RPGs are significantly more mainstream and abundant these days. Most modern triple-A games have RPG mechanics and newer games like The Witcher 3 and Mass Effect are extremely popular.

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While we are all enjoying what studios are putting out these days, we should take a moment to appreciate all the RPGs that came before and paved the way for the games we love today. For this list, we are looking at specific mechanics from RPGs for the original PlayStation. Some of the games have not aged well and many lack modern gaming conventions, but they all at least deserve respect for their ambition and ingenuity.

10 Mega Man Legends Had A Morality System

Gameplay screenshot from Megaman Legends

Mega Man Legends is an action-RPG featuring an extensive network of dungeons to explore and towns where you can do small side quests for the townspeople. Opportunities to do bad or good to these folks are organically integrated into the world.

Whether you are helpful or detrimental determines how dark or light Mega Man's armor is. Released in 1997, it also had a shooting system similar to Z-targeting from Ocarina of Time a whole year before the N64 classic's release. Fans have been clamoring for a Mega Man Legends 3 for years now, though we have no reason to believe one is coming anytime soon.

9 Diablo Had Local Co-Op

Diablo PS1
Diablo PS1

While many think Diablo 3 was the first time the series came to consoles, the first game actually came out on the PS1 too. The developer made several changes to this release for the sake of a more comfortable console experience.

It obviously lacked online play, but it made up for it by including local cooperative play. The one major drawback of the PS1 version is the whopping ten out of fifteen blocks required on the memory card to have a save file.

8 Symphony Of The Night Is One Half Of The Metroidvania Name

Castlevania Symphony Of The Night gameplay screenshot

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is often lauded as one of the greatest games for the original PlayStation, alongside the likes of Metal Gear Solid and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2.

It significantly expanded upon the Castlevania formula by including a non-linear map design and a heavier focus on RPG mechanics. You gain experience and level up as you defeat enemies. Symphony of the Night influenced a whole slew of games often dubbed Metroidvanias.

7 Parasite Eve Has Real-Time Elements

parasite eve PS1 game
parasite eve PS1 game

Parasite Eve stands out from the crowded PS1 RPG pack because of its setting and science fiction storyline. In addition to this, the ATB battle system features more real-time elements than other games of the time.

Related: PS1 Games That Were Held Back By The Hardware

You are allowed to freely move the protagonist on the battlefield during fights. Additionally, battles take place on the same play area you explore and screens do not change when initiating combat. Fans who remember the unique gameplay and narrative have been clamoring for a new entry or a remake for years.

6 Monster Rancher Uses CDs

monster rancher

While this is not exactly a mechanic any other RPG ever used, it deserves mention for breaking the mold. In this unique title, you can use your actual CD collection to unlock new monsters within the game.

This was long before the days of DLC on consoles, and best of all, it was essentially free as long as you or your family collected a lot of music. One can also make a connection between this and the use of amiibo by Nintendo.

5 Front Mission 3 Had Two Separate Plots

Front mission 3 battle gameplay
Front mission 3 battle gameplay

Where most RPGs on the original PlayStation were extremely linear, Front Mission 3 had enough content for two games. A decision near the beginning of the game affects which of the storylines you go through.

It is obviously not as in-depth as some western RPGs, but it is still a great way to add replay value to a piece. It should be noted that many of the main battles remain the same, though the story is different.

4 Final Fantasy 8 Had Gwent Before Witcher 3

Final Fantasy VIII triple triad
Final Fantasy VIII triple triad

Final Fantasy 8 includes a card game called Triple Triad which you can play with numerous NPCs to earn rewards and obtain stronger cards. It resembles Gwent from the Witcher 3 in numerous ways, adding many hours of gameplay but also being completely optional.

Final Fantasy 8 has numerous polarizing gameplay mechanics, like the controversial Draw ability, but it remains a beloved entry in the Final Fantasy franchise.

3 Suikoden Has Over 100 Recruitable Party Members

suikoden 1 battle gameplay with characters and monsters in a grassy area

Suikoden deserves praise for including over 100 potential party members during a time when RPGs had anywhere between five and nine.

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It's not like modern RPGs similarly have this many recruitable members, but many of them have more optional party members who you do not have to encounter during a playthrough. Also released on the PS1, Chrono Cross features 45 recruitable party members. These two games must be a nightmare for completionists.

2 Brave Fencer Musashi Had A Day And Night Cycle

musashi running from stone head
musashi running from stone head

The action-RPG Brave Fencer Musashi is not quite as epic as other games on this list, but it does feature several mechanics other games were not touching at the time. Not only did it have a day and night cycle, but Musashi has to periodically rest in order to regain energy.

It also featured voice acting, which was extremely rare in 1998 on the PS1. Musashi received a sequel on the PS2, but no further continuation of the series has happened.

1 Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together Lets Your Choices Affect The Narrative

Tactics Ogre Let Us Cling Together is one of the deepest games on Sony's handhelds

Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together is the spiritual predecessor to Final Fantasy Tactics and features similar combat and party management. A major departure from Final Fantasy Tactics, however, is the amount of choice you are given in the narrative, which ultimately affects the way the plot unfolds.

Depending on your choices, certain characters either live or die. Also unique for the time, magic and sorcery have nothing to do with the main plot, though they still play a role in battles.

Next: RPGs That Only Make Sense On A Second Playthrough