Star Ocean and SaGa series?

[Griever Zero]

I'm a huge fan of lesser-known RPGs and my favorites have all been made by Square, Enix, or Square Enix such as Xenogears, Valkyrie Profile, and Vagrant Story.

I'm also interested in the Star Ocean series and the Saga ones as well but I have NO idea which games make up each series. I only know of a few such as Unlimited Saga and such.

So could anyone give me the list of games in the two series and maybe your own opinions on them? And maybe some recommendations for other games? Thanks!

[Jowy]

Star Ocean: Fantastic Space Adventure (SNES - Japan only)
Star Ocean: The Second Story (PSX)
Star Ocean: Blue Sphere (GBC - Japan Only)
Star Ocean: Till the End of Time (PS2)

No idea on the SaGa games, sorry.

[Griever Zero]

Thanks Jowy

So we (the US) only have two games, huh?
Is there a central storyline that the games follow? Are we missing a lot without those two games that are Japan only?

OH YEAH and does anybody know about the Grandia series too? Thanks everybody

[Jowy]

There's a fan translation of the first one available for download.

I've never played any of the Japanese ones, but some minor references to SO2 are in SO3.

[Lord Chainsaw]

They are:

Gameboy:
SaGa: The Trials of the Demon Tower
SaGa 2
SaGa 3

SNES:
Romancing SaGa
Romancing SaGa 2
Romancing SaGa 3

PSX:
SaGa Frontier
SaGa Frontier 2

PS2:
Unlimited SaGa
Minstrel Song

Of those, I've played 1-3, SaGa Frontier and Saga Frontier 2. I can probably recognize SaGa 1 as the best of the bunch simply because of the concepts presented in the game. SaGa 2 seems to be the GB favorite, though.

SaGa Frontier 1 and 2 are both above average games. I have not finished Frontier 2, but Frontier 1 is a lot of fun provided you don't try to blaze through all 7 stories at a single interest point in the game.

Unlimited SaGa, although I've not played it, seems to be the most controversial game in the entire series. I'd definitely steer clear of that game until you have a general concept of what the series is about from the previous entries.

[Spatvark]

I'm probably hideously wrong, but aren't the GB SaGa games the Final Fantasy Legend games?

EDIT: Yeah, I just looked it up and I was right. In which case I've finished all three of the GB SaGa games; the first one has no real plot at all, it's just constantly going up that damn tower, though the bit with Suzaku is fun. The second one was just downright hideous, I loathed that game. And the third one was teh first RPG I ever played, and I absolutely adore it. The plot, while makeshift, is fun, the battle system is nice and simple, there are some downright tough boss fights and the number of things you can do with your characters (like turning them into beasts, cyborgs, mutants, etc) gives it a lot of replay value. But all in all, these games are more time-fillers than a game to play because you really want to.

[Griever Zero]

ahh i see. well thanks guys.

i've played a little of frontier 2 and found it enjoyable, though not captivating.

it looks and feels almost like FF Tactics.

[Dreddz]

I have beaten Star Ocean 1,2 and 3, havent played Blue Sphere, and Star Ocean 1 was from a ROM, so I dunno if that counts
The only SaGa game ive played was SaGa Frontier 2, which was great ....

[DJZen]

If you want to play some truly great lesser known RPGs, you'll have to get outside of the mentality that Square-Enix is the final authority. Try Earthbound.

[Dreddz]

Dont Try Earthbound.

You missed a vital key word there, dont fret, I corrected it for you .....

[Ultima Shadow]

You missed a vital key word there, dont fret, I corrected it for you .....

You've never actually played earthbound, have you? I hate it how some people thinks that certain games are stupid, without ever having played them, just because they think they look silly on screenshots etc. If you've actually played trough the whole game and still thinks that it sucks, then you're just weird.