During the 1990s, the ability to create more compex computer-generated imagery was increasing at a ravenous pace. Cutting-edge full-motion video cutscenes, collectively known as FMVs, were becoming the norm in video games. The one genre that hooked into this, perhaps more than any other, was the JRPG.
That was especially true on the original PlayStation, where JRPGs with high-end FMV cutscenes were fairly common. If you were playing a JRPG on the PS1, chances are that you were in for a visual treat with the cutscenes.
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Looking back, despite all the obvious limitations that the hardware had, there are some JRPGs that still look absolutely amazing. These developers were keen to stay on the bleeding-edge of what was possible with computer-generated imagery, and it showed in their impeccable work during this era. The CG artists from this time are often the unsung heroes of our collective childhoods, creating memories that would last forever.
7
Koudelka
The Horror Movie That Never Existed
Among the numerous PS1 JRPGs, the one that I feel genuinely never gets its flowers is Koudelka. This compelling, deeply engaging survival horror JRPG is still one of the most fascinating games on the console.
It was also a game that proved your name didn’t have to be Konami or Square to produce cutting-edge CG cutscenes, as Koudelka is full of them. Featuring over twenty minutes of brilliantly animated and directed FMV cutscenes, Koudelka is a masterful experience.
The staging and direction of the cutscenes are outstanding, with a deeply sinister undertone that is often boosted by its delightfully cheesy voice acting. The writing and dialogue have a sort of theatrical, almost stage-like feeling. Koudelka’s cutscenes really make the game feel like an overly dramatic Hammer horror film in the best possible way.
6
Parasite Eve 2
The Peak of Square’s CGI Mastery
By the year 1999, Square was clearly the absolute master at crafting high-end FMV cutscenes for their games. They had already shown how talented their artists were, and Parasite Eve 2 felt like them further solidifying themselves as the kings of the castle in this area of gaming.
Much like the first game, Parasite Eve 2 relies on kinetic, insanely fast-paced direction and style for its FMV cutscenes. Perhaps more so, as Parasite Eve 2’s cutscenes are so richly layered, often looking like they could come from an early 2000s CG animated movie.
Square’s commitment to this in Parasite Eve 2 was crucial to where they would go in the future. Their focus on high-quality CGI in Parasite Eve 2 was so influential inside Square, that they would form an entire movie division devoted to bringing their technical mastery to the big screen.
5
Chrono Cross
Vibrant and Beautiful
1999 was a big year for Square. They would publish or develop almost twenty titles, and one of the most important that year was Chrono Cross. Much like many of Square’s games at the time, it would combine pre-rendered backgrounds with 3D characters, which was punctuated by beautiful FMV cutscenes for important story scenes.
As is the case with most games of this style, the cutscenes often feel like a reward for reaching a certain milestone or defeating a specific boss. The cutscenes in Chrono Cross certainly feel like a reward, as it feels like Square really honing in on the tiny details and subtle facial movements that they would become known for.
The cutscenes in Chrono Cross are insanely well directed, and the staging of each scene feels so deliberate and cinematic. The opening montage before the game starts is still one of the most iconic intros in gaming history, and each subsequent FMV has some amazing scale that continues to progress with each new scene.
4
Parasite Eve
Horror Meets JRPG Sensibilities
It feels quite good to know that Parasite Eve is getting more popular today. It used to feel like no one except for a select few knew about it, but more and more people have come to realize just how incredible this survival horror JRPG really is.
A key ingredient to the brilliance of Parasite Eve is the direction and insanely high quality of its FMV cutscenes. The opening is one of the most remarkable things I’ve ever seen in a game, combining the massive scope of New York with impeccable music by Yoko Shimomura.
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It doesn’t stop, either, as the game continues to increase in its scale. By the end, it feels like you are in the middle of a Hollywood blockbuster, a testament to its status as “the cinematic RPG”. Of all the games on this list, Parasite Eve feels the most like a gigantic movie come to life thanks to its FMV cutscenes.
3
Final Fantasy 7
Big-Budget Masterpiece
If there’s any game that defines the vice-like grip that the PS1 had on me, it would be Final Fantasy 7. It was my first Final Fantasy game, and a key reason as to why it hooked me in was the mind-blowing FMV cutscenes.
It has one of the most breathtaking opening scenes of all time, with pacing and direction that is just sublime. The swooping, cinematic shots are even further elevated by Nobuo Uematsu’s iconic musical score.
There are so many moments in these FMVs that have been burned into the crevices of my brain. All of them were animated with the same tools that had powered blockbuster Hollywood movies of the time, as the line between film and video games was slowly being eroded away.
2
Final Fantasy 8
High-Tech Sci-fi Adventure
Following Final Fantasy’s transition phase from medieval fantasy to a focus on futuristic, sci-fi settings, it felt like the franchise would never be the same. While it would occasionally revisit those themes and aesthetics, Final Fantasy 8 was the epitome of the new era that the franchise was entering.
Final Fantasy 8’s FMV cutscenes took full advantage of the franchise’s new direction, creating a lush, expansive sci-fi world. Each cutscene feels like it gives you new information about the world and its characters, and by the end, it feels like you are in the middle of an extremely expensive science fiction movie.
What really is still so impressive about the cutscenes, however, is the way it effortlessly blends those with the gameplay. Quite often, the game will have an FMV playing while you are still controlling the characters on top of that video. Seeing stuff like that just melted my brain back in the day, and it’s still incredibly impressive all these years later.
1
The Legend of Dragoon
Let’s Spend Some Money
The massive success of Final Fantasy 7 was not lost on the industry at large. Every publisher and developer wanted their own FF7, but very few had the money to throw at one that could compete quite like Sony did.
The Legend of Dragoon was Sony’s attempt to replicate that success, and they clearly had a lot of cash to put into it. In addition to just being a genuinely great JRPG, the CG cutscenes in The Legend of Dragoon are absolutely stupendous.
The level of detail, quality of the animation and magnificent direction is incredible. You can really see how much effort was poured into the game, and the cutscenes are a key reason as to why The Legend of Dragoon is still remembered as fondly as it is today.
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