Are you looking for games but low on money? Don’t have one of those pricey, new age consoles? No spare cash to buy $60 games? Fear not. Here’s a list of some of my favorite last generation consoles’ JRPGs that you can get for very, very low prices. After all, cheapskate is my middle name.
1) Final Fantasy VIII (1999) by Square
Amazon: $16.99 (New). Starts @ $9.00 for used.
You knew this was coming. How could I not have FF8 on a list of my favorite and highly recommended list of JRPGs? That’s like having pizza with no cheese or a hot fudge sundae with no hot fudge!
Aside from my personal preference, this is an awesome title: great music, great plot, and a great mini game (Hail Triple Triad!). Running over 50 hours of gaming, this game is worth every penny. Just make sure you play this on a very small screen as this game does not age very well. Poor Squalie…so many pixels!
2) Valkyrie Profile 2 (2006) by Square Enix
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Amazon: starts @ $19.95 for used.
I love this game. It has a great, kick-ass, free rein combat system that challenges you, twisted plot, and gorgeous, to-die-for graphics. This is one of the best PS2 game hands down. I’m actually surprised that many people think this game is not as good as the first one. I beg to differ.
3) Chrono Cross (1999) – Square Enix
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Amazon: $19.99 (New), Starts @ $11.63 for used
Another great oldie. The combat system, which I think is one the best ever, rocks! Here’s a description of it from Wikipedia:
“Chrono Cross also features a "field effect", which keeps track of Element color used in the upper corner of the battle screen. If the field is purely one color, the power of Elements of that color will be enhanced, while Elements of the opposite color will be weakened.”
Square Enix was able to become the behemoth in JRPGs precisely because of these kinds of innovations. I sincerely hope that they will continue to push the envelope in JRPGs. Don’t forget to check out Chrono Trigger as well; it’s currently re-released on DS. Too bad it’s pretty expensive.
4) Final Fantasy IX (2000) by Square Enix
Amazon: $14.99 (New), starts @ $11.59 for used
Final Fantasy X (2001) by Square Enix
Amazon: $20.25 (New), starts @ $8.99 for used
No, I’m not doing a shameless plug for Square Enix. I can’t help it if they produced so many good JRPGs! In the interest of making room for other non-Squenix games, I decided to list these two games together. If you haven’t played them before, now it is a good time to get these games cheap and stay at home! You’ll help keep money in your pocket and have fun.
For those who complained that Final Fantasy games are too linear for your taste, there’s a reason why these are JRPGs. If you need to play some non-linear games, go play Zelda or Okami and leave us to our androgynous heroes.
5) Wild Arms 3 (2002) by Media Vision
Amazon: starts @ $3.99 for used.
This game has a great story and one of the best music around. Seriously, the opening scene is in my Youtube’s playlist. It is that good. Plus who doesn’t love a good ole’ western themed JRPG? Also, since it’s an old style JRPG, you can bet that this game will take at least 60 hours to complete…not counting the hours you’ll spend if you decide to explore the Abyss. Well worth your money.
6) Suikoden 3 (2002) by Konami
Amazon: starts @ $16.50 for used.
You can play three different characters and see the plot unfurl from three different points of views. This easily translates to over 100+ gaming hours. More bang for your buck! It helps that this is game has a wonderful cast of characters and, in Suikoden’s tradition, tons of mini-games. That should keep you busy for a while.
7) Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean
Amazon: starts @ $9.69 for used.
Using cards to battle, this is one of the most impressive and innovative game in my personal opinion. Not only that, you play main character’s guardian spirit, which leaves room for the script writers to create one of the most shocking twists in all of my JRPG experience. The only complain I had is how mannequin-like the characters look in the FMV scenes. Still, this is a Gamecube gem that should not be missed.
8) Skies of Arcadia
Amazon: starts @ $21.98 for used.
For those gamers who love side-quests, this is for you. The main plot is serviceable, but this game really shines during the airship battles and when you have free reins to explore the whole word. This is an awesome, time consuming JRPG, especially if you have a weak spot for pirates and have always wanted to be an airship pirate.
9) Odin Sphere (2007) by Vanillaware
Amazon: $19.99 (New), starts @ $14.10 for used.
I was bowled over by the beautiful, lush visuals. That and the five interlocking stories made me spent over seventy hours on this game, an impressive feat since Odin’s Sphere has only one major side-quest and is relatively straight forward. Trust me. You’ll enjoy this game especially if you are a sucker for a convoluted plot.
10) Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords by Infinite Interactive
DS, PS2, PS, Windows, iPhone, PSP, Wii,
Amazon: less than $20 for all mediums
Oh yeah, this game might not look like it, but it is addictive and frustratingly difficult at times. You will not be able to stop, and you’ll keep playing while muttering, “one last time.” Get it and thank me when you have something to keep you occupied on your daily commute. Just don’t miss your stop.
On other non-JRPG games, I highly recommend Diablo and Titan Quest for your cheap and no-brain-required gaming pleasure: I got Titan Quest for less than $20 and Diablo for $9.99. For non-RP games, I highly recommend Castlevania: Lament of Innocent, Raving Rabbits 2, Grimgrimoire, Legend of Mana, Hot Shots 3, and Onimusha.
So now it is your turn to let me know what games are cheap and good. Drop me a note and help me save some gaming money too. After all, we are all in the same sinking boat, no?
**All the prices shown are taken from Amazon on March 05, 2009. It is subject to change.
