Need Help Getting Into A Good UNDERRATED Retro RPG

[Snapple]

I have to second Live a Live. It's absolutely fantastic.

The only way you can play it though if you don't know Japanese is with the fan translation.

If you feel bad about emulating a game that you don't own, buy it off eBay or something first, then download it.

But it's really quite amazing. I'm not totally sure why a Squaresoft RPG was never ported Stateside, but maybe it has to do with some of the mature themes in it.

You it's basically many small RPGs set in different time periods that you can tackle in any order you like. They're all very different for great variety in playstyle. Like the ninja chapter where you play a lone ninja who must navigate a large maze-like fortress and kill an entire ninja army. Or the robot level where you have to solve a murder mystery in the future. Or the wild west chapter where you set up goofy traps to try and put the slip on some bandits. Or the present day wrestler who ends up fighting a clear ripoff of Hulk Hogan. Then, when you beat all of them, everything comes together for the final two chapters in the middle ages.

It's pretty wild, good stuff.

[2Dskillz]

Lufia was wonderful. I agree that you need to give it a try.

I only played part one though and I can not vouch for part 2

If you feel like going back to the NES, Crystalis is one of my favorite RPGs. And is really worth a try. (note: this is an action RPG over the head zelda style)

[Mr.Faxanadu]

Thanks for the suggestions! I've spent some time this weekend getting into Shawdowrun for the Genesis and Phantasy Star IV and am loving both. Thanks again

To sum it up, here are the games suggested. The brackets indicate how many times people suggested the game:

SNES - Lufia 2 (4)
SNES - Robotrek (2)
SNES - 7th Saga
SNES - Secret of Evermore
Genesis - Shining in the Darkness (3)
Genesis - Shadowrun (3)
Genesis - Phantasy Star IV (3)
Genesis - Buck Rogers: Countdown to Doomsday
Genesis - Beyond Oasis
Genesis - Crusader of Centy
Genesis - Landstalker
TG16 - Exile (2)
TG16 - Exile II (2)
TG16 - Cosmic Fantasy 2
TG16 - Ys Book I & II
TG16 - Neutopia
NES - Crystalis
Super Famicom (SNES?) - Live A Live (2)

[XianXi]

I always liked Swords & Serpents for NES

[AB Positive]

While not quite an RPG, I always like to recommend Starflight on the Genny. Good lord, one of the best space sci-fi style games ever.

I'll second these as well:

Landstalker
Shining in the Darkness
Robotrek


all quality rpg titles. PSIV isn't really underrated, but if you haven't played it, give it a shot!

-AB+

[Teknik_SE-R]

good list, but I dont see secret of mana or EVO anywhere. neither of them are really underrated, but both enjoyable. mana is like chrono imo and EVO is in a world of its own.

[Jorpho]

Well, if you consider Live-a-Live to be a viable option, Treasure Hunter G (the last Super Famicom RPG that Square published) is good fun as well.