Help identifying a game

[Mr Silver]

I'm trying to figure out the name of a PSX/PS1 game that was around between 1998-2000. It was a JRPG that was played top down outside of combat and traditional 3rd person when combat initiated. There were things such as mana herbs and part of the game took place upon some kind of ship.

It was also ridiculously hard!

 

[Kelthaz]

Legend of Legaia? Evil mist.
Saga Frontier? Weird non-linear JRPG.
Wild Arms? Wild West theme.

 

[Sephiroth]

ummmm, you are gonna have to be a liiiitle bit more specific there

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

When you say "traditional third-person", do you mean to imply something along the lines of a third-person shooter, wherein a character is standing toward the battlefield with their backs turned to the player? I'm not familiar with many JRPGs as such. But if you mean something more traditionally JRPG, like this:

And more famously, this:

...then we have a long road ahead of us.

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

I've prepared the following list of questions for you.

Does it have a spiky-headed polygonal lego-lookin' fella, or perhaps a gunblade, or even a dude with a tail? Then it's a Final Fantasy game, and I can't believe you forgot it!

Does it have giant robots?

Is it Chrono Cross?

Does it have the feel of an American Western?

Does it have monster catching and raising?

Does it have Lunar in its title?

Is it Legend of Legaia?

Does it have dragoons? Say, lots of dragoons, and the word "dragoon" in its title?

Did it look like it was straight out of Dragon Ball Z?

Does it... sell for hundreds of dollars on eBay?

If any of these questions apply, good! If not, I'll proceed to Stage II.

 

[Mr Silver]

It definitely wasn't FF7, nor was it any of the games that everyone has listed. Damn I'm actually struggling to remember other bits and pieces. It was definitely top down, except for battles where it would shift to a 3rd person perspective where it was more action RPG orientated, although there was still a command menu and need for the aforementioned herbs, etc.

It was a demo as far as I remember and the demo level was set onboard some kind of ship, it was much more futuristic than fantasy and there were robots and metallic soldiers and shit that would wait for you to engage them.

 

[Sephiroth]

did it have something to do with a magic staff that resurects a female character?

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

In a way it sounds like Xenosaga, although that was a PS2 game and its battles were definitely not action-oriented, nor were there any herbs. So I guess it definitely isn't Xenosaga.

Doesn't sound like Grandia, either... definitely not Breath of Fire III... I don't think it was Arc the Lad...

Front Mission, perhaps?

Alundra?

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

Come to think of it, I'll be slightly surprised if it isn't either Alundra or Alundra 2.

 

[Mr Silver]

No, I've done some looking at the Alundra games - it definitely isn't any of them and its definitely not any of the Front Mission games either. For some reason I'm thinking the PC was wearing some kind of yellow suit - at least during this mysterious ship level (it could have been an airship).

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

Well, we're starting to branch off into games I haven't played. Although Star Ocean 2: The Second Story is beginning to come to mind. The ship... you start that game on a ship, but you very quickly wind up on a planet, and there aren't any enemies on the ship, either. So I really doubt it, but here:

Claude's wearing something which could be mistaken for being yellow. I really doubt this is it, though, but it is action-oriented once you go to battle. Not exactly third-person, but you use mana herbs in real-time, etc.

Here's another, similar game I've never played by the name of Tales of Destiny:

My JRPG guru skills are failing me, though. I'll have to dwell on this.

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

Here are some more robots while I continue to ponder. Vanguard Bandits:

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

Aaaand another shot in the dark. Granstream Saga:

Gameplay consists of top-down rpg-exploration and storytelling. When confronted or ambushed by an enemy, the camera angle shifts to a 45 degree angle, and combat gameplay begins. Combat gameplay consists of realtime battles, as opposed to the norm of turn based rpg combat. In realtime combat, you will utilize several weapons and abilities, such as swords, daggers, axes, warhammers, and various spells. When not in combat, you will spend a very large time exploring, gaining new weapons and armor, and conversing with the many characters of the different continents.

 

[Mr Silver]

Aaaand another shot in the dark. Granstream Saga:

Gameplay consists of top-down rpg-exploration and storytelling. When confronted or ambushed by an enemy, the camera angle shifts to a 45 degree angle, and combat gameplay begins. Combat gameplay consists of realtime battles, as opposed to the norm of turn based rpg combat. In realtime combat, you will utilize several weapons and abilities, such as swords, daggers, axes, warhammers, and various spells. When not in combat, you will spend a very large time exploring, gaining new weapons and armor, and conversing with the many characters of the different continents.

Nailed it! (your shot in the dark was justified!)

Yessss! The Granstream Saga, have you played it?

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

Phew!

I have not. I've played most JRPGs of that era, as it's my personal favorite chapter in gaming history, but I missed that one. Shall I add it to the queue?

 

[Mr Silver]

Shall I add it to the queue?

I've honestly only ever played the demo (and I wasn't really much good at), nonetheless, the game showed a lot of promise - from what I remember anyway.

If it's in the PS store, I may get the PSP port and give it a shot.

 

[Sephiroth]

THANK YOU, it's the game I've been looking for, too, I bought it when it first came out because of a Tips N' Tricks segment I read about it, and I ended up selling it when my first Playstation broke and then by the time I could afford the second, (in 1999) I forgot the title and it's been driving my bonkers ever since

 

[Kelthaz]

I've never played the game either, but I really should. Granstream Saga is made by Quintet and is the fourth in the Soul Blazer series. The first three games (Soul Blazer, Illusion of Gaia, and Terranigma) were brilliant Action RPGs on the SNES that are some of my favourite games of all time. In short, it's an Action RPG from a developer well known for developing fantastic Action RPGs. You can't go wrong adding it to your queue.

 

[Quinton O'Connor]

Oh wow, glad I could help, Sephiroth. (Never thought I'd type that, 15 years ago.)

I had no idea Granstream Saga was tied in with the Soul Blazer series, Keithaz. Fascinating. I've played Terranigma, and I own and have played Illusion of Gaia. Both are terrific.

 

[Sephiroth]

Illusion of Gaia is my second favorite SNES game, didn't know it was part of a series