I'm gonna get crucified for this, but:
Xenogears
Maybe I would think differently had it been released in Europe at the time but playing it for the first time now I don't get the appeal, even as someone who's loved all the other PS1 Squaresoft RPGs. It looks great for a PS1 title but when it comes to the presentation and gameplay, the total linearity and lack of freedom, all I see is a sneak-peek into Square's eventual worst qualities as a storyteller.
In contrast I only ever played Symphony of the Night for the first time this year and it totally blew me away.
To chime in on the FF7 discussion: it's hard to appreciate just how monumental this game was at the time. I don't have the perspective of someone playing it for the first time now, but I would go so far to call it an overhyped game, yet not an overrated one. There's plenty of games from that era I can't play anymore because they aged so badly, including other Final Fantasy titles like X. FF7 is one that wins me over again every time with its atmosphere and music alone. The older I get the more I appreciate just how much thought was put into the world and the storyline. So many layers of references and ideas. Not all of it works fully but it's a level of density you don't see that often in a game. Also, as a godless commie I appreciate the whole "capitalism kills the planet, it's time we take direct action" angle.
No crucifixion, immolation or ritual drowning, I promise. I like how open everyone is here, and respect and camaraderie never once left the table, that's why this place is great, that's why you guys are great.
Not disagreeing with you, but as a gentle pushback on the Xenogears angle, it's a very personal game to me. You are right that it is terribly linear, but it is executive meddling that made it less than it could have been, and that hurts my soul, honestly. Among other things, it was once considered as a prototype to FF7 even, so you could tell there was passion behind it and I believe it was by the second disc that the game would have really opened up, but Square cut the funding, and we only got the boss rush because the creators of the game stood their ground.
As for FF7, it is indeed monumental, and still my favorite. Is it perfect? not at all, no Final Fantasy ever is, but FF7 hit all the right notes, and, let's be frank, truly set the franchise onto the world stage. A lot of people just love to hate on it to get some sort of confirmation bias, that's all.
That said, what I'd love see (besides a Xenogears remake that properly represented the creators' vision), is a version of FF7 with all the cut content and abandoned plot threads woven back into it.
