# SNES or PS1 JRPGs with the Best Stories



## Zaelapolopollo (Apr 28, 2013)

So I've played the FF series to death. While it's true I have yet to complete each game in the series, my catalog of played JRPGs is way too stacked in FF's favor.  So I wanted to expand my horizons a tad and thus this thread was made.

Plot and characters are the most important thing to me in these types of games so that's why I'm looking for recommendations that primarily focus on those two things. To give an example of what I like, Xenogears is my favorite JRPG ever. So any RPG with that kind of really twist-and-turn, keep you thirsting for the next revelation, narrative would be right up my alley.

I would also accept games that maybe have a somewhat weak central story as long as the characters were really interesting. 

Any suggestions?


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## Killerqueen (Apr 28, 2013)

The only JRPG game I played on Snes is Earthbound / Mother 2 and it was pretty awesome


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## blackbird (Apr 28, 2013)

Chrono Trigger.


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## Keollyn (Apr 28, 2013)

Alundra. Good god, play Alundra.


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## Violent by Design (Apr 28, 2013)

Can think of a lot that are fun, but plot wise none are really all that exceptional. Xeno games prob had the most ambitious plots. Maybe some SMT games.

Mother 2 is prob your best bet, but Mother 3 seems like it has a better plot.


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## teddy (Apr 28, 2013)

Bahamut lagoon, live a live, and treasure of rudras come to mind


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## Raidou Kuzunoha (Apr 28, 2013)

Off the top of my head.


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## Unlosing Ranger (Apr 28, 2013)

Were they even called that name often back then?


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## Black Superman (Apr 28, 2013)

> Terranigma, known as Tenchi Sōzō (天地創造?, officially translated The Creation of Heaven and Earth)[1] in Japan, is a 1995 action role-playing game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System developed by Quintet. Manga artist Kamui Fujiwara is credited with the character designs. It was published by Enix (now Square-Enix) in Japan before Nintendo localized the game and released an English version in Europe and Australia. The game was never officially released in North America. Terranigma tells the story of the Earth's resurrection by the hands of a boy named Ark, and its progress from the evolution of life to the present day.


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## Raidou Kuzunoha (Apr 28, 2013)

Almost forgot one other game.



The prequel to Shadow Hearts. This is how you do horror in an RPG.


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## Mickey Mouse (Apr 28, 2013)

Do not forget Seiken densetsu 3...but can oly get that via rom.


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## Zaelapolopollo (Apr 28, 2013)

Surprised no one said Vagrant Story. I just started it because a lot of people elsewhere recommended it for having a great plot.

Terranigma sounds really cool though. In fact the trio of Soul Blazer, Illusion of Gaia and Terranigma all sound pretty interesting.


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## Gaawa-chan (Apr 28, 2013)

Other than those already listed? Off the top of my head:
Dragon Quest games.
Suikoden 1-2.
Lufia 1-2 (play 2 first; it's the prequel, and the first game gives away the ending of the prequel at the very start)
Emerald Dragon.


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## Zaelapolopollo (Apr 29, 2013)

Well I bought Persona 2. A person Gamefaqs said it gave him the same "feel" as Xenogears and that plus all the people recommending it here and elsewhere motivated me to get it.


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## soulnova (Apr 30, 2013)

blackbird said:


> Chrono Trigger.



This. All of it.


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## Nois (Apr 30, 2013)

Chrono Trigger [though I've never managed to finish it...] it has 13 fucking endings and the chara designer is Akira Toriyamapek
Lufia and Lufia 2 - my first jRPGs, indeed the second game is a prequel; both also have a very nice side dungeon which takes almost the same amount of time to complete as the rest of the game...
Terranigma - very enjoyable action jrpg

PSX:
Grandia - loved this one, the plot has some epic twists and if you like grinding, there are optional skills here that take hours to get
Xenogears - the game is marvelous [also was meant to be FF7 at first] extensive dialogue, dark plot and mecha fights
Tales of Destiny - Interesting battle system and the story drew me in for a long time.
Suikoden - 128 characters at your service... Nuff said.
Breath of Fire IV - I think it's one of the prettiest games for the PSX and the story is very nice and engaging.

That's what I'd reccomend right now.


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## zenieth (Apr 30, 2013)

i wouldn't say P2 has the same feel as Xenogears, it's definitely got some moments though. Closest thing I'd liken it to is 20th century Boys


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## Naruto (Apr 30, 2013)

blackbird said:


> Chrono Trigger.



Came here to say this, someone else did it for me.

I'm out.


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## zenieth (Apr 30, 2013)

Chrono Cross

Yeah I went there


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## Nois (Apr 30, 2013)

Super Mario RPG

It was a really nice game


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## Mickey Mouse (Apr 30, 2013)

zenieth said:


> Chrono Cross
> 
> Yeah I went there



 I agree with you, I have never finished this game, but the amount I played I enjoyed.


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## St. YatōKiri_Kilgharrah (Apr 30, 2013)

Eh the Akira Toriyama designs arent the best thing about chrono trigger by far but I have to say thats the game where his designs werent an overall put off (Im looking at you Dragon quest)


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## Wan (Apr 30, 2013)

blackbird said:


> Chrono Trigger.



This.  I would kill for a well done Chrono Trigger remake or a proper sequel.



St NightRazr said:


> Eh the Akira Toriyama designs arent the best thing about chrono trigger by far but I have to say thats the game where his designs werent an overall put off (Im looking at you Dragon quest)



Toriyama's designs were _great_.

[YOUTUBE]FspZpPwpRnc[/YOUTUBE]

I also would kill for an anime based on Chrono Trigger. 

I really can't fathom why Squeenix is sitting with its ass on the Chrono franchise.


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## zenieth (Apr 30, 2013)

because nerd outcry don't equal sales

It's also why FF7 remake likely will never be a thing.


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## Nois (Apr 30, 2013)

The closest we get to a FF7 remake is getting a handheld version. No way Square is risking messing that thing up with changing things. Same goes for Chrono Trigger.

I wouldn't mind a new Chrono game though


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## Dream Brother (Apr 30, 2013)

I really hope they never remake FFVII. I don't even understand why some fans want it so much. The game is great as it is -- there's no real need for another version with updated graphics. Even if I did want a remake, I wouldn't trust them to do a good job with it -- they would probably try to make it better and end up messing it up. 

As for new Chrono games, I heard that a lot of fans didn't really take to _Chrono Cross_. I've never played that game (or CT, for that matter) but I listened to a bit of the soundtrack earlier, and it was nice. No idea what the story or gameplay was like.


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## Raidou Kuzunoha (Apr 30, 2013)

Nois said:


> The closest we get to a FF7 remake is getting a handheld version. *No way Square is risking messing that thing up with changing things.* Same goes for Chrono Trigger.
> 
> I wouldn't mind a new Chrono game though



They did that with 14. And they remade it.


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## Nois (Apr 30, 2013)

The thing with 14 was that it was a sinking ship and they wanted to fix shit. 7 is a classic and regardless of whether it was god tier or average, remaking it now is a risk. A major one. Hell, some Japs could stab people if the remake was bad


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## Zaelapolopollo (Apr 30, 2013)

Chrono Cross' soundtrack is the one thing everyone loves about the game. Even people who hate the story and characters compliment the OST.

And a new Chrono game might just turn out like The 3rd Birthday.


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## St. YatōKiri_Kilgharrah (Apr 30, 2013)

Nois said:


> The thing with 14 was that it was a sinking ship and they wanted to fix shit. 7 is a classic and regardless of whether it was god tier or average, remaking it now is a risk. A major one. Hell, some Japs could stab people if the remake was bad



You know until a little while ago I never understood why people would set themselves on fire..... Now I do


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## Raidou Kuzunoha (Apr 30, 2013)

Because people are batshit insane?


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## scerpers (Apr 30, 2013)

Legend of Mana
Legend of Dragoon
Legend of Legaia

Lots of "Legends"


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## Raidou Kuzunoha (Apr 30, 2013)

And I own them all, with Legend of Mana the only digital one.


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