Give me some great fantasy Jrpgs

[KVC]

I've played Chrono Trigger and several other classic fantasy games but i'd really like to have some hidden gems of fantasy Jrpgs to get into rn.

 

[Yousef]

Happy you enjoyed CT but I feel you should be more specific. Considering 99% of JRPGs use high fantasy, the best I can do is recommend the entire genre. So go crazy.

 

[KVC]

I don't really have anything super specific in mind, i just want to have some game recommendations.

 

[Stingy Perry]

Try playing those fan translated ones most of them are real hidden gems.

 

[KVC]

Try playing those fan translated ones most of them are real hidden gems.

Which ones would you recommend in particular?

 

[Yousef]

Maybe try the shuffle button at RGT and hope an rpg comes out

 

[Bump'n'Ys]

I've played Chrono Trigger and several other classic fantasy games but i'd really like to have some hidden gems of fantasy Jrpgs to get into rn.

What other RPGs specifically did you play and what did you think of them? I could make recommendations based on that. Regardless I've got a few games I could recommend off the top of my head.
One long time recommendation (although not in the repo, we really oughta carry some PC-98 stuff) I would give is Revival Xanadu. Very cool game, and the controls are simplified compared to the PC88 or MSX version, as well as an expanded OST compared to the PC88 original (the MSX release has its own pretty good OST unique to it).
One game I recently finished that I thought was interesting, if not exactly amazing would be Minelvaton Saga on Famicom. At first glance it may appeal to look like some sort of Dragon Quest clone, but then once you get into combat you'll find it's an ARPG very much along the lines of the aforementioned Xanadu, with a big open world and AI controlled party members that usually do a good job of avoiding damage. I can't promise it'll amaze you, but I found the ambition of the game itself to be super cool.

 

[KVC]

What other RPGs specifically did you play and what did you think of them? I could make recommendations based on that. Regardless I've got a few games I could recommend off the top of my head.
One long time recommendation (although not in the repo, we really oughta carry some PC-98 stuff) I would give is Revival Xanadu. Very cool game, and the controls are simplified compared to the PC88 or MSX version, as well as an expanded OST compared to the PC88 original (the MSX release has its own pretty good OST unique to it).
One game I recently finished that I thought was interesting, if not exactly amazing would be Minelvaton Saga on Famicom. At first glance it may appeal to look like some sort of Dragon Quest clone, but then once you get into combat you'll find it's an ARPG very much along the lines of the aforementioned Xanadu, with a big open world and AI controlled party members that usually do a good job of avoiding damage. I can't promise it'll amaze you, but I found the ambition of the game itself to be super cool.

I'll give those a try! I've played a lot of the classics like FF1 all the way to FF14, i've played CT, Xenoblade Chronicles 1 to 3, i've played Tales of Zestiria, Vesperia, and Abyss. I also have played Trails in the Sky. I recently played Metaphor Refantazio and since then i've been craving another lengthy jrpg.

 

[Bump'n'Ys]

I'll give those a try! I've played a lot of the classics like FF1 all the way to FF14, i've played CT, Xenoblade Chronicles 1 to 3, i've played Tales of Zestiria, Vesperia, and Abyss. I also have played Trails in the Sky. I recently played Metaphor Refantazio and since then i've been craving another lengthy jrpg.

Oh wow, nice! I need to play more FF games, as I've only ever finished 1, 7, and Tactics myself. 3 and 5 look right up my alley with the job/class stuff they have. I would also recommend Dragon Quest as a series to delve into as well. Don't let some people give you the wrong idea about it being "generic" or anything, its balance is usually pretty good and there are some great stories told throughout the mainline and spinoff games.
Since you played through Atlus's newest game too, I would highly recommend Shin Megami Tensei and Etrian Odyssey as two other series you may want to check out. They can be a little bit tougher but they're not like, impossibly hard or anything I think, and a good first person dungeon crawler will put you in a zone where you're just totally focused on navigation and managing your party. It's a great feeling.

 

[Strategist]

I pretty much recommend any SNES/PS1 era Squaresoft RPG implicitly. There are some duds, but the vast majority of the games are excellent. If you want more details, read my Squaresoft retrospective series in the articles. I'm still in part 2, but part 3 is coming out soon.

 

[Stingy Perry]

Which ones would you recommend in particular?

There’s a lot really if you’re thinking about retro games. For snes you got bahamut dragoon, the shin megami series (dark and hard), the original front mission and the first star ocean . For gba there’s magical vacation, mother 3 (sequel to earthbound) and fire emblem 6. For psp the trails series, 7th dragon 1 & 2 and the last suikoden game ‘woven web of time. Try them out to see if you’ll like it.

 

[Akien]

Legend of dragoon is a fun long term rpg game. Dragon quest 8 is also one of my favorite games on the PS2 and that sounds like it would hit all of the marks for you.

 

[Smiley Cat]

Play the Un-Worked Designs Sega-CD Lunar games.
You can thank me later.

Also be sure to check out Final Fantasy (especially IV-IX), Panzer Dragoon Saga, Grandia I-II, Suikoden I-II, the Shining Force games (especially 2) and the Phantasy Star games.

Oh and if you Played Chrono Trigger, then be sure to Play Chrono Cross as well. it may seem a little different to Chrono Trigger, but it's still one of the best JRPG's ever made.

 

[MajesticSiN]

Go play the Suikoden series.

 

[RetroLaw]

Not often mentionned but I loved Tengai Makyo Zero.

 

[Cu-Neo]

If you have a PSP I recomend the Fate extra games they are a jrpg with "a rock paper scissor" combat system. Another one could be Bahamut Lagoon for the snes or the The legend of heroes franchise and the majority of the PSX square library and I don't know if this count as fantasy but the two Star wars Kotor games are excellent.

 

[owari_da]

If you don't mind "modern" games, check out Sea of Stars, or if you want some classic, then Star Ocean or Tales of Phantasia on SNES.

 

[RageBurner]

The strongest recommendation I can give you without even hesitating is Radiant Historia. It's a bona fide low key classic if you ask me. The graphics are great, the combat system is fresh, the music is memorable.

It hits all the right notes. It was originally a DS game but the 3DS got an enhanced port with some extras. In whichever form you play it, I think you'll love it.

 

[RetroLaw]

The strongest recommendation I can give you without even hesitating is Radiant Historia. It's a bona fide low key classic if you ask me. The graphics are great, the combat system is fresh, the music is memorable.

It hits all the right notes. It was originally a DS game but the 3DS got an enhanced port with some extras. In whichever form you play it, I think you'll love it.

Holy sh.t how could I forget this one, yes highly recommanded !

Got it on both DS and 3DS. Easily in my top five with Chrono Trigger (I struggle to decide on the other 3 )

 

[RageBurner]

Holy sh.t how could I forget this one, yes highly recommanded !

Got it on both DS and 3DS. Easily in my top five with Chrono Trigger (I struggle to decide on the other 3 )

Same, CT and Radiant Historia are all the way up top in my list as well. Not sure if I can figure out other definite 3 for the other spots, but strong candidates for me are Breath of Fire 3, Tales of Symphonia and Golden Sun.

 

[ATenderLad]

Looks like folks have mentioned the highlights, you said you enjoyed Metaphor: Refantazio so if you haven't tried Persona you'll almost certainly have a good time.

I think the only ones I haven't seen mentioned would be Breath of Fire, BoF III/IV on the psx have phenomenal sprite work and fun battle systems. Also Front Mission 3 was a great mecha SRPG, but that might not be what you're looking for.

Also, alot of older JRPG's are made a lot more palatable with the ability to fast forward through the tedium of grinding, set a convenient hotkey on a controller and tear through the original Dragon Quest in an afternoon, for example. Still an extremely charming game, especially if you grab the translated SNES version.

 

[RetroLaw]

Looks like folks have mentioned the highlights, you said you enjoyed Metaphor: Refantazio so if you haven't tried Persona you'll almost certainly have a good time.

I think the only ones I haven't seen mentioned would be Breath of Fire, BoF III/IV on the psx have phenomenal sprite work and fun battle systems. Also Front Mission 3 was a great mecha SRPG, but that might not be what you're looking for.

Also, alot of older JRPG's are made a lot more palatable with the ability to fast forward through the tedium of grinding, set a convenient hotkey on a controller and tear through the original Dragon Quest in an afternoon, for example. Still an extremely charming game, especially if you grab the translated SNES version.

Yeah, fast forwarding is one of the many reasons I play on emulators. I couldn't go far in Koudelka back in the days because the fights were so slooooow.
Now it's not an issue anymore.

Makes me remember that Skies of Arcadia fights were also so damn slow, I'm guessing fast forwarding works on Dreamcast or Gamecube emulators too.

 

[BlackMage0]

Dragon Quest has already been mentioned, but III is a classic, I really enjoyed both V and XI despite not finishing them