RPG Ranks: 120-111

Continued from the previous post.

120. Final Fantasy Legend (#43)

And speaking of series starters, Final Fantasy Legend started the SaGa series, but likely confused RPG newbies on how systems worked! Gotta admit, those stat gains didn't work out too well on the Game Boy. But I still think this is the best of the FFL sub-saga, numerous ways to kill, climbing the tower all the way to the top, eating the monster meat. Still, other games in the SaGa series definitely eclipse this sub-series.

119. Wizardry III: Legacy of Llylgamyn (#143)

Classic, yet primitive. A good definition of all Wizardry games really. Of course, primitive is a misnomer with all the customization, but the gameplay remains rough and you'll desperately want to use that map every turn. Of the original three Wizardry games, this has the weakest plot. Although climbing up a volcano to prevent impending disaster sounds fun, there's not much in evil overlords when you get to it. It was better blasting a backwards-named Wizard or finding legendary equipment, speaking of which...

118. Wizardry II: The Knight of Diamonds (#142)

On this edition of Wizardry, you're going on a scavenger hunt! For epic equipment! While everything else gameplay-wise is the same as the original Wizardry game (further down the countdown). So yeah, grind a TON just to be able to get anywhere here. Then get your equipment, let one of your characters equip it all, and you get that precious knighthood. No major boss to fight!

117. Lunar: Walking School (#44)

It's no Dragon Song, thank god, but Lunar Sanposuru Gakuen, or Walking School, is barebones as all hell. No wonder it's only a spinoff game. My sole Game Gear RPG is basic and at least gives us an interesting story of school misfits. Learning magic at this academy is easy, talk to every teacher in each day! Weird stuff happens on every day of the game too. Lunar games always had decent stories, even if gameplay-wise they aren't as impressive.

116. Silva Saga (#119)

Obscure as it is, looks like someone forget to make this NES RPG difficult. According to GameFAQs this is the second easiest NES RPG, and I'll be damned if my experience doesn't say that too. Level grinding is an afterthought, you go through party members like butter but they all function the same. The game is also much less of a fetch quest than its predecessor. I'll give it that. Too bad much of the game is kinda boring. 

115. Great Greed (#47)

This game flat-out embodies WTF when it comes to RPGs I played. One that definitely doesn't take itself seriously, and has, for a Game Boy RPG, a unique one-on-one battle system. Simplicity doesn't always equal fun though, as this game manages to be quite the challenge. To make up for it, people are named after food, you fight food monsters, and you also do weird things like influence elections, change city laws, buy fruits for a beauty pageant dress. What even was this game?

114. Tenchi Muyo! Game Hen (#93)

Another anime RPG, based off of one I have no familiarity with, and obviously not really that popular considering that it never reached outside Japan. This was a poor man's Final Fantasy Tactics, no classes to speak of, no status effects, nothing but using up kiai for attacks as well as anime transformations. There is a bit of uniqueness to the units but that's honestly about it.

113. Phantasy Star II (#16)

It amazes me how classic RPGs always end up way harder than they should. Phantasy Star II is considered superior to others in its own series, but I don't think so. While the storyline is pretty good, the separation of bio-monsters and robots nice, and a character death done rather well, I care about gameplay much more, and wow, it definitely does not play to a player's favor. Why would spells even miss? For shame.

112. Silva Saga II (#122)

Silva Saga II almost feels like a remake of the original Silva Saga on NES. The exact same setting is used and familiar partners also join the party. But it tries to do different things, like differing your starting location, adding new partners, and trying to spice up the story quite a bit more. It succeeds at being only slightly better than its NES prequel. However, the overall gameplay is incredibly standard, and having not been officially released outside of Japan also hurts it quite a bit.

111. Lufia & The Fortress of Doom (#6)

Here's another grindfest, although I never noticed it because this was the game where I decided to liberally grind in RPGs. Still though, the first Lufia game seemed nice from what it offers, especially the entire playable prologue. We're then treated to slowly making our way up the ranks, with randomized monster stats and a gimmick similar to the first Final Fantasy in attacking empty space. Not to mention random targeting. These of course pertain to groups, but it's still bad. The storyline goes through lots of weaves too.

Continued in the next post.