1. Final Fantasy VIII
Final Fantasy VIII was my first Final Fantasy game and just happens to be the one that most accurately reflects my tastes in many aspects — the world, story, and gameplay. Due to my age when I played it, you could even say this game helped form my taste in RPGs and fantasy fiction generally.
I love the more realistic world that can often feel familiar, with subtler fantasy and sci-fi elements blended in and the initial setting of a military academy. Similarly, the fact that the main characters all feel like regular people with interesting relationships is a series highlight for me. I know many people hate the magic/junction/GF system, but I actually find this a positive — the fact that magic is a consumable resource just adds to the more naturalistic setting. Rounding this out is a top-tier soundtrack from Uematsu and my favourite RPG card game in Triple Triad.
2. NieR: Automata
There is so much about NieR: Automata that I find incredible that I’m not sure I can overstate how much I enjoy this game, how fascinating I find it, and how inspirational it is. I played the first NieR on PS3 and recognised its brilliance back when it was still a bit of a sleeper hit. I did not expect it to ever get a sequel, especially one as good as NieR: Automata.
I love the complex, emotional, bleak, and ambitious story that is a commentary on different aspects of our lives — both personally and as a part of wider society. It’s a quality I love in media and art generally, which is why I’m such a fan of Neon Genesis Evangelion, Southland Tales, and art by Damien Hirst. All of this would be enough, but topping it off is the amazing genre-blending gameplay, stellar soundtrack, and great character design.
3. Star Ocean: Till the End of Time
A controversial plot twist, especially in sci-fi, is one of my favourite things. Star Ocean 3 might have the most memorable twist I’ve experienced. It was a daring move by the developers and I respect a game that just fully goes for it in this way. Blow my mind and make me reevaluate everything — challenge me. The game is also just fun; the cast is one of the best in the series (I mean, you can play as Maria Traydor, so…), and I found it to be the perfect follow-up to Star Ocean: The Second Story.
4. Suikoden II
Briefly moving away from sci-fi, Suikoden II is another of my favourite games of all time. The political story is very twisty with betrayals, secret plots, emotional moments, and challenges from start to finish. For me, it sets a benchmark for fantasy RPG stories that I’m not sure has been surpassed.
I very much enjoyed the watercolour-anime style character portraits. Recruiting the 108 characters was a whole bunch of fun, though back in the ’90s, I was annoyed that I’d managed to recruit every single one without a guide, apart from the very first squirrel (the only one of the squirrels that counts as a Star of Destiny).
5. 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim/Blue Reflection
I know these are two separate games, but I couldn’t decide, and I’m including them for similar reasons. With 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim, I love the unconventional way the game tells its story. As you play and begin to realise what is going on and see how the characters are linked across multiple time periods, you experience one mind-bending plot twist after another. Learning more about each character and seeing them develop alongside the broader, far-reaching story is great — Ei Sekigahara and Takatoshi Hijiyama are my guys. In true Vanillaware fashion, the art style is also beautiful.
Blue Reflection‘s aesthetic is what primarily drew me to it. It has a style I haven’t seen captured in quite the same way in any other game I’ve played. It’s minimal in both its real-world high school setting and its Other World, where you fight in magical girl style. Blue Reflection uses light and shade in such a pleasing way, creating a nostalgic, airy, summer afternoon feeling that is calming even when battling. The mood is heightened by the contemporary and often mellow electronic soundtrack. The game certainly has issues, particularly around its English translation, but I can look past that and just enjoy the chilled atmosphere.
Non-RPG 1: Dynasty Warriors 7
Dynasty Warriors is one of my longest-running favourite series outside the RPG genre. I have chosen DW7 as my pick here purely because it includes the best gameplay modes and my two favourite characters — Xiahou Ba and Guan Suo, both with their best weapon types. In terms of gameplay and how the main story mode plays, I also recommend Dynasty Warriors 3 and 5. There’s just something incredibly satisfying about mowing down thousands of enemies.
Non-RPG 2: Silent Hill 2
I’m quite an anxious person, so I find playing horror games a challenge due to how intense they are. Silent Hill 2 was certainly not an exception to this — I found it very stressful to play. But I loved it all the same. The style of horror here is both in the more obvious sense as well as a creepier psychological one. You encounter no end of disturbing, scary characters and monsters as you delve into the psyche of James Sunderland while he journeys through Silent Hill looking for… his wife? I don’t think I’ve experienced panic quite the same way in any other game as in the moments where you encounter Pyramid Head. Can I handle playing the remake? We’ll see…
