Breath of Fire (1993)
Genres:Role-playing (RPG)
Themes:Action, Fantasy
Game modes:Single player
Story:Recognized by Capcom as their first traditional role-playing video game, Breath of Fire would set the precedent for future entries in the series, and features character designs by company head of development Keiji Inafune, as well as music by members of Capcom's in-house sound team Alph Lyla. In 2001, the game was re-released for the Game Boy Advance handheld system with new save features and minor graphical enhancements, with the English version being released in Europe for the first time.
Set in a fantasy world, Breath of Fire follows the journey of a boy named Ryu, one of the last surviving members of an ancient race with the ability to transform into mighty dragons, as he searches the world for his sister. During his quest, Ryu meets other warriors who share his quest, and comes into conflict with the Dark Dragon Clan, a militaristic empire who seeks to take over the world by reviving a mad goddess. The game experienced mostly positive reception upon release, and was followed by a direct sequel, Breath of Fire II, in 1994.Show more
Vote to bring this game to GOG and help preserve it.4 072
This was the first RPG I played where you could turn into dragons and fight bosses PAST their HP bar. I loved getting new dragons; losing a party member partway was very sad (UNTIL LATER :D); and to see those fated words towards the end:
'ZOG GRINS FEARLESSLY!'
Made me about crap my pants then.
Breath of Fire was my first RPG as a kid. I got it from my dad for Christmas in 1995. When I started it up, I knew nothing about turn-based combat, world maps, item usage, equipment, etc. This is the game that introduced me to the realm of Japanese RPGs and I'm forever grateful to it (to the point that I run a Breath of Fire series fan page and fan site)! It's a solid, classic JRPG experience. Great, orchestral style music, interesting and unique characters that all have their own field and combat skills, a world map with a day and night cycle, wonderful pixel art, and all kinds of secrets. I want more people to experience this game, so a PC & current-gen console port, remaster, and remake should all happen!
Playing Breath of Fire as a kid was an experience filled with wonder, discovery, and a sense of adventure that felt larger than life. The pixelated landscapes, vibrant characters, and epic storylines transported you to a world where dragons, magic, and destiny intertwined. There was something truly magical about leveling up your party, unlocking new abilities, and watching the story unfold through turn-based battles and heartfelt moments. The music, a blend of uplifting overworld themes and intense battle scores, became etched into your memory, forever tied to the excitement of progressing through dungeons or facing a powerful boss. Back then, without guides or online walkthroughs, every secret passage or hidden item felt like a personal victory, and every plot twist carried real emotional weight. Whether it was the thrill of transforming into a dragon for the first time or the camaraderie of gathering a party of unique allies, Breath of Fire wasn’t just a game—it was a journey that sparked your imagination and cemented your love for RPGs.
Breath of fire was the very first rpg i beat, back then i for some reason stayed away from these games but once i gave it a try i was hooked, loved everything about this game including its story and characters ( have a soft spot for Gobi and Mogu). Back then i typically would play anything by capcom as i was and still am a huge mega man fan and this game was the one i would avoid until one day my cousin convinced me to try it. Boy did i regret all those days looking at the box and not renting it lol, i must of rented it enough to buy the game 10 times lol. Breath of fire is what started my love for rpgs.
I played this game a lot when I was a kid, it got me through a particularly boring summer break. I hadn't played many RPG's on the SNES as I don't think Final Fantasy III (actually VI) was out yet. A lot of people say the music is a little generic and they are probably right but I loved it anyway. The angle of the battle screen was neat and the animations of the characters was new at least to me.
This was my first rpg ever played before i even knew what an rpg game was. It was amazing. The music the colors the storyline…. It is a memorable game at the age of 12… later in life i found part 3. I had to go back to beat part 1 because it was unfinished. I can remember every bit of this game. It really is a masterpiece and it definitely deserves remake or rerelease. Please get the god damn game released again. The world and capcom need to know about RYU and the dragon brood.
Breath of Fire was the first JRPG I ever played. It was one of two games my brother got with his Super Nintendo for his birthday one year and I would watch my stepdad play it. At first I didn't really know what to think about it, but one day when I saw my stepdad playing it, I noticed that he had two characters (Nina and Bo) following him around and was more intrigued. Then he got into a battle and I saw that he could also control his companions. For some reason, that blew my mind at the time. Then I saw that the main hero could turn into a dragon and I knew right then that I had to play this game. JRPGs have been my favorite kinds of games ever since.
THE Primordial RPG. It does a lot with itself to expand what came before into a more nuanced package, telling the story we've heard before, a boy from a destroyed village, an evil empire, a group of friends, and behind it all an evil god who laughs as the mortals dance on the strings they've spun around them.
And it does all this with aplomb. There's no wasted space here, every plot point it sets up gets fired off at some point in the story, every bit of it makes sense. Why is it only your ragtag band able to fight the Dark Dragons? Because no nation wants to fight them, and the villages and cities that MIGHT stand up to them are too weak, even after you save them.
It all works to build a believable world, with a real cast, and even more than any game, even in its own series, it does everything it does fantastically. Heck, it remains the only game I've ever played where the super boss is ALSO the final boss, but it in no way keeps you from winning the game, since you need a super weapon to even unlock it, but once unlocked, you can fight it without that weapon, if you want the challenge.
This would be a great thing to get, either on its own, or my hope, for a collection, with all the bells and whistles like the mega man stuff.
While everyone else here seems to have had This as their first JRPG, I only Recently had played Breath Of Fire, and found it to be an excellent if not down right underrated JRPG. The random battles were addicting, The boss fights I found required strategy to win.
I loved the fact that unlike most other RPGs of the time You can actually switch your party members to play as the other characters, and they are given overworld abilities. As an example, My favorite character, Bo who can hunt and lead the party through forests.
And it's a lot of fun to strategize what Dragon form and what Combination Character you'll use.
And the overworld is fun to explore for items and treasure.
Of coarse there's the great music every one else has mentioned.
Star Ocean: First Departure RAn improved remake/remaster of the 2007 PlayStation Portable game Star Ocean: First Departure, which was a remake of the first game in the series, Star Ocean, released on the Super Famicom in 1996.Fantasy Science fiction
Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the LionsAn updated version of the PlayStation game Final Fantasy Tactics, released on PlayStation Portable and later released on iOS and Android.
"The stage is set for what history would one day record as the War of the Lions.
Experience new CG cinematics. Meet new Characters. Explore new jobs & missions. Wage new multiplayer battles. Behold a new legend!"Fantasy Historical Warfare
Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the RiftSchool is out for the summer, but mischievous Luso Clemens must first face detention to make up for his misbehavior. Alone in the library, he stumbles upon an ancient book with magical powers that summons him to the mystical land of Ivalice. Warped into the middle of a battlefield, Luso joins Cid and his clan to set off on an adventurous journey looking for a way home.Fantasy
Parasite Eve IIParasite Eve II is an action role-playing survival horror video game released exclusively for the PlayStation. The game was developed by Square and published in Japan in 1999 and in both North America and, unlike the previous game, in PAL regions in 2000. It is the sequel to Parasite Eve and the second game in the series of the same name.
Parasite Eve II is set several years after the events in the original game. The protagonist from the first game, Aya Brea, also features in this game as the playable character. She becomes involved with another outbreak of Mitochondrial creatures. Gameplay diverges from the previous game: battles take place in real time and the area of action is less restrictive. The approach is more typical of traditional survival horror games, although some role-playing elements are retained.Trending Action Horror Science fiction Survival
Breath of Fire IIIA MYSTERIOUS POWER...AN UNLIKELY HERO...A CLASSIC ADVENTURE...
The lone survivor of a legendary dragon clan, a rebellious youth embarks on a great journey. One of discovery... and danger. The classic role-playing game now returns to continue the epic tales of Ryu and the dragon people. An inner power of uncertain origin matures Ryu into a warrior who ponders his purpose as he embarks on a mystical journey. What lies ahead is shrouded in mystery... yet strangely familiar.
DRAGON GENE SPLICING
LEGENDARY ROLEPLAYING
AN EPIC 3-D ENVIRONMENT
LEARN OR STEAL ADVANCE SKILLS AND TECHNIQUES
POWERFUL MAGIC
NOW YOU POSSESS THE POWER TO CONTROL RYU'S DESTINY.Trending Fantasy Science fiction
Dragon Ques VII
Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur MachtXenosaga: Episode I - Der Wille zur Macht, the first chapter of a trilogy, is a Japanese-style sci-fi role-playing game, sharing many common themes and gameplay elements with Xenogears.
The battle system is not unlike the one used in Xenogears (combo attacks, AP and EP gauges, etc.), but random encounters are eliminated. Instead, the enemies are now visible and battles can be avoided. During combat the few upcoming ally and enemy turns are shown onscreen, allowing the player to make strategic decisions based on who will act next. A rolling slot moves with each turn as well, conferring a bonus such as added damage or bonus XP for any action on that turn. If the enemy would be in position to take an advantage then the player can expend a character's "boost" gauge to cut in and act next, although enemies can boost as well, and enemy boosts always over-ride player boosts.
Each character has a unique tree of Ether spells they can learn by spending Ether points earned in battle, with lower spells requiring spells above them to be purchased first. After a spell is purchased, so long is it does not require a unique talent of that character, the spell can also be purchased and learned by any other character that can afford double its normal cost. The Anti-Gnosis Weapon Systems can be equipped with different weapons and accessories and can be used in combat provided that a character has enough AP on that turn to board their AGWS.Trending Fantasy Science fiction
The Legend of DragoonA peaceful beginning. The legend was born 10,000 years ago. A violent uprising. A civilization of flying creatures enslave the human race. A bloody war. In a bid for freedom, the humans harness the spiritual forces of Dragons and triumph. Tranquility and harmony exist between all. But the past and the future are about to collide...
Unveil a fantasy of magnificence, deception, magical combat and retribution. The journey that seeks the past ends. And the journey to discover today begins. Unleash the spirit of the Dragoons. And discover your destiny.Trending Action Fantasy Historical Drama
Final Fantasy VIFinal Fantasy VI first debuted in 1994 as the sixth instalment in the iconic Final Fantasy series. Innovations included the ability to play all the main characters as the game's protagonist, and to this day, its epic story intertwining each of their fates is still highly rated and wildly popular.
With plenty of abilities available and the magicite system for controlling spells/summoning, players can develop their characters any way they want. This was also the first Final Fantasy game to include the Ultima Weapon, the most powerful sword of all and a recurring item in subsequent titles within the series.Open world Fantasy Sandbox
Secret of ManaInitially released in Japan in 1993, Secret of Mana took the world by storm with its innovative real-time battle system and gorgeously rendered world. It continues to stand out among other action RPGs for its seamless gameplay that anyone from beginner to veteran can enjoy.
One of the most memorable elements of the Mana series is the Ring Command menu system. With the single press of a button, a ring-shaped menu appears on the screen, where players can use items, change weapons, and do a variety of other actions without needing to switch screens. This Ring Command menu system for which the Mana series is so well known was first introduced in Secret of Mana and has since appeared in most games in the series.
Play as Randi and his two companions, Primm and Popoi, as they adventure all around the world. At the center of our epic story is the mystical power of Mana. Battle the empire in its quest for control of Mana. Befriend the eight elementals who wield the forces of nature itself. Numerous encounters await at every turn.Open world Action Fantasy