Great RPG List (Will Be Updated Regularly!)

[iTrunks]

Looking for a good RPG to pass the time? Well here is a comprehensive list of some great RPG titles on the PSP!

Top RPGs: (Most are from play-asia)(info was from Wikipedia and IGN)

*SOME SPOILERS*
1. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII



Language: Japanese

Spoiler for Story:
Thanks to their monopoly on mako energy and a strong military force, the Shinra Electric Power Company is quickly exerting their influence around the world. Construction is also rapidly advancing on their base, and symbol of prosperity, the mako city of Midgar, which will soon become Shinra's seat of power.

The Shinra Company possesses an organization of soldiers with powerful combat ability known as SOLDIER, and amongst them, the especially excellent SOLDIERs are known as SOLDIER: First Class, inspiring respect and envy from the masses. One of the young people yearning to be First Class is Zack. He works hard at his daily duties with his senior, Angeal, a First Class and an excellent leader.

At that time, the SOLDIER Mass Disappearance Incident occurred when, during combat operations in Wutai, Genesis, a first class member of SOLDIER, went missing without a trace along with many other SOLDIERs. The Shinra Company's top management assessed the situation and decided to send out SOLDIER in order to bring an end to the war and clarify the scandal, and so, Angeal and Zack, as well as Sephiroth, whose name would come to be known throughout the world as a hero, were dispatched to Wutai.

During the duration of the game, events similar to Last Order: Final Fantasy VII take place, as well as Zack meeting Aerith, becoming best friends with Cloud, Zack discovering the truth about both Angeal and Genesis' origins, The truth behind the mysterious "Project 'G'", Sephiroth's hatred of the Shinra company beginning, and many other events. There are also scenes in Crisis Core of Zack that Cloud had as flashbacks in Final Fantasy VII Advent Children and Final Fantasy VII.

At the end of the game, Cloud and Zack reach the Wastelands near Midgar, after escaping Shinra. However, Zack is shot by the Shinra soldiers while Cloud is left unharmed because of his catatonic state. Aerith is seen waiting at her church, praying for Zack.

After some time Cloud snaps out of his rigid state and heads towards Zack. When Cloud reaches Zack, Zack (while giving Cloud his Buster Sword) tells Cloud to take all his pride and dreams for him and continue living, and then finally dies. Cloud literally cries out in anguish. After his brief mourning, Cloud says his thanks to Zack and tells him to rest. Zack talks aside that he is finally a hero, while the scene goes to Cloud who is carrying the Buster Sword and making his way towards Midgar.

If you're playing through Crisis Core for a second time, after the credits roll the intro to Final Fantasy VII plays. Aerith is seen exiting a building into the streets of Midgar, while Cloud (who is not too far from her) rides on top of a train stating, "I am Cloud. SOLDIER. First Class." marking the beginning of the original game, Final Fantasy VII. The game ends with the words, "To be continued in Final Fantasy VII..."


2. Eiyuu Densetsu Sora no Kiseki SC



- Must play FC(First Chapter) in order to get the story.

Language:Japanese

Spoiler for Story:
The game takes place in Liberl Kingdom, 10 years after the great invasion of Erebonian Empire from the north. Currently it is being governed by the old queen Alicia II and restored back to its peaceful state before the war. Currently the kingdom thrives of materials and high technology which is eyed closely by the Erebonian Empire.

The main character is Estelle Bright, daughter of Cassius Bright who is a legend within the kingdom. During the great war, Erebonian managed to break their way through to the capital city. Here, under the direction and counter-attack planned by Cassius, Liberl launched a retaliation that forced the opponent to retreat back to the borders within a few weeks. After the war, Cassius gave up his sword and left the army, joining the Bracer's guild and enhancing it to its glory state and was given the S ranking.

Estelle is completely ignorant of her father's past and history but settles comfortably in the house at Rolant. When she was at a young age, her father was assaulted by a young child of amazing combat abilities but loses his memory in the fight and becomes adopted by Cassius. This child was named Joshua Bright and is the main male character of the story. From there Estelle was taught the usage of staff and starts off the story on the day when she is going to join the Bracer's guild with Joshua.

The story progresses as normal Bracer's guild quests unveiling the dark side of the government, a faction of the army that decides to overthrow the old queen. This eventually lead to the exploration of the ancient facilities in the Liberl Kingdom... and it turns out that the manager of the army was just being used by a mastermind who's an adept at controlling people's minds. This also leads on to the second story, with Joshua's past unveiling in the ending.


3. Final Fantasy Tactics: Shishi Sensou



Language: Japanese,Europe

Spoiler for Story:
The story takes place in the fictional kingdom of Ivalice, a country where castles and forts are the stronghold of nobles, the church is a powerful religio-political entity, and warring factions remain in the struggle for dominance over the land. Ivalice had just ended its Fifty Year's War with neighboring country Ordalia, and is facing economic problems and political strife.

Adding to its problems is the recent death of the king, whose heir is only an infant. A regent is needed to rule in place of the prince, and the kingdom is split between the Black Lion and the White Lion; two noble factions that seek to rule Ivalice. The conflict leads to what is known in the game as the Lion War.

Behind this backdrop is a revelation done by the game's fictional historian Alazlam J. Durai, who seeks to reveal the story of an unknown character whose role in the Lion War was major but was covered up by the kingdom's church. The setting is based around this character, named by default as Ramza, and revolves around his early life and the future conflicts he faced while the events that changed the kingdom unfolds.


4. Makai Senki Disgaea Portable



Language: Japanese, English (Coming Soon)

Spoiler for Story:
The story of Disgaea opens with Laharl rising out of an open coffin in his room. Etna, one of the castle vassals, is standing next to him, surrounded by various weapons. She explains that he has been sleeping for two years, far longer than he intended, and his father, King Krichevskoy, has died. Laharl vows to reclaim the throne, and, after consulting with Etna and his other vassals, goes to Vyers' castle.

After defeating the demon Vyers, who refers to himself as the "Dark Adonis" and is renamed "Mid-Boss" by Laharl, he meets Angel Trainee Flonne. Flonne had been sent to the Netherworld by Seraph Lamington, the ruler of Celestia, to assassinate King Krichevskoy (who was already dead).

Shocked by Laharl's lack of grief at his father's death, the eternally optimistic Flonne joins Laharl's party to determine if demons are capable of feeling love. Observing them in secret is the paranoid Archangel Vulcanus, who interprets Flonne's actions as treason and is convinced that she is plotting against him.

After Etna demands that Laharl pay the salary of the Prinnies that she has hired, he decides to attack the demon with the most money in the vicinity. This is Hoggmeiser at Dinero Palace. After defeating Hoggmeiser, Laharl is about to kill him, until Hoggmeiser's son rushes out and gets in the way. Flonne convinces Laharl to spare them, and Laharl lets them keep some of the money. In response to this act, Hoggmeiser joins the party.

At one point, Flonne and Etna discover a photograph of Laharl in an embarrassing situation. Laharl refers to this as a "paparazzi shot", however, the actual contents of the photo are never actually revealed.

(Two popular theories are that Laharl was doing something sexual or that he was doing something nice) A threat on the back of the photograph states that copies of it would be distributed if Laharl did not accept a challenge to fight for the overlordship; thus Laharl was blackmailed. One of the demons in Laharl's castle, after learning about the photo, says "I didn't know you were into that sort of thing ♥".

Responding to this challenge, Laharl meets Maderas, a vampire. He was banished by King Krichevskoy, for stealing the King's favorite snack, dark manju. Maderas takes advantage of Laharl's two biggest weaknesses – optimism and women with sexy bodies.

Maderas was also controlling Etna by holding her memory. He had instructed her to kill the prince, but she had put him to sleep for two years by poisoning him instead. Etna eventually betrays Maderas, and along with Laharl, Flonne, and Mid-Boss, defeats him.

Waking up later at night, Flonne discovers that several Prinnies are chanting and leaving the castle. Laharl, worried that his reputation will be tarnished if it's discovered that he let his vassals escape, chases after them the next morning. Eventually, he runs into Death, and the player learns that Big Sis Prinny is actually Laharl's mother; she became a Prinny because she gave her life to save him.

After Laharl becomes the undisputed Overlord of the Netherworld, he meets a group of humans from Earth: Gordon, Defender of Earth; Jennifer, his assistant; and the robot Thursday. Gordon has been led to believe that his mission is to assassinate Laharl due to an impending attack on Earth by the Netherworld.

Laharl promises not to invade Earth if Gordon defeats him, on the condition that Gordon becomes one of his vassals if he wins; Gordon is embarrassed by his ensuing loss and servitude. After the Earth Defense Force appears in the Netherworld, it is revealed that Gordon was actually sent to secure a path for an invasion of the Netherworld by the humans, who had been tricked by Vulcanus.

General Carter sends Kurtis to the Netherworld, and eventually goes there himself on the Space Battleship Gargantua. Kurtis abducts Jennifer, and Laharl engages the EDF fleet of spaceships in a rescue attempt, destroying all but the Gargantua by himself. When Laharl and his party arrive at the Gargantua's bridge, several angels from Celestia appear and attack them. After being defeated, General Carter escapes, only to have Mid-Boss appear to give him a message.

In response to this turn of events, Flonne and the rest of the party decide to go to Celestia to confront the Seraph. Vulcanus goes to Seraph Lamington, declares that Flonne is a traitor who is leading an army of demons in an invasion of Celestia, and goes to lead a group of angels to repel this "invasion". Vulcanus reveals to Laharl and his party that he intends to conquer all three worlds and rule over them as a god.

After defeating Vulcanus, Laharl finally meets the Seraph and Flonne explains Vulcanus's plan and what she has learnt while travelling with Laharl. The Seraph accepts her version of events and agrees that demons are, in fact, capable of feeling love. However, he declares that Flonne must be punished because she fought against other angels, and turns her into a flower. Outraged at this injustice, Laharl attacks the Seraph, initiating the game's final battle.

The game has multiple endings. Depending on the way the game was played up to this point, the Seraph may or may not survive, Flonne either remains a flower, is restored to her original form, or is transformed into a Fallen Angel, and Laharl either becomes a great Overlord, disappears and leaves Etna in charge of the Netherworld, or dies and becomes a Prinny. It may also be noted that, on the Good Ending, when the spirit of Laharl's mother appears to him, Vyers appears to already know her, and the way he talks to Laharl suggests that he is King Krichevskoy.


5.Tales of the World: Radiant Mythology



Language: Japanese, English

Spoiler for Story:
The world of Terresia is under assault by Widdershin and Aurora, the descenders of other worlds. As a last resort, the world's life-giving tree (the World Tree) uses the last of its power to create a new character-you (a local descender).

The hero, after awakening to a strange creature named Mormo, the descender of his own world, he or she learns that the player is a descenders, the protector of his or her world's World Tree. After hearing a scream, the player runs to see a girl is being attacked by one of Ganser's soldiers. After rescuing the girl, she introduces herself as Kannono, who is a member of an organization called Ad Libitum.

As always, the Tales of the World spin-offs add Tales characters from entries in the main installments. They play as NPCs that will assist the player throughout the game to stop the villain from destroying the world.


6. Jeanne D'arc



Language: English, Japanese, Europe

Spoiler for Story:
-In the past, there was a great war between humans and demons. Five heroes created five magical armlets and used their combined power to seal the demons away. Much time has passed, and now France and England are in the midst of the Hundred Years' War. Domrémy, a small village in the Lorraine region of France, was celebrating a festival when suddenly English soldiers stormed in and attacked.

A village girl, Jeanne, was led by a voice from the heavens to save France. Thus begins the journey of Jeanne, and her friends Roger and Liane, in the war to free their country from the tyranny of the demon controlled English army.


7. Riviera The Promised Land



Language: Japanese, English

Spoiler for Story:
-A thousand years before the game occurs, the gods of Asgard were attacked and overrun by demons from Utgard. In desperation, the gods broke an ancient covenant. They created black-winged reapers that came to be know as Grim Angels. Each was armed with a Diviner or sacred weapon with which they easily vanquished the demons.

This war was called Ragnarok. After the war's conclusion the demons were locked away in Utgard, which was cleansed and became known as Riviera. Soon after this war, the gods disappeared, leaving their knowledge and authority in the stewardship of seven Magi; their power they left in the care of the Sprites, the inhabitants of a peaceful Riviera.

After a thousand years of peace, rumors of the demons’ return surfaced. Hector, one of the Magi, sends the Grim Angels Ein and Ledah to investigate, accompanied by Ein's familiar, Rose. They are ordered to activate the "Retribution", a hidden power of the gods which would eliminate the demons but destroy Riviera in the process. At the end of Heaven's Gate, they meet Ursula, the guardian of Riviera. Ein falls in battle and is taken to Yggdrasil, the heart of Riviera, by Ursula. Discovering that he has a good heart, she entrusts him with the protection of Riviera.

Ein wakes up suffering from amnesia and able to recall neither his purpose nor his origin. He is nursed by Fia and Lina, residents of Elendia, which is a village near Yggdrasil. News about the rebirth of the four "Accursed" - the "progenitors of evil" - reaches them and they set out to investigate. Eventually, they defeat all four and meet Serene, Cierra and even Rose along the way. Meanwhile, Ledah searches for Yggdrasil, so that he may activate the "Retribution".

Ein now expects to live peacefully in Elendia with his new-found friends, but Ursula informs them that Ledah has breached Yggdrasil and intends to destroy the three "Aquariums", the sources of Yggdrasil's power in an attempt to activate the Retribution. The six companions (Ein, Lina, Fia, Serene, Cierra and Rose) head out to Yggdrasil. Although they manage to subdue Ledah in battle, it is Malice, Hector's pawn, who deals a fatal blow. A dying Ledah warns them that Hector has tricked them all this time: he does not fulfill the will of the gods, but seeks ultimate power for himself.

They chase Malice, but are unable to prevent her from destroying the last Aquarium. They fight with Malice, but it is Ledah who deals the killing blow. Ledah soon dies, asking Ein to take revenge on Hector.

The company then race to the "Maze of Shadows" where Seth, the Sealed One, is imprisoned. There they discover that Hector has unleashed Seth. Hector intends to become the one True God and to this end he fuses his body with that of Seth to become Seth-Rah. However, Ein is able to defeat Seth-Rah and is teleported back to Yggdrasil by Ursula just before the entire Maze collapses.

Upon their return, Ursula reveals that, with the death of her counterpart Seth, she too will cease to exist. Before disappearing, she charges Ein, Fia, Lina, Serene, Cierra and Rose with the continued protection of Riviera.

Since Riviera is a renai, the player can achieve multiple endings depending on his responses to his companions. Depending upon them, an ending may be achieved with Ein and the girl of choice having a special scene together. The ending with Rose is a hidden ending, as it was not in the original WSCgame, and Rose doesn't have a trust stat in the game. The last frame also tells (no matter what the ending) that Rose becomes a historian in later life and records their adventures.

[iTrunks]

8.Brave Story New Traveler





Language: Japanese, English

Spoiler for Story:
-The game starts off with the player as the main protagonist, called Tatsuya as the default name, and introduces us to his best friend, whose default name is Miki. The story kicks off with Tatsuya and Miki sitting on a bench. Tatsuya is too immersed in the game he is playing on his PSP to notice that Miki is missing.

Kratos, Miki's dog, barks and shows Tatsuya where Miki is and thus he finds her unconscious on the ground, sick by some unknown illness. He wishes for her to become better, and suddenly, a voice magically appears and asks Tatsuya if he wants to save his friend and make her healthy again. He agrees and thus the adventure begins in an unknown land separated from the rest of the world in order to seize 5 different gems for the travellers sword he holds so he can return to his old world and restore Miki back to full health

This game is based on the Japanese manga, Brave Story, and features some of the manga's cast, although the main characters, Tatsuya and Miki, are original creations for the game.


9.Breath of Fire III



Language: Japanese, English

Spoiler for Story:
The game begins in a chrysm mine in a far corner of the world, where a rare and powerful mineral is being harvested from the fossilized remains of dragons. When a large deposit is cracked open by dynamite, a preserved baby dragon emerges and quickly attacks the panicked miners before being knocked unconscious and placed aboard a train to be taken away for study.

On the way out of the mine, the dragon jostles his cage off the train and falls down a hill on the outskirts of a large forest, where he transforms into a young boy before again losing consciousness. He is found by a wandering thief named Rei, member of the cat-like Woren clan and fellow orphan who believes him to be just another abandoned child. Taking him to his home in the woods, they meet Teepo, Rei's longtime friend and partner-in-crime, who agrees to let the boy into their thieving operation, and find out that his name is Ryu, the only thing he can remember. The team commits several crimes, and come into favor with local village when they steal from their corrupt mayor, McNeil, and re-distribute the funds across town.

Secretly a member of a large crime syndicate, the mayor contacts two hitmen, the horse brothers Balio and Sunder, to seek revenge, who proceed to burn down the trio's home and violently attack them. Awakening a short while later, Ryu finds himself in the care of a woodsman named Bunyan who had found no trace of his friends. Believing them to be alive, Ryu travels to the city of Wyndia where he meets Nina, child daughter of the King, who helps him escape Balio and Sunder, who are now on his trail.

Ryu and Nina eventually come across a large tower and meet Momo, an inventor and engineer who is researching the properties of chrysm when the two of them arrive. Together with her diminutive robotic assistance Honey, the three escape the tower by rocket when a group of bounty hunters arrive looking for them.

Momo leads them to a nearby chrysm research facility conducting experiments on plants when they are approached by the institute's chairman and colleague of Momo's father, Dr. Platt, who tells them that there is a mutant creature causing trouble at the dump area where their biological waste is stored. After defeating the mutant plant creature, it gives up its offspring, whom Nina names Peco, to be cared for in its absence.

As the four continue their journey east, where they are captured by Balio and Sunder in a double-cross and taken to a nearby colosseum. It is there that the team meets Garr, a seasoned warrior who aids them in defeating the horse brothers for good.

Garr agrees to help the group in finding Ryu's friends on the condition that he also accompany him to a sacred temple far to the east. After crossing a large bridge and traveling straight through a volcano, the group arrives at the temple, where Garr and Ryu journey inward alone.

It is there that Garr reveals the true fate of the Brood, having been slaughtered by him and his fellow guardians by the hundreds at the behest of Myria, an ancient goddess who promised an age of peace in return for their services. With Ryu as the last living dragon, Garr attempts to slay him, only to have Ryu assume his most powerful form, Kaiser, and escape.

The story then cuts to several years later, where reports of a rampaging dragon have led Garr to the same mines where Ryu was originally found, and finds an adult Ryu within its depths. Convincing Ryu that he will not harm him, Garr instead asks forgiveness for his actions against his people centuries ago and asks that Ryu help him discover the truth behind Myria's genocide of the Brood.

The two re-group with Nina, now a young adult, and Momo, who has been performing experiments at the plant institute with Peco, who himself has been frequently visiting the great tree Yggdrasil, overseer of the world's forests. They continue their journey once they receive information about Myria's whereabout from Deis, an immortal sorceress from the first two Breath of Fire titles. The team finds Rei alive, now battling the leader of the crime organization responsible for the attack on his friends, and have him join their group, learning that he also has not seen Teepo since the incident.

Crossing the ocean to the forgotten northern continent, the group finds a town littered with advanced technology from a forgotten age, and then proceed to the last known village of the Brood, Dragnier, where they learn of the battle between the heroes from the first Breath of Fire and the Goddess centuries ago, and how she has returned to seek her revenge against the Brood. Crossing a large desert, the team arrives at the ruined city of Caer Xhan, a former haven of technology, with a lift leading to Myria's fortress.

Making their way up the large escalator to the floating Myria Station, the group fights their way into the facility's inner sanctum where they meet a lavender-haired young man who reveal himself to be Teepo. Having survived the attack by Balio and Sunder due to his latent dragon powers, he was later contacted by the Goddess, who convinced him to live in peaceful seclusion in her fortress to spare the world his destructive power. Unable to convince Ryu or his friends to do the same, he transforms into the gigantic Dragon Lord and attacks them, only to be defeated, his dying words revealing that he just wanted to be with his "family", Ryu and Rei.

The determined groups makes their way to Myria herself within the station's control center, where she reveals that she exterminated the dragons centuries ago for the same reason she removed the world's high technology: to keep humanity from inadvertently destroying themselves. She presents Ryu the same choice she gave Teepo, to live the rest of his life in peace within her station or be destroyed. The spirit of the great tree Yggdrasil then channels himself through Peco and tell her she is taking her power too far, and like any parent, she must allow her children to make their own way. With that, Ryu and his friends attack and defeat her, fleeing the station as it crumbles around them.

Garr opts to stay behind to atone for his past mistakes, and Deis, now revealed to be Myria's sister, appears to her just as the station falls apart, saying they will now leave the world in humanity's hands. Ryu and his friends make their way from the rubble and back into the desert on their journey home.


10. Wild Arms XF



Language: Japanese

Spoiler for Story:
-The game's story centers around the knight group called the Blanquizel and how the protagonist and her team of knights take back their homeland, The Elsius Kingdom, which is being controlled by the Senate.

The Queen of the Elsius Kingdom died in an incident, followed by the king's death due to illness resulted the rise of the Senate. Like other Wild Arms titles, this takes place on the dying planet Filgaia where the remaining natural resources; food, land and financial assets are at the center of continued armed confrontations. Despite this, the Elsius Kingdom is one of the few peaceful places on Filgaia.



11.Tales of Phantasia



Language: Japanese

Spoiler for Story:
-Tales of Phantasia begins by showing a heroic battle between four unknown warriors against an evil sorcerer, Dhaos, the outcome of which changed the fate of the world.

The warriors were victorious, but Dhaos escaped through time. However, four different heroes are awaiting him: they seal the weakened Dhaos away using the power of two pendants, thus returning peace to the world.

In the town of Toltus ten years after Dhaos had been sealed away, where a young swordsman named Cress Albane (known as “Cless Alvein” in the Japanese version) and his best friend, archer Chester Burklight (Chester Barklight in the Japanese version), live. The town is destroyed by a dark knight named Mars(Malice in the DeJap translation) and his soldiers, while Cress and Chester are out hunting in the forest.

Every villager is killed in the attack, including Chester’s sister and both of Cress’s parents. While Chester mourns, Cress vows for revenge. He decides he will head to the town of Euclid, as his mother asked of him before she passed away. The two friends decide they will meet up later, in Euclid.

Upon his arrival in Euclid, Cress is soon betrayed by his uncle and is thrown in jail, captured by Mars. The heirloom pendant entrusted to Cress by his father Miguel is taken away from him, but Cress does not know of its significance in holding Dhaos sealed, nor that his father was one of the four who sealed him away.

Cress meets Mint Adenade ("Adnade" in the Japanese version, a practitioner of the healing arts) in the jail, and she joins the party and helps him escape. Soon afterwards, the party meets Chester again at Trinicus (“Tornix” in DeJap’s translation) D. Morrison's house, another of the four warriors. Trinicus informs the party that he knew Cress’s parents and Mint’s mother quite well, and they once joined together to seal away a great evil. He is horrified to hear that Cress’s pendant has been stolen, and immediately runs off towards a nearby mausoleum.

Cress, Mint, and Chester deduce that Mars must be there, and so follow Trinicus without his knowledge and against his will. Unfortunately, Mars manages to release Dhaos using the pendants before Trinicus and the party can stop him. With no hope of dealing with the all-powerful Dhaos for now, Trinicus attempts to send Cress, Mint, and Chester back a century into the past, so that they will learn about Dhaos and procure a means to preemptively defeat him. After killing Mars, Dhaos attacks the party with a magic spell that Chester dives in front of. So it is that Chester and Trinicus are left behind to suffer Dhaos’s wrath, with only a broken bow and a diary respectively all that Mint and Cress have to remember them by.

In the past, Dhaos is still causing chaos, preparing for an imminent war against the two largest human countries — Alvanista and Midgards. These events happened around ninety years before he was sealed. In this time period, Dhaos’s evil pervades most of the world, and he even controls the prince of Alvanista’s royal family. The party learns that the only way to defeat Dhaos is by using magic, but neither Cress nor Mint can practice the magical arts — only elves and half-elves can use the powerful spells.

However, they soon meet Claus F. Lester (given as Klarth F. Lester in Japanese versions) (a summoner) and Arche Klein (a half-elf witch), who join them in their quest. Claus is a researcher of summoning (the act of evoking a magical spirit or elemental), and is thus one of the only humans who can indirectly use magic by forming a pact with the spirits via special rings and then summoning them to attack in battle.

He suggests that the spirit Luna may be useful to them and so the party travels across the world to the deserts of Freyland, the depths of the ancient dwarven caverns of the Morlia Gallery, and to mountains above and caves below in search of rings and spirits to help them fight Dhaos.

Eventually, the party reaches Midgards and succeeds in helping fend off Dhaos’s army in the conflict called the Valhalla War. They proceed to Dhaos’s castle in search of him, with hopes of restoring peace to the world and avenging the deaths of their loved ones. Reaching the throne room, an epic battle with Dhaos ensues. Unfortunately, Dhaos escapes. Dhaos is down, but not out.

The party travels back to their original time to interrupt the resurrected Dhaos from killing Trinicus and Chester in the mausoleum, and fight him once more. This time, Dhaos is thoroughly defeated, and the cave begins to collapse in on itself, and an unconscious Dhaos. The party escapes and then decides that, with Dhaos most likely dead, they have succeeded and can part ways so that Claus and Arche can return to their original time.

But at that moment, a time-traveller arrives from the future to inform them that Dhaos is still alive and is terrorizing the future. Cress and company immediately travel forward in time fifty years to deal with Dhaos and his minions once and for all.

Upon the advancement of their journey, Cress, Mint, Arche, Claus, and Chester (in the remakes, Suzu Fujibayashi can also join the party) learn of the Eternal Sword, which is considered to be the only weapon that may eliminate Dhaos once and for all. After acquiring it, the party ventures into Dhaos’s floating castle, invisible to those who do not wield the Eternal Sword. When they reach the top, they battle against Dhaos, who they learn is much more than a simple sorcerer.

He happens to be from another world that is trying to save The Tree of Life (Yggdrasill, or as Dhaos calls it, The Giant Kharlan Tree) from withering and dying; the Mana that the tree exudes is of utmost importance to the survival of this world, the planet Derris-Kharlan (mistakenly rendered as “Derris Karran” in the GBA localization). After his defeat, Cress and the others return to the Tree, and the Goddess Martel explains Dhaos’s circumstances. The game’s protagonists come to realize that, in the end, Dhaos was merely trying to save his people; by defeating him, they had doomed his world.

Finally, Claus and Arche return to their own time. however, after the party leaves, decides to form a Mana Seed and travels to Dhaos’s world to save their Tree of Life. In the Super Famicom version, Dhaos’s corpse as well as Martel herself both become part of the seed, but in the remakes, Martel sends the Mana into space including only Dhaos (in the GBA remake, Mint creates a barrier around Yggdrasill before leaving, so that the Mana Seed can be formed).


12. Valkyrie Profile Lenneth



Language: Japanese, English

Spoiler for Story:
Valkyrie Profile is distinct in that most of the game takes place in a 2D perspective (hence the name). Dungeon sections play more like a platformer than a traditional RPG. Lenneth Valkyrie, the player character, makes her way through these by jumping, sliding, and using her ability to throw ice crystals. These ice crystals can do a number of things, including making temporary steps and freezing enemies. They are also used for solving small puzzles. Upon contact with an unfrozen enemy, an RPG-style battle begins.

Valkyrie Profile boasts a unique take on a turn-based battle system. The two sides wage battle during alternate turns. The whole party shares one turn however each member can attack during that turn at the same time. Each enemy is given their own turn and they do not combo with one another. Each of the four party members is assigned to a particular button.

Pressing the corresponding button on the player's turn orders that character to attack. Conventional fighters have three character-specific attacks, and can use those that their weapons' properties allow once per turn. Mages cast their preset offensive spells, which builds up their CT (Charge Time). Charge Time replaces MP, decreases slowly on its own and prevents spellcasting when above 0. While a mage's CT decreases, they can not perform any actions. There are exceptions to this however, in the form of certain equippable skills.

Stringing attacks together produces combos that prevent a target from defending or recovering, yield Magic Crystals, and Purple Gems that respectively boost experience and reduce CT, and add momentarily to the Hit Gauge. When the gauge hits 100%, a character with no Charge Time may release a special attack ("Purify Weird Soul") that both causes great damage and refills the gauge by an amount, possibly allowing another character to use a PWS. Such attacks cause CT to rise.

Fighters again have character-specific moves, while mages typically use multi-hit versions of their selected spells; the exception are mages wielding scepters with Great Magic capabilities that elevate spells into extensive cinematics that strike all on-screen enemies. Human-forged Great Magic scepters have a high chance of breaking in such use, and the unbreakable ether-coated ones are extremely rare.


13. Final Fantasy II



Language: Japanese, English

Spoiler for Story:
-Final Fantasy II begins with Firion, Maria, Guy and Leon being attacked by imperial soldiers and left for dead. Firion, Maria, and Guy are rescued by Princess Hilda of Fynn, who has established a rebel base in the nearby town of Altair after the Emperor's capture of Fynn. Hilda denies a request by Firion that he, Maria and Guy join the rebel army on the grounds that they are too young and inexperienced. Eager to prove their value to the resistance movement, the three set off for the besieged Fynn, where the four find an ailing Prince Scott of Kashuan, Princess Hilda's fiancé, in the basement of the rebel-friendly local pub.

Scott dies of his wounds from the battle of Fynn against the Emperor, but not before giving the party his ring, which reveals the world map. He also informs them that Borghen betrayed the rebellion and became a General in the Imperial army. He tells the party to tell Hilda that he loves her, but retracts the request, and dies shortly afterward. The three adventurers return to Altair and present Hilda the ring, who after an emotional reminiscence of Scott, allows them to join the rebel movement.

Having proved their worth, the party is charged with journeying to the mountainous northern parts of the world to find Mythril that the rebels need to make weapons that can measure up to that of the Empire's. Before leaving, the party is joined by the White Mage Minwu, who healed the party at the beginning of the game. The party sail across the ocean to the eastern continent and make it north to the mountain village of Salamand, which is under siege by the Empire and are forced to mine Mythril for the Imperial army. There they meet Josef, the hero of the town, who informs them that the men of the village are being forced to mine Mythril in the Semmit Falls. Josef, however, can do nothing, as his daughter, Nelly, is being held captive.

The party enters the mine and saves the captives, including Nelly and Paul, who is supposedly the world's best thief. The party defeats an Imperial soldier and returns to Altair with the mithril. The party is then told to go to Bafsk, which is under General Borghen's command and is easier to infiltrate. However, the party is too late to stop the Dreadnought from being completed.

A plan is formed to use the Sunfire from Kasuhan Keep, but to enter, either the Goddess Bell or the voice of a Kashuan is needed to open the keep. Josef helps the party enter the snow caves with a snowcraft, and the party retrieves the bell. On the way out, Borghen attacks the party, and although he is defeated, he sends a boulder after the party. Josef holds back the boulder to allow the party to escape, but is crushed to death.

The party reaches Kashuan Keep, where they find Gordon has already entered. Although they retrieve Egil's Torch, and use it to capture the Sunfire, the Airship - with Cid and Hilda on board - is captured by the Dreadnought's crane arm. The party enters the airship and saves Hilda, before throwing the Sunfire into the engine. Immediately after doing so, the Dark Knight appears, and Maria recognizes his voice before she escapes.

The King of Fynn, now close to death, summons Gordon, Minwu and Firion's group into his bedroom and gives them assignments. Gordon is given command of the rebel army, Minwu is told to find the Ultima Tome, and Firion's group is given the task of finding the seemingly extinct dragoons of Deist. The king then dies of his wounds. Firion's group realizes that no captain will take them to Deist save one- Leila. Leila, however, turns out to be a pirate, and orders her crew to attack Firion's party.

The party fights them off, and although Leila expects that Firion will kill her, he instead asks for her help in taking them to Deist, a request with which she complies. In Deist, the party finds only a mother with her son, learning that the all but one of the Dragoons and all but one of the Wyverns are dead, partly as a result of Imperial poison. The party obtains a pendant to speak with the last Wyvern, who tells the party to take its egg to a pool deep in the cave before it dies. The party plants the egg in the cave, and fights off some monsters that come after it.

The party returns to Altair, where they learn that Hilda has been acting oddly, eating mice and acting seductively. She summons Firion to her room and tries to seduce him, revealing her true form as the Lamia Queen. The party defeats the Lamia Queen, and learns that they had rescued a decoy on the Dreadnought; the real Princess is in the Arena; Gordon goes to save her while leaving Leila to run the rebellion.

The party defeats a Behemoth to win the Princess, but the Emperor tricks them and has the Dark Knight and his soldiers capture and detain them. Paul, however, breaks them out, and the party saves the real Princess.

Upon their return, the party learns that Hilda and Gordon are launching an attack on Fynn, and infiltrate the castle to kill the commander of the enemy forces. Hilda then tells the party that Minwu has not been heard from for some time, and tells them to search for him. The party acquires a Crystal Rod to enter the tower after acquiring other relics, but Leviathan swallows their ship and separates them from Leila.

They meet Ricard (his name is based on the Game Boy Advance translation, and varies significantly with the translation), the last surviving Dragoon, who had set out to find the Ultima Tome, and they join forces. After gaining another ship, they sail to the Magicians' Tower. At the top, Minwu explains that he was waiting for the party, and then casts a powerful spell to shatter the Ultima Tome's seal, at the cost of his own life.

The party returns to Fynn and sees that many towns have been destroyed by the Emperor's Cyclone. The party calls upon the newly born last Wyvern to take them to a castle inside the Cyclone, where they confront and kill the Emperor. Everyone celebrates the Empire's defeat, but a mortally wounded soldier arrives and reveals that the Dark Knight has taken the throne and plans to destroy the Rebels with the Imperial army. He then makes a more shocking revelation- that the Dark Knight is Leon, Maria's long-lost brother. The party realizes that they will have to infiltrate the castle of Palamecia from the air after talking with Paul, and receive the airship from a dying Cid, who was mortally wounded by the Cyclone.

The party enters the castle and confronts Leon. Then, the Emperor returns in a new demonic form, and reveals that he does not seek to regain the Empire, but to destroy the entire world. As he summons magical fire against the party, the Wyvern arrives, and takes the party to safety as Ricard holds off the Emperor and dies. Princess Hilda is shocked to see Leon on their side, but Maria convinces her to trust him, and Leon agrees to help his friends and sister once again.

The then enters the Jade Passage, an underground cavern near a lake, and find a portal to Pandemonium. The party fights its way through the fortress, and reaches the Emperor at the top, defeating him for a second time. The party then receives congratulations for their efforts, and learns of Hilda and Gordon's plan to unite Fynn and Kashuan, which may indicate that they plan to marry.

Paul is upset that he will no longer have the Empire to steal from, and suggests that he will steal from the former rebels. Leila invites Firion to become a pirate, but Maria objects, and Leila suggests that Firion will have to deal with her in the future. Maria hopes that they will live together as they once did, but Leon says that they cannot live together again- some translations have him indicating that they know too much about each other, which may refer to his lust for power.
Maria begs Firion to stop him, but Firion believes that Leon must follow his own path, but tells him that they will be waiting for him, as though he hopes that Leon will return someday.


14. Aedis Eclipse ~Generation of Chaos



Language: Japanese, English

Spoiler for Story:
The second Generation of Chaos strategy title on PSP takes place in this world divided into three warring planes. Each world has its own main character and story; therefore, players can experience three different stories at once. Depending on which world the player begins with, the difficulty level will differ. The lower world is regarded as the beginner's stage with many tutorials to guide the player through the game. The higher the world you choose to play with, the more difficult it becomes. Battle in each mode using a combination of incredible team customization and item crafting in a multi-unit battle system, with a focus on fast-loading and constant battles to give players a nearly seamless RPG experience.

DIVINE WORLD: In a world where angels and demons lived together in peace, tragedy strikes as the king of demons is assassinated by a radical group of angels. Now, a war has broken out between the two factions and you must stop them from destroying the world...

UPPER WORLD: A young knight has arrived in a kingdom ruled by a ruthless ruler. His fellow comrades have been captured by the royal army and you must rescue them before it is too late...

LOWER WORLD: Another boring day of school is suddenly interrupted by a surprise bombardment. While most students flee for safety, you decide to watch the battle. In a bizarre turn of events, you are dragged into the bloody warfare....

[iTrunks]

15. Tales of Eternia



Language: Japanese, English

Spoiler for Story:
Reid Hershel, along with his childhood friend Farah Oersted, notice an unusual change in the color of the Orbus Barrier coupled with the flight of a strange ship from Celestia. When they go to see what happened, they meet Meredy, who is dressed in a strange fashion and speaks a bizarre foreign language, and her pet Quickie. Consequently, Reid and Farah visit their childhood friend, Keele Zeibel, in search of answers regarding the identity of Meredy. Reid learns that she speaks Melnics, an ancient civilization's language. After traveling to Morle, Reid's group receives a special translation earring that allows communication with Meredy.

Reid continues on to Inferia City, the global capital. The group asks the King of Inferia for help, but Reid is accused of spreading fear and confusion throughout the land; the punishment is a death sentence. The queen wants to know more about what Reid has to say, so the group is released. Reid explains the situation, and the leaders of Inferia hold an organizational conference. The Inferians announce they will uncover the Bridge of Light and stop the Celestians from executing the Grand Fall by taking aggressive military action.

Reid is aided by Efreet, Undine and Sylph; the group is lead by Rem to the Bridge of Light, which resides atop the highest mountain in Inferia. After climbing the mountain, Reid locates the Bridge of Light in its stone sanctum. Reid's group is confronted by Ras, who tells them that his real name is Rassius Luine, a senor knight loyal to the Kingdom of Inferia. Ras loses to Reid in combat, and watches the group escapes via the Bridge of Light to Celestia as Inferian reinforcements arrive.

Upon arrival in Celestia, Reid is greeted by the citizens of Imen, Meredy's hometown. Reid travels by rail to the ruined city Luishka; a professor there examines Reid's body as he houses an unknown fibrill, or magical energy. Reid discovers the Greater Craymel Gnome in a nearby cave, and the group enlists his help. Reid stumbles upon Chat's hut, and the party is accepted into her crew after a series of puzzle-based tests; the group now has access to the sea-based form of transportation.

Using the Van Eltia, Reid reaches Peruti, the frozen town near the dominion of Greater Craymel Celsius. Reid climbs the nearby mountain and helps Celsius regain her sanity, saving Peruti. Reid's group is invited by Max to join the Shileska liberation army in order to stop Balir, the cause of the Grand Fall; however, Meredy senses pain and suffering from Imen, so Reid decides to return there first. When the party reaches Imen, the city is in ruins with the majority of its citizens killed.

At the technologically advanced city of Tinnsia, Reid meets with Ayla and Max, the leader of the Shileska liberation army; Max joins the party. After finding the Greater Craymel Volt trapped in a machine at the Ruins of Volt, Reid frees him and receives his power. Using the Craymel Cannon combined with the support of Shileska, the group manages to break through the fleet loyal to Balir. Infiltration of Balir's Castle leads to Shizel, the ex-Queen, who is ruling in place of Balir; Reid is forced to retreat due to the powerful Dark Aurora Arte of Shizel.

After improving the Van Eltia and enlisting the help of Greater Craymel Shadow, Reid is given the Divine Aurora Arte by Seyfert, the god who created Eternia. Seyfert wishes to preserve his creation, while Nereid desires the destruction of both planets; only Reid's Divine Aurora Arte can defeat the Dark Aurora Arte given to Shizel by Nereid.

The group is now free to travel between the two planets via the Orbus Barrier using the Van Eltia. Reid recruits the Greater Craymel Rem at Regulus Knoll in preparation for the final confrontation at Shizel's Castle. Both Shizel and Nereid are defeated by Reid, who uses his Aurora Arte to counter that of Shizel. However, the Grand Fall continues on unabated despite the banishment of Nereid. Reid's group is forced destroy the Seyfert Ring, which forcefully connects Inferia and Celestia, using the combined power of the two Aurora Artes; this action stops the Grand Fall, but the two worlds drift apart and the party is split. Despite the separation, Chat's modified Van Eltia can fly from Inferia to Celestia, reuniting Reid with his allies.


16. Dragoneer's Aria



Language: Japanese, English


Spoiler for Story:
The story centers on the adventures of Valen Kesslar, a young man who is about to graduate from Dragoon Academy. The graduation ceremony involves the appearance of the six elemental dragons, all of whom were originally part of the Holy Dragon Grinlek before he was destroyed by the Black Dragon, Nidhogg. The six elemental dragons keep the balance in the world of Iris.

During the ceremony, Nidhogg appears and destroys the royal palace of Granadis, injuring the Water Dragon in the process. The Dragoons are then tasked to investigate Nidhogg and defend the other elemental dragons from him.


17. Ys VI: Napishtim no Hako



Language: Japanese, English

Spoiler for Story:
-The first Ys on the PSP system, gamers-on-the-go can experience the sights, sounds, and storytelling that sets Ys apart from other action RPGs. Additionally, players can unlock new mini-games and databases revealing the secrets of Ys, as well as listen to the game's complete soundtrack as well as view movies and trailers in the Ys Media Player.


18. Gurumin: A Monstrous Adventure




Language: English, Japanese

Spoiler for Story:
A young girl named Parin goes to live with her grandfather in Tiese Town after her parents are called overseas on an excavation trip. After being told that there are no other children in Tiese, she finds what looks like another girl who is being threatened by a dog. Parin rescues the girl and discovers that she is actually a monster which only children can see. To thank Parin, the monster takes her to a crack in the back wall of the town which is revealed to be a portal to the monster world. A group of monsters known as phantoms begin a series of attacks on Monster Village. Parin, who unearths a legendary drill, decides to fight against the phantoms and restore Monster Town.


19. Astonishia Story




Language: Japanese, English

Spoiler for Story:
In Astonishia Story, players take the role of an honorable knight and embark upon an epic journey to recover the sacred Wand of Kinan, a symbol of the kingdom's prosperity and fortune, which was stolen by an evil rogue knight. Brave gamers will seek the help of wizards, fighters, knights and many other mysterious allies to succeed. Players will need to rely on their strength and magic to battle against elves, bandits, sorcerers, and monsters of all types.


20. Valhalla Knights



Language: Japanese and English

Spoiler for Story:
A place that was forgotten from history, where humans, elves, halflings and other various races lived together in harmony…it was a paradise, surrounded by deep green forests and crystal clear streams.

However, the roar of the demons tore apart their peaceful lives. It was the return of the Dark Lord, the previous ruler of the land, which sparked a new round of battles which would eventually encompass all the races.

After years of fierce fighting, the Dark Lord was sealed away by the hands of the hero, Rastul. But from the blood of the demons, the land had been cursed and the sky lost its light. The cursed land entrapped the people, making every waking moment feel like an eternity. Eventually the land once known as a paradise came to be known as “The Cursed Land.”

One day, a youth wakes up in this land. In this land full of despair, the youth searches for his/her lost memory. What lies ahead are the discovery of his/her memories and the future of this forsaken land. (From XSEED's press release)


21. Tales of Destiny II



Language: Japanese

Spoiler for Story:
Tales of Destiny 2 begins 18 years after Tales of Destiny. While the exploits of Stahn and the Swordian Masters are known far and wide, their heroism has begun to fade from the hearts of the people. The current preoccupation lies with the Holy Woman Elraine, who promises immediate happiness for all using the power of Lens. Elraine, supported by the Cult of Fortuna, becomes increasingly bold while accumulating political and military power; she demands that the people surrender their Lens for the betterment of all through her miracles.

As the son of world-renowned heroes Stahn and Rutee, Kyle is certain that it's his destiny, even his duty, to become a hero as well. Kyle begins his journey at his mother's Dunamis Orphanage (デュナミス孤児院, Dunamis Orphanage?) in the city of Cresta (クレスタ, Cresta?); he has been raised here since birth. The Orphanage is in desperate need of money, so Kyle bands together with his childhood friend Loni to investigate rumors of a giant Lens. While exploring the nearby Laguna Ruins (ラグナ遺跡, Laguna Ruins?), Kyle encounters a mysterious girl named Reala who emerges from a huge Lens; she announces that she is in search of a hero. After being captured and imprisoned by members of the Cult of Atamoni, Kyle and Loni are freed by Judas. In his effort to become the hero Reala seeks, Kyle vigorously chases after Reala, a quest that leads him through Harmenz Valley (ハーメンツヴァレー, Harmenz Valley?) to the holy city of Aigrette (アイグレッテ, Aigrette?).

Barbatos makes an attempt on Philia's life in Straylize Temple (ストレイライズ大神殿, Straylize Temple?) , but his assassination attempt is thwarted by the combined actions of Kyle, Loni, and Judas. The three band together with Reala and travel to Heidelburg (ハイデルベルク, Heidelburg?) to consult with Woodrow; their ship is rerouted to Lienea (リーネ, Lienea?) after departing from Aigrette's port. Upon completing an assignment in an abandoned mine previously owned by the Oberon Corporation, the party departs from Noischtat (ノイシュタット, Noischtat?) by ship; the destination is Snowfuria (スノーフリア, Snowfuria?). The party meets with Woodrow in Heidelburg, but he is not the hero that Reala is searching for; shortly thereafter, Heidelburg Castle is assaulted by the forces of Barbatos and Elraine using the Draconis as a siege engine. Barbatos severely wounds Woodrow, and the party is forcefully sent 10 years into the future by Elraine.

Kyle and Reala find themselves in Aigrette, where the meet Nanaly; as Nanaly knows the location of Judas and Loni, she joins the group. A ship brings them to Cherik (チェリク, Cherik), and the party travels to Hope Town (ホープタウン, Hope Town?) after crossing Heat River (ヒートリバー, Heat River?). Reunited with Judas and Loni, Kyle heads to Kalviora (カルビオラ, Kalviora?) to enlist the aid of the goddess Fortuna, who transports them back to the present. Woodrow reports that Elraine has stolen a large quantity of Lens from the Kingdom's treasury, prompting the party to pursue her further. Reala surrenders to Elraine, and Kyle travels to Aigrette to rescue her; after the apparent defeat of Elraine, Reala declares that Kyle is truly the hero that she has been in search of. Kyle destroys the Draconis and its Lens cargo, but the resulting temporal distortion sends him into an alternate future.

Exploration of various surface cities reveals that the past has been altered; the forces of Barbatos won the War of Heaven and Earth, and Elraine offered the power of Lens to those remaining on the surface as a healing gesture. Dycroft distributes Lens to the major surface cities, which are protected enclaves of the remnants of humanity. Another encounter with Elraine prompts Kyle to retreat as she is too powerful in her present form; Elraine claims that Judas is Leon Magnus, and Judas asserts his true identity. Reala uses her pendant to escape, but Kyle finds himself 1,000 years in the past during the War of Heaven and Earth.

Kyle extensively aids the military forces of the surface during the conflict, escorting Harold on vital missions and rescuing Atwight, who had been held hostage by Barbatos in an attempt to lure out and kill Dymlos. After defeating Barbatos on Dycroft, bringing the War of Heaven and Earth to a close with victory for the surface-dwellers, Kyle bests him again eighteen years in the past immediately before the destruction of the God's Eye. Barbatos commits suicide by throwing himself into the God's Eye, and the group returns to the present after failing to apprehend Elraine in Nanaly's time. The God's Egg has risen, signaling the rebirth of the goddess Fortuna; Kyle wishes to destroy Fortuna and end the historical manipulation of Elraine, but Reala will cease to exist as she is a direct product of the goddess. Kyle ventures into the God's Egg and does battle with both Elraine and Fortuna; the goddess is annihilated, Reala disappears, and everyone returns to their respective time periods.

The damage inflicted by Fortuna is undone, so Kyle continues life with his father as Barbatos was never resurrected by Elraine. In a trip to the Laguna Ruins with Loni, Kyle rediscovers Reala as she emerges from the Lens; the two remember each other and embrace warmly.

[iTrunks]

22. Spectral Souls



Language: Japanese and English

Spoiler for Story:
A vicious circle of violence has erupted. The battle torn continent of Neverland is caught up in a great war between good and evil once again. Now, three young soldiers rise to put an end to this madness once and for all.

In Spectral Souls (a remake of a PS2 title called Shinki Gensou Spectral Souls II from Japan), the player will switch between the three opposing kingdoms to play the Royal Demon Kingdom, the Imperial Army, or the Rebel Army. Depending on how you progress through the game with each of the forces, the story of the game will change. For those familiar with the import, Idea Factory has added new gameplay elements, including a new Unlimited Level, which allows you to continue raising your character levels with no limit. The game also includes additional movie footage, designed for those who are new to the series.


23. Popolocrois



Language: Japanese and English

Spoiler for Story:
The main character is the prince of the Popolocrois kingdom, Pietro. The first game, "Popolocrois Monogatari", starts at the night of Pietro's 10th birthday, when he learns that his mother, who he thought was long dead, was found in a coma. Pietro sets out into a journey along with the apprentice forest witch, Narcia, to save his mother's soul from the underworld.

That is only the beginning of the Popolocrois story, there are two more games continuing the tales of Pietro and Co. The second game, "PopoRogue"(Popolocro is + Epilogue), featured Pietro as a 12 year old boy that went off to save his father from the dream world that he was forced into. The third, "Popolocrois Monogatari II", featured Pietro and Narcia as a 15 year old with different costumes, who went off the defeat the mysterious force that was going to destroy the world. "Popolocrois Monogatari II" was the most famous game of the series, due to the darkened story, new party members, and many other features.

The PSP release is a reproduction of "Popolocrois Monogatari" (included into Book 1) and "PopoloCrois Monogatari II"(Included into Book 3), but Book 2 is a brand-new scenario.


24. Monster Hunter Freedom 2


Language: Japanese and English

Spoiler for Story:
Mindless hunting. j/k.. As mighty monster hunters, players can hunt bloodthirsty creatures throughout the land on their own, or with others. Monster Hunter Freedom 2 builds on Monster Hunter 2 (aka Monster Hunter Dos, only available in Japan) for PS2 and contains over 50% more content than the original Monster Hunter Freedom. In this unique action-adventure game, gamers increase their play skills as they battle through breath-taking environments while defeating bloodthirsty creatures. Multiplayer cooperative battles for up to four friends via wireless ad-hoc mode allow team building for the ultimate battle of man vs. beast. Players can also fully customize their characters, building up their abilities with armor and weaponry as they make their way through hundreds of quests. And with built-in functionality to download future content, players will be able to extend their hunt with even more content and quests.


25. Legend of Heroes I, II, and III
Language: Japanese and English


Spoiler for Legend of Heroes I:
A long time ago, a girl traveled around Tirasweel. Her silver hair shone even in the moonlight, and her eyes were clear as a fountain.

She could cast a glance into the future. When good things happened, people admired her. When bad things happened, people accused her. Some people called her the Moonlight Witch.

A long time ago, a Witch traveled around Tirasweel. She disappeared, leaving many questions behind...



Spoiler for Legend of Heroes II Story:
The setting for the fourth of the Legend of Heroes and the first in the Gagharv Trilogy takes place in a fictional land "El Phildin." The story begins with an insight to the past. Avin and Eimelle are orphaned children living in Cathedral. Avin was 8 while Eimelle was 7. Avin retrieves milk for the cat Eimelle brought into the chapel. They both watch the kitten drink to its content. Before long, Oracle Ollesia yells at them to take cover. Cathedral is under attack.

Lord Bellias and his minions attack the chapel. He is after Eimelle who he calls "Durga's Daughter." He is stopped by Supreme Priest Esperius. Both have a conversation of how Bellias used to be destined to lead the Bardus Church soneday and how Bellias became traitorous. The two wizards fight each other. Esperius dies after being attacked with a rising spell.

The two kids and their oracle attempt an escape before being captured by Bellias. Gawaine, the "Sage of power," fights to fend off the attack. The rest make an exit to the monster cart. The cat screeches after hearing the spell cast. Avin tried to rescue the cat, but is left in Gawaine's care. Ollesia and Eimelle escape to another place.


Spoiler for Legend of Heroes III Story:
This takes place in Weltuna, the third realm in Gagharv, several years after Tear of Vermillion. It centers around Forte, Una and McBain and their quest to seeking Leone's Resonance Stones.


26. Monster Kingdom: Jewel Summoner

Language: Japanese and English




Spoiler for Story:
An RPG by Kouji Okada (the father of the Shin Megami Tensei series), Monster Kingdom: Jewel Summoner focuses on monster collection and battles. You play as Vyse, a Jewel Summoner. Jewel Summoners are people who can summon monsters that have been changed into jewel form. While Vyse never underwent the training required to become a Jewel Summoner, he did inherit a charm from his mother which gave him the summoning abilities. Vyse heads off on a quest to find Shenah, the killer of his mother.

Vyse has some support characters at his side. He travels alongside a monster, Shateen, and will meet other Jewel Summoners, including Grey, the son of the former head of parliament, and Lin, a prophet who forsaw the destruction Shenah would bring to the world. The game features over 100 monsters, and includes ad-hoc wireless connectivity to battle players or trade jewels.


27. Innocent Life: A Futuristic Harvest Moon




Language: Japanese and English

Spoiler for Story:
The game takes place on a relic-filled island which can be explored by walking or biking. Players have the ability to explore ruins and even visit a volcano. All these areas have their own terrain and is said to resemble a tropical paradise.

The game features a new art style that steps away from the traditional style of the previous Harvest Moon games. The lead character of the game is a robot that is created to look and act like a human being. You play the role of a robot who is trying to save a barren volcanic island from futuristic "autofarming".

[iTrunks]

28. Genso Suikoden I&II

Language: Japanese




Spoiler for Suikoden I:
Suikoden tells the story of a nameless hero, known as McDohl in the novelization, in the vein of a political-military oriented theme. McDohl is the son of a Great General of the Scarlet Moon Empire, Teo McDohl. Teo is called away to fight a battle in the northlands, leaving his son alone under the guardianship of several family friends to begin his career in the Imperial Army. He soon comes to realise through his missions and association with his leaders that the corruption within the Empire's top tier has led to a country where its populace is enslaved and unhappy.

Through his friend Ted, he comes into possession of the Rune of Life and Death (also known as the Soul Eater), one of 27 True Runes that govern various aspects of the world. The Rune, ruthlessly hunted for by corrupt officials within the Empire and their manipulators, force Tir and his companions to flee the capital city of Gregminster.

This early chain of events forces McDohl to cross paths with a rebel organisation where he is sheltered, although he is only convinced of the need to struggle against the Empire when the hideout is attacked and sacked by Imperial forces. Recruiting the help of Mathiu Silverberg, a former Imperial strategist, McDohl's Liberation Army starts off as a small force working to unite rebel factions throughout Scarlet Moon, and eventually becomes a force large enough and powerful enough to bring down the Empire itself.


Spoiler for Suikoden II:
The story of Suikoden II begins with two childhood friends, Riou (the player's character) and Jowy Atreides. The two are members of the Unicorn Brigade, a youth division of the Highland Army, and are preparing to go home when a peace treaty is seemingly broken by soldiers of the Jowston City-State. It is later revealed that the Highland Prince Luca Blight and the Unicorn Brigade's own Captain Rowd orchestrated the massacre of the youths and blamed it on Jowston, thus giving Highland a reason to commence an invasion. Riou and Jowy flee the campsite and find a waterfall. They promise to return to this spot if they're ever lost or in trouble, then jump into the waterfall.

Riou is later recovered from the river alone by Viktor and Flik, heroes of the Gate Rune War (events depicted in Suikoden), and is made captive of their band of mercenaries in Jowston. Whilst Riou is performing menial tasks for the mercenaries Jowy turns up and explains that he was rescued from the river by a young girl named Pilika from the village of Toto. The two escape back to their hometown of Kyaro, where they are reunited with Riou's adoptive sister Nanami. Unfortunately they are soon caught by Rowd and tried as deserters, only to be rescued just in time by Viktor and Flik.

It soon becomes clear to Riou, Jowy and Nanami that Luca Blight has terrible ambitions for Highland as he burns down both villages of Toto and Ryube and the mercenary fortress and slaughters the vast majority of their inhabitants. Traumatized by witnessing the murder of her parents, Pilika loses her ability to talk.

In the ruins of Toto, Riou and Jowy uncover an ancient cave and inside discover sacred runes along with a mysterious messenger named Leknaat. The two are faced with the decision of accepting two halves of the Rune of the Beginning; the Bright Shield Rune and the Black Sword Rune. Riou accepts the Bright Shield Rune whilst Jowy takes the Black Sword Rune.

Riou, Jowy, Nanami, Flik, and Viktor travel north-west with the surviving mercenaries to the city of Muse in the heart of Jowston territory where they meet the mayor Anabelle. Faced with an imminent invasion of Highland forces, she employs Riou and Jowy to act as spies and sneak into an enemy provisions camp. They uncover the information they need but are discovered on the way out. Jowy insists that Riou should run back to Muse while he holds off the soldiers. Riou reluctantly agrees and spends the following night sitting at the city gates with Nanami and Pilika waiting for Jowy to return. Just as they are about to give up, he appears in the distance. He is greeted by Pilika.

The following night, Riou is on his way to speak to Anabelle when he finds that she has been murdered by none other than Jowy. Riou takes Nanami and Pilika and they flee south across the Dunan lake to the town of Southwindow where they reunite with Flik and Viktor. An agreement is reached that a formidable military force must be assembled to combat Highland, considering that most authoritative figures within the City-State are unable to reach a stable unification. The abandoned town of Northwindow on the shores of the lake is decided as a suitable position for a headquarters.

It is soon revealed that Northwindow was Viktor's home town until its people were killed by the vampire Neclord while he was away. Upon arriving in the town it seems that Neclord is still alive (Viktor and Tir McDohl's attempts to destroy him during the events of Suikoden were apparently futile as it was only a doppelganger). Viktor reacquires the Star Dragon Sword, the only weapon capable of overpowering Neclord's overwhelming defenses, in the Cave of Wind. While there Kahn Marley, a vampire hunter, joins your team to help defeat Neclord, but the vampire consequently flees from Northwindow. After the vampire flees, Kahn leaves your team to continue hunting for Neclord.

The town is promptly populated with mercenary forces, refugees and other willing additions. The old castle is renovated and established as the base for the new Orange Army. Under the advice of Apple, Riou enlists the help of Shu, a master strategist and former fellow pupil of Apple's under the famous Mathiu Silverberg. Following Shu's tactics, the Orange Army managed to repel a Highland attack despite being significantly outnumbered. In particulr, Riou is heralded for his bravery in an ambush against the Highland general Solon Jhee and Shu suggests that Riou becomes the leader of the Orange Army.

That same night, Viktor explains to Riou and Nanami the story of Genkaku, their adoptive grandfather who looked after them in infancy and trained them to fight. Genkaku was a local hero in the City-State and acted honourably in the face of danger.

The following morning Riou accepts Shu's advice to become leader of the Orange Army. Leknaat reappears and tells him that fate has been once again set in motion and that 108 brave souls, known as the 108 Stars of Destiny, will unite under Riou to uphold justice. She gives Riou the Stone Tablet, bearing the names of the 108 stars, and entrusts her servant Luc to their cause.

Meanwhile, Solon Jhee is executed under the command of Luca Blight for his failure against the Orange Army. Jowy steps up to replace him and promises Luca success with only limited forces.

Riou proceeds to travel to and enlist the aid of both Two River and Greenhill. During a confrontation in the latter, Riou and Jowy face one another. Jowy asks Riou to give up fighting and run away but he refuses, claiming he has his own reasons to fight too.

Riou later travels to Matilda to try and create an alliance with the knights there, led by Gorudo. At this time, however, Luca Blight initiates a terrible plan using the Beast Rune to devour the souls of the inhabitants of Muse City. Luca now has the assistance of Leon Silverberg and is starting to play even dirtier. Enraged by Gorudo's decision to avoid the tragedy, his once-loyal subjects Camus and Miklotov defect and join forces with Riou. A number of Matilda knights also join your army.

Meanwhile, Jowy marries the Highland princess Jillia and joins the Blight royal family. However, a plot reveals itself during the ceremony and it turns out that Luca has poisoned his father, King Agares Blight. Agares dies, placing Luca on the throne of Highland.

Soon Riou travels south to the Toran Republic, formerly the Scarlet Moon Empire, where he meets President Lepant who has been left in charge in the absence of Tir McDohl. Lepant says he sees the same glimmer of hope in the eyes of Riou that he once saw in Tir and agrees to form an alliance and offers troops and a general (either Kasumi or Valeria).

After Riou's return he receives news that Luca Blight is planning a large-scale attack of Northwindow with an army of 50,000 men. Hugely outnumbered with a mere 20,000 men, Shu devises a strategy to ambush Luca with a surprise attack led by three separate units. The units - under the leadership of Flik, Viktor and Riou - attack Luca's unit consecutively but are still no match for his unbelievable strength. Luca escapes, wounded, but is ambushed again by a unit of archers and is riddled with arrows. Riou duels with him and, having suffered too many wounds, Luca is eventually defeated. The Orange Army return to the castle where Riou, after being lauded by his people, collapses from exhaustion.

He recovers a few days later when he receives an invitation to a peace treaty meeting from Culgan of the Highland Army. Riou attends but it is a trap and he is threatened by Jowy to surrender. During confusion, Pilika returns to Jowy and he orders the soldiers not to fire any arrows in front of her.

Riou soon after receives a plea from Koyu, a bandit from the western lands of Tinto, claiming that Neclord is attacking their towns. Riou travels with Nanami and Viktor to put an end to the fighting and manages to seal away Neclord's power with the help of Kahn Marley, a vampire hunter, and Sierra Mikain, the first vampire from whom Neclord stole the Moon Rune.

Now with the support of Tinto's mayor Gustav Pendragon the Orange Army is able to liberate the Highland-occupied cities of Greenhill and Muse and plan an attack on Rockaxe Castle, the domain of Gorudo and the remaining Knights of Matilda. But before the dawn of the battle, Leknaat appears once more to congratulate Riou for he had successfully united all 108 Stars of Destiny in his struggle. She unlocks the full potential of his Bright Shield Rune.

The following battle is a success and the next stage of the plan is set in motion. With the enemy soldiers lured out of the castle by a decoy unit, Riou is able to sneak inside with Nanami to burn the Matilda flag, replacing it with Dunan's own. Unfortunately, they are intercepted by Jowy who intends to prevent them from completing their mission. Despite Nanami's pleas to avoid fighting, Riou and Jowy are both fully prepared to do so. At this instant Gorudo appears with a group of Matilda Knights. They fire arrows at Riou, but Nanami leaps to his defense and is hit in the process. Jowy and Riou furiously join forces to attack Gorudo and succeed in killing him and his knights, but it is too late for Nanami and she dies later in the castle's infirmary.

Forced to quickly deal with his grief and terrible loss, Riou must rise to lead his army to victory at L'Renouille, the capital city of Highland. Shu creates a strategy to burn an entire forest with the Highland Army in it, killing a massive amount of enemy soldiers. The remaining forces are defeated by the Orange Army on the battlefield and Riou is able to infiltrate L'Renouille Castle with a handful of companions.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the castle, Jowy tells Jillia to flee Highland with Pilika and to start a new life for themselves under a different name.

Riou finally finds Leon Silverberg in the throne room. Leon cuts his hand and his oozing blood awakens the Beast Rune etched in the castle's very floor. After the most challenging battle yet, the Beast is finally defeated and causing the castle to collapse. Riou escapes safely where he is greeted by the Orange Army.

The following day the leaders of all the factions of the City-State gather together to form a new alliance. The player can either choose to help lead the new Dunan Republic, or leave to fulfill Riou's promise to Jowy and return to Tenzan Pass. If the player chooses this option, Jowy is waiting for him. Jowy explains that when they acted as spies in the Highland camp he stayed behind and met Luca Blight. He despised everything that Luca stood for and vowed to never let anyone destroy peoples' lives like he had done, in particular he didn't want anyone to suffer as Pilika had. Jowy then attacks Riou.

Several things can result. Riou can simply win the duel. Even if Riou holds back, Jowy will pass out regardless as too weak if Riou did not try to save Nanami in time at Rockaxe, or if all 108 Stars of Destiny were not collected. In these cases, Riou takes Jowy's Black Sword Rune and reunifies it into the Rune of the Beginning. Then, Riou leads the Dunan Republic after all as in the first ending, with a black & white picture of Riou, Nanami, and Jowy as the ending. If all 108 Stars were collected, the hero attempted to save Nanami at Rockaxe, and Riou refuses to fight in the duel, Leknaat will appear and stop the fight. As they leave, Shu appears and tells them that Nanami is in fact still alive and had faked her own death because she couldn't bear to see Riou and Jowy fight. Shu says farewell to Riou as he leaves with Jowy to find Nanami waiting at Genkaku's house in Kyaro, where the three of them embark upon a new adventure. The Jowston City-State becomes reborn as the Dunan Republic.



RPG games to look forward to in 2008:

1. Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep



2. Yggdra Union We'll Never Fight Alone



3. Valhalla Knights 2



4. Star Ocean First Departure



5. Star Ocean Second Evolution


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WILL BE UPDATED AS MORE RPG'S RELEASE!