times to explore different choices and such. I agree, they are very much underappreciated! Also FYI the Growlanser series is a spiritual successor to the Langrisser series, which are more straight-forward tactical RPGs from the 16-bit era.
Loved Atlier Iris, and hated most entries afterwords. I feel like Tales of Legendia needs more love as well. Senel Coolidge really was one of Tales coolest protagonists. The art direction, and Jay alone with his drip... The post game was also really fun to explore.
I prefer the original Wild Arms because I think that it is more balanced in its overall experience; however I think that Wild Arms 2 holds up well. What you said about the English translation is my main problem with the game. The music is great and the gameplay is strong, but I do think that the writing hinders the characters. The original Wild Arms had great music and gameplay as well, but the writing felt better for the characters in my opinion. I disagree about the visuals for Wild Arms 2. It is great for its time. I 100% agree about the openings. They are some of my favourites.
I’m replaying through the original Wild Arm right now actually, it’s a quality game for sure with great pacing. I’m only about 1/3 of the way through but the battle system does seem quite basic so far relying on the same strategies for every boss, though this may change as I get later in the game. I don’t think WA2 is necessarily a gigantic improvement over it but it does give you more options and seems to have a little more depth to battles overall. The music is undoubtedly amazing in both. I can see why some people would prefer the first game with that said though, it is very balanced like you mentioned and is just a really fun experience that doesn’t get too complex or convoluted Agreed about the translation hindering the characters a bit, but they were still charming enough to me that I guess I was able to overlook it. I feel like the ideas around them are excellent, they just fumbled the execution in regards to the translation. I do actually find the graphics to be quite charming as well so my gripe about them in this video was more in regards to critic reception at the time, when researching for this video it seemed like a lot of reviews back then criticized the game for its graphics which factored into its lower overall score compared to other RPGs from around the same timer
@@GamingBroductions The battle system in the first doesn't have as much in strategy if levelling well in the game, but finding new ARMs, crestgraphs and quickdraw techniques is a lot of fun. I actually prefer the battle system in Wild Arms 3; however because of the random encounter rate being as high it is for a game where you can't just obliterate enemies even at higher levels it does wear me down. I agree that the characters in 2 have their charm. While I am not a big Ashley fan, he does get cool powers, is a mature guy who is in a relationship. I can't stand his constant everybody is a hero rhetoric, but yeah the final battle was awesome. The final battle in Wild Arms 2 imo is the GOAT of final battles. The music, the location and this g's that I can't spoil in case someone who hasn't played the game is reading this. 1 and 2 I feel were aimed at different audiences because I see different identities. One played like a powered up SNES game and the other was a true PlayStation experience. In saying that, while I do prefer the original, I will have to give 2 a second playthrough like I did with the original.
Ah, Wild Arms 2 became one of my favorite games. At one of the ending cutscenes i genuinely thought Ashley and Marina brought some bread from the bakery to share with the party, turns out it were their kids lol I had finished Alundra less than a week ago, the game is amazing and everyone has to play it. I still think about the plot, characters and the ending every day
Alundra is one of the most bizarre gaming experiences I remember as a child. It's very dark and haunting and the puzzles were fucking insane for 11 year old me lol.
@@brentabel5094 i wonder if i would be able to finish the game at 11 y.o. I'm 29 now and its later puzzles were quite hard (the lake shrine was something else. besides aimless wandering i had to backtrack twice since i left switches in the wrong positions), especially since i played with breaks and sometimes forgot how should i act next. I loved that the game was dark and sad; as a kid though i would be scared by the first ghostly scream in a nightmare)
Yeah I remember being pretty surprised back then that it actually showed Ashley and Marina’s kids at the end lol, and even in retrospect that’s a really rare thing that JRPGs don’t typically do. Can only think of a couple other examples off the top of my head with DQV and Grandia
@@GamingBroductions don't even start with grandia! that was a scary amount of kids, i erased that part from my brain's curvaceous undulations lol what is DOV?
I didn't see CrossCode being on this list coming. For better or worse, I'm pretty skeptical when it comes to indie games. But I adore CrossCode! While the puzzles were a bit much for me at times, especially in the post game, the game as a whole was such a joy. And as you said, the soundtrack is amazing. Absolutely worth picking it up!
Cross Code is an underated Gem. Its so full of throwbacks and winks at old RPGs. I can say though, its pretty puzzle heavy, but still. Beautiful, beautiful game.
I thought you were gonna talk about any of the Ogre Battle games when I saw March of the Black Queen in your flyby of some games. These all look like decent games, but I can't say I'm not disappointed you didn't mention any Ogre Battle games. They don't receive enough credit or love for what they did to inspire so many other titles and franchises. Another easily forgotten series is Golden Sun which is PHENOMENAL in every way. The class system was unique, the story was well written, the characters are interesting, the puzzles were fantastic.
Azure dreams was my first rpg (parents got baited into thinking it was Pokémon idk how) was the funnest jrpg and I regret nothing, I then got wild arms 2 and it was a downward spiral from there Jrpg and rpgs and mmorpgs for life!
I've been playing Indivisible lately on the PS4. I've had that game on my radar since the demo days and I think it's a cool little mix of Valkyrie Profile battles with Metroidvania platforming and exploring coated in a South-East Asia paint. I feel this game went under the radar for a lot of people and it definitely deserves more attention. It's definitely more light-hearted than VP though, despite the whole revenge/stop the apocalypse plot.
Seconding this, spent a great time a few evenings back with it and I'm meaning to get back on it asap! The challenge is just right and humour is sprinkled about generously.
I played Wild Arms 2 so long ago that I don't remember what happens but I randomly remember some tracks. Then you slapped the best one in the Intermission! I could never find it to listen to on You Tube because I couldn't remember where it happened, so thank you!
I'll die on the hill as well for Wild Arms 2. That game was amazing with it's story. Ashley was an awesome character and that ending culmination was perfect. I watched my brother play it and I was just as into as he was.
Ya love to see more WA2 fans out here! Hell yeah. Yeah the ending culmination really was perfect. I remember it was the first game I ever beat to really wow me with its ending and to give me that bittersweet/empty feeling afterwards of “…now what?” I had grown so invested into the game’s story and characters that it felt like I was saying bye to a group of friends or a chapter of my life as cheesy as that sounds
Let's die together on that hill!! jk I know nostalgia play a big part on my opinion, but WA2 is the only entry in the series that I keep on coming back for. To see that this series slowly become dormant and die really pains me. In case you don't know, there is a spiritual successor called Arms Fantasia on kickstarter (together with another spiritual successor of shadow heart). While it is a kickstarter that I won't put up much hope and expectation for, I still wish that both of them find success and shows that there are still some fans of older franchise out there that are waiting for them to make a comeback.
@@boltcat Yeah, I've seen the Kickstarter. I know what was shown off likely won't be what's delivered, looked way too crisp and better than even something BandaiNamco would put out. PennyBlood seems more practical. The series has it's fans, but I think the Western theme is hard to maintain, in both the US and Japan. Where 2 and 3 seemed to explore how they went about their plot compared to newer entries, which I still think did well, the battle systems were the real draw. And maybe changing it up was a good thing (I can't remember how the Hex did), but maybe it alienated some.
06:40 OHMYGOD OHMYGOD I AM ACTUALLY CRYING RIGHT NOW!!! For years, and I mean YEARS, I had this trumpet solo stuck in my head that I could not figure out or remember where it came from or the name! So much so I had dreams of moments in my life where I may have heard it but nothing I could ever figure out and here it is on a random youtube video I clicked on while high because I love JRPGs! My cousin and I played WA2 all the time in our childhood together and it's actually flooding me with memories and emotions right now I am almost uncontrollably crying from the nostalgia 😭😭 thank you for helping me solve this old mystery of mine I think I'm gonna go call my cousin! You've absolutely earned my sub :D
On Growlancer, another interesting tidbit, there are several battles in which you cannot win........on the 1st playthrough. Using Newgame+ you can potentially win the unwinnable fights and alter the story. Definitely a different RPG experience I enjoyed.
The Ps subscription includes the original.Wild Arms but I have yet to play it. The Switch has the Sega Geneis Classics for purchase and it has the first two Breath of Fire games as well as Phantasy Star 3 and 4 and Shining Force 1 and 2....it was a fantastic purchase as these games take me back to my childhood as I've played each of those games but have yet to beat any...my backlog is ENORMOUS!
Huge Baten Kaitos stan, here. A game from my childhood I've played again recently was Albert Odyssey: Legend of Eldean on Sega Saturn. Was hilarious to see how many liberties the locs teams took with the NPC dialogue, lol
Alundra was really fun, although I never finished it. Wild Arms 1&2 I missed back in the day, at least I can play them on Vita though. CrossCode I picked up recently, I'm excited to play it after I finish Astral Chain! I don't know if it's under-rated, but I quite liked Brigandine on PS1. The art and music were solid and the gameplay was basic but had depth. One of those games that's a solid 7/10 but can grab you and consume your attention. It did get a recent sequel (?) but I haven't played it yet.
I love these videos because JRPGs really seem to have a lot of hidden gems - meanwhile action games after 2005 or something, it’s a lot harder to overlook the good ones
I'm happy to say that, aside from Cross Code, I own every game on this list and I'm so glad you're highlighting them here because they're all fantastic. I also wanted to throw out there that all the PSone Arc the Lad games and Alundra are still available on the PlayStation Store for PS3 and Vita, at least in North America, and Wayfarer of Time is still available on the Vita store!
An absolute yes to play Baten Kaitos. Got into it thanks to The Valedictory Elegy song in smash bros 4, and loved it since. The art and music in it were spot on. To add to this: CrossCode was fun as well. The art is vibrant, the combat is very action-heavy, and the references sprinkled all over were fun. They poured their heart into this game, seeing how they gave updates to the game over the years, up until the release of the DLC last year. Downside I want to say is performance. I played on Steam with a nice PC, but for some reason, the game kept dropping to lower frame rates. Never found out why, but aside that, it was a enjoyable game.
So happy to hear someone talk about arc rise fantasia. It's my favorite JRPG and its combat system is almost flawless. I love how the weapons in the game don't always give you stat bonuses, but give you new abilities that can be transferred onto other weapons. Opening the door to SO much customization and strategy. It makes every weapon seem unique, even if quite a few are just recolors 😅
Some underrated PSP RPG that I'd like to add: - Black Rock Shooter (PSP): This one I'd recommend most - ZHP (PSP): Haven't tried it yet but heard this was good and it was released at the very end of PSP era - Yggdra Union (Gba and PSP): A bit too hard to play and requires trial and error - Riviera: The Promised Land (Gba and PSP): Good RPG if you like some harem scenario and dating sim. Obviously favor more on the PSP since it has two dub setting (JP and EN) - Dissidia Duo decim: Final Fantasy (PSP): If you are looking for Super Smash Bros alternative for PSP then look no further.
Definitely didn't invent the wheel here, but totally picked up in the JRPG/Japanese cuisine analogy being used from our Discord discussions and totally taking credit for that one. 😎 Great video as always boys. Great diverse picks for this list!
I just wanted to say how much I appreciate your videos. Before a recent long flight, I downloaded a ton of your videos. The flight felt like a breeze. Thanks!!
Man that’s really cool to hear, never thought that people would be watching our stuff on airplanes lol. Thank you for the kind words and of course for watching the channel!
I love Alundra. I played it a lot as a kid, and have many fond memories. I still play it these days. I'd also like to add The Legend of Legaia to the list. It's a very fun JRPG that I rarely if ever see anyone mention.
I’ve had crosscode on my radar for years and haven’t grabbed it waiting for a sale on switch but you mentioned Lufia 2 which was the game that made me fall in love with the genre. Now I need to grab it.
I suggest make a list of this theme for every major consoles. Other recommendation for future videos: top jrpg antagonist, top jrpg with lightheart story, and post apocalyptic theme jrpg. Keep the good work
Played every game on the list but Cross Code and its on my wishlist on steam after i tried the beta lol. Agree with the list completely. Wild Arms 2 is fantastic for what it is and the music really is top tier. Art the Lad 1+2 as well is a personal favorite, its one big game in 2 parts (like Golden Sun) and the monster arena was a really fun bonus disc. Working Designs packaging was legendary.
Fun fact about CrossCode, at least the lead Dev used to do very intricate games in the RPG Maker 2000 Engine. more of the team might have been in the same boat but I'm not entirely sure. While the games are unlocalized, the thing thats been done in Velsabor is an absolute marvel (and alrady showing signs of various systems in CrossCode, like the Parcour and trade system)
Grandia was my first JRPG and actually my first Game on my PS1 back in the 90s. It was an Epic game for me. Terranigma for SNES was an amazing RPG aswell
Big vouch for Crosscode! Also I might be one of like 5 people on the planet who enjoyed Alundra 2. It was randomly given to me as a kid and I played through most of it and enjoyed it. One day I'll have to try Alundra 1
Arc Rise is an amasing game, thats cool you mentioned this. I even wrote reviews for both this game and Septerra Core from second video for local platform. So thumbs up
I was forced to subscribe after Wild Arms 2, I loved this game, and never heard of anyone else feeling the same way..great video my man, congrats! Looking forward to part 2, cheers from Brazil!
My favourite underrated RPGs are Final Fantasy Legend II & III for the original Game Boy, Dragon Warrior IV and Crystalis for the NES, Warsong and Shining Force II for the Genesis, and Y’s The Vanished Omens for the Sega Master System. I’m a retro gamer, so I wish I had more modern choices, but I’m still living in the past! ;)
Saw Wild ARMS 2 on the thumbnail and immediately knew I had respect for whatever you were gonna say in this video, enticing me to check out your video.
CrossCode is heckin' amazing. It became my second favorite game, right after Secret of Mana. Also love the love for WA2. I personally like WA a little more because I have slightly more nostalgia for it, but WA2 is the best all around game in the WA series, I would argue. The only other game on your list I've played is Atelier Iris: Eternal Mana and... I cannot remember a thing about it, strangely enough. I'll have to replay it soon, as well as check out the other entries in this list.
Great list man. Wild Arms 2 is superb. The dungeons and the puzzles were super fun and were way ahead of its time. Music is top notch as always. Definitely my personal favourite. Grawlanser 4 is also superb. It has an insane amount of possible outcomes. Even if you fail to save some characters, the game goes on and cutscenes play entirely different. It also has the largest roster of girls you can date in any game besides VN. They should really try to remaster it and release it on a Switch.
Rogue Galaxy on the PS2 is a really fun JRPG that like no one really knows. It is on the Playstation streaming list though which is nice. That and like ALL of the SaGa series lol
Definitely appreciate the inclusion of Ark the Lad here!💖... Those games are AWESOME and literally NOBODY talks about them... When i try to, sadly people have no idea what I'm even talking about!🤦🏼♀️
Thank you so much for the great content! Truly appreciated. I want to wish you and the family a Happy Christmas! I can't wait to see what your channel has in store come the new year! Be well and take care :)
To see people talk about Wild Arms and Atelier Iris instead of the newer atelier games is pretty awesome to hear these days. Atelier Iris 1 is the first game I played and honestly made me miss some of the game aspect that's how missing in newer titles. It told a traditional told JRPG story with serious stakes that's now lacking in newer titles. I still remember the rivalry between those who prefer Iris and Mana Khemia style against those who prefer the light-hearted tone of Arland, Mystery and Secret. The Dusk trilogy tried to bridge that gap between choosing the protagonist with different story, and now Atelier Escha and Logy is the best at showing both sides of the Atelier spectrum, complete without a male protagonist we hadn't had since Mana Khemia. For Wild Arms, I honestly prefer 1 and 3. 1 is the easiest to get into. I actually get why 2 is very beloved to those who played and loved it especially in Japan. The story is actually really good. It's just a shame that the game's biggest strength was ruined due to translation issues. There's still some hope for the reboot with Armed Fantasia created by the Wild Arms creator.
When he said these games are unlikely to get a rerelease or remaster, I thought “you never know. Baten Kaitos 1&2 just got a remaster for the Switch.”
At minute 18 I finally realized this was a year old video.
In Germany, CrossCode is at least a little bit more known in the JRPG fan circles I think. Really enjoyed the different gameplay around throwing the balls mixed with melee combat and platforming. And one of the very few RPGs which have a very nice German script with localized puns and humor while maintaining the atmosphere. It's so rare and just adds so much to the whole feeling of the game that I enjoyed it more than any other game in a long time :D Always nice to have some game devs in your own country with the same taste
Yeah I’m not surprised to hear the game gets more love in its home country. As a German JRPG fan I’m sure it was super awesome to get some representation in the genre, and especially one that was done extraordinarily well
Dragon Quest 8 is a masterpiece that brought soo many Westerners to the DQ series. It is amazing experience
Why is that game not on PS4 and PS5? I don't want to always get out my PS2.
It's got arguably one of the greatest dubs of any RPG and fantastic music.
Man, I love Crosscode.
Absolutely amazing music, great combat, compelling world and Lea is both very interesting and cute
No lies detected
Just found this game this year and while I didn't beat it, I absolutely loved the experience so far. I will go back and beat it eventually, just needed a break from those long ass dungeons. lol I love how they took a character that could barely speak and made her the most personable character in the game through expressions and one liners alone.
I forgot about this game. Just realized they added dlc so i just picked it up again. Most wildest puzzles i ever seen.
Wild arms 2 deserved so much more. One of my first rpgs and one of my personal favorites. Wild Arms 1 was good yes, but WA2… The story was so great, the characters were so interesting, the gameplay was engaging, the battles were fun, and twists were crazy. If they ever make a remake for ps5, this game would be crazy. But I hope they reboot the franchise.
Man nothing would make me happier than a reboot to the franchise these days. Out of all the now dead JRPG series from back in that era, the Wild Arms series just might be the one I have the most nostalgia for
@@GamingBroductions I loved Wild Arms 2 but I think I played Wild Arms 3 way more
i remember the puzzles being interesting :)
Wild Arms 1 was definitely better, but 2 definitely was great and deserves more love.
Yes, love some wild arms 2
Man, I absolutely loved Working Designs and still think about them like once a month. Hope those people are all doing well. Those Lunar releases were just so comforting. Quintessential JRPG experiences.
Their entire release catalogue is in my all time favorite lists
Crosscode is magnificent. The attention to detail put into that game is so fucking impressive.
Don't do a part 2; just make this a regular feature! "Underappreciated RPGs You May have Missed Vol.x" would be great to see, there's always so many to talk about! Heck, this year alone two of my favorite games are ones that definitely flew under most people's radar; Star Ocean VI: The Divine Force and... um, well, it's a _Chinese_ RPG but the point still stands, Sword & Fairy 7: Together Forever. Both games are gorgeous, tell interesting stories, are really fun to play and have great real-time action combat. Sword & Fairy especially, since Chinese/Taiwanese/Korean RPGs aren't well-established in the West yet, struggles for attention, but Star Ocean 6 is really good and, I dunno.... maybe people were just burned by the previous entries or maybe Square's lack of marketing for it/releasing WAY too many games in the same few weeks (DioField Chronicles and Valkyrie Elysium also ate sh** at retail, it seems) just caused people to not notice it, which is a real shame.
Btw, I *really like* that you put CrossCode on here. In today's modern indie world where devs are inspired to make and remake and iterate on the games they grew up with, there are FAR too many JRPGs that aren't made in Japan anymore. I personally consider the 'J' to stand to "Japanese _style_ RPG" now, lol. But c'mon, how can you not? Stuff like the EvoLand games, Earthlock: Festival of Magic, Legrand Legacy, Light Fairytale 1 & 2, Eternal Radiance, Valthirian Arc 1 & 2, Rise of the Third Power, TemTem, Eastward, Bug Fables, The Ruined King, etc. are all clearly inspired by the genre and yet NONE of them hail from Japan. We live in crazy times, man - you could do a whole video just on the topic of non-Japanese JRPGs, honestly. If it weren't for Eiyuden Chronicles Rising and upcoming titles like Armed Fantasia and Penny Blood, I genuinely think I'd struggle to name indie JRPGs actually made by Japanese talent. Way too many of their "doujin" devs just make really low-effort pixelated Touhou games anyway, but that's neither here nor there I suppose.
Great video! Keep 'em coming, Gaming Broductions!
If he were to go episodic, maybe 1 game at a time. I'd watch a video about Bug Fables, would be nice to watch a standalone video.
@@michaelp4122 Yeah, that would also be a good way to do it
Alundra was an incredible experience. I got the game basically for free. It is pretty difficult and towards the end there are some rough bosses. It's some of the best music ever and it's dated quite well.
Alundra was great.
Shame they changed so much for Alundra 2 to “improve the graphics” could have been a great sequel if they kept the same style.
Great list. Thanks for including CrossCode. Such a "under the radar" game. I don't know why that didnt get any more attention or marketing upon its release. It is great.
No problem, CrossCode is amazing and deserves the love for sure. Thanks for watching!
Greate video. And the outro music choice was good as well! Didn't know there was a remix of Von around.
Thank you! Music is a big part of the setting the vibe for our videos so glad to hear you enjoy it
The Baiten Kaitos battle theme has been living rent free in my brain for 15 years! Thank you for reminding me what game the music is from!
Haha no problem! It’s a super catchy theme for sure
Baten Kaitos finally being ported is a dream come true.
Atelier Iris always in my heart 🥲
I know a lot of people love the Atelier series these days as its really found its niche but I’ve always wished they would go back to the Atelier Iris formula again. Having more traditional JRPGs in a super charming, vibrant, lighthearted atmosphere was incredibly awesome
I've never played Iris but I did play Mana khemia and absolutely love it.
2 is my fave
Wild Arms 2 sooo much needs a retranslation! Also, the best trumpet solo ever!
That trumpet is insanely good!
A remaster with a new translation would be absolutely incredible! And yes definitely the GOAT trumpet solo
Always glad to see Growlanser get the recognition it deserves! The series is seriously underrated. Play these games however you can; I just wish we had official translations for the 1st and 6th games
and im Always glad to see Growlanser get the recognition on comment section
for me its the most underrated game in history
I really need to go back and play all the others in the series. Maybe one of these days we’ll get a translation for 1 and 6, whether fan or official (realistically probably fan though)
Thanks for mentioning Alundra and Cross Code (proud to have worked on the latter and seeing it here :D)! Alundra was one of my favourite childhood games that was WAY too underappreciated. Also a nice game to mention: Guardians Crusade. Absolute blast on the PS1!
Alundra was absolutely fantastic, boss fights, story themes, the dark nature of the plot despite the anime art style, it really was underrated. I only knew of it due to demo discs and seeing the opening intro and knowing I had to play that game when it came out.
Cross Code is absolutely incredible. It's my highest recommended indie RPG to date.
"in arc the lad you play as a lad named arc"
i can't believe it took this long for me to hear someone say that
I feel like that sentence writes itself lol, I’m surprised it hasn’t been said more often but I guess it could just be too low hanging of fruit for some
@@GamingBroductions it's genius
Great list, every one of these feels likes a good game that...well deserved more recognition. I personally passed on Arc Rise Fantasia after seeing 6/10 reviews, and I think many of us passed on these games for similar reasons.
But reviews don't determine how good a game is.
Of these, I did beat Baten Kaitos 1, and that's all.
Some others I suggest are Knight Quest for GB (Think of 1991 Dark Souls on Gameboy, but not as hard), Front Mission for DS, Vanguard Bandits for PS1, Tear Ring Saga for PS1 (Was suppose to be Fire Emblem 6) and Drakengard 1-3 for PS2 & PS4.
I've been wanting to play Wild Arms for a while. Now every RPG channel I follow has covered #1 but hearing the rest are worth it is good news. Time for a new RPG adventure!
It does feel like the first one and to a lesser extent number the third occupy a lot of the conversations when talking about the series these days but I always found the second to be very underrated in comparison. It’s a great series overall so regardless I’m just happy to hear that more people are going to give it a shot!
@Gaming Broductions just got 1 and 3 on PSN. Unfortunately #2 isn't on there, but I'll get to it after those!
@@nicklaserbeam Not sure if you have one still but Wild Arms 2 is on the PS3 store. At least it used to be, haven't booted up the Trey up in a while.
@Jerrel28 I think I have my old one at my parents house actually. I'll take a look. Thanks for the heads up!
Crosscode is one of the best game I've ever played, every aspect of the game is top notch but maybe kinda drag for some people.
I absolutely love WA2 man! Criminally underrated! Definitely up there as my favorite of the series next to 3. Go back and forth on which is my favorite.
Hell yeah! Super underrated for sure, it seems like most people either bring up 1 or 3 when talking about the series these days but 2 has always been my favorite. I do really love the first 3 though, they’re all incredible games. Wish the series would make a comeback!
@@GamingBroductions Would be stoked if the franchise made a return
I am the only one who thought 3 was terrible? I liked them all 2 most but 3 it was too wierd.
I'm glad they stuck with 3 characters for Baten Kaitos Origins. Their banter and chemistry is so good.
Great list BTW! Some of these are Hella deep dives. I'm happy there are people out there that enjoyed some of these less known games like me.
Yeah the character amount is definitely subjective, I see your point about only 3 characters creating more party chemistry and fleshing them out more.
Thank you for the kind words!
I can't overstate how happy I am about a lot of PS1 era JRPGs are getting remasters.
That being said I still want to see Skies of Arcadia get an HD remaster.
Also since I've never seen you mention it on this channel, I suspect you have never played The Granstream Saga?
I would have complained about the fact you left out the Suikoden series, but since 1 & 2 are getting remasters I guess they aren't underappreciated anymore.
I’m so glad you brought up Baten Kaitos. I still have my original copy I purchased back in the early 2000s. I’ve replayed it at least five times in my life. One of my favorite games of all time. I still haven’t been able to experience BK Origins though. A single copy is over $100. I’ve been hoping for a remaster of both games on switch ever since the switch came out. Could you imagine playing it hand held on the OLED screen!? Oh man what a dream.
Wait people's gamecube still work?!
Origins is great, if you love the first game you’ll definitely love it as well as it reuses a lot of the same environments. Idk how I got so lucky but I found a copy at Vintage Stock for $40 a few years ago right before the GameCube price explosion happened, probably the last good retro game deal I’ll ever find out in the wild
@@GamingTranceSeer hahaha I play it on my Wii if I want to play a GameCube game
@@GamingTranceSeer yes
Well, you got your remaster.
At least we're getting Armed Fantasia (Wild Arms) and Penny Blood (Shadow Hearts) in 2025.
All because Sony told both developers no to making another entry in the series.
Last week I just started playing Wild Arms 2 on my RP2+ for the 1st time, so far I'm really enjoying the experience.
Glad to hear you’re enjoying it so far, there’s a lot of really great things the game does right
what a find this channel is shaping up to be. i discovered it just tonight through one of your jrpg music playlist uploads, and then i took a peep at the rest of the channel. this is the first games video i checked out and I come to find that you covered my FAVORITE GAME of all time, "Alundra". I know i am going to fall in love with this channel in 2023 as i return to the land of jrpg's. thanks for your contributions and i look forward to more. cheers!
Atelier Iris still remains for me the best in the Atelier series, it's so full of visual and musical joy and imagination
The Atelier Series is always great to put a smile on your face. In general, they are just so damn comfy.
Extremely comfy games for sure, love the atmosphere
Great stuff! I've played Growlanser 2+3 and really enjoyed the unique battle system. I played through them a couple times to explore different choices and such. I agree, they are very much underappreciated! Also FYI the Growlanser series is a spiritual successor to the Langrisser series, which are more straight-forward tactical RPGs from the 16-bit era.
Awesome games, great commentary. Would be great to see a part 2 but whatever you do I look forward to. Keep up the great work!
Loved Atlier Iris, and hated most entries afterwords.
I feel like Tales of Legendia needs more love as well. Senel Coolidge really was one of Tales coolest protagonists. The art direction, and Jay alone with his drip... The post game was also really fun to explore.
I prefer the original Wild Arms because I think that it is more balanced in its overall experience; however I think that Wild Arms 2 holds up well. What you said about the English translation is my main problem with the game. The music is great and the gameplay is strong, but I do think that the writing hinders the characters. The original Wild Arms had great music and gameplay as well, but the writing felt better for the characters in my opinion. I disagree about the visuals for Wild Arms 2. It is great for its time. I 100% agree about the openings. They are some of my favourites.
I’m replaying through the original Wild Arm right now actually, it’s a quality game for sure with great pacing. I’m only about 1/3 of the way through but the battle system does seem quite basic so far relying on the same strategies for every boss, though this may change as I get later in the game. I don’t think WA2 is necessarily a gigantic improvement over it but it does give you more options and seems to have a little more depth to battles overall. The music is undoubtedly amazing in both. I can see why some people would prefer the first game with that said though, it is very balanced like you mentioned and is just a really fun experience that doesn’t get too complex or convoluted
Agreed about the translation hindering the characters a bit, but they were still charming enough to me that I guess I was able to overlook it. I feel like the ideas around them are excellent, they just fumbled the execution in regards to the translation. I do actually find the graphics to be quite charming as well so my gripe about them in this video was more in regards to critic reception at the time, when researching for this video it seemed like a lot of reviews back then criticized the game for its graphics which factored into its lower overall score compared to other RPGs from around the same timer
@@GamingBroductions The battle system in the first doesn't have as much in strategy if levelling well in the game, but finding new ARMs, crestgraphs and quickdraw techniques is a lot of fun.
I actually prefer the battle system in Wild Arms 3; however because of the random encounter rate being as high it is for a game where you can't just obliterate enemies even at higher levels it does wear me down.
I agree that the characters in 2 have their charm. While I am not a big Ashley fan, he does get cool powers, is a mature guy who is in a relationship. I can't stand his constant everybody is a hero rhetoric, but yeah the final battle was awesome.
The final battle in Wild Arms 2 imo is the GOAT of final battles. The music, the location and this g's that I can't spoil in case someone who hasn't played the game is reading this.
1 and 2 I feel were aimed at different audiences because I see different identities. One played like a powered up SNES game and the other was a true PlayStation experience.
In saying that, while I do prefer the original, I will have to give 2 a second playthrough like I did with the original.
The wild arms intro music is so god damn good. I had to learn it on guitar even lol.
@@GamingBroductions The first time you leave WA2 on and the rest mode plays WA1’s theme… makes me miss my childhood.
Ah, Wild Arms 2 became one of my favorite games. At one of the ending cutscenes i genuinely thought Ashley and Marina brought some bread from the bakery to share with the party, turns out it were their kids lol
I had finished Alundra less than a week ago, the game is amazing and everyone has to play it. I still think about the plot, characters and the ending every day
Alundra is one of the most bizarre gaming experiences I remember as a child. It's very dark and haunting and the puzzles were fucking insane for 11 year old me lol.
@@brentabel5094 i wonder if i would be able to finish the game at 11 y.o. I'm 29 now and its later puzzles were quite hard (the lake shrine was something else. besides aimless wandering i had to backtrack twice since i left switches in the wrong positions), especially since i played with breaks and sometimes forgot how should i act next. I loved that the game was dark and sad; as a kid though i would be scared by the first ghostly scream in a nightmare)
@@WildWestSushi Nah I ain't flexing had to come back to alundra at about 16 to beat it. The game was too mature for 11 but at 16 it was perfect.
Yeah I remember being pretty surprised back then that it actually showed Ashley and Marina’s kids at the end lol, and even in retrospect that’s a really rare thing that JRPGs don’t typically do. Can only think of a couple other examples off the top of my head with DQV and Grandia
@@GamingBroductions don't even start with grandia! that was a scary amount of kids, i erased that part from my brain's curvaceous undulations lol what is DOV?
I didn't see CrossCode being on this list coming. For better or worse, I'm pretty skeptical when it comes to indie games. But I adore CrossCode! While the puzzles were a bit much for me at times, especially in the post game, the game as a whole was such a joy. And as you said, the soundtrack is amazing. Absolutely worth picking it up!
Thank you for featuring both Arc the Lad 1 and 2. These games never get the love they deserve.
Cross Code is an underated Gem. Its so full of throwbacks and winks at old RPGs. I can say though, its pretty puzzle heavy, but still. Beautiful, beautiful game.
You actually made a good detailed review of these games, not like others who copy paste what wikipedia says. Thank you, subbed!
I thought you were gonna talk about any of the Ogre Battle games when I saw March of the Black Queen in your flyby of some games.
These all look like decent games, but I can't say I'm not disappointed you didn't mention any Ogre Battle games. They don't receive enough credit or love for what they did to inspire so many other titles and franchises.
Another easily forgotten series is Golden Sun which is PHENOMENAL in every way. The class system was unique, the story was well written, the characters are interesting, the puzzles were fantastic.
Shout out to mentioning Arc The Lad. Highly underrated. ATL 2 is one of my favorite JRPGs and I have the same collection box in this video
Finally some CrossCode appreciation 🙏
Azure dreams was my first rpg (parents got baited into thinking it was Pokémon idk how) was the funnest jrpg and I regret nothing, I then got wild arms 2 and it was a downward spiral from there Jrpg and rpgs and mmorpgs for life!
I've been playing Indivisible lately on the PS4. I've had that game on my radar since the demo days and I think it's a cool little mix of Valkyrie Profile battles with Metroidvania platforming and exploring coated in a South-East Asia paint. I feel this game went under the radar for a lot of people and it definitely deserves more attention.
It's definitely more light-hearted than VP though, despite the whole revenge/stop the apocalypse plot.
I remember playing its demo a long time ago but never checked out the full release. You got me really curious to do so now
Seconding this, spent a great time a few evenings back with it and I'm meaning to get back on it asap! The challenge is just right and humour is sprinkled about generously.
I played Wild Arms 2 so long ago that I don't remember what happens but I randomly remember some tracks. Then you slapped the best one in the Intermission! I could never find it to listen to on You Tube because I couldn't remember where it happened, so thank you!
The Mana Khemia games (an school setting spinoff of the Atelier games) need more love...And a reboot.
I'll die on the hill as well for Wild Arms 2. That game was amazing with it's story. Ashley was an awesome character and that ending culmination was perfect. I watched my brother play it and I was just as into as he was.
All the extra dungeons and extra content.
Ya love to see more WA2 fans out here! Hell yeah. Yeah the ending culmination really was perfect. I remember it was the first game I ever beat to really wow me with its ending and to give me that bittersweet/empty feeling afterwards of “…now what?” I had grown so invested into the game’s story and characters that it felt like I was saying bye to a group of friends or a chapter of my life as cheesy as that sounds
Wild ARMs 2 is a awesome game! I liked the Knight Blazer ability the main character got!
Let's die together on that hill!! jk
I know nostalgia play a big part on my opinion, but WA2 is the only entry in the series that I keep on coming back for.
To see that this series slowly become dormant and die really pains me.
In case you don't know, there is a spiritual successor called Arms Fantasia on kickstarter (together with another spiritual successor of shadow heart).
While it is a kickstarter that I won't put up much hope and expectation for, I still wish that both of them find success and shows that there are still some fans of older franchise out there that are waiting for them to make a comeback.
@@boltcat Yeah, I've seen the Kickstarter. I know what was shown off likely won't be what's delivered, looked way too crisp and better than even something BandaiNamco would put out. PennyBlood seems more practical.
The series has it's fans, but I think the Western theme is hard to maintain, in both the US and Japan. Where 2 and 3 seemed to explore how they went about their plot compared to newer entries, which I still think did well, the battle systems were the real draw. And maybe changing it up was a good thing (I can't remember how the Hex did), but maybe it alienated some.
06:40 OHMYGOD OHMYGOD I AM ACTUALLY CRYING RIGHT NOW!!! For years, and I mean YEARS, I had this trumpet solo stuck in my head that I could not figure out or remember where it came from or the name! So much so I had dreams of moments in my life where I may have heard it but nothing I could ever figure out and here it is on a random youtube video I clicked on while high because I love JRPGs! My cousin and I played WA2 all the time in our childhood together and it's actually flooding me with memories and emotions right now I am almost uncontrollably crying from the nostalgia 😭😭 thank you for helping me solve this old mystery of mine I think I'm gonna go call my cousin! You've absolutely earned my sub :D
On Growlancer, another interesting tidbit, there are several battles in which you cannot win........on the 1st playthrough. Using Newgame+ you can potentially win the unwinnable fights and alter the story. Definitely a different RPG experience I enjoyed.
The Ps subscription includes the original.Wild Arms but I have yet to play it. The Switch has the Sega Geneis Classics for purchase and it has the first two Breath of Fire games as well as Phantasy Star 3 and 4 and Shining Force 1 and 2....it was a fantastic purchase as these games take me back to my childhood as I've played each of those games but have yet to beat any...my backlog is ENORMOUS!
Legend of Dragoon is one of my all time favorites
You weren't kidding, that trumpet in the beginning pulled me in instantly.
Huge Baten Kaitos stan, here. A game from my childhood I've played again recently was Albert Odyssey: Legend of Eldean on Sega Saturn. Was hilarious to see how many liberties the locs teams took with the NPC dialogue, lol
6:30 Well you certainly weren't kidding with that trumpet, wow.
Alundra was really fun, although I never finished it.
Wild Arms 1&2 I missed back in the day, at least I can play them on Vita though.
CrossCode I picked up recently, I'm excited to play it after I finish Astral Chain!
I don't know if it's under-rated, but I quite liked Brigandine on PS1. The art and music were solid and the gameplay was basic but had depth. One of those games that's a solid 7/10 but can grab you and consume your attention. It did get a recent sequel (?) but I haven't played it yet.
I love these videos because JRPGs really seem to have a lot of hidden gems - meanwhile action games after 2005 or something, it’s a lot harder to overlook the good ones
No mention of Skies of Arcadia: Legends? A criminally underappreciated game and one of the best JRPGs of all time.
How dare he not share your exact opinion Geez What an asshole
@@WdawgSmith Don't read too much into it.
I'm happy to say that, aside from Cross Code, I own every game on this list and I'm so glad you're highlighting them here because they're all fantastic.
I also wanted to throw out there that all the PSone Arc the Lad games and Alundra are still available on the PlayStation Store for PS3 and Vita, at least in North America, and Wayfarer of Time is still available on the Vita store!
Check out CrossCode sometime when you get a chance! Good chance you’ll like it if you like all the others on this list
@@GamingBroductions It's definitely on my "Planning To Play It Sometime In The Near Future" list xD
Just bought crosscode because of you! thanks for all your videos! you made me discover a lot of Jrpg i didnt know. I really appreciate
An absolute yes to play Baten Kaitos. Got into it thanks to The Valedictory Elegy song in smash bros 4, and loved it since. The art and music in it were spot on.
To add to this: CrossCode was fun as well. The art is vibrant, the combat is very action-heavy, and the references sprinkled all over were fun.
They poured their heart into this game, seeing how they gave updates to the game over the years, up until the release of the DLC last year.
Downside I want to say is performance. I played on Steam with a nice PC, but for some reason, the game kept dropping to lower frame rates. Never found out why, but aside that, it was a enjoyable game.
So happy to hear someone talk about arc rise fantasia. It's my favorite JRPG and its combat system is almost flawless. I love how the weapons in the game don't always give you stat bonuses, but give you new abilities that can be transferred onto other weapons. Opening the door to SO much customization and strategy. It makes every weapon seem unique, even if quite a few are just recolors 😅
Some underrated PSP RPG that I'd like to add:
- Black Rock Shooter (PSP): This one I'd recommend most
- ZHP (PSP): Haven't tried it yet but heard this was good and it was released at the very end of PSP era
- Yggdra Union (Gba and PSP): A bit too hard to play and requires trial and error
- Riviera: The Promised Land (Gba and PSP): Good RPG if you like some harem scenario and dating sim. Obviously favor more on the PSP since it has two dub setting (JP and EN)
- Dissidia Duo decim: Final Fantasy (PSP): If you are looking for Super Smash Bros alternative for PSP then look no further.
Definitely didn't invent the wheel here, but totally picked up in the JRPG/Japanese cuisine analogy being used from our Discord discussions and totally taking credit for that one. 😎
Great video as always boys. Great diverse picks for this list!
Wild Arms 2 was my favorite from the series ! The absolute nostalgia and the hours I spent playing that game as kid wow makes shed tears of Joy
I just wanted to say how much I appreciate your videos. Before a recent long flight, I downloaded a ton of your videos. The flight felt like a breeze. Thanks!!
Man that’s really cool to hear, never thought that people would be watching our stuff on airplanes lol. Thank you for the kind words and of course for watching the channel!
Arc the lad was one of my favorite games, best memories of my youth. Esp with the arena lol
This channel continues to cover the best jrpg content on UA-cam. Keep up the good work.
Thank you, we really appreciate that!
I love Alundra. I played it a lot as a kid, and have many fond memories. I still play it these days. I'd also like to add The Legend of Legaia to the list. It's a very fun JRPG that I rarely if ever see anyone mention.
I’ve had crosscode on my radar for years and haven’t grabbed it waiting for a sale on switch but you mentioned Lufia 2 which was the game that made me fall in love with the genre. Now I need to grab it.
This deseve the full price. I mean, thr game have a LOT of content. 😁
I suggest make a list of this theme for every major consoles. Other recommendation for future videos: top jrpg antagonist, top jrpg with lightheart story, and post apocalyptic theme jrpg. Keep the good work
Played every game on the list but Cross Code and its on my wishlist on steam after i tried the beta lol. Agree with the list completely. Wild Arms 2 is fantastic for what it is and the music really is top tier. Art the Lad 1+2 as well is a personal favorite, its one big game in 2 parts (like Golden Sun) and the monster arena was a really fun bonus disc. Working Designs packaging was legendary.
Fun fact about CrossCode, at least the lead Dev used to do very intricate games in the RPG Maker 2000 Engine. more of the team might have been in the same boat but I'm not entirely sure. While the games are unlocalized, the thing thats been done in Velsabor is an absolute marvel (and alrady showing signs of various systems in CrossCode, like the Parcour and trade system)
I shouted BARREL!! The moment i saw Atelier Iris. 😂😂
Grandia was my first JRPG and actually my first Game on my PS1 back in the 90s. It was an Epic game for me. Terranigma for SNES was an amazing RPG aswell
Big vouch for Crosscode! Also I might be one of like 5 people on the planet who enjoyed Alundra 2. It was randomly given to me as a kid and I played through most of it and enjoyed it. One day I'll have to try Alundra 1
I've always been interested in the Wild Arms series. What a terrific video, too!
Wild Arms was one of my favorite RPGS of the PS1 era and still holds a spot in my heart next to FFIV SuperNes.
Arc the Lad. I loved 1 and 2. And that expansive story. Elk and hia connection with Arc. Arc and Kukuru. I loved it all. Thanks Working Deaigns. RIP
Arc Rise is an amasing game, thats cool you mentioned this. I even wrote reviews for both this game and Septerra Core from second video for local platform. So thumbs up
I was forced to subscribe after Wild Arms 2, I loved this game, and never heard of anyone else feeling the same way..great video my man, congrats! Looking forward to part 2, cheers from Brazil!
Love my arc the lad collection. I miss instruction manuals
That instruction manual is a work of art. So much color and detail
My favourite underrated RPGs are Final Fantasy Legend II & III for the original Game Boy, Dragon Warrior IV and Crystalis for the NES, Warsong and Shining Force II for the Genesis, and Y’s The Vanished Omens for the Sega Master System. I’m a retro gamer, so I wish I had more modern choices, but I’m still living in the past! ;)
Arc the Lad the O.G., Brave Fencer Musachia, Dragon quest 8. In my top ten and way way underrated.
Thank you for making me aware of these, especially CrossCode since I haven’t even heard of it. I absolutely love your channel
Atelier iris : Aoth of destiny is by far the best in any point in this series and very amazing OST
Some serious gems on this list, then you came with the KO punch of Crosscode. Hell yeah my dude! Lea says "Hi" and that you earned my sub.
Always gotta finish with a bang! Welcome aboard and thanks for subbing dude
Saw Wild ARMS 2 on the thumbnail and immediately knew I had respect for whatever you were gonna say in this video, enticing me to check out your video.
Hell yeah, love to see other fellow people of culture who acknowledge WA2’s greatness
Wild Arms 2 was awesome. The mid 90s to early 2000s were an absolutely BANGER of a time period for RPGs
CrossCode is heckin' amazing. It became my second favorite game, right after Secret of Mana.
Also love the love for WA2. I personally like WA a little more because I have slightly more nostalgia for it, but WA2 is the best all around game in the WA series, I would argue.
The only other game on your list I've played is Atelier Iris: Eternal Mana and... I cannot remember a thing about it, strangely enough. I'll have to replay it soon, as well as check out the other entries in this list.
I love it when you guys mention atelier iris games on the ps2. Straight bangers
Great list man. Wild Arms 2 is superb. The dungeons and the puzzles were super fun and were way ahead of its time. Music is top notch as always. Definitely my personal favourite. Grawlanser 4 is also superb. It has an insane amount of possible outcomes. Even if you fail to save some characters, the game goes on and cutscenes play entirely different. It also has the largest roster of girls you can date in any game besides VN. They should really try to remaster it and release it on a Switch.
Rogue Galaxy on the PS2 is a really fun JRPG that like no one really knows. It is on the Playstation streaming list though which is nice. That and like ALL of the SaGa series lol
Definitely appreciate the inclusion of Ark the Lad here!💖... Those games are AWESOME and literally NOBODY talks about them... When i try to, sadly people have no idea what I'm even talking about!🤦🏼♀️
New Gaming Broductions video? I'm in
Honorable mention: Legend of Legaia
Thank you so much for the great content! Truly appreciated. I want to wish you and the family a Happy Christmas! I can't wait to see what your channel has in store come the new year! Be well and take care :)
The Atelier game sounds interesting. Thanks for the rec!
No problem, let us know what you think if you play it!
To see people talk about Wild Arms and Atelier Iris instead of the newer atelier games is pretty awesome to hear these days. Atelier Iris 1 is the first game I played and honestly made me miss some of the game aspect that's how missing in newer titles. It told a traditional told JRPG story with serious stakes that's now lacking in newer titles. I still remember the rivalry between those who prefer Iris and Mana Khemia style against those who prefer the light-hearted tone of Arland, Mystery and Secret. The Dusk trilogy tried to bridge that gap between choosing the protagonist with different story, and now Atelier Escha and Logy is the best at showing both sides of the Atelier spectrum, complete without a male protagonist we hadn't had since Mana Khemia.
For Wild Arms, I honestly prefer 1 and 3. 1 is the easiest to get into. I actually get why 2 is very beloved to those who played and loved it especially in Japan. The story is actually really good. It's just a shame that the game's biggest strength was ruined due to translation issues. There's still some hope for the reboot with Armed Fantasia created by the Wild Arms creator.