Best "Non Final Fantasy" JRPG Ever?

[Exliam]

Riviera: the promised land. Great battle system, great exploration system, and a great plot. Also, kickass music:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFdHWhLpHbw&feature=related

 

[Eldarion]

Persona, Persona, Persona, Persona, Persona.

And don't forget, MegaTen series...as a whole.

^This, seriously why is everyone bothering to still post after this gets put up? XD

I kid, but yhea the persona series are my favs. Along with disgaea.

 

[Yoshemo]

Does the Earthbound/Mother series count? If not, persona

 

[Judgement101]

Persona, Persona, Persona, Persona, Persona.

This. Persona, get it NOW! Why are you still reading this GO BUY IT NOW!

 

[ModReap]

Golden Sun. End of story.

 

[JonnoStrife]

Dragon Quest 8.

 

[AxelxGabriel]

A Tie between Tales Of Symphonia and Star Ocean Til The End Of Time

 

[carpathic]

Probably not original, but to me, if it is JRPG, it sucks so there would be no particular option in this field.

That said, I should keep an open mind I suppose and hope that perhaps there is an excellent JRPG out there, I just have not yet run into it.

 

[Judgement101]

Don't judge me for this but, Valkyria Chronicles 1 and 2. Sure it isn't very RPGish but its like a JTBSRPG. (Japanese Turn Based Strategy Role Playing Game)

 

[hopeneverdies]

Either Golden Sun The Lost Age or Mother 3. They are both outstanding.

 

[pyrosaw]

I am shocked. No one has mentioned Mother 3 yet. I played for more than only a half an hour, and I am already calling it awesome. You call that terrible choices. I call it a really good game.Oh, and the Dothack series as well.

 

[Imperioratorex Caprae]

Can you say Mario RPG since it was a Square game?

 

[pyrosaw]

Can you say Mario RPG since it was a Square game?

yyyyyeeeaaahhhh, pretty much.

 

[Yureina]

Star Ocean: The Second Story gets my vote.

 

[Dr. wonderful]

Dragon Quest 8.

THAT.IS.ALL.

 

[Tanis]

Persona, Persona, Persona, Persona, Persona.

And don't forget, MegaTen series...as a whole.

^This, seriously why is everyone bothering to still post after this gets put up? XD

I kid, but yhea the persona series are my favs. Along with disgaea.

Disgaea really isn't a 'JRPG', it's a SRPG or TRPG.

 

[AsianMafiaSin]

Mardek, whenever the developer finally finishes his five other chapters

 

[Georgie_Leech]

In case my avatar isn't enough to tip you off...

From the magic system, the way attacks worked, the way Limit Breaks were changed from a super attack to something inherent in equipment (extra dimension to strategy), the excellent puzzles, the amazing music, and, most importantly, a truly epic story finished with the best ending Ive ever seen in a videogame. It remains the one game that managed to pull of a plot twist (that wasn't just an ass-pull) that I didn't see coming.

 

[Amyler]

was ninjaed on all points, but damned if I won't say 'em anyway.

The World Ends With You,
Golden Sun/ The Lost Age
Pokemon in general.

 

[KingKamor]

The SMT series takes itself and its audience seriously, which is rather refreshing.

Golden Sun series. Here's hoping that the third game is great.

Tales of the Abyss is also a great game, especially in the Tales series. It deals deeply with the subject of personal identity and one's place in the world. It actually works out very well. Some parts seem a bit emo, but it works in this game.