Recommend the two best JRPG's in history.

[Saviordd1]

So I need to write a school newspaper article on some of the best games in history, and JRPG's is one of the categories.

Problem is I haven't played many or any JRPG's before so I have no idea where to start.

So on that note would anyone be so kind as to recommend me the BEST JRPG's of ALL TIME in their opinions? The two that show up the most I'll play for the article, and maybe they'll actually get me into JRPG's as a genre.

Much appreciated if you do recommend me some games.

TL;DR Recommend your favorite JRPG's.

 

[Sleepy Sol]

Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne. Though that really isn't the most accessible game in the series and you're better off playing Persona 3 or 4 as your first game (which might end up being recommended to you here anyway). I still consider it one of the best JRPGs I've ever played based on the atmosphere and challenging difficulty.

My second choice is Final Fantasy IV. It's basically the first game in the series that tried to make you care about the story. Very linear, but also an excellent game that probably provided a lot of inspiration for how the genre developed over the years.

 

[hazabaza1]

Persona 4 (But play 3 first)

Nier is also really good in terms of story, but the gameplay is a little clunky, and it's not a "usual" stye JRPG but it's really good.

 

[scorptatious]

I'll throw in another vote for Final Fantasy IX.

That game is just fantastic in almost every way.

Also, Xenoblade Chronicles and The Last Story are both pretty fun as well.

 

[Olikar]

Mother/earthbound zero is easily the best JRPG ever.

 

[krazykidd]

Persona 4 and Final fantasy 6 .

But most people on these forums will probably say persona 3 and 4 , chrono trigger, final fantasy 7/9 . Or any mix of those games .

 

[Guffe]

Personal opinion:
Tales of Symphonia and Xenoblade Chronicles.

But then again I haven'tplayed FF or Chrono Trigger or Fire Emblem which are supposed to be magnificent games.

 

[Exius Xavarus]

Golden Sun
Golden Sun: The Lost Age

Two of the best RPGs I have ever had the honor of playing.

Golden Sun: Dark Dawn would be better if it retained the original graphics instead of switching over to a chibi art style. >>

But seriously. The first two Golden Sun games. They are God's gift to man.

Personal opinion:
Tales of Symphonia and Xenoblade Chronicles.

But then again I haven'tplayed FF or Chrono Trigger or Fire Emblem which are supposed to be magnificent games.

I would also second Tales of Symphonia. That game's got feels all over the place.

Also, be warned: JPRGs are very long, very story oriented games. Whatever JRPG is recommended to you, it'll take at least 25+ hours to complete. A lot of the JRPGs I know usually take a first-timer upward of 30- even 40+ hours to complete.

 

[AgentLampshade]

Grandia II is probably the best JRPG I've ever played. Good voice acting, good story, good gameplay. It really is damn near perfect, the graphics are a bit dated now though I guess but everyone's recommending older JRPGs anyway so it shouldn't matter.

 

[Quaidis]

Chrono Trigger and Xenoblade Chronicles are the top two in my opinion. Both get everything right, have great gameplay, wonderful music, the plots really draw you in, the battles are fun, the characters are well-liked, and they're very addictive to boot.


I would also give honorable mention to Persona 4, Final Fantasy 6, Skies of Arcadia, and Tales of Symphonia.



Other great jrpgs of history are Breath of Fire 2, Wild Arms 2 (1, 3, and 5 are also great), Grandia 1 and 2, Lufia 2, Secret (and Legend) of Mana, Final Fantasy 7 (shut up, it was awesome), Xenogears, Valkyrie Profile, and Star Ocean 2.


I have yet to play Last Story, but from what I hear it's also grand.

 

[EscapeGoat_v1legacy]

I think my two votes would go for Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King and Persona 3 Portable. Sure, there are tons of incredible JRPGs out there, but for me I think those two stand out as my favourites. Dragon Quest has a wonderfully whimsical sense of self, an amazing orchestral score and an unbeatable art-style drawn by Akira Toriyama. It's also probably my best example of a 'classic' JRPG - it features a beautifully realised fantasy-medieval world, with a slew of interesting enemies and old-style turn-based combat, as well as having a huge story and a massive post-game.

The other, Persona 3, stands out for its mature themes, wonderful modern setting, intense rock and hip-hop score and complex storyline. The interactions with other characters is second-to-none and the contrast between your daytime social simulation game and your nighttime dungeon crawler is fantastically done. The Portable version has the added bonus of a much more well defined main character with the addition of the Female Main Character option, as well as being a great example of a game where your (normally superfluous) choice of gender makes a tangible difference.

Honestly, this is a tough choice. I mean, I'd have considered Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy VI, Final Fantasy IX and Persona 4 all easily eligible for this straight away. Shame I had to pick only two.

 

[NeutralDrow]

Probably Final Fantasy VI and Baten Kaitos Origins.

Same high level of attention to story, character, emotion, and extremely good music, different eras.

 

[Christopher Fisher]

Well, the ones that will get people the least pissed off with you are Chrono Trigger and FF6. Seems a little odd that there is a specific JRPG genre--why isn't it just RPG?

 

[Baralak]

Because JRPGs and WRPGs are considered separate genres now.

Also, for some recommendations:
Chrono Trigger
Final Fantasy 4,6,7,9, Tactics
Tales of Symphonia
Persona 4
Disgaea (any of them)


As an option, if you want to do a "then and now" piece, I can look up some release dates for you, and possibly get you a few more recent releases, such as PS3's Mugen Souls. It's far from "best of all time!" material, but it's a solid jRPG. For an upcoming release, there's also Ni no Kuni, which is being worked on by Studio Ghibli (Yes, THAT Studio Ghibli), and has a demo out. It doesn't officially release until either February or March, though.

 

[LtFerret]

Pokemon: Heartgold and Soulsilver
Yes, I prefer the remakes over the originals.

For a second game? Dark Souls. If that dosn't count then Final Fantasy 6

 

[JasonKaotic]

Agh, how come you guys get all the game-related assignments? I didn't get anything like that at school.

I'll give my votes to Final Fantasy 8 and Lost Odyssey. As much as I'd love to give my second vote to another FF, Lost Odyssey is just too good to not have anyone here mention it.

But in the off chance that there's a sudden wave of people voting for Lost Odyssey and it ends up one of the ones you play, I'll mention that the first hour or two of it isn't great at all. But I could gush all day about how awesome it is after that.

 

[Innegativeion]

Persona 4 and Chrono Trigger would be my top picks.