Older RPGs You Like (That Aren't FF or DQ)

[Kotori125]

Ys series. There are...9 total entries, with various re-releases and modernizations. More of an 'action' jrpg, with enemies alive in a world that you can attack real-time. Plus the soundtrack for all games are absolutely glorious.
1+2 is basically the same, with 'bump' combat (move to attack). You either like it or hate it. Depending on the version, boss difficulty can differ greatly (for instance, chronicles has final boss of 1 very difficult, but 2 can be cheesed, but the Ys 1+2 version (from turbografx version) has 1 to be overleveled and die in 3 hits, while 2 is hectic and difficult and your brain feels like it will explode).
3 (wanderer's from Ys) is 2D side scrolling push a button to attack. I grew up playing this so much. Has a remake to a 3D game with a good combat system (Oath of Felghana)
4 has a modern remake for the vita (memories of celceta)(I believe the vita changes the combat system to something not quite as good...?) , for the orginal snes (mask of the sun) back to bump combat, but only using spells based on the specific sword.
5 (lost city of kefin or something) easily forgettable, poor combat system, focusing on alchemy spells and stuff, but a stepping stone to the later releases of games.
6 (ark of napishtim) 3d ps2 game with great combat. Just turn off character voices, as that can ruin the game for obvious reasons.
Origins what I consider the best of the modern combat systems for Ys. Takes place before the events of 1+2
7, never played it yet. Changed the combat system from origins and never got around to it
8, brand new, only in Japan for now. No idea about it.

Other mentions include:

Star Ocean: Till the end of time: ps2 game. One of my favorites, especially once you enter 2nd disc in the story. Makes you feel small, as everything start small then gets larger and larger and out of control, and then completely insignificant. You can control any of the characters, and each have much different playstyles and feel. A pro and con is the crafting system; it is incredibly vast and absolutely required, but has way too many hidden factors and ranges for everything that a strategy guide is needed to do pretty much anything.

Shadow hearts covenant (2): an excellent game with story-telling and characters, environment, comedy, etc. Random-encounter based combat. Only con, is that the fire-spirit can trivialize encounters; charge for major boosted damage, and use a 'key' item for multiple turns in one go (especially with tech ring setting, just don't miss), for something like 250% per turn by 3-9 turns in a single go. Feels like you can one-shot the final boss and many other bosses.

Shadow hearts (1): great game, much darker-themed than the second one (I played the second one first cause reasons). No cheap tactics here, making it much more difficult (or I just sucked at the game).

Xenosaga (1 & 3). 1 was pretty good, but the mechs were kind of mandatory and felt overpowered. Still an enjoyable combat system (turn based, but you hold...charges or combo points or something of the sort for powerful attacks). 3 just enhances everything and makes everything feel better (in my opinion). The second game I feel sucks and should be ignored forever.

[Gallahadd]

Only con, is that the fire-spirit can trivialize encounters; charge for major boosted damage, and use a 'key' item for multiple turns in one go

I did actually do that once . I use the 250% boost, then dropped an Eternal Key and ended up hitting about 40 times, was glorious.

[Gimlix]

Maplestory, someone find me a MMORPG like that please. Best time period of my life

[Krawu]

Silver

Nobody seems to know that one, but it's one of the best RPGs I've ever played.


Vampires Dawn 2

Unterwegs in Düsterburg

These were two RPG Maker games that were super popular in Germany in the mid-2000s. There wasn't a games magazine that didn't have at least one issue with these games on the included disc (this was when they usually had a CD with demos and videos on them, internet was still too slow)

I've played all the big ones. SoM, Chrono Trigger, Pokemon, Super Mario RPG... But these two games have them all beat in my book. Anyone who has some free time, try Vampires Dawn 2 which was finally released in English a year or two ago. (link) There's a link for the English version download on the site. It's free after all. This thing was made by just one person and has easily 50 hours of gameplay.

I have a trailer too:



EDIT: Oh yeah, I remembered that once upon a time I uploaded some raw gameplay of the other one on my YT channel to show a friend. (link)

[Uoyredrum]

Chrono Trigger
Secret of Mana
Baldur's Gate
Icewind Dale
Planescape: Torment
Arcanum
Earthbound
Phantasy Star
Breath of Fire
Shining in the Darkness
Shining Force
Grandia
Ys

[Fencers]

I have replayed a number of 16 and 32 bit era RPGs via emulation over the past few years. A lot of the 16 bit ones hold up very well; Phantasy Star 3 and 4, Suikoden II, Secret of Mana, Shining Force and Breath of Fire 2 hold up really well.

However, I started replaying a few older CRPGs and have been delighted by how well some of these hold up. Eye of the Beholder 3, Wasteland 1, Champions of Krynn, Albion and Temple of Elemental Evil are really compelling. I burned a whole weekend on EotB3 and ToEE two weekends in a row. Really good design.

[Ashmiel]

Arx Fatalis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1A-hk29FuQ

[Wishblade]

Well, the Tales games and most of the SNES classics have already been mentioned, so I'll just toss in the Baten Kaitos games for GameCube (Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean was released first, and the second game Baten Kaitos Origins is a prequel).

Half of the former's story is terribly cliché, but I quite enjoyed the card-based battle systems of the two games. If you do plan to try both I'd suggest playing the first one first.

EDIT: Aw what, beaten by 2 minutes. ;p

I am deeply sorry! Also, you have good taste. :P

[Frozenbeef]

How is witcher 3 older :S

[Deleted]

I know this is off topic, but is it possible to get any of the BoF serious for windows 10 port? Or can't BoF be played on pc's at all?

[Racthoh]

Star Ocean Second Story on Playstation

i spent SO many hours of my life on this game back in the day. i remember printing out like 200 pages of a gamefaqs walkthrough on my cousins printer one day, she was pretty annoyed with that.

[Deleted]

Path of Exile is an amazing game

[Jester Joe]

Damn man... most of the ones I would list are here. But all this has done is remind me of how much I miss RPGs before they became about "LOOK AT THIS HUGE WORLD WITH SO MUCH STUFF IN IT!!!! HOLY SHIT!!!! (3 hour main story, millions of hours of other stuff)"

That's pretty much the exact reason I can't ever get through Skyrim.

Yeah, the game might be great with the right mods, but when I play an RPG, I want to be told a story, not make my own as I wander around.

[Banthare]

The Grandia series is nice.

[fadedmind]

i spent SO many hours of my life on this game back in the day. i remember printing out like 200 pages of a gamefaqs walkthrough on my cousins printer one day, she was pretty annoyed with that.

This sooo much loved some star ocean

[prwraith]

I have been playing Kingdom of amalur myself again. Mostly cause i stil had it lying around in my steam library with the dlc's. Was always a fun game.

maybe i would also recommend something from the older bioware list? maybe... jade empire? ( yes i know i could have said baldur's gate or DA:O) but no screw it. go do jade empire

maybe also at... Dragon's dogma to the list?

Amalur is fun. My problem with it, it's just a little too big with a lot of empty space between things. Kinda breaks up the flowing narrative.

[KrazyK923]

Kingdom Hearts series
Disgaea 1 and 2 (After that I dislike how stupid it gets)
Fallout 3 and New Vegas
Breath of Fire IV
Evolution Words (Not really sophisticated/particularly...good, but I really love it for nostalgia) on Gamecube
.hack original series of 4 games for ps2.

[ghostblade]

Amalur is fun. My problem with it, it's just a little too big with a lot of empty space between things. Kinda breaks up the flowing narrative.

yea... that is true.

[Gallahadd]

Amalur is fun. My problem with it, it's just a little too big with a lot of empty space between things. Kinda breaks up the flowing narrative.

I seem to recall reading somewhere that it was originally intended to be an online game, and that's why it has a very MMO feel to it. It's essentially a single player MMO, which is why there's so much blank space.

Still, solid game though.

Disgaea 1 and 2 (After that I dislike how stupid it gets)

The latest Disgaea is actually really good. If you're a fan of 1 and 2 it's really worth checking out.

[KrazyK923]

The latest Disgaea is actually really good. If you're a fan of 1 and 2 it's really worth checking out.

That's good. The reason I fell off was because it broke away from what I felt was the strength of 1 and 2, where they rode the line of parody and actual story. Then it just became teh lul so randum! and I hated it.

And don't get me started on Disgaea D2, which was just absolutely stupid. Especially since Jennifer, Captain Gordon, and Kurtis weren't in it. Like, the fuck?