10 Essential PS1 RPGs (That Aren't Final Fantasy)

Veering slightly away from "traditional" RPG standards, this next entry is one of epic ambition and enthralling narrative in the 32bit console era.

Seen as somewhat of a "spiritual spin-off" to Final Fantasy Tactics, largely in part to producer Yasumi Matsuno working on both, and set in the same fictional world of Ivalice, it would be easy to dismiss this as a similarly veined RPG.

However, Vagrant Story is a different beast entirely.

Playing more as a 3D dungeon explorer, with each area of exploration/combat being broken apart as rooms or small arenas, gameplay and combat is presented with a pseudo real-time active battle system.

Activating combat brings up a personal space bubble, and any offending part of the enemy's anatomy that pierces that is liable for a smacking. Combine that with the risk/reward of chaining attacks together with stronger attacks or status afflictions, and then fleeing in return, gameplay was a fresh take on the adventure/RPG genre. Combined with a rich and expanse creation and upgrade system, it's a large and rewarding game

With seamless transitions between gameplay and narrative, Vagrant Story is a beautiful exploration into cult lores, mythology and ancient magics. Additional puzzle and combat challenges bulk out what is already a lengthy journey into a strange and wonderful fantasy adventure.