Top 10 Forgotten JRPG's

While big names like “Final Fantasy” have gotten all the glory, these gems have been hidden away. Join http://www.WatchMojo.com as we countdown our picks for the Top 10 Forgotten JRPGs.

For this list we are counting down RPG’s that were considered pretty good when they were released but was never given the chance to shine. This means that games like “Golden Sun" don’t count because even though they aren’t as big as other RPG’s they are still pretty well known.

“Eternal Sonata” already begins on a unique note, pun intended, with its inclusion of classical music into its story. Polish composer Frederic Chopin is on his death bed and during his final moments he has a dream, which becomes the game. Pretty much everything in this game is based off Chopin’s work as well as classical music as a whole. Character and town names are based off musical terms, and each part of the story is based on one of Chopin’s compositions.

In this artistic action RPG, the protagonists must stop the Demon Lord Odin from finding the Crystallization Cauldron and thereby preventing armageddon. What makes “Odin Sphere” different is that the story is told through the perspective of five different characters each with their own chapter. Each character has their own stories and motivations which intertwine with each other setting certain conflicts in motion. Characters range from the Daughter of the Demon Lord to a cursed prince who must traverse the underworld.

Sharing the name with its main protagonist, “Alundra” is about a boy who has the power to enter people’s dreams and must rescue the inhabitants of Inoa from a dark curse. As well as its Action RPG elements, “Alundra” emphazises puzzle solving and exploration, with the puzzles becoming unsolvable unless you have cleared certain parts of the game. Despite all the praise for its dark story and challenging but rewarding puzzles it was quickly overshadowed by others of its kind, however it did gain its own sequel.

A remake of the Sega CD’s “Lunar: The Silver Star.” It follows the adventures of Alex, who must claim the title of Dragon-master. He does this by passing trials laid before him by ancient dragons, all while trying to stop an evil sorcerer from controlling the world. The story was adapted from its original game, but with improved graphics, fluid animation and additions to the games cast and story. Even though this game has been several times on different systems it still has only managed to achieve a cult following.

Although this game might feature your standard save the world plotline it is centered in a unique landscape which is based off the wild west. You play as Rudy who is able to use an ancient weapon known as ARMs which resembles a firearm. Keeping with the Western motif you get to explore huge wastelands and do it all to a western inspired soundtrack. This game was not only one of the few RPGs to be based on the wild west, but also one of the very best titles on the playstation.

Released late in the PlayStation’s life cycle,” Legend of Dragoon” was written off as just another average JRPG. However, what makes this game unique is the Additions combat system which has you entering button combinations as you attack allowing you to deal extra damage. Another next mechanic is the ability to transform into Dragoons, which grant the characters new abilities as well as some cool armor. Nowadays “Legend of Dragoon”, has gained a sizable fanbase who have been begging for a sequel for quite some time.

Also known as “Dark Chronicle” in Japan, you take control of Max and Monica who are from the present and the future respectively, and must travel back in time to stop Emperor Griffin from destroying the future. Unlike most RPGs your character does not level up, but it is their weapon instead which gains experience by defeating enemies. There is also a city building aspect to the game where you can create and rearrange buildings for villagers to live in, provided you have the items.

Taking place in the midst of World War 1, you play as german lieutenant Karin Koenig and Yuri, a man capable of turning into different types of demons. “Shadow Hearts” features the Judgement Ring which is a roulette that dictates what actions the player will take and how they will affect the outcome of the battle. You are able to customize these rings with different abilities and items. It’s not often you see a war game that’s not an FPS in World War II, let alone playing as a German.

The “Phantasy Star” series has garnered its share of attention, however most people seem to be oblivious to the game that started it. “Phantasy Star” on the Sega Master System was one of the pioneers of the traditional turn-based combat seen in RPGs including, overworld maps with towns and dungeons to explore, as well as random enemy encounters. From here it has spawned a few sequels and even the “Phantasy Star Online” series, ensuring that it is not totally forgotten.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

“Quest 64” (1998)
“The Last Remnant” (2008)
“The Last Story” (2012)
“Infinite Undiscovery” (2008)
“Tales of Vesperia” (2008)
“Vandal Hearts” (1997)

In out list of the Top 10 Overlooked Games of All Time list, we mentioned that Skies of Arcadia has never gotten the attention it deserves and we stand by that. Playing as the air-pirate Vyse, you must stop the resurrection of ancient weapons with the power to destroy the world. “Skies of Arcadia” features gorgeous scenery, an amazing soundtrack, colorful characters and of course airship battles. Despite amazing reviews and even a GameCube release, this game is still severely under appreciated.

Chances are that due to the nature of this list, it's likely that a few of your Favourite JRPG's were forgotten, or so obsure we didn't know. So let us know what RPG's you think get no love these days For more top 10’s that aren’t easily forgotten be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.