Bahamut Lagoon combines RPG mechanics with squad-based combat. Characters have HP, MP (SP for fighter characters), EXP, equipment, stats and class-specific, SP-draining special elemental abilities very much like traditional console RPGs. The player can explore his surroundings, talk to people and visit shops when not in battle, though to a limited degree as there is no world map and no way to leave the current area.
The game's core is its turn-based battles fought on a 2d grid. Characters are assembled into parties of four and the player allowed a maximum of six parties, which are usually well outnumbered. The two opposing sides act in alternating turns so that each party can move once and/or attack once a turn. Attacks are divided into distant and close-up combat. In the former, a party uses a special ability (e.g. casting fireballs, throwing lightning, healing allies) of one of its members at a distance. The range and possible area of effect damage vary per ability. If the attacking party has two or more characters with the same ability, they join in the action to multiply its effectiveness. Distant combat results in less money and generally less damage, but the target cannot retaliate. Distant attacks can also affect the field; fire and ice ignite or extinguish forests and melt or freeze ice, etc. Close-up, each unit in two adjacent opposing parties can act once. Very much like Final Fantasy SNES combat, they can attack an enemy, use an item or a special ability (though these can't be combined and most only affect one target instead of all) or defend.
Dragons are the player's ace in the hole. They have their own stats and gain experience like normal characters do. In battle, each party has a dragon attached to it and draws a large portion of its strength from that of its dragon: if a party's dragon is slain, the party will lose the ability to use special attacks and class-specific abilities for the remainder of the map. The beast acts as a very powerful autonomous unit that moves after its party does and it cannot be controlled beyond very simple commands, e.g. "Come!" Out of battle, dragons will eat anything and raising them by feeding them items is an important part of the game. Feeding can improve their stats as well as affect their behavior on the field, and the dragons develop into new forms as they grow.
The player can change the characters in each of the parties, their formation as well as what dragon represents them at will.
In this turn-based Japanese RPG, young Crono must travel through time through a misfunctioning teleporter to rescue his misfortunate companion and take part in an intricate web of past and present perils. The adventure that ensues soon unveils an evil force set to destroy the world, triggering Crono's race against time to change the course of history and bring about a brighter future.
Final Fantasy, also known as FFI in re-releases, is the first role-playing game title in Square's flagship Final Fantasy series. The game puts players in control of four characters known as the Warriors of Light, and begins by asking the player to select the classes and names of each. The Warriors of Light can traverse the maps of dungeons and towns, which are connected by a world map, and will run into random encounters with enemies or fight bosses.
In the Empire of Glaive, a gladiator-slave is forced to fight evil monsters controlled by the Dark Lord. But when his best friend is mortally wounded, he learns of a secret pendant which will give him great power. As the hero, you must battle your way out of the Dark Knight's castle and search through a dangerous world for the girl who has the pendant. But you discover she has been captured by the Dark Knight's men. To free her, you must find the legendary sword and fight off the Dark Knight's beasts and overlords through deserts, snowfields, lakes, forests, and caves. Are you ready for the adventure of your life?
Final Fantasy II is the second installment in the Final Fantasy series, developed and published by Squaresoft. It was directed by Hironobu Sakaguchi, with Yoshitaka Amano designing the characters and Nobuo Uematsu composing the score.
It was notable for being one of the first story-intensive RPGs released for console systems, and introducing many series staples, including chocobos and a character named Cid. Its story is unrelated to the original FINAL FANTASY, and its gameplay is a major departure from the previous title for eliminating the traditional experience-based progression system.
Final Fantasy III is the third FF game for the Famicom. The turn-based battle engine has been improved: if the enemy is defeated, the next character will automatically switch to another enemy, and not hit the air, like in the previous two games.
The game itself is, like the previous games, a top-down RPG where your characters travel in the overworld, sometimes entering cities and dungeons to buy equipment, rest and fight random encounters and bosses with turn-based combat. Final Fantasy III also introduces various series staples, such as the Job system and the Moogle species.
FINAL FANTASY IV is the fourth main installment in the FINAL FANTASY series, developed and published by Squaresoft. It was released in July 1991 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in Japan, and released as FINAL FANTASY II in North America in October 1991 with alterations made due to Nintendo of America's guidelines at the time.
The game saw a rerelease in Japan on the WonderSwan Color and a global release on PlayStation under its original name as part of the FINAL FANTASY CHRONICLES and FINAL FANTASY ANTHOLOGY collections.
The Final Fantasy Legend series continues! In this classic RPG adventure, you are on a quest to reunite with your father. In order to find your father, you must travel far and wide to find the scattered fragments of a mystical force, known as Magi. Your quest takes you to several mysterious lands filled with caves, temples, enemy bases, ancient Japanese castles, and much more. Many of the worlds are filled with quirky inhabitants, such as the world of giants. Another world praises beauty but banishes ugliness.
You can choose four heroes to accompany you in your journey. Choose from humans, robots, and even monsters. As the game progresses, you will encounter additional characters that may join your party.
Final Fantasy V is a fantasy role-playing video game developed and published by Square in 1992 as a part of the Final Fantasy series. The game first appeared only in Japan on Nintendo's Super Famicom (known internationally as the Super Nintendo Entertainment System).
It has been ported with minor differences to Sony's PlayStation and Nintendo's Game Boy Advance. An original video animation produced in 1994 called FINAL FANTASY: Legend of the Crystals serves as a sequel to the events depicted in the game. It was released for the PlayStation Network on April 6, 2011, in Japan. An enhanced port of the game, with new high-resolution graphics and a touch-based interface, was released for iPhone and iPad on March 28, 2013, and for Android on September 25, 2013.
FINAL FANTASY V has been praised for the freedom of customization that the player has over the characters, achieved through the greatly expanded Job System. Despite being released only in Japan, the Super Famicom version sold more than two million copies. The PlayStation version has earned "Greatest Hits" status, selling more than 350,000 copies.
Final Fantasy VI is the sixth main installment in the Final Fantasy series, developed and published by Square. It was the final title in the series to feature two-dimensional graphics, and the first story that did not revolve around crystals.
The game gives players up to fourteen playable characters, the largest cast in the series, and features the Active Time Battle pseudo-turn based menu command system. A party can consist of up to four characters, though some events require the player to assemble three different parties of up to four and switch between them.
Each character has a unique command ability, such as Terra's Trance, Locke's Steal, Edgar's Tools or Sabin's Blitz, and can also learn Magic spells from earning AP from battles with magicite equipped. Each character's rare Desperation Attack will randomly activate after using the Attack command when at critical health.
Final Fantasy XI Online is the franchise's first MMORPG as well as the eleventh installment in the main series. FFXI was the world's first cross-console MMORPG, available for Windows, PlayStation 2, Xbox 360 and Steam.
Since its release in 2002, it has become the most financially successful title in the Final Fantasy series. Due to the nature of online RPGs, FFXI differs in that the player is not the only hero. Instead, each player creates a customizable character and adventures through the world of Vana'diel with other players; leveling up, exploring, completing missions, quests, and much more.
Leveling up requires a group of people working together in what is called a Party, with each participant contributing their own skills to help take down a foe and gain Experience points. Battles occur in real-time, taking the ATB system to a new level, which was emulated again to a certain extent in Final Fantasy XII.
Focus Tower is the center of the world and balances the forces of the world. However 4 monsters have taken the 4 elemental crystals (Earth, Water, Fire, Wind) for their own use, and also taken the 4 keys that for doors inside of Focus Tower. With the balance disrupted, disasters befall the world. A young boy by the name of Benjamin finds his home village destroyed. Meeting a mysterious old man while trying to escape from earthquakes, he soon learns that he is the prophesized hero and the only one who can save the world. Benjamin must recover the 4 crystals, unlock Focus Tower and defeat the ultimate monster before the 5th crystal, the Crystal of Life is corrupted.
The year is 2064, when the great solar power satellite, ATLAS is overshadowed by the invention of fusion power. The government alliance that had supported the building of ATLAS now find themselves facing economic crisis as the balance of power shifts. In this world of conflict and change, the Walking Panzer, or Wanzer, (a form of mecha) becomes the standard armored unit for wars and petty battles across the globe. For the small nation of Bergen, a coup d'etat is underway, staged by Colonel Ark. Seeking to establish complete control over the government and the NORAD units stationed there, Ark's first step involves the capture of President Orwen. Tipped off to the rebellion, Orwen seeks to flee from Bergen, looking for safe passage out of the seaport of Port Ertothal. A young Wanzer pilot, Albert Grabner, is assigned escort duty to the president by loyal elements of the army stationed there...
Gun Hazard is a side-scrolling shooter with strong RPG elements, and a spin-off of the Front Mission series. Gameplay is more than a little similar to Cybernator or Metal Warriors. The player moves between different stages on an area map. Once inside a stage, the player controls Albert and his wanzer as it moves left, right across the screen. The wanzer is able to jump, and attack with a primary and a special weapon. At any time during a stage, Albert can eject from his heavily armed wanzer to explore. Although vulnerable when outside, Albert is able to reach areas the wanzer cannot, in addition to being a smaller target and being able to jetpack indefinitely.
Money and experience are earned through the completion of mission objectives as well as the kill count of enemy wanzers. Additionally, Albert can recruit other characters through the normal course of the story, some of whom can be designated to support roles. These support characters when set can provide a variety of different cover fire abilities for Albert during his missions. They too gain experience and levels. Different weapons and armor can be found or bought. Essential components include the Booster ability which allows the wanzer to hover and increase its jumps, as well as the Dash ability which allows quick left-right movement by the wanzer.
A thousand years ago, Saruin was imprisoned. Now the barriers that contain him are weakening, and his foreboding shadow threatens to swallow the world of Mardias once again. Who will rid the world of Saruin's scourge? A mysterious minstrel appears and guides the group to adventure, at times shielding them from adversity. Occasionally, the minstrel forces grave choices upon them, which change their world and twist the plots they encounter. Romancing SaGa reclaims the renowned features of the series and boasts all new elements enhancing gameplay, bringing the player even deeper into the story. The free-roaming scenario system gives gamers a choice of eight intriguing playable characters, each with their own unique adventures and individual goals. Depending on the character and actions chosen, the plot and the subsequent events differentiate dramatically. This free-roaming scenario system promises the ultimate in open-ended adventure.
The Emperor or Empress of Avalon begins the game as King Leon and later plays as his various heirs down through the game years. Leon hands his kingdom over to his son, Gellard. At the end of Gellard's reign, the player is able to choose his or her own successor and pass on Gellard's abilities to them. At the end of each generation, he or she will be given a choice of four heirs. Their identity is based on a combination of chance and anyone whom the player has assisted or allied within in a past generation.
Romancing SaGa is set in the fictional world of Mardias, which was created by the God Marda. Long ago, war raged between three wicked gods, Death, Saruin, and Schirach, and the lord of all gods, Elore. At the end of that long conflict, Death and Schirach were stripped of their powers, and Saruin was imprisoned through the might of the ten Fatestones and the hero Mirsa's ultimate sacrifice. A millennium had passed, and the Fatestones were scattered throughout Mardias. All this time the powers of evil festered, bent on releasing Saruin from his prison.
Initially released in Japan in 1993, Secret of Mana took the world by storm with its innovative real-time battle system and gorgeously rendered world. It continues to stand out among other action RPGs for its seamless gameplay that anyone from beginner to veteran can enjoy.
One of the most memorable elements of the Mana series is the Ring Command menu system. With the single press of a button, a ring-shaped menu appears on the screen, where players can use items, change weapons, and do a variety of other actions without needing to switch screens. This Ring Command menu system for which the Mana series is so well known was first introduced in Secret of Mana and has since appeared in most games in the series.
Play as Randi and his two companions, Primm and Popoi, as they adventure all around the world. At the center of our epic story is the mystical power of Mana. Battle the empire in its quest for control of Mana. Befriend the eight elementals who wield the forces of nature itself. Numerous encounters await at every turn.
A JRPG entry in the Super Mario franchise in which Mario meets many unlikely allies in order to jump and fight his way through the Mushroom Kingdom and collect stars to repair the Star Road, the pathway that grants people's wishes, which was destroyed by Smithy, the otherworldly entity that hijacked Bowser's castle and threw the Kingdom into disarray.
The long-running FINAL FANTASY series hits the Game Boy with FINAL FANTASY LEGEND. Create your party by choosing four warriors from eight different character classes including humans, mutants, and monsters. Humans specialize in hand-to-hand combat and have access to most weapons, mutants wield magic like no other, and monsters can evolve themselves by feasting on the meat of fallen opponents to become new monsters! Venture your way through four different lands each with a unique fantasy theme to stop the wicked Ashura Devils from destroying the world. A beautiful fantasy soundtrack adds atmosphere to the experience and puts you in the right mood. This single-player RPG features battery backup to save your progress, and is compatible with both Game Boy and Game Boy Color. RPG fans on the go should check out FINAL FANTASY LEGEND.
Brothers Red and Blue G. decide to leave their idyllic village in search of their long lost father, who left the kids years ago to go treasure hunting. Unfortunately, as soon as they begin their quest, they become entangled with a mysterious girl on the run from evil monsters who holds the key to the resurrection of a great demon. Now its up to the brothers to save the world if they ever want to find their father.
Treasure Hunter G is a top-down RPG in which you control your party of four characters as they explore the fantasy/sci-fi game world in search for quests and grinding their stats while the plot advances. The game is divided in a world-map screen, a top-down "town" mode and a turn-based fight mode in which the characters are taken to generic tiled top-down arenas in which they select each character and move or attack depending on their action points.
Enemies can be seen on the map instead of jumping at you at random intervals, and you can freely decide whether to engage them or simply circle them around. The game uses a combination of hand-drawn sprites and CGI pre-rendered one (mostly for the main characters) with a distinct cute or Super Deformed design (as usual for most console RPGs).