Everyone Has Forgotten About This Incredible PlayStation RPG Series

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PlayStation has long been a fantastic platform for role-playing games, and the Final Fantasy series is a prime example. Games like Final Fantasy VII, particularly from the late 90s and early 2000s, were incredibly influential and changed the RPG landscape. However, many other great series haven’t received the same attention, and have unfortunately been largely forgotten, despite offering compelling stories and fun gameplay. I have a particular fondness for one of these overlooked series, and I’m surprised more people don’t remember it.

Man, Growlanser was a game-changer when I first played it. The battles were really strategic, the characters felt genuine, and the story actually branched depending on my choices – it was surprisingly mature for something I picked up on a whim! I was just a kid and grabbed it because the cover looked cool at the store with my parents, but it’s stuck with me ever since. It’s a shame it seems to have been forgotten by a lot of people, even the developers themselves, but I still remember how much I loved it.

Growlanser Was One Of PlayStation’s Most Ambitious RPGs

Released in 1999, Growlanser quickly distinguished itself from other RPGs on the PlayStation. Created by Career Soft and published by Atlus, the game combined classic RPG elements with a then-innovative real-time tactical battle system. Unlike games that relied on turn-based menus or simple action, Growlanser featured battles on open fields where strategy – including character positioning, timing, and skill use – was as crucial as character stats.

Growlanser’s unique combat system emphasized careful planning and quick thinking, forcing players to change tactics mid-battle. You could disrupt enemies, control the battlefield, and respond instantly to danger. While it felt like a strategy RPG, it moved at a quicker pace than most, similar to a more action-packed Final Fantasy Tactics. It was rare for RPGs at the time to combine such depth with ease of use, and Growlanser managed to strike that balance perfectly.

The series distinguished itself with complex storytelling. Instead of straightforward heroes and villains, each game delved into political struggles, changing loyalties, and difficult choices with no easy answers. Your decisions as a player mattered, impacting how characters interacted and ultimately shaping the game’s ending, which made each playthrough unique and encouraged revisiting the story.

Unlike many role-playing games of its time, Growlanser stood out with its bold and engaging story, particularly due to its large, explorable worlds.

Many fans consider Growlanser IV: Wayfarer of Time to be the best game in the series, but Growlanser II: The Sense of Justice is a personal favorite of mine. The updated Western release of Growlanser II really highlighted what made the series great, with its improved battles, many different story paths, and overall polished feel. Growlanser IV: Wayfarer of Time is still considered a top-tier RPG for the PlayStation 2.

From Cult Favorite To Complete Obscurity

Even though Growlanser was a well-made game with a dedicated fanbase, it never became widely popular. This wasn’t because of the game itself – in fact, its quality is a big reason why people loved it. The timing just wasn’t right. The PlayStation and PlayStation 2 were already full of hugely successful RPGs like Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, Persona, and Tales of. These series were more well-known and had bigger marketing campaigns, which made it hard for a newer, more unique game like Growlanser to stand out.

The timing of the English releases also hurt the series. Many Growlanser games came out near the end of a console’s lifespan, or weren’t widely available in Western countries. Some weren’t released in English until years after they first came out in Japan, and without much promotion. By the time Western players could try them, tastes in the genre had changed, and Growlanser felt outdated.

The series effectively ended with the release of Growlanser: Wayfarer of Time on the PSP in 2011. This wasn’t a completely new game, but an updated version of an older title. After that, there were no further announcements about new Growlanser games, remakes, or anything similar. As portable consoles became less popular and the cost of making high-definition games increased, the Growlanser series faded away, much like the PSP itself.

Many classic tactical RPGs are being rediscovered through remakes and new indie games. It’s strange, then, that this once groundbreaking series feels left behind, especially considering how much it originally influenced the genre.

Growlanser Is A Forgotten Classic Worth Rediscovering

Looking back at Growlanser now really shows how innovative it was for its time. Its combat system still stands out, especially when compared to many newer RPGs that tend to focus more on quick action than strategic thinking. The game’s focus on careful positioning, interrupting enemy attacks, and understanding the battlefield would feel right at home in today’s strategy game market. Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles already demonstrated that this type of strategic RPG can still be successful.

The story remains compelling, with themes of war, loyalty, and the results of political choices feeling particularly timely. Like modern RPGs such as Baldur’s Gate 3, Growlanser respected players’ intelligence, presenting them with difficult choices that truly shaped the narrative.

If you’re new to the Growlanser series, Growlanser IV is the best place to start – it’s well-balanced and offers a good overview of what the games are about. The older games are a bit more basic, but still enjoyable, particularly if you like classic RPGs from the original PlayStation. The biggest problem, though, is finding the games. There haven’t been any updated versions released, so you’ll need to find original copies or hope they stay available on older digital stores.

It’s easy to wonder how good a new Growlanser game could be. With updated graphics, modern features, and more complex strategy, it could really succeed today. At the very least, this classic PlayStation RPG series deserves to be remembered alongside other great games from that era. For players interested in gaming history, Growlanser remains a hidden gem and is certainly worthy of a remake.

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2026-01-07 18:16