Breath of Fire (1993)
Genres:Role-playing (RPG)
Themes:Action, Fantasy
Game modes:Single player
Story:Recognized by Capcom as their first traditional role-playing video game, Breath of Fire would set the precedent for future entries in the series, and features character designs by company head of development Keiji Inafune, as well as music by members of Capcom's in-house sound team Alph Lyla. In 2001, the game was re-released for the Game Boy Advance handheld system with new save features and minor graphical enhancements, with the English version being released in Europe for the first time.
Set in a fantasy world, Breath of Fire follows the journey of a boy named Ryu, one of the last surviving members of an ancient race with the ability to transform into mighty dragons, as he searches the world for his sister. During his quest, Ryu meets other warriors who share his quest, and comes into conflict with the Dark Dragon Clan, a militaristic empire who seeks to take over the world by reviving a mad goddess. The game experienced mostly positive reception upon release, and was followed by a direct sequel, Breath of Fire II, in 1994.Show more
Vote to bring this game to GOG and help preserve it.5 665
This was the first RPG I played where you could turn into dragons and fight bosses PAST their HP bar. I loved getting new dragons; losing a party member partway was very sad (UNTIL LATER :D); and to see those fated words towards the end:
'ZOG GRINS FEARLESSLY!'
Made me about crap my pants then.
Breath of Fire was the first JRPG I ever played. It was one of two games my brother got with his Super Nintendo for his birthday one year and I would watch my stepdad play it. At first I didn't really know what to think about it, but one day when I saw my stepdad playing it, I noticed that he had two characters (Nina and Bo) following him around and was more intrigued. Then he got into a battle and I saw that he could also control his companions. For some reason, that blew my mind at the time. Then I saw that the main hero could turn into a dragon and I knew right then that I had to play this game. JRPGs have been my favorite kinds of games ever since.
Breath of Fire was my first RPG as a kid. I got it from my dad for Christmas in 1995. When I started it up, I knew nothing about turn-based combat, world maps, item usage, equipment, etc. This is the game that introduced me to the realm of Japanese RPGs and I'm forever grateful to it (to the point that I run a Breath of Fire series fan page and fan site)! It's a solid, classic JRPG experience. Great, orchestral style music, interesting and unique characters that all have their own field and combat skills, a world map with a day and night cycle, wonderful pixel art, and all kinds of secrets. I want more people to experience this game, so a PC & current-gen console port, remaster, and remake should all happen!
Playing Breath of Fire as a kid was an experience filled with wonder, discovery, and a sense of adventure that felt larger than life. The pixelated landscapes, vibrant characters, and epic storylines transported you to a world where dragons, magic, and destiny intertwined. There was something truly magical about leveling up your party, unlocking new abilities, and watching the story unfold through turn-based battles and heartfelt moments. The music, a blend of uplifting overworld themes and intense battle scores, became etched into your memory, forever tied to the excitement of progressing through dungeons or facing a powerful boss. Back then, without guides or online walkthroughs, every secret passage or hidden item felt like a personal victory, and every plot twist carried real emotional weight. Whether it was the thrill of transforming into a dragon for the first time or the camaraderie of gathering a party of unique allies, Breath of Fire wasn’t just a game—it was a journey that sparked your imagination and cemented your love for RPGs.
Breath of fire was the very first rpg i beat, back then i for some reason stayed away from these games but once i gave it a try i was hooked, loved everything about this game including its story and characters ( have a soft spot for Gobi and Mogu). Back then i typically would play anything by capcom as i was and still am a huge mega man fan and this game was the one i would avoid until one day my cousin convinced me to try it. Boy did i regret all those days looking at the box and not renting it lol, i must of rented it enough to buy the game 10 times lol. Breath of fire is what started my love for rpgs.
I played this game a lot when I was a kid, it got me through a particularly boring summer break. I hadn't played many RPG's on the SNES as I don't think Final Fantasy III (actually VI) was out yet. A lot of people say the music is a little generic and they are probably right but I loved it anyway. The angle of the battle screen was neat and the animations of the characters was new at least to me.
This was my first rpg ever played before i even knew what an rpg game was. It was amazing. The music the colors the storyline…. It is a memorable game at the age of 12… later in life i found part 3. I had to go back to beat part 1 because it was unfinished. I can remember every bit of this game. It really is a masterpiece and it definitely deserves remake or rerelease. Please get the god damn game released again. The world and capcom need to know about RYU and the dragon brood.
THE Primordial RPG. It does a lot with itself to expand what came before into a more nuanced package, telling the story we've heard before, a boy from a destroyed village, an evil empire, a group of friends, and behind it all an evil god who laughs as the mortals dance on the strings they've spun around them.
And it does all this with aplomb. There's no wasted space here, every plot point it sets up gets fired off at some point in the story, every bit of it makes sense. Why is it only your ragtag band able to fight the Dark Dragons? Because no nation wants to fight them, and the villages and cities that MIGHT stand up to them are too weak, even after you save them.
It all works to build a believable world, with a real cast, and even more than any game, even in its own series, it does everything it does fantastically. Heck, it remains the only game I've ever played where the super boss is ALSO the final boss, but it in no way keeps you from winning the game, since you need a super weapon to even unlock it, but once unlocked, you can fight it without that weapon, if you want the challenge.
This would be a great thing to get, either on its own, or my hope, for a collection, with all the bells and whistles like the mega man stuff.
This game does truly weird things with its characters. A temporary switch of protagonists. Twice. A boss that lets you run from it. A wizard who levels up exponentially to absurd physical prowess. For a game that revives you at your last save point on defeat, this game keeps you on your toes. One last thing about the BoF series: I love how the final boss isn't always or even usually evil.
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Breath of Fire IIIA MYSTERIOUS POWER...AN UNLIKELY HERO...A CLASSIC ADVENTURE...
The lone survivor of a legendary dragon clan, a rebellious youth embarks on a great journey. One of discovery... and danger. The classic role-playing game now returns to continue the epic tales of Ryu and the dragon people. An inner power of uncertain origin matures Ryu into a warrior who ponders his purpose as he embarks on a mystical journey. What lies ahead is shrouded in mystery... yet strangely familiar.
DRAGON GENE SPLICING
LEGENDARY ROLEPLAYING
AN EPIC 3-D ENVIRONMENT
LEARN OR STEAL ADVANCE SKILLS AND TECHNIQUES
POWERFUL MAGIC
NOW YOU POSSESS THE POWER TO CONTROL RYU'S DESTINY.Fantasy Science fiction
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