How could I have missed this thread?
So you like RPGs, too, eh, Tsuyoiko. Your coolness points just went up a few points in my book! 2 points more for the next level! *commence fanfare* Unfortunately, my RPG experience is limited to pre-PS2 games, since I chose not to get any of that generation's systems (but the next....!)
I loved Star Ocean: A Second Story. Let's see... loads of playable characters, check. Amazing customizability of items providing an endless amount of possibilities, check. Fun battles, check. Relationships among characters variable depending on character's actions, check. Multiple endings (well, multiple possibilities of different brief scenes at the end, at least), check. Beautiful music, check. Side stories and mini-games, check. Battle arena, check. Actual CHALLENGE, for once, check. A giant, fat bunny used as transportation, um.... check....
It's not perfect, of course, but I still love it as my favorite.
Unless you consider storyline as a prime factor, in which case Xenogears wins hands down. It combined Freudian psycho-angst with a metareligious backdrop (did that make sense? Probably not...) in a Frank Herbert-esque sci-fi world. Each character was invested in heavily, developmentally, and it showed. Unfortunately, the redundant battle system and the sloooooow dialogues kept it from reaching its potential.
I love the FF series, especially, well, all of them, actually (except X and beyond, which I haven't played). Unlike other game series (Capcom) each game presents new features and doesn't rely on some formula.
FF Tactics, though, blew me away. The story was top-notch, albeit butchered by miserable localization and translation, tending towards more socio-political aspects than any other Final Fantasy game (ie. one of my favorite touches was how the social class divisions had its focus early on). The job classes were uber-fun to mess around with, whether you're using the immobilizing skills of the dancers, or the surprisingly effective elements of the geomancers, or whatever. And the challenge was nice, too, since I've been tired of all the easy games elsewhere. I know I died a handful of times in the very first battle, but you get used to it after a while
. Plus, there's always the sense of absolute malicious glee when the tides turn in a tough battle and you t0t477y p4Wn 3v3ry0ne!
Sometimes the challenge in other games can get ridiculous, though. Like in the first two FF games for the NES (I think the GBA versions made them ridiculously easy, though)
Legend of Zelda? No need to even justify why this is a great series. On the other hand, it gets formulaic at times, but that gets counterbalanced by the exploration value of each game.
Terranigma was also a little formulaic, but the lovely, if simple, story and the beautiful musical score made this an emotional journey at the end.
Chrono Trigger, beautiful music and an engaging storyline. My only qualm was that I hate "silent protagonist" types, since it gets in the way of development. I think I know why companies use it, but I think that device is overused and lacking real justification.
Well, that's all i know. maybe more later!