In the mid ‘90s, after only a small amount of Japanese role-playing games hitting systems like the Sega Genesis, Nintendo and Super Nintendo, the American gaming populace began to love the art of the genre. Soon enough, when the Japanese gaming companies realized Americans finally got it, they sent floods of these types of games to America. Soon enough, obese, pimply-faced teens were spending hours of their time leveling up characters in games they never thought existed.
A decade later however, the younger, more fickle demographic has yet to be swayed by the RPG, preferring the first-person-shooter more than anything else.
Regardless, they were so many RPGs released in the mid-‘90s and some even as recent as a few years ago, that it was too easy to for forget many of them. Here are a few you might have missed that deserve your time.
Alundra: With a fantastic story, “Alundra†is definitely recommended for the “Legend of Zelda†fanatic that wants to go somewhere else for a while.
Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3: Even though it was re-released on the PSP a few months ago, “Persona 3†is an old-school RPG with new-age graphics and a quirky story that could have never been pulled off 15 years ago when RPGs were sweeping the country.
Dark Cloud 2: Another game for the Zelda fan, this game is hybrid adventure/RPG that captivates with brilliant cel-shaded graphics and a story that will induce tears.
Baldur’s Gate Dark Alliance: the definitive hack and slash RPG, this game, with an intuitive level up system and expansive story, has influenced countless other titles. While some of them are fantastic in their own right, none measure up to the original.
Parasite Eve: Squaresoft’s adventure/RPG has an awesome soundtrack and a wild story that even Persona could have problems keeping up with. Any questions?
Beyond the Beyond: This game’s biggest problem was it was released at a time when the Sony Playstation didn’t have a great track record with RPGs. With a cute story and a host of cool characters and difficult puzzles, it was a game worth playing.
Wild Arms: A game that was released shortly before Final Fantasy VII, the game was the talk of the system for a month and then faded away into oblivion. A host of lesser sequels made it that much easier to forget about. Nonetheless, the adventures of Rudy Roughknight here are classic.
Vagrant Story: Heralded at one time as one of the best games of all time, a decade or so after its release, no one talks about it anymore. With a battle system semi-borrowed from Parasite Eve and a cool story and plenty of interesting dialogue, “Vagrant Story†is a tale that holds up well today.
Lunar Legend: This game has been re-released on so many other systems for a reason, yet it’s never spoken about. Even during the days of the Sega CD, this game was the type to inspire awe. Setting the standard in graphical cinemas, music and storytelling, it’s another game that is a classic.
Threads of Fate: A fun adventure/RPG with two separate storylines, this was another Squaresoft title that suffered from a lack of promotion. In spite of that and its relative easy difficulty, it’s still a high-quality title.
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