Dark Cloud 2 & Rouge Galaxy hold a special place in my heart I loved how simple the menus and battle system in these games Level 5 need to make games like these again 😢
The latest rpg from level 5 I remember enjoying after dark cloud and rouge galaxy is ni nu kuni 2 they started focusing on Nintendo lately and specifically on a series anime football called inazuma eleven games but as you mentioned glad we can still go back and play those gems and they are not stuck on the ps2.
Rogue galaxy was such a rare find. My nephew saw it and asked me to buy it, not really thinking much of it. He asked me to play for an hour to get used to the mechanics. He got bored of it, but i.was.hooked!!! The story, voice acting, and combat was absolutely astonishing! I couldn't put it down after the first act. Wish there was a sequel.🎉
Sony had a similar goal with Rogue Galaxy with The Legend of Dragoon. Even though they're very different games and very different developers, both games were Sony's take on the JRPG genre. I find them both fitting to be in the same list!
So glad you included Rogue Galaxy. Its probably the JRPG that had the biggest impact on me when I was younger. For those of you who might be interested, let me give you a quick rundown. The story is pretty decent. Nothing spectacular or mind-blowing. The individual characters and their development throughout the story is pretty well done. You have 8 characters total and by the end of the game you will feel very connected to each one. The combat is pretty good. You can play as each of the different characters and each one feels pretty unique. The worst part about selecting your party is that the main character HAS to be in your party. Not a huge deal, as the main character is pretty good, so you probably want him there anyways. I will say that once you start getting abilities and leveling them up, you will see that combat can be easily cheesed for most enemy encounters. Some might not be happy with that, especially, if you are looking for a challenge. But, you will be spending a ton of time in battles because of story/gathering items/upgrading weapons, that you will be thankful for this. My Favorite part is the frog system. You get a weird little frog that combines things it eats. Sounds weird, but hear me out. Basically, every weapon can be used in battle to fill out an exp bar of sorts, when you have 2 fully filled weapons, you can use the frog to combine them. Their are so many combinations and its so fun to go through the whole game attempting to fill out the "frog log" which is a list of special weapon combinations. The other interesting system is the way in which you upgrade your characters. Their is a "Revelation" menu in which you slot items you get from shops/encounters in order to give your allies abilities. Its a neat system that gives many items value throughout the game. It can be tedious at times, because some of the items you need are rare drops from certain areas, which you will need to grind for. I think Rogue galaxy is a hidden gem of its time. I will never understand why it never took off. From what I remember, it was made and funded to be a competitor with the other bigger more established JRPG series like FF and Dragon Quest. They didn't fund the advertising enough and it was pushed as hard as it needed to get going proper. I think that if it was given a proper shot back in the day it might have done really well, because i think that, for the time, it was a really good game. Overall, I'd say if you are into the late 2000s era JRPGs this is a good choice for you. The PS4 version runs pretty well and the achievements aren't as insane and daunting as they could be. (I know cause i did most of those things on the ps2 and had over 250hrs +)
I love the Persona 2 duology. Innocent Sin is about the expectations of adulthood through the lenses of people in the cusp of becoming one, a bittersweet goodbye to childhood and memories. Eternal Punishment is about adults, how hard it may be to sometimes "wing it" and pursue our own happiness. All the while punching Cthulhu (or rather, Nyarlathotep )
It's so fascinating to look at that duology and then look at modern Persona and think, "These are all from the same series." Gives me a chuckle sometimes! Not a bad thing of course!
I really wish I could get into Persona 2, because it’s got a lot to love about it. I just had such a rough time when I played it. The battles in particular just dragged for so long and doing anything took forever. I realize the PSP version is technically a remake from its original PS1 release, but I’d love to see a modern remake of it too.
Dark Cloud 2 and Rogue Galaxy just made me SO nostalgic! I don't think I ever managed to finish them as a kid, but they really deserve to be returned to and finished out in their entirety. Level 5 is a truly magical and innovative company, and I'm thrilled to see it experimenting successfully again.
When I saw this video title, Valkyrie Profile (1 and 2), Rogue Galaxy, Dark Cloud 2, Race Lagoon and Xenogears (among Xenosaga 1 to 3) came in mind. Amazing video as you cited three of those in a row
I love Suikoden 1 and 2. Two of my all-time favorite JRPGs. I'm so excited for Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes! A bunch of the old developers from Suikoden are making it ❤
Happy early birthday ! I’m around your age too, and just in the past few years have gone back to learn about all the Jrpgs I missed out on growing up. Your videos (like this one ) are such a helpful guide in doing that
Ooh I never knew that you reviewed Diofield! I rented a copy after holding off due to middling reviews. I’m on the last chapter and going through the option chapter that added where you can play as Waltaquinn! Can’t wait to see what you thought of it!
@@BacklogBattleI would wait to play the remaster. You mentioned you like how saves can be carried to future games in Growlanser (which i love 1-4) and Suikoden 1 and 2 have a similar functionality if you get all 108 in 1. Might as well replay both at same time with any upgrades that come.
I love “Legend of Dragoon”! I think it should have got a sequel and the Addition system is on of my favorite battle systems, but it needs to be more forgiving, at least on the beginner additions! The timing for the button presses is brutal sometimes! “Legend of Legaia” is another game whose battle system was amazing and then never really used again. (“Legaia 2” was eh…). I’ve never tried any of the “Atelier” games but your video convinced me to give “Mana Khemia” a chance! While “Suikoden II” is amazing, top 10 definitely, “Suikoden V” does not get enough love! “S5” is basically “Game of Thrones” as an SRPG. You have two noble families warring over a nation’s throne, plus all the regular “Suikoden” series goodness, lol.
Mana Khemia was the game that got me into the atelier franchise, I just love that game so much, such a good team, and story, and addicting battle. How is it so underrated.
Speaking of, what other JRPGs do you think are underrated? I personally am looking at Mana Khemia 2 just to see if someone sells it at a deep cut so I can snag it!
Here I was wondering if Rogue Galaxy was gonna make the list, then BAM!, right after Dark Cloud 2 (another excellent choice) there it was. You have impeccable taste in JRPG's my friend.
Love the name! Backlog is insane now that I’m 37 with a daughter and wife I find myself buying games more often on sale than at full price. The only negative is my insane backlog
@@BacklogBattle I’m at the final boss in Ni no Kuni right now, so almost finished. In KH3, I’m 12 hours in now and in the beginning didn’t know what to think of it, but by now I’m pretty much sold. 😁
Rogue Galaxy man, thanks god I play it on PS2. Got really hook on it, all the characters, the fusion sword with a toad, the bug chess tournament, everything's just amazing!!
A great JRPG i really want to replay form PS2 is "Radiata Stories". I never see anyone talk about it and it was such a great game with a very unique mechanic to recruit a massive party. You should do a video about it.
I'm so glad that someone finally mentioned Rogue Galaxy, I have the star god sign tattooed on me. It was the first game I truly fell in love with. I often replay that one myself, if not just for the soundtrack!!
I’m about your age. There are two main eras that really made an impact on me, late NES/SNES/PSX (including early GB), and then the DS/Wii/early 3DS era. Unlike many, I hardly gamed during the PS2/GC/XB era, I did some handheld gaming, Xenosaga, and that was about it. I’ve been getting heavily into gaming again recently, mainly thanks to Breath of the Wild and Witcher 3. Suikoden 1/2 were fantastic, I can’t wait. I haven’t played any Persona games, but that art looks really cool! I think that would be more my style than the recent ones. Xenogears is my favourite game of all time.
Cool idea/video. Hope you’re able to check these out. Always been tempted by Rogue Galaxy. I’ve let some comments scare me away but I think I need to give it a ton
I've found that over the years, while others' opinions are important, those alone shouldn't be the reason why I'd play or avoid a game. I think it's just as important to sate that curious energy and allow it to grow into a genuine appreciation of each game. That's why I love checking out games, even if I know they won't be to my liking. It widens my palette! It's like if you ever watch that anime Food Wars, where the hero makes terrible food on purpose so he knows what that looks like. If you surround yourself with bad things too, maybe you can discover that you can tolerate certain things!
@@BacklogBattle I actually really like that approach haha. I have trouble stopping games even if I dislike them but if I approach with that mentality I think it will make it easier to acknowledge I don’t like it, and be ok with stopping.
I feel what made Rogue Galaxy special is that it really pushes the envelope for what could be done with a 6th gen RPG. I'm playing Dark Cloud 2 now, though, and it feels more unique. I definitely recommend giving that another shot.
When there was talk of the PS3 store shutting down, I made sure to pick up some games. One of them was Persona 2 Eternal Punishment. Thanks for sharing.
Great to know that we are the same age man!! I think the golden sun is also a lost series that more people should play and also the lost odyssey on Xbox!
I haven't played any other Suikoden games, but Tierkreis on the DS left a strong impression in me. It was weirly dark and creepy at times and I remember enjoying it quite a bit. Maybe it's time to finally get the good ending.
I think you enjoy the mainline games a lot! Tierkreis was quite different from them in that it’s structured like a dungeon crawler. The mainline titles were traditional RPGs!
Alex, replay Xenogears (period). As an immediate fan, as it combined some of my favorite things such as badass martial arts, mechs, sci fi, humanity origin stories, what it means to be complete person and a complete community and species, philosophy, psychology, and love in the deepest and truest sense. But more than all that replaying I always get something new, even on the 5th or 6th play through. It is one of the most ambitious games ever made, if not the most, for better or worse. But the better monolithically outweighs the bad, unpolished, unfinished aspects.
Another great list :) I especially share your thoughts about Xenogears, I will definitely replay this game this year (after I finally restored my Bang & Olufsen MX7000 to play my retro games in an authentic quality). Revisiting Takahashis masterpiece is a must after the end of XBC3:FR and I am looking forward to regain a better big picture of his perfect works concept. I will also replay the following games (I have never finished): - Xenosaga Episode 2 (and afterwards 3, which I never played) - Koudelka - Paper Mario 2 - Final Fantasy IV - KOTOR 2 - Chrono Trigger (in preperation for finally playing Cross and Radical Dreamers) - Alundra (one of my favorite PSX-games) - Xenoblade Chronicles X (still hoping for a Switch-port)
Great list! At the moment I'm wanting to replay Legend of Dragoon, Breath of Fire 3 and 4, Shadow Hearts and Shadow Hearts Covenant and Final Fantasy 12 again. Though, I have so many games that I've not played yet I think if I get the time I should probably try to play through them. Tough
@@BacklogBattle I still have mine, but my memory cards don't seem to work so I'd need to get new ones if it's even possible anymore. My kids had me hook up my PS2 on the weekend as they wanted to see an old Power Rangers game I have on the PS2 as they like a fighting one of the PS5, they were not impressed, being that the PS5 was their first PlayStation experience 😂
idk how closely you follow emulation but there's some dude named 1rockvie that made an HD Texture pack for Xenogears not too long ago, and the RUclipss I've seen with it are incredible. If you want to replay it, try it like that. The newer PS1 emulators really bring out how well Xenogears' graphics hold up, and frankly I'm even MORE impressed with this game than I was when I first played it. The 2D sprite animations when smoothed out in 4K 60fps outperform indie games even today, and I never realized that in those zoomed out sequences where your sprite gets smaller that it's the SAME SPRITE as the regular map and it just smooths it out to match.
OMG some of these games need to be ported, remade or remastered SERIOUSLY... Definitely NEED a Rogue Galaxy 2 and could you imagine a Project X-Zone on current gen? THAT would be insane! I personally want a 2D/HD remake of Xenogears! Make it happen Square!
Because of the suggestion I checked out the demo to Fuga. It is a long demo by the way. Interesting mechanic with the soul cannon able to wipe out any encounter including boss encounters. Obviously you want to avoid that considering its cost XD. The story is pretty good, characters are relatable and the intermission sections of the gameplay are probably my favorite. Definitely a good purchase for anyone interested, but you could wait for a sale.
I remember renting Dark Cloud 2 when I was a kid. It was so much fun but I never got it afterwards, thus never finishing it. Still it was a fun memorable weekend I'd love to return too.
I'm really excited to replay from the start quite a few games I never finished back when I first got them, including the original Dark Cloud and Dark Cloud 2! I've also been working on Persona 3 FES and Dot Hack. I guess I'm in a PS2 mood xD
God i got so lucky finding out about Rogue Galaxy as a child. But not gunna lie i forgot all about it until it randomly popped in my head 5yrs ago and ever since then ive never forgot about it. Its one of those comfort games i go back to and play every year or 2 just because its so damn good
I was fortunate enough to experience Suikoden before the second game even released stateside. I eagerly awaited it and picked up a copy close to launch. Suikoden II blew me away with its beautiful sprite work, music, story, and fast combat. It was a HUGE leap from the "RPG Maker" vibes of the first game: truly a pinnacle of 2D JRPGs.
Bought Dark Cloud 2 and Rogue Galaxy on ps4 digitally quite cheap. They are still waiting for me to pick them up. So many games to play. Also I'm almost 44 also so I can relate.
Did you ever play Project X-Zone 1? I have a copy if you ever want to borrow it. Funny fact, Suikoden was the first RPG I ever played. As more and more info and screenshots got released for FFVII, I wanted to experience an RPG in preparation for it and Suikoden was my pick. It's long been one of my favorite RPG's that I've played. The music was so good and the mini war battles were fun. You're in for a treat no matter whether you find a PSOne copy or wait for the HD remaster. It's a good one.
This video brought back memories!Specifically Dark Cloud i played it as a kid and couldnt beat it(prob cause i was too young to understand it) it was such a fun game to me. Think its a good time to get back at it 😀
45 here and I totally understand your feelings bro. I love gaming and it's really been a huge part of my life. My channel isn't is as big as yours but I hope to get there some day. Great content man!! new sub
I wouldn't say Xenogears Disc 2 story was bad he got the rest of the story he wanted to tell across at the sacrifice of the presentation of it plus gameplay. Currently replaying Dragon Age Origins myself and it still a great game. I am not rushing it this time and doing multiple playthroughs in playing as the other classes (playthrough as a rouge currently then doing a mage) and it really shines in what you can do with the game. I got a rouge dwarf with a 165% bonus to backstabs and man it breaks the game even when I am on Nightmare plus with a difficulty mod. The builds you can do in it is great.
I tried going back to DAO recently (on PC this time) and had a tough time enjoying myself. I think it's because I was so used to playing the console versions, in a very different way. It's still one of my favorites of the series.
Technically there is 7 persona games - SMT:If was the first title that featured idea of human bound demon, plus If's female protag us a student in Persona 1 and detective with Kuzunoha's Agency in Persona 2 duology.
For Suikoden 2, I'd wait for the remake honestly. It's one of those games that, while not required, is made more enjoyable by importing your save data from the first game (though originally it had to be made at a very specific save point in the final dungeon, I don't know if they're going to have NG+ or cleared game data). Above giving a stats boost to returning characters, it unlocks a sidequest that enables you to recruit the protagonist of the first game and having all 108 stars of destiny also allows you to get a bonus recipe for the cooking minigame. Both are optional, but really cool bonus! I have a question about Dark Cloud 2, do I need to play the first one for max enjoyment? That's one of the main reason why I haven't played it yet.
With FF7 and Kingdom Hearts getting recent remasters and PC ports I've constantly been saying my top 3 wishes to get remastered / ported are Dark Cloud/ Dark Chronicle, Jade Cocoon 1/2 and Rogue Galaxy... This video made me so fking nostalgic
Glad you adressed Suikoden 2. I was a bit shocked it was not in your 10/10 but i understand. I was a square fanboy too haha (OG FF7 made me fall in love with genre) until i watched my friend face Luca Blight with 3 different parties. 3D was also the way, back in the day, but i was immediately drown into the camera angles, the movement, the castle management, the different battle systems and the sprites of Suikoden 2. I have yet to play a better rpg tbh.
I think the Squaresoft fanboy thing is something that not many will want to admit, but it's seminal to our upbringing! I've come to terms with the games I've missed and only see opportunities to experience them for the first time!
Goood i want to replay Rogue Galaxy too, i remembered the gameplay is so great, i enjoyed grinding it. And the soundtrack of the Twin Brother Tower was so great (titled Two Horns if you wanna look it up) and the feel exploring it is so memorable too.
OMG, Mana Khemia! I literally only played this bc my friend sad it was a super sweet game for the PSP. I actually enjoyed it, though it did wear on a bit long, despite my general aversion to "anime" style games.
Rogue galaxy is my favorite game from the old times 😭 I had a blast playing it as a kid as nothing out there plays the same as it does and thankfully I bought it on ps4 and played it again and I can never get enough of it 😍 totally an amazing game to me
I've played and beat Legend of Dragoon 12 times over my lifetime (yes, i've counted) and i never got sick of it. In fact, i will replay it at some point again. The only game i've beaten more often than LoD was FFVIII (yes, VIII and not VII, which i've only beat once). Outside of LoD, Shadow Hearts 1 and 2 also are those games that i would replay it any day of the week. FFVIII (obviously), Rogue Galaxy, Legaia 2 (i have a softspot for it), Jade Cocoon, Blue Reflection (despite it being more on the Shoujo J-RPG side, that game has something), Growlanser Heritage of War, Trails of Cold Steel, Star Ocean 3 among a few others.....................uncensored if possible, of course.
Mana Khemia stole my heart years ago and i have long craved a worthy sequel/successor. are the atelier games comparable? been eyeing their occasional eshop sales
It depends on the Atelier! If you want to try a game in the series, I highly recommend Atelier Sophie 2! Its got a standalone story and a easy to understand crafting system which makes it a good jumping point into the series!
Suikoden 2 is the only JRPG game that i played like 10X and would like to play it again when the remaster comes out XD The game is so good that i wished i lived in that world XD
I'm actually playing through legend of dragoon and I gotta say, not only are the models pretty good for ps1, the actual movement of the models is so darn good, like, a lot of detail went into each move and cutscenes where it uses the normal game models, other than that gameplay has been fun so far
Xenogears it's one of the most interesting experiences I had with an RPG ever, I made my channel just to talk about it, and even though I couldn't reach the standard I wanted with the video, I'm glad it pushed me to it, and someday I want to make a video good enough for that game
Xenogears is and has been my number 1 favorite game unquestionably since it's release. Even with it just being a fragment of the game series it's better than every game to date.
@@rolandssavdons7993 Sure, but that's what sequels are for, to refine the problems, add new features, and deepen combat. Compare Shining Force 1 to 2 and they're lightyears apart in quality. Legend of Dragoon was an original IP, so they had the rights, art, and character designs. There were just so many ways to take the game that it's amazing that all it got was a failed DLC for Dart in PlayStation All Stars.
@@rolandssavdons7993 Maybe a new Operation Rainfall? If there's one thing I learned living in Japan, it's difficult to say no when you're asked politely.
That's a cool list of games. I haven't been able to commit to any game lately, so I tried going back to the oldies but even there I can't seem to stick with it. I have a huge backlog I never got around to. I tried Lost Odyssey, Xenogears and Last Story but unless I have huge nostalgia I seem to lose interest after a while though I know these are all classics in their own way. Still gonna try Xenoblade Chronicles X and see how that fares. Also pulled out Breath Of Fire 3, a game i DO have huge nostalgia for so that just be my best bet! Thx for the video
man, I really missed rogue galaxy. spend dozens of hours completing every nook and cranny of every map, beat the ghost ship. collecting costumes for every character, crafting weapons in lab. the short story with dingo and gale is so heart breaking at the time. i even secretly imagine the cast of playable character as my friends. now i can't get my self to play it. im afraid i will not enjoy it as I used to. the breathtaking massive world i saw as a kid, is just a long hallway thats a pain to traverse now.
I tried going back to Xenogears during COVID. It was fun till I got to the forest and I forgot how bad old school platforming was on the PS1. I'll have to finish it some day but platformers from that time were really wonky.
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Dark Cloud 2 & Rouge Galaxy hold a special place in my heart I loved how simple the menus and battle system in these games Level 5 need to make games like these again 😢
Here's hoping their newly announced titles are just as magical! I'm hopeful!
I hated the factory on rogue galaxy
The latest rpg from level 5 I remember enjoying after dark cloud and rouge galaxy is ni nu kuni 2 they started focusing on Nintendo lately and specifically on a series anime football called inazuma eleven games but as you mentioned glad we can still go back and play those gems and they are not stuck on the ps2.
Rogue Galaxy is no joke. I started playing it last year and it was kicking my butt pretty early on 😩
@@viceanterra3 someone in the comments said it was too easy! I don’t know what to believe in anymore 😅
Rogue galaxy was such a rare find.
My nephew saw it and asked me to buy it, not really thinking much of it.
He asked me to play for an hour to get used to the mechanics.
He got bored of it, but i.was.hooked!!! The story, voice acting, and combat was absolutely astonishing! I couldn't put it down after the first act. Wish there was a sequel.🎉
Sony had a similar goal with Rogue Galaxy with The Legend of Dragoon. Even though they're very different games and very different developers, both games were Sony's take on the JRPG genre. I find them both fitting to be in the same list!
So glad you included Rogue Galaxy. Its probably the JRPG that had the biggest impact on me when I was younger. For those of you who might be interested, let me give you a quick rundown.
The story is pretty decent. Nothing spectacular or mind-blowing. The individual characters and their development throughout the story is pretty well done. You have 8 characters total and by the end of the game you will feel very connected to each one.
The combat is pretty good. You can play as each of the different characters and each one feels pretty unique. The worst part about selecting your party is that the main character HAS to be in your party. Not a huge deal, as the main character is pretty good, so you probably want him there anyways. I will say that once you start getting abilities and leveling them up, you will see that combat can be easily cheesed for most enemy encounters. Some might not be happy with that, especially, if you are looking for a challenge. But, you will be spending a ton of time in battles because of story/gathering items/upgrading weapons, that you will be thankful for this.
My Favorite part is the frog system. You get a weird little frog that combines things it eats. Sounds weird, but hear me out. Basically, every weapon can be used in battle to fill out an exp bar of sorts, when you have 2 fully filled weapons, you can use the frog to combine them. Their are so many combinations and its so fun to go through the whole game attempting to fill out the "frog log" which is a list of special weapon combinations.
The other interesting system is the way in which you upgrade your characters. Their is a "Revelation" menu in which you slot items you get from shops/encounters in order to give your allies abilities. Its a neat system that gives many items value throughout the game. It can be tedious at times, because some of the items you need are rare drops from certain areas, which you will need to grind for.
I think Rogue galaxy is a hidden gem of its time. I will never understand why it never took off. From what I remember, it was made and funded to be a competitor with the other bigger more established JRPG series like FF and Dragon Quest. They didn't fund the advertising enough and it was pushed as hard as it needed to get going proper. I think that if it was given a proper shot back in the day it might have done really well, because i think that, for the time, it was a really good game.
Overall, I'd say if you are into the late 2000s era JRPGs this is a good choice for you. The PS4 version runs pretty well and the achievements aren't as insane and daunting as they could be. (I know cause i did most of those things on the ps2 and had over 250hrs +)
I love the Persona 2 duology. Innocent Sin is about the expectations of adulthood through the lenses of people in the cusp of becoming one, a bittersweet goodbye to childhood and memories. Eternal Punishment is about adults, how hard it may be to sometimes "wing it" and pursue our own happiness. All the while punching Cthulhu (or rather, Nyarlathotep )
It's so fascinating to look at that duology and then look at modern Persona and think, "These are all from the same series." Gives me a chuckle sometimes! Not a bad thing of course!
I really wish I could get into Persona 2, because it’s got a lot to love about it. I just had such a rough time when I played it. The battles in particular just dragged for so long and doing anything took forever. I realize the PSP version is technically a remake from its original PS1 release, but I’d love to see a modern remake of it too.
Dark Cloud 2 and Rogue Galaxy just made me SO nostalgic! I don't think I ever managed to finish them as a kid, but they really deserve to be returned to and finished out in their entirety. Level 5 is a truly magical and innovative company, and I'm thrilled to see it experimenting successfully again.
When I saw this video title, Valkyrie Profile (1 and 2), Rogue Galaxy, Dark Cloud 2, Race Lagoon and Xenogears (among Xenosaga 1 to 3) came in mind. Amazing video as you cited three of those in a row
I love Suikoden 1 and 2. Two of my all-time favorite JRPGs. I'm so excited for Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes! A bunch of the old developers from Suikoden are making it ❤
I can’t wait for Eiyuden Chronicle either!
Happy early birthday ! I’m around your age too, and just in the past few years have gone back to learn about all the Jrpgs I missed out on growing up. Your videos (like this one ) are such a helpful guide in doing that
Thank you so much! I’m planning on venturing further back into the past to finally bring the backlog to the forefront! Glad to see you’re enjoying it!
Thanks for the shoutout! Love your channel. Dark Cloud 2 is awesome, and the original is also quite good as well, def worth a replay too ;)
You're welcome! Very deservedly so!
Ooh I never knew that you reviewed Diofield! I rented a copy after holding off due to middling reviews. I’m on the last chapter and going through the option chapter that added where you can play as Waltaquinn! Can’t wait to see what you thought of it!
I haven't played the DLC yet, but I heard it's amazing!
Suikoden 2 was a masterpiece looking forward to playing it again with the remaster.
I noticed no one’s commented on whether I should wait or play it right now lol
@@BacklogBattleI would wait to play the remaster. You mentioned you like how saves can be carried to future games in Growlanser (which i love 1-4) and Suikoden 1 and 2 have a similar functionality if you get all 108 in 1. Might as well replay both at same time with any upgrades that come.
If released on the nintendo switch, that will be 49.99 please.
@@dynamicentry8321 Sold $50 for two fantastic games and so far the small amount of gameplay footage looks great.
@pruit v3 if you do a walkthrough you can get the good ending the first try
I love “Legend of Dragoon”! I think it should have got a sequel and the Addition system is on of my favorite battle systems, but it needs to be more forgiving, at least on the beginner additions! The timing for the button presses is brutal sometimes! “Legend of Legaia” is another game whose battle system was amazing and then never really used again. (“Legaia 2” was eh…). I’ve never tried any of the “Atelier” games but your video convinced me to give “Mana Khemia” a chance! While “Suikoden II” is amazing, top 10 definitely, “Suikoden V” does not get enough love! “S5” is basically “Game of Thrones” as an SRPG. You have two noble families warring over a nation’s throne, plus all the regular “Suikoden” series goodness, lol.
I was considering adding Legend of Legaia onto this list! Great mention!
I hope you enjoy Mana Khemia! Such a cool game!
suikoden 2 is timeless, can play and finish this once a year
Can’t wait for the remasters!
Hear pieces of music from that game n it instantly takes me back... absolute masterpiece... favourite game ever
Mana Khemia was the game that got me into the atelier franchise, I just love that game so much, such a good team, and story, and addicting battle. How is it so underrated.
Speaking of, what other JRPGs do you think are underrated? I personally am looking at Mana Khemia 2 just to see if someone sells it at a deep cut so I can snag it!
Epic content friendo, I'm 37. This is a channel I didn't know I needed. Bless. Keep the content coming king 👑.😊
Thank you so much! Hope you enjoy the reviews and videos!
man seeing all this game makes me nostalgic and loving all this game all over again
Love to play Dark Cloud 2/Legend of Dragoon/Rouge Galaxy again for the first time. Still play them and having a blast.
I think I have both games digitally on PS4 and picked them up as soon as I heard that they got trophies!
Here I was wondering if Rogue Galaxy was gonna make the list, then BAM!, right after Dark Cloud 2 (another excellent choice) there it was. You have impeccable taste in JRPG's my friend.
Glad you think so!
Love the name! Backlog is insane now that I’m 37 with a daughter and wife I find myself buying games more often on sale than at full price. The only negative is my insane backlog
I can relate! I got a backlog spanning back to the PS1!
Yup, 34 and two children. I struggle constantly with my backlog. 😂 Currently playing Ni no Kuni and Kingdom Hearts 3, for the first time!
@@Livingtree32 I think you'll enjoy KH3! I still have NNK in my backlog!
@@BacklogBattle I’m at the final boss in Ni no Kuni right now, so almost finished. In KH3, I’m 12 hours in now and in the beginning didn’t know what to think of it, but by now I’m pretty much sold. 😁
Awesome list of games here! That reminds me I need to carry on with my playthrough of Xenogears!!! Awesome video as always Alex! :)
Do it! It’s great!
Finally! Someone older than me on RUclips. 🙃
I can relate SO MUCH to this video. Wish we all had more time.
Rogue Galaxy man, thanks god I play it on PS2.
Got really hook on it, all the characters, the fusion sword with a toad, the bug chess tournament, everything's just amazing!!
So happy you added Mana Khemia on here this game got me kick started with the atelier series such a good game timeless classic
Great video and lovely hearing your thoughts on some of these!
You're welcome! It's super fun to make!
A great JRPG i really want to replay form PS2 is "Radiata Stories". I never see anyone talk about it and it was such a great game with a very unique mechanic to recruit a massive party. You should do a video about it.
Haven't played it! But when I do, I will!
@@BacklogBattle you should, it's absolutely amazing!
Radiata stories have Suikoden vibe too.. Many characters to recruit, castle, plot twist, etc
I'm so glad that someone finally mentioned Rogue Galaxy, I have the star god sign tattooed on me. It was the first game I truly fell in love with. I often replay that one myself, if not just for the soundtrack!!
I’m about your age. There are two main eras that really made an impact on me, late NES/SNES/PSX (including early GB), and then the DS/Wii/early 3DS era. Unlike many, I hardly gamed during the PS2/GC/XB era, I did some handheld gaming, Xenosaga, and that was about it. I’ve been getting heavily into gaming again recently, mainly thanks to Breath of the Wild and Witcher 3.
Suikoden 1/2 were fantastic, I can’t wait.
I haven’t played any Persona games, but that art looks really cool! I think that would be more my style than the recent ones.
Xenogears is my favourite game of all time.
I'm glad someone mentioned Dark Cloud 2 and Rogue Galaxy! One of the best game from PS2 era!
Cool idea/video. Hope you’re able to check these out.
Always been tempted by Rogue Galaxy. I’ve let some comments scare me away but I think I need to give it a ton
I've found that over the years, while others' opinions are important, those alone shouldn't be the reason why I'd play or avoid a game. I think it's just as important to sate that curious energy and allow it to grow into a genuine appreciation of each game. That's why I love checking out games, even if I know they won't be to my liking. It widens my palette!
It's like if you ever watch that anime Food Wars, where the hero makes terrible food on purpose so he knows what that looks like. If you surround yourself with bad things too, maybe you can discover that you can tolerate certain things!
@@BacklogBattle I actually really like that approach haha. I have trouble stopping games even if I dislike them but if I approach with that mentality I think it will make it easier to acknowledge I don’t like it, and be ok with stopping.
When Project X Zone started going up in price, i jumped and grabbed them both for my collection. Im so happy I did, because the price is crazy now.
I feel what made Rogue Galaxy special is that it really pushes the envelope for what could be done with a 6th gen RPG. I'm playing Dark Cloud 2 now, though, and it feels more unique. I definitely recommend giving that another shot.
When there was talk of the PS3 store shutting down, I made sure to pick up some games. One of them was Persona 2 Eternal Punishment. Thanks for sharing.
Great to know that we are the same age man!!
I think the golden sun is also a lost series that more people should play and also the lost odyssey on Xbox!
The Suikouden series lets you port characters over from previous games too!
I haven't played any other Suikoden games, but Tierkreis on the DS left a strong impression in me. It was weirly dark and creepy at times and I remember enjoying it quite a bit. Maybe it's time to finally get the good ending.
I think you enjoy the mainline games a lot! Tierkreis was quite different from them in that it’s structured like a dungeon crawler. The mainline titles were traditional RPGs!
@@BacklogBattle Well, I guess my backlog just got even bigger! :D
I would consider lobotomy to some degree to destroy the part of my brain where my Suikoden memories are stored.
Alex, replay Xenogears (period).
As an immediate fan, as it combined some of my favorite things such as badass martial arts, mechs, sci fi, humanity origin stories, what it means to be complete person and a complete community and species, philosophy, psychology, and love in the deepest and truest sense.
But more than all that replaying I always get something new, even on the 5th or 6th play through. It is one of the most ambitious games ever made, if not the most, for better or worse. But the better monolithically outweighs the bad, unpolished, unfinished aspects.
Another great list :)
I especially share your thoughts about Xenogears, I will definitely replay this game this year (after I finally restored my Bang & Olufsen MX7000 to play my retro games in an authentic quality). Revisiting Takahashis masterpiece is a must after the end of XBC3:FR and I am looking forward to regain a better big picture of his perfect works concept.
I will also replay the following games (I have never finished):
- Xenosaga Episode 2 (and afterwards 3, which I never played)
- Koudelka
- Paper Mario 2
- Final Fantasy IV
- KOTOR 2
- Chrono Trigger (in preperation for finally playing Cross and Radical Dreamers)
- Alundra (one of my favorite PSX-games)
- Xenoblade Chronicles X (still hoping for a Switch-port)
Great list!
At the moment I'm wanting to replay Legend of Dragoon, Breath of Fire 3 and 4, Shadow Hearts and Shadow Hearts Covenant and Final Fantasy 12 again. Though, I have so many games that I've not played yet I think if I get the time I should probably try to play through them. Tough
I wish I didn't sell my Shadow Hearts copies! Definitely one of my gaming regrest
@@BacklogBattle I still have mine, but my memory cards don't seem to work so I'd need to get new ones if it's even possible anymore. My kids had me hook up my PS2 on the weekend as they wanted to see an old Power Rangers game I have on the PS2 as they like a fighting one of the PS5, they were not impressed, being that the PS5 was their first PlayStation experience 😂
idk how closely you follow emulation but there's some dude named 1rockvie that made an HD Texture pack for Xenogears not too long ago, and the RUclipss I've seen with it are incredible. If you want to replay it, try it like that. The newer PS1 emulators really bring out how well Xenogears' graphics hold up, and frankly I'm even MORE impressed with this game than I was when I first played it. The 2D sprite animations when smoothed out in 4K 60fps outperform indie games even today, and I never realized that in those zoomed out sequences where your sprite gets smaller that it's the SAME SPRITE as the regular map and it just smooths it out to match.
I'll take a look! That sounds incredible!
OMG some of these games need to be ported, remade or remastered SERIOUSLY... Definitely NEED a Rogue Galaxy 2 and could you imagine a Project X-Zone on current gen? THAT would be insane! I personally want a 2D/HD remake of Xenogears! Make it happen Square!
Yes to all of this!
I finished all of Suikoden! (1-5) Nice to see it on the list.
I was blown away by the inclusion of Growlanser, I adored those games growing up!
i remember those games being so hard lol
Suikoden did this for me in my childhood
Because of the suggestion I checked out the demo to Fuga. It is a long demo by the way. Interesting mechanic with the soul cannon able to wipe out any encounter including boss encounters. Obviously you want to avoid that considering its cost XD. The story is pretty good, characters are relatable and the intermission sections of the gameplay are probably my favorite. Definitely a good purchase for anyone interested, but you could wait for a sale.
I remember renting Dark Cloud 2 when I was a kid. It was so much fun but I never got it afterwards, thus never finishing it. Still it was a fun memorable weekend I'd love to return too.
Level-5 was on its A-game during the PS2 days.
Both Mana Khemia games are very good, but the Growlanser games are better IMO. G5 is the best of the Growlanser games, with 4 a close second.
I'm really excited to replay from the start quite a few games I never finished back when I first got them, including the original Dark Cloud and Dark Cloud 2! I've also been working on Persona 3 FES and Dot Hack. I guess I'm in a PS2 mood xD
God i got so lucky finding out about Rogue Galaxy as a child. But not gunna lie i forgot all about it until it randomly popped in my head 5yrs ago and ever since then ive never forgot about it. Its one of those comfort games i go back to and play every year or 2 just because its so damn good
I have heard so much about Dark Cloud and while never played it but definitely NEEDS a Remake!
I was fortunate enough to experience Suikoden before the second game even released stateside. I eagerly awaited it and picked up a copy close to launch.
Suikoden II blew me away with its beautiful sprite work, music, story, and fast combat. It was a HUGE leap from the "RPG Maker" vibes of the first game: truly a pinnacle of 2D JRPGs.
The amazing Lilika in the thumbnail? 😍 That’s unfair my good sir.
Been wanting to play Fuga for a while now. Happy they made another already!
Legend of Dragoon is one of the best RPG of that era, I honestly still wait for a remake on actual hardware
Didn't think you were in your 40's. The gamerbro voice has been preserved well
Bought Dark Cloud 2 and Rogue Galaxy on ps4 digitally quite cheap. They are still waiting for me to pick them up. So many games to play. Also I'm almost 44 also so I can relate.
You might be surprised when you do! I do find going back to older games fun because sometimes, they actually hold up decently!
Did you ever play Project X-Zone 1? I have a copy if you ever want to borrow it.
Funny fact, Suikoden was the first RPG I ever played. As more and more info and screenshots got released for FFVII, I wanted to experience an RPG in preparation for it and Suikoden was my pick. It's long been one of my favorite RPG's that I've played. The music was so good and the mini war battles were fun. You're in for a treat no matter whether you find a PSOne copy or wait for the HD remaster. It's a good one.
I did not! But I'm also in the middle of several games too, so that might be awhile until I borrow it lol
I’m turning 44 in July! Happy early birthday to your brother ❤
Thank you kindly!
This video brought back memories!Specifically Dark Cloud i played it as a kid and couldnt beat it(prob cause i was too young to understand it) it was such a fun game to me. Think its a good time to get back at it 😀
45 here and I totally understand your feelings bro. I love gaming and it's really been a huge part of my life. My channel isn't is as big as yours but I hope to get there some day. Great content man!! new sub
I wouldn't say Xenogears Disc 2 story was bad he got the rest of the story he wanted to tell across at the sacrifice of the presentation of it plus gameplay. Currently replaying Dragon Age Origins myself and it still a great game. I am not rushing it this time and doing multiple playthroughs in playing as the other classes (playthrough as a rouge currently then doing a mage) and it really shines in what you can do with the game. I got a rouge dwarf with a 165% bonus to backstabs and man it breaks the game even when I am on Nightmare plus with a difficulty mod. The builds you can do in it is great.
I tried going back to DAO recently (on PC this time) and had a tough time enjoying myself. I think it's because I was so used to playing the console versions, in a very different way. It's still one of my favorites of the series.
I am anxiously waiting the Suikoden Remaster
I was just thinking how I wanted to replay Xenogears earlier this morning. It is one of my faves.
I know people wanted me to put it in my 10/10 vid, but I really want to reexperience it before giving it that!
Smart move! It is almost a 10/10 for me even with the second disc.
Technically there is 7 persona games - SMT:If was the first title that featured idea of human bound demon, plus If's female protag us a student in Persona 1 and detective with Kuzunoha's Agency in Persona 2 duology.
For Suikoden 2, I'd wait for the remake honestly. It's one of those games that, while not required, is made more enjoyable by importing your save data from the first game (though originally it had to be made at a very specific save point in the final dungeon, I don't know if they're going to have NG+ or cleared game data). Above giving a stats boost to returning characters, it unlocks a sidequest that enables you to recruit the protagonist of the first game and having all 108 stars of destiny also allows you to get a bonus recipe for the cooking minigame. Both are optional, but really cool bonus!
I have a question about Dark Cloud 2, do I need to play the first one for max enjoyment? That's one of the main reason why I haven't played it yet.
Legend of Dragoon's Pc Decomp is almost done, or, at the very least near fully playable if not "done" . Keep on the lookout for that!
With FF7 and Kingdom Hearts getting recent remasters and PC ports I've constantly been saying my top 3 wishes to get remastered / ported are Dark Cloud/ Dark Chronicle, Jade Cocoon 1/2 and Rogue Galaxy... This video made me so fking nostalgic
Ah Jade Cocoon! I remember that game!
Why was project zone delisted? Is the first 1 just as expansive and hard to get?
Licensing, I’d imagine. 2 was delisted a year after it released!
Glad you adressed Suikoden 2. I was a bit shocked it was not in your 10/10 but i understand. I was a square fanboy too haha (OG FF7 made me fall in love with genre) until i watched my friend face Luca Blight with 3 different parties.
3D was also the way, back in the day, but i was immediately drown into the camera angles, the movement, the castle management, the different battle systems and the sprites of Suikoden 2. I have yet to play a better rpg tbh.
I think the Squaresoft fanboy thing is something that not many will want to admit, but it's seminal to our upbringing! I've come to terms with the games I've missed and only see opportunities to experience them for the first time!
Rogue Galaxy is one of my favorite RPGS, almost no one knows about it though and that’s a shame!
It's a classic for me!
Goood i want to replay Rogue Galaxy too, i remembered the gameplay is so great, i enjoyed grinding it. And the soundtrack of the Twin Brother Tower was so great (titled Two Horns if you wanna look it up) and the feel exploring it is so memorable too.
I've always wanted to get back into Golden Sun, since it was one of my favorite games but I never played the sequels.
I hope the sequels show up on the Nintendo Online games library!
OMG, Mana Khemia! I literally only played this bc my friend sad it was a super sweet game for the PSP.
I actually enjoyed it, though it did wear on a bit long, despite my general aversion to "anime" style games.
The story didn't collapse in disc 2 of xenogears, the gameplay did. It basically became a slideshow
Thank you for reminding me!
Happy birthday to you in advance I honestly thought that we are about the same ago but I turned 30 two days ago lol
rogue galaxy is a hidden gem
Rogue galaxy is my favorite game from the old times 😭 I had a blast playing it as a kid as nothing out there plays the same as it does and thankfully I bought it on ps4 and played it again and I can never get enough of it 😍 totally an amazing game to me
I've played and beat Legend of Dragoon 12 times over my lifetime (yes, i've counted) and i never got sick of it. In fact, i will replay it at some point again. The only game i've beaten more often than LoD was FFVIII (yes, VIII and not VII, which i've only beat once).
Outside of LoD, Shadow Hearts 1 and 2 also are those games that i would replay it any day of the week. FFVIII (obviously), Rogue Galaxy, Legaia 2 (i have a softspot for it), Jade Cocoon, Blue Reflection (despite it being more on the Shoujo J-RPG side, that game has something), Growlanser Heritage of War, Trails of Cold Steel, Star Ocean 3 among a few others.....................uncensored if possible, of course.
Mana Khemia stole my heart years ago and i have long craved a worthy sequel/successor. are the atelier games comparable? been eyeing their occasional eshop sales
It depends on the Atelier! If you want to try a game in the series, I highly recommend Atelier Sophie 2! Its got a standalone story and a easy to understand crafting system which makes it a good jumping point into the series!
Suikoden 2 is the only JRPG game that i played like 10X and would like to play it again when the remaster comes out XD The game is so good that i wished i lived in that world XD
I'm actually playing through legend of dragoon and I gotta say, not only are the models pretty good for ps1, the actual movement of the models is so darn good, like, a lot of detail went into each move and cutscenes where it uses the normal game models, other than that gameplay has been fun so far
Xenogears it's one of the most interesting experiences I had with an RPG ever, I made my channel just to talk about it, and even though I couldn't reach the standard I wanted with the video, I'm glad it pushed me to it, and someday I want to make a video good enough for that game
Started to play it at least two months ago thanks to a “backup” at my PS Vita that allows me to use the PSP to play PS1 games 😅
Xenogears is and has been my number 1 favorite game unquestionably since it's release. Even with it just being a fragment of the game series it's better than every game to date.
How Legend of Dragoon didn't became a franchise I will never understand.
Critics didn't receive it that well (74 metacritic); sold mediocre (1,3mil on PS1); they had Squaresoft in the bag with exclusivity for Final Fantasy
@@rolandssavdons7993 Sure, but that's what sequels are for, to refine the problems, add new features, and deepen combat. Compare Shining Force 1 to 2 and they're lightyears apart in quality. Legend of Dragoon was an original IP, so they had the rights, art, and character designs. There were just so many ways to take the game that it's amazing that all it got was a failed DLC for Dart in PlayStation All Stars.
@@100Servings I agree, we just need to convince Sony
@@rolandssavdons7993 Maybe a new Operation Rainfall? If there's one thing I learned living in Japan, it's difficult to say no when you're asked politely.
With the remaster/remake revival this decade, I’m really hoping it gets at least a remaster and release on modern consoles
yeah we really need a xenogears and growlanser remaster, can't wait for the suikodens to come back
All of these game great but for anyone eho never play growlancer series please play them. Really great game and solid story.
That's a cool list of games. I haven't been able to commit to any game lately, so I tried going back to the oldies but even there I can't seem to stick with it. I have a huge backlog I never got around to. I tried Lost Odyssey, Xenogears and Last Story but unless I have huge nostalgia I seem to lose interest after a while though I know these are all classics in their own way. Still gonna try Xenoblade Chronicles X and see how that fares. Also pulled out Breath Of Fire 3, a game i DO have huge nostalgia for so that just be my best bet! Thx for the video
Great list, hit me right in the feels. I had no idea but Wild Arms is on the PS store … with trophies and all. Blew my fucking mind lol
Yep! Dark Cloud 2 and Rogue Galaxy have trophies too!
Sería genial poder olvidar la 1era vez que los jugué. Así podría volver a jugarlos “otra vez por 1era vez”.
Espera unos años más y podría suceder. Tiene sus aspectos positivos y negativos, ¡pero he aprendido a tomar lo malo con lo bueno!
Mana Khemia is an absolutely AMAZING game
man, I really missed rogue galaxy. spend dozens of hours completing every nook and cranny of every map, beat the ghost ship. collecting costumes for every character, crafting weapons in lab. the short story with dingo and gale is so heart breaking at the time. i even secretly imagine the cast of playable character as my friends. now i can't get my self to play it. im afraid i will not enjoy it as I used to. the breathtaking massive world i saw as a kid, is just a long hallway thats a pain to traverse now.
Alex the problem is that there are so many good games out, I do not even get to finish games once 😉
Good point! 😭
Suikoden 2: PLAY IT NOW! PLAY IT NOW! PLAY IT NOW! WHATAREYOUWAITINGFORPLAYITNOW!!
LOL! Ok! I'll make sure to download it on my PS3 today!
Let's go June birthday gang
I would love to play vandal hearts again. Wish they had a remaster. I would love a xenosaga trilogy remaster too
So Fuga is a mix of Valkyria Chronicles (tanks and strategy) and Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume (sacrifices for greater power).
All of the games you mention here are gems
I tried going back to Xenogears during COVID. It was fun till I got to the forest and I forgot how bad old school platforming was on the PS1. I'll have to finish it some day but platformers from that time were really wonky.
That's definitely one of those things that I'm not looking forward to! LOL
i hope they eventually make legend of dragoon playable on steam.
dark cloud 1 and 2 were awesome.
Wasn't Legend of Dragoon remstered and giving away for free on PSN?
You're turning 44 in June too? Me too!