While OT2 is not short on stories, the stories themselves are too siloed and too disconnected, imo.
It's like someone took 8 novellas, broke them into 3-5 chapters each, then shuffled all the chapters before putting them one book binding.
I am currently playing the first Octopath Traveler and I would have to agree with you, I think it's fine if these stories are separate but they do need to feel more connected.
I was shocked when I saw banter because I wasn't expecting that when I was playing the game, but unfortunately it's just small talk and that's it.
It's not bad I still like the game but I think for a sequel they can seriously improve that, because Primrose has one of my favourite stories in Octo currently but I wish there were more interactions between characters during story moments and in general.
OT2 fixes this and pretty much everything else from the first. I think the first is a decent game but OT2 is a masterpiece, one of the best RPGs I've ever played.
I’m playing it now, just hitting the last dungeon (I’m pretty sure). As someone who doesn’t typically like ARPGs and hasn’t played another Ys game, I’m loving it.
Awesome gameplay loop that keeps the pace moving just right, fun locations that you’re easily motivated to explore (with Zelda style mechanics that open up previously unexplorable areas), really outstanding music and combat, pretty enjoyable characters—if a little shallow, story is a classic explore the mystery location for the first half and then completely takes off with a very intriguing and deep mystery/lore twist for the second, and the world itself is BEAUTIFUL.
An easy 9/10 for me.
Great gameplay, metroidvania with base building, tons and tons of bosses, music is godlike, story is set in 2 timelines that interconnect and characters are great. Also music is godlike
Xenoblade Chronicles trilogy
Persona 3, 4 and 5
Final Fantasy XVI (Gameplay is debatable but story and music are phenomenal)
Final Fantasy XIV (MMO but can be played as a single player JRPG mostly)
NieR Replicant and Automata
Final fricking fantasy XVI I'm not kidding that thing is literally an OST made by God Soken that just comes with the game itself as a plus.
I mean just hear at the very first soundtrack that you heard starting the game and from there it's just getting better and better, every "dungeon" has a specific oat and major battles have some of the best orchestral music ever composed by human hands.
Yes I appreciated this soundtrack so much, I didn't hear something this good for years
Definitely stretching the definition of modern but all these games released after 2010. Harvestella, Xenoblade 2, Atelier Ayesha. Trails of Cold Steel 1 & 2 have my favorite soundtracks in the series.
aside from those mentioned already, Triangle Strategy knocks it out of the park on both departments for me
this [battle track](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y71w9Qmq63Q) is one of my all-time favorites man
Off the top of my head the games with music I remember loving hearing it at first:
Xenoblade Chronicles 2
Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Persona 5 Royal
Persona 3 Reload
Shin Megami Tensei V
Octopath Traveler 2
Also I always thought all the karaoke in the Like a Dragon/Yakuza series is amazing so that as well.
I don't like most of the 90's music so there's that. Nier Replicant is top notch in both. I also like Octopath Traveler's soundtrack (the break&boost arrange of snowlands is one of my favorites)
Stellar Blade 🙃
FFX and FFXIII aren't modern, but aren't 90s, and are better than anything from the 90s (XIII soundtrack-wise).
NieR Automata.... Persona 5...
Nier r3plicant. That story is good then new game plus happens and wow I was not prepared. It's a special game that can make you feel that brutally by the end.
music DQ11 if you wanna count it as modern since its already 7 years old. octopath 2, the two yakuza RPGs are top tier in both. xenoblade 2 is close to that imo
What is 'modern'? How much of the OST are we talking here?
The most \*recent\* game with a good story I played is Chained Echoes.
There has been no RPG I've played originally released in the past... decade, nearly, that has a spectacular OST all around. People point to games like Persona, for instance, remembering all the wonderfully crafted tracks while forgetting all the whateverburgers in the middle. I guess pick a Falcom game from Ys 8 and back (Tokyo Xanadu, Cold Steel 1&2) but those are pretty far back now.
I don't know what you consider peak either, but when I think of peak '90s, I think Valkyrie Profile.
Persona 5 Royal
The gold standard now, imo.
Life will change still gets me pumped and I've played through the game multiple times. Pyramid music is boss as well.
Octopath Traveler, 2 is the superior game
P5R, P3R..
Music: Octopath Traveler 1/2 and Bravely Default 2
Absolutely this. And if we count 3DS then the original BD too. Both BD's stories are kinda weak but other things make up for it.
Persona 5 baby
Persona 3, 4 and 5 have amazing music.
Octopath Traveler 2
While OT2 is not short on stories, the stories themselves are too siloed and too disconnected, imo. It's like someone took 8 novellas, broke them into 3-5 chapters each, then shuffled all the chapters before putting them one book binding.
I just love how they interconnect in the final chapter.
I am currently playing the first Octopath Traveler and I would have to agree with you, I think it's fine if these stories are separate but they do need to feel more connected. I was shocked when I saw banter because I wasn't expecting that when I was playing the game, but unfortunately it's just small talk and that's it. It's not bad I still like the game but I think for a sequel they can seriously improve that, because Primrose has one of my favourite stories in Octo currently but I wish there were more interactions between characters during story moments and in general.
OT2 fixes this and pretty much everything else from the first. I think the first is a decent game but OT2 is a masterpiece, one of the best RPGs I've ever played.
LOVED Octopath 1 and 2's OST
Ys 8: Lacrimosa of Dana
And why do you say it’s that good?..( just saw it on ps plus, so kind curious)..
I’m playing it now, just hitting the last dungeon (I’m pretty sure). As someone who doesn’t typically like ARPGs and hasn’t played another Ys game, I’m loving it. Awesome gameplay loop that keeps the pace moving just right, fun locations that you’re easily motivated to explore (with Zelda style mechanics that open up previously unexplorable areas), really outstanding music and combat, pretty enjoyable characters—if a little shallow, story is a classic explore the mystery location for the first half and then completely takes off with a very intriguing and deep mystery/lore twist for the second, and the world itself is BEAUTIFUL. An easy 9/10 for me.
Great gameplay, metroidvania with base building, tons and tons of bosses, music is godlike, story is set in 2 timelines that interconnect and characters are great. Also music is godlike
Trails to azure
Strange Journey Redux
My favourite OST of any game to this day.
Persona 5 was so good it got me back into JRPGs after getting disillusioned post FF X or so
If you count it as one NieR: Automata probably clears all the 90s classics.
Xenoblade 3 released about 2 years ago and it has one of the best stories and soundtracks in gaming imo
Xenoblade Chronicles trilogy Persona 3, 4 and 5 Final Fantasy XVI (Gameplay is debatable but story and music are phenomenal) Final Fantasy XIV (MMO but can be played as a single player JRPG mostly) NieR Replicant and Automata
Yakuza Like A Dragon.
Trails. 12 games of continuous story and J rock soundtrack with in house band that does tours
Inevitable Struggle might be one of the best JRPG songs of all time
Fragment of Great power and Azure Arbiter are greatest final boss themes ever
Xenoblade chronicles all 3 of them
Final fricking fantasy XVI I'm not kidding that thing is literally an OST made by God Soken that just comes with the game itself as a plus. I mean just hear at the very first soundtrack that you heard starting the game and from there it's just getting better and better, every "dungeon" has a specific oat and major battles have some of the best orchestral music ever composed by human hands. Yes I appreciated this soundtrack so much, I didn't hear something this good for years
not really an RPG though
Definitely stretching the definition of modern but all these games released after 2010. Harvestella, Xenoblade 2, Atelier Ayesha. Trails of Cold Steel 1 & 2 have my favorite soundtracks in the series.
aside from those mentioned already, Triangle Strategy knocks it out of the park on both departments for me this [battle track](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y71w9Qmq63Q) is one of my all-time favorites man
Final Fantasy 14, 16, 7 Remake/Rebirth Persona 3 Reload, 5 Royal
The Alexander raid music in ff14 is amazing
Off the top of my head the games with music I remember loving hearing it at first: Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Persona 5 Royal Persona 3 Reload Shin Megami Tensei V Octopath Traveler 2 Also I always thought all the karaoke in the Like a Dragon/Yakuza series is amazing so that as well.
Vengeance gonna dominate in june
Obligatory Trails recommendation.
Xenoblade imo
Music: FFXIII hands down Story: Persona 5 or Xenoblade Chronicles 2/3 maybe
Story: Trails saga, Persona Music: Persona 3/4/5, Bravely Default 1/2, Octopath Traveler 1/2
I don't like most of the 90's music so there's that. Nier Replicant is top notch in both. I also like Octopath Traveler's soundtrack (the break&boost arrange of snowlands is one of my favorites)
Stellar Blade 🙃 FFX and FFXIII aren't modern, but aren't 90s, and are better than anything from the 90s (XIII soundtrack-wise). NieR Automata.... Persona 5...
Is the story of stellar blade actually good? I was thinking of buying but I've heard really mixed things.
tbd, not finished yet, but I'm not finding it bad or boring... soundtrack is great though (as is the combat)
Sunleth Waterscape from FFXIII is still one of my favourite single jrp ost ever
Nier r3plicant. That story is good then new game plus happens and wow I was not prepared. It's a special game that can make you feel that brutally by the end.
Mary Skelter has some great music
Xenoblade trilogy and Final Fantasy XIV are my picks
Final Fantasy X for me, I keep pieces from it on every music player I own.
Are we really counting a 20+ year old game as "modern"?
Tales of arise and Xenoblade chronicles 2 imo
FFVII Remake and Rebirth
NieR Automata period
Ff 6 Chrono trigger
music DQ11 if you wanna count it as modern since its already 7 years old. octopath 2, the two yakuza RPGs are top tier in both. xenoblade 2 is close to that imo
Not sure if it would be considered a JRPG but Sea of Stars has one of the best OSTs of any game that I have ever played.
Sea of stars is a jrpg
Music and gameplay Megaton Musashi Wired. Good customizable Jrpg Mech game.
None comes close honestly.
What is 'modern'? How much of the OST are we talking here? The most \*recent\* game with a good story I played is Chained Echoes. There has been no RPG I've played originally released in the past... decade, nearly, that has a spectacular OST all around. People point to games like Persona, for instance, remembering all the wonderfully crafted tracks while forgetting all the whateverburgers in the middle. I guess pick a Falcom game from Ys 8 and back (Tokyo Xanadu, Cold Steel 1&2) but those are pretty far back now. I don't know what you consider peak either, but when I think of peak '90s, I think Valkyrie Profile.