#6 Etrian Odyssey IV Legends of the Titan

Turn based JRPG combat has a lot of potential, but most developers just don't take this combat engine to it's fullest. Real challenges aren't ever presented to the player, because the developer hasn't added enough complexity to give the player more than one option. Beating a truly hard enemy in a JRPG usually comes down to using the same OP tactic. There's no room for finesse or being original. The Etrian Odyssey series changes all that by *gasp* allowing you to do to the boss anything you can do to a regular enemy. Normally bosses resist status effects like crazy in JRPGs to the point where using them is a bad strategy. But in Etrian Odyssey bosses can be... Poisoned, given concussions, turned to stone, tripped, tied up, paralyzed, confused, blinded, and much, much more. Now, I know what you're saying. That sounds like the bosses would be too easy to beat. Yeah, well EO bosses deal a ton of damage, can inflict the same status effects on you, and usually come with a downright devious twist. Oh? Did I mention that bosses don't wait for you to fight them in this series? Bosses actively hunt your party down. Movement in this game is grid based, and everytime you move bosses can move as well. When you are in combat each turn you take let's the enemy boss move closer to you. So you can sit there in a fight with normal enemies and suddenly a super scary boss (that you weren't really ready for) finds you! 

EO IV gets the top spot in the series for multiple reasons. First off, this entry introduces cross classing. Each character has a main class, and a secondary class. You get access to exactly half the skills in your secondary class, as you get in a main class. So if you go Ninja main, and Black Mage secondary, you can only level up your Meteor to level 5/10, but can level up your Ninja Stars to 10/10. Anyway this leads to combinations that would normally be super OP, but not in an EO game. EO IV also has an open world that is explorable in an airship, unlike previous games, and it was the first EO game to take the series from lazy unanimated 2D alphamaps to full blown 3D. Finally the music in this game is just a cut above the rest of the series. That's mostly because Yuzo Koshiro is at the top of his game. He even made #15 in VGChartz's top 50 video game composers. Have a listen...

P.S. A lot f games moved around on my list the last few years. EOIV more or less held it's place. There were two games that I played this year that FINALLY managed to knock it off of it's #4 post. I'll give hints, even though I'm not much of a hints guy...

#5 Hint: TAKE ME ON! I'LL Be Gooooone...

#4 Hint: This is the biggest (and smallest) Metroidvania map ever!

#3 Hint:  I TRULY AM THE KING OF THE MONKEYS...

              What The Fuck?!?!!

              What the ffff? 

              No! 

              NO!HO!HO!

              WHAT!!!

               WHAT THE FU-?!!!

6. Final Fantasy XI Online

When I first read that the upcoming FFXI was going to be an online multiplayer game, my heart sank. I was only a few years into my rapidly growing obsession with Final Fantasy but here was a game I thought was a betrayal. "Why did they call it XI, why not just FF Online???" Yes, it strangely bothered me for a while but eventually, years later, I decided to give it a try and discovered one of my all-time favourite games.

Generally I prefer solo or local co-op games, but FFXI is the major exception to that rule. Although it is viable to solo the majority of the game, the multi-player aspect is still there. One of the best times I ever had in a game was resurrecting another player when I saw two newer players struggling to fend off some higher level monsters in a lower level area. Another time me and another player were making our way independently through a citadel on the same quest. We didn’t communicate with each other but clearly we were there for the same thing. When we solved the puzzle to enter the final room, I accidentally triggered some mobs and we both stood our ground together, it was a battle that unfortunately we lost and were warped back to our respective home points. I felt pretty bad and was ready to deal with some abuse for getting the other player killed, but to my surprise they were cool with it, told me how to avoid detection next time and offered me a Linkpearl (basically invited me to their guild) which I embarrassingly had to ask how to accept. Moments like this were very cool and makes the world seem alive. It makes me very happy to see Square are still supporting the game and have plans to continue well past the 20th anniversary. 

I also appreciate the ability to change character class easily since being stuck as one class is something that put me off trying some other MMORPGs. But the thing I like most is the sheer amount of stuff to do. There just isn’t another FF game (except maybe XIV) that can rival the depth of the world in FFXI. The story is enormous, spanning multiple expansions and the amount of optional content is staggering to the point of being overwhelming. Just thinking about all those weird little activities like clamming or switching on the lights in Jeuno makes me very happy and I’d kind of hate to see “useless” things like these get dropped in a hypothetical remake. Of course there are comprehensive guides online, but I’ve always taken the approach of exploring the world and only using guides when completely lost. It may have taken me longer than necessary but I’ve enjoyed all my many hours in Vana’diel and there is still plenty for me to do (I think I’m one of the only people who actually likes Monstrosity). It’s a distant world, but I hope I can keep visiting for many years to come.

ok I'll stop

something something persona 5 is never coming to switch

Guessed by Flilix

One of the biggest games to ever grace the GameBoy, is its best game. 'Link's Awakening' is even the greatest handheld game ever made. This was true when it was new on GameBoy, and the remake on Switch reaffirms this idea. Of course, on Switch, the game seems to be small with its overhead style and mellow graphical style. An 'indie-game' almost. But looks can be deceiving. This game holds up even today. It is still clever, challenging and its story is still original and bittersweet. Maybe I should listen to my own advice. If looks can be deceiving, and this now looks like it would be an indie-game if it didn't have the 'Zelda' name, then maybe I should try some real indie-games myself. Who knows what gems could lie hidden there...

From the best handheld game ever to the best game in a certain genre.

EDIT: And my game post was the last one of the previous page again. I hate that.

#4: Most people cannot stand a certain sound in this game. However, I say, if you don't want to hear it, you'll just have to get good.

I mean you own a Switch right (and other Nintendo systems I assume)?

You could always give ATLUS' masterpieces a shot ;)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1GA0VtVw-s

Atlus started the Etrian Odyssey series on the DS, using the touchscreen for showing and drawing the map, while the upper screen showed the usual stuff: the environment outside of battle and the battle screen while fighting. The game was great and justified many sequels. On the 3DS Atlus remade this first game, now with the graphical engine of the fourth game and some quality of life improvements. But also with one very important thing: an additional story mode, which played differently and has a more cohesive story than the original mode. You can play both modes. As this basically doubles the content, Untold: The Millenium Girl stands as it's own game, not only an improved version of the first game.

The original game (and therefore this remake) offer a very satisfying dungeon delve. You explore the maps while mastering the dangers of the labyrinth. You are tasked with mapping alongside the exploration of the labyrinth. The labyrinth uses traps, tresure chests, on the map visible boss enemies (called foes) and a lot of other stuff to spice up things. The battle system offers a well working turn based battle with many options like magic, different skills and items. Other than battles, the labyrinth has a lot of smaller events taking place at certain places.

The remake offers additionally a story mode with fixed characters (but including a lot of customization), additional mazes and anime cutscenes to drive the story. Between classic mode and story mode this remake offers you a lot of content. And all with a great RPG as base and the exploration of an unknown maze as task.

I always liked already in the original game, how the style of the labyrinth changes the deeper you go into it. You have plenty to do while leveling up. Being it missions from the townsfolk or collecting monster materials for new items in the store. With the remake offering so much more it is a great RPG experience. This game at this spot represents in part the whole series, all very good classic RPGs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bh8uEvcP-Aw