The PS1 is home to the golden age of JRPGs, withFinal Fantasy 7’s rampant success turning this genre into one of the most profitable ones for the console. From SquareSoft’s litany of wonderful titles to some other developers who wanted players to enjoy their role-playing experiences, it’s easy to see why players have a soft spot for most RPGs on the original PlayStation.
It’s only a given that not all RPGs on this platform received the same level of love and adoration as some of the console’s other standout titles. Thankfully, these games boast enough quality to convince players to give them a shot despite their mistakes.
Koudelkais a JRPG that preceded theShadow Heartsseries, with this gothic role-playing game boasting some incredible vibes along with a dark story and memorable characters. However, one area where it falters for many is the slow-paced combat system.
The title’s battles are something that players must power through if they want to appreciate the rest of the experience. As long as players are willing to overlook the title’s combat, they’ll have a great time enjoyingthe story ofKoudelka.
Most people are aware of the Junction system’s faults and how broken it may be as long as players are willing to go through the grind of drawing 100 units of each spell. This, coupled with a story that can be downright nonsensical at times, makes it clearwhyFinal Fantasy 8can be such a rough experiencefor many.
However, most people love this game for its incredible visuals and characters who have more depth than players would assume. Squall’s inner demons are easy to resonate with for players, who love how the protagonist eventually accepts his role as a leader and saves the world from Ultimecia’s time compression.
Chrono Crossis a game that fans were hotly anticipating, given the fact that it served as a successor to the greatest JRPG of all time. However, most people didn’t appreciate the suite of changes fromChrono Trigger, ranging from the inclusion of battle screen transitions to the huge cast that could get overwhelming for players.
It was only a given thatChrono Crosswould buckleunder the weight of all these comparisons, but players who view this JRPG as an independent product will love how engaging the title is in its own right. As long as players approach the game with tempered expectations, they’ll have a great time playingChrono Crossand unraveling its ambitious story.
MentioningXenogearseither elates or infuriates players, based on their takeaways from this game. The first half of this title lets people enjoy an exemplary story along with memorable characters, only for the second disc to falter under the weight of its grand ambitions.
The story may turn into a downright slog of expositions at this point, but the journey is still special for many players. Even now,Xenogearsis a shining example of a PS1 JRPGthat could’ve been something greater if the development was handled with greater care but is still worth checking out for fans of this genre.
WithResident Evilblowing on the PS1, SquareSoft decided to integrate elements of this genre into the sequelforParasite Eve. Tank controls are a pain to get adjusted to feel like a step down from the simple yet compelling turn-based combat of the first game.
However, players willing to adjust to the game’s frustrating combat system will have a great time playing throughParasite Eve 2. It’s a decent sequel that explores another adventure with Aya Brea and is the last good game in this series beforeThe 3rd Birthday’s poor critical and commercial performance ensured that the series would be dead for quite some time.
Before thePersonaseries found its stride with the third entry, it was nothing more than a spinoff ofShin Megami Tenseistarring high-school kids who band together against a supernatural threat.Revelations: Personais the first game in the series and suffers from a high encounter rate and slow battles, that can turn the adventure into a slog.
However, players who power through some of the game’s weaker elements will find themselves enamored by an excellent story and memorable characters who deserve to capture the mainstream in a remake. WithPersona’s popularity being higher than ever before, it’s easy to see why players will love the opportunity to check out an important entry in the series that set the foundation for this spinoff to eventually become bigger and more notable than the parent series itself.
Most people will wonder ifVagrant Story’s receptionwas polarizing in the first place, but there’s no denying that the game’s complicated combat and a poor release window ensured that this title flew under most people’s radar.
The amazing localization and tactical combat should be experienced by many JRPG fans who gave this title a pass. As long as players keep their equipment up-to-date and get immersed in the story, they’ll find this romp through the world of Ivalice to be a compelling one that will capture their attention till the very end.
Persona 2: Innocent Sinis a game many hardcore JRPG fans adore as one of the best games in the series that is criminally overlooked. However, the reception toward its sequel is more divisive.
Some people love the gameplay improvements and a heightened degree of challenge, while others aren’t huge fans of a narrative that treads the same ground. However,Innocent Sin’s story is incomplete without experiencingEternal Punishment, and this game will still wow fans even though it’s not as great as the firstPersona 2game in the eyes of many.
