Good Action RPGs

[Mr.FoodMonster]

I'm looking for some good Action RPGs, mainly PS1 and PS2, but older systems are welcome as well. So far, I've gotten really into Threads of Fate (PS1) and dungen mode on Erghize (PS1)

[Daria]

ALUNDRA!

And don't you dare come back until you've played it. (:

[kainemaxwell]

Don't forget Secret of Mana!

[esquire]

Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance andDark Alliance II. Can't get more action oriented than that. One of my favorite series of all time.

[DeputyMoniker]

Diablo on PS1 was a lot of fun. I never played the PC version so using the Dual Shock was no problem for me. Lots of fun!!

[GrandAmChandler]

I second Alundra. Alundra 1. not 2, (what were they thinking!?) :monkey:

Also: Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain

These are all for PS1, I am a big fan of the Action / RPG genre.

[G4MZ0v3R]

Beyond Oasis :D

[Lady Jaye]

I second the Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance games... I also would add to the list Kingdom Hearts (I'm surprised no one else mentioned it so far).

[slip81]

Brave Fencer Musashi
Parasite Eve
X-Men Legends
Chrono Trigger is kind of one

there are a lot of others that I can't think of right now.

[Snapple]

Legend of Mana for PS1. Underrated game in my opinion.

[VACRMH]

I second Diablo, and suggest you get Neverwinter Nights on PC.

[Mr.Faxanadu]

I aggree with Alundra!! It's a great game with many hard puzzles to solve (not just hack and slash). In fact I still have my game that I started back in 1997 saved on one of my mem cards. For the longest time I was stuck in a level (couldn't figure out the puzzle) and Ive been thinking of getting back into it.

[GobopopRevisited]

My favorite Action RPG "series"- Soul Blazer, Illusion of Gaia, and Terranigma. All on SNES, though Terranigma only had a PAL English release.

[Snapple]

Diablo for the PS1 is just not Diablo, though. It's an online game, through and through. To ME, not worth the money.

[VACRMH]

Diablo for the PS1 is just not Diablo, though. It's an online game, through and through. To ME, not worth the money.

I prefer it over the PC version.

The Playstation version is faster, and supports 2 players.

That's enough for me. I could care less about online for that game

(Now 3rd strike <_<)

[lendelin]

ALUNDRA!

And don't you dare come back until you've played it. (:

I bought Alundra very late (together with the guide from WD), but for two years now it is sitting on my shelf. Never played it. But now I will! Don't spray me with cooking oil!

PS: every time I remove sticker residue from jewel cases or guides with cooking oil, I think about your tip! :) The best useful tip I read on this board. Just amazing how easily the worst sticker residue comes off.

[Damon Plus]

Not on the PS, but you have Faxanadu and Willow on the Nes, and if you like puzzles, Light Crusader on the Genesis.

[Fuyukaze]

for PS1 titles, I would sugest Tales of Destiny 1, Tales of Destiny 2, Star Ocean 2, Valkryie Profile, and Grandia. For the PS2, I would recomend.....nothing as I cant think of anything. Sorry, a few of these titles are on the expensive end. Grandia should still be available for a decent price though. Those may not be action enough though. If so, Diablo is also available for the PS1 but honestly the PC verion is much better.

[Fuyukaze]

Deleate me (error)

[Fuyukaze]

Deleate me (error)

[Big Papa Husker]

Kingdom Hearts

[devilman]

Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance andDark Alliance II. Can't get more action oriented than that. One of my favorite series of all time.

I completed Dark Alliance (on the Cube) with my girlfriend the other week and while we enjoyed it, it was rather badly balanced I though. When we reached the last tower (when you can't go back on yourself any more) we started getting loads of good stuff from the monsters while we'd struggled for decent things throughout the game. Plus when it came to the last boss, only I could beat her as one hit was enough to kill my girlfriend's character (the Sorceress I think) despite her having lots of decent equipment and being a high level. Still, a good few hours well spent.

[Mr.FoodMonster]

I should have mentioned that I have played Diablo (both of them) and that I have both PS2 Baulders Gates, and one of the Champions games. All are great, and thanks for the suggestions, I'll be sure to check some of these out. Anyone play that new Musashi game?

[om3ga]

Genesis
-Landstalker -Shadowrun

Super Nintendo
-Zelda
-Super Mario Rpg
-Secret Of Mana

PS1
-Alundra

[Untamed]

Arcus Odyssey for the Genesis is a fun game.

Got eBay just so I could get that. :)

[DragonMaster Sam]

Believe it or not, but I found Secret of Evermore to be a really good action RPG. And I also like most of the above mentioned titles, like Secret of Mana and Illusion of Gaia.

[Crush Crawfish]

Brave Fencer Musashi & Tomba! are easily my two favorite PS1 action RPG's. Both are beyond fantastic, and anyone who owns a PS1 owes it to themselves to play them.

Oh, and stay far, far away from the Musashi sequel on PS2; It's complete and utter garbage and only serves to remind you how much better the original was.

[GaijinPunch]

Neugier is apparently a nice Zelda knock-off on the SFC. I've got it, but yet to try it out.

[link1110]

Dark Cloud 2 is the best action RPG I've ever played. It took me 60 hours to beat it, and I'm usually a fast player.

Also, Neutopia 1 & 2 for tg16 are some great Zelda clones.

[Lemmy Kilmister]

Maxlords posted a good review of the game Dark Savior awhile back on the board. Maybe you should try checking that game out if you have a saturn. It's a semi sequal to Landstalker for the Genesis and sould only run you around 10 to 15 dollars.

[nik]

Believe it or not, but I found Secret of Evermore to be a really good action RPG. And I also like most of the above mentioned titles, like Secret of Mana and Illusion of Gaia.

If only it was 2 players :( I can't remember if somone could control the dog (I think so) but thats not much of a character to get attached to, like secret of mana was, but it will do, when in need of a secret of mana fix!

[Kid Fenris]

Neugier is apparently a nice Zelda knock-off on the SFC. I've got it, but yet to try it out.

Ah, Neugier, which we yanks almost got back in the SNES heyday under the title of "The Journey Home." Too bad Renovation folded.

By any name, Neugier's a short but decent RPG. The story's a shade thicker than the usual 16-bit action/RPG, and the use of a Zelda-style grappling hook adds a bit to the gameplay. There is, however, a stupidly tough timing-based puzzle about an hour in, and it's enough to make you give up on the game.

I also support any votes for Terranigma, a wonderful game that, like Neugier, should've been released in America all those years ago.

[Tatsu]

Dark Cloud 2 is the best action RPG I've ever played. It took me 60 hours to beat it, and I'm usually a fast player.

Also, Neutopia 1 & 2 for tg16 are some great Zelda clones.

Yes, Dark Cloud 1 and 2 both rock. You can build up your own weaponsa and you have to duty to bring back losts cities. The second part is better, regarding the gameplay and the graphics, but you should try both games. They're worth it!

[Amano]

Alundra, Secret of Mana, Terranigma, any Tales game (totally action oriented), and any of the Ys games.

I agree, Dark Cloud 2 was great. Then again, I couldn't play the first one after going through the second. It was painful for me.

[Tron 2.0]

Genesis
-Landstalker -Shadowrun

Super Nintendo
-Zelda
-Super Mario Rpg
-Secret Of Mana

PS1
-Alundra
I'll add one more to the Genesis list,Crusader of Centy.

It's a ARPG from Atlus sure it's... easy but i thought it was a fun little game.

[InsaneDavid]

Popful Mail on the Sega CD - best action RPG for the system and one of the greatest (and most underrated) games of all time period. It's like Cadash except with smoother gameplay and amazing cutscenes and excellent voice work.

Speaking of which, Cadash on the TurboGrafx-16 (Genesis version as well but I like the TG-16 version better) is worth a play as well as Neutopia and Neutopia II on the TG16 as well, as link1110 said.

How about my all time favorite NES game, StarTropics or it's sequel StarTropics II: Zoda's Revenge? StarTropics was billed as the "next" Zelda game by Nintendo but of course no game would ever do that well. It's still something different and unique and has always been and will always be my favorite NES game.


My favorite Action RPG "series"- Soul Blazer, Illusion of Gaia, and Terranigma. All on SNES, though Terranigma only had a PAL English release.

Great suggestion, Illusion of Gaia is my all time favorite game. Another victim of being billed as the "next" Zelda type game by Nintendo and a terribly underrated title. :)

[FurinkanianFrood]

Not much decent as far as straight (easily classified) action RPG's on PS/PS2 other than Alundra and Legend of Mana, though neither of those is all that good, relatively speaking. Both are fun though, and LofMana is beautiful. V Profile is great but I wouldn't necessarlly classify it as an action RPG. The Tales games are also great and they are a bit less borderline with regards to classification.

I certainly can't recommend either Dark Cloud, though one could do worse. As far as PS2 goes theres not much else....

Ys 1+2+4, Legend of Xanadu 1+2 on TurboDuo are much better than all but a handful of games released since for any system, in any genre.

Many of the below have already been mentioned, but here are my (somewhat abbreviated) personal lists:

Arcus Odyssey, Beyond Oasis, Landstalker, Crusader of Centy on Genny.

The Megadrive version of Madou Monogatari I is sort of like an action RPG because the battles are real-time and the commands are all done by button sequence, sort of like Sabin in FF3 but to the extreme.

Golden Axe Warrior and Golvellius on SMS are cool.

Crystalis on NES is still rather underappreciated.....

SNES:

Neugier looks OK. Terranigma is really nice. Ys V. Secret of Mana. Seiken Densetsu 3 isn't as good as Secret of Mana but I like it anyway. Tales of Phantasia (again sort of a borderliner IMO as far as classification).

I personally prefer the SFamicom and PCE versions of Popful Mail over the SegaCD rev, not that that one isn't great or anything.

[CasualCoreGamer]

Just about everything mentioned so far is primo (some of the best ever were from the 16-bit era). I'm surprised no one mentioned the Saturn ones yet such as Dark Savior, Legend of Oasis, Magic Knight Rayearth & Shining Wisdom. On a related note, I just bashed my PS1 controller to pieces last week because of Threads of Fate. I couldn't get past that final fight in the Ghost Manor & I ran out of coins. The frustration!

[Tatsu]

A good game to try might be Actraiser for the S-Nes. It's not a real RPG, more like platzform side-scroller. But you have to fullfill some tasks and you had the ability to rebuild your world. It's a great game and if you are not only interested in RPGs it might suit you.

[Trevor Belmont]

Casual's right on the money ... don't forget about the Saturn. I just got Magic Knight Rayearth and am having a blast with it. Haven't gotten too far into it yet, but so far it's a great game. The best part about it (IMO) is that you can switch between three characters on the fly, each one having different strengths and abilities. It isn't taking itself too serious either, which is also a good change of pace. I'd recommend snagging it if you can.