This revolutionary open-world game forgoed the more chaotic action that would later make more sandbox-like titles such as GTA III global blockbusters in favor of a more nuanced series of mechanics that better represented daily life. It was a questionable decision that obviously contributed to the game’s mixed reception. Yet, you can’t play this game today and not see a little of Red Dead Redemption 2 and a lot of Yakuza/Like a Dragon in its often charming blend of the intimate and epic. It is the most notable example of the perils and possibilities of the Dreamcast’s eternal desire to always be just a little different.
Skies of Arcadia (2000)
Along with Grandia 2, Skies of Arcadia gave the Dreamcast something even the N64 never really had: exceptional exclusive RPGs delivered at a time when the genre was becoming an increasingly bigger system seller. While I think Skies is the generally superior game, the bigger reason it makes this list is because of its relationship to the Dreamcast.
Skies of Arcadia was made by a team of Sega superstars who intended for this to be the first game in an incredible new RPG franchise. On the basis of its own merits, this sky pirate role-playing game that brilliantly combined classic JRPG concepts with genuine adventuring should have been the start of something special. Unfortunately, the writing was on the wall for the Dreamcast at this time. Skies has often been seen as a great game that deserved a better home. Yet, the only official port of the title we ever received was the 2002 GameCube remaster Skies of Arcadia Legends.
Phantasy Star Online (2001)
Yes, the Dreamcast having its own MMORPG was, like so many other aspects of its console, an idea ahead of its time. However, that’s not what fascinates me most about Phantasy Star Online. No, what fascinates me most is the perfectly reasonable argument that the first major console-exclusive MMO ever made is still the best console MMO ever made.
Perhaps daunted by the prospect of their project, the PSO team didn’t take that online functionality for granted. They instead crafted an almost dungeon crawler-like RPG experience that functioned surprisingly well even if you weren’t playing with others. When you did play with others, though, you unlocked the full potential of a game that continues to inspire developers (especially the Monster Hunter team) despite the fact that few titles released since have replicated its specific achievements.
Yet, just a couple of months after PSO’s U.S. release, Sega effectively discontinued the Dreamcast. The console would enjoy a variety of new releases in 2001 that included underrated gems (Illbleed, Headhunter, Typing of the Dead), franchise sequels (Sonic Adventure 2, PSO Version 2, the Japanese release of Shenmue II), and the usual yearly sports entries. It’s painful to even think about those games that were essentially destined to fail, though you could perhaps say the same about many Dreamcast games in retrospect.
