Grandia III

Though Japanese role-playing games have generally been a niche genre on this side of the sea, Square-Enix has made major inroads with its multi-million selling Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest franchises. However, you couldn't be blamed for not having even heard of the first two Grandia games – not that it matters, since there's very little carry-over. Like most J-RPGs, this sequel is essentially an interactive anime film with plenty of lush cut scenes. But GIII doesn't skimp on the in-game visuals either, as your character Yuki, a young wannabe pilot, escorts a mysterious woman (are there any other kind?) through an endangered, monster-filled landscape. Though the complex "Ultimate Action Battle" system has been reconfigured to be faster and more dynamic – and is deservedly considered a pinnacle of RPG combat – it is still basically turn-based, which can be a frustrating turn-off for non-fans of that fighting format.