JRPGs with interesting dungeons

[Valkyrie-Favor]

I like JRPGs as much as the next guy, but very rarely have I found one with interesting dungeons and the combat to back them up. I'm looking for a game with big, nonlinear dungeons I can explore, solve interesting puzzles, and fight genuinely difficult battles that involve strategy beyond "cast Guard use the ice spell." Cool music is a plus

I heard Breath Of Fire II was good for this. Any other interesting JRPG challenges?

[BoneSnapDeez]

Breath of Fire II is just a weird/awesome game all around. Play it if you haven't.

And check out the Ys games, dude. Though the dungeons in the early games may be a bit too nonlinear (the final area of Ys II is infuriating). All of the games have beautiful music of course.

[Xeogred]

Maybe Lufia II? The game is a strange blend of everything, I'd say the dungeons are like Zelda Lite kind of stuff.

[D.D.D.]

And check out the Ys games, dude. All of the games have beautiful music of course.

*high-five* Ys music is just awesome~

[Nemoide]

If a challenging dungeon is what you want, it sounds like you've got to get The Dark Spire for Nintendo DS. The dungeon is HUGE, battles are TOUGH, progress is slow.
I gave up on the game personally, the difficulty was too intense for me. Even though it's a Japanese RPG, it feels like a Western computer RPG from the 80s more than anything else.

It has good music too and two-modes, one with modern style graphics/sound and one in 8-bit style. It's not a game for everyone but I think it might be up your alley.

EDIT: Noting your signature, I guess you don't have a DS... oh well!

[MrPopo]

If a challenging dungeon is what you want, it sounds like you've got to get The Dark Spire for Nintendo DS. The dungeon is HUGE, battles are TOUGH, progress is slow.
I gave up on the game personally, the difficulty was too intense for me. Even though it's a Japanese RPG, it feels like a Western computer RPG from the 80s more than anything else.

That's because it effectively is. It's a Wizardry clone that tries its best to hearken back to the old Wizardry titles in terms of difficulty and puzzles, along with the retro mode.

[Randyretro]

I'm not sure if this really classifies as a real JRPG but if you want interesting dungeons and a fun game. Try to pick up a copy of Chocobo's Dungeon 2. It is my favorite dungeon crawling RPG, great and addictive. Also never has the same floor in a dungeon, different spawns every time.

[Robonaut]

If a challenging dungeon is what you want, it sounds like you've got to get The Dark Spire for Nintendo DS. The dungeon is HUGE, battles are TOUGH, progress is slow.
I gave up on the game personally, the difficulty was too intense for me. Even though it's a Japanese RPG, it feels like a Western computer RPG from the 80s more than anything else.

That's because it effectively is. It's a Wizardry clone that tries its best to hearken back to the old Wizardry titles in terms of difficulty and puzzles, along with the retro mode.

Speaking of which, there's always Wizardry: Tale of the Forsaken Land for the PS2.

It's very much in the "classic RPG" mode of exploring a single, huge dungeon with puzzles, traps, and oodles of random encounters. The graphics, though, are updated and are actually quite stylish and atmospheric.

I never quite finished it, because, as you progress, you encounter typical, old skool super-cheap enemies, like ones that can insta-kill party members or turn them to stone. That got kind of tedious, so I put the game down for a while to take a break and never picked it back up.

[ExedExes]

And check out the Ys games, dude. Though the dungeons in the early games may be a bit too nonlinear (the final area of Ys II is infuriating). All of the games have beautiful music of course.

Yah I'd go with that. Playing Ys I as part of Together Retro last year, I enjoyed one particular dungeon and the music that went along with it -- Palace of Destruction

[BoneSnapDeez]

You still need to try part II to hear the godly Palace of Solomon tune.