One can only dream 😔 I thought the older Tales of remasters were impossible too but they surprised me so here’s hoping this would also happen 👍 JRPGs are slowly turning into mainstream so it might be possible.
About that the 2nd game would need like a 4x EXP cheat for a port/remaster else before you have access to that 1 island that has K sludges it just takes TOO LONG and the only reason I'll never play the 3rd and 4 the games IS because of those REQUIRED and TIMED MINI games that I SUCK at now if those BoF 3 and 4 mini timer based games were NOT required then I could easily beat the game. But they are and not even half way through those 2 games.
You're definitely going to hit 100k before the end of the year. Your upbeat attitude and obvious love for the genre is like beacon of light shining through the miasma in my Crystal Chronicles caravan.
Truth be told my first JRPG Experience was Final Fantasy IV Advance For the GBA i was young so I dunno much about JRPGs and here I am now a huge fan :D
I started... Final Fantasy from 7 Dragon Quest from 7 Mana from Legend Tales from Xillia Atelier from Ryza Breath of Fire from 3 Persona from 3 Portable Ys from Seven
Hallway simulators aren't a good representation of the FF series unless you are going to push them to FF13 next. Although 4, 6, and 7 are my favorites, I agree that FF9 is a great overall representation of the series.
David, how could you forget Disgaea!?! For FF I would say the best starting point is 4. The PR makes it accessible in modern platforms and the QoL makes it enjoyable for newbies.
Im just gonna say the cold, hard truth of it, at least for me. The best way to enter any JRPG franchise is to first play Chrono Trigger, and if the game type appeals to you, you can then spend the next few decades with other JRPGs chasing that dragon...
In terms of accessibility I’d argue for something closer to Persona 5. Even if you end up not being too privy to turn based combat that game allows you to be immersed in the social aspects and the style as a distraction so it doesn’t feel as if you wasted money at least imo.
I can't get my wife to play because of the pixels as she can't tell what she's looking at. She did play all the way through DQ11, though. I did convince her to play the Suikoden remaster when it comes out.
I like to start from the beginning (whenever is possible), so I can appreciate the evolution of a franchise and their game mechanics. I do think the games you presented are great starting point thou!
One thing I love is that almost all of these are on multiple platforms! I'm so glad these series aren't just locked to only PlayStation or only whichever Nintendo handheld anymore. Now Capcom needs to get on that Breath of Fire Legacy Collection already 👀
Dragon Quest 11 S is probably my favorite jrpg. There is ZERO stress about missing something, having to play through multiple times for 100%, messing up character builds etc.
Great list and choices. I may be splitting hairs here.. .so, while Final Fantasy IX is one of my favorite Final Fantasy game, I would lean towards Final Fantasy X if I were suggesting a starting point (HD remake, voice acting...things people are used to). If Tales of Xillia was more available right now, I might be inclined to go with that one.
I would say for Star Ocean I would either start with Star Ocean The Second Story R or Till the End of Time. Both are great and fantastic entries in this long running series. Otherwise, I agree with you on most of the entry points you recommend, just not the ones for series I haven't played like Ys, Fire Emblem, Atelier, or Breath of Fire. With those I may check out your recs.
David, just like you I grew up playing Dragon Quest on the NES and then onwards, and I love that you recommended XI. It's one of my favorite games that I've played in the last several years and it surprised me by quickly jumping into my top 3 DQ games in the entire series.
I started each of these series from the first one, and I feel like it's fine to start wherever since these stories are not iner-connected to a complex degree. You can easily go backwards with Ys and Breath of Fire and go "Oh, so THAT's what that thing was referencing" and pick up the connecting threads easily.
I'm already into most of these series, and here's where I started with each: Final Fantasy - IV (except it was called Final Fantasy II in the US at the time) Dragon Quest - VIII Mana - Secret Tales - either Symphonia Dawn of the New World or Graces f, I don't clearly remember which I played first. SMT - I've struggled with Nocturne, and tried some of the spinoff titles like Devil Summoner and Devil Survivor. Atelier - Iris Breath of Fire - I only significantly played the first game on SNES, and I think I rented IV once, now some titles in the series are listed for $200-$300, except for Dragon Quarter, which is suspiciously cheap. Persona - 4, on the PS2. BTW, this series is actually a spinoff of the SMT series. Ys - Seven, I think. BTW, I think you mispronounced Dana's name in VIII's title. There are a few other long rpg series I'm into: Legend of Heroes (aka Trails Series) - Cold Steel (I notice you already did a dedicated video for where to start with this series) Elder Scrolls (western rpg) - Morrowind Fallout (western rpg) - 3
Since I missed the original trilogy on nes, my Dragon Quest journey actually started with DQ8 Journey of the Cursed King on Ps2. It is still one of the best games ive played, everything from the enviroments to the enemies is so fun and imaginative. I really want them to remaster that game.
@suokkis I don't think I beat a titled dragon quest game it's mostly spin offs. I beat dragon quest monster on GBC than Slime rocket on the DS and Dragon Quest heros? I think it was called. Got far in the 2ed heros but have not beat that one to bad a 3rd one have not come out they are pretty fun muso games other than the Npcs being dumb.
Ys VIII is for sure one of the best starting points for the series! Though I first played through the series in chronological order and it was a truly magical experience, getting to see where both the series and Adol's adventures started and following them through all the way up to Ys IX. Xeno is my favorite series and I'd say Xenoblade 1 is prolly the best starting point. It's the easiest to get into combat wise, the story isn't quite as mindbending as other Xeno games though it's still great, and overall I think it's a good bridge going from other RPGs into the insane experiences of Xeno.
For BoF, I would recommend 4 instead of 3. Overall, I think 3 is a better game, but 4 is probably a better entry point. 1. 4's transformation is incredibly straightforward. Sure, trying to hunt down every dragon related spots can be a bit of a challenge, but 3's also a challenge. Additionally, the gene mechanic of 3 requires either a guide, or a lot of trial and error. 2. 4 allows you to freely switch between all party members in combat; if a party member goes down, you automatically switch to someone who is alive but inactive. This makes more fragile characters more viable than 3. You can also heal inactive / downed members (and multi-target healing spells also target everyone, including inactive members), so it is overall easier, combat wise. 3. 4's master system is also a lot more straightforward without forcing you into nonsensical level ups. 4. Story-wise, I think 4 makes more sense to start with. Also, the Shining series! It might not be as huge as some of the mentioned series, but it has some gems and has way more games than BoF. It is probably most known, classically, for its SRPG, then ARPG, but I would say that the SF1 remake for GBA, Resurrection of the Dark Dragon, it likely the best entry. It makes a lot of quality of life improvement, some rebalancing of characters (I think), and has a NG+ mode so you can do a casual/blind run first without wasting a save slot. I almost wanted to say SF2, but their branching promotions might cause some headaches if used without foreknowledge.
David once again your choices resonate with me nearly 1:1 and I must say this was a wonderful video for even vets of the series you covered. I hope this helps people get a feel for some of our favorite rpg series. Was sorta hoping there would be a Trails mention, but that can of worms probably deserves its own video :)
Can't wait to play FFIX finally! So far my fave TH-camrs have not steered me wrong and I'm sure your consistent love for the game will transfer to me. I'm just waiting until I finish VII to play Zidane's FF
Grandia 2 was my first grandia game& i love playing it. Need to start my 3rd time playing on my switch. First had it on PC than found it on ps2 now i have the grandia collection so time to play it on switch lol. For LBX little battler Experience i say start with the 2ed game since it will have more little bots to gain parts from plus it have online battles.
I absolutely love the concept of this video, I have to admit that some of these series are daunting just looking at the titles released i.e Trails series Some of my all time favorites are in this video and I have nostalgia for so many I started with! Final Fantasy - The first I played was crystal chronicles on the GC, but I didnt play a mainline until FF15 oddly, then went back for the rest haha. Dragon Quest - 11 was the first I played, cant wait for the remakes of 1,2,3! Mana - Trials remake was the first I played before going to the originals. Visions is a future classic IMO. Fire Emblem - I LIKE IKE, Path of Radiance on GC was my first and favorite, regret selling my copy to gamestop as a kid Three Houses and the warriors spin off Three Hopes are my most played. Tales - Started with Vesperia, my favorite entry is Arise! SMT - I have only played 5 but it was the persona series that got me into it mostly, also played on easy 😅 Persona - P5 I have played through 3 times if you count Royal edition, P3 is my favorite in cast and tone (love the green moonlit city at night and sunny blue/white days). Ys - Monstrum Knox is the only one ive played and regretfully on switch, for sure playing the rest on playstation for the performance
Abyss was my first Tales game, and I loved it. I know some people bounce off Luke and Anise and don't like their characters, but I had a ton of fun with that game. Going more retro, my first Final Fantasy game was IV back on the SNES, though I never beat it. First one I beat was VI. And my first Dragon Quest game was the very first one on the NES, back when Nintendo Power had a special that let you order a special collector edition for pretty cheap. I think it was under $20? And it came with maps and posters and a strategy guide. That much stuff was unheard of for a NES game! As to my other starting games on those series... Secret of Mana, Breath of Fire 1, Fire Emblem Awakening, and Persona 3 FES.
My intro to the Ys series was IX, and I loved it. I may be in the minority, but I prefer it to VII (though it could be a situation of “never forgetting your first”). Great video as always
I totally resonate with all of your choices here. I understand your choice with Ryza, it's easily the most accessible trilogy of the Atelier series but to anyone who falls in love with the series and loves the synthesis, I urge them to play the Dusk trilogy, which I find is the most "complete" story of the series (just enough tropes, just enough synth possibilities and just enough intrigue). The time limit element is much more forgiving than in the Arland trilogy and the exploration, synthesis and the story are just fantastic.
Hi David! I would like to make a suggestion, for you to add the titles You recommended on the vídeo description, I loved the video but when it ended I couldnt remember wich entry to start with. You’re amazing! Keep up the good work :)
I'd say DQ8 is a better starting point than 11 except its not available on any modern consoles... Come On Square Enix!! We NEED a remaster!!!!! It'd be a day 1 purchase for me!!!
See that's how I like my retro games to look like, such as Breath of fire 3. That's as old of graphics and look I personally go. Such lovely sprites and so well done ❤😊 Can you recommend any other RPGs that look like that? I know there's octopath traveler, and unicorn overlord
Nice one! Was waiting for you to open THAT can of worms (Trails). Glad you didn't, lol. Agree with most of the list. I always like to recommend FFX due to its graphical jump and voice acting.
Possibly the worst thing about all of this is most of us don't have the time or money to spend on all these great RPGs. Good video either way David, keep on trucking to that 100k sub goal man.
Great list David! Also thankful you chose BoF3 over 4 for an entry point as the world is more colourful and enjoyable. Characters more likable and soundtrack is on point too. Valkyria Chronicles 1 is probably a good entry point to that franchise. Recently remastered and sometimes bundled with the 4th entry. Also if i remember correctly an anime was also based on the 1st game. However i'm like you David and many others that like their retro classics. Bring back BoF, Grandia and Legend of Legaia anyday!
Ooo, you recommended BoF3 instead of 4. Glad to see you actually giving 3 some love, as you're usually gushing about 4. But yeah, 3 is way more in line with the rest of the series than 4 is.
Thanks for this great list! Now… my issue isn’t so much starting these great series, but actually finishing any of these awesome games that I’ve started! (5 of these are in-progress) 😂
Top 3 RPG’s: #1 FFVII - named my daughter Aeris. (Mistranslation I know) I like Aeris, more than Aerith. #2 BOF3 - gene/master system, childhood to adulthood…enough said. (Desert sucked the first time though) #3 dragon warrior 4, I am almost 40 and have spent more time in the dw4 casino, than a real life casino, haha. Also, multiple stories, that come together!
You mean the one called simply "Fire Emblem" on NSW Online (expansion subscription). Remember that the FE series numbers, however well established among "in the know" afficionados, are unofficial and never appeared on the box covers the way that FF or DQ numbers did. I've heard many series fans want Sacred Stones (the final GBA one) to be added to the service, and would make it their recommendation should that happen.
These are nice recomandations. I just started at random points in series witch are convinient at that point in time. Maybe I should care and overthink it a bit more.
For Star Ocean, I highly recommend Star Ocean 2. While some Easter eggs to the first game can help give context, like Final Fantasy, you don't really need to play all of 'em to get the full scope of what's going on. With the most recent Star Ocean 2 remake, you'll have the perfect exposure with a simple story, 2 playable characters, and combat that's eases you into the battle mechanics, and fun to play around with, especially with the blindside mechanic introduced in Star Ocean 4: Last Hope.
Which one I find the R version of 2nd Story to be complete CRAP I prefer the PSP/PS1 versions as tthe better one. But Dragon quest 7 is TOO LONG so I don't recommend starting with that one.
Are you talking about the recent remake? Because that is the definitive version with most content and you can play it old school via options to remove the new 99999 damage limit etc.
I am I hate that version of the game it takes even MORE lvs to have all the SP skills at lv 10 IE like 230 OUT of the its 255 levels all the extra QUESTS in game IMHO are BORING as well and Celine Ashton Precis Noel Leon Welch still SUCK. By doing more the 99,999 damage in 1 hit the super bosses and their 1 to 3 million HP can be all gone IN UNDER 60 seconds but I would still NEED Bloody armor users at lv 255 even on earth mode else against even Etheral queen I won't even last for like 10 seconds before she HITS the ENTIRE party for 9999 damage IN 1 hit.
I (respectfully) have to disagree on Tales of Arise being too complicated for newcomers. Arise is the only one I've played (although Vesperia, Abyss, Xilia 1/2, and maybe Graces F and Hearts R) are all on my backlog list, but I really enjoyed Arise. I felt it could've been a bit more difficult, but I wouldn't shy anyone away from it to get into the Tales series! As for Atelier, I think that series will be next on my list after I beat Trails Through Daybreak -- my plan is to play through it in order: Arland-Dusk-Mysterious-Ryza. I've read that Ryza is a good starting point, but another thread I was reading talked about going through it and it talked about QoL improving as you play through the games, and I want the full experience! I know I'll be playing a couple out of order of release by following each set, but I'm looking forward to it regardless. Great video, David!
Although I agree with everything you said about the Persona series & recommending P5, an alternate way to start would be Persona 4 Golden. The main reason is just so you don't spoil yourself too early, and that you get a sense of the series improvements after moving on to the next games. You can start at a technically less impressive point, then move on to P3 Reload & P5 Royal without feeling like you're going backwards in tech. But if starting with the more technically impressive games & then moving on to more dated graphics doesn't really bother you, then yeah, P5R is a great place to start!
Ive been asking capcom for a breath of fire collection for almost 20 years 3 and 4 are the fan favs The games are mostly only connected with Easter eggs 3 is the best to start with!! I own two. Copies love it
For the Phantasy Star series, I would say Phantasy Star IV because its the smoothest, fast-paced and easiest of the Phantasy Star series and also has the best soundtrack.
Dude FF9 helped me understand how to learn and play RPGs better, well it was a start then 😅😂 I loved playing Chocobo hot and cold and I still have yet to complete the Mooglet mail system😦
I’ve not yet tried the Ys or Tales of series just because there were so many options to choose from. I think I’ll use your recommendations. Star Ocean Tides of Time i felt was a good entry point for that series.. it actually had me seek out translated roms of the first 2 on SNES
there are a lot of spin-offs that are great. P5 strikers definitely the best spin-offs, don't let the Dynasty Warriors gameplay fool you, you can hardly call this game a spin-off. 5 tactics not as good as strikers but still a good tactic RPG. Persona 4 arena is a great fighting game almost as good as strikers but you must have played both P4 and P3 and episode aigis so keep that in mind. The Q Games are great crossovers with the cast of P3 P4 and P5 with etrian odyssey gameplay. And the dancing games are good rhythm games because Persona's soundtrack is simply amazing and P4 dancing even has a great story mode
My issue with 9 is i just feel like the static backgrounds bothers me coming back to it didn't bother me back in the day, but I struggle coming back to those. I'd probably go 4, 6 or 10 for starters for my suggestion. Solid choices for the rest of them though!
Haaah, as long as you don't have a really (I mean REALLY) good memories or you don't plan to play the games back to back, every first game of the arc is a good starting point. Like heck, people can just start from Daybreak with no problem aside from quality of life (more modern more qol).
First video of yours I've watched thanks to @jrpglife and I'm very pleased! Great video, to the point and informative and bonus-something I was looking for! Sub'd and Like'd! Awesome stuff.
Now to throw a metaphorical bomb into the crowd... where should one start the Trails series? (I started at the beginning with Sky FC and powered through to Reverie with a 10 game continuous binge in 2023).
I agree with your picks mostly. For Fire Emblem, I'd go moreso for Awakening as its not as...daunting as 3 houses and engage length wise but still introduced casual mode.
Yeah, for somebody whose uncle can lend them a copy along with a 3DS. For somebody with the guts to cope with permadeath, would I be right in thinking the "original" outside-Japan "Fire Emblem" on Nintendo Switch Online Expansion subscription is the third and cheapest (time-wise and money-wise) modern-availability option?
Breath of Fire 3 is in desperate need of a remake or remaster. The fact that it doesn’t have analog controls drives me bonkers. Like trying to kick a rock shouldn’t be that difficult. I wouldn’t complain if they tweaked the encounter rate either.
No way on Suikoden. You’ve gotta play 1 before 2 so you can carry over your stats and characters. And you’ll appreciate the returning characters so much more
2:42 I was thinking about recommending Trials of Mana but that was before the wall boss which I remember was also hard in the original because the AI of the characters are dumb and the envirionmental traps keeps hitting the rest of the party. I wish they made that easier in the ramake or made the AI better to not step in the traps.
Great video. Just curious, did you ever go back and play Astlibra? I picked it up for the Steam Deck, and I haven’t plugged so many hours into a game so fast in my life :)
Trails games are not as "accessible" or popular as those games. Only the fans hype the game unlike those on the list where even non JRPG gamers know about it and hype it just from them trailers. Which is not weird because the first exposure for most people that is not playing the game from Sky nor a JRPG gamer would be the Cold Steel. Where the settings is chosen one + harem + school, it's not even a "proper" military academy, just bad combination for first timer.
Just my personal opinion, but I would start with Shin Megami Tensei V Vengeance over Nocturne. Nocturne can be brutal & unforgiving, and the insane amount of random battles was irritating 20 years ago, let alone today. That's complicated further by the endless hallway dungeons that offer very little visual or traversal variety, just long corridors with lots of backtracking & random encounters to pile on. The story is a bit better, and the MC is cool, but there's so much more variety, exploration & customization in modern SMT, as well as the ability to see encounters in the over world. But if you're looking for an old school, very grindy challenge, then Nocturne is definitely a good place to start.
I think ys 6 and before should have been called out as really differnt games. ys 7 to the current modern in 10 are closer to the tales series combat (good) and 6 and before are isometric dungeon hack and slashers. ys 6 the ark of napishtim is the best of the isometric IMO. ill agree that ys 8 is a good starting point for the modern releases, heres hoping 10 is really good too
I think this'll be a handy video for a lot of people. A lot of great suggestions. Personally, I would suggest Awakening as a good entry point for Fire Emblem. Three Houses is more accessible by being on a modern console, but I think story and mechanic-wise, Awakening is a bit more straightforward for a beginner.
I agree with the Awakening take however, as somebody who recently got into the series through FE7 I’d argue that is a better entry point. Ofc there’s permadeath but it still holds up really well gameplay wise and the main reason I’d pick that as a starting point is because of accessibility, it’s on NSO which means you don’t have to drop $60 for a game you may or may not enjoy. After I finished FE7 I got my 3DS modded and played awakening and I’m now onto fates.
Completely agree with FF9 as it's the best game in the series and very accessible. DQ11 is so freaking good. Love the ability to play it 2d or 3d. Trials of mana remake looks great but I prefer the original for the multiplayer. I'm currently playing it with my daughter. I haven't played fire emblem since awakening. The whole "completely random stat increases on level up" mechanic is a huge turn off for me. The only Tales games I've played are destiny and Symphonia. However I own Eternia (destiny 2), vesperia, zestiria, Berseria, abyss, and arise....I should really play some of them... I'm not a SMT fan. I got 5 because it looked cool but I didn't enjoy it that much. Not a fan of setting or the demon catching mechanics. I've never played an atelier game. Breath of fire is so good and I'm so sad they abandoned it.... BoF3 is my favorite in the series. The music and bright art are so great to me. I've only played P4 Golden in the Persona series. But I LOVED it. I night p5 Royal and need to play it. I've only played Ys1 and Ys8 and Ys8 is so freaking good! Great video man. Love your content.
I played (and beat) BoF1 for the first time this year, and found it incredibly mediocre, but I could see how in sequels some of the systems could be fun - namely the dragon transformations and the overworld interactions with characters. Tried BoF2 and it didn't feel any better. It still felt mediocre in gameplay and presentation (even moreso if you compare it to its contemporaries). I dropped it around the half way point. Would it be worth me giving the series ANOTHER shot with 3?
I was hoping you’d do Kingdom Hearts and validate my decision to not play the non-numbered games. I wanna get into the series, but a lot of the spinoffs look like a chore and I don’t want to slog through them just to understand the rest of the lore.
Wondering where to start in the Trails series? I’ve got you covered!
th-cam.com/video/osMEqd_xfb4/w-d-xo.html
would love a breath of fire collection from capcom
One can only dream 😔 I thought the older Tales of remasters were impossible too but they surprised me so here’s hoping this would also happen 👍 JRPGs are slowly turning into mainstream so it might be possible.
I'm crazy to replay bof 3 and 4 man. I dont know why the hell they haven't released it yet. Ita free money.
About that the 2nd game would need like a 4x EXP cheat for a port/remaster else before you have access to that 1 island that has K sludges it just takes TOO LONG and the only reason I'll never play the 3rd and 4 the games IS because of those REQUIRED and TIMED MINI games that I SUCK at now if those BoF 3 and 4 mini timer based games were NOT required then I could easily beat the game.
But they are and not even half way through those 2 games.
Instant purchase. Just let me buy 3&4 bundle and I'd pay $50
I’m literally right now playing through Breath of Fire 3 thanks to retroarch on ios
You're definitely going to hit 100k before the end of the year. Your upbeat attitude and obvious love for the genre is like beacon of light shining through the miasma in my Crystal Chronicles caravan.
Truth be told my first JRPG Experience was Final Fantasy IV Advance
For the GBA i was young so I dunno much about JRPGs and here I am now a huge fan :D
I started...
Final Fantasy from 7
Dragon Quest from 7
Mana from Legend
Tales from Xillia
Atelier from Ryza
Breath of Fire from 3
Persona from 3 Portable
Ys from Seven
I’d have to say FFX is the best entry point. Good way to gauge if you’re fine with playing a game that’s older or if you rather something newer
I usually recommend 10 for the people who prefer the newer titles but 9 for the retro lovers
Hallway simulators aren't a good representation of the FF series unless you are going to push them to FF13 next. Although 4, 6, and 7 are my favorites, I agree that FF9 is a great overall representation of the series.
David, how could you forget Disgaea!?!
For FF I would say the best starting point is 4. The PR makes it accessible in modern platforms and the QoL makes it enjoyable for newbies.
Im just gonna say the cold, hard truth of it, at least for me. The best way to enter any JRPG franchise is to first play Chrono Trigger, and if the game type appeals to you, you can then spend the next few decades with other JRPGs chasing that dragon...
😅😅😅😅😅😅
Chrono trigger is overrated
100% agreed.
In terms of accessibility I’d argue for something closer to Persona 5. Even if you end up not being too privy to turn based combat that game allows you to be immersed in the social aspects and the style as a distraction so it doesn’t feel as if you wasted money at least imo.
I can't get my wife to play because of the pixels as she can't tell what she's looking at. She did play all the way through DQ11, though. I did convince her to play the Suikoden remaster when it comes out.
I like to start from the beginning (whenever is possible), so I can appreciate the evolution of a franchise and their game mechanics.
I do think the games you presented are great starting point thou!
One thing I love is that almost all of these are on multiple platforms! I'm so glad these series aren't just locked to only PlayStation or only whichever Nintendo handheld anymore.
Now Capcom needs to get on that Breath of Fire Legacy Collection already 👀
Hell yeah if it had all the games id definitely buy it
Capcom please
Dragon Quest 11 S is probably my favorite jrpg. There is ZERO stress about missing something, having to play through multiple times for 100%, messing up character builds etc.
Great list and choices. I may be splitting hairs here.. .so, while Final Fantasy IX is one of my favorite Final Fantasy game, I would lean towards Final Fantasy X if I were suggesting a starting point (HD remake, voice acting...things people are used to). If Tales of Xillia was more available right now, I might be inclined to go with that one.
I would say for Star Ocean I would either start with Star Ocean The Second Story R or Till the End of Time. Both are great and fantastic entries in this long running series. Otherwise, I agree with you on most of the entry points you recommend, just not the ones for series I haven't played like Ys, Fire Emblem, Atelier, or Breath of Fire. With those I may check out your recs.
David, just like you I grew up playing Dragon Quest on the NES and then onwards, and I love that you recommended XI. It's one of my favorite games that I've played in the last several years and it surprised me by quickly jumping into my top 3 DQ games in the entire series.
I started each of these series from the first one, and I feel like it's fine to start wherever since these stories are not iner-connected to a complex degree. You can easily go backwards with Ys and Breath of Fire and go "Oh, so THAT's what that thing was referencing" and pick up the connecting threads easily.
Best intro music right off the bat. I like these recommendations overall
I'm already into most of these series, and here's where I started with each:
Final Fantasy - IV (except it was called Final Fantasy II in the US at the time)
Dragon Quest - VIII
Mana - Secret
Tales - either Symphonia Dawn of the New World or Graces f, I don't clearly remember which I played first.
SMT - I've struggled with Nocturne, and tried some of the spinoff titles like Devil Summoner and Devil Survivor.
Atelier - Iris
Breath of Fire - I only significantly played the first game on SNES, and I think I rented IV once, now some titles in the series are listed for $200-$300, except for Dragon Quarter, which is suspiciously cheap.
Persona - 4, on the PS2. BTW, this series is actually a spinoff of the SMT series.
Ys - Seven, I think. BTW, I think you mispronounced Dana's name in VIII's title.
There are a few other long rpg series I'm into:
Legend of Heroes (aka Trails Series) - Cold Steel (I notice you already did a dedicated video for where to start with this series)
Elder Scrolls (western rpg) - Morrowind
Fallout (western rpg) - 3
Since I missed the original trilogy on nes, my Dragon Quest journey actually started with DQ8 Journey of the Cursed King on Ps2. It is still one of the best games ive played, everything from the enviroments to the enemies is so fun and imaginative. I really want them to remaster that game.
@suokkis I don't think I beat a titled dragon quest game it's mostly spin offs. I beat dragon quest monster on GBC than Slime rocket on the DS and Dragon Quest heros? I think it was called. Got far in the 2ed heros but have not beat that one to bad a 3rd one have not come out they are pretty fun muso games other than the Npcs being dumb.
David, this was so good! I’m about 10-15 years behind in the gaming world and I found this so helpful. Love all your stuff!
Glad it was helpful!
Ys VIII is for sure one of the best starting points for the series! Though I first played through the series in chronological order and it was a truly magical experience, getting to see where both the series and Adol's adventures started and following them through all the way up to Ys IX.
Xeno is my favorite series and I'd say Xenoblade 1 is prolly the best starting point. It's the easiest to get into combat wise, the story isn't quite as mindbending as other Xeno games though it's still great, and overall I think it's a good bridge going from other RPGs into the insane experiences of Xeno.
For BoF, I would recommend 4 instead of 3. Overall, I think 3 is a better game, but 4 is probably a better entry point.
1. 4's transformation is incredibly straightforward. Sure, trying to hunt down every dragon related spots can be a bit of a challenge, but 3's also a challenge. Additionally, the gene mechanic of 3 requires either a guide, or a lot of trial and error.
2. 4 allows you to freely switch between all party members in combat; if a party member goes down, you automatically switch to someone who is alive but inactive. This makes more fragile characters more viable than 3. You can also heal inactive / downed members (and multi-target healing spells also target everyone, including inactive members), so it is overall easier, combat wise.
3. 4's master system is also a lot more straightforward without forcing you into nonsensical level ups.
4. Story-wise, I think 4 makes more sense to start with.
Also, the Shining series! It might not be as huge as some of the mentioned series, but it has some gems and has way more games than BoF. It is probably most known, classically, for its SRPG, then ARPG, but I would say that the SF1 remake for GBA, Resurrection of the Dark Dragon, it likely the best entry. It makes a lot of quality of life improvement, some rebalancing of characters (I think), and has a NG+ mode so you can do a casual/blind run first without wasting a save slot. I almost wanted to say SF2, but their branching promotions might cause some headaches if used without foreknowledge.
David once again your choices resonate with me nearly 1:1 and I must say this was a wonderful video for even vets of the series you covered. I hope this helps people get a feel for some of our favorite rpg series. Was sorta hoping there would be a Trails mention, but that can of worms probably deserves its own video :)
I actually made a video on that very subject not that long ago
@@davidvinc Well now im going to find it and watch it.
Can't wait to play FFIX finally! So far my fave TH-camrs have not steered me wrong and I'm sure your consistent love for the game will transfer to me. I'm just waiting until I finish VII to play Zidane's FF
Hope you enjoy!
Love watching these vids even though I’ve played them all lol
Grandia 2 was my first grandia game& i love playing it. Need to start my 3rd time playing on my switch. First had it on PC than found it on ps2 now i have the grandia collection so time to play it on switch lol. For LBX little battler Experience i say start with the 2ed game since it will have more little bots to gain parts from plus it have online battles.
I absolutely love the concept of this video, I have to admit that some of these series are daunting just looking at the titles released i.e Trails series
Some of my all time favorites are in this video and I have nostalgia for so many I started with!
Final Fantasy - The first I played was crystal chronicles on the GC, but I didnt play a mainline until FF15 oddly, then went back for the rest haha.
Dragon Quest - 11 was the first I played, cant wait for the remakes of 1,2,3!
Mana - Trials remake was the first I played before going to the originals. Visions is a future classic IMO.
Fire Emblem - I LIKE IKE, Path of Radiance on GC was my first and favorite, regret selling my copy to gamestop as a kid Three Houses and the warriors spin off Three Hopes are my most played.
Tales - Started with Vesperia, my favorite entry is Arise!
SMT - I have only played 5 but it was the persona series that got me into it mostly, also played on easy 😅
Persona - P5 I have played through 3 times if you count Royal edition, P3 is my favorite in cast and tone (love the green moonlit city at night and sunny blue/white days).
Ys - Monstrum Knox is the only one ive played and regretfully on switch, for sure playing the rest on playstation for the performance
IX literally was my first FF game back in the day 😁 so many great franchises that shouldn't be missed this video will help a lot.
Best to start with imo
Final Fantasy 12
Dragon Quest 8
Trials of Mana
Tales of Zestiria
SMT 3
Atelier Ryza
Persona 3
Ys 7
Abyss was my first Tales game, and I loved it. I know some people bounce off Luke and Anise and don't like their characters, but I had a ton of fun with that game.
Going more retro, my first Final Fantasy game was IV back on the SNES, though I never beat it. First one I beat was VI. And my first Dragon Quest game was the very first one on the NES, back when Nintendo Power had a special that let you order a special collector edition for pretty cheap. I think it was under $20? And it came with maps and posters and a strategy guide. That much stuff was unheard of for a NES game!
As to my other starting games on those series... Secret of Mana, Breath of Fire 1, Fire Emblem Awakening, and Persona 3 FES.
My intro to the Ys series was IX, and I loved it. I may be in the minority, but I prefer it to VII (though it could be a situation of “never forgetting your first”). Great video as always
I totally resonate with all of your choices here. I understand your choice with Ryza, it's easily the most accessible trilogy of the Atelier series but to anyone who falls in love with the series and loves the synthesis, I urge them to play the Dusk trilogy, which I find is the most "complete" story of the series (just enough tropes, just enough synth possibilities and just enough intrigue). The time limit element is much more forgiving than in the Arland trilogy and the exploration, synthesis and the story are just fantastic.
Start Suikoden at Suikoden 2, easily the best of the series and still a fan favourite to this day.
This is a really great video! I love the concept. I'd love to see a part two that includes the Trails series or the Disgaea series!
Hi David! I would like to make a suggestion, for you to add the titles You recommended on the vídeo description, I loved the video but when it ended I couldnt remember wich entry to start with. You’re amazing! Keep up the good work :)
Nice choice of the soundtrack 🤌🏻
FFIX was my first one
I am starting the Mana series...from the absolute beginning. Final Fantasy Adventure honestly holds up REALLY well compared to most other GB games.
I'd say DQ8 is a better starting point than 11 except its not available on any modern consoles... Come On Square Enix!! We NEED a remaster!!!!! It'd be a day 1 purchase for me!!!
I can’t believe they haven’t released the older games (4-9) on Switch. Seems so obvious
Hi David! FFIX is my favorite. Vivi is love. ❤Have a blessed day!
Ya I really enjoyed the learning skills from equipment. All the characters are fun.
See that's how I like my retro games to look like, such as Breath of fire 3. That's as old of graphics and look I personally go. Such lovely sprites and so well done ❤😊 Can you recommend any other RPGs that look like that? I know there's octopath traveler, and unicorn overlord
Love from Belgium 🇧🇪 ❤ Grandia and Lunar Silverstar Story ❤
I just left Brussels, beautiful country!
@@davidvinc I’m living in Brussels. Come say hello, next time ♥️
Nice one! Was waiting for you to open THAT can of worms (Trails). Glad you didn't, lol.
Agree with most of the list. I always like to recommend FFX due to its graphical jump and voice acting.
Personally I found Atelier Iris 1-3 and Mana Khemia 1-2 to be more fun then modern Atelier games.
Possibly the worst thing about all of this is most of us don't have the time or money to spend on all these great RPGs. Good video either way David, keep on trucking to that 100k sub goal man.
Much appreciated!
What a wonderful idea for a list!!! I wish I manage to play most of these to the end one day 💖
You can do it!
Great list David! Also thankful you chose BoF3 over 4 for an entry point as the world is more colourful and enjoyable. Characters more likable and soundtrack is on point too.
Valkyria Chronicles 1 is probably a good entry point to that franchise. Recently remastered and sometimes bundled with the 4th entry. Also if i remember correctly an anime was also based on the 1st game.
However i'm like you David and many others that like their retro classics. Bring back BoF, Grandia and Legend of Legaia anyday!
I will also add that I’m a ff guy it’s my favorite series I even have tattoos yet breathe of fire 3 is still my all time fav rpg it’s that good
Ooo, you recommended BoF3 instead of 4. Glad to see you actually giving 3 some love, as you're usually gushing about 4. But yeah, 3 is way more in line with the rest of the series than 4 is.
Thanks for this great list! Now… my issue isn’t so much starting these great series, but actually finishing any of these awesome games that I’ve started! (5 of these are in-progress) 😂
Top 3 RPG’s:
#1 FFVII - named my daughter Aeris. (Mistranslation I know) I like Aeris, more than Aerith.
#2 BOF3 - gene/master system, childhood to adulthood…enough said. (Desert sucked the first time though)
#3 dragon warrior 4, I am almost 40 and have spent more time in the dw4 casino, than a real life casino, haha. Also, multiple stories, that come together!
Honestly for Fire Emblem I think permadeath should be part of the experience. FE7 is my pick.
You mean the one called simply "Fire Emblem" on NSW Online (expansion subscription). Remember that the FE series numbers, however well established among "in the know" afficionados, are unofficial and never appeared on the box covers the way that FF or DQ numbers did.
I've heard many series fans want Sacred Stones (the final GBA one) to be added to the service, and would make it their recommendation should that happen.
The first RPG I ever played was Mario RPG for the SNES. I was hooked after that.
These are nice recomandations. I just started at random points in series witch are convinient at that point in time. Maybe I should care and overthink it a bit more.
For Star Ocean, I highly recommend Star Ocean 2. While some Easter eggs to the first game can help give context, like Final Fantasy, you don't really need to play all of 'em to get the full scope of what's going on. With the most recent Star Ocean 2 remake, you'll have the perfect exposure with a simple story, 2 playable characters, and combat that's eases you into the battle mechanics, and fun to play around with, especially with the blindside mechanic introduced in Star Ocean 4: Last Hope.
Which one I find the R version of 2nd Story to be complete CRAP I prefer the PSP/PS1 versions as tthe better one.
But Dragon quest 7 is TOO LONG so I don't recommend starting with that one.
Are you talking about the recent remake? Because that is the definitive version with most content and you can play it old school via options to remove the new 99999 damage limit etc.
I am I hate that version of the game it takes even MORE lvs to have all the SP skills at lv 10 IE like 230 OUT of the its 255 levels all the extra QUESTS in game IMHO are BORING as well and Celine Ashton Precis Noel Leon Welch still SUCK.
By doing more the 99,999 damage in 1 hit the super bosses and their 1 to 3 million HP can be all gone IN UNDER 60 seconds but I would still NEED Bloody armor users at lv 255 even on earth mode else against even Etheral queen I won't even last for like 10 seconds before she HITS the ENTIRE party for 9999 damage IN 1 hit.
I (respectfully) have to disagree on Tales of Arise being too complicated for newcomers. Arise is the only one I've played (although Vesperia, Abyss, Xilia 1/2, and maybe Graces F and Hearts R) are all on my backlog list, but I really enjoyed Arise. I felt it could've been a bit more difficult, but I wouldn't shy anyone away from it to get into the Tales series! As for Atelier, I think that series will be next on my list after I beat Trails Through Daybreak -- my plan is to play through it in order: Arland-Dusk-Mysterious-Ryza. I've read that Ryza is a good starting point, but another thread I was reading talked about going through it and it talked about QoL improving as you play through the games, and I want the full experience! I know I'll be playing a couple out of order of release by following each set, but I'm looking forward to it regardless. Great video, David!
Although I agree with everything you said about the Persona series & recommending P5, an alternate way to start would be Persona 4 Golden.
The main reason is just so you don't spoil yourself too early, and that you get a sense of the series improvements after moving on to the next games. You can start at a technically less impressive point, then move on to P3 Reload & P5 Royal without feeling like you're going backwards in tech.
But if starting with the more technically impressive games & then moving on to more dated graphics doesn't really bother you, then yeah, P5R is a great place to start!
perfect timing! i was wondering what Final Fantasy and Fire Emblem game to start with! good video as always :>
Glad you enjoyed!
BOF3 is a great game one of my top 3 on the PS1
I just recently started playing jrpgs. Tales of arise was my first one
Ive been asking capcom for a breath of fire collection for almost 20 years 3 and 4 are the fan favs
The games are mostly only connected with Easter eggs 3 is the best to start with!! I own two. Copies love it
For the Phantasy Star series, I would say Phantasy Star IV because its the smoothest, fast-paced and easiest of the Phantasy Star series and also has the best soundtrack.
Dude FF9 helped me understand how to learn and play RPGs better, well it was a start then 😅😂 I loved playing Chocobo hot and cold and I still have yet to complete the Mooglet mail system😦
I’ve not yet tried the Ys or Tales of series just because there were so many options to choose from. I think I’ll use your recommendations. Star Ocean Tides of Time i felt was a good entry point for that series.. it actually had me seek out translated roms of the first 2 on SNES
The FF9 sound in the background was great detail for this video
there are a lot of spin-offs that are great. P5 strikers definitely the best spin-offs, don't let the Dynasty Warriors gameplay fool you, you can hardly call this game a spin-off. 5 tactics not as good as strikers but still a good tactic RPG. Persona 4 arena is a great fighting game almost as good as strikers but you must have played both P4 and P3 and episode aigis so keep that in mind. The Q Games are great crossovers with the cast of P3 P4 and P5 with etrian odyssey gameplay. And the dancing games are good rhythm games because Persona's soundtrack is simply amazing and P4 dancing even has a great story mode
You could easily do a part 2 (Pokémon, Souls, Trails, Star Ocean, KH, etc. etc.) Please do
I agree with your list, though if you had made the list next year, my starting Ys recommendation would be easily be YS Memoire: Oath in Felghana.
Agreed. Felghana is my favourite
Trails of cold steel 1 seems to be the perfect starting point into an amazing series.
Great list! Have a whole bunch of them. Now I just need the time to play em! 😂
My issue with 9 is i just feel like the static backgrounds bothers me coming back to it didn't bother me back in the day, but I struggle coming back to those. I'd probably go 4, 6 or 10 for starters for my suggestion. Solid choices for the rest of them though!
I have heard that trails from zero is a good starting point, considering the sky series isn't currently available on modern consoles.
Haaah, as long as you don't have a really (I mean REALLY) good memories or you don't plan to play the games back to back, every first game of the arc is a good starting point. Like heck, people can just start from Daybreak with no problem aside from quality of life (more modern more qol).
@@calendar6526 good to know actually. I've been wanting to start the series for a while, but haven't gotten around to it yet.
For the Shin Megami series, I recommend Digital Devil Saga 1, then 2.
First video of yours I've watched thanks to @jrpglife and I'm very pleased! Great video, to the point and informative and bonus-something I was looking for! Sub'd and Like'd! Awesome stuff.
Thanks so much my friend!
Now to throw a metaphorical bomb into the crowd... where should one start the Trails series? (I started at the beginning with Sky FC and powered through to Reverie with a 10 game continuous binge in 2023).
Great recommendations here 👍 Love three houses
I agree with your picks mostly. For Fire Emblem, I'd go moreso for Awakening as its not as...daunting as 3 houses and engage length wise but still introduced casual mode.
Yeah, for somebody whose uncle can lend them a copy along with a 3DS. For somebody with the guts to cope with permadeath, would I be right in thinking the "original" outside-Japan "Fire Emblem" on Nintendo Switch Online Expansion subscription is the third and cheapest (time-wise and money-wise) modern-availability option?
This is a very important video. Saved.
Breath of Fire 3 is in desperate need of a remake or remaster. The fact that it doesn’t have analog controls drives me bonkers. Like trying to kick a rock shouldn’t be that difficult. I wouldn’t complain if they tweaked the encounter rate either.
Good list. Personally for FF and DQ. I would suggest FFIV for FF and DQ 8 for DQ. Suikoden? Suikoden 2.
No way on Suikoden. You’ve gotta play 1 before 2 so you can carry over your stats and characters. And you’ll appreciate the returning characters so much more
Lol I guessed the first one right off the bat 😁
Whether I see Ys 8, all that comes to my mind is how bad it initially was XD
"Big Hole" will forever live in my head
2:42 I was thinking about recommending Trials of Mana but that was before the wall boss which I remember was also hard in the original because the AI of the characters are dumb and the envirionmental traps keeps hitting the rest of the party. I wish they made that easier in the ramake or made the AI better to not step in the traps.
Great video. Just curious, did you ever go back and play Astlibra? I picked it up for the Steam Deck, and I haven’t plugged so many hours into a game so fast in my life :)
No Trails!?
That’s because you need to start the series with the first one 😄 Cold Steel can be a nice entry point too but playing the previous 5 helps a lot.
It’s gonna be sky FC remake once it’s out
Trails games are not as "accessible" or popular as those games. Only the fans hype the game unlike those on the list where even non JRPG gamers know about it and hype it just from them trailers.
Which is not weird because the first exposure for most people that is not playing the game from Sky nor a JRPG gamer would be the Cold Steel. Where the settings is chosen one + harem + school, it's not even a "proper" military academy, just bad combination for first timer.
I wonder if we may get lucky in a remastered or port of Final Fantasy Mystic Quest
Just my personal opinion, but I would start with Shin Megami Tensei V Vengeance over Nocturne.
Nocturne can be brutal & unforgiving, and the insane amount of random battles was irritating 20 years ago, let alone today. That's complicated further by the endless hallway dungeons that offer very little visual or traversal variety, just long corridors with lots of backtracking & random encounters to pile on.
The story is a bit better, and the MC is cool, but there's so much more variety, exploration & customization in modern SMT, as well as the ability to see encounters in the over world.
But if you're looking for an old school, very grindy challenge, then Nocturne is definitely a good place to start.
I think ys 6 and before should have been called out as really differnt games. ys 7 to the current modern in 10 are closer to the tales series combat (good) and 6 and before are isometric dungeon hack and slashers. ys 6 the ark of napishtim is the best of the isometric IMO. ill agree that ys 8 is a good starting point for the modern releases, heres hoping 10 is really good too
I think this'll be a handy video for a lot of people. A lot of great suggestions. Personally, I would suggest Awakening as a good entry point for Fire Emblem. Three Houses is more accessible by being on a modern console, but I think story and mechanic-wise, Awakening is a bit more straightforward for a beginner.
Don’t think he meant best for beginners, he means best coming into a series and not being confused
I agree with the Awakening take however, as somebody who recently got into the series through FE7 I’d argue that is a better entry point. Ofc there’s permadeath but it still holds up really well gameplay wise and the main reason I’d pick that as a starting point is because of accessibility, it’s on NSO which means you don’t have to drop $60 for a game you may or may not enjoy. After I finished FE7 I got my 3DS modded and played awakening and I’m now onto fates.
Completely agree with FF9 as it's the best game in the series and very accessible.
DQ11 is so freaking good. Love the ability to play it 2d or 3d.
Trials of mana remake looks great but I prefer the original for the multiplayer. I'm currently playing it with my daughter.
I haven't played fire emblem since awakening. The whole "completely random stat increases on level up" mechanic is a huge turn off for me.
The only Tales games I've played are destiny and Symphonia. However I own Eternia (destiny 2), vesperia, zestiria, Berseria, abyss, and arise....I should really play some of them...
I'm not a SMT fan. I got 5 because it looked cool but I didn't enjoy it that much. Not a fan of setting or the demon catching mechanics.
I've never played an atelier game.
Breath of fire is so good and I'm so sad they abandoned it.... BoF3 is my favorite in the series. The music and bright art are so great to me.
I've only played P4 Golden in the Persona series. But I LOVED it. I night p5 Royal and need to play it.
I've only played Ys1 and Ys8 and Ys8 is so freaking good!
Great video man. Love your content.
RPG time with David too many great franchises that you can’t start at anywhere
just start somewere that was powerful thank you i starting atleier with the new game
No Legend of Heroes?
Fully expected to see that here. Maybe holding off bc of the Sky remaster and waiting to see how it is?
Have you played any of the Legend of Heroes games and where would be a good starting point for them?
I have an entire video dedicated to just that subject
@@davidvinc I'll have to check it out!
Great video idea
I played (and beat) BoF1 for the first time this year, and found it incredibly mediocre, but I could see how in sequels some of the systems could be fun - namely the dragon transformations and the overworld interactions with characters.
Tried BoF2 and it didn't feel any better. It still felt mediocre in gameplay and presentation (even moreso if you compare it to its contemporaries). I dropped it around the half way point.
Would it be worth me giving the series ANOTHER shot with 3?
It is the best place to start after all!
Apart from final fantasy I’m in complete agreement
I was hoping you’d do Kingdom Hearts and validate my decision to not play the non-numbered games. I wanna get into the series, but a lot of the spinoffs look like a chore and I don’t want to slog through them just to understand the rest of the lore.
You can start Ys from Ys 10 in a couple weeks
capcom give us a breath of fire legacy collection!
great choices
Ive tried Breath of Fire multiple times but have issues getting thru it.
Can I skip 1/2 for now and not miss alot of story?