What are your Favourite Stand-Alone (Non-Series) JRPGs???

[csulasiris]

Hey folks! ♪(´ε｀ )

I've been on an old-school JRPG binge for a few weeks - Final Fantasy VI, Phantasy Star IV, Wild ARMS, Dragon Quest V, and more. All great games, all part of a larger series. My question is as follows: what are your favourite non-series JRPGs (old or new) - the one-off gems that had the same lasting effect on you as any FF or DQ, any Persona or Tales.

Personally, I'll take Radiant Historia - awesome time-hopping storyline, fun and engaging grid-based battles, killer soundtrack. I think it is a modern gem.

Thoughts??

 

[The_Blue_Rider]

Well, considering that I literally just talked about it, I quite like the game Eternal Sonata, it was a pretty interesting experience and its a shame I wasnt able to finish it. I had a copy of it on the 360 but I got rid of my Xbox, and Im yet to find a copy of the game on PS3. I dont play many JRPG's truth be told, but Eternal Sonata easily ranks among my favourites

 

[csulasiris]

Well, considering that I literally just talked about it, I quite like the game Eternal Sonata, it was a pretty interesting experience and its a shame I wasnt able to finish it. I had a copy of it on the 360 but I got rid of my Xbox, and Im yet to find a copy of the game on PS3. I dont play many JRPG's truth be told, but Eternal Sonata easily ranks among my favourites

Nice choice! I remember having a lot if fun with that game a few years back - unusual concept, but nicely executed.

 

[The_Blue_Rider]

Well, considering that I literally just talked about it, I quite like the game Eternal Sonata, it was a pretty interesting experience and its a shame I wasnt able to finish it. I had a copy of it on the 360 but I got rid of my Xbox, and Im yet to find a copy of the game on PS3. I dont play many JRPG's truth be told, but Eternal Sonata easily ranks among my favourites

Nice choice! I remember having a lot if fun with that game a few years back - unusual concept, but nicely executed.

Yeah, after my University semester ends I might start hunting down a copy of it. Also if it counts I might throw Lord of the Rings: The Third Age onto my list as well. I know its made by a western developer but that game copies Final Fantasy so hard that it hurts.
Despite that, it was a surprising amount of fun, enough for me to play through it at least 4 times

 

[RedEyesBlackGamer]

Legend of Dragoon. Kind of the archetypal JRPG, but it is executed really well and helped get me into the genre.

 

[csulasiris]

Legend of Dragoon. Kind of the archetypal JRPG, but it is executed really well and helped get me into the genre.

Nice one As I recall LoD was overshadowed at the time of release because FF9 had just dropped (at least in Europe). Great game, glad people remember it fondly.

 

[csulasiris]

Lost Odyssey is a good one, I think its under-appreciated (though certainly not without its flaws) Might give it a replay sometime.

The World Ends With You, a very unique one that had the most interesting combat on the NDS, as well as a distinct style in the music and art.

Half Minute Hero, yeah I know it got a sequel, but I picked up the PSP version a while back and it was so different to what I thought it would be, definitely not unwelcome though (the PC versions Neo graphics are fucking weird though)

TWEWY is one of my favourite games from the DS era - unique and addictive gameplay, great look, and I still listen to the soundtrack today.

Never got into Lost Odyssey so much, but I remember the dream-story sequences were very well written and moving.

 

[Daft Ada]

I'd echo the thoughts on Eternal Sonata and The World Ends With You, both excellent RPGs with good combat mechanics and story lines. I'd pick The Last Story on Wii as my favourite non-series RPG though. Great storyline, and genuinely interesting characters, plus a really smart battle system. It really deserves a sequel.

 

[Gizmo1990]

Lost Odyssey. It is easily my favorite jrpg of the 360/PS3 era (along with Valkyria Chronicles) and one of my favorite jrpgs period. Is it perfect no, two of the main characters are kids and they can get on your tits at times but as a whole I think it has alot of charm.

Plus it has one of the best game opening sequenses

(Once you hit gameplay skip to 6:35)

 

[havoc33]

Secret of Evermore. Very underrated at the time due to its American pop-culture influence, but it's actually an amazing game. Even more fun once you become a bit older and get more of the references.

 

[csulasiris]

Secret of Evermore. Very underrated at the time due to its American pop-culture influence, but it's actually an amazing game. Even more fun once you become a bit older and get more of the references.

Excellent catch, and one I never got around to finishing. Needs a revisit!

 

[NeutralDrow]

Huh. Never thought about how most of the ones I've played are series (been meaning to play some of the ones mentioned here, Eternal Sonata, Lost Odyssey, Arc Rise Fantasia...). Even Baten Kaitos, technically, though if Baten Kaitos didn't have two games, it would totally be my choice.

Guess I have to go with Septerra Core. It got a bit slow to play at times, and the ending was crap, but I really liked the game itself.

 

[theSovietConnection]

Resonance of Fate was an interesting romp. I quite like that it used guns as opposed to the standard weapon fare, and combat was fun enough, if a bit clunky.

 

[joest01]

Hmm, not sure if there is a series behind these but if so then I am not aware of it.

Resonance of Fate
and of course my guilty pleasure: Enchanted Arms

 

[csulasiris]

Resonance of Fate was an interesting romp. I quite like that it used guns as opposed to the standard weapon fare, and combat was fun enough, if a bit clunky.

Hmm, not sure if there is a series behind these but if so then I am not aware of it.

Resonance of Fate
and of course my guilty pleasure: Enchanted Arms

Resonance of Fate (End of Eternity over here) is another interesting-looking one I never got around to checking out during the last generation. Keep 'em coming, guys!

 

[joest01]

OK so I'll break your rules and suggest a series entry.
Based on your 'tar you enjoy Wild Arms? Have you tried XF, the psp SRPG.
That game is pure effin' win!

 

[csulasiris]

@joest01

Cheers for that, man (^_^)

Actually, though I love the original Wild ARMS with a burning passion, I have never played another game in the series (maybe five minutes of 2, long long ago...)

 

[happyninja42]

Not sure if this counts as a JRPG, but I really loved the hell out of Vagrant Story for the PS 2.

Fun game, interesting game mechanics (if somewhat frustrating at times), and a very interesting story. It was distinct in my memory of being fairly easy to follow, and not going ridiculously heavy handed with the dialogue and mental mind fuckery. It had it's twists and turns, but it was coherent from start to finish, the motivations of the characters made sense, and I actually enjoyed/empathized with the villain.

They had it set up to potentially be the start of a franchise, but sadly it didn't seem to take off. Shame, cause I enjoyed the hell out of it, and even stole it's story for a D&D campaign of mine.

 

[stroopwafel]

Xenogears. I know the game is loosely related to Xenosaga(atleast thematically) but considering Xenogears is Square's original IP and there has never been any kind of official sequel; this game takes the cake for me. I mean, it has a cool story with giant robots and stuff and the esoteric undertones were really interesting as well. Sure, often the game got a little overboard with its philosophical and religious musings which needed some serious editing(as did the story itself) but that is what you get when a game is too ambitious for it's own good. It's still one of my favorite JRPGs though. The chances of Squeenix reviving the IP are pretty slim(and even then my faith in them has pretty much dwindled) so unfortunately we'll never see any kind of original continuity.