Sony Japan Studio: 28 Best Games They Helped Create

The first completely solo development effort from Japan Studio.

PlayStation had dabbled their toes in financing their own JRPG's, (Arc the Lad, Wild Arms), but they were always streamlined subversion of big dog franchises, and not an attempt to actually make their own Final Fantasy...well Dragoon was that noble attempt.

Holding a budget of 16 million, a dev team of 100, and a three-year development cycle - all concepts completely unheard for the time - the game is big, ambitious, and boisterous: from its highly-produced CGI cut scenes to adding Quick-Time-Events into RTS combat to bolster them into an interactive experience.

Ultimately for all its bluster and ballsiness, Dragoon was written off in Japan as a genric-wannabe...although in the states sold much better, and the title recoups its costs.

While it didn't make the type of splash Sony wanted (or land a sequel), it has since become a retro JRPG fan-favorite, plus it proved that Sony could make big games in-house with Japan Studio more than capable as a developer.