Chrono Cross
An exceptionally beautiful and an underrated PSX game. It is an atmospheric master work. Its style and approach to color in the worlds tropical environments is incredibly beautiful. The music is phenomenal and widely regarded as one of the best JRPG soundtracks of all time with songs that evoke feelings of deep contemplation and nostalgia, adventure and wander, townfolk whimsy, sacrifice and tragedy. One day while Serge is running errands he is suddenly teleported to an alternate dimension where his childhood friends no longer recognize him. Hes told the location of a grave stone that confirms he had died 10 years ago. Kid who seems to be waiting for Serge appears and tells him about a mysterious powerful item called the Frozen Flame that may be able to get him back to his timeline. Somehow there are others aware of Serges existence too. Lynx a mysterious and dangerous cat demon whose also seeking the power of the frozen flame wants Serges body and will do anything to get it. But why? Chrono Cross is a game about fate, being human and the choices we make and their consequences on us, others and the world. The story although rock solid in its totality is presented in a pretty clumsy way. Its plot and characters are steeped in existentialist philosophy. There are also minor themes of colonialism, racism, and environmentalism. There are alternate and splitting timelines, there is body swapping, many strange artifacts with specific powers, over 40 playable characters with their own unique spells and ways of talking. Where it sometimes lacks in decipherability it excels instead in being able to evoke emotion with unpredictable plot twists, poetic meditations on the meaning and value of life, its very human characters and its gorgeous scenes and music. Playing the first title of the series Chrono Trigger is not completely necessary but will be emotionally rewarding and will make understanding the plot much easier. Many believe the game is not a direct sequel but I think it is. It has references to and reappearances of old characters and the plot is a seperate story but a continuation of events that happened in the first game.
Final Fantasy IV