I just finished replaying my two favorite Final Fantasy games of the series, FF8 & FF10, and i'm getting terribly bored. I need to find an RPG game that is as good as Final Fantasy, or at least, close to it. I figured that a person who likes/dislikes most of the same games in the series as me will have the best idea of what really good non-FF games are out there that i'd probably like, so here's a few commentaries on the games.. see if you agree with me:

FF8: is my first and favorite game of the series from 6 to 12. This game was so great I was thinking about it for weeks after playing it.
FF9: is one of the few in the series that I didn't really like or enjoy playing that much.
FF10: is my second favorite game of the series, and I liked it almost as much as FFVIII. I feel it did everything right on just about every level, but I wasn't as fond of the story as in FFVIII.
FF12: was a game that I found fairly fun, but the level grinding drove me nuts and I was very disappointed by how little cutscenes, FMVs, and overall plot and story there was to it. It could have been so much better I thought.

So, does anyone feel generally the same as me about each of these games after playing them? I guess i'm a fan of games with a good story that gets you wrapped up in it. If so or you know of same games i'd probably like, i'd really like to hear of some other games you have come across. Both PS1 and PS2 games will do. Also, i'll add ChronoCross was probably my favorite non-FF game if that helps.

Chrono Trigger--a must play. Classic Square
Xenosaga.--You want FMVs you're going to get them here. And a nice bit of philosophy......and swimsuits o_O
Xenogears--double the philosophy, none of the swimsuits. If you like Mech games, this has a mech spin to it, to say the least ;)

I think you mentioned not liking Kingdom Hearts style game-play in the Play X/XII thread, so I won't mention it.

We don't feel exactly the same way (I love IX and XII) but I think I'm safe in recommending Chrono Trigger and Xenosaga, at the least. Maybe not. Give 'em a rental if you can.

my 2 cents.

So you want hardcore adventure games (not RPGs) with For-Dummies gameplay.

Yes, exactly what I gave him ;)

Definitely not a good idea to advise him to play Dragon Quest VIII (or VII) then.

Heck, I won't even mention Vagrant Story (oups... I did).


I think Grandia III could be a good choice for you. The game takes your hand and lead you from start to finish without much of a challenge. But it does offer a really fun battle system and pretty visuals.

Ignoring the obvious troll, (i've seen some of Prak's know-it-all 'handy work' before),

FF8 was much more challenging than FF12 to me, and I believe more challenging than FF9 too. FF12's battles bored me to death. I don't think you can make battles any less challenging than when you can go to sleep and the computer is able to do all the fighting for you while you snooze (gambits). That actually happened once or twice to me while playing it. Vayne's fight was one of the few exceptions there, and I did enjoy the challenge of that, I just wish there had been more fights like that in the game.

I've actually played Chronotrigger (and FF6) already, a little out of sequence since they were after their predecessors, but I liked the gameplay and story in both a lot, especially Chronotrigger. Neither required you to slave away at level grinding all through the game just in order to proceed with the story from what I can recall. Chronotrigger might have been my favorite game if it had been remade as a game on today's consoles with 3D graphics power, better audio synthesizers, and a few finishing touches. Starting RPGs with a PS1 spoiled me a little as far as graphics power.

What makes a great RPG in my mind? First, I think that if a game has enough story telling, plot, and characterization elements in it so that you could essentially combine them all and create a movie that would be fairly good to watch as a result, then it probably has most of the main ingredients for a game that i'd enjoy playing. Add in some characters that I can relate to while i'm playing (and fit myself into the role of, which should be the real definition of an RPG), along with at least half decent game play, and I think i'd love playing it.

Based on that criteria, Xenosaga (or Xenogears, if you can find it) was practically made for you.

personally i would reccomend wither star ocean 2 or 3 for many reasons, i cant be bothered listing them all tbh

great storyline, great battle system and abilitie.

cant go wrong

Haha

He called me a troll and twisted the definition of an RPG. I was on the fence, but I now dislike this Shumagaki clown.

I don't think he gives a fuck ;)

Ignoring the obvious troll, (i've seen some of Prak's know-it-all 'handy work' before),



wtf I take serious offense to that. I am a troll and you associating "troll" and "know-it-all" is very offending. I damning you to hell.