From: Axl_Rose_85 | #045 If you haven't already, you should play the PAL version of FFX or the FFX International version. Fighting Penance and the Dark Aeons adds a whole new dimension to the game. I don't know why the N.A Version removed this feature. Penance and Dark Aeons too hard? They should try Demi-God from SMT: DDS, then they will know whats hard/
It's not that they removed the Dark Aeons in the NA version. The PAL release of FFX was roughly 6 months after the NA release. In the meantime, Square had released the International version with the Dark Aeons in Japan, so Europe got the extra content as well.
When the FFX HD version eventually releases (I think I joked when it was announced that 'please be patient' translated to 'give us like two years while we pretend we're working on it and then another three months to make it') we North Americans will finally get to test our mettle against those dudes without importing, etc.
Many, many games I'm familiar with are popping up. Pleased to see that. Happy you listed Blood Omen; not a huge number of lists have games from that series in them. Great series.
It's not that they removed the Dark Aeons in the NA version. The PAL release of FFX was roughly 6 months after the NA release. In the meantime, Square had released the International version with the Dark Aeons in Japan, so Europe got the extra content as well.
Wow. Lucky Europe. At the time of FFX's release I just moved from Europe to Asia and I bought myself a N.A NTSC copy of FFX. It was only years later that I got hold of a PAL copy and now the N.A copy just feels like its missing out a lot of contents. FFX w/o Dark Aeons just doesn't feel right.
When the FFX HD version eventually releases (I think I joked when it was announced that 'please be patient' translated to 'give us like two years while we pretend we're working on it and then another three months to make it') we North Americans will finally get to test our mettle against those dudes without importing, etc.
But completionist gamers who have little patience grinding are gonna hate the Dark Aeons. The only optional boss in the Final Fantasy series which even comes close to a Shin Megami Tensei Super Boss is 'Penance' because it requires a LOT of preparation just to survive that fight even with FFX giving you the tendency to raise stats to incredible proportions.
And yes Jeff, its sad to see many people not knowing the beauty of the first Blood Omen game.
#136 – Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (Genesis) And now I present to you my personal favorite Sonic game. Well why do I like Sonic 3 over 1, 2 and Knuckles. Well first of all the levels in Sonic 3 are better than its predecessors. I like the fact that levels are lengthier than the previous titles. Bonus levels are waaaay more fun in Sonic 3 than any of the other. (I know Knuckles had the same one but) But more than anything else I just played and replayed Sonic 3 more than the other titles for reasons I don’t know why. This game will always remain as one of my favorite platformers of all time.
#135 – Ogre Battle 64: The Person of Lordly Caliber (N64) Seriously if you even remotely liked the first Ogre Battle game on the SNES, then GET THIS ONE! I cannot stress how much Ogre Battle 64 has improved over the original. First of all the story and dialogues are way way better. The music’s pretty good as well but where Ogre Battle 64 shines is where the 1st Ogre Battle shined as well, the Strategy battles. And trust me the battles in Ogre Battle 64 are much more intense, much more satisfying and overall better. The game graphically doesn’t look very good to be quite honest but after investing a few hours I could hardly care any less. This game is also quite possibly the most underrated of the N64 gems.
#134 – Breath of Fire III (PS1) And now for the hands down best BoF game to ever grace this planet. My impression of the BoF series has always been something like “What an average series”. I also played this game after finishing BoFIV first (which I thought was a very average PS1 RPG). BoF1 was the most average-y RPG on the SNES as well. With nothing going for it apart from being just a generic RPG. BoF2 improved with a much better story and far likable characters and BoF3 took an average-to-good series to great. The story in BoF3 gripped me from the start, I do agree that it loses its way a little around the middle but it picked up in the later parts making me really care at some parts. The characters in BoF3 were great (While quite a number disagree) and each has their own abilities making them unique. Sadly this is the only BoF game which is great (At least IMO), BoF2 was more than decent but BoF1 and 4 were very much average and Dragon Quarter was one of the most horrible RPGs I’ve ever played in my life. I’m not touching DQ with a 973-foot pole.
#133 – Mortal Kombat (PS3) Now I hate ranking remakes over originals but this is hardly a remake. It is rather a reimagining of the first three Mortal Kombat games. The story mode is where this game truly marks itself above the other Mortal Kombat games. You play as each major character throughout the story mode with their own segments and I thought it was really well done. Fighting is also so much smoother and the AI isn’t unfair at all like the Mortal Kombat games on the SNES nor is it a pushover on higher difficulties. This is the best MK game I’ve played and possibly my favorite fighting game of this generation. And for once I’m excited about the next MK title.
#132 – Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (PS1) The third Resident Evil game has easily the best gameplay from all of the ‘traditional’ RE games. Jill Valentine is the main star of this game and is hunted throughout the game by a super tyrant called Nemesis. What differentiates the other RE games from RE3 is the fact that Nemesis is usually always on your tail (RE2 has Mr. X but His presence isn’t nearly as sinister as Nemesis’) and you can engage him in battle if you’re fully prepared. Although RE3 may be the least scariest RE game apart from RE5, the same cannot be said for the tension created by Nemesis chasing you around. The story in RE3 is quite possibly the worst in the series because there really isn’t much. The VA has improved over RE1 and 2 immensely but still isn’t there quite yet. Mercenaries also made its debut here although it isn’t anything like the ones in RE4 and 5, it is still fun. RE3 during the time of its release was huge just like its predecessors and I certainly believe it is worthy of such a prestigious name.
#131 – Final Fantasy III (NES) You will not believe how much the original FF3 on the Famicon is greater than its horrible remake on the DS. Why FF3 wasn’t localized overseas from Japan, I’ll never know. I have to be completely honest here. I don’t think ANY RPG from its generation comes even close to FF3. Not even FF1 or Dragon Quest III. FF3 has improved SO MUCH over its predecessors that it’s not even funny. For one, the job class system is just superb. It’s quite similar to FF5. But a lot of people thought FF5’s job system is an original thing. No its not, FF3 has done that before FF5 (Although the system in FF5 is much more advanced) and a competent one at that. FF3 has implemented one of the most used ideas in RPG today (Not just Final Fantasy), Summons. Summons have been a custom from FF3 and onward in the FF games and the idea was used in many great RPGs over the years. The story segments (although not that good) are very fun to play through. Utilizing spells like ‘Mini’ and ‘Toad’ to progress through a dungeon are awesome. Not to mention each dungeons are unique and vast compared to the ones from the previous titles. FF3 isn’t just an improved FF1, it is almost as much of a revolutionary as the first.
#130 – Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow (GBA) I thought all the GBA Castlevania games were quite consistent with their delivery in being generally good Castlevania games. Circle of the Moon was good and so was Harmony of Dissonance (Although that game ripped off SOTN so much. Juste looks just like Alucard) but it wasn’t until Aria of Sorrow that I ever felt the Symphony of the Night vibe. It was great to get that feeling back. The game is set in the future unlike most Castlevania games which were set in the past and Dracula isn’t the centre of the story anymore either. The Gameplay may even be better than Symphony of the Night at times (Check it out for yourself, you won’t be disappointed) but Aria of Sorrow somehow lacked in the area which made Castlevania: SOTN so special: The dungeons and boss battles and just the overall Castlevania feel.
#129 – Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly (PS2) If any game can contend with SH3 in terms of scariness, it is this one. Fatal Frame II improved upon the first in every single way. From the fluidity in taking camera shots to moving around to menu options to… just everything except the level of challenge (Fatal Frame II is the easiest of the trilogy). Now Fatal Frame 1 had a very very disturbing and overall scary storyline. Fatal Frame 2 not only matches it but somehow manages to surpass it. From what may look like a generic tale of two sisters, the story just gets much more sinister as you progress. Some of the parts in Fatal Frame II may be filled with a little backtracking but that’s about the only area in the game which is a little annoying. Want a scary game? Then get this one. To add to the experience play it with the lights out and with headphones, I don’t think it’s possible to not get scared that way. Trust me you might not even need those headphones and light outs.
#128 – Star Fox 64 (N64) Fox McCloud’s back and better than ever. This sequel kicks its prequel in the nuts and leaves it lying there breathless. In other words, Star Fox 64 is like a 100 times better than the first one. Not only is Star Fox better than all the air combat games (not a genre I like very much) I’ve played but it is also one of my favorite and most played of the Nintendo 64 games. The levels in SF64 are linear and the objectives are quite simple but not very simple in terms of challenge. Facing the Star Wolf team (Opposing team) are at times incredibly tough but with practice and familiarization it get easier and easier. Oh and your teams mates can get really annoying at times because they are practically useless against even some of the most generic enemies, they are just out there crying for help and being a burden to you. Apart from your teammates being very bad and getting slaughtered in combat, this game has that “I just can’t stop playing factor to it” and as you get better in the game the game becomes just so damn fun.
#127 – Jak & Daxter: The Precursor Legacy (PS2) Naughty Dog left Crash Bandicoot to bite the dust after producing 2 really good games. The first Crash Bandicoot was also considered a classic which I personally don’t. Anyways onto Jak. Jak 1 is without a doubt the closest thing to a platformer from the series. The Platforming in Jak isn’t anything ground breaking and at times it is quite similar to Crash but Jak 1 started one of the best series on the PS2 and it was a great start to it. The game itself is quite short but not too short. Apart from just being a very good and entertaining platformer, I can’t say much about the first Jak game except that it ranks among one of the best platformers of all time.
#126 – Advance Wars (GBA) This and Golden Sun is what made me purchase a GBA in the first place. During the time of its release this game was huge. Everyone who had a GBA, had a copy of this game. It was almost customary. Linking GBA and playing against each other is massive fun but so is the single player mode. The missions start to get more and more challenging and it is extremely fun to top your previous ranking. Advance Wars is one of the greatest Strategy games in a Strategy heavy handheld console.
#125 – Castlevania: Curse of Darkness (PS2) The MOST UNDERRATED Castlevania and yet one of the best I’ve ever played. I’ve always wanted to play a great 3D Castlevania game and my wish was finally granted. This game had EVERYTHING a Castlevania fan dreams of. Monsters from the series have expanded and fighting against them has never felt more alive in a 3D World. You get to forge weapons and steal materials from Bosses (leading to some of the most intense battles), get control of Innocent Devils who act as an ally, each with their own set of abilities and most importantly have a blast in this awesome 3D Castlevania world. I have to say the graphics are good but not great and the only thing which really bothers me (like most people) is Hector’s running speed. The game may look tacky at first but trust me it grows on you. Curse of Darkness is a direct sequel to Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse (NES), so fans of that game should definitely give this game a spin.
#124 – Grim Fandango (PC) I actually found and completed this game a little after its release. It was then that I realized what a gem of a game this is. The characters in this game are a little similar to the ones in Disney’s ‘The Nightmare before Christmas’ and I quite liked it. Well so what’s this game about? This game is an adventure game with certain role-playing elements such as talking to certain people to advance various objectives and such. It also requires solving various puzzles in order to advance. What’s great about Grim Fandango is the writing, the story presentation, the fleshing of the characters. Those aspects were almost unprecedented at that time. There were very few which could compete with Grim Fandango in terms of presentation and feel. I’m sure this game is hard to come by these days but if you do, GET IT! Trust me if you thought you’ve seen it all (in Video Games), you’re dead wrong.
#123 – The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap (GBA) Wind Waker Style art. Better than most Zelda storyline. Amazing graphics and animation for the GBA is what sums up The Minish Cap. I’d say this is one of the more underrated titles for the Zelda series why? This game has new additions (fusing kinstones with various citizens of Hyrule), not the best but still great in-game dungeons, decent puzzles, good likable characters and certain bad characters (The Tingle bros, ugh). Overall this game is a worthy Zelda title and is worth every penny you spend buying it. Trust me I don’t know what the fuss is over Spirit Tracks or Phantom Hourglass (generally considered as one of the worst Zelda games). This is the best Zelda game on a handheld system barring the remakes.
#122 – Metroid Fusion (GBA) There is absolutely no reason why you wouldn’t enjoy this game if you’re a classic Metroid fan. Since I haven’t beaten the Metroid Prime series I don’t know how the 3D world of Metroid is like but Metroid Fusion on the GBA can go toe-to-toe with the fabled Super Metroid and is even more polished in certain gameplay aspects (hanging, smoother aiming and controls). Metroid Fusion and Metroid – Zero Mission (A remake of the original Metroid) are must-have titles for any Metroid fan on the GBA handheld system.
#121 – God Hand (PS2) A game I hated at first turned out to be one of the best Action games I’ve ever played. After you get used to the annoying camera angle and get good with the game mechanics, God Hand’s fun factor multiplies tenfold. What may seem to be a challenging game at first gets easier and easier once you start learning all those slick moves. Imagine Streets of Rage 2 in 3D with awesome combos and techniques, that’s what basically sums up God Hand. God Hand has a meh storyline but makes up for it with a lot of humor and theme. There is no reason why you shouldn’t go to a nearby store and purchase God Hand NOW! I believe its dirt cheap these days.
#120 – Golden Sun 2: The Lost Age (GBA) The much anticipated sequel did a lot of justice to the prequel. GS2 has improved over GS1 in certain ways such as more and better summons, overall longer storyline (arguably), optional super-boss (And a challenging one at that). You can carry over stats of the GS1 party over to GS2 as well and they are playable near end game. I personally thought GS2 did a lot of things right but somehow failed to surpass the original. This may be due to the fact that I preferred the cast in GS1 much more than the ones in GS2 and that GS2 felt so much more like a GS1 clone than anything. But the two are basically inseparable with each outclassing the other in different fields. The GS series is definitely the best original RPG series on the GBA from my point of view.
#119 – Golden Sun (GBA) This was my very first RPG on the GBA and it did not disappoint. GS implemented many unprecedented RPG elements such as using magic (Psynergy in the game) to solve puzzles or for advancing to a new areas. The summon system is also an important part of the game because it is probably the most damaging attack to use against enemies. Summoning requires you to utilize Djinns (Pokemon type creatures which you collect throughout the world) who are kept on standby to unleash massive damage to enemies. The more Djinns on standby the stronger the Summoned monster will be. This made GS1’s battles entertaining and different from the generic button mashing turn based RPGs. The story in GS1 is left a little incomplete and thus the sequel. I thought the story was good and the characters were great. However the long stretches of dialogues can get a little annoying at times. Some characters in the game just blab on and on and this goes on for the majority of the game (carried along to GS2 as well ^_^). But more so than story, GS2 shined with its unique gameplay, utilizing Psynergy to solve puzzles and advance to the next area. The cast in GS1 is also very likable along with good antagonists, making the game very entertaining overall.
What makes FF3 Famicom better than FF3 DS, exactly? I've only played it on DS. (I dabbled for like 20 minutes through 'other' sources way back in 2000 or so but never got far for some reason.)
Well if you must know why I found FF3 famicon much better than FF3 DS. Here's why;
- Enemies have been overpowered in the DS and the game has generally been made tougher. It really didn't have to since FF3 is one of the tougher FF games. - After all these years the save system hasn't even been updated. While other features which didn't need to change were altered. Trust me the final dungeon is quite brutal (w/ the increased difficulty) and the inability to save within the long long dungeon. It just didn't feel like the same game that way. - Famicon version has traditional 2D FF graphics which IMO looks way better than FF3 DS's super cartoony graphics. - Ninja and Sage were secret and super powerful classes in the famicon version. It was fun playing as them but the DS version has downgraded these classes to make them almost equal with other classes.
But just so you know. I usually always favor originals over remakes unless the remake does something spectacular. The only remakes which I liked over the original are Resident Evil 1 remake (REmake) on the Gamecube, Metroid Zero Mission over Metroid and the FFIV-VI Advance collection on the GBA.
#118 – Street Fighter II (SNES) SFII remains my favorite 2D Fighting game and probably always will. The influence this game had on my childhood and how it was a huge part of it is just nostalgic. My cousin and I used to compete against each other a lot (I was always Ryu and He was always Ken) and we were both obsessed with SF when we were kids. I still have those SFII comics and Ryu and Vega action figures (Still decorated in my room). Now from a reviewer’s point of view. SFII is still a great and timeless 2D fighter. The original 8 are still the most unique and recognizable characters from any fighting series. SFII is to Fighters what Super Mario Bros is to Platformers.
#117 – Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII (PSP) This game is the only reason why I even bought a PSP in the first place. Was it worth it? Yes I’d say. This game is hated by a lot of FF7 fans for various reasons. I don’t see what the hate is other than the fact that some of the original cast from FF7 (particularly the main character Cloud) came off as a little uncharacteristic to their selves from FF7. The battle system in CC is very entertaining but what’s really great about this seemingly hated spin-off is the detail in storytelling and how they made a barely recognizable side story character from FF7 the main character in this game and did a superb job with him. The ending in CC is one of if not the best in the entire FF series. Any fan knew what to expect but they still managed to make it emotional. My library on the PSP is miniscule so this may very well be easily the best game I’ve played on the PSP.
Heh, well I can at least agree with you on those DS cartoony graphics being worse even without really getting into the Famicom version. That's what holds me back from liking FFIV DS as well. I'm definitely picking up Collection for PSP sometime soon. Vastly prefer that art style.
I wasn't huge on Crisis Core because it needlessly convoluted all sorts of things FFVII vanilla had 'just right', or at least, 'close to right', for me.
Still, it's a good game. The only installment in the Compilation of FFVII I actually kinda-sorta got into. Zack and Aerith are great in it.
The FF series does not need the cartoony image the DS versions have embedded on those classics.
FFIV DS was a much better remake than FFIII DS though. Although my favorite version of FFIV remains the original Japanese Hardtype, FFIV Advance is great as well but this is the one FFAdvance game with certain lags in battle which downgrades the FFIV experience. FFV and FFVI Advance however are just phenomenal. I'd say its the definitive version of FFV and VI.
As for Crisis Core. I agree with you on the fact that it really didn't need to happen but the fleshing of Zack's character in that game alone makes it worthy of being FF7's prequel.
#116 – The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker (GC) Quite a number of Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask fan hated the new art style that WW implemented. I thought it was really innovative and it worked well for the world of WW. This entry of Zelda has divided fans. Some love it, some hate. I neither love it nor do I hate it. I however think it is an excellent entry in the Zelda franchise. The series had taken a different approach this time considering OoT and Majora’s Mask were similar in terms of graphical display and mechanics. Instead of traversing the world on a horse (like Epona in OoT) or by foot, WW introduces sailing around the world. I thought the change was nice where many disagree. The dungeons were also designed quite cleverly although some of them can be a bit brutal especially during the stealth parts. Bosses can also provide a decent level of challenge, some of they may even prove to be quite brutal at first. WW is definitely a must for any Zelda or Action/Adventure fan and is another landmark in the already groundbreaking series of Zelda.
#115 – Deus EX (PC) I was one of those who played Deus EX on the PS2 first and then the PC version next. I used to love playing Deus EX on my PS2 but the moment I tried out the PC version, the PS2 one screamed inferiority. Trust me, playing it on PC was like a whole new game in itself. No loading times, BETTER GRAPHICS, more levels (The PS2 cut down some of them) and the vastly superior controls (obviously since Deus EX was a PC game to begin with). Anyway Deus EX has just so many elements which makes it a great game and has a great story as well. This FPS/RPG hybrid worked wonders in so many ways: Great dialogues, gripping missions, great length and good challenge. If you’re looking to play this game, I’d deeply recommend you to get the PC version to grasp the full experience.
Re: Crisis Core... fair enough! I definitely respect that stance, at least.
Anyway, yeah. Advance... man, I actually followed the pre-release boards for V and VI. Met some cool blokes there, many of which still frequent their boards. I just... I don't know, I don't have that much dedication for any game, almost. Maybe Xenogears -- I still post there all these years later. (Hell, I met one of my best friends through there, but that's besides the point.)
But yeah, ahem. Anyway. Advance is so amazing. Everything that was added to those games is ace and the new translation of FFV really adds a great deal of life to it.
^ Exactly man. FFV Advance's writing made it seem like a whole new game. I frankly didn't care much about FFV's story with the original but the Advance Version really made you care about the plot and the characters. That's when I realized FFV actually has a good story.
IIRC, the FFIX localization team (or whatever it should be referred to as) handled FFV. And it shows too. Say what you will of FFIX but its script really knew how to come across as relatively natural, IMO. FFV needed just that -- taking itself too seriously was a death knell for a plot like that.
With Advance it got a whole new lease on life. Bartz's jokes were suddenly funny. And Gil... oh man, Gil.
#114 – The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (Gameboy) I played Link’s Awakening on both my black and white Gameboy and my Gameboy color. To be very honest the addition of colors didn’t make a significant difference like I thought it would. So you can play this game on whichever system you wish. Black and white or color, this game is amazing. Link’s Awakening deviates from the cliché Zelda storyline and does something masterful. The intro is very mysterious and the endings manages be very surprising and emotional. Instead of collecting the pieces of Tri-force, Link is set on a journey to collect 8 instruments to awaken the wind fish which is the answer to his mysterious journey. The dungeons in Link’s Awakening are very innovative and the usage of specific items plays a trivial role in completing it. There are also some side-scrolling aspects in the game which I admit, have been done masterfully. Link’s Awakening is simply a must-have for anyone owning a Gameboy or a Gameboy Color because it is one of the few in that era of handheld system games which can compete evenly with major games from major systems.
#113 – Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 (PS1) THPS2 is easily the best of the skateboarding/snowboarding genre. Now Hawk’s 1 should also get a lot of credit for setting up the ramp for Hawk’s 2 but Hawk’s 2 just plays so much better and frankly annihilates Hawk’s 1 in terms of longevity in playability as well as the addictive factor. It also didn’t help that I played Hawk’s 2 before Hawk’s 1 otherwise I probably wouldn’t have that much of an unbalanced favoritism ^_^. Anyways Hawk’s 2 is probably my favorite sport game on the PS1, I still play freestyle mode just for kicks. Career mode as far as I can remember was quite a challenge but Hawk’s 2 is one of those games you just get better as you keep playing it. And once you get really good at games like these, you just CANNOT stop playing.
IIRC, the FFIX localization team (or whatever it should be referred to as) handled FFV. And it shows too. Say what you will of FFIX but its script really knew how to come across as relatively natural, IMO. FFV needed just that -- taking itself too seriously was a death knell for a plot like that.
FFIX has the best script from the FF series and I won't argue with that.
With Advance it got a whole new lease on life. Bartz's jokes were suddenly funny. And Gil... oh man, Gil.
Exactly. Bartz came off as a really cheesy main character after playing FFV. But after playing FFVAdvance he showed an uncanny resemblance to Zidane and yes his jokes in FFVAdvance didn't make me cringe unlike the original.
Writing makes SO MUCH difference especailly in an RPG. FFVAdvance proves it.
I think ultimately that's a big reason for my fading out of interest with most JRPGs released in the past several years. (Admittedly the big-budget Square approach -- but only when coupled with ace writing, mind you -- really won me over too. I don't think of myself as uber-mainstream by any means, but after growing up with nonstop spectacles in games like FFVII it takes a lot of getting used-to for me to embrace all the 'talking heads' style scenes in recent JRPGs. And it's just weird, I mean, it's 2012... I kept expecting more spectacle, heh.)
Of course, I love plenty of SNES JRPGs so it's proof I'm not just glued to ritzy affairs or anything like that. The writing in some of those games was just... good, dammit!
^ I don't recall SNES games having good writing except the fan translated ones.
Lets see. As far as I can remember. FFIV easytype = horrible FFIV hardtype = decent FFV fantranslation = still horrible FFVI = decent Chrono Trigger = decent SMRPG = decent Secret of Mana = horrible Seiken Densetsu 3 fantranslation = quite good EarthBound = decent Lufia: FoD = average Lufia II = decent Tales of Phantasia fantranslation = good Dragon Quest V fantranslation = good Dragon Quest VI fantranslation = pretty bad Soul Blazer = absoultely the worst Illusion of Gaia = bad Terranigma fantranslation = good Breath of Fire = abysmal Breath of Fire II = almost as abysmal Ogre Battle = pretty bad Secret of Evermore = laughable
That is why you needed to use of lot of imagination (which I never was good at) with the older generation of RPGs.
#112 – Banjo-Tooie (N64) Oh NOES! Grunty’s been revived! Iiiiiiiiits time for Banjo-Kazoo.. Banjo-Tooie. Ok that was stupid indeed. *Ahem. The successor to the classic N64 platformer does so much justice to the series. For one the game is longer, has more detailed levels, and generally more things to do and collect. The story is also quite impressive although it kinda loses its way. Gameplay-wise this game is truly a step-up from Banjo-Kazooie. First of there are more characters, more moves, more bosses (more challenge) and more eggs, more jigg… sorry lesser Jiggies but that doesn’t take anything away from the game. The most significant difference is the increase is difficulty and the sheer amount of the time it takes to complete a dungeon compared to the first. Now this isn’t necessarily a good thing or a bad thing. I thought Tooie did better than Kazooie at parts but at times it just tends to drag the game on. The N64 system has so many great platformers and Banjo-Tooie is definitely close to the very best.
#111 – Dragon Force (Saturn) The Sega Saturn had some of the finest RPG games and yet none of their games truly got any recognition. Dragon Force falls into that category. Stating Dragon Force as just a fine Strategy-RPG would be an insult to it. The game is a wonderful masterpiece which can make you lock on hours without even noticing. To be fair this game has certain flaws, which mainly lies with its very generic story. But the same can’t be said for the gameplay which more than redeems the bland storyline. This game allows so much customization and creativity making battles so much fun. There is just so much to do in this game: Fortifying your keep, defending it, awarding generals to increase the number of troops, taking enemies captive, and so much more. It’s amazing how a game from the mid 90’s can have so much depth. Dragon Force deserves much more credit than it has ever gotten. Do yourself a favor and play this game if you have access to it (I don’t think you can find Saturn games at this day and age though which is such a shame).
Nope. Other than the fact that they are both SRPGs.
Shining Force was developed by Camelot. The same developers made Golden Sun 1 and 2. I don't know about the latest Golden Sun game as I've never played it.
And it's nice to know Saturn games are still being sold. You should buy a system if you didn't already and if they are selling one. I don't know if my Saturn still works. I haven't played it in over 6-7 years now.
#110 – Jak II (PS2) The 2nd entry of Naughty Dog’s Jak and Daxter series has a reputation for being notoriously difficult. Sure, it is one of the more challenging games of this generation but it still doesn’t even compare to some of the moderately challenging games from the NES era. The difficulty IMO stems mostly from the bad camera angles which can be frustrating. Checkpoints being placed at unbalanced intervals are also another reason why this game can get difficult. But this game gets easier with more familiarization and is very much doable even for the average gamer. Apart from the difficulty, Jak II is vastly different from the original. First the story has a darker theme; Jak’s all serious and business as well. Then this game implements certain GTA like gameplay elements much to the dismay of a lot of fans of the original. Jak II is a hit and miss game for many platforming lovers but it almost caught bulls-eye for me. Jak II was just more fun and more satisfying than the first. It is also much longer and the plot is better as well. Sure Jak II has its issues with unfair difficulty at times and frustrating missions but it doesn’t change the fact that it made more of an impression than the first.
#109 – Parasite Eve (PS1) Unlike many, I thought Parasite Eve 2 was pretty good as well but it just doesn’t compare to the first. This game keeps you on your toes from beginning to end. Now I don’t know why people call this game an RPG (except for having certain RPG elements) when it is clearly a unique Survival/Horror game. The science fiction story didn’t bore me at all and was quite intriguing at certain parts. The battle system is what makes Parasite Eve an instant masterpiece and game to be remembered for the ages. It is actually a cross between RPG battles and Shooters but it just manages to be so good. It just works wonders. Weapon customization is another highlight of Parasite Eve and this is one of those games you’d immediately wanna replay after finishing it and trust me the extras on a New Game+ are well worth it. But Parasite Eve doesn’t come without its flaws. For one the game is way too short to be even called an RPG (7-10 hours even for beginners) and like most Survival/Horror games the inventory space is limited >_>. All these problems are minuscule when compared to the greatness that is the game itself.
Buy the ones I listed here, you won't be disappointed
#108 – Fallout (PC) My first experience with the Fallout series wasn’t with the first but with the second. Although PC-Style RPG isn’t my favorite, the Fallout series is just impressive overall. The first game broke so many grounds and established itself as a title worthy of having started one of gaming’s biggest franchise. Fallout 1 for its time was probably the most immersive RPG with a very good story (splendid writing especially) riddled with humour and great interactions. The combat although very simple is actually quite nice and suits this game. Although you have a certain time limit to completing the main objective in this game, the time limit is quite lenient allowing you to do everything you possibly can. You shouldn’t worry too much about that factor limiting your experience. Apart from that, everything else about the game comes together beautifully making it an inexplicably great experience and a great beginning to an awesome and very consistent series.
#107 – Shining Force (Genesis) There were very few RPGs who could even contend to the greatness of Shining Force during its time. Shining Force is way ahead its time in the SRPG department as far as innovation goes. Although the story is mediocre, the gameplay especially the strategy battles is where Shining Force truly shines. You can choose a select number of unique characters you’ve recruited during the course of the game and use them in battle. Each has their advantages and disadvantages. Not to mention a class can be upgraded so that the character can become much more powerful (It is almost necessary in the later stages of the game). Leveling up is also very rewarding because in this game a few levels can make a massive difference and it just feels so satisfying when you see your stats increase. Some battles could give you trouble if you’re underprepared but with a little grinding the game becomes quite easy. It’s a crime for any Genesis owner to not play this game. If you haven’t already, please do so.
#106 – Resident Evil (PSX) Forget Alone in the Dark. Forget Clock Tower. THIS game is the one which MADE the Survival/Horror genre. So many games have followed what is known to be the RE formula (especially the camera angle, the survival aspect) even games from different genres. This game has influenced what was known as a dying genre to become mainstream. Apart from being the revolutionary game it is, Resident Evil is overall a very impressive game and a great start to one of gaming’s biggest series. RE is known as Bio Hazard in Japan which is a spoiler in itself. When I first played the game the horror aspect was just unprecedented. I knew zombies were zombies because I watched a couple of zombie movies to be familiar with them. But at that time you’re wondering to yourself. What is the cause of all this? Where do I go next? What horror lies within this door? That suspense is totally absent in the newer titles and I quite miss it. RE1 allows you to play as two characters (Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine) each having different scenarios (while not totally different, it leads to different segments in story). Playing as Jill is considerably easier for any first-timer and to be honest her storyline segment is also better. The story of RE doesn’t end here. It continues on in the series and is still going on. However there are a few flaws which certain people overreact to but they are still worth mentioning. First of all, the Voice Acting is laughably bad. Seriously RE1 has some of the cheese-iest lines EVER. I won’t be surprised if you cringe throughout every single cutscene. Second, the scarcity in ammo could turn off any beginner to the genre. RE1 has considerably less ammo than its predecessors. Apart from that the first RE can still go toe to toe with any of its advanced successors and it still has undoubtedly the best story of the series. Resident Evil on the Gamecube popularly known as REmake is arguably the best remake of any game I’ve ever played. The remake IMO (and many others) outdid the original on every single ground and if I had to rank the remake it would most certainly be way above the original. But as a ground rule, I won’t be ranking the remake. Try to get the remake first if not the original should suffice.
#105 – Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille Zur Macht (PS2) The successor to Xenogears as most people say. However I totally disagree with that concept. The Xenosaga trilogy is a series of its own. It is more of a series than any other gaming series because each game is designed to fit a trilogy rather than a single entry. So what is it that makes Xenosaga special? I’ll talk about the first entry here. For one, It is a great start to the trilogy. The story (Just Awesome!), the characters (KOS-MOS, Shion ^_^), the interaction (Simply astounding VAs) is just so special. For a game focusing on story Xenosaga Episode I did a fantastic job in setting up the next two episodes. As far as gameplay goes there isn’t anything extraordinary. Leveling up is the same (with few tweaks) and the battles are turn-based. Apart from a few implementation here and there Xenosaga does what it meant to do and that is entertain the gamer with an engrossing movie-like experience.
#104 – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: The Manhattan Project (NES) The hands down best Ninja Turtles game and easily my favorite beat em’ up on the NES. Hell this isn’t just one of my favorites, it my SECOND FAVORITE NES game. TMNT3 improves over TMNT2 in basically everything: levels, bosses, depth, special techniques, you name it. The turtles each have their own technique making them very unique (IMO Leonardo has the best one overall) and each suitable to different bosses. The levels are also taken out straight from the TMNT classic TV show and are done with fantastic detail and depth. My favorite aspect of the game is the boss battles. Simply put this game has some of the most memorable battles ever. Underrated and overlooked, TMNT3 deserves much more praise than it’s ever gotten and for me it’s a deadlock for a Top 5 spot in basically any category in the NES’s library.
#103 – Ratchet & Clank (PS2) Insomniac finally got done with Spyro the Dragon series and moved onto something bigger. I was a huge fan of the Spyro series and the moment Insomniac announced Ratchet & Clank, I was expecting only good things from it. And my god the moment I started playing the game my impression was “What a successor to my favorite platforming series on the PS1”. R&C1 however is quite different when compared to its later titles. For one R&C feels platforming heavy unlike its successors which are more focused on the cool new weapons and blasting enemies up. Objectives in R&C1 are very straightforward, boss battles are a little disappointing except for the final boss and each new planet has awesome atmosphere with their own distinction. R&C1 has hoverboard racing which I found quite annoying at first but grew on me very quickly. Nanotechs (life replenishments) are also more helpful in this game because life points are considerably less than R&C2 (GC) and R&C3 (UYA). I also liked the VA of Ratchet (same VA for FFX’s Tidus) in this game more than the ones in GC and UYA. Not to mention Captain Qwark makes his appearance here as well (who still remains the most entertaining R&C character) and is a major plot character in this game just like the others. The Weapons in R&C1 are vastly inferior when compared to GC and UYA but that doesn’t stop the game from being fun. This was just the beginning the R&C series needed and hats off to Insomniac for creating another masterful platformer.
#102 – Kirby Super Star (SNES) The SNES is a goldmine for 2D platformers and it also houses the best Kirby game I’ve ever played. Kirby SS isn’t just a single game but has many different games within itself. Now that’s not saying it’s a compilation of previous Kirby games. All the games were created originally for Kirby SS and each of them has its own unique experience (Cowboy style duels, Coliseum matches). The gameplay in SS is the same as in any Kirby game but it really expands upon it and also makes it much smoother. The Great Cave Offensive (Platforming and collecting treasures) and Milkyway Wishes (All abilities usable from a menu as soon as you acquire them) are definitely the most enjoyable parts of the game in this massively entertaining game.
#101 – Banjo-Kazooie (N64) Banjo-Kazooie cements itself as one of the best platformers in a system with a huge library of great platformers simply because of the tweaks made in gameplay and how comfortable it was made for the gamer. The levels in BK, although a little short, are designed superbly and playing through it is just super entertaining. Not to mention the story is also quite good with some great scenes. Now as far as collectibles, bosses and gameplay goes, let’s just say BK does a much better job than Super Mario 64 (The game which revolutionized 3D Platformers). Playing Banjo-Kazooie years after its release didn’t have any negative effects on me. A game from well over a decade ago still manages to best most platformers today in terms of quality and playability.
#100 – Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne (PS2) Nocturne is actually Shin Megami Tensei III but man does it look different from SMT1 and 2. I’ve never gotten very far in either of the first two SMT Tensei games but I beat Nocturne around a year or two ago. I have to say SMTN is quite easily the hardest RPG I’ve played since the brutal Dragon Quest II on NES and Phantasy Star II on the Genesis. Now the SMTN’s difficulty doesn’t arise from unfair random encounter rates or the fact that your aren’t leveled up enough, or from bad game mechanics. Enemies can just obliterate you by exploiting your weakness and if you aren’t prepared and if you aren’t meeting the required level. But you can also do the same to your enemies, which is the beauty of SMT games. Apart from the difficulty, SMT has an average storyline (I’ll be very fair and say that I wasn’t gripped by the storyline like I wanted to) which does pick up at the end and average character interaction and stuff like that but it is the gameplay and the challenge which makes this game. Advancing to a new area is never so satisfying and recruiting new devils just makes you play this game non-stop. The New game+ feature is always a SMT specialty and this game has a familiar superboss you can recruit as well. SMTN is controversially one of the best and most intriguing RPGs ever despite housing its share of flaws.
#099 – Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island (SNES) My hype for this game was huge and at first it did not live up to it. When I was a kid I hated SMW2 because it has practically nothing to do with SMW or even showed a close resemblance to a Mario game. What I did not know was how much innovation this game had and how much the quality improved even over the first SMW game. For one, this game is massive. One of the longest 2D platformers I’ve played, if not the longest. And trust me you won’t be bored by the length once you start rolling. If you don’t compare SMW2 with other Mario Bros or SMW game, this game comes off as one of the best 2D platformers ever. A sequel overshadowed by the original doesn’t justify SMW2 because it is a completely different game.
It is more of a series than any other gaming series because each game is designed to fit a trilogy rather than a single entry.
Mass Effect's definitely got it beat though in all fairness man, and I'm not just saying that because I like it about a thousand times more. Yeah, marketing overexaggerated the holy hell out of how much your decisions would matter but those games are super-duper cohesive. I mean, really, really cohesive.
Mass Effect's definitely got it beat though in all fairness man, and I'm not just saying that because I like it about a thousand times more. Yeah, marketing overexaggerated the holy hell out of how much your decisions would matter but those games are super-duper cohesive. I mean, really, really cohesive.
I've only just started playing the ME series. I'm on the first one and I'm playing it on my 360. The game is really really good and Its beating the holy hell out of FF13 (even though I'm not even halfway right now) which I just finished recently.
No spoilers on ME please. And BTW FF13 is the quite possibly the worst Final Fantasy Game I have ever played since FFII on the NES. Its not THAT bad but kinda X-2 level if you ask me. And btw this list doesn't have the Mass Effect series because I've only started playing it recently.
You'll notice this list doesn't have that many games from the newer gen consoles. It's not that I dislike games from this generation. Its just that I've completed very few compared to the ones from the PS2, Gamecube era.
#098 – Fire Emblem (GBA) A lot of gamers, hell even a lot of Fire Emblem fans don’t even know that Fire Emblem on GBA is actually the 7th installment to the series. Now I’m not saying I’m a super Fire Emblem fan. Infact I couldn’t stand most of the NES titles and liked only one of the SNES title. Fire Emblem (GBA) is known as Fire Emblem: Sword of Flame (Rekka no Ken) in Japan and I must say it is a great Fire Emblem game to be localized overseas. This game is definitely the most impressive Fire Emblem game I’ve played by far and also my personal favorite game on the GBA (barring remakes). The writing in Fire Emblem is just so good and the characters are superb. The main attraction however lies in the strategy battles just like any other Fire Emblem game. This entry simply does a superb job at presentation and playability. Trust me, I’ve played quite a number of quality SRPGs which doesn’t even compare to this in basically any department. Fire Emblem has that ‘I just cannot stop playing’ factor to it which most definitely makes it a must-have game for any GBA owner and any SRPG fan.
#097 – The Legend of Dragoon (PS1) I’m probably one of the few people who played LoD years and years after its release and loved it. Now LoD doesn’t really get that many good reviews from critics and I have to say I cannot blame them. The game has been translated very poorly making the script extremely cheesy at times. VA in the FMVs are the worst I’ve seen in any game and I’m not even kidding. Apart from these two flaws, I loved every single aspect of the game. The battle system is unique and requires a player to perform combos by hitting a button at the right time. That aspect is a hit or miss for many gamers but I simply loved it. The story is also very very good and with a good translation it could have been more than epic. Characters in this game are also very well designed and well distinguished and I loved the interactions between them (even with bad writing). This game has some of my favorite segments in an RPG and I won’t spoil it here for you. If you want spoilers then check out the LoD boards because I’ve made a play through topic of it a couple of years ago.
Oh man, I'm so glad to read that you're enjoying Mass Effect. I wish you nothing but the best with all that. One of my favorite series for sure and all three games would pop up in my top twenty, absolutely.
You'll see as you go on, it really does blow Xenosaga away in terms of planned trilogies. It's just so... everyone gets their chance to shine, and at just the right moments, and characters that might not have had much to do in ME1 get their moments later on. You know, stuff like that.
I will say this -- ME2 intentionally starts off feeling disoriented from ME1, but it's a plot device kinda thing. It all clicks as the game goes on and especially throughout ME3.
But that bad translation did lead to one of my favorite WTF lines in a game. You can walk up to some fireplace in Chapter 1 and Dart will go...
"This fire is making me want to 'just do it.'"
Hahaha. I don't recall this one but I remember one of the citizens being named 'casualty'. I was drinking something that time and I gagged out everything.
And oh man the ending and that scream. That was like one of the most surprising and funny moments stemming from bad Voice Acting and bad Voice Acting only.
#096 – God of War III (PS3) I knew what to expect from GoWIII and yet I was still surprised. Now the surprise wasn’t necessarily good or bad but more of a “Wow, they really didn’t do all that much with this new game except make certain features worse” surprise. Now GoWIII with all its graphical enhancements still feels the same as GoW1 or 2. Now I didn’t expect the GoW series to change all that much but I was looking forward to more advanced gameplay than just graphical upgrades. Sadly it plays the same and the story didn’t take off to heights I expected it to either. The inability to skip cutscenes even on a New Game+ was very annoying and certainly makes replaying the game more of a chore. The boss battles in GoWIII however are certainly better than its predecessors but just barely better than GoWII. I can’t go into much detail here without spoiling the game but I was particularly impressed with one area. I thought it was the best in the GoW series. Now you can’t go wrong with a GoW game and GoW3 most certainly didn’t but neither did it transcend its predecessors when it was offered ample opportunities being made on a later generation console.
#095 – Spyro 2: Ripto’s Rage (PS1) If you ask me the European release has a much more suitable name for Spyro 2. Gateway to Glimmer instead of Ripto’s Rage. Anyways Spyro 2 has improved over the first in so many ways. Although there are less levels, they are much bigger and has objectives and isn’t a collection fest this time. Spyro 2 introduces a lot of important characters for the series. Spyro himself has a much better Voice Actor as well and the purple dragon is just more likable this time around. Spyro 2 however doesn’t come without its share of flaws. Firstly, the game is too easy. This is easily the easiest Spyro game from the PS1 trilogy. Even little kids will have little trouble with this game. And then there is the issue of only 3 boss fights. Although the bosses have improved so much in quality over the original, 3 is still a very small number in a pretty lengthy platformer. All flaws listed, this game is pretty much what elevated the Spyro series to the reputation the trilogy on the PS1 gets. On a personal note, Spyro 2 used to be my favorite 3D platformer for quite a while and only with a release of another Insomniac game was this game outdone.
#094 – Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando (PS2) There is no doubt GC outclassed its predecessor in a lot of ways but it was far from being the perfect R&C game. First of all weapons in this game are a pain to level up and isn’t very fun to do so. Second, this game has some of the most annoying objectives in the R&C series especially the space battles. This is also when the R&C series becomes shooter heavy (Not a bad thing). The story however is a little better than the first and GC has some really funny scenes. GC is definitely an improvement over the first as far as gameplay goes but it still does have its issues. Other than that Insomniac did not disappoint and produced a sequel which outdid the already successful original.
#093 – Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Complete (PS1) I know Eternal Blue and Silver Star Story Complete are remakes or remastered versions of the original but I’ve never played the originals and have no idea what they are like so I’ll just list the Complete games (whatever that means) from the PS1 here. I cannot think of a single thing which Eternal Blue doesn’t do better gameplay-wise than Silver Star Story yet somehow it’s never been as charming as SSS. I liked the story just as much as SSS (And it is as straightforward and cliché and charming as SSS) and also liked the fact that it relates to the first. I think both Lunar games on the PS1 are very simple and straightforward but it never loses its charm. Both Lunar games are definitely a must have for any RPG gamer.
You haven't played Lunar? Go buy a copy of SSS and EB right now ^_^
#092 – Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy Kong’s Quest (SNES) One of the top contenders for best SNES platformer is definitely this game. DKC2 centers around Diddy Kong (the side-kick in DKC1) and Dixie Kong (Most famously known for her ability to glide with her hair) which clicks together as the most awesome duo. Gameplay is better paced and more enjoyable than the first. Bonus stages and the new Animals you can ride are also more polished and better overall. DKC2 also has the best levels in the DKC trilogy, the best boss battles, the best final battle, the best music, the best overall feel. This is the hands down best DK game I’ve played.
#091 – Fallout 2 (PC) My first experience with the Fallout series started with the second entry and I couldn’t have asked for a better entry to the series. My favorite aspect of the game is the brilliantly crafted storyline and its coverage for each individual character. Then there are the choices and the amount of paths you can take which is just amazing. Fallout 2 expands over the first Fallout game in almost every way. Everything in the gameplay department is smoother as well. The battle system is also very immersive and raising stats is just uber fun. Fallout 2 is another revolutionary for RPGs, especially since most non JRPGs have elements based upon the second Fallout game.