Name the best JRPG of each generation!

[Fenreil]

I'm an RPG lightweight, so I can't say much. I mostly just want to add that I don't really think much of Tales of Vesperia.

I mean, I love the "Tales of" series. They're great games. I just ended up feeling that Tales of Symphonia was much better than Vesperia. I actually quit playing Vesperia before I finished it (It was a Gamefly rental) because I wasn't all that interested in the story. I expected so much from it after Symphonia, which had so many plot twists and details. Vesperia just seemed lacking in story and extras.


Also, Golden Sun definitely won the GBA slot.

 

[NeutralDrow]

The sixth generation kinda hits a wall, doesn't it?

The thread only includes one door, and the Persona series, Tales series, Final Fantasy series, Baten Kaitos series, Kingdom Hearts series, hell probably even Mana Khemia and Skies of Arcadia are all fighting to go through that one door.

I mean, I'd probably go with Tales of Symphonia anyway, since it's my favorite RPG and one of my favorite games, period. But it still feels like I'm not giving, say...Tales of the Abyss or Baten Kaitos Origins enough credit.

 

[vxicepickxv]

Pokemon G/S/C for Gameboy Color.

And for the first generation, Zork, and Ultima 3 for the second.

Neither Zork nor Ultima were Japanese in origin.

While both of them are quite important in terms of gaming history, neither one of them were Japanese in Origin.

 

[TehCookie]

4th Generation: Chrono Trigger
5th Generation: Chrono Cross (at least with the strategy guide so I never got lost)
6th Generation: Persona 3
7th Generation: Haven't played any newer ones...

Gameboy: Pokemon
Gameboy Color: Still Pokemon
Gameboy Advance: MegaMan Battle Network 3, that's the only one I own
Nintendo DS: The World Ends With You

 

[Commander Jack Rankin]

My list begins and ends with Chrono Trigger. Once JRPGs moved to disc based media, I pretty much lost interest in them.

 

[AcacianLeaves]

I don't see a lot of Chrono Cross in this thread, this makes me a sad panda.

Personally I think Chrono Cross was one of the worst JRPGs ever made. Truly awful, awful game that ruined what could have potentially been a long running and great series. The fact that there hasn't been a Chrono game since is kind of telling.

Your main character looks like Luna from Silver Star Story. One of your main villains is a French harlequin clown. Your love interest is inexplicably Australian. You can recruit a Luchadore. The plot shits itself inside out about 10 minutes into the game. Your main villain is a furry kitty. The game manages to kill everyone from its predecessor off screen in a completely meaningless way. The whole game made me a sad panda.

Also, why Tales of Vesperia over Lost Odyssey? I'm still trying to decide.

Personally I prefer Tales of Vesperia over Lost Odyssey for the characters. Tales only had one incredibly out of place and annoying child, Lost Odyssey has two. Also Lost Odyssey's main villain (Gongora) looks like Mr. Satan from Dragonball Z. I could never get over that. Also Kaim is a bit of a crybaby. Both are great games though.

Oh, and fuck Chrono Trigger srsly.

Blasphemer! This may explain why you didn't have any problem with Chrono Cross.

 

[raunchious]

3rd generation: Phantasy Star. This baby came out on the sega master system, not the genesis, and was way better than fucking dragon warrior or final fantasy

4th generation: Final Fantasy VI. I personally like Chrono Trigger better...but I also like LOST more than shakespeare.

5th generation: Panzer Dragoon Saga. Sadly nobody played this because it was on the Saturn. Eez too bad because its story was really great.

6th generation: Persona 3 and 4. I would like to say that this series is amazing and is pushing the envelope for depth in video games artistically. These are the kinds of games the video game industry SHOULD be reaching for.

7th generation: uh....just play the previous generations

 

[raunchious]

I don't see a lot of Chrono Cross in this thread, this makes me a sad panda.

Personally I think Chrono Cross was one of the worst JRPGs ever made. Truly awful, awful game that ruined what could have potentially been a long running and great series. The fact that there hasn't been a Chrono game since is kind of telling.

Your main character looks like Luna from Silver Star Story. One of your main villains is a French harlequin clown. Your love interest is inexplicably Australian. You can recruit a Luchadore. The plot shits itself inside out about 10 minutes into the game. Your main villain is a furry kitty. The game manages to kill everyone from its predecessor off screen in a completely meaningless way. The whole game made me a sad panda.

Also, why Tales of Vesperia over Lost Odyssey? I'm still trying to decide.

Personally I prefer Tales of Vesperia over Lost Odyssey for the characters. Tales only had one incredibly out of place and annoying child, Lost Odyssey has two. Also Lost Odyssey's main villain (Gongora) looks like Mr. Satan from Dragonball Z. I could never get over that. Also Kaim is a bit of a crybaby. Both are great games though.

Oh, and fuck Chrono Trigger srsly.

Blasphemer! This may explain why you didn't have any problem with Chrono Cross.

Hey man Chrono Cross was great. Great music, amazing graphics for the ps1, and generally a joyful spirit that is fun. Its biggest flaw was that it was the sequel to Chrono Trigger.

 

[nipsen]

Chrono Trigger
Fire Emblem in between here.
Xenogears and FF8
Grandia 2 (Faiii-eeeerrrr-BALLL!!)
And Resonance of Fate [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.198108-Resonance-of-fate-review-Fight-your-destiny#6435937] (an underappreciated gem).

 

[EscapeGoat_v1legacy]

4th gen: It's a tie between Final Fantasy VI and Chrono Trigger for me. On the one hand, you've got my favourite entry into the Final Fantasy series, and one of my favourite games of all time, but on the other hand you've got... another of my favourite games of all time.

5th gen: It's gotta be Final Fantasy VII. There's no praise I can give this game that hasn't already been said.

6th gen: Tie between Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King and Kingdom Hearts II. Dragon Quest is certainly one of my favourite traditional JRPGs, what with its incredible art style, epic soundtrack and deeply engaging plot, whereas Kingdom Hearts II is something slightly different to most JRPGs, which I like, as well as the fact that it expands and improves on everything from the first game.

Unfortunately, I've yet to play a JRPG on the newest consoles that I've seriously enjoyed, although from what I hear, Tales of Vesperia is quite good. I'll have to give it a shot.

Also, handhelds:

GameBoy: Pokemon Red/Blue Versions. Easy peasy, no contest. My first GameBoy game, my first JRPG and still fun to fire up, even after all these years.

GameBoy Colour: Pokemon Crystal Version. Again, another easy choice. The best game in the series, in my opinion.

GameBoy Advance: Golden Sun. I could spend all day gushing about how great Golden Sun is, but I won't, seeing as this post is pretty long already.

Nintendo DS: Yet another tie here. I honestly think the DS has been amazing for JRPGs, what with such great games as Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days, Final Fantasy IV, Final Fantasy III, The World Ends With You and the remake of Chrono Trigger. I can't choose this one.

PSP:: Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep. I love this series and I love this game, despite some of its flaws. This one does however continue the series' stellar combat, great storyline, colourful graphics and awesome music.

 

[Kirch Libre]

Fourth Generation: Chrono Trigger mainly because it was my first JRPG. It's a classic across the board. Nuff' said.

Fifth Generation: It's a tie between Xenogears, Valkyrie Profile and Star Ocean 2. While Xenogears had a really great story, Valkyrie's art style was just plain gorgeous, and Star Ocean 2 was just plain fun.

Sixth Generation: Another tie between Xenosaga series, Ar Tonelico series and Persona 4. The Xenosaga series had one of the best stories in a JRPG and actually got me in to reading some of Friedrich Nietzsche's work. The Ar Tonelico series music was just plain jaw dropping played around with it's battle system enough to make it interesting, however the plot and fan service ranged from funny to facepalm. And Persona 4... Well let's just say that I'm playing it again.

(Honorable mention: Tales of the Abyss)

Seventh Generation: Not really a favorite but I like Resonance of Fate the most just because of the battle system. I'm actually looking forward to Ar Tonelico 3.

 

[Cheesepower5]

NES Gen: Dragon Quest IV - This was a rather easy choice since the only jRPG to even hold up today of this generation is in my opinion, this. Fantastic soundtrack and very unique.

SNES Gen: Final Fantasy VI - No contest, I love games like Chrono Trigger or DQV but FFVI is the greatest game ever.

PS1 Gen: Final Fantasy Tactics/Persona 2: Innocent Sin/Suikoden 2 - This is a tough one; So many good games. These three stand out to me the most. Tactics with its amazing plot, Persona 2's lovable cast and Sui 2's epic scope defined the PS1.

PS2/GCN: Dragon Quest VIII/SMT: Nocturne/Baten Kaitos Origins - These are three of the most beautiful and captivating games of last gen. Along with MGS3 I'd say these could easily hold up today graphically. And they're all great games.

Current: Lost Odyssey/Tales of Vesperia - Not many I like this generation, but these two games are diamonds in the rough.

As for handhelds...

GB/GBC: Pokemon Crystal - Best pre-Emerald Pokemon by far, this game is my childhood.

GBA: Golden Sun/Pokemon Emerald - Aside from ports, anyway, GS1/2 are some of the GBA's finest classic RPGs. Pokemon Emerald took the mediocre Ruby and Sapphire and made a great game.

DS/PSP: Final Fantasy IV/Pokemon Soul Silver/Pokemon Platinum

@The person who mentioned Terranigma: I love you.