I'll join the chorus recommending TWEWY. That game and Valkyrie Profile have taught me to like Square RPGs again after becoming disenchanted with Square's PS2 games.
I'd also recommend Civilization Revolutions, as long as the idea of a highly streamlined Civ doesn't repulse you. It keeps most of my favourite features from the main series (culture system, unit experience) and adds a few features that I wish the main series had (no tedious workers, simple army system, more rewards for exploration). My one gripe is that old units only upgrade in very special circumstances.
Oh, and you should grab any of the GBA Fire Emblem games you can find. The DS one is okay, maybe even a good way to get your feet wet if you're new to the franchise, but it's missing that special something...
"The worst part about these reviews is they are [subjective]--and their scores often depend on how drunk you got the media at a Street Fighter event." — Mona Hamilton, Capcom Senior VP of Marketing
*Image indefinitely borrowed from BrainBoxLtd without his consent.
