6) 7th Dragon III: Code VFD
Talk about a game I had zero expectations for — and I mean no disrespect when I say that! The fact is, the 7th Dragon franchise has never made it stateside before, so I was prepared to be extremely confused by the series’ third entry, 7th Dragon III: Code VFD. Thanks to a self-contained narrative and an excellent localization by Sega, however, I soon found myself completely absorbed in the game’s world.
Fun, open-ended exploration and highly customizable turn-based battling are just two of this title’s advantages — and that’s without getting into the narrative, which somehow spins a delightful yarn despite a party of mostly-mute player-created protagonists.
Plus, I have to give credit to any game that lets characters go on a date with others of the same gender; it might not be a major feature here, but it absolutely delighted me, and served as a little testament to just how much representation can make a difference in gaming.