The best classic RPG with no filler content

“They don’t make RPGs like they used to.” The player may have said that before, or may have heard someone else say it at some point. No matter your age, everyone will have a favorite RPG era, and for many, its heyday was the 80s and 90s, right before the 2000s ushering in the new millennium.

Not all RPGs are relevant today, but the following examples across various consoles are still great thanks to their forward-thinking ideas. They're so good that some of them even surpass all the bells and whistles that modern RPGs have to offer. Now let's take a look at some classic RPGs from before 2000 that respect your time and don't waste it on filler.

River City Ransomware

Please check

River City Ransomware It was an influential NES game that incorporated RPG elements into a typical beat 'em up design. As the player explores the city, enemies drop coins that the player can spend in shops.

Eating certain foods helps you level up your stats, a system that would inspire later games. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game. Players could stop and try for hours to earn money and level up, but there was no need to fight their way through this relatively breezy brawl.

sweet home

resident evil zero

sweet home is an NES game that never made it to the West, but dedicated fans have translated it into English for the curious. It was based on the Capcom-developed film of the same name, which some believe was the basis for . resident evil Years later.

A group of individuals travel to the Haunted Mansion, and at the beginning, the player can decide which party member to take with them, all of whom have special skills. There are turn-based battles against ghosts, but they're not the main focus, as the heart of the not-so-long experience are puzzles.

Chrono Trigger

ahead of the times

Chrono Trigger They were ahead of the curve in terms of game design. Monsters appeared in the dungeon and could be technically avoided, and there were no random battles on the world map. The fight took place right on the spot, and the encounter was fast-paced so as not to waste time.

Again, players can try harder if they want, but depending on the enemy placement, the dungeons are designed to allow players to level up where they need to be before the next boss. Despite the later side quests and time travel antics, this is a great SNES RPG that players can complete in a weekend.

EVO: Search for Eden

evolution chain

EVO: Search for Eden This is probably a SNES game that most have never heard of, despite being released in the West. As a lesser creature in the sea, the player can attack other aquatic creatures, and by doing so they can level up and evolve, with some evolution paths optional.

Eventually, creatures were able to learn how to walk, get out of the water, walk on land, and fight dinosaurs. This is a fairly linear RPG that deals with the wonders of evolution, which are incredibly deep even today for a SNES game.

Final Fantasy Mystic Quest

The most linear Final Fantasy

Final Fantasy Mystic QuestFor the SNES, it's one of the strangest games in the franchise. zelda game. Players will see enemies in dungeons and will have a rotating party throughout the game.

In towns and dungeons, players will gain tools that can open new paths, such as an ax to chop down trees, and the world map will look like it's straight out of reality. super mario world. Combat is easy and since the game isn't made like a typical game, there's no reason to struggle. final fantasy.

live a live

Anthology RPG

live a live is an anthology RPG released in Japan for the SNES in 1994, but will not be available in North America until the Switch remake in 2022. Initially, players can choose one of seven characters, all tied to a specific time location, from an Old West setting to a caveman era to a cyberpunk future.

Each episode takes no more than an hour or two at most to complete, and after the first seven, two more scenarios are unlocked and the entire game tries to be linked thematically. It's an experimental SNES game, and the remake is worth recommending to those who don't want to track down the original.

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars

EXP Plumbing

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars is the first RPG adventure that Mario followed, thanks to Squaresoft developing it for Nintendo on the SNES. Combining Mario platforming with a new active turn-based combat system allowed players to increase or negate damage through timed attacks and defensive maneuvers.

There was also some light platforming in the dungeon. It's a solid, simple RPG that doesn't encourage hooks and is another good example of an RPG that plays well overall. Today we also received the Switch remake for easy access.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

Dracula, I'm in your castle

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night silver castlevania This is the item that changed everything. Because it was the first item I rented. super metroidThis gave birth to the Metroidvania genre. As Alucard, Dracula's son, players can explore Dracula's castle in an ever-evolving maze. Players may get lost, but even the trickier sections never detracted from the player's experience, and the game never outstayed its welcome.

New powers opened up new paths, not only allowing you to level up Alucard by fighting monsters in real time, but also giving Alucard a variety of equipment to equip. Even though this early PS1 game was already close to perfection and stood the test of time as a game, it was a formula that Konami would continue to develop with the sequel.

front mission 3

tactical domination

front mission 3 It's the first game front mission The series was released in North America and was a PS1 release. Like its predecessor, this game was a tactical grid-based RPG that allowed players to customize their mechs, the Wanzers, to suit their battles.

Missions were linear with no deviation, although players could engage in VR battles in between to hone their skills. Ultimately, it was a challenging linear game with missions taking anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour to complete. It may seem too long, but time goes by quickly.

parasite eve

just another night

parasite eve It's a PS1 game that mixes a hybrid turn-based active combat system with a survival horror game. As a New York City detective, players will unlock and explore new locations as they investigate supernatural incidents around the city.

In combat, the player could run around to avoid attacks, and time would stop once the player was able to act. Although it doesn't play out like a movie, players will feel like no time has passed at all as they speed through each scenario, building to the climax of the PS1 RPG.