What's your favorite turn-based NON-Lunar RPG?

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What's your favorite turn-based NON-Lunar RPG?

Post by AlexHiro4 »

Hey guys! Work is really slow today, so I decided to do an RPG post. Ever since I first completed it, I've said that Lunar Silver Star Story Complete was my favorite RPG of all time. However, since this is a Lunar website and there's a good chance that a lot of you guys will have a Lunar game at your top spot, I thought..."why not ask about non-Lunar RPGs?"

The only other stipulation is that the RPG you choose has a turned-based battle system. Modern RPGs tend to have something real-time, but I'm more of a traditionalist with RPGs, so turn-based it is!

So yeah, what is your favorite non-Lunar turn-based RPG, and what was your first experience like playing through it?

My personal favorite non-Lunar turn-based RPG of all time is absolutely Final Fantasy 6. In fact, I'd say it's probably my second favorite RPG of all time behind Lunar SSSC. I first played the SNES version dubbed "Final Fantasy 3" in America. I still have no clue why they thought it was a good idea to renumber Final Fantasy games prior to Final Fantasy 7 (except FF1 on NES).

Anyway, prior to Final Fantasy 3/6, I had never played an RPG. My best friend Justin had loved RPGs for years, so when I'd go to his house I would occasionally watch him play them. I remember seeing him play Final Fantasy Mystic Quest, and I thought it seemed stupid as heck. Then, he borrowed FF3/6 for SNES from a guy in our neighborhood. I remember being captivated by the animation style, the compelling characters, and the deep story. I also loved how there were 14 permanently playable characters in the game (assuming you saved Shadow at the end of the floating island of course). I honestly still felt a little iffy about turn-based battle. It was so different from any type of battle I'd ever done in a video game that it just seemed weird to me. In any case, I was intrigued.

After Justin finished the game and returned it to Michael, the guy in our neighborhood he'd borrowed it from, I went to Michael myself and asked if I could borrow it too. He kindly agreed as long as I'd let him borrow Metroid 2 for Gameboy, which he ultimately lost. Lol.

When I first started playing FF3/6, I got sucked in. I hadn't watched Justin play the whole game, so there were still several parts that were unfamiliar to me. Since this was my fisr RPG ever, Justin highly recommended that I borrow Michael's copy of the official strategy guide. While I typically avoided strategy guides for first-time play-throughs of games, I agreed that it would be a wise idea to do that in this instance. The reason I mention this is because that guide played a pivotal role in how I approached the game and managed my time that Summer.

My Mom and Dad were both very concerned about the time I was spending playing video games, so they enforced a "one hour per day" rule on me that Summer. In order to make the most of my time, I stayed up extremely late each night reading through the strategy guide and planning out what I was going to accomplish in my one hour the next day. Obviously, I was obsessed. Lol.

To make a long story slightly shorter, I finished the game by the end of the Summer, loved it, and got my own copy for my birthday the following Summer. Since then, I've played through it TONS of times, and I own it on 5 platforms: SNES, PS1, GBA, SNES Classic Edition, and Android. I haven't had the time to play all the way through it on the SNES Classic and my Android phone because of, well, adulting. Lol. I will eventually someday though because I love the game, and I love taking the opportunity to pay homage to one of the all time great RPGs.

Anyway, that's the story of my favorite non-Lunar turn-based RPG. I hope it was at least a moderately enjoyable read. I look forward to hearing from you guys!
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Re: What's your favorite turn-based NON-Lunar RPG?

Post by ShugoHanasaki »

I don't have a single favorite, however

Chrono Trigger/Cross
Legend of Legaia come to mind ^^
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Re: What's your favorite turn-based NON-Lunar RPG?

Post by Shinto-Cetra »

Actually, even TSS (the best Lunar game IMO) is second to FF6 for me. Are we talking only traditional turn based RPGs or including turn based Strategy games too? If so Shining Force III for the latter.

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Re: What's your favorite turn-based NON-Lunar RPG?

Post by Alunissage »

ShugoHanasaki wrote:I don't have a single favorite, however

Chrono Trigger/Cross
Legend of Legaia come to mind ^^
:shock: Those were the two I started to mention before I decided I was too tired to be coherent and cancelled the post. I mean, CT is pretty much a given, but I wasn't expecting anyone else to mention Legaia. I bought that because the store didn't have SSSC, and really enjoyed it. Come to think of it, that was my first non-WD RPG. Started a replay a year or so ago, but have lost track of which machine I was playing it on. It still has one of my favorite soundtracks, which I listened to very frequently for years because it was always in my car CD player.

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Re: What's your favorite turn-based NON-Lunar RPG?

Post by ShugoHanasaki »

Alunissage wrote:
ShugoHanasaki wrote:I don't have a single favorite, however

Chrono Trigger/Cross
Legend of Legaia come to mind ^^
:shock: Those were the two I started to mention before I decided I was too tired to be coherent and cancelled the post. I mean, CT is pretty much a given, but I wasn't expecting anyone else to mention Legaia. I bought that because the store didn't have SSSC, and really enjoyed it. Come to think of it, that was my first non-WD RPG. Started a replay a year or so ago, but have lost track of which machine I was playing it on. It still has one of my favorite soundtracks, which I listened to very frequently for years because it was always in my car CD player.
That's awesome! Yes! One of my all time favorites! I wish I owned a copy in person, but they're very expensive on Ebay/Amazon.

I like Legaia 2:Duel Saga too! I own that one.
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Re: What's your favorite turn-based NON-Lunar RPG?

Post by Maus »

Can I just say Pokémon Silver? Because that's the honest answer.
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Re: What's your favorite turn-based NON-Lunar RPG?

Post by JonOU812 »

Final Fantasy 8
Pokemon Crystal and Emerald
Shin Megami Tensai - Persona
Xenogears

At least my favorite ones. But yeah if Turn Based SPRG's are eligible then I'd add FF Tactics, OG Shining Force, Jeanne D' Ark, and almost any Fire Emblem game. Also Growlanser Wayfarer of Time, think it's underrated.
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Re: What's your favorite turn-based NON-Lunar RPG?

Post by Zero »

It's really hard for me to pick between FF VI, VII, VIII, and Xenogears.

I think I'd have to say Xenogears. VII was my first turn-based RPG, so it holds a special place in my heart. After that I was riding an RPG high and immediately played VI and later VIII when it came out. Xenogears, though... that game really touched my soul. The phenomenal soundtrack still haunts me. Despite the production quality falling off in the second half due to having their funding stripped away, Xenogears is still a masterpiece in my book.
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Re: What's your favorite turn-based NON-Lunar RPG?

Post by AkagisWhiteComet »

Final Fantasy 4 (or "2", as back when it was new that's the only one I knew) would rank up there pretty high for me and probably be my number 1. I had played a few RPGs prior but the original SNES release of FF4("2") was one of the major games that got me into playing RPGs. The few RPGs I played prior that I remember were the original FF on NES and I also played some Dungeons & Dragons DOS RPGs (they're more turn-based strategy-RPG but I believe still count).

Chrono Trigger and Super Mario RPG are the two runner ups running neck and neck, CT because of how great it is and SM RPG because it was amazing to play as Mario universe characters in an RPG setting.

I remember the later 90s being a pretty magical time for RPGs in North America, particularly on the Playstation. After we got FF7 it seemed like Sony just ran away with releasing everything they could throw at us. There were a lot of great gems that rank high up there for me.

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Re: What's your favorite turn-based NON-Lunar RPG?

Post by AlexHiro4 »

I'm loving all these responses guys. Some of these are bringing back memories of RPGs I've once played and loved, others are RPGs I always wanted to play but never had the chance to, and some are RPGs I've never heard of (which gives me more ideas for future games to play).
AkagisWhiteComet wrote:I remember the later 90s being a pretty magical time for RPGs in North America, particularly on the Playstation. After we got FF7 it seemed like Sony just ran away with releasing everything they could throw at us. There were a lot of great gems that rank high up there for me.
I totally agree with this ^^. The 90's were an insane time for RPGs. The SNES really got the ball rolling, but Playstation went NUTS with it, and I loved every bit of it. I miss the 90's. I had very few responsibilities outside of school, so I had way more time for games back then. Adulting sucks. :-P
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Re: What's your favorite turn-based NON-Lunar RPG?

Post by brit »

Turn based is my favorite type of RP! ^o^

Back in the day I remember playing A LOT of Xenogears, Chrono Cross, Wild Arms, and FFIX. Lunar too of course! I also have a soft spot for the PS2 Inu Yasha RPG game Secret of the Cursed Mask. <3

Top rank below Lunar would probably be Chrono Cross though. I just loved the music score in that not to mention the gameplay and various possible party members.

As for some more modern turn based games I would say:

Nostalgia (DS)
Rhapsody A Musical Adventure (DS) – apparently this was on the PSX too!
Final Fantasy III (DS+PSP)
Inu Yasha Secret of the Devine Jewel (DS)
Alphadia (3DS) – I just picked this up the other day and it’s enjoyable so far.
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Re: What's your favorite turn-based NON-Lunar RPG?

Post by ShugoHanasaki »

brit wrote:Turn based is my favorite type of RP! ^o^

Back in the day I remember playing A LOT of Xenogears, Chrono Cross, Wild Arms, and FFIX. Lunar too of course! I also have a soft spot for the PS2 Inu Yasha RPG game Secret of the Cursed Mask. <3

Top rank below Lunar would probably be Chrono Cross though. I just loved the music score in that not to mention the gameplay and various possible party members.

As for some more modern turn based games I would say:

Nostalgia (DS)
Rhapsody A Musical Adventure (DS) – apparently this was on the PSX too!
Final Fantasy III (DS+PSP)
Inu Yasha Secret of the Devine Jewel (DS)
Alphadia (3DS) – I just picked this up the other day and it’s enjoyable so far.
Legend of Heroes Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter, 2nd Chapter. (I have not played the 3rd Chapter. It was a steam/pc only T^T) (PSP/PS Vita)
Yes! I first played Rhapsody on Playstation. I loved the English Soundtrack as a kid lol. I still remember the songs in my head XD
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Re: What's your favorite turn-based NON-Lunar RPG?

Post by Sonic# »

I hate picking favorites.

Certainly, I can't pick a single one. That would be a whim of the moment, since there are a few games in the specified category that I frequently turn to for happy memories, for solace, for inspiration, or for rumination.

So gut check time: what comes up?

Chrono Cross is one. While Legend of Legaia was also a first for me (the first game in this category that I got myself and beat myself), Chrono Cross capped the PS1-era RPG experience for me. I had played Chrono Trigger but never owned it, so I wasn't especially attached to the previous format. So finding a game that delved deeply into a single archipelago, dealt with travel between two realities, and that changed its magic and level system so radically wasn't an issue. I fell in love! It's one of only a few games I kept notebooks for while playing. (Lunar - surprise - is another.)

Skies of Arcadia is another. It's no one thing. Like Lunar, I love that the game commits to a cheery tone and basic theme (here: exploring the world and resisting the corruptions of power), that character interactions are so nuanced and lively (Vyse + Aika + Fina are perhaps the best-developed trio in RPGs), and that ship battles put the naval focus front and center.

Earthbound. I have to mention that game. I love it because that's the game I played the most with my best friend from childhood. It's a warm-blanket game - playing it is like enjoying an old album that holds up in quality. My favorite things get weirder and weirder.

More recently, Persona 5 takes a spot with me. With the amount of time I have, to make me even consider immediately replaying a 100-hour RPG is quite a feat. The first part of the game is absolutely the best part for me, but the way the game moves from palace to palace, building in new characters and stories, and all while keeping this basic pace of going through the day and living in Tokyo - it kept my interest right to the end.

Common threads are that my favorite games tend to have well-executed stories, that they are optimistic in tone, that character interactions are key, and that any plot complexity or grit is welcome if the game is doing these other things.
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Re: What's your favorite turn-based NON-Lunar RPG?

Post by brightshield »

Suikoden II

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Re: What's your favorite turn-based NON-Lunar RPG?

Post by MaroonChan »

For me first thing that comes to mind is Final Fantasy III/VI, though I think Chrono Trigger surpasses that for me. Love that game. Plus it was like my first rpg.

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Re: What's your favorite turn-based NON-Lunar RPG?

Post by ShugoHanasaki »

Sonic# wrote:I hate picking favorites.

Certainly, I can't pick a single one. That would be a whim of the moment, since there are a few games in the specified category that I frequently turn to for happy memories, for solace, for inspiration, or for rumination.

So gut check time: what comes up?

Chrono Cross is one. While Legend of Legaia was also a first for me (the first game in this category that I got myself and beat myself), Chrono Cross capped the PS1-era RPG experience for me. I had played Chrono Trigger but never owned it, so I wasn't especially attached to the previous format. So finding a game that delved deeply into a single archipelago, dealt with travel between two realities, and that changed its magic and level system so radically wasn't an issue. I fell in love! It's one of only a few games I kept notebooks for while playing. (Lunar - surprise - is another.)

Skies of Arcadia is another. It's no one thing. Like Lunar, I love that the game commits to a cheery tone and basic theme (here: exploring the world and resisting the corruptions of power), that character interactions are so nuanced and lively (Vyse + Aika + Fina are perhaps the best-developed trio in RPGs), and that ship battles put the naval focus front and center.

Earthbound. I have to mention that game. I love it because that's the game I played the most with my best friend from childhood. It's a warm-blanket game - playing it is like enjoying an old album that holds up in quality. My favorite things get weirder and weirder.

More recently, Persona 5 takes a spot with me. With the amount of time I have, to make me even consider immediately replaying a 100-hour RPG is quite a feat. The first part of the game is absolutely the best part for me, but the way the game moves from palace to palace, building in new characters and stories, and all while keeping this basic pace of going through the day and living in Tokyo - it kept my interest right to the end.

Common threads are that my favorite games tend to have well-executed stories, that they are optimistic in tone, that character interactions are key, and that any plot complexity or grit is welcome if the game is doing these other things.
Ah Chrono Cross... One of my favorite games. It's just so good. The story that connects through both games is truly a masterpiece imo
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Re: What's your favorite turn-based NON-Lunar RPG?

Post by Dragon Master Lunar81 »

I agree with the above post. Cross over Trigger in terms of an overall gaming experience although Trigger was definitely easier to play through being the good ol' school ATB 2.0.

In terms of Nostalgia, for me, my very first memories of playing a video game were playing Dragon Warrior and Final Fantasy on the NES at my friend's house. Although I never got further than the Chaos Shrine until the GBA Port of 1 and 2 came out, I got to rescue the Princess in Dragon Warrior so I got pretty far for being like 3 or 4.

Definitely have a lot of fond memories of playing Pokemon back in 98 but before that I was given a certain cartidge from a friend because he thought the game was dumb. This game was Lufia and the Fortress of Doom.

That game storywise I enjoyed as a kid even more than Chrono Trigger (I think for me, the more challenge a game had, the more I enjoyed it, of course up to a wall as I didn't realy get into FF again until after I played VIII for the PC which got me into VII and started me on a backwards playthrough all the way down to 1.) This game also got me onto my first forum I ever frequented, Lufia.net which is why when I found LunarNET years later..I just had to join.

In summary, no game is my favourite perse after Lunar. They're all close seconds in my opinion.

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Re: What's your favorite turn-based NON-Lunar RPG?

Post by ShugoHanasaki »

LUNAR is up there and tied with my top 3-5 games. 1 & 2 are tied. I also love Seiken Densetsu 3 and Chrono Cross as I mentioned before...And Trigger...Legend of Legaia...Ugh...They're so good >_< I could list more
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Re: What's your favorite turn-based NON-Lunar RPG?

Post by Shinto-Cetra »

NT
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Re: What's your favorite turn-based NON-Lunar RPG?

Post by RandomNPC »

I have a long list but I'll cut it short. Final fantasy 4 is my favorite game. Period. The rest are in no particular order.
Suikoden 2, Final Fantasy 6, Phantasy Star 4, Radiant Historia, Lufia 2. There's many more, but you get the idea lol.

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