So what retro JRPG has best storytelling?

I won't make it a poll because I don't think there is an absolute right answer, and want it to be discussion based, not based on votes. I'm very interested in videogame's potential as interactive fiction, and have gathered quite a bit of games that seem to execute this with great creativity and inspiration. I'll rank which ones I'm most interested in, and explain why from reviews I've read. Feel free to try to persuade me to think otherwise and re-rank them.

(Lowest Rank)
Xenogears: At bottom of list because although it supposedly has an epic tale that involves themes of religion and identity, I've read how poorly it tells its story due to long cut scenes.

Alundra: Although it may not be a traditional JRPG, I think it works in its favor of allowing the flow of story and gameplay to be more natural by being an action RPG.

Terranigma: Pretty much same feel from Alundra, although this is a SNES game and not a PS1.

Vagrant Story: Although I have no idea what the story is about, somehow the visual style is extremely captivating and unique.

Suikoden: This is where I begin to be intrigued more, not because of its plot, but how it allows freedom from player to make choices and deal with consequences.

Valkyrie Profile: Highest rank of interest to me, because of the way it allows player to choose when to complete each mission and in what order, when to fight the final boss, and it has multiple endings.

So which of these games do you think has the best story, and tells it in a way that takes most advantage of being in an interactive medium.

Feel free to add more games that I have not listed, but I am mainly interested in stories that are more mature and deal with more morally grey situations. I do not care what so ever for stories that simply follow the typical "feel good" save the world from 1-dimensional bad guy with help of perfect friends.

Also I have not played any of the games listed, and their descriptions may be inaccurate due to reading accounts of them and not experiencing them for myself.

I can't comment on those games, but I'll mention my favorite jrpg, Panzer Dragoon Saga. It's not a story about saving the world, it's already a post apocalyptic wasteland, but it's a tale about moving on from the past and seeking revenge. If you've played Panzer Dragoon and Panzer Dragoon II: Zwei, it's even more satisfying, because it connects all three stories together.

Yeah, Panzer Dragoon looks really good too.

Out of the games mentioned:

1. Alundra

2. Xenogears

3. Suikoden II

I would also add Dragon Quest V. It had a unique story for a video game, dealing with mature themes you rarely ever see in the medium.

Also, if you're interested in interactive fiction, you might want to check out the Visual Novel genre, which has been doing interactive storytelling for much longer than, and much better than, any other video game genre out there.

A couple of new ones just released for PC and Dreamcast:

Pier Solar HD (originally released on SEGA Genesis in 2009 and later ported to PC and DC 2014 and 2015 respectively)

Zia and The Goddesses of Power (released this year very recently)

another one that is still in development but soon to be released is Elysian Shadows, a 2.5D multi perspective JRPG. they have a YouTube channel dedicated to showing what they have all through the development process


But if I had to pick from old ones, it's a toss up between Skies of Arcadia and Panzer Dragoon. Also Shenmue if we are counting 3D JRPGs

Shenmue technically isn't a JRPG. But it began development as a JRPG (Virtua Fighter RPG), so we would make an exception.

Chrono Trigger and Earthbound.

Final Fantasy Tactics was like crack too me first time i played it.

IT was game of thrones level awesome.

The story was epic.

Also really liked ff4/ff6/ff7 star ocean 2 / bof3 mario rpg / earthbound are fun story

@Jag85: I've had Dragon Quest V sitting in my drawer forever, but I've yet to play past the beginning. Some of the big moments and plot elements have been spoiled for me, but I'd still like to experience them for myself just because of how unique they are.

Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy IX.

I might need to give chrono trigger another go. I couldn't really get into the story, cause of the "save the world" feel. Al though most of the games I list probably also have a "save the world" plot. I guess it's just a JRPG trope that can't be helped. But, I care more about the character's inward struggles and beliefs, rather than their outward powers and abilities. Which seems silly to look for in a videogames XD. But I've seen it done before, and pretty good too.
I guess chrono being a silent protag. kinda put me off. But the time travel was cool, for as far as I got.

Mother 3 looks really good too.

It might be a bit of a stretch to consider them retro, but I'll add Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky, considering First Chapter originally released in 2004. Sure, the story builds slowly, but I got to really feel for some of the characters. So when the hard stuff hit, it hit me too.

Quite a detailed world, NPCs will always change their conversation topic every time something happens in the story. Plus events cross between trails sagas, making the world huge.

And I liked the combat system. I can't wait to play The Third.

Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy VI, Dragon Quest V, Terranigma, and Lufia all had great stories in my book.

Phantasy Star 4 was pretty unique for the time,the story and major character interactions being told in manga panels gave the game a really strong personality. The story itself was ok but the storytelling was probably the best presented one in a 16 bit jrpg.

I would say Shadow Hearts. That game is unlike any other JRPG I've played and I loved the darkness of it.

To me it is easely Suikoden 2. 1 was pretty solid already, but 2 nailed it. I will never forget what a monster Luca Blight is, the relationship between "you" and Jowy as well as you and Nanami was fantastic. So much harmony between characters in general 8like for example between Flik and Victor). The way they portrayed every facet of the war and the small storys within it were absolut perfection. Also it was great the game actually referenced the first game and if you managed to save Gremio in 1, he actually is there in 2. It was just nice to see that within the perfection of Suikoden 2 there's also the acknowledgement that what you did "back then" in 1 mattered