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i beat panzer dragoon saga about a week ago (playing it very casually for about a month) and though i was kinda bored at first i really grew to love it. i felt like it wasn't hyped enough, it was so good! why? i can't really put my finger on it. maybe it was the battle system? i really liked that, it kept me interested in the battles. damn good game!

i tried dark savior and ugh... i can't find it in my heart to like that game, even though i'm a huge longtime landstalker fan. the controls and the complicated landscapes make it seem a little overbearing. i gave up on that game pretty quickly and now i'm trying shining force 3. i hope it's got that same magic panzer dragoon saga had (i've only made it to the merchant section of the first town so far).

any suggestions or spiritual guidance? i feel like i'm about done with my saturn since playing all the rpg's i wanted to (plus radiant silvergun)

There's Albert Odyssey and Magic Knight Rayearth, but those aren't exactly stellar. They're merely okay.

Perseid wrote:There's Albert Odyssey and Magic Knight Rayearth, but those aren't exactly stellar. They're merely okay.

i played and beat both already. i got very tired with albert odyssey, sadly. i enjoyed rayearth though

DragonForce is loved by all but me.

Mystaria is one for the Tactics Ogre or FF Tactics fans.

Magic Knight Rayearth has good production values with cutesy animegirl bullshit.

Princess Crown is god damn beautiful 2D goodness, but you'll need a translation guide.

And theres other Shining games for you to check out too.

Here's the order I'd rank the games for what you should play next:

1. Shining Force III scenario 1 in english
2. Dragon Force
3. Albert Odyssey
2. Shining Force III scenario's 2 & 3 (only because they're in japanese otherwise higher)
4. Shining the Holy Ark
5. Princess Crown (not as difficult to follow as most japanese rpgs imho)

I agree with you on Dark Savior, and Landstalker is one of my fav games so I was very disappointed in it. I tried playing Dragon Force II in japanese but it seemed so similar to Dragon Force that it just seems like more fun to play Dragon Force a second or third time with a different character. Shining Wisdom is OK, I can take it or leave it. Iron Storm is awesome but more of a pure strategy game. I've never tried playing Sakura Wars or Grandia, not sure how fun they are or how much Japanese skill you need.

My favorite rpg's on Saturn, in most of this titles I play to today :

1. Mystaria
2. RiglordSaga 2
3. Panzer Dragoon Saga
4. Shining Force 3 (all scenarios)
5. Grandia
6. Albert Odyssey
7. Black / Matrix
8. Princess Crow
9. Suikoden
10. Baroque

and much more good titles like Sakura Wars (which is not a rpg in 100%) ^^
Hours of fun...

Magic Knight Rayearth is a fantastic Action/Adventure RPG (a hyper enhanced Zelda Clone) based on the Clamp series by the same name. Being that it is a Clamp series and mahoushojo, it is kinda impossible for it to not be cutesy. That aside, it really is a solid title and well worth a playthrough. Though watch some videos first to make sure you know what you are getting into.

If you are into tactical combat RPGs Dragon Force and Mystaria/Blazing Heroes are both awesome. M/BH's graphics are pretty weak, but the combat is actually fun if you can get past the visuals.

And Shining the Holy Ark is supposed to be pretty good.

And before I forget, the Shining Force III translation project is making good headway and will hopefully be done with ep. 2 before too long.

Shining the Holy Ark is excellent, well balanced difficulty curve means very little level grinding is necarsary, great puzzles and satisfying boss fights. Highly recommended.

PGS is excellent. I think what did it for me is the moody atmosphere of the world it was set in and the real time combat system is excellent. It really deserves a sequel

I too grew bored with Albert Odyssey. It sorta has a fake ending halfway through and then restarts your quest and within 10 minutes you almost have the exact same party back....wheres the adventure in that! And although the dialoge can be pretty funny the battles are pretty bland. One of the weaker Working Design (RIP) titles. Well it was supposed to be a Super Famicom title if thats any consulation.

Shining Force III is one of the best Stragtegy RPG's there is, although it's a little pricey. Unfortunately, all the good Saturn RPGS are. Panzer Dragoon Saga goes for like 150 bucks!! Dragon Force is a great strategy/tactical rpg with endless replay value, if you've got 80 bucks to spare.

For less expensive titles(this is a relative term) try Shining Wisdom, it's kinda snes Zelda-esque and not too expensive. Blazing Heros/Mystaria is ok, the gameplay is decent but graphics look badly dated (not in a good retro way, more like a Saved By the Bell haircut kinda way).

But yeah, sadly most of the other good titles are in Japanese.