Summary
When discussingisometric role-playing games for the PlayStation,the late 90s and early 2000s come to mind. It was the golden era for this genre. These RPGs didn’t have the best graphics, nor were they pixel-perfect, but theydelivered great storylinesand immersive experiences.
According to Statista,role-playing games are in the top tenofpreferred genresin the United States as of 2024. Isometric games from this era can make any RPG fan feel nostalgic, including classics likeDiablo,FinalFantasy, andLegend of Mana, contribute immensely to this ranking.
Diablomust be mentioned when talking aboutisometric role-playing games. This Blizzard classic allows players to choose between three characters: Warrior, Rogue, and Sorcerer. Every character has a unique skill set and strategies, leading to diverse gameplay experiences. Players must upgrade their character to defeat the Lord of Terror, Diablo.
In addition,Diabloon the PlayStation offers asplit-screen co-op mode, allowing players to team up with someone. Reviews mention that the graphics are too pixelated, but the game is still worth playing since the originalDiablowas created for the PlayStation. It’s a classic hero vs. evil type of story where players focus on customizing their character and enjoy the immersive experience, which has great voice acting, making it even more compelling.
InDarkstone,players get toexplore an immersive fantasy worldand pick from eight different characters and over 30 diverse weapons and magic spells to prevent evil from taking over the world. The gameplay is often compared toDiablo, which attracts RPG fans. The game is also very replayable, offering four different difficulty levels.
As players progress into the game, new skills and spells are unlocked, resulting in character growth and development. As always, some players have had some negative things to mention aboutDarkstone, including the poor graphics andveryunusual music, which divided opinions on the internet. Regardless of the bad reviews, some players still find it a great role-playing game to consider.
Final Fantasy Tactics(FFT) is a role-playing game set in the warring kingdom of Ivalice. In the game, players must make strategic choices that will impact the outcome of the story, which many players consider to be one of thebest storylines in video games.FFTis well known for being a hard game, which excites its fans and scares off beginners who are trying to get into the game.
In addition, as the game progresses, players get to customize and develop their characters across diverse job classes, including knights and wizards.
Tactics Ogreis astrategic gameset in the Land of Valeria, where players are forced to make a variety of decisions at the beginning of the game that will shape their destiny. This isometric RPG wascreated by the talented Yasumi Matsunoand supports both single and multiplayer modes.
Many think this game resemblesFinal Fantasy Tactics, but players usually findTactics Ogreslightly better due to the strategic experience and character design. On the other hand, some players mention that the translation of this Japanese game on PS1 is not perfect, but still acceptable.
Persona 2: Innocent Sinfollows high school kid Tatsuya Suou and other students who are facing the Joker—a devil responsible for gossip spread in thefictional Sumaru city, where rumors become reality.
This isometric game for the PlayStation focuses on strategic battles against demons where players summon Personas to unleash attacks. Reviews praised the game’s storyline, with some considering it one of the best of theMegami Tenseifranchise.
Suikoden 2is a Japanese gamecreated by Konamiand considered by many players to be one of the best RPGs of all time. In the game, players take the role of mercenaries in war, building an army. There are over 100 characters to pick from and many combat styles, from regular battles to duets.
Suikoden 2is a standalone, so there’s no need to play the first game to understand the storyline of the sequel. Another aspect of this role-playing game that stands out from the previous is the improvement in the character animations and storyline. Is this the best PlayStation RPG ever? Some players do think so.
Legend of Manais set in the magic world of Fa’Diel, where the Mana Tree no longer exists and needs to be recovered. The game is filled with colorful characters and an engaging storyline. At the start, players get to choose from different characters and weapons to construct the map and select different play areas, making it a very interactive RPG to play.
In thisisometric game for PlayStation, players get to build their map area, each one featuring different storylines, making it a very replayable RPG. Some players findLegend of Manaa hidden gem. In addition, back in 2021, a remaster was released with improved graphics and soundtrack, which left fans of theManaseries pleased.
Final Fantasy 7conquered RPG fans as soon as it released back in 1997. In the game, players play as Cloud, a blonde mercenary with a mission to save a world named “Planet” from Sephiroth, the game’s villain. The game has great graphics when compared to other RPGs of its time, and the storyline and characters are compelling.
Final Fantasy 7innovated the gameplay of the genre successfully. As a result, it was awarded The Console RPG of the Year in 1998 and nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Art/Graphics in the same year.
