JRPGs!

THIS POST IS OLD!!!! I started working on this around the summer of 2014 but never 100% completed it but I didn't want my work to be wasted so I thought I'd post it to share my visions on one of my favorite genres.

Once again, this post was typed in the summer of 2014 with some additions added in 2015. I have since finished Persona 4 Golden. Such a great game.

I put a solid 3 weeks into Persona 4 Golden, my first PS Vita game, and it just makes me realize why I've always loved Japanese role playing games. Maybe that's too broad a statement. I just enjoy any game that has elements of a JRPG, whether it's gameplay, story or music. So, I decided to do some lists about JRPGs, like favorite series, best JRPG I never beat, etc all leading to my top ten countdown of favorite JRPGs of all time! Let's start!

Favorite RPG Series

5. Final Fantasy - If you would have asked me what was my favorite RPG in the early 2000s, I would have told you Final Fantasy, no doubt. I was obsessed with those games, playing through all that I could. Now, it's not too high on the list. I guess that's because of the lower amount of entries in series as years went on. And it doesn't help that I didn't like or play most of the newer entries. They were on the right track with Final Fantasy X but after that, not so much. I played both XII and XIII (and all of its sequels) but they just didn't capture the same magic as the older ones. I'm not saying they're not good! I spent over 50 hours in XII and over 40 in XIII before being burnt out. They just weren't AS good as they games they followed. Final Fantasy XV looks AMAZING graphically but time will tell whether IT will capture the same feeling I had when playing VIII for the first time. Out of all the Final Fantasies, my favorite is easily Final Fantasy IV, simply because it's simple. The gameplay is basic but effective, the story cookie cutter and it has my favorite FF protagonist in Cecil. I love how Cecil goes from a Dark Knight to a Paladin in the game, which is much like my own life as well. I'll talk about FFIV more later but it's truly one of my favorite JRPGs. And you can't beat the boss theme! Overall, Final Fantasy is one of the original JRPGs in the US. While it's reign was dominant in the 90s and early 2000s, there are plenty other JRPG series out there now that have outshined FF, which is why it is #5 on my list.

4. Mario RPGs - The Mario RPGs are a delight. The first one I played was Paper Mario on N64 and it's still one of my favorite RPGs to this day. While all of the games share different battle systems, they are share common elements, such as being upbeat stories, memorable characters and my favorite, the fourth wall breaking. I like when games make aware that they are in fact games. I forget what Paper Mario it was (I think it was the non RPG Super Paper Mario, STILL a great game) but the character told Mario to do a certain action, that he had to press the A button. The character than said Mario didn't need to know what that meant because the player knew. It was something along those lines but it was so funny to me. That's another thing they share; comedy. While some RPGs take themselves WAY too seriously (I'm looking at you Lost Odyssey) none of the Mario games really do. Yes, there is some ultimate evil in each game but it's done in a different manner each time. Out of all the different series, the original, the Paper Mario ones and the Mario and Luigi saga, I prefer the Mario and Luigi type gameplay. All the entries in that series were distinct. The original, the 2nd one, where you had to control 4 different characters, the third, where you got to do battles as main villain Bowser and the latest, where you control a dream Luigi during battles for amazing attacks. Nintendo knows how to do great Mario RPGs, which makes me wonder when we'll ever see ANOTHER main Nintendo character get their own RPG. It's shocking to me that the Zelda universe doesn't have one yet. The lore of the game screams RPG. Instead, we get an equally as awesome Dynasty Warriros spin-off. Anyway, the Mario RPG series is fantastic. I'm still hoping for a Paper Mario entry on Wii U. The 3DS game didn't do it for me!

3. Wild Arms - This is easiest the most confused RPG series out there. Honestly. I've played each of the main series games (including the remake of the first one on PS2) and they change so quickly. Wild Arms is basically an Old West type of RPG will futuristic technology in each. Arms in Wild ARMS refers to the weapons they use, which are usually guns. The series is so bizarre and so crazy when it comes to puzzles. My one friend said it best, if you don't know anything about Greek mythology, you're going to have a tough time in Wild Arms. It basically DEMANDS that you have knowledge in various topics, like star constellations, history and math. I'm not even joking. In terms of battle system, the first three are all basic turn based combat, but the 4th and 5th editions take things to a different level. They both use a grid like system, where movement is key to survival. You can place a different amount of party members in each hex and they'll do more damage. I'm not really doing a good job of selling it, but it's very fun and you have to think. Out of all the Wild Arms games, while I have the fondest memories of playing 2 and NEVER beating it, my favorite is 5. From the awesome battles to the wild west/sci fi setting, it was really one of my favorite PS2 games. WA5 came out during the PS2 generation. There hasn't been any talks of a new entry into this great series and that's a real shame because in this era where there are barely enough serious JRPGs, Wild Arms would be a welcomed franchise. Here's to never saying never but I don't think we'll ever see another one.

2. Tales of - The Tales series has been the most busy JRPG series in the west, next to the #1 on this list. I started at Symhponia for Gamecube and haven't looked back since. Since then, I've played Legendia, Phantasia, Abyss, Vesperia and Xillia. All are great games in their own right. The best thing about the series are the battles. Each game has a different battle system and it makes it feel like each game is unique and different. While the mechanics are all the same, the way they're presented are great. For example, Legendia isn't like Xillia when it comes to battle systems. Legendia is more of a 2D plane while Xillia is full 3D and you can completely move around the playing field. It's best described as a fighting RPG. You level up, get new skills and traverse a big world. Tales games run the same. You always go through a sewer, as in most JRPGs, there's ALWAYS a back stabber that's either a party member or someone you don't expect and most of the games feature cameo battles. That's something I'd like other RPGs to do. It was great to face Tales of Destiny characters in Symphonia. Out of all the games I've played, my favorite from the series so far is BY far Vesperia. The story, eh, not the best but none of the Tales games are known for their deep stories. The gameplay is where it's at. Vesperia came out in a time when there weren't many JRPGs at all so it was a welcome addition to my small 360 collection. I was addicted to it like crazy. The battles were so fun and something unique about this game were the boss battles. I'll go more into it later but Vesperia is the quintessential Tales games. Fun cliche characters, an awesome soundtrack, great length, fun post game content, gambling and obviously, the action based battles. I'm SO GLAD that we get TWO Tales games in one year for TWO different systems that I own. I had to get a Vita JUST to play it. Anyway, Tales, with its many entries in the series over the past 10 years, slowly crept up on my list as one of my favorites. I can't wait to see what's next for this fun series.

1. Shin Megami Tensei - Easily the most rewarding and time consuming series on my list. EACH game in this series was difficult. Tales games, except for a couple of end game bosses, are easy. Shin Megami Tensei has ALL tough games. The first game I played in the series was Nocturne in 2004. I mainly got it because Dante was in it and I never been more happy with a impulse buy. And it didn't stop there. After trekking through the 70 hour journey, I found out about Digital Devil Saga and its sequel and the rest is history. Next came Devil Summoner and then of course, Persona 3. I've been hooked ever since. I may not have beaten every SMT game that's come to the US, but I've played almost EVERY one of them, except Devil Survivor 2. Each game in the series has a dark tone to it and innovative battle systems. From Nocturne's Press Turn system to Persona 4's near perfect turn based, they're are fun and awesome to learn. You'll see many of the same thing in each game, like the demons you can either recruit or kill, skills, or maybe even a character or two. The main character from Nocturne turns out to be the optional boss in DDS. Raidou appears in newer versions of Nocturne in Japan. Persona 4 had a whole scene dedicated to the school of Persona 3. It's little stuff like that that I enjoy in games. The best thing about the series is its renowned difficulty. There's no game in this series that holds your hand. I'm not saying they're impossible or the hardest RPGs ever, I'm just saying consistently, they are all hard. Nocturne's bosses and dungeons, without a strategy guide or online help, are near impossible. If you don't know how to prepare for the first hard boss in Nocturne, you're not going to have a good time because it doesn't stop there. Bosses in that game, if you choose this path of fighting all the optional bosses, will literally stalk you and make you fight them. Never before in a series have I been so pushed. DDS is a little more forgiving, just a little and newcomers to either Persona 3 or 4 will have to quickly adapt to its style. I don't want people to be afraid of the difficulty but it is there. Favorite game in the series is definitely Persona 4 but if you don't count the Persona series since apparently it's its own property now, I'd go with Nocturne. The Shin Megami Tensei series brings a general darkness that RPGs didn't have and it was very refreshing and still is refreshing after going through many fanservice heavy romps filled with big breasted female characters and nonsensical plots.

Best RPGs NOT in a series

5. Legend of Dragoon - Many have called this Sony's cheap way to cashing in on the success of Final Fantasy VII. I call it one of the best RPGs on the original Playstation. This game is hit or miss with many people. Some people seem to really like while others seems to really and I mean really hate it. While I enjoy the plot and the characters very much, it's the combo based battle system that makes this a keeper in my book. I like RPGs that make you think while you attack. In this game, you have to hit X at certain point of the combo or it won't do the maximum amount of damage. Add a great set of moves for each character and some really hard to master moves and you have a innovative RPG. I also really enjoyed the Dragoon transformations. Didn't really like how they had you attack in them but they looked cool! Dragoon is not apart of a series, which is a shame because they really could've done a trilogy of the series or even just a sequel on Playstation 2. Dart was even suppose to be a DLC character for Playstation All-Stars but unfortunately that was canned. Could that mean that Sony hasn't forgotten about this series? Only time will tell.

4. Lost Odyssey - Lost Odyssey is one of the sole reasons I wanted a Xbox 360. I remember seeing the commercial on Adult Swim before going to sleep at night, thinking I couldn't wait to play it. When I finally did, I wasn't disappointed. Lost Odyssey is the quintessential JRPG. It has random battles, a don't care about life protagonist, and classic turn based battles. And it looks AMAZING. When I first played it, I played it on a SDTV. I replayed a bit of the game in 2011 on my HDTV and I was blown away all over again. The world felt real and the characters all looked like they could be real people. I just loved it. The music was spot and of course, the battles were great. This game used a ring system. You basically had to line up the cursor with the indicator to do max damage with the ring. It doesn't take long to get used to but it's a nice break from the just press X JRPG. Lost Odyssey also has a great deal of side quests and optional bosses which add to the already 60 hour quest. If you want to relive during the days of old school JRPGs, then this is the RPG for you. It may seem too old school for some but it's still one of 360's finest RPGs. A sequel to this game? Not likely. I don't think I would want one either. If it happened, I'll definitely play it but I'm more looking forward to what Mistwalker does next.

3. Ni No Kuni _ When this game was first announced, it sounded like a match made it heaven. Studio Ghibli, creator of some of the finest anime movies teamed up with Level-5, creator of some of the finest RPGs around. The result lived up to the expectations. Ni No Kuni is like a mash up of RPGs. It combined the monster taming from Pokemon with the action battle system of Tales. AND you're playing in a Studio Ghibli film. How else can I convince you it's a fantastic game? The story is a heartwarming one, with the main character Oliver trying to find a way to bring his mother back from the dead. Along the way, you'll be taming familiars to do battle with while using Oliver's natural spells. It's a very fun fast paced battle system that keeps you on your toes. You get two other party members with their own familiars as well. You have to train your familiars and as they level up, not only do they get new skills, certain ones will evolve into better familiars. It's impossible not to draw comparisons to Pokemon. Like I said before, Ni No Kuni's main strength is its beauty. The battles and story are great but just being able to fully control a character INSIDE a Studio Ghibli esque film word was enough for me. I loved the movie Kiki's Delivery Service as a kid and always wondered what a game would be like in this world. I got my wish. Ni No Kuni is a game EVERY JRPG buff needs to play. Is it the greatest of all time? No but it's certainly one of the most heartwarming stories you'll experience in RPGs. A sequel to Ni No Kuni would be great, but Oliver's adventure was wrapped up pretty nicely. Maybe in the same universe but different characters? I don't see that happening.

2. The World Ends With You - To be honest, I don't remember too much about The World Ends With You. I just remember it being a blast to play and that the music was catchy. TWEWY is a completely unique experience that was only available for the Nintendo DS when I first played it. It's from Square Enix so my expectations were very high from the start and it didn't disappoint. While I don' t remember every little detail from the story, I do remember it having its twist and turns and having a satisfying conclusion to the long journey. The battle system is why this game is so high on this particular list. You fought using these badges and each badge was unique. I believe there were some badges that were like swords, some like guns, etc. And it was all touch screen based which made it even better. I'm not doing the best of jobs selling it but let me say this; TWEWY is the best RPG on DS hands down. There's nothing this unique, in the RPG category at least, on the DS. Easily one of the better experiences on any handheld. TWEWY getting a sequel has been teased and I would love to see what could be done with the game on 3DS.

1. Skies of Arcadia - Without question, Skies of Arcadia is the best one and done RPG I've ever played. Why there was NEVER a sequel to this is beyond me. Everything about this game is amazing. The story about sky pirates is well crafted. The battles are fun and unique. The crew system and VMU support was innovative. There were plenty of sidequests. I don't want to gush a lot about it here because I have to save it for later in the post but without question, SOA was amazing. It provided a classic RPG experience in a unique way. A sequel is high unlikely now. I played SOA on Dreamcast AND Gamecube so it's been out for quite awhile with no buzz or hype about a sequel. It's unfortunate though. I'd love a next gen or even current gen remake, I'll even take that. Anything to just get back into this amazing universe.

Best RPG I Never Finished
5. Arc Rise Fantasia - Any RPG on the Wii is going to intrigue me, simply because the system wasn't known for RPG adventures, that is, until Xenoblade, Last Story and Pandora's Tower all decided to release AFTER the Wii was put to pasture. Anyway, ARF had horrible voice acting but was fun and provided a difficult challenge. I used to fear the boss battles in the game because they were generally tough. Bosses had huge health bars, cheap tactics and of course, massive healing spells. The main reason I didn't finish this, like most games in my later years, was because I got sidetracked. I'm sure there was some other game at the time that I just focused more on. And it sucks because I put 30 hours into ARF. It wasn't a terrible game like many have said, it was just rough around the edges. The parts that I've played more than warrant a replay eventually and if I ever get ANY free time, I definitely will.

4. Wild Arms 2 - While WA5 is my favorite in the series, 2 was the first one I played. I remember it being hard for me at the time, as it was one of the first RPGs I played alone, with no help from my brother. The puzzles would stump me and I got lost plenty of times. I don't remember if it was because I didn't pay attention or because some RPGs back then didn't always tell you where to go. Regardless, I was lost A LOT. I even Gamesharked this game because everything became overwhelming. Just when I thought the last dungeon was coming, they gave me another one to go through. I finally just told myself I would never beat this game. And I didn't. Wild Arms 2 defeated me. Not because it was bad or because I didn't have time. It won because I gave up. No other RPG can say that. Will I ever finish it? Probably not. I'll never say never but I'm leaning more towards no.

3. Digital Devil Saga 2 - This one hurts me the most because it's apart of my favorite series. Maybe that's not it because I didn't finish either Devil Summonner, Strange Journey, Devil Survivor OR the original Persona. I know, I'm horrible! I think I feel so bad because I loved the storyline of DDS and I still don't know how it ends. I completed 1 and I remember getting 2 for my birthday the year it came out. I just never finished it and I STILL don't know why to this day. I was pretty far too. The end was in sight. That's where I get lost with most games. I'll get to the end and just never finish it. Maybe I don't want the story to end or maybe I'm just incredibly lazy. DDS2 is a game I plan to finish ONE DAY just when that day is, I don't know. I actually bought DDS1 2 years ago to actually finish what I started but as you can see, that plan never came to fruition.

2. Xenoblade - I was RIGHT at the end of Xenoblade before I traded it in. It was worth more at the time traded in than seeing the ending. I truly regret it because I put 60+ hours into it. I was addicted to this game. The battle system was so deep and very easy to get lost in. They took everything I disliked from games like Final Fantasy XII and White Knight Chronicles and made it into something I could sink my teeth into. It's easily the best RPG on Wii and one of the top ones of the last generation. Will I ever finish out Shulk's story? One day. I plan to buy it again when I get a chance but with how my life is, I don't know if I have another 60 hours to put into this game. One day maybe.

1. Xenogears - I must have started Xenogears over a dozen times but I never get too deep in it. I usually get to the desert part but that's about it. Where Fei and Bart get stuck in the caverns or whatever, yeah, there. I think that's like 8 hours in. It's so sad because I know this game has one of the best stories in video games but I just NEVER can finish it. It's not because it's a bad game. I know it's not. I love the combo addition battle system and like I said, I know the story is one of the best in video games. Two of my closest friends are Xenogears buffs and I always wanted to see why. I just never give it enough time. I've played the original release, I played on an emulator, and I even have the PSN version, still never beat it. I'm just going to say that I'll never finish Xenogears. The only Xeno game I've ever completed was Xenosaga I and unfortunately, it will probably stay like that.

Top RPGs I've Never Really Played But Want To

5. Final Fantasy XIV - I've never been into MMORPGs. I've played games like MapleStory and Runescape and when I did, I got addicted to those games. FFXIV looks like it could be the case. Add the fact it's not just on PC but PS3 and you have a winner. I want to give the genre a try like I do all genres but I just haven't yet. Eventually, I want to, before either the servers go down or before I lose my time to something else. Once I find the game for a good price and can keep up with the monthly fee, I'll definitely give it a chance. I might become an addict but at least I'll have tried it.

4. Thousand Arms - I like weird, abstract and different RPGs. The one time I've played the game, I liked the quirkiness of it and the battle system I remember being unique. I've only played it for about 2 hours before never touching it again but it's just one of those games that I've touched and always wanted to try again. One day....

3. Xenosaga Episode III - One weekend, I decided to buy EACH Xenosaga game. Yes, the whole trilogy. I really only played them so I could get to the third one, which I heard was the best of the bunch but unfortunately, I never got that far. I managed to get all the way through the first, which isn't a bad game. I got lost in the 2nd one's craziness. My friend went ahead and played 3 before me and told me I could just play it without playing the others but I'm super anal about that. I have to play others in the series if they're released in the US, especially if they're connecting storylines. It's a must for me. It's unfortunate because I know 3 is the best one but alas, I'll never play it. If they did a remake or rerelease, I'm all over it!

2. Suikoden 2 - Suikoden 2 is an RPG I hear so much praise about but have never played. I bought the 3rd one on a whim awhile ago but didn't get far enough into. I bought the 1st one when I got a PS3, didn't get into that one either. The 2nd one always gets the highest praise but I have just never tried it. When I had my PS1 emulator, I still never gave it a chance. I've seen plenty of videos on it, read reviews, but no dice. And the high price now for it is ridiculous and with no release on PSN in site, I don' think this will be an RPG I'll ever get around to playing.

1. Persona 2 - I've played Persona 2 but this is another game that I didn't give enough time to. I think I got 5 hours in before calling it quits. I never had a chance to play the original release. The first taste I had of this game was on my emulator, which is where I got the farthest. Then, I finally bought it on PSN this year but haven't touched it since. I got a Vita now, have it installed on my system, STILL haven't touched it. I'm not going to play it until I go through Persona 2: Innocent Sin, which I recently bought because it was $15 cheaper than its original asking price. I played it for the first time not too long ago but it's very slow paced and hard to get myself into as compared to the later releases. Since I bought the complete pack and it's available to play whenever on my Vita, the likelihood of me actually getting into it is more high now.

Favorite Bosses (Could only think of 3 ATM)

3. Rawk Hawk - Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door - This whole chapter of Paper Mario is fantastic. It's like Mario entered into the world of WWE. You enter the league because the champion, Rawk Hawk, has a title belt, which looks strangely like the Star you need in your quest, so the only way to get it is to defeat Rawk Hawk. You do this by climbing the ranks to basically become the #1 contender. Rawk Hawk, at least to me, is a parody of wrestling great Hulk Hogan. With that being said, you KNOW I would include a battle like this on my list. The battle isn't anything too memorable it's just the build to getting there and the fact that it's the closet thing we'll get to Mario in wrestling.

2. Ameno-sagiri - Persona 4 - If you're going through just the normal ending for Persona 4, Ameno-sagiri IS the last boss. To finally come face to face with what has been causing the central conflict in the game is rewarding. The build up had been superb and it all comes together in an amazing boss battle. The Almighty, the theme being played in the fight, is epic. It captures the moment perfectly in song form. I can't explain it but it just feels RIGHT when it plays. The battle isn't too tough. You really should be well prepared you this boss. There is a fight before it but Persona isn't as sadistic as Baten Kaitos. They leave the harder fight last. Anyway, while not a hard fight, it's a fulfilling fight. When you finally defeat him and you see the cutscene afterwards, you feel like you accomplished something. You brought the end of the madness in P4 or so you think. Easily the best fight in any SMT game so far.

1. Flynn - Vesperia - Music in RPGs tell the story and the music for this battle makes it that much more epic. The game's almost over at this point and the game throws you in a friendly one on one battle against your best friend. It's not a difficult fight per se but it is an awesome one. What I love about Vesperia more than any other Tales game is the secret missions. This is certain tasks that if done in boss fights, will either give you an advantage or little cutscene. The secret mission in this game is to take EVERYTHING Flynn has. You have to be hit with all his Artes and his Mystic Arte. As Yuri, you have to take everything Flynn has. I think that says a lot about the toughness of Yuri and the desperation of Flynn. He's throwing his best shots, but Yuri won't go down. The whole feel of the fight is epic and it's just one of those bosses where you feel bad that it's over. There's nothing quite like this fight in any other RPG.

Hardest Bosses

5. Shadow Yukiko - SMT: Persona 4 (The original) - Shadow Yukiko is the first real boss in P4 that requires strategy. She's the first REAL boss. I know, Shadow Chie is in the same dungeon but you can just wail on her until she dies. SY is weak to Ice, which helps in the beginning, until she summons her minion to come out. He'll immediately heal her of all the damage she has taken AND put an Ice Shield over her. SY will then start attacking you with skills that hit everybody, forcing you to heal quickly while the Prince attacks and buffs/heals SY. It's the first fight in P4 to test your skills and make use of your own buff/debuff skills. She isn't impossible to beat obviously, but she'll be an eye opener for most first timers in the SMT universe. You basically have to wail on the Prince while protecting Chie, since they'll be exploiting her fire weakness pretty heavily. Once the Prince goes down, it's smooth sailing, but getting to that part is a hassle and if you're not expecting a tough fight, Shadow Yukiko will massacre you.

4. Sepriroth - Kingdom Hearts I & II - The last boss in Final Fantasy VII is the toughest in both installments of Square's hit series Kingdom Hearts. Both times, he appears as an optional boss so don't worry, you can avoid him if you want. I wouldn't though. Defeating Sepriroth is one of the greatest feelings in the series. In 1, he's the top tier of the Colisseum and he definitely deserves that position. In KH, life in represented by bars of health. Each color means a different bar. I believe purple was the maximum. The funny thing about him though, is that even if you slash him, it doesn't go down. It takes PLENTY of hits for his health bar to even move. And he's lightning fast. His attacks hurt and once he gets close to being defeated, he starts to do those almighty secret boss attacks. You know, those desperate attacks that can murder you in one hit. Once you beat him, you get nothing, unless you're playing 1.5, then you get a trophy AND a new Keyblade but if you're like me and played the original when it first came out, the only thing you got was bragging rights. He's the same way in 2 and, dare I say, he might be even harder. You do get an awesome cutscene of Cloud and Sepriroth fighting so that's a good bonus. Overal, Seprirorth will cause a lot of gamers headaches because of his flashy and strong moves and downright unfairness at some times. If you have beaten him both times, kudos to you. And kudos to those who have beaten ALL the tough optional bosses in KH. They sure do have some tough ones. All the secret ones added with the re releases that I haven't even fought yet. I don't plan to either, I know my limitations. Well, maybe I'll fight the extra Organization XIII members in KH2 but that's it.

3. Shadow Peach - Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door - The Paper Mario series is usually a breeze to go through. There may be some tough moments but nothing is ever impossible in the games, except, maybe the optional dungeons. I did the 100 floor dungeon in Super Paper Mario but in The Thousand Year Door? NO. Anyway, after your long journey in TTYD, you will meet Shadow Peach, the last boss to the game. SP has 150 HP. That sounds like a little bit compared to other bosses that have over a million HP, but when you're attacks are only hitting for 6-12 each turn, it can be a little overwhelming. It doesn't help that Shadow Peach isn't a pushover either. I never fought the boss at the end of the 100 floor dungeon but she's easiest the hardest normal boss you'll encounter in the game and in ANY Paper Mario game. To win, you'll have to use your special abilities to the max and have your best upgraded team mates ready. If you don't you're going to have a bad time. She's not impossible to beat but she is time consuming and heavy handed on attacks. If you were expecting to just breeze past the last boss, you'll be in for a pleasant surprise when you come face to face with Shadow Peach.

2. Giacomo, Ayme, Folon; Malpercio; pretty much all end game bosses - Baten Kaitos - Baten Kaitos is my favorite hidden gem RPG. Because it was on the Gamecube, I don't think too many people have heard of it, let alone play it. It's a great RPG that demands you be on your Ps and Qs and the bosses demand it. Take the trio of Giacomo, Ayme and Folon, who you'll be facing THREE TIMES in the game. Baten Kaitos is a weird game, where you get experience for defeating foes but don't actually automatically level up from it. No, you have to go to a blue flower, which is a save spot, get transported to a church and level up from there. There is another save spot in the game, red flowers, but they don't allow you access to the church. So, I said all that to set up the nightmare you'll encounter if you're like me and completely blindsided by the battle. In the middle of the game, you'll be on this airship that doesn't seem to have any blue flowers on it. And of course, what waits at the end of it for you? A tough boss fight. So, without the addition of blue flowers on the ship, you can fight all you want, get as much experience as you possibly could, but it will be for nothing as you won't be able to level up. And if you're like me, you only keep one save file so there's no going back. You're stuck on the ship, with your current party and their stats to fight this hard trio.

Any RPG boss battle hat has you dealing with multiple targets at a time can get tricky. You usually have one that's the main attacker, one that's the buffer and of course, the dreadful healer. And that's pretty much what fighting these three are like. The main thing is fighting these guys without having the ability to level up on the ship. The battle itself is tough but if you could grind a bit before the fight, it wouldn't be AS bad. Giacomo attacks twice, Folon will up his attack AND has the ability to attack twice, they'll both heal Giacomo if you attack him too much, it's just a hassle of a battle. If you beat them the first time, be ready for their 2nd battle because you'll have to face them BACK TO BACK. No rest in between. You beat them, cutscene, do it again. Who the hell thought THAT was a good idea? At least you get to train for this battle but fighting what could be the hardest boss battle in the game twice in a row is sadistic.

Once you DO beat them, it doesn't get any easier. This game does NOT hold you hand when it comes to boss battles. Pretty much EVERY boss after that, is difficult. The last boss of the game is easily one of the hardest mandatory end game bosses ever. When Kalas turns, he's a challenge. Needless to say, there's going to be some angry gamers playing this game because the battles get downright unfair. If you can get through it, congrats. I still don't know HOW I was able to overcome this game.

1. Matador - SMT: Nocturne - This is the boss that defined this game for me. I went into Nocturne blind, not knowing what awaited me. The first couple of hours were hard but nothing 14 year old me couldn't handle. I was already well experienced on RPGs by then. Little did I know I was about to get a big slice of humble pie. This battle, if you're unfamiliar with the game, literally comes out of nowhere and starts the slew of other hard bosses that are apart of this side quest. Though the others are optional, Matador isn't. You'll just be strolling, going to the next town in your quest when this item you received earlier, starts to react and pulls you into a different dimension. There, you meet Matador, who's 1000 HP limit doesn't sound too much, if you can hit him that is. He'll cast spells to up his evasion/accuracy, making him near impossible to hit if you don't debuff him. And even if you do, you waste turns doing that while he gets 2 turns every time and will wreck your party with his moves. It literally took me 15 times to beat him the first time around. I never felt such jubilation after beating a boss. Unfortunately, for 14 year old Marcus, I played a demo disc that reformatted by memory card, meaning that I had to start my already 15 hour quest over again. This time, I got the strategy guide and that made the game much easier but Matador STILL presented a challenge. Matador is only the start to the difficult boss fights you'll encounter in Nocturne. While he may be easy compared to some of the later fights, like the last optional boss Lucifer, he's still one of the game's most notorious bosses. He got easier as I got older but that's just experience kicking in I guess. Matador still gives me RPG nightmares though. I compare bosses difficulty to Matador now. That's how much of an effect this boss had on me.

Favorite Things Most RPGs Share

3. Post Game Content - It's very important to me that once the credits are done, that there is stuff that opens up AFTERWARDS. It's certainly not the end of the world if there isn't as most of my top RPGs DON'T have that but I love the fact that some do have it. Take example Star Ocean. The last one I played was The Last Hope on 360. There's an area after you beat the game to the left of the last save point, which was closed before beating the last boss but is now open. There's a dragon there that must be defeated to open up the post game dungeon that allows the player to fight the last two super bosses, Gabriel Celeste and the Ethereal Queen, both MUCH MUCH harder than the last boss. THIS is what I like. I love me some content that's before the end of the game, but stuff that opens after completion, that's my favorite. And I mean RIGHT after, not like the SMT games that make you play through most of game just to have an opportunity to fight an overpowered boss that can't be beaten by the conventional RPG functions that you learned in the 100+ hours you've already put into the game. Just saying.

2. Coliseums/Optional Bosses - Optional bosses are a must for any RPG for me. SMT, Tales, Final Fantasy, all of my favorites had them. And that's great because as a RPGer, I need an additional challenge outside of the main quest. Coliseums aren't a must but if the game has it, it's that much better. Most Tales games have them, Star Ocean IV had one, and even Dragon Quest 8 had a monster one. They're like tournaments, which remind me of wrestling so I guess that's why I like them. The best Coliseum I played through was probably Kingdom Hearts. The one where you fought through each match straight through and Hades was the last opponent. That or Vesperia's AMAZING solo 200 man battle. It's like a gimmick match! Some of my finest moments in RPGs come from defeating optional bosses. Beating Lucifier, Sephriroth in KH, and any others provided me with some amazing feelings of confidence. I've never dared to attempt to defeat the Demi-Fiend, Elizabeth or Maragret because they are WAYY too many stipulations to even phase them. No thank you. Anyway, optional bosses are a great way to show what you're made of as a gamer. They test your patience, your skill and sometimes, your sanity.

1. Casinos - I absolutely love to gamble in RPGs. Seriously, I think I have an addiction to it. Any RPG that has ANY gambling in it, I spent hours upon hours in it. I think the last RPG I played with a real casino was Ni No Kuni and you can bet your behind I kept playing there until I got the highest prize I could. I'm like a junkie when it comes to that stuff. Metal Saga was probably me at my worst. MS, unlike other games, lets you gamble with your in game money. A lot of the time, you can only bet the casino's coins and only get their top prize. So, you can gamble your money AND get 100x more! That way, I could buy all the expensive in game items I wanted. My friend can back me up, but I literally spent HOURS just playing that number guessing game. You had five tries to guess what 3 digits the machine had and the less amount of tries it took you, the higher your multiplier was for getting it right. The game would tell you certain things, like if you had certain numbers right, certain numbers in different positions, etc. I think the best I did was on the 2nd try, I NEVER got it on the first try. I bought Metal Saga for 3 bucks a couple of years ago but only played it once before putting it away. Casinos in RPGs are nice breaks from the main story. I think TOX2 has one and I'm every excited to see what I can and will win from it! (Side not, TOX2's casino wasn't really a casino but I played the Poker Game for hours!)

Favorite RPG Themes
5. Hunting- Betrayal - Digital Devil Saga 2
4. Anything from Xenoblade - Xenoblade
3. Chaotic Dance- Baten Kaitos
2. The Almighty - Persona 4
1. Boss Theme - Final Fantasy IV

Most Anticipated RPG

5. Persona Q - My love for the Persona and Shin Megami Tensei series is known. Since Nocturne released 10 years ago, I've been all over the series. Persona Q is the only RPG release of the year for this series. And it's a mash up of Persona 3 AND 4, the only Persona games that I've played AND beat? I'm all over it! When a new RPG comes out, I don't really read up on it so I can avoid spoilers and any pre hype. If I get too hyped for a game and then it doesn't live up to that hype, then I'm going to be upset. RPGs like Ni No Kuni or Atelier Escha & Logy I didn't really read TOO much into them and they ended up being even better than I thought they could be. Already having played Persona 3 and 4, the hype is already up for the game. I'm looking forward to a lengthy experience, a banging soundtrack and tough battles. My only dilemma is what Persona team will I pick to go through my adventure. Do I go with the party that originally brought me to the Persona series or the party that made me feel actual feelings for game characters? I can't wait for November 25th! (Played BTW. Great game but it doesn't feel like a true Persona experience)

4. Final Fantasy XV - Final Fantasy Versus XIII was announced when I was attending high school. I think it was sophomore year. That was 8 years ago! When they announced Versus XIII was to be the 15th entry into the series, I was shocked but it was a great announcement. Final Fantasy is the series I originally fell in love with. 7-10 were all entries I put dozens of hours into as were 12 and 13. I'm looking forward to a next gen RPG as this will probably be the first JRPG to be released on next gen, unless Atelier or Hyperdimension beat them to the punch, but this game looks very realistic while those will be very animeish. Not a word, but a fact. Anyway, FFXV will certainly be looked forward to by all. 12 and 13 were very polarizing. They captured my attention definitely but they didn't feel like the earlier series. Will 15 change my mind? I don't think so but I'm hoping for an awesome experience nonetheless.

3. Tales of Xillia 2/Zestiria/Hearts R - I said it earlier in the post, but man, the Tales series is the most busy RPG series of this generation, besides the Atelier and Hyperdimension sereies. The original Xillia was released last year, Graces F the year before that and we just got the Symphonia Chronicles this year. How can they top themselves? How about by releasing 3 more brand new to US Tales games?

Xillia 2 is the continuation of last year's awesome Xillia. Tales games don't usually get direct sequels except in the case of Destiny, Symphonia and the World games. It stars a new protagonist and something not often seen in Tales games; branching paths and decisions. I don't know how vast they are or even if they change the course of the story, I'm just excited about it. Also, the main character isn't restricted to just one weapon, which is one of my favorite things about another fantastic RPG Persona 3. I saw the main character Ludger, equip guns and a pair of swords. That means there has to be different Artes for both! I don't really read TOO much into a RPG before I play it because I like going in blind. That way, my expectations aren't too high. This game could be something very special and if last year's title is any indication, then we're in for a fantastic ride come August 19th.

Tales of Hearts R is a game I don't know too much about. I know it's a Tales game that we didn't get when it first came out and now, like Graces F, we're finally getting it! I'm pretty hyped to play a Tales game on the go, especially seeing how I travel for work on the bus. That's where I get my most time in playing either my Vita or 3DS, just look at either SMT IV or Persona 4. I don't know the story, characters, or type of battle system it will have but like I said before, it's a freaking Tales game! Of course I'm excited!

Tales of Zestiria SHOULD be the last Tales on the PS3/350 generation. I saw one battle and I was blown away. This is going to sound dumb, but in regular Tales games, and RPGs in general actually, when you touch the enemy, it's liked your warped to some distinct battlefield with generic backgrounds that match wherever you are at the present time. A couple games didn't do that, like Xenoblade, Rogue Galaxy and FFXII didn't do that because of the gameplay type. In Zestiria, you see the enemy, interact with it and start the battle RIGHT THERE. No warps, it's a quick transition and you're fighting the enemy where you were exploring. It's such a petty thing but my mind was blown when I saw that. Of course, it looks to be another great entry into the famed Tales series as well and I can't wait to play it next year. A new Tales AND Persona in one year? Too hype! (Xillia 2 was familiar but great and Hearts R was very old school. Both good and now I wait for Zestiria)

2. Xenoblade Chronicles X - Xenoblade was the surprise hit of the Wii. While I looked forward to it when it was first was announced, the gameplay was reminiscent to White Blade Chronicles and FF12, both games that were good, but didn't capture me like the turn based RPGs did. When I first popped in Xenoblade, I knew I was hooked. The gameplay was so addicting and it fulfilled a need that the Wii never had; a quality JRPG. It's easily my favorite Wii game of all time. To me, I always saw this as a one and done type of game, due to it being a JRPG, being on the Wii, and the fact that us Americans almost didn't even get it. Someone thought differently though and we are getting a sequel, sometime in 2015. The one thing people dislike most about Xenoblade were the graphics and I will admit, it was ugly. Not ugly where it was unplayable but ugly like you know it could've been so much better. Well, with it being on the Wii U, while not next gen graphics, we will be getting the crisp visuals the original did not have

1. Persona 5 - It's been 5 and a half years since the original Persona 4 released. That's a majorly long wait between sequels, especially seeing how the wait between 3 and 4 was so short. Not much is known about P5, except that it IS coming to the US for the PS3 in 2015. All music to my ears! Like I said, there's barely any more info than that but seeing as how Japan will be getting it this winter, I'm sure we'll be seeing some kind of info pretty soon. What type of gameplay will it be? What's the story? What does it even look like? This will be the first SMT game on a console since PS2 so obviously, expectations are sky high. Will it live up to the amazing last two entries on the Persona series or will it take a more Nocturne approach? Either way, 2015 can't come fast enough.


Favorite RPGs of All Time

10. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door - There's just something about these Mario RPGs that I just love. Is it the simple but complex battle systems? The light hearted story? The often fourth wall breaking? Maybe it's a little bit of each but none of the games do it as well as Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door which perfected the Mario RPG formula.

Mario is once again tasked at finding Seven of something to save the world. Obviously the story is more deep than that but as with the first Paper Mario game, you have to find the seven Crystal stars that are scattered throughout the world. Paper Mario title or any Mario RPG game, is a little different than the normal turn based RPG. TYD focuses on timed button presses to maximize your attacks. When Mario jumps on an enemy, you have to press A in time with his jump for full damage. Same goes with his hammer. It keeps you on your toes and makes for some fun battles. Mario isn't alone in his quest. Mario will meet a cast of different party members in the game, ranging from different types of creatures of Mario lore. You'll get a Goomba, Koopa, Bob-Omb and even a Yoshi that you get to name yourself. You can only have one member in at a time but switching our characters is very simple.

The Mario RPG series is known for its lighthearted approach to the tried and true RPG plots. TYD is no different. There are many 4th wall breaking moments, hilarious moments and you'll even see Luigi a couple of times. Navigation is great too. The game is called Paper Mario for a reason, Mario and the world are made of paper. With that, Mario can do things that paper does, like become a paper airplane, turn sideways and slip through cracks, etc. It's a fun gimmick that never gets old. Another thing I like about TYD is the content in the game. It already runs at about 30 hours but there's an optional gauntlet like dungeon that has 100 floors and features a boss that is HARDER than the last boss of the game. If you have time and dedication, it's definitely something to do. I got to like 85 before being knocked out.

Paper Mario 2 is simple, fun and fantastic. It doesn't take itself too seriously and that's not a bad thing. With Gaemcube barely having any RPGs to call its own, this game is a welcome addition to the RPG line up. I'm still waiting for a true sequel to this as Super Paper Mario, while amazing in its own right, was not a RPG and Sticker Star was just....not good for me. Maybe a Wii U version is in the works but regardless, this is still an amazing game that you should check out. Maybe it will get a re-release on the Virtual Console one day.

9. Skies of Arcadia - The Dreamcast wasn't known for too many RPGs on the sysstem. There was Time Stalkers and Evolution which were both dungeon crawling RPGs but nothing that could compete with the other systems RPGs. That was until Sega released Skies of Arcadia, their best RPG ever. SOA follows the adventures of sky pirates Vyse and Aika, who stumble upon a mysterious girl named Fina during a trip. The game has the typical evil Empire story and you and you're band of heroes must stop them. SOA's gameplay is traditional turn based. There's the regular attack, guard, magic but there's also a Super Move option and a Crew option. Super Moves are powerful attacks that use a gauge that control all the actions you do. By sacrificing more of it, you can do powerful moves. The Crew option comes to play once you get further in the game as you will man your own ship and start getting crew members. They all have different abilities and such, like some are defensive, some offensive etc. It's a nice little system.

While there are many random encounters to behold, you'll also have plenty of battles in your ship as well. In your ship, you'll battle against other ships and some huge beasts that inhabit the world. These battles shine a bit brighter than the regular battles. It's just something you have to experience to fully enjoy. The only bad thing about it that sometimes during the story ship battles, they make you make decisions during the fight and the decisions can either make the fight or break it. There's no indication what is the right choice either, you just kind of have to guess. It's kind of unfair, especially when you have some fights that happen right after a regular boss battle and then you lose and you have to start over. Very frustrating.

There's plenty to discover in Skies of Arcadia. If you have to play a version, play the Gamecube one so you can do the optional boss fights. You know I'm a sucker for extra content. In the Gamecube release, there are Wanted posters for a number of optional bosses, one battle has you facing lookalikes of the three main characters. It's a nice little addition to the already solid quest. There's also a whole new quest line that features a couple of optional fights as well.

Skies of Arcadia is one of the shining jewels of the Dreamcast. It's great battle system along with fun characters make this an adventure worth playing. The only downside of SOA is that once it ends, that's it. It's been almost 15 years and still no sequel, spinoff or HD remake. Vyse has been in other games, like Valkyria Chronicles and Sonic All Stars Racing but as a fan of his source material, it isn't enough. Why does Sega consistently do that with their games? No new Shinobi (PS2 and 3DS version aside), Alex Kidd, Streets of Rage, Skies OR Shenmue, even though all have been featured in their racing games. Anyway, Skies of Arcadia is a different take on the tried and true RPG formula and it works very well.

8. Final Fantasy Tactics - This isn't the typical JRPG I know but I couldn't leave out my favorite Final Fantasy game from the original Playstation. I'm not the biggest fan of strategy RPGs. They're either hit or miss with me. Games like Fire Emblem, XCOM and my baby Shining Force have all held my attention and were titles that I lost myself in. Other ones, not so much. Tactics is probably the SRPG that I put the most time into, due to the deep customization of it.

I'm 24 now. When I first played Tactics, I was between 8-9. I didn't understand the story then and I still don't understand it now. I'm not a fan of these political dramas, which is probably one of the reasons why I didn't like FF12 that much. I just know there are bad guys and some kind of secret that turns humans into creatures. That's it. The story isn't really why the game is on the list. It's the gameplay and how you can prepare for each battle.

Tactics has a job system that is absolutely incredible. You don't have to wait and find jobs like in other titles. Nope, you can level up other classes to get the class you want. There are dozens of classes. You have the typical Knight, Black Mage, White Mage, Monk, Thief and Summoner while also having some more harder to get jobs, like Ninja, Samurai, Bard and Dragoon. Each job has their own skills, strengths and weaknesses. I'm a huge fan of the Monk class as they become almost too powerful if trained right. I was doing a skill that raised your attack and then one of the skills the Monk can learn and was doing 400 damage per hit. They become beastly and forces to be reckon with. The Ninja's Two Weapon skill allows you to equip two weapons on each hand and you can carry that to any class. There is so much deep customization for each class and and person you have on your party that it's almost too much.

The battles themselves aren't too bad if you prepare yourselves and have a deep party. I was going through with a Knight, a Black Mage, a Monk, a White Mage and using a Ninja and I didn't have too much of a problem. You take turns based on speed, the player's characters act and then the enemies. If a party member falls in battle, they have three full player turns to be revived or they will be dead forever. When anyone dies in the game, they leave behind a crystal, which can contain a weapon, item, etc. And that's for ANYBODY, your party included. It's not as unforgiving as Fire Emblem and if you manage to win before your party member turns, that will be revived for the next fight. It's an easy system to comprehend. Some of the later boss battles can be tough as they have moves that will reach across your whole party and do massive damage so plan accordingly. Depending on what version you play, you can recruit various Final Fantasy characters. In just the Playstation version, Cloud from FF7 can be recruited as a party member while Balthier from FF12 can be recruited in the PSP version. There are spinoffs/sequels to Tactics but they just don't capture the same feeling I had when I played the original and that whole judge system in Tactics Advance is horrid. It turned me off of further games because of it.

Final Fantasy Tactics is a great tactical adventure with a Final Fantasy twist. Though I'm not the biggest fan of job based systems in games, I became a huge fan of all the jobs I could get at my own pace instead of the game's. It's a challenging, mature experience and Final Fantasy fans should not miss it.

7. Dragon Quest VIII - Honesty time! The only reason I got Dragon Quest VIII was to play the Final Fantasy XII demo. What I found in DQ8 was a game that ended up being better than FF12. DQ8 was the first game I played in the series as I was too young to play Dragon Warrior on NES and they didn't start bringing the older games in the series over until the DS was out. This is a classic RPG that will last you well over 60 hours and every hour is worth it.

You play as a nameless hero, who's traveling with a king and his daughter to track down the jester who turned them into animals. The story is basic boy vs evil force at first until you actually catch up with the jester Dhoulmagus in the middle of your journey and find out that the real enemy is the staff he's holding. It really starts to pick up from there as many different people end up holding that staff, including one of your party members. It also has two different endings, depending on if you do the optional boss fights after you beat the game as well. It's a lengthy quest that has a very satisfying conclusion, especially if you take the time to get the optional ending.

Gameplay is basic turn based. When you level up, you can put attributes into 5 different categories. For the Hero, you can put it into skills for his sword, boomerang, spears, etc. I love the fact that each hero gets to use 3 different weapons. It can change the complexity of the battle in a heartbeat. Like, the Hero's Boomerang can hit all the enemies in the front row while his other two only hit one opponent at a time. And add that with all the different categories to add points to and there's a lot of depth to the tried and true battle system. One thing I love about it is the ability to be able to psych yourself to make your attacks stronger. When you're fully psyched, it looks like the Hero is about to turn Super Saiyan. It's kind of like a RPG in a DBZ-esque world. That's because famed DBZ artist Akira Toriyama did the art work for the game so the similarities are very apparent. Oh, there's also a casino and monster battle arena in the game, which they later used as a basis for the Dragon Quest Monsters games that came out for the DS. You'll spend hours doing both. The best thing you can do in DQ8 comes after completing the main quest. You open up the Dragovian trials, which is a series of increasingly hard boss battles that opens up the true ending of the game. This fights are HARD and to finish this quest, you have to fight each from of Dragon IN A ROW. There's seven dragons. Have fun! The conclusion is a happy ending though so it ends up being worth it but seriously, HAVE FUN.

Dragon Quest 8 is another basic RPG that doesn't take too many risks but ends up being one of the finer games on Sony's Playstation 2. The story satisfies, the gameplay and customization is deeper than its surface and post game content is plenty. It's a RPG with a lot of character and it may just be Square-Enix's best game on the console. I know, FFX is the front runner but I think DQ8 did the classic style just a little bit better.

6. Baten Kaitos - Many will cite Tales of Symphonia as Gamecube's top RPG but I would give the nod to Baten Kaitos. BK is a strange card turn based RPG that will last you over 60+ hours and is filled with a great story, twists and turns and some of the most frustrating boss battles I've ever had the displeasure of experiencing. In BK, while taking control of Kalas and his band of misfits, you really play the role of a Guardian Spirit who is with Kalas as he goes through the events of the game. Kalas meets up with Xelha while exploring and they accidentally release something called an End Magnus, a card that holds the power of a Dark God named Malpercio. Of course, the empire that governs the land are after them as well to awaken said Dark God and Kalas and his band go on a quest to prevent that. There's a great twist that I didn't see coming at all and made the story for me. It's an interesting if not cliche story of random boy VS entire nation.

Combat in BK is handled entirely by cards. You start of with a deck of cards for each party member with a certain amount that increases as you get further in your journey. The number of cards drawn per turn also goes up as well. When your turn comes, you pick which cards you want to use, be it an attack card, food card or armor card when you're being attacked. After you use all the cards in the deck, you must shuffle to act again, which is basically using a turn but it's a forced tactic that both player AND enemy experience. You have special move cards as well that can only be used once you used a certain amount of attack cards. There are numbers on each card in the corners and if you're lucky or planned it out accordingly, you can either do them in sequential order or in reverse order for a damage bonus so keep your eye out. Battles are strategic, exciting and always different as you have no idea what cards you'll have first and in what order. It makes for tough battles and if you're like me, it could definitely be a struggle the 2nd half of the game.

BK's worlds are beautiful to look at, even 10 years later. You move around from each destination on a big map so there's no Tales like moving from town to town on a big map with enemies on it. The game has some of my favorite tracks on it, like Chaotic Dance, which plays on the fights with the Empire Trio. I've covered this before but the boss battles are truly frightening in this game. And add the fact that you can't always determine what cards you get, it's kind of upsetting. It's definitely not impossible as I have beaten it ONCE but it's certainly a big challenge to anyone who plays it. Also, have different save files. Just trust me.

Baten Kaitos is an interesting RPG, one that's filled with horrible voice acting, hard boss battles and a randomized battle system. Even so, it's still a great game that holds even today. Well, the battles do, not the voice acting. I'd love to see a true sequel and not the mess that was Baten Kaitos Origins but it's such a niche title that I don't think it ever will happen.

5. Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne - My first trip into the twisted world of Shin Megami Tensei turned out to be one of the best RPG experiences I ever had. You play as the silent protagonist or as he's called The Demi-Fiend as he goes through the world looking for his teacher, as she may be someone who can help explain the state that the world is currently in. From there, you eventually will choose your own path which lead to the game's 6 endings. Yes, 6! The game is dark and has a post apocalyptic setting, something that isn't really seen in the JRPG genre. There are usually bright colors used, a lovable cast of do-gooders with hope despite their situation etc. In Nocturne, the world ends in the first 30 minutes of you turning the system on. It's very bleak and sort of depressing to see the state of the world you're in. I love the story and all the winding pathways the story can go.

Gameplay is a nice twist on the generic turn based battle system. In battle, you control The Demi Fiend and you can have up to three other companions in the game, which are demons that you can fuse or ones that have joined your party through negotiations or Dante who you can recruit like 40 hours into the game through optional means. For every person on your party, you're presented with a Press Icon. Press Icons basically represent one turn for each of your party members. If you manage to hit an enemy's weak point, the Press Icon won't go away and you can act again and you can end up going 8 times in a single turn, only if you're good like that though. You're not the only one with this ability as all the enemies work the exact same way and many of the bosses have a skill that lets them act FOUR TIMES. It gets ridiculous to be honest. There's also a negative to the system as well. If you miss an attack, it costs you two turns. If you hit but that attack is nulled or absorbed, YOU LOSE EVERYTHING. Good thing though, it applies to enemies as well. Some random enemy hits Agidyne on your member who is immune to Fire, well, free turn! It's a really awesome take on the turn based battle system that I've experienced a dozen times over.

You have to learn the system fast or else. Nocturne is hard. The first dungeon acts as a sort of tutorial but once that's done and you're open to the world, have fun. It's like they expect you to know how to fly very quickly. The game throws many unexpected back to back battles at you, along with not only tough bosses, but tough regular random encounter enemies as well. Nocturne has PLENTY of side activities to do, the biggest being the Labyrinth of Amala, which if you somehow manage to get to the bottom, are rewarded with the opportunity to face Lucifer after defeating the final boss. Let me say that again, AFTER you beat the last boss. There's no beating the final boss, save your completed data and go fight Lucifer. NO. You have to basically do 3 boss battles in a row to get the True Demon ending. If you go these route, good luck. You have to face about a dozens Fiends to even get there and some of them can STALK you. When entering an area that a Fiend is in, the game basically warns you a powerful enemy is nearby. You can choose to ignore it or accept, accepting it goes straight to the introduction of who it is and the fight. You can ignore it and get away but there are times when you come out of a terminal, you get the feeling and then are dragged down to fight it regardless. It's a scary feeling knowing that a hard fight like that is always following you. Doing the Labyrinth also gets you closer to getting Dante, who is on the 3rd floor of the massive dungeon. Getting him is a nice addition and he never left my party once I got him.

Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne may be the crowning achievement of my gaming life. Dark Souls was hard as balls and I felt despair more time than I can count, but it didn't compare to the feeling of getting trashed by Matador 134 times or the feeling of being super powerful, only to have to do three battles straight, get wiped out and have to do the last two hours of my life again. When I finally beat Lucifer, I told my mom. I know she didn't care but I HAD to tell somebody of what I just did. I just beat the most fulfilling RPG of my life and although Nocturne ISN'T #1, it holds a special place as the hardest RPG and the one I was most proud of myself for completing. Any fan of dark fantasy games should give this a try. It's $10 on PSN and worth every single penny. An addiction to a franchise started with Nocturne and in 10 years, it hasn't gotten better yet.

4. Tales of Vesperia - Vesperia had me addicted to its world after graduation in 2009. I got it as a sort of graduation gift as I had a 360 for only 7 months and hadn't played it yet. It was the perfect gift. Vesperia is my favorite Tales games of all time. It's the game that makes me keep coming back for more from the series. I played Symphonia, Phantasia and Legendia but none of those really hooked me on the series. Vesperia did.

Story is never Tales strong point and they all having reoccurring themes in each. In most of the ones I've played, you always get arrested, you always go through a sewer and there's ALWAYS a traitor out there. ALWAYS. Zelos, Kratos, Raven, Ines, the list goes on and on. You play as Yuri who isn't the atypical RPG protagonist. There's another character in this game named Flynn who more or so fits that mold as main character but playing with Yuri is nothing bad about this game. I just thought it was interesting that Yuri would get main billing over Flynn. Anyway, Yuri is joined by damsel in distress Estelle, mage Rita, and various other characters in your 50+ hour journey. Like I said, the story isn't anything to write home to mom about but what keeps you coming back for more is the action packed battle system that Tales is so known for.

It's simple really You have your basic attack button and your special attack button, called arte. You combine the two to do damage. It's really deep though because as you progress, you'll get different artes and get skills that will allow you to hit more times, do flips when you're knocked down etc. It's like a fighting game with RPG elements. And the battles NEVER get old. Another thing Vesperia does that other Tales games didn't were Secret Missions. Secret Missions occur during boss battles and they involve doing some work to get an advantage or a special cutscene. The most memorable one for me was during the Secret Mission that needs to be done while fighting Flynn. You have to take each of Flynn's Artes, including his ultimate Mystic Arte. It's just little things like that that I appreciate in the long run.

After Vesperia is over, the fun doesn't stop there. Like with most Tales games, there is an optional dungeon that opens up that allows you to face Kratos from Tales of Symphonia. There's an arena that allows you to do various types of matchups, like a solo 200 Man Battle, which pits whichever character you like against 200 different opponents that includes former bosses and cameo characters. It's a fun little distraction once you see the credits. And of course, there's a casino that I lost at least 10 hours of my life to.

Tales of Vesperia does the action based battle system best with no Tales games coming close to touching its near perfection of it. Along with its battle system, there's a deep world, cliche characters and plenty of post game content. This is THE RPG to play on 360 and my favorite on the console by far.

3. Final Fantasy IV - I've never fully played Final Fantasy VI. I enjoyed FF7 but certainly not to the degree as many others. FFX was great but it didn't stay with me. Of all the Final Fantasy games, the fourth entry was the one that stuck out most for me. If you couldn't tell by now, I'm a simple guy when it comes to RPGs. I don't like things done too crazy when it comes to RPGs and Final Fantasy IV represents the last game in the series to do everything basic until games started implementing things such as jobs, materia, drawing, limits and being linear for 30 hours only to open up sidequests. FFIV is basic and that's not a bad thing.

I didn't play it when it was first released. The version that is on this list is the DS 3D remake, which I bought. FFIV doesn't have a job system like 3 before it or like 5 after it but every character you get on your party is basically a class. Cecil is a Dark Knight then Paladin, Rosa a White Mage, Rydia a Summoner, Yang a monk etc. It tells you the roles they play as opposed to having you make what role they are. I'm more of a fan of that, not saying that job systems don't work because I like how it's used in Bravely Default. I just like being told who has what strengths and not determining myself. I'm very lazy like that. Anyway, that's one of the game's strongest suits for me.

It's very basic when it comes to storytelling as well as were many JRPGs were and still are today. Cecil's transformation from a Dark Knight into a Paladin is key early on and then he goes on a quest to save the realm. Like I said, nothing groundbreaking here but it gets the job done. Soundtrack is my favorite of the FF series. The Red Wings theme just pumps you up from the gate and it made me excited for the adventure to come. The Boss Battle theme is the most iconic one for me though and it really tells the struggle that you go through while facing a boss. I have a couple tracks from the game that I listen to regularly so that should say something. There's not much to talk about gameplay wise as its Final Fantasy's Active Time Battle system used at its finest. It's simple turn based combat but the battles never got boring for me.

Final Fantasy IV is just the RPG genre done right. It doesn't take risk but it doesn't have to. Sometimes, simple is best and this game proves just that.

2. Breath of Fire III - Breath of Fire III embodies everything that made me fall in love with this genre in the first place. This isn't the first RPG I've ever played as I think that right belongs to Shining Force or Phantasy Star but BOF3 was definitely the most memorable. You play as Ryu. who has no memory of who he is and is found naked in the woods by local misfits Teepo and Rei. They get into some misadventures until they mess with the wrong person and some evil horses, yes HORSES, burn down their house and kidnap Ryu. You then meet Nina and the story goes from there. One of the key things I love about this game is the development of the characters. When you start off, you play as a young Ryu. Scared of the world, when in combat, Ryu slashes his sword with a frightened cry. After Ryu meets Nina and realizes he's got a girl to impress, he starts swinging the proper way. It's a very little detail but I liked it. It showed that Ryu was slowly becoming more confident in himself. Later in the game, there's a point where time skips ahead a bit and many of the characters change appearances to accommodate the change. Ryu and Nina are now mature teenagers with different attire along with other characters. It's another attention to detail kind of thing that I liked.

The meat of the game is enjoyable but there are some boring parts people are sure to hate. There's a point in the game where you have to train this scrawny nerd to defeat this massive mountain of a man. You train him by having your party beat him up and gain confidence in himself. And to increase his attributes obviously. It's a very repetitive process. Late in game, you have to find this rare fish to advance the story and it's a hindrance to find said fish. It's doesn't knock the game off of its rails but these are parts I certainly dread when replaying the game.

Gameplay is very basic. It doesn't take too many chances but that's ok. One thing I like is that you can learn attacks from the enemies by being hit by them. It doesn't always work but you can have a nice arsenal of moves if you're lucky. Also, I like the dragon transformations by Ryu. Basically, throughout the game, there are all these Dragon Genes that you can collect and when you transform, certain genes turn you into certain forms of dragons. It's a nice mix and match system and all the combos are nice.

Breath of Fire III is by the books. The story isn't that awe inspiring or graphics top notch but what's there is amazing. The smooth jazz soundtrack, enjoyable battle system and great characters make for an awesome trip. It's JPRG at its finest and simplest form. And it holds a lot of nostalgia for me personally. I have found memories of playing this game growing up, one memory sees me playing this before school and almost missing the bus because of it! Good times. BOF3 is great and deserves your attention, only if you like things done by the book.

1. Persona 4 Golden - BOF3 has been my favorite RPG since it released, simply because of its nostalgic factor. I couldn't keep it at the #1 spot for much longer, especially after trekking through the world of Persona 4 again, this time in the revamped port of P4G. I didn't think they could make this game better but they did! The story is still the same for the most part. You still have to solve the murder that's plaguing your country town with your newly acquired friends. They have added plenty more dialogue choices throughout so even if you've played the original, you'll question whether they added it in or was it always there. I know I did. The gameplay is unchanged as well, which is great because this may be the finest JRPG battle system. It's so simple but so deep. You never feel too overwhelmed by it. It can be rewarding or punishing. It really never gets old and that's especially good because you'll spend most of the game killing monsters. The other half of the game you'll be socializing with friends, trying to max out your social links, which in turn help you to create better and stronger Personas. They added a new Social Link in Marie, which leads to a new dungeon exclusive to Persona 4 Golden. That makes it worth the price of admission alone. Not only that but they've added a new epilogue, that (SPOILERS IF YOU EVER PLAN TO PLAY PERSONA 4, ORIGINAL OR GOLDEN) takes places a couple months after the events of the game show that even though they're apart, Yu and his friends are closer than ever. It was heartwarming to see these characters get a proper send off because you end up caring about each one of them. Personally, it was just awesome seeing them actually change their character models. How did they change so much in 3 months but not a year? Not important, but as a fan of the original game, it was an even better way to wrap up the already amazing game.

The story is best described as a murder mystery whodunit. You'll try to solve the murders that have been plaguing the town of Inaba. The introduction to the game is A LONG ONE. You won't be fully on your own for about 2 hours if you don't skip through the dialogue. It reminds me of Kingdom Hearts 2's opening. Long and tedious but once it opens up, it's awesome. It's worth it though. The characters make the story worth going through as each person you save (in the beginning at least) becomes a party member with their own problems. Chie is frustrated with being seen as one of the guys more than the girl she is, Yukiko is tired of boring life in Inaba and wants someone to take her away, Kanji is dealing with his sexuality, Naoto has identity issues, all of these traits are NOT found in many RPG characters, which makes Persona 4 head and shoulders over other games in the genre when it comes to character development because all of the characters are forced to face their imperfections, accept them and get better. Kanji comes to the realization, whether gay or straight, he fears being rejected for who he is. Naoto conflicted with the fact that she's a girl in a boy's world, accepts her femininity. It's great moments like that that make these game connect with me in ways other RPGs didn't.

Music in the game is fantastic. There are only a couple of RPGs where the themes I hum continuously (Baten Kaitos, Xenoblade, etc) but this is my favorite soundtrack. They have music for EVERY situation and I dare you to listen to one of them and not get it stuck in your head. Your Affection, Heartbreak, and Purse My True Self are ALL catchy. It's broken English lyrics at its finest but the melodies you can't beat. Persona 4 uses the same battle system as its predecessor Persona 3. If you exploit the weakness of an enemy you're fighting, that character will get another turn but of course, the enemy has that same advantage. And they seem to know who is weak to what, just like the party does. If you manage to get the enemy down, you'll have a chance you an All-Out attack, which is like an super powerful Almighty move that will take own a chunk of their health bar. Usually. Your party members, depending on your Social Link level with them, will sometimes help out WITHOUT using a turn, whether that be curing a status aliment or taking a hit that would otherwise kill a character. It's very helpful to max out your party members social links to maximize their performance. They'll get evolved Personas and stronger movesets.

Persona 4 Golden is as close as perfect as an RPG can get. The characters are relatable, the story is intense and intriguing, the music OH GOD THE MUSIC, is amazing, the length is fantastic and the battle system is top notch. It's addicting and even after 5 years, it still stands tall over the next generation RPGs. I knew mostly everything that was going to happen but I was still looking forward to the next chapter of the game. Not many games can do that to me twice. Persona 4 is a special game that took its predecessor finer points and actually overshadowed it. Persona 3 was a phenomenal game in its own right but everything Persona 3 did, 4 did that much better and not many sequels can do that. Truly an amazing experience. I cannot recommend this game enough. It's easily the best RPG of all time for me and I don't know, but it's slowly creeping up as my #1 game of all time. Watch out Symphony of the Night.

I think I already said it but I seriously can't wait until Persona 5.

Well, there it is! Role playing games! There are a couple games I didn't focus too much on but I wanted to give credit to, like Kingdom Hearts. I still remember the feeling of playing the original when it first came out and how many people I told about the game. It was a fun experience I loved the strange crossover. It worked so freaking well and was truly a awesome game. The sequel took it to the next level in terms of gameplay. It featured a much faster paced battle system, more Disney worlds and a load of extra content, especially the Final Mix version, which didn't come out until 9 years later. The fact you can face all 13 members of Organization XIII is fantastic. Now, with all that being said, it's been a hard wait for Kingdom Hearts 3. 2 came out when I was a freshman in high school I'm a married deacon now. I think it's time they release this. It's OK because since this has came out, Disney has become even a bigger juggernaut, now owning Pixar, Marvel AND Lucasfilm. I'm not going to get my hopes up too high but with all those companies now under the Disney umbrella, could we see some truly amazing mashups? I'm not asking for individual Marvel worlds but could we get a big one featuring the Avengers? Even have Sora, Donald and Goofy dress up as Super Heroes. I want a Toy Story world. I want Wreck-It Ralph! I don't think I'm asking for too much but if they don't have the video game movie IN a video game, I'm going to snap. Here's a brief list:

Marvel World
Star Wars World
Toy Story World
Wreck-It Ralph World
Frozen World is a given. Come on.
Incredibles World
Inclusion of Big Hero 6, whether is be a summon or world
Jungle Book World
Pocahontas World

Just some of the things they should include. I'm not saying make the game Pixar heavy but, hey, Disney owns the rights. Out of all those, Frozen is the most likely as it is the most successful Disney movie ever. It will probably serve the same purpose that 100 Acre Woods or Atlantica did in 2. I'm fine with that. It deserves the inclusion after all that.

Shadow Hearts was another series that I didn't really include on any list. I loved Covenant and think it's a great game with a mature story and lovely battle system. I'd loved to see a next gen reboot but it's another one of those niche series.

Anyway, that's about it for this LONG RPG post. Sorry for the delay but I'm glad I was able to finally finish it.