Noticed he doesn’t talk a lot about suikoden in general lol maybe he tried and it didn’t grab him, which would be very surprising because his favorite series Trails is like a modern Suikoden in terms of world building.
When I walk around NYC on my way to work I often listen to the Lunar 1 and Lunar 2 OSTs and wonder if I’m the only person in the entire city listening to that music.
You're not alone in your struggle with Vagrant Story. It's very difficult and cumbersome. It's also one of those games you really have to read the manual to figure out. Since I struggled the same as you a few years back I decided to make a video literally just to explain the battle system for new players. It's 20 minutes and still doesn't cover everything.
Tarks! Good to see you. I picked up / played Utawarerumono series because of you, WOW THAT THIRD GAME WAS AMAZING (Mask of Truth) so thank you for that recommendation. Unfortunately your review of Trails Crossbell arc had what I thought was a pretty hard plot spoiler so I've actively been avoiding your channel for however many years after seeing that (which I saw before playing Crossbell). I wish I were joking, but to be clear us youtube audiences are fickle as **** and I'm not going to risk getting plot spoiled, there are plenty of good JRPG creators on here. For both of you -- 13 Sentinels is a great visual novel if you haven't played it yet, Steins Gate as well but honestly the SG anime is better because pacing. But yeah Tarks -- sorry/not sorry I've been avoiding you but I'm not going to watch videos from a channel which spoiled broad brushstrokes of a certain games' plot, especially in a series like Trails which is heavily about plot / worldbuilding. Not even close to being worth the risk in my mind. Did want to tell you tho bc you seem like a good guy and glad I've been able to even if it's on a different channel. In the meantime Vagrant Story let's gooooooo. Great game, imo worth figuring out, imo other game like it in the PS1 / 2 era. Thx for the video Branden!
@@Ronjonbify I appreciate the honesty, sure. But nothing I can do with it considering I typically avoid any real spoilers and people call EVERYTHING a spoiler these days. Given that, I have no clue what you're talking about lol. But it's all good. Enjoy your TH-cam journeys friend.
As an european, it is so sad how many great gems we missed back in the day. Games like lunars, arc the lads, tales of eternia, valkyrie profile, xenogears... i only played them like 15 years ago when i bought them from ebay to the collection. It cost a bit but nothing like nowadays. All great games man
What I can give you a tip about Vagrant history is to use buffs and debuffs whenever you can, as long as the enemy is not immune or keeps removing your buff. Use Analyzes to see what the enemy is resistant to, because the question is not so much what the enemy is weak to, but what he is resistant to, and there is no point in using them against him. Every type of weapon has 3 skills. Sometimes the skill's damage helps (but costs HP). Combo risk also helps. Just don't let the risk go up too much, it affects the hit and makes you take more damage. Combining weapons is important in forges, but the first forge is not that useful due to its material restrictions, and sometimes you just won't get a better result than you already have at the moment. Gems in weapons also help. Have different weapons for different types of enemies. If I remember correctly, ghosts and zombies are quite weak to Silver weapons, because Silver weapons already come with extra damage against this type of enemy. However, Silver is only found or dropped, not forged, for 90% of the game. dragon doesn't use Breath attacks if you are close to it, in case that was one of the problems. sorry for the long text
Good video Branden! Really nice collection! I only own 8 PS1 games. Three of them are currently worth $100+. I really miss my copies of BoF3 & 4, lost almost all of my original PS games to a theft. At least I was able to get both digitally on the Vita, but that doesn't let me access my 100% completion save files! 😢 BoF 3 had better systems, but 4 is the best overall in the series. Unless you really get into them, I'd probably skip 1 & 2 (or at least just play them emulated so you can use save states and speed-up functions). Lunar might be corny, but very importantly, it also feels SINCERE in a way that a lot of modern games don't. I have never bought games as an investment, but I've had to sell some of them over the last year or so to make ends meet, and I had to properly inventory them. Xenogears is probably one of the top five highest price increases in my collection (bought it new straight from the SE store for $20). Not exactly a JRPG (although I'd argue that it's not "not" one), but my most pricey PS1 game is Castlevania SotN. Congrats on your spot at PAX! I got to go once, it was really fun.
I like what you're saying about Lunar feeling sincere. That's a really good point. Back before we layered everything in tons of irony, people were making stuff that was just light and fun and great.
Vagrant Story is probably in my top ten...maybe top five favorite games. I got it for rather inexpensive too. The combat system can be broken down to: What weapon types work the best for each enemy. Adding buffs for maximum damage output/defense Rationing your items and keeping an eye on the Risk meter.
When I was a young g teen I had: Grandia, FF7-9, ff anthologies, ff tactics, lunar sss, lunar eb, suikoden 1&2, xenogears, legend of legia, legend of dragoon, star ocean ss, wild arms 1&2, persona, tales of destiny, vagrant story, thousand arms, alundra, and more I can’t recall. I lost all my childhood possessions 18 years ago and man does it pain me. I also had all the resident evils, parasite eve 1&2 and so much more I can’t remember. I beat almost all of these and will forever remember this as the best era in gaming. I think lunar sss and even were my favorites.
Unhide the cringe until the end of PAX! I realized I’m missing 2 of your 11 games. The Ghaleon Puppet has traveled states with me since I got it as a preorder. The rarest games I own are Tail Concerto and Persona 2 Eternal Punishment.
Breath of Fire 3 is my favorite JRPG of all time. I played it a ton as a kid and went back to beat it a few years ago fearing that nostalgia was going to be the defining factor and it wasn't actually that good of a game. I am happy to admit that i was completely wrong and i enjoyed it even more than i did when i first played it as a kid. There's so many things to love about this game and hopefully you'll make a video soon about playing it after seeing this recommendation :)
Hey, Vagrant Story fan here (in my top 5 games of all time). Is it worth it? ABSOLUTELY!! :) I will admit though, the combat and the crafting system are tough to grasp. That is part of its design, though. It was intended to be a hard game. May fans compare it to the Souls series in that way, and there are quite a few similarities. But where the Souls series relies more on dodging and reacting during real-time combat, Vagrant Story challenges you to figure out its many layers in the combat and crafting systems. The key to the combat system is in the weapon types and affinities. Once you get the Analyze spell, use it on enemies to see what type (edged, blunt, piercing) they are weak against, and use that weapon. Using affinities also helps a ton (water against fire, etc.). To give yourself even more edge, use stat-boosting spells like strength up, and decrease stats on enemies. Once you get a hang of it, you will find a wonderfully layered game with amazing cutscenes, writing, and storytelling that rivals even the best of what we see today. And this was almost 25 years ago! In fact, many articles have been written about the masterful English localization, and its storytelling. That being said, I do think a good remaster or remake would do wonders for this game in making it more approachable, while still keeping the complexity and depth in tact.
You don’t have a suikoden 2?! Although we didn’t get the majority of jrpgs in the uk we at least got the better artwork and the better ps1 cases. I had to import tales of destiny, wild arms 2, lunar
I think I got a used copy of Koudelka many years ago now at a GameStop for around $15 😮 Game prices are wild sometimes. Also, I always love seeing those Lunar boxes. They are just…quintessential somehow. ❤
Nice list. Alundra is an amazing game, sad story too. Stick through it, you'll love it. Regarding the Galleon (sp) puppet, I have 2 of them....meh. Fun fact, they were supposed to release an Alex puppet but never did. Also,no Valkyrie Profile, Suikoden 1 & 2? Hopefully, you have other means to play these gems. Side Note: own all these including the demo disc in Vagrant Story and then some. Can't say I've actually gone through my ps1 collection to see what is the most expensive item i own.
I own and have beaten Alundra, preordered back in the day. It a great game, to this day it still has some of the hardest puzzles in any game. The story is dark and mature, also its highly similar to Landstalker.
My most expensive ps1 game is suikoden ii. I got a pretty good deal on it last year and got it for $175. Have been trying to pick up a copy of Valkyrie Profile for a while now, which will surpass suikoden ii as my most expensive.
I own the Ghaleon punching puppet! And the box for it. It’s amazing and absolutely worth seeking out. I wish they released the Alex punching puppet but they never did…
Im with you on Vagrant Story. I have tried this game probably half a dozen times and always quit an hour or two into it. Just could not grasp the combat system. But yeah, the art style, atmospheric and direction is incredible and the reason i kept retrying it. I should seriously bust it out one day and just follow a walkthrough. Lol
I’m actually really into Vagrant Story but haven’t beaten it because I keep getting side tracked by something else, either another game or life. I do want to get back to it, just need early retirement, lol. Nice list and thank you for sharing.
As an european JRPG collector who only buy CIB games, prices are even worse with shipping and taxes. Still, I only collect NTSC-US Black label games for the PS1, because they run better, because a handful of them were never released in Europe, and because they simply look cooler than PAL boxes. I guess my most priced one is Valkyrie Profile and I'm surprised it didn't make your list, it's a great game. You should also try out Breath of Fire III for the OST alone, it's banger after banger. And finally, you're not alone on the Vagrant Story boat, I also have it but never got hooked into it.
Alundra is one of those games that was in and out of my collection 3 times (back in the day, and twice before it got expensive) and has resulting in me uttering expletives while playing. I wanted to like it, but I found it to be frustrating. For value, I can only match you with Lunar 2 Eternal Blue,. Yes, the puppet was a preorder bonus, and I have it (Christmas gift back in the day from my in-laws). It is one of the few that kept (and on my pile of shame!). Sadly, most of my ps1 era jrpgs are long gone.
Alundra is my favorite game ever, I really hope you enjoy it as much as i did the first time I played it. The gameplay can be a bit wonky but its more than worth it for the story, it goes deeper and harder that you would expect. Now i'm really looking forward to your video on it, as you said more people has to know about it
There was a time when PS1 games were worth more as coasters than games. I wish I had bought up all these elusive titles back then. Glad we at least have emulation.
I bought it as a kid and I had the same issue as you with Vagrant Story. I love the idea of it and the setting and the characters, but the gameplay was just inscrutable and the other aspects of it couldn't get me to learn its systems. I had ToD on preorder as a kid and when I went to pick it up, the clerk said, "I didn't even know this game was coming out." Just like you, it never clicked, though I did like ToP when it played the PS1 version a few years back. I did play the (gorgeous) PS2 remake of ToD, but even that couldn't really win me over either. For BoF, I think you should start with either 3 or 4. They're both great. I would say the game systems and especially Dragon mechanic in 3 is better, but I would give the nod to 4 for the story. I also bought pretty much all of WD games when they came out in the US and got the Ghaelon puppet. It's really high quality. Like you, I was really stoked for it, but remember being pretty let down when I played it. I didn't realize it was a remake of an older game so it felt very bare bones to me, though I do agree it oozes charm. I also picked up Alundra and was liking it well enough, but the puzzles are brutal and I didn't care for a lot of WD's localization decisions in it. (Same goes for Lunar, really. Nothing takes you out of a world faster than Bill Clinton and Michael Bolton references.) I've been selling off my old JRPG collection holding on to games that only meant a ton to me, so nowadays, of what remains, the most expensive one I have is probably Suikoden 2 and then the Lunars and AtL collection. (I do have ToD2, but that one's on the block to be sold.) I've rebought most of the games in Japanese and all those were super cheap, so nothing really exciting there. I think the most expensive JP game I have are my DS Castlevanias (weirdly expensive) then the crown jewel is a lesser known Gamefreak ARPG called BUSHI Seiryūden, which I received as a gift for interpreting for a developer.
Short version of a very long story-- I worked at Electronics Boutique during the end of the PSX era (from '00-'02-ish). My store had a fire during the holiday season and, long story short, anything in inventory (including a lot of JRPGs on this list) we had to pack up and send away to the insurance company. The Ghaleon punching puppets were not inventoried and were essentially free to anyone that wanted them. I had an unopened case of those puppets (At least 12. Maybe 24? It's been a long time.). Years later, split with the girl I was dating and, as we were living together at the time, I told her to take whatever she wanted and that was that. She also worked at EB (yeah, I know. I was young and stupid) and wasn't much of an RPG fan but instead just liked the random collectibles/giveaways we would get from the reps. I'm 100% certain they've been split up and sold and they're better in the hands of multiple collectors than my (or her) closet a couple decades later. Moral of the story kids-- don't date co-workers. Or something.
Really nice set of games you've got there! I'm inspired to do this kind of topic, but with my Nintendo Switch JRPGs, which you've probably already covered yourself anyway 🤣
Breath of Fire 4 is widely considered the best Breath of Fire ever made and that's saying something since 3 and 4 are both masterpieces. I highly recommend you playing it. The combat system especially is really amazing with having 3 back row party members and 3 front row. The entire series is pretty great. I prefer 3 to 4 for a couple of reasons. I really like the jazzy soundtrack of 3. Also I prefer the characters in 3 slightly to 4. And finally the fusions in 3 are one of the coolest things in any RPG ever. But it's really a toss up which is better. Anyone that says 2 is the best has not played it in a LONG time or is completely blinded by nostalgia. It's still a great game but it has not aged particularly well. If you do play 2 (which I highly recommend, it is a great JRPG) make sure that you get the English patch for it as the original localization is among the worst ever created. Love Lunar Silver Star Story. People poo poo on Working Designs a lot for some reason but I loved their localization with the jokes and pop culture references. Tales of Destiny is so fun. I loved it back in the day. Having the talking swords who did the magic while you did the sword techniques was super fun and the combat system at the time was super unique. The reason they named it Tales of Destiny 2 instead of Tales of Eternia (if you didn't know) is because He-Man (Hannah Barbara? not sure who owns He-Man) had the rights to the word Eternia because I believe that's the name of the kingdom in He-Man. Dude Octopi are rad. And did you just say you're joshing me? Is this 1995? I guess we're talking about the PSX so it fits. Oh man, Xenogears...one of the greatest games of all time, even with that second disc. I swear all they have to do is remaster it but make the second disc the same as the first (and make it HD/widescreen) and they would make a fortune on it. It was your first Playstation game? Not for me. My first was Battle Arena Toshinden that came with the Playstation at release. And my first Playstation JRPG was Beyond the Beyond which I believe was the first JRPG released in the west on the PSX. Love Arc the Lad 1 and 2. 3 wasn't great. But Twilight of the Spirits on the PS2 is one of my favorite JRPGs on that system. Lunar 2 is so great. But I was a dumb boy when I played it. I loved the whole turning into the dragon knight in Lunar 1 and in Lunar 2 I figured you'd do that with Hiro and when you never did I got all emo about it. So I didn't enjoy it as much as I should have. I was weird.... When Shadow Hearts came out I really wanted it on the PS2 and somehow I found out that Koudelka was a prequel, so I found it at like a Hollywood video in the bargain bin I think? And I played it before playing Shadow Hearts and Covenant (one of the best JRPGs on the PS2) I own most of the games you've listed here. never owned or played Vagrant Story or Thousand Arms. But I own BoF4, Lunar 1, Tales of Destiny, Xenogears, Arc the Lad, Lunar 2, Koudelka, Tales of Destiny 2, and I owned Alundra back in the day but I do not own it anymore so I must have traded it in. Unfortunately when I left for college I got rid of ALL of my jewel cases, instruction books, and all the working design extras, and put all my games in one of those CD books we all had in our cars back in the day. So I have all the discs but not complete in box. Super sad but what're you gonna do?
Back then it was already known that only the US versions of games are/would be worth anything. Being from Europe, I was simply too young at time to have the funds to buy all the games that I wanted, let alone import the US versions of the games. I did manage to import Lunar 1 and 2 for the PS1 back when they were released for a small fortune, which didn't even get released in Europe.
I have half of those. I picked them up and played them during their era, so I never paid anything crazy for any of them. Sadly, a water leak look out most of my boxes. Games were safely in a binder elsewhere at least. I never got very far in Vagrant Story, but still want to get to it eventually. Finished the Lunar games, Xenogears, and Alundra multiple times. I played the Lunar games the last few summers. I want to give Xenogears and Alundra another playthrough each. Alundra is one of a kind with good puzzles throughout, but the story is a little dark.
A lot of greats in this video - apologies for a stream-of-consciousness rant, I just get really excited about PS1 (and SNES)-era JRPGs. I share your frustration with Vagrant Story! I wish the gameplay didn't turn me off from how good the art and story are. BoF IV is worth the play, but the BoF series really isn't my favorite. I think BoF II is my favorite of them, but I haven't replayed III and IV in a while. I'm actually replaying Lunar now - excited to dive into a review once I'm done. You gotta finish Arc the Lad II - it's so good, and so worth it. (III is not, unfortunately.) I only ever rented Lunar 2, and I really struggled with it as a teen, so I didn't seek it out to buy it. I only heard about Koudelka for the first time in the past couple years. Among the rest, my faves are your faves (Xenogears is maybe my #2 or #3 game of all time), and the ones that aren't your faves are ones I wasn't looking out for anyway. But I miss games from this era - and I'm not sure if it's just nostalgia goggles or if they are actually more to my taste. As for my most expensive game - I think it's probably Suikoden 2, but I don't have it full in box, I only got the loose disc. Still worth it. One of my all time faves. Thanks for a great video!
Your artist wife perked up at the words “watercolor”. I took a look at some imagery from Breath of Fire 4, I don’t think I would describe it as watercolor, but I do see a softness to it. I would say it is closer to a chalk pastel, especially in the sky. I know this isn’t important, but comments help algorithms or something, and that’s all I feel like I’m qualified to talk about. I guess I could also concur that the prices are “too much”. 😊
I am so sad that Xenogears has to this day never had an official release in Europe :((( not even digitally on the PSN. At least with a lot of the other heavy hitter PS1 rpgs we at least got a rerelease of it like with Valkyrie Profile, Tales of Eternia, Final Fantasy Tactics, Tactics Ogre, Lunar Silver Star Story, Persona 1 and Innocent Sin, which all got ports/remakes on the PSP.... Damn there are a fuckton of PS1 ports on the PSP isn't there? And we also finally got Chrono Cross with the modern radical dreamers edition.
Man I really enjoy your content. I've said this before. We both have the exact same interest in games specifically JRPG. I was in my shed at my cabin and I was cleaning out some of my things and I found lunar 2 in pristine condition. What is so wild about that is the shed is falling down and it's just a junk storage area but it's missing a part of the roof. I had no clue lunar was even out there or I even owned ir. It was only the jewel case I found but all discs were In immaculate condition. Thing is I don't remember buying it. I had the little hard back book that came in the collectors edition in my night stand drawer and I would look at that book from time to time and for the life of me I couldn't remember how I came to own the book. Looking at it triggered vague memories of it but I had lunar on the Sega CD...it was one of 3 games I owned for that system....but when I found lunar 2 in the shed I guess I actually bought the big box way back. Still to this day I don't remember it. But finding it and seeing it's value is what triggered me to go and get all of my games together on a bookcase. I never realized how many games I had spanning from PS1 to current gen PS5. That is what unleashed the monster known as video game collecting for me. And that is when I found your channel. Your video popped up on my feed about 10 months ago. I remember you talking about how you play shmups in between jrpgs. I even think you talked about a game called poison control which I finally got around to playing last week and again you were right on point. Great game super fun to pick up and play in short bursts especially. Keep up the amazing work dude. I hope one day I get the opportunity to cross paths with you. I bet I could sit for hours and talk about games we played in our childhood bc we're about the exact same age. Thanks for your hard work and great content. We appreciate you and all you do
Thanks so much for that! It's astounding what you can find that you've just long since forgotten about. If you're ever at a convention I'm at, come say hi (and mention the Lunar 2-in-the-shed story so I'll know it's you)
I've never been to a convention but I've been hearing about them lately and I would love to go. Is there somewhere that has a schedule of upcoming ones or do you know if there are any in the state of North Carolina particularly Raleigh Durham chapel Hill Greensboro Winston Salem areas.
@@joshuaterrell8971 the biggest one I'm aware of in that area is the Southeast Game Exchange (SEGE). It's in Greenville, SC, so about 2 hours from Charlotte
@@JustTheGems I've actually heard of that convention recently. I live about 4 hours from there and it's otw to some ofy family in Georgia. I believe that convention just happened recently. When does it come around
I had all of those. Many more too cib. Now I have like 3 PS1 jrpgs 😢 I paid about $8 for koudelka, and I didn't know at the time it was the prequel to my favorite game of all time Shadow hearts. I own all the Shadow hearts at least complete, and I do have the galleon punching puppet. I used to have big box Lunars, I settled for a non box version of sssc. I wish I had eternal blue it's so much better. I'm so stupid for trading them in decades ago.
My most expensive game I own is probably Valkyrie Profile for the PS1. TBH I dont really like Breath of Fire 1 and 2, I do recommend 3 and 4. I think alot of people struggle with Vagrant Story, myself included. But I love the story myself so it was worth it for me.
I’ve seen all from 1980-Now I have every console as well as tons of games what a life of gaming throughout the decades SNES PS1 PS2 the RPG Juggernauts
Great lot of games there! I don't have a ton of PS1 games - if I can play a remaster or remake I usually go for that! Glad lots of these are available in other ways!
Lunar 2 was so much better than Lunar 1, glad that someone finally acknowledged that this could be the case but because Lunar 1 was remade so many times, many gamers Might just think it's better.
According to my collection, my most expensive PS1 game is persona revelations series (but I dont have it in double case so im still not satisfied). My second one is persona 2 (with bonus disc). Funny thing is I still have the original price on it (from 20 years ago maybe) at 14.99$ canadian. I believe I bought it in a pawnshop when PS1 games where cheap because PS2 was the console of the moment. So after haggling, I must have paid about 10 or 11$ usd. Good catch.
@@JustTheGems I got the flu in 2010 and decided to play it. I had no idea it was worth anything, It was still in its orgional packaging and wrapping =( If only I knew.
I still have my original copy of suikoden 2, didn’t realise it was such a limited run In the uk. Only one store out of 4 large game stores in my city had a single copy on release date and I was lucky enough to purchase it
Speaking of being old. I’m pretty sure that your birthday is around about now? Because mine is around about now and I think yours was around the time mine is. So happy birthday Branden x
I only have 4 out of your 10 Vagrant Story, Breath of Fire 4, Alundra and Kudelka. But a lot of your RPGs never came to the PAL Regions ... The Lunars Xenogears for example.... And i was SO surprised Hearing that Kudelka is so pricey... I don't know maybe the PAL copies of this Game are cheaper. The Legend of Dragoon is infamous for its high price here.
Are the lunar songs corny? You betcha. Can I still sing every line? Oh yeah. Heh. Man, I wish i hadn't lost some of the extras that came in the boxes for Lunar 1&2 and Arc the Lad. And if you haven't played the ps2 remake of ToD, you should give it a go, I'm having a lot of fun with it. For ToD2, at least at one point, the PSP remaster was pretty cheap, so that'd be an option too. Without checking, I would think my most expensive games are Persona 1 and 2, i think the prices for those are up there. I really want a remake for the persona 2 duology.
@@JustTheGems I played both as a teenager exploring places that had every SNES/Super Famicom RPG available. The combat system’s novelty really landed for me at the time and I think the stories are pretty good. Tales of the Abyss on the PS2 is absolutely stunning tho. Gotta try that one if you haven’t already.
I own a copy of Breath of Fire II for the SNES, but will play the fan-translated ROM instead. Can’t believe Capcom fumbled so badly with the official translation.
Vagrant story isn't worth the struggle session to get to the point you might start to enjoy it. Pass on it dude much better games to enjoy with your spare time. Want a oddball but great game, Lost Odyssey.
To be fair, I like that Limited Run at least does fully open preorders, so if I want a particular game at least I can get it. But FOMO is a big problem in general😖
@@JustTheGems Unfortunately I would rather pay scalper prices for LRG products. I used to really be on board with them because they gave indie games and out of print/online only games a chance, However now they are way too greedy. There is no reason companies like Sega should be working with them especially for games that would sell like the P3P/P4 Golden modern console physical’s announced not too long ago. Sega should be more than capable to handle that themselves and I’m disappointed they are working with them. My last purchase from LRG directly was the last straw. TMNT Radical Edition (CE) for Shredders Revenge, gift for my wife. Arrives 1 year 3 months later, but then they have the nerve to announce a 1 year anniversary edition with the DLC already and the cart and disc!?! So I paid the top tier premium edition for a game and one week later they announced a version with all the DLC on it for cheaper. The fact they didn’t included the Anniversary copy for those who paid top dollar is really bad customer service. Plus they used CD-Rs recently for Sega CD games announced which is really lazy. Kinda breaks my heart to be honest, I love physical games but LRG are slowly becoming the monopoly on all the physical games people want which to me is a net negative for physical collectors.
Young me absolutely loved Vagrant Story to a somewhat unhealthy level and beat it more than once. Old me popped it back in and also sucked sucked sucked. PSOne era games are definitely a muscle capable of atrophy.
@@JustTheGemsThere’s a chance I was smarter back then too. Or just had the mental bandwidth to understand whatever the heck is going on in Vagrant Story. Weapon hilts? Affinities? Buh? Young Me was tripping over free time compared to Old Me, didn’t bat an eye at this stuff. Regardless! Still remember friggin loving how dramatic Vagrant Story was! Not giving up my physical copy ever. :D
BUT!!! Do you have the lunar 1,2, arc the lad, vanguard bandits STRATEGY GUIDES?!?! You're not a real gamer/collector/youtuber/human being, without those hardcover books...
You’re missing out on Suikoden and Suikoden II. Both phenomenal games that compete with the best final fantasy titles on PS1
Noticed he doesn’t talk a lot about suikoden in general lol maybe he tried and it didn’t grab him, which would be very surprising because his favorite series Trails is like a modern Suikoden in terms of world building.
When I walk around NYC on my way to work I often listen to the Lunar 1 and Lunar 2 OSTs and wonder if I’m the only person in the entire city listening to that music.
You're not alone in your struggle with Vagrant Story. It's very difficult and cumbersome. It's also one of those games you really have to read the manual to figure out.
Since I struggled the same as you a few years back I decided to make a video literally just to explain the battle system for new players.
It's 20 minutes and still doesn't cover everything.
So glad to hear I'm not alone. And I have your video bookmarked for when I eventually decide to tackle it again.😅
Tarks! Good to see you. I picked up / played Utawarerumono series because of you, WOW THAT THIRD GAME WAS AMAZING (Mask of Truth) so thank you for that recommendation. Unfortunately your review of Trails Crossbell arc had what I thought was a pretty hard plot spoiler so I've actively been avoiding your channel for however many years after seeing that (which I saw before playing Crossbell). I wish I were joking, but to be clear us youtube audiences are fickle as **** and I'm not going to risk getting plot spoiled, there are plenty of good JRPG creators on here.
For both of you -- 13 Sentinels is a great visual novel if you haven't played it yet, Steins Gate as well but honestly the SG anime is better because pacing. But yeah Tarks -- sorry/not sorry I've been avoiding you but I'm not going to watch videos from a channel which spoiled broad brushstrokes of a certain games' plot, especially in a series like Trails which is heavily about plot / worldbuilding. Not even close to being worth the risk in my mind. Did want to tell you tho bc you seem like a good guy and glad I've been able to even if it's on a different channel.
In the meantime Vagrant Story let's gooooooo. Great game, imo worth figuring out, imo other game like it in the PS1 / 2 era. Thx for the video Branden!
@@Ronjonbify I appreciate the honesty, sure. But nothing I can do with it considering I typically avoid any real spoilers and people call EVERYTHING a spoiler these days. Given that, I have no clue what you're talking about lol. But it's all good. Enjoy your TH-cam journeys friend.
@@TarksGauntlet Thanks! Definitely all good. Thanks, hope you have a great day too 👍
As an european, it is so sad how many great gems we missed back in the day. Games like lunars, arc the lads, tales of eternia, valkyrie profile, xenogears... i only played them like 15 years ago when i bought them from ebay to the collection. It cost a bit but nothing like nowadays. All great games man
Breath of Fire IV is still one of my favourite games of all time. It is absolutely worth a play.
What I can give you a tip about Vagrant history is to use buffs and debuffs whenever you can, as long as the enemy is not immune or keeps removing your buff. Use Analyzes to see what the enemy is resistant to, because the question is not so much what the enemy is weak to, but what he is resistant to, and there is no point in using them against him. Every type of weapon has 3 skills. Sometimes the skill's damage helps (but costs HP). Combo risk also helps. Just don't let the risk go up too much, it affects the hit and makes you take more damage.
Combining weapons is important in forges, but the first forge is not that useful due to its material restrictions, and sometimes you just won't get a better result than you already have at the moment. Gems in weapons also help.
Have different weapons for different types of enemies. If I remember correctly, ghosts and zombies are quite weak to Silver weapons, because Silver weapons already come with extra damage against this type of enemy. However, Silver is only found or dropped, not forged, for 90% of the game.
dragon doesn't use Breath attacks if you are close to it, in case that was one of the problems.
sorry for the long text
Good video Branden! Really nice collection!
I only own 8 PS1 games. Three of them are currently worth $100+.
I really miss my copies of BoF3 & 4, lost almost all of my original PS games to a theft. At least I was able to get both digitally on the Vita, but that doesn't let me access my 100% completion save files! 😢
BoF 3 had better systems, but 4 is the best overall in the series. Unless you really get into them, I'd probably skip 1 & 2 (or at least just play them emulated so you can use save states and speed-up functions).
Lunar might be corny, but very importantly, it also feels SINCERE in a way that a lot of modern games don't.
I have never bought games as an investment, but I've had to sell some of them over the last year or so to make ends meet, and I had to properly inventory them. Xenogears is probably one of the top five highest price increases in my collection (bought it new straight from the SE store for $20).
Not exactly a JRPG (although I'd argue that it's not "not" one), but my most pricey PS1 game is Castlevania SotN.
Congrats on your spot at PAX! I got to go once, it was really fun.
I like what you're saying about Lunar feeling sincere. That's a really good point. Back before we layered everything in tons of irony, people were making stuff that was just light and fun and great.
Vagrant Story is probably in my top ten...maybe top five favorite games. I got it for rather inexpensive too.
The combat system can be broken down to:
What weapon types work the best for each enemy.
Adding buffs for maximum damage output/defense
Rationing your items and keeping an eye on the Risk meter.
When I was a young g teen I had: Grandia, FF7-9, ff anthologies, ff tactics, lunar sss, lunar eb, suikoden 1&2, xenogears, legend of legia, legend of dragoon, star ocean ss, wild arms 1&2, persona, tales of destiny, vagrant story, thousand arms, alundra, and more I can’t recall.
I lost all my childhood possessions 18 years ago and man does it pain me. I also had all the resident evils, parasite eve 1&2 and so much more I can’t remember. I beat almost all of these and will forever remember this as the best era in gaming. I think lunar sss and even were my favorites.
Love the slowly spinning dish for the games. Reminds me of a museum or QVC commercial 😂
Unhide the cringe until the end of PAX!
I realized I’m missing 2 of your 11 games. The Ghaleon Puppet has traveled states with me since I got it as a preorder.
The rarest games I own are Tail Concerto and Persona 2 Eternal Punishment.
Oh man I would LOVE to one day get my hands on at least Persona 2.
Breath of Fire 3 is my favorite JRPG of all time. I played it a ton as a kid and went back to beat it a few years ago fearing that nostalgia was going to be the defining factor and it wasn't actually that good of a game. I am happy to admit that i was completely wrong and i enjoyed it even more than i did when i first played it as a kid. There's so many things to love about this game and hopefully you'll make a video soon about playing it after seeing this recommendation :)
BOF 3 is a great game. ❤
Hey, Vagrant Story fan here (in my top 5 games of all time). Is it worth it? ABSOLUTELY!! :)
I will admit though, the combat and the crafting system are tough to grasp. That is part of its design, though. It was intended to be a hard game. May fans compare it to the Souls series in that way, and there are quite a few similarities. But where the Souls series relies more on dodging and reacting during real-time combat, Vagrant Story challenges you to figure out its many layers in the combat and crafting systems.
The key to the combat system is in the weapon types and affinities. Once you get the Analyze spell, use it on enemies to see what type (edged, blunt, piercing) they are weak against, and use that weapon. Using affinities also helps a ton (water against fire, etc.). To give yourself even more edge, use stat-boosting spells like strength up, and decrease stats on enemies.
Once you get a hang of it, you will find a wonderfully layered game with amazing cutscenes, writing, and storytelling that rivals even the best of what we see today. And this was almost 25 years ago! In fact, many articles have been written about the masterful English localization, and its storytelling.
That being said, I do think a good remaster or remake would do wonders for this game in making it more approachable, while still keeping the complexity and depth in tact.
A goal of mine is a) buy a house, lol but b) have a gaming room like yours and just collect games i like
You don’t have a suikoden 2?! Although we didn’t get the majority of jrpgs in the uk we at least got the better artwork and the better ps1 cases. I had to import tales of destiny, wild arms 2, lunar
You need both Suikoden games and the Holy Grail of JRPG on PS1 : Valkyrie Profile! It's such an incredible game!
I think I got a used copy of Koudelka many years ago now at a GameStop for around $15 😮
Game prices are wild sometimes.
Also, I always love seeing those Lunar boxes. They are just…quintessential somehow. ❤
I had no idea that my copy of Koudelka was worth so much! Loved that game when it came out and I love it still!
Nice list. Alundra is an amazing game, sad story too. Stick through it, you'll love it.
Regarding the Galleon (sp) puppet, I have 2 of them....meh. Fun fact, they were supposed to release an Alex puppet but never did.
Also,no Valkyrie Profile, Suikoden 1 & 2? Hopefully, you have other means to play these gems.
Side Note: own all these including the demo disc in Vagrant Story and then some. Can't say I've actually gone through my ps1 collection to see what is the most expensive item i own.
I love alundra!!!!!!! Finished it as a kid when it first came out!!! I wish it got a full remake!! Story and atmosphere was great
Koudelka is amazing worth every penny! .....but as long as it's not my money 😂
Haha right?? I was fortunate in that I got it long before it spiked this high
I own and have beaten Alundra, preordered back in the day. It a great game, to this day it still has some of the hardest puzzles in any game. The story is dark and mature, also its highly similar to Landstalker.
Alundra is easily in my top 10 of psx RPGs maybe even top 5. It is leagues above Zelda 3: A Link to the past.
My most expensive ps1 game is suikoden ii. I got a pretty good deal on it last year and got it for $175. Have been trying to pick up a copy of Valkyrie Profile for a while now, which will surpass suikoden ii as my most expensive.
I own the Ghaleon punching puppet! And the box for it. It’s amazing and absolutely worth seeking out. I wish they released the Alex punching puppet but they never did…
Vagrant Story was too hard for me, too. I also got stuck in the game.
We're not alone! It's happened to a lot of us!
Im with you on Vagrant Story. I have tried this game probably half a dozen times and always quit an hour or two into it. Just could not grasp the combat system. But yeah, the art style, atmospheric and direction is incredible and the reason i kept retrying it. I should seriously bust it out one day and just follow a walkthrough. Lol
I’m actually really into Vagrant Story but haven’t beaten it because I keep getting side tracked by something else, either another game or life. I do want to get back to it, just need early retirement, lol. Nice list and thank you for sharing.
Lovely collection! As a European, we didn't get most of these games localised at all. Hopefully more of these titles get rereleased!
As an european JRPG collector who only buy CIB games, prices are even worse with shipping and taxes. Still, I only collect NTSC-US Black label games for the PS1, because they run better, because a handful of them were never released in Europe, and because they simply look cooler than PAL boxes. I guess my most priced one is Valkyrie Profile and I'm surprised it didn't make your list, it's a great game. You should also try out Breath of Fire III for the OST alone, it's banger after banger. And finally, you're not alone on the Vagrant Story boat, I also have it but never got hooked into it.
Alundra is one of those games that was in and out of my collection 3 times (back in the day, and twice before it got expensive) and has resulting in me uttering expletives while playing. I wanted to like it, but I found it to be frustrating. For value, I can only match you with Lunar 2 Eternal Blue,. Yes, the puppet was a preorder bonus, and I have it (Christmas gift back in the day from my in-laws). It is one of the few that kept (and on my pile of shame!). Sadly, most of my ps1 era jrpgs are long gone.
Alundra is my favorite game ever, I really hope you enjoy it as much as i did the first time I played it. The gameplay can be a bit wonky but its more than worth it for the story, it goes deeper and harder that you would expect.
Now i'm really looking forward to your video on it, as you said more people has to know about it
There was a time when PS1 games were worth more as coasters than games. I wish I had bought up all these elusive titles back then. Glad we at least have emulation.
Bought it when it was not expensive but Suikoden II is worth it. Tactics Ogre also.
For Vagrant Story, you need to time your combos in iambic pentameter. Also, I'm sooo sad that I never got Koudelka before its price ballooned
I bought it as a kid and I had the same issue as you with Vagrant Story.
I love the idea of it and the setting and the characters, but the gameplay was just inscrutable and the other aspects of it couldn't get me to learn its systems.
I had ToD on preorder as a kid and when I went to pick it up, the clerk said, "I didn't even know this game was coming out."
Just like you, it never clicked, though I did like ToP when it played the PS1 version a few years back. I did play the (gorgeous) PS2 remake of ToD, but even that couldn't really win me over either.
For BoF, I think you should start with either 3 or 4. They're both great. I would say the game systems and especially Dragon mechanic in 3 is better, but I would give the nod to 4 for the story.
I also bought pretty much all of WD games when they came out in the US and got the Ghaelon puppet. It's really high quality. Like you, I was really stoked for it, but remember being pretty let down when I played it. I didn't realize it was a remake of an older game so it felt very bare bones to me, though I do agree it oozes charm.
I also picked up Alundra and was liking it well enough, but the puzzles are brutal and I didn't care for a lot of WD's localization decisions in it. (Same goes for Lunar, really. Nothing takes you out of a world faster than Bill Clinton and Michael Bolton references.)
I've been selling off my old JRPG collection holding on to games that only meant a ton to me, so nowadays, of what remains, the most expensive one I have is probably Suikoden 2 and then the Lunars and AtL collection. (I do have ToD2, but that one's on the block to be sold.)
I've rebought most of the games in Japanese and all those were super cheap, so nothing really exciting there.
I think the most expensive JP game I have are my DS Castlevanias (weirdly expensive) then the crown jewel is a lesser known Gamefreak ARPG called BUSHI Seiryūden, which I received as a gift for interpreting for a developer.
Short version of a very long story-- I worked at Electronics Boutique during the end of the PSX era (from '00-'02-ish). My store had a fire during the holiday season and, long story short, anything in inventory (including a lot of JRPGs on this list) we had to pack up and send away to the insurance company. The Ghaleon punching puppets were not inventoried and were essentially free to anyone that wanted them. I had an unopened case of those puppets (At least 12. Maybe 24? It's been a long time.). Years later, split with the girl I was dating and, as we were living together at the time, I told her to take whatever she wanted and that was that. She also worked at EB (yeah, I know. I was young and stupid) and wasn't much of an RPG fan but instead just liked the random collectibles/giveaways we would get from the reps.
I'm 100% certain they've been split up and sold and they're better in the hands of multiple collectors than my (or her) closet a couple decades later.
Moral of the story kids-- don't date co-workers. Or something.
I sure do love emulation
Really nice set of games you've got there! I'm inspired to do this kind of topic, but with my Nintendo Switch JRPGs, which you've probably already covered yourself anyway 🤣
Breath of Fire 4 is widely considered the best Breath of Fire ever made and that's saying something since 3 and 4 are both masterpieces. I highly recommend you playing it. The combat system especially is really amazing with having 3 back row party members and 3 front row. The entire series is pretty great. I prefer 3 to 4 for a couple of reasons. I really like the jazzy soundtrack of 3. Also I prefer the characters in 3 slightly to 4. And finally the fusions in 3 are one of the coolest things in any RPG ever. But it's really a toss up which is better. Anyone that says 2 is the best has not played it in a LONG time or is completely blinded by nostalgia. It's still a great game but it has not aged particularly well. If you do play 2 (which I highly recommend, it is a great JRPG) make sure that you get the English patch for it as the original localization is among the worst ever created.
Love Lunar Silver Star Story. People poo poo on Working Designs a lot for some reason but I loved their localization with the jokes and pop culture references.
Tales of Destiny is so fun. I loved it back in the day. Having the talking swords who did the magic while you did the sword techniques was super fun and the combat system at the time was super unique. The reason they named it Tales of Destiny 2 instead of Tales of Eternia (if you didn't know) is because He-Man (Hannah Barbara? not sure who owns He-Man) had the rights to the word Eternia because I believe that's the name of the kingdom in He-Man.
Dude Octopi are rad. And did you just say you're joshing me? Is this 1995? I guess we're talking about the PSX so it fits.
Oh man, Xenogears...one of the greatest games of all time, even with that second disc. I swear all they have to do is remaster it but make the second disc the same as the first (and make it HD/widescreen) and they would make a fortune on it. It was your first Playstation game? Not for me. My first was Battle Arena Toshinden that came with the Playstation at release. And my first Playstation JRPG was Beyond the Beyond which I believe was the first JRPG released in the west on the PSX.
Love Arc the Lad 1 and 2. 3 wasn't great. But Twilight of the Spirits on the PS2 is one of my favorite JRPGs on that system.
Lunar 2 is so great. But I was a dumb boy when I played it. I loved the whole turning into the dragon knight in Lunar 1 and in Lunar 2 I figured you'd do that with Hiro and when you never did I got all emo about it. So I didn't enjoy it as much as I should have. I was weird....
When Shadow Hearts came out I really wanted it on the PS2 and somehow I found out that Koudelka was a prequel, so I found it at like a Hollywood video in the bargain bin I think? And I played it before playing Shadow Hearts and Covenant (one of the best JRPGs on the PS2)
I own most of the games you've listed here. never owned or played Vagrant Story or Thousand Arms. But I own BoF4, Lunar 1, Tales of Destiny, Xenogears, Arc the Lad, Lunar 2, Koudelka, Tales of Destiny 2, and I owned Alundra back in the day but I do not own it anymore so I must have traded it in.
Unfortunately when I left for college I got rid of ALL of my jewel cases, instruction books, and all the working design extras, and put all my games in one of those CD books we all had in our cars back in the day. So I have all the discs but not complete in box. Super sad but what're you gonna do?
I have played Alundra and it is amazing, it is a dark themed story with some really difficult puzzles. I highly recommend it.
Back then it was already known that only the US versions of games are/would be worth anything. Being from Europe, I was simply too young at time to have the funds to buy all the games that I wanted, let alone import the US versions of the games. I did manage to import Lunar 1 and 2 for the PS1 back when they were released for a small fortune, which didn't even get released in Europe.
I have half of those. I picked them up and played them during their era, so I never paid anything crazy for any of them. Sadly, a water leak look out most of my boxes. Games were safely in a binder elsewhere at least. I never got very far in Vagrant Story, but still want to get to it eventually. Finished the Lunar games, Xenogears, and Alundra multiple times. I played the Lunar games the last few summers. I want to give Xenogears and Alundra another playthrough each. Alundra is one of a kind with good puzzles throughout, but the story is a little dark.
A lot of greats in this video - apologies for a stream-of-consciousness rant, I just get really excited about PS1 (and SNES)-era JRPGs.
I share your frustration with Vagrant Story! I wish the gameplay didn't turn me off from how good the art and story are. BoF IV is worth the play, but the BoF series really isn't my favorite. I think BoF II is my favorite of them, but I haven't replayed III and IV in a while. I'm actually replaying Lunar now - excited to dive into a review once I'm done. You gotta finish Arc the Lad II - it's so good, and so worth it. (III is not, unfortunately.) I only ever rented Lunar 2, and I really struggled with it as a teen, so I didn't seek it out to buy it. I only heard about Koudelka for the first time in the past couple years.
Among the rest, my faves are your faves (Xenogears is maybe my #2 or #3 game of all time), and the ones that aren't your faves are ones I wasn't looking out for anyway. But I miss games from this era - and I'm not sure if it's just nostalgia goggles or if they are actually more to my taste.
As for my most expensive game - I think it's probably Suikoden 2, but I don't have it full in box, I only got the loose disc. Still worth it. One of my all time faves.
Thanks for a great video!
Your artist wife perked up at the words “watercolor”. I took a look at some imagery from Breath of Fire 4, I don’t think I would describe it as watercolor, but I do see a softness to it. I would say it is closer to a chalk pastel, especially in the sky.
I know this isn’t important, but comments help algorithms or something, and that’s all I feel like I’m qualified to talk about. I guess I could also concur that the prices are “too much”. 😊
Chalk pastel, yes! It definitely has that feel.
I am so sad that Xenogears has to this day never had an official release in Europe :((( not even digitally on the PSN.
At least with a lot of the other heavy hitter PS1 rpgs we at least got a rerelease of it like with Valkyrie Profile, Tales of Eternia, Final Fantasy Tactics, Tactics Ogre, Lunar Silver Star Story, Persona 1 and Innocent Sin, which all got ports/remakes on the PSP.... Damn there are a fuckton of PS1 ports on the PSP isn't there?
And we also finally got Chrono Cross with the modern radical dreamers edition.
Man I really enjoy your content. I've said this before. We both have the exact same interest in games specifically JRPG. I was in my shed at my cabin and I was cleaning out some of my things and I found lunar 2 in pristine condition. What is so wild about that is the shed is falling down and it's just a junk storage area but it's missing a part of the roof. I had no clue lunar was even out there or I even owned ir. It was only the jewel case I found but all discs were In immaculate condition. Thing is I don't remember buying it. I had the little hard back book that came in the collectors edition in my night stand drawer and I would look at that book from time to time and for the life of me I couldn't remember how I came to own the book. Looking at it triggered vague memories of it but I had lunar on the Sega CD...it was one of 3 games I owned for that system....but when I found lunar 2 in the shed I guess I actually bought the big box way back. Still to this day I don't remember it. But finding it and seeing it's value is what triggered me to go and get all of my games together on a bookcase. I never realized how many games I had spanning from PS1 to current gen PS5. That is what unleashed the monster known as video game collecting for me. And that is when I found your channel. Your video popped up on my feed about 10 months ago. I remember you talking about how you play shmups in between jrpgs. I even think you talked about a game called poison control which I finally got around to playing last week and again you were right on point. Great game super fun to pick up and play in short bursts especially. Keep up the amazing work dude. I hope one day I get the opportunity to cross paths with you. I bet I could sit for hours and talk about games we played in our childhood bc we're about the exact same age. Thanks for your hard work and great content. We appreciate you and all you do
Thanks so much for that! It's astounding what you can find that you've just long since forgotten about.
If you're ever at a convention I'm at, come say hi (and mention the Lunar 2-in-the-shed story so I'll know it's you)
I've never been to a convention but I've been hearing about them lately and I would love to go. Is there somewhere that has a schedule of upcoming ones or do you know if there are any in the state of North Carolina particularly Raleigh Durham chapel Hill Greensboro Winston Salem areas.
@@joshuaterrell8971 the biggest one I'm aware of in that area is the Southeast Game Exchange (SEGE). It's in Greenville, SC, so about 2 hours from Charlotte
So it would be a bit of a hike from the Raleigh area but not insurmountable
@@JustTheGems I've actually heard of that convention recently. I live about 4 hours from there and it's otw to some ofy family in Georgia. I believe that convention just happened recently. When does it come around
Suikoden II is easily the most valuable PS1 game I have. I even got the strategy guide for it back in the day.
I had all of those. Many more too cib. Now I have like 3 PS1 jrpgs 😢 I paid about $8 for koudelka, and I didn't know at the time it was the prequel to my favorite game of all time Shadow hearts. I own all the Shadow hearts at least complete, and I do have the galleon punching puppet. I used to have big box Lunars, I settled for a non box version of sssc. I wish I had eternal blue it's so much better. I'm so stupid for trading them in decades ago.
My most expensive game I own is probably Valkyrie Profile for the PS1. TBH I dont really like Breath of Fire 1 and 2, I do recommend 3 and 4.
I think alot of people struggle with Vagrant Story, myself included. But I love the story myself so it was worth it for me.
I’ve seen all from 1980-Now I have every console as well as tons of games what a life of gaming throughout the decades SNES PS1 PS2 the RPG Juggernauts
Such an amazing run of games
I recommend playing 1,2,3 then 4 or Breath of Fire. 1-3 are highly connected, 4 is also connected, just different.
Great lot of games there! I don't have a ton of PS1 games - if I can play a remaster or remake I usually go for that! Glad lots of these are available in other ways!
Me too! Remasters do so much to smooth off the rough edges of that generation 😅
Breath of Fire 3 and 4 I believe is peak Sprite work on the PS1. BOF3 is my personal favorite JRPG of all time.
Those are two games I'm really looking forward to
Lunar 2 was so much better than Lunar 1, glad that someone finally acknowledged that this could be the case but because Lunar 1 was remade so many times, many gamers Might just think it's better.
According to my collection, my most expensive PS1 game is persona revelations series (but I dont have it in double case so im still not satisfied).
My second one is persona 2 (with bonus disc). Funny thing is I still have the original price on it (from 20 years ago maybe) at 14.99$ canadian. I believe I bought it in a pawnshop when PS1 games where cheap because PS2 was the console of the moment. So after haggling, I must have paid about 10 or 11$ usd. Good catch.
Oh dang, I'm so jealous of the Personas! I'd love to have those in the collection
suikoden 2? final fantasy tactics? parasite eve?
I don't have Suikoden 2 anymore, but that would definitely be either #1 or #2
@@JustTheGems I got the flu in 2010 and decided to play it. I had no idea it was worth anything, It was still in its orgional packaging and wrapping =( If only I knew.
I still have my original copy of suikoden 2, didn’t realise it was such a limited run In the uk. Only one store out of 4 large game stores in my city had a single copy on release date and I was lucky enough to purchase it
Speaking of being old. I’m pretty sure that your birthday is around about now? Because mine is around about now and I think yours was around the time mine is. So happy birthday Branden x
Thank you so much! Happy birthday to you too!
I only have 4 out of your 10 Vagrant Story, Breath of Fire 4, Alundra and Kudelka. But a lot of your RPGs never came to the PAL Regions ... The Lunars Xenogears for example.... And i was SO surprised Hearing that Kudelka is so pricey... I don't know maybe the PAL copies of this Game are cheaper. The Legend of Dragoon is infamous for its high price here.
Yeah the PAL regions really got treated poorly back then, it sucks😖
Hi.
Great games. I love Xenogears and Lunar 1 and 2, those are just amazing and some of my favorite RPGs of all time.
Saludos.
They're so great
Many of those games are pretty cheap in the UK koudelka for example you can pick up for around £40.
I'll have to look at that as a possible route. I'm assuming I'd have to mod the console, yeah?
Yea Vagrant Story was I think the only jrpg that I bought and never beat, it is definitely an odd game.
Omake means “bonus”
Are the lunar songs corny? You betcha. Can I still sing every line? Oh yeah. Heh. Man, I wish i hadn't lost some of the extras that came in the boxes for Lunar 1&2 and Arc the Lad.
And if you haven't played the ps2 remake of ToD, you should give it a go, I'm having a lot of fun with it. For ToD2, at least at one point, the PSP remaster was pretty cheap, so that'd be an option too.
Without checking, I would think my most expensive games are Persona 1 and 2, i think the prices for those are up there. I really want a remake for the persona 2 duology.
I was at a concert two nights ago where they literally performed the opening to Lunar. Corny as heck, but I love it.
@JustTheGems oh my gosh, that's awesome, I didn't realize Lunar still got any love any more.
I loved Tales of Destiny :0
I have friends who are really into it too. I think I played it too late in life for it to have the right impact on me
@@JustTheGems I played both as a teenager exploring places that had every SNES/Super Famicom RPG available. The combat system’s novelty really landed for me at the time and I think the stories are pretty good. Tales of the Abyss on the PS2 is absolutely stunning tho. Gotta try that one if you haven’t already.
I own a copy of Breath of Fire II for the SNES, but will play the fan-translated ROM instead. Can’t believe Capcom fumbled so badly with the official translation.
I also downloaded the fan retranslation to play on my Analogue Super Nt. Can't stomach that SNES translation...
No Suikoden 2 = epic fail
5 min to get into the video is crazyyyy
I'm a wordy boi
I wanna see the cringiest cringe that ever cringed!
Hahaha noted! 😂
Vagrant story isn't worth the struggle session to get to the point you might start to enjoy it. Pass on it dude much better games to enjoy with your spare time. Want a oddball but great game, Lost Odyssey.
Yep… Limited Run Games doesn’t help thing by creating fomo marketing, id rather hunt for an old gameski
To be fair, I like that Limited Run at least does fully open preorders, so if I want a particular game at least I can get it. But FOMO is a big problem in general😖
@@JustTheGems Unfortunately I would rather pay scalper prices for LRG products.
I used to really be on board with them because they gave indie games and out of print/online only games a chance, However now they are way too greedy. There is no reason companies like Sega should be working with them especially for games that would sell like the P3P/P4 Golden modern console physical’s announced not too long ago.
Sega should be more than capable to handle that themselves and I’m disappointed they are working with them.
My last purchase from LRG directly was the last straw.
TMNT Radical Edition (CE) for Shredders Revenge, gift for my wife.
Arrives 1 year 3 months later, but then they have the nerve to announce a 1 year anniversary edition with the DLC already and the cart and disc!?! So I paid the top tier premium edition for a game and one week later they announced a version with all the DLC on it for cheaper.
The fact they didn’t included the Anniversary copy for those who paid top dollar is really bad customer service.
Plus they used CD-Rs recently for Sega CD games announced which is really lazy.
Kinda breaks my heart to be honest, I love physical games but LRG are slowly becoming the monopoly on all the physical games people want which to me is a net negative for physical collectors.
Frivolous and thoughtless spending activated! 😜
This is my goal, to make everyone spend all their disposable income on games...😅
Young me absolutely loved Vagrant Story to a somewhat unhealthy level and beat it more than once. Old me popped it back in and also sucked sucked sucked. PSOne era games are definitely a muscle capable of atrophy.
Haha I can imagine. Maybe we atrophy because we start to get used to modern games or something.
@@JustTheGemsThere’s a chance I was smarter back then too. Or just had the mental bandwidth to understand whatever the heck is going on in Vagrant Story. Weapon hilts? Affinities? Buh? Young Me was tripping over free time compared to Old Me, didn’t bat an eye at this stuff.
Regardless! Still remember friggin loving how dramatic Vagrant Story was! Not giving up my physical copy ever. :D
Come on man, all things ARE real, unless you dream they're NOT.
Dude, why don't you let rise the dreams of your heart already?
@@JustTheGems I'll do it, but only when two brilliantly shine as one.
Release the cringe
Just the Gems: The Cringe Cut
@@JustTheGems but for real.....Play BoF 3 and 4.
BUT!!!
Do you have the lunar 1,2, arc the lad, vanguard bandits STRATEGY GUIDES?!?!
You're not a real gamer/collector/youtuber/human being, without those hardcover books...
you and @Davidvinc are my gaming/JRPG daddies