8 Great JRPGs That Have Aged Really Well!

Time has been kind to some video games and not so much to others. JRPGs are no exception here. This video showcases 8 JRPGs that in my opinion have stood the test of time quite well.
Intro Song | Hisohka - School Rooftop • hisohkah - school rooftop
Outro Song | unseensounds - Radical Dreamers lofi remix • lofi nostalgia #8 | Ra...
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Patreon: / gamingbroductions
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Edited by: Evan Pierson
Written and Narrated by: Corbin Pierson
'Til next time everyone!
#JRPGs #RetroGames #ChronoTrigger
▬ Contents of this video ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
0:00 - Intro
0:58 - Breath of Fire IV
2:10 - Chrono Trigger
4:56 - Grandia II
6:27 - Super Mario RPG
7:39 - Suikoden II
9:35 - Ogre Battle 64
11:10 - Final Fantasy X
13:23 - Shining Force II
14:33 - Outro

[@Maxim.Nazarenko]

01:00 - Breath of Fire IV. 02:11 - Chrono Trigger. 04:57 - Grandia II. 06:28 - Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. 07:41 - Suikoden II. 09:38 - Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber. 11:11 - Final Fantasy X. 13:26 - Shining Force II.

[@user-hd2mx6tn3i]

0:10 Final Fantasy Ⅲ 0:28 Earth Bound disappointing

[@Xenofan111]

Xenogears was amazing. It’s too bad it didn’t get the fame it deserved though. It really was a masterpiece of a jrpg.

[@kingty2550]

@@Xenofan111 only because it was unfinished. Definitely one of my favorites

[@findantu]

@@kingty2550 yeah I don't normally advocate games getting remakes. I kinda feel like it tarnishes the original and usually is a emulated cash grab. But this is one the few I really wish they woulda redid. Things like NES being remade is neat. But like retconning ff7 to look like the ac movie I feel is a cashgrab the story was already epic the characters were all pretty fleshed out. But meh pple buy em.

[@planescaped]

Lunar Silver Star Story Complete and Lunar 2 Eternal Blue are tied for my second favorite JRPG right behind Suikoden 2, and just ahead of FF6 and Chrono Trigger. So yeah, I'd recommend them...

[@shaggyrumplenutz1610]

I stumbled upon Chrono Trigger back in the summer of 95 at a mall I had never been to. I had heard nothing about it, but to be fair I had stopped taking/reading gaming mags. When I got home I was absolutely blown away. That was my senior year of college and had a lot of great memories, CT being one of them.

[@Zectifin]

Yeah I didn't see anything about it in magazines. I wasn't really super into JRPGs at the time, but I think something about the cover drove me to rent it. Its been my favorite game ever since. Its probably what got me into JRPGs in the first place.

[@jmarx3943]

I saw chrono trigger in a blockbuster video. Didn't know anything about it, but it was squaresoft, so I gave it a go. My friend and I fell in love with it right away. It really maxed out the super nintendo, and is just as much fun now as it was back in the day.

[@Mintcar923]

I never paid attention to it when i was younger.. Thought it was some kind of bullet hell shooting going by the title.. It’s only after getting Cross I found out about it.. I didn’t really get into the rpg genre til I was much older upon discovering stuff like Fire Emblem, Chrono Trigger & later Suikoden.. All I really knew back in the day was Zelda

[@braddorcas9363]

Shining Force 2 is one the most under appreciated JRPG's of all time. It got lost being on the genesis, where the major majority of notable rpg titles appeared on the SNES. If it had been released on the SNES it would have been seen as one of the all time greats along side some of the others of the era.

[@HellPedre]

SF series truly, really deserve a modern remaking, a proper continuation and revival, such a freaking amazing games...

[@paulchoi5206]

one of the few games i've played multiple times

[@MasterFaiyn]

I know it's pretty unpopular by comparison, but I also enjoyed shining in the darkness which is kind of like a parallel universe with the same villain but in a first person dungeon crawler format. Seeing some overlap between the games tickled me when I played these as a kid

[@st0rmchild]

First one is great too. I've replaced Shining Force 1 & 2 many times.

[@kalebphillips9281]

So glad to see some love for Shining Force 2. It was my favorite game as a kid, and still one of my favorites to this day. It held up surprisingly well, and the music is iconic. I really hope that someday we'll get new Shining Force games in that style.

[@luisreyes1963]

Truly is one of SEGA'S best creations.

[@kingmasterlord]

ever play Grandia?

[@fuuuuuwahhhh5276]

​@@kingmasterlord another great game. I really liked that one because the protagonist and I share the same name. And shining force was my first RPG as a 4 game Sega compilation I got for about ten bucks on the PC. I played in the 90s but it was just 2d platform games and 3d platformers on the 64. I discovered all the rpg gems as an adult

[@ShadowArtist]

Here's some other classic JRPGs that have aged well and still very worth playing IMO: 1) Phantasy Star IV 2) TERRANIGMA 3) Secret of Mana 4) Live A Live 5) Bahamut Lagoon 6) Tales of Phantasia 7) Tales of Symphonia 8) Phantasy Star Online: Blueburst 9) LUNAR Silver Star Story 10) LUNAR 2: Eternal Blue 11) Princess Crown 12)Shining Force 1

[@user-uv4oj7bj4j]

Thanks, & much appreciated for putting your efforts to write it all I watch it,

[@sandywift]

Lunar!!! One of the best.

[@GiordanDiodato]

Tales of Phantasia SNES and Tales of Symphonia have not aged well. Tales of the Abyss has aged way better. Same with Secret of Mana. also make sure you're talking about Lunar Silver Star CD or Harmony. Silver Star Story Complete is a dumpster fire thanks to Working Designs thinking they're From Software.

[@sandywift]

@@GiordanDiodato Complete on PS1 was my first experience with it, so I forgive it its faults. Also enjoyed the PSP “remake,” but I wish the series would continue.

[@carlosaugustodinizgarcia3526]

Great list.

[@GG256_]

Star ocean for SNES, the original, I highly recommend playing the translation. It aged impeccably and has gorgeous sprites and snappy combat.

[@pogopope]

I heard it’s too easy

[@GG256_]

@@pogopope Well in my personal opinion *most* tri-ace/Enix/Square RPGs from back then are too easy. Dragon quest is the only series that has some more punishing entries but only because of arbitrary reasons you can easily circumvent. It's really good dude, if you like RPGs.

[@FreeFlow__]

combat system sucks

[@GG256_]

@@FreeFlow__ You didn't like it? I love how fast paced and frantic it can become. And the wide range of specials keep it interesting. It's definitely not like many other star ocean titles. The only one I'd compare it to is 2 and it's still vastly different. What didn't you like about the combat dude? I'd honestly like to hear your criticism against it, not to challenge you, but to learn the critical perspective of something I find cool and see it from the other side. The game is a translation and little is known about it in the U.S. among the gaming public because most never got to play it. So, thoughts if you don't mind?

[@joonpak]

Is it possible to play the original Star Ocean on iOS or PC?

[@mikeluna2026]

Terranigma is still a blast to play even now. Though it's an Action jrpg. Simple but fun combat, great nuanced story, great music, and the feel you are actively building the world. It's so good even I, who usually avoids action rpgs, love it, haha...

[@PersonausdemAll]

Yes 💖

[@dudeman5303]

ITS SO GOOD. GAHHHH

[@jasonnchuleft894]

Second that. One of the games I regularly replay. It's a shame it was never released in the US officially over some particularly bad timing. Long story short: The localization was finished but Square jumped ship off the US before it released so it never made it to stores.

[@justinroe6168]

FF Tactics is still pretty amazing in my opinion.

[@danielcorro4835]

I second this opinion

[@chrishubbard64]

I personally couldnt get into it. I seem to remember I kept hitting points early on where it turned out that I needed to grind specific classes to survive specific battles with no warning of what was coming.

[@akabancopop]

Real talk. That game hasn't aged a day.

[@dondonondon8577]

FF Tactic on GBA is the best

[@msarilyn7677]

Indeed, too bad there are people who don't like tactical games as it's easily the best possible one.

[@Belinera]

Breath of Fire 4 is such a wonderful, underappreciated game. Great decision to include it here! One of the best OSTs of all time, too.

[@terrytong8665]

I like it way more than Grandia 2 & Chrono Trigger. The music & vibe is the best.

[@Gorotsukiii]

Do you know any game similar?? Just perfect for me

[@terrytong8665]

@@Gorotsukiii Maybe Dragon Quest. classic anime turned RPG type of game.

[@noiJadisCailleach]

@@terrytong8665 I think you got it backwards

[@weirman88]

One of my all time favorite RPGs

[@liquidmetalslime9]

Dragon Quest 8 applies for sure! Beautiful cel shaded graphics with Akira toriymas design style...doesn't get old

[@zedrico8577]

Ya this is definitely a game i think about atleast one a momth

[@Default78334]

The problem is that it's way too grindy for a game released in 2004. If you haven't gotten Multiheal by the time you fight Dhoulmagus, you're going to be grinding until you do.

[@zedrico8577]

@@Default78334 idk i always thought the game a good amount of grinding. All modern jrps have close to no challenge, dq8 has a lot of challenge, and grinding in jrpgs for me has always felt to give player how are less knowledgeable a way at still surpassing hard encounters but out leveling them. Idk if you compare dq8 to say dq11, dq11 often times to easy with the extra mods on. I often crave to play another jrp like dq8. Where you actually need to think and use every in your arsnal to win

[@Default78334]

@@zedrico8577 SMT: Nocturne is a challenging game. You overcome difficult encounters, not by grinding levels, but by understanding the combat and fusion system to create tools to overcome challenges. DQ8, on the other hand has a pretty solid level gate with the Dhoulmagus fight. If you don't have Angelo at level 30, you're going to have major trouble winning without being incredibly lucky because he will just dish out multi-hit damage faster than you can heal it, and will regularly nerf your buff spells if you try that method to avoid damage. The other possibilities involve either grinding alchemy recipes or grinding the casino. This is a problem because most people playing through the game at a normal pace will be in the low to mid 20's by the time they reach that fight.

[@zedrico8577]

@@Default78334 ya idk i dont remember that fight being that challenging, (also keep in mind its been probably 10 years since i played)and seeing hes the main villian it helps make the moment more intense. I tried a smt game years back and i really did try to like it, but just couldnt seem to enjoy it. I have close to zero memories of that. I cant even remember any of the characters, i also found the ui and information in the game to be bloated. Is was a smt game on ds.

[@user-ef7gn4jy6v]

Terranigma aged really well in my opinion

[@GamingBroductions]

Great pick. I played this one a few years back and do remember thinking the same at the time

[@PsychomachineryEBM]

Tales of Phantasia, Xenogears and Seiken Densetsu 3

[@alchie3867]

One of the best games of all time my friend

[@PersonausdemAll]

I saw the thumbnail and thinked of Terranigma instantly 💖💖😊

[@mic01851165]

Suikoden 2 is one of the best jrpg ever made for me. It's one of the jrpg that's most enjoyable to replay again and again. The story is top notch, the art is phenomenal , the combat is fast pace and fun, the boss is cool as shit and challenging. Not to mention so many wonderful collectables , as well as able to upgrade your base. The length of the story is at the right length too with no filler ark , and no need to waste time grinding level. This game literally speaks perfection to me, and many other later jrpg still can't replicate the success of Suikoden 2. Many jrpg suffers from slow pace battle system, filler ark , and grindy combat. Suikoden 2 is like the outlier there opposing all the tedium of jrpg.

[@turtleneck6630]

did u play the first game? i dont rlly wanna play the first game so what do u think

[@pataff2062]

I think Lufia II for the SNES has aged really well too. There are no random encounters, the puzzles make it an unique game, the familiars breeding make up for the simplicity of the battle system and the story is enterteining enough. Great game.

[@planescaped]

First game that ever made kid me cry. Dat ending was unexpected back in the day...

[@ThanatosZero]

Except on the overworld map.

[@pataff2062]

@@ThanatosZero true! 😅

[@RyanBancroft]

Completely agree with how well this one has aged. I replayed it last year and it was one of the few games from my childhood (that I've tried recently) that gripped me and wouldn't let go. I was actually disappointed it didn't have any post-game content or much in the way of sidequests.

[@callak_9974]

Well, no random encounters in the dungeons. Oh the world map though, there are.

[@DarthEquus]

Phantasy Star IV. The plot, the OST and the combo abilities made it a worthy finale to the series.

[@lnsflare1]

Story and mechanics-wise, it's basically the halfway point between Final Fantasy 6 and Chrono Trigger, with music and aesthetics that kinda resemble a grungier Super Metroid in places, which is pretty impressive for a game that predates all three of the SNES games I mentioned.

[@Ubu90]

imo the last HARD phantasy star, all the action combat games are TO EASY for me, i dont even strategize i literally just play thru

[@IsaacG8]

Yes! I don't remember much about it now, except the enjoyment.

[@fentonmckinsley4659]

Just a heads up for anyone who reads this and wants to play/replay it. There's a retranslation of the game that make the story flow much better. Replayed it last year and it's a much more enjoyable experience with the new translation.

[@HellPedre]

even though I love the game, finished it and everything, I wouldnt say it aged well, at all. I remember playing it in the Sega emulator around year 2000, and it looked and felt archaic even at that time... super good game and fun too nonetheless for sure

[@Vessol]

Great list! I recently played through the Quintet action RPGs in order (Soul Blazer, Illusion of Gaia, and Terranigna) and they really hold up well, both gameplay wise but also story and theme wise. They're very mature and deal a lot with the inevitably of death, hitting a lot harder now as an adult than as a kid when I first played them. Really hope we get a remake or remaster of them now that they have done an ActRaiser remake. Playing through Tales of Abyss now and remembering Symphonia, I think both of those games have aged pretty well and could still be a lot of fun to play for modern gamers.

[@GamingBroductions]

Thanks! I played Terranigma a few years back and agree it would have been good for this list, I wanted to spread out the generations a bit though and already had 3 others from that time period I thought of first but it'll be good for part 2. Haven't played the other 2 Quintet games in a long time however so I need to do that here eventually Abyss/Symphonia are good examples as well, I should be finishing Symphonia in the next couple days actually and have had a lot of fun with it overall. Looking forward to talking about that one in the video on it real soon

[@GG256_]

Tales of Vesperia is probably the best in the series, although the new Tales of Arise is close. I recommend trying them out if you haven't since you like tales. Symphonia and abyss are great as well. I feel like the series didn't come to form until Symphonia, the older titles dungeon level design, (and honestly a major critique of even the newer games) is some of the most repetitious dungeon level design of all time. Also another classis that aged extremely well for the SNES? The original star ocean translation. No joke it's my top 5 jrpgs of all time it's one of my favorite SNES games.

[@7milesdavis]

I just got an original chrono trigger cartridge. Haven't played it yet, I'm finishing up ff4. I missed out on the classic snes rpg's as a kid. It's amazing how well some of those games hold up.

[@Inkinthegrass]

Final Fantasy X was my first FF game/jrpg ever. I'd never played a turn based rpg or had any concept of what that was. I'd just heard talk about how good of a game it was so I saw it in the store one day and though "Hmm, wonder what all the hype is about. Guess I'll buy it." And the rest is history

[@jackcullen69]

As a Breath of Fire 4 enjoyer, I was really happy to see that game on this list. And it was the first mention too. I think it's really underrated, probably because it had to compete with the Final Fantasy series on the PS.

[@nobodyspecial115]

Loved the BoF series although 3 has to be my favorite an the best aged one in my opinion. In 4 they started leaning into more 3D sprites and they just don't look as polished as the 2D ones.

[@bullfrogjay4383]

BoF 3 and 4 are true gems that got overshadowed at the time but we're better than FF in my opinion. I love Final Fantasy, don't get me wrong.

[@juanjosesegura4585]

@@nobodyspecial115 Fully agree on this.

[@midnight161]

Nice review - I am old enough to remember when these games came out and played them!

[@andrifimbulvetr3305]

Love your video! Whatcing this at the hospita lwith a broken back and it made my stay there a lot better! Keep it up

[@joshtgoad]

What a great birthday present! Thanks for making such fantastic videos about something your so passionate about. Keep up the great work!

[@GamingBroductions]

No problem! Appreciate the kind words and glad to hear you’re enjoying the content. Happy birthday btw, hope it was a good one!

[@moisescorral8297]

I really hope they bring Ogre Battle 64 to the new Switch online service.

[@GamingBroductions]

Man that would be amazing. Would also help bring some much needed awareness to the series

[@on3trackmindtv]

Always great work from you guys. Thank you!

[@GameArts1]

For some reason Grandia 2 reminded me of the time when I was freshman in highschool, I drew Ryudo so many times in class, as his character model was quite easy to grasp. I always loved the fact that he said ''Skye take flight!" in one of his skills, I mean, voice acting in battle was quite unique at that time.

[@mjanime786]

It's crazy to me how nobody has ever mentioned radiata stories and infinite undiscovery for the ps2.....those rpgs are amazing and I've been waiting for remasters forever lol

[@Ubu90]

umm infinite was 360 exclusive

[@cobbil]

I adored Radiata Stories, but its so niche.

[@mjanime786]

@@cobbil yeah but it was still a very good game especially in the ps2 era

[@mjanime786]

@@Ubu90 this video isnt exclusive to playstation though just good RPGs that aged well....both these still look pretty nice on the ps2 and are good

[@mjanime786]

@Doppelganger D recent? 😂😂😂 wtf the xbox came out in 2005 you tweaking dude....that's 17 years ago...I think that's more than enough time to see if something aged well lmao not a good point you made bruh

[@BYoNexus]

Suikoden 2 was the first game i got emotionally invested in, and when the end of the Matilda arc happened, and then the ending itself happened, i was a teary mess

[@johnsebastianespinosa987]

a well earned like and subscribe for the content. the description of chrono trigger... you really hit the nail to the head..

[@sotiriskyriakidis14]

Great choices, very good list. I have re-played 4 of them the last 2 years, still waiting for something like that to come out again

[@SeanyFNF]

I know they're not purely JRPG's but both Dark Cloud & Dark Cloud 2/ Chronicle have aged pretty well.

[@asnlunatic]

Oh no…they have NOT.

[@redguywins4802]

Great video. This video deserves more likes and views. Only game I feel should have made the list is Phantasy Star IV for the Sega Genesis.

[@CoffeePotato]

Great to hear Ogre Battle remembered!

[@GamingBroductions]

Use to rent this gem from Blockbuster, hard to beat in one rental period lol.

[@ryanperrault8174]

Another solid video...so glad I found this channel. Hoping it grows even more. Keep up the good work.

[@jamess6549]

FF4 - 6 have also aged really well, probably why pixel remasters are doing so well. The problem with 4 is the difficulty for people who are not used to it and random battles. The problem with 5 is the insane grind for job points! I am one of the people that fantasize about 6 with Octopath Traveler graphics! Completely agree with your assessment of 7-9! I saw Earthbound in intro, but didn't hear you talk about it. That one has also stood the test of time.

[@genericsavings]

FF6 pixel remaster would be lovely with Octopath’s graphics… But, it should retain options. Offer it in its original form & have extras. That iOS remake was atrocious. If it includes the gba content that would be a dream.

[@NueThunderKing]

It seems our dream of VI with OT graphics is coming true, let’s just hope it retains all the content of the GBA version and it is available on ALL consoles and devices.

[@lconfig2117]

I, too dream of some sort of FF6 remake. It is still my favorite FF. It has a unique spirit from the rest of the series that I've never been able to objectively pin down.

[@genericsavings]

@@lconfig2117 being that we’re both in agreement that FF6 is our personal favorites; I’ll speak my mind why FF6 is considered best by some. Stellar music. Love the character themes & it’s “remixes”. You hear Figaro Castle and it’s wistful remix, “Coin Song”. Same for Locke and Forever Rachel. Terra’s theme is injected to several other themes/songs. Art direction; FF4 & 5 looked liked crayons compared to FF6. It pushed what the SNES could handle. I’m still in awe of that snow mech intro. Character development; -A confused girl who accepts who she is & learns what love is; and that it’s worth fighting for. -A renegade thief who wants to change the past. Seeks redemption. -A would be prince who threw it all away for his freedom. Ultimately to master himself. -A man who lost everything, but fights for hope. Later, he confronts those demons & triumphs. Could go on, but the game speaks for itself. Play FF6. The game had it all.

[@noop9k]

Love FF5, completed it 2 or 3 times. But I played on an emulator and probably used fast forward occasionally. Its plot much less memorable than FF4/6/7 but when actually playing, it was very enjoyable! Can’t say the same about certain parts of, say, FF7.

[@brunodiotte2455]

One game I come back to regularly is the PS1 version of Lunar. Might be nostalgia though...

[@GamingBroductions]

The first 2 Lunar games are some classics that's charm and sense of adventure are quite timeless. I haven't played the first Lunar in awhile now but did play the 2nd a few years ago and had a great time with it. Still prefer the first one by a bit I think though

[@evansteele86]

I find myself playing through Lunar 1 every few years. I remember picking it up as a kid and not knowing anything about it. It absolutely took me by surprise. I still get tingles down my spine anytime I hear the title music.

[@PoeticProphetic]

I played this game for the first time quite recently. I really liked it

[@Default78334]

@@GamingBroductions I'd vote for the Sega CD versions over the PS versions for the better soundtracks.

[@DefeatLust]

Ayyy, The Legend of Dragoon. I like that small mention. That combat system was unique and immersive.

[@LeCoffreDuGeek]

nice, thanks for remembering these awesome titles !

[@dannyb9209]

Suikoden 2 didn't age well It was already a masterpiece to begin with

[@graymatter242]

Legend of Mana was my favorite game as a kid, the remastered one looks crisp and great, would highly recommend! Thousand Arms by Atlus on ps1 helped me learn how to talk to girls in middle school with the dating sim aspect, many thought it was crap but I thought it was a solid rpg!

[@Jondedy]

I love your video's man!! So much inspiration, hahaha. Keep it up!

[@xPhenom41x]

Props for showing a clip of Legend of Legia. My all time favorite game!

[@armorvil]

I'd love a new JRPG with fighting games moves like that one had

[@jefferyflood]

Wow I never realized till now how much of a masterpiece Chrono trigger truly is. Just crazy to think 3 of some of the biggest creators ever worked on this.. Still need to finish it myself though

[@FelixS.]

I know, I am pretty alone with this opinion, but from my point of view Chrono Trigger is ludicrously overrated. It is a good game and has phenomenal visuals for its time but in terms of depth, story, content, gameplay etc. it pales in comparison to games like Terranigma, Final Fantasy VI - IX, Xenogears, Suikoden 2, Lost Odyssey, Persona 4 and 5, Dragon Quest VIII and XI, Xenoblade 1 and 2 and many more games from each generation since the SNES era. Personally I consider it to be nowhere near the best rpgs of all time.

[@fishmeister2625]

Chrono Trigger is a fantastic game. However I am more of a fan of real-time combat rather than turn-based. Last week I completed Terranigma (SNES) and absolutely loved it. The magic system wasn't well implemented (I only used it once the entire game!) But I still preferred it to Chrono Trigger just for it's unique gameplay, settings and storyline. Well worth playing.

[@Alamyst2011]

Wait till he learns about FFV VI dev team

[@jaycenteno8385]

This list was AWESOME!!! You even managed to get some Shining love in there, cant go wrong with that! lol Still a ton of other games you can add so Im hoping for a part 2 someday... :P

[@GamingBroductions]

Thank you! Of course, I've got mad love for the Shining Force series even if I've still unfortunately yet to play the 3rd one (one day though). And part 2 will definitely be coming in due time after we put out some different content first!

[@jaycenteno8385]

@@GamingBroductions Not sure what vid youre posting next but I cant wait to see it! :) Keep it up!

[@Neo-Midgar]

This is my new favorite channel by a landslide. Love your content, man :)

[@GamingBroductions]

Thank you so much we really appreciate it!

[@supreadytoparty]

Loving the channel bro. Great work. Your videos are finally making me wanna pick up chrono trigger

[@dewanggayuherawan9103]

SUIKODEN 2, HELL YEAHH ❤️🔥🔥

[@GamingBroductions]

A classic for sure! One of the first I thought of here

[@gemibo2114]

Golden sun (gba) should be on the list. The story, mechanic, plot twist.. even the graphic is outstanding for gba games

[@SomaKitsune]

I never got to play the Golden Sun games. I wish there was a Switch collection or something.

[@paperluigi6132]

@@SomaKitsune Forget that. We should campaign for an HD-2D remake like with Dragon Quest III.

[@main_tak_becus6689]

@@paperluigi6132 nah, 2D sprites and 3D background like DQ 4,5,6 on NDS is the way. Too bad not many games use the style.

[@noop9k]

Graphics were really good, for GBA. But no, I don’t consider it to be a great RPG. It felt boring and formulaic. Didn’t even finish it. Wouldn’t put it into my top 20 RPGs. In the list of RPGs I’ve played, it is closer to the end.

[@luislaracuente]

I'm new to this channel and it's awesome! Is there a released video on the Suikoden series? Suikoden III was the first I played and I LOVED the intro cutscene and music, the variety of characters with their intertwined stories forcing you to see things from different perspectives was mind blowing for me at the time, as I was used to the typical good vs evil struggles. The concept of runes ND true runes was very cool story wise and building the town was a lot of fun. I played Suikoden IV but couldn't get myself to finish and the reason deserves its own discussion: *voice acting can make or break a game*. Until now I feel games without voice acting were more inmnersive for me, made me pour some of my soul/imagination to the different game characters and added the Role Playing part to JRPG. With voice being added it felt more like being an espectator. (getting sidetracked... Back to Suikoden IV) In my opinion, Suikoden IV had BAD voice acting design, probably because protagonist being always silent made it super awkward, I just couldn't finish.

[@yomyomcam]

You're Sarape background is Epic!

[@Fourch1611]

Nice one. Have you played Valkyrie Profile?I haven't seen it mentioned in any of your videos. Keep up the good work!

[@GamingBroductions]

Thank you! Yeah I’ve played Valkyrie Profile, great game for sure and you are right that I’ve yet to talk about it on the channel before which I do need to fix. Admittedly I first played it when I was really young so I think some of the grimdark-ish nature was a little much for me back then, but it’s probably one that I would come to really like in my adult years now. Thanks for reminding me!

[@Brahmsonite]

I'm a big fan of a lot of these. I also particularly like Phantasy Star 4 on Genesis and Alundra on PlayStation. Not sure if they're will preserved or not, just some of my favorites.

[@tsacelbuod]

Phantasy Star IV has some of the best music I've ever heard out of a video game. The regular battle theme still gets my blood pumping to this day!

[@kainhighwind2]

PS4 totally holds up. There's some cracks and age starting to show, but it's undeniably the best, and best holding up, of the original 4 games.

[@Brahmsonite]

@@kainhighwind2 They never officially released them in English, but (in case you didn't know) there're a couple of lovely Playstation 2 remakes for the first 2 games. It's a real shame the series they were remade for ran out of gas before they could do PS3 and 4.

[@RyanBancroft]

haha, just commented the same before seeing this about PSIV. Such an amazing experience.

[@cpthurme]

I think Phantasy Star II is a great rpg, particularly with the Improvement mod. Just realized I like it more than PSIV now.

[@ifrit4545]

I cant believe i forgot about some of these. I've played them all & love them all!

[@andersjensen7348]

Omg shining force II! I loved that game so much as a kid. So good memories thanks for reminding me!

[@Xeinok]

Great list - I was surprised to see Ogre Battle 64 but I totally agree

[@GamingBroductions]

Thank you. It's one of those games that I feel like everyone who's played it generally loves it but is just sadly overlooked these days

[@ThomasTheLord]

@@GamingBroductions Exactly! Such an amazing game!

[@nobodynobody1574]

I have lots of games I regret getting rid of , Ogre Battle 64 is the one that bothers me the most.

[@BOTCHED]

I just want to say thank you for including Ogre Battle 64, it is one of my all time favorite games. It is so over looked in the N64 catalogue, and is the best RPG on the system.

[@user-qu4yn1fm4z]

I agree. It’s a masterpiece! Amazing gameplay, amazing replay value, fantastic story, and perfect music. There’s no game like it.

[@femtrooper]

Great list! I just finished Grandia so I can’t wait to check out Grandia II someday since I have it for Switch!

[@GamingBroductions]

Thank you! Grandia II is awesome. The fanbase seems sorta split on which one is the best, the first one is more lighthearted while the second is a bit darker so it just depends on your preference there I think but I love them both pretty much equally

[@mmyd2405]

An unknown Japan-only Square RPG that went by unnoticed but holds up amazingly wenn (imo), is Treasure of the Rudras, the animations are veeery great for the SNES, the music as well and the magic system is really "something else"

[@zm3375]

Breath of Fire IV, Suikoden II, and Chrono Trigger will always be my top 3 favorites. The characters, map, story, battle system, and of course, the musics. For me, no modern JRPG can match those 3.

[@Ruslan__S]

For Dreamcast I would add the Skies of Arcadia. Graphic was very beautiful. For PS1 Tales of Eternia should look pretty well even now. For Sega Beyond oasis was one of my favourite one should look pretty good even now. I think even Phantasy star 2 looks not so bad, but many random encounters

[@KLWarlord]

Thank you for mentioning Skies of Arcadia 👍

[@the_exegete]

It blows my mind that Eternia still doesn't have a Steam release.

[@Someguy-xu3oy]

Yayyy I love your vids. Sooo chill. Great way to start the day

[@GamingBroductions]

Love to hear that, glad you're enjoying them man

[@wordofmike]

Shining Force 2!! Yes!! 100%. Still play this through every other year.

[@JesusSaves86AB]

Ogre Battle 64 is one of my all time favorites. I remember being really disappointed playing it at first but after an hour or so I was hooked. A friend of mine played thru several times and found many secrets. No other game like it, I wish there was a port or remake.

[@cesarhernandez6861]

I'm old enough too remember when JRPG'S were just called RPG'S!

[@YukeWeiss]

I only played Chrono Trigger last year and had such a delight with it. I played it on the DS because it never came out in PAL territories before.

[@marcusbrander6608]

Great list!

[@dropno8642]

I SEE GUARDIAN'S CRUSADE I LIKE

[@javigomez1697]

Guardian's Crusade is pure love

[@_Tzer]

Honorable mention: chrono trigger's inspiration... Live A Live. it has 7 scenarios each with unique gameplay based around time periods. It's music is by the legend behind super mario rpg's music yoko shimomura, shares a director with chrono trigger and even a few sound effects. It's battle system is innovative its like chess but mixed with an rpg. It needs more people to care about it and ask for a official english translation. they said they would if enough people cared iirc.

[@Alic4444]

Also, aren't a lot of the characters similar ideas? A robot, a caveman, etc.

[@_Tzer]

@@Alic4444 it is a piece of art.. play it and complete it to find out what truly makes it unique.

[@nightingale897]

So… you saw the direct, right? 😁 Any thoughts?

[@TheMetalGaia]

You predicted the remaster!

[@_Tzer]

@@nightingale897 squares is gonna copyright strike everything it's cool but everything comes at a price with square monkeys paw.

[@sevendeadlystreamers]

Great vid, my person favourite from SNES is Secret of Evermore. Not sure if it holds up as well as these games but it aged pretty well imo

[@InitialDL84]

Fell upon this channel and diggin' the videos! You should check out the Shadow Hearts games on PS2 and maybe do a retrospective on them!

[@Zafersan]

I played Suikoden for the first time, 2 months ago and it blew me away

[@methodinsane]

How someone can make something as perfect as Chronotrigger is beyond me. The music, story and gameplay... Its just.... Lost for words.

[@culo9999]

New viewer; quality of your videos are great. You deserve a bigger audience.

[@jeffreypeters5578]

Great shining force shoutout i loved it back in the day,also holy ark on saturn was good along with the epic golden sun

[@budjoe2289]

I literally just played Shining Force II because it was on sale on Steam. I still think Star Ocean: The Second Star Story and Lunar Silver Star Story have aged well. Great eye for the classics and I really appreciate your take on the JRPG subject. Keep up the great work.

[@GamingBroductions]

Great games and two of my all time favorites, haven't played them in awhile though so need to do that here eventually and cover them in more detail. Would love to do retrospectives on those two titles in due time. Thanks for the support as well, will do!

[@joncliffmckinley5868]

The Lunar series 😍

[@MireVale]

Was looking for the Lunar series 😔

[@opalwisdom9780]

Glad to see BoF IV getting the recognition it deserves. It was the first Breath of Fire game I played and I loved everything about it, from the gameplay, characters and graphics.

[@nobodyspecial115]

The whole series is criminally underrated! BoF 3 was my first RPG an I've been in love with the genre an this series ever since!

[@GiordanDiodato]

too bad it's censored in its localized release. ah well

[@emeramirez4123]

Chrono Trigger, Breath of Fire IV and The Legend of Dragoon are the JRPG trio of my life, missed that last one on the list. Thank you for this content bro.

[@fmthebaron]

Nice to see Ogre Battle 64 get some love. I played that game several times to get all the different endings.

[@chaospoet]

Shining Force, Shining Force 2 and Shining Force CD are amazing! Shining Force CD for me wins out among the three but it's like 1 and 2 are tied at 9.9 and CD is 10. As for other games that are still great to play today: Skies of Arcadia Legends on Gamecube. The Dreamcast original is still great and has the better soundtrack but the Gamecube version has far less random encounters which in the original were flat out obscene with regards to how often they happen (though personally I enjoyed the game so much I didn't care which goes to show how good it is). Star Ocean Second Story for PS1 for many reasons but the biggest being you can play it twice from completely different character perspectives giving it good replay value. And last would be Lunar Silver Star Story Complete on PS1 and it's sequel Lunar Eternal Blue.

[@joe_schmoe_420]

Shining force cd was a compilation of 2 game gear sf games Theyre short but still fun

[@chaospoet]

@@joe_schmoe_420 true but sadly outside of Japan only the second game was released. Plus the upgraded visuals on the character portraits and the battle animations, in my opinion, make it the best looking Shining Force game out of them all.

[@Ubu90]

@@chaospoet just wish we had gotten ALL of 3

[@chaospoet]

@@Ubu90 You mean the Sega Saturn Shining Force 3? There are roms and repros with English translations for parts 2 and 3.

[@DragoEpyon]

Star Ocean 2 does have two character perspectives sure, but who's going to play as Claude freaking Kenni xD

[@dracoerrarus4834]

I’m glad Suikoden and Suikoden 2 are still getting love. I played the first back around ‘98 and it’s been in my Top 3 games of all time ever since! I think Earthbound could’ve made this list, even though it’s cryptic in a few places. Even Earthbound Beginnings is incredible just for being a seamless open world RPG on the NES, (too bad its battle system is grind-heavy).

[@dycedarg19]

I have Suikoden 1 as well. I remember a character dying in one of the mass battles and I found out that they’re gone forever. I think I played it once or twice since games like Tomb Raider and Resident Evil took up most of that time. I still have my backwards comp PS3 so maybe I’ll pop it back in again.

[@dracoerrarus4834]

@@dycedarg19 Yes, permadeath in the wars is annoying but fairly easy to avoid after recruiting the ninjas. The easiest person to lose is actually Pahn in his 1-on-1 battle against Leo. I believe he needs to be decently leveled up before the fight and there’s still little room for error on the rock-paper-scissors-like combat.

[@kingty2550]

@@dracoerrarus4834 decently leveled with good gear and upgraded weapon makes it easy

[@dracoerrarus4834]

@@kingty2550 That’s the biggest problem right there. The first time I played through, I don’t think he had anything equipped and he was definitely under leveled.

[@nicbongo]

Always get giddy when I see Suikoden mentioned in these lists. Suikoden 2 possibly favorite game of all time. Have to import save file from S1 though.

[@radicaled3158]

great list!

[@andrewsutton6640]

I don't know the best place to ask you this. Do you have a list of challenge runs of games and how their difficulty compares to "regular"(unrestricted) playthroughs? For instance, among games with random encounters (including those you cannot run from), which are hardest to low-level run. Also, speed run, item/money restrictions, and how easily that is done.

[@princeartemis440]

Paper Mario the thousand year door still looks amazing and the writing is top-notch. It's a Nintendo styled game that feels like it's not from Nintendo but it also feels like it's from Nintendo at the same time, it's weird to explain but it's a very unique Mario story

[@andy2069]

I definitely agree with this list. Someone mentioned the original Star ocean and I'd definitely agree with that. I'd say every suikoden hold up great. One or obscure if you're only a Consol gamer and not a J RPG, is the original divine divinity. Such a solid rpg head to toe.

[@Haxzilog]

Breath of 3 and 4 is really special for me hits me really hard in nostalgia and my childhood, i genuinely enjoyed every bit of playing it

[@nobodyspecial115]

Same! BoF 3 was my first RPG so I have an extreme love for these games.

[@Kyuaire]

I am so happy to see Shinning forced 2 in the list! This was the game of my childhood!

[@risingraven23]

Another game that has aged very well is Xenogears. The story is by far one of the most philosophical, the battle system will always keep you on your toes, and the music is breath taking (Yasonori Matsuda). I can't speak for Xenosaga (I like those games personally, but I've run into a lot of people who don't).

[@Matt-flarestar_]

I don't think so. The disc 2 is just text

[@robmalcolm8042]

Didn’t age well to me. Couldn’t even finish the last dungeon with characters in the late 80s. Just was boring by that point the last dungeon was way too puzzling and it was already getting out of hand with that the whole disc 2

[@quintins1984]

Loved the choices here. For me i think i would have mentioned Final Fantasy Tactics. Hopefully Triangle Strategy fills that void for me.

[@Bradley_Lute]

Only modern ports though. It hasn't aged well in the case that you can get soft locked into a 2 battle run you can't win because you saved before the 2nd battle. But that's not an issue for WOTL. It's a beautiful game and it feels very modern with the Remaster. Too bad FF 7 couldn't get a proper Remaster, fixing some of the sprite work and using non compressed backgrounds...

[@dudeman5303]

I was not expecting Mario RPG on this list, I am actually really happy to see it there. People always scoff about that game when you try to compare it to other JRPGs but I think it's a phenomenal game. Earthbound, Chrono trigger, and Final Fantasy Tactics are my other favorite JRPGs as well. (Can't exclude Terranigma though, I know it's a real time RPG so it isn't in the running for this list but my god that freaking game. So good)

[@d12kiem7]

not to mention Chrono Trigger's multiple endings which was innovative and also went with the time line altering theme of the game

[@dobadobadooo]

While a lot of my favorite RPGs have aged rather well in my opinion, I also have to be honest and admit that my nostalgia might make me more accepting of their outdated mechanics than I would be otherwise. Personally I think having a unique and visually pleasing artstyle like *Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door, Mother 3,* and *Suikoden 2* is a big factor in making a game feel truly timeless. One question though; how old does a game has to be for one to say it has "aged well"? Like, would a Wii game be too recent?

[@GamingBroductions]

Definitely feel you on the art style having a pretty big impact on how well it holds up. Not saying the graphics have to be absolutely incredible or anything but having memorable character designs/locations and an aesthetically pleasing style in general can go a long way in getting me immersed in and having more patience with some of the other game's potential shortcomings. That's gonna vary depending on who you ask I'm sure but as of right now I feel like anything from the PS3/Wii generation is still maybe a bit too recent, in my opinion of course. My personal cut-off was the PS2/Gamecube generation for this video

[@dobadobadooo]

​@@GamingBroductions Yeah, that seems like a fair cut-off point. I think most of the great GC RPGs have aged really well, and those are generally some of my favorite RPGs as well. But since I grew up on them I'm admittedly pretty biased lol.

[@ShadowDeus]

My cut off is before PS3. I still play Persona 5 here and there on my PS3 so to me PS3 era is still alive... but barely. Maybe when the next version of PS5s launch the PS3 will be retro, including WiiU. as it is i kinda feel Wii has hit that retro mark only because it was already kinda dated at launch.

[@kevinmm20]

FFX used to be one of my favorite games when I was younger, but I recently tried playing it again, and it just wasn't doing it for me anymore. I played FFVI for the first time recently though, and that ended up being one of the best games I've ever played. I would definitely categorize Suikoden II and Chrono Trigger as timeless games; both are still amazing.

[@Sauvenil]

FFX was too linear for my taste - it was like playing a movie. I liked being able to wander more in a game. FFX had none of that.

[@Trollamollex]

Final fantasy 6 was okay for me but since it was hyped up I was kinda disappointed x(. The design and stuff like that were still really good though. Try 4 and Tactics if you haven't

[@joncliffmckinley5868]

Ffx has only gotten better w age imo

[@Sauvenil]

​@@joncliffmckinley5868 Why do you think so?

[@joncliffmckinley5868]

@@Sauvenil going back and playing it still feels good. The pacing is great, and it's one of my favorite iterations of turn based battle systems; to me, battle feels punchy and exciting. Ff7 by counterexample feels painfully slow when I play the OG these days

[@KingL1nk101]

Bof4 was such a huge part of my childhood. Ershins theme song is a tune I catch myself humming to this day.

[@billylevelsup5634]

Bro I'm glad I came across your channel... Plus you mentioned ogre Battle 64 ... One of my favorite games.

[@GamingBroductions]

An absolute classic for sure, more people really need to play it

[@TheRosswise]

It's only a decade old, but I would say Dragons Dogma has also aged really well.

[@HatakeHyei]

10 YEARS ALREADY?My god, I'm old.

[@CRedd9830]

Shining Force III, Panzer Dragoon Saga, Shadow Hearts: Covenant and Dragon Force have aged really well.

[@Vessol]

Recently played through Dragon Force on emulator and it was a lot of fun. It becomes a little micro managy later in the end game but man the battles are beautiful and I loved the Working Designs localization.

[@LN-Lifer]

I forgot all about Shadow Hearts. Fantastic

[@InitialDL84]

Love Shadow Hearts! I have all 3 games that came out on the PS2, wish they'd do a remake or at least a remaster of the first 2

[@eatthewoke5170]

Good picks!

[@trrerid]

My old dusty bones rattling at FFX being called retro gaming.

[@jamess6549]

Yu-Gi-Oh Falsebound Kingdom for the GameCube is a little more modern than Ogre Battle. The only difference is you can direct your combat units, which personally I like more and also the inclusion of the Yu-Gi-Oh cast and monsters is a plus!

[@dracoerrarus4834]

Random Yu-Gi-Oh spin-offs FTW! I personally loved Duelist of the Roses, or whatever its called.

[@troydenbrum2979]

I want a real Super Mario RPG sequel more than I want half-life 3.

[@Slangwell]

U and me both, friend. PUT MARIO RPG ON SWITCH ONLINE ALREADY NINTENDO!!! Can you imagine? Probably some BS with copyrights and stuff since Square developed it. (Ahhhhhh, remember when they were just called Square, or Square Soft?) At least I have Matio RPG on SNES Classic and every emulator known to man i suppose....including handheld ones, but i want it on Switch NSO!

[@forevermagus7706]

@@Slangwell squaresoft made super Mario rpg. If the company was still squaresoft I would want a sequel. Square enix would just screw it up

[@TaylorFalk21]

Solid video bro

[@Omni0404]

Wow that Mario RPG music hit like a load of bricks. So much nostalgia!