Forests In RPGs | The Genre's Most Diverse Atmosphere 

I love these kinds of videos that delve into the more overlooked/easy to take for granted aspects of JRPG's so much. As you say they may not bring in 6-figure views, but please know the JRPG ultra diehards love this kind of content that luxuriate in the vibey details of our favorite genre, which is such an important element of said genre, so I hope you guys continue to make them. I've loved every video in this series. As for my favorite forest in a JRPG/JRPG-like game, it's probably both forest areas in Odin Sphere: Leifthrasir. They're very different, but both are just so vibey and feature amazing, tranquil music (even as you're hacking and slashing).

Makna Forest from Xenoblade 1 is incredible in how giant most creatures are.

Exploring forests in video games and real life is a treat. The Ys games has some pretty cool forests sections.

I loved the whole setting of Ys: Memories of Celceta. The idea of exploring and charting a mysterious forest and discover ruins and monsters was just too notch!

This is slowly becoming one of my favorite channels, keep it up buddy.

Forests are one of my favorite areas in games! Especially autumn-like forests

Man just *talking* about JRPG forests is relaxing. Honestly, these setting were often the low-key MVP of the genre, at least as far as capturing the "feel" of a given title. Just hearing a couple notes from either Secret of Mana or (and especially) Star Ocean 2 will always take me back to not only to the times I played but also into the world's these sounds created. Quite a magic trick they can still pull. And speaking of relaxing, watching characters run around against a low-resolution, pre-rendered background will always feel like a warm blanket. 3D is cool and all, but like pixel art, pre-rendered backgrounds always had their own appeal.

Imagine getting teased with Secret of Mana in the beginning, and then overlooking Pure Lands. The dimly lit atmosphere with the calm ethereal music is suuuuch a trip. Bonus points for being an endgame area, makes it feel extra special.

I would throw in the forest from Threads of Fate in here. The music is pretty awesome and design is pretty calming.

Always loved Black Mage Village from FFIX. Makes me really hope that aspect of the NVIDIA leak that points to a IX remake is true

Another excellent output from you guys! It's a shame the algorithm doesn't favor these types of videos, but I hope people eventually realize what they're missing out on. I hope you guys never run out of content to make videos cause I sure as hell enjoy each and every one of them

Horteka is such an incredible forest village. Another really good forest village is Elven Village from Shining Force III Scenario 2.

I hope you dont stop with these kinds of videos, I love these kinds of videos too. Hopefully you can continue to do them every once in a while even if just for pure enjoyment. An area I really love in jrpgs are the different moons some of them have, examples being the moon that never sets in legend of dragoon, the moon in majora's mask, or the moon of final fantasy 13.

My fave setting and one I'd love to see a video on is the city Big City the player runs into! Think Fourside from EarthBound or Archades from FF12.

Holy shit jade cocoon! I remember this when I was young. Now that I'm 35 and retro collecting again, I really want a copy of this for my physical ps1 Preservation of history is very important to me and I love gaming, I want to make sure we all remember these classics and leave something great behind for our children. God rest their poor souls if all they know and remember is fartnite cod and microtransactions! I also would love to get some help with getting a raspberry Pi with the custom classic console case and ROMs loaded onto it!

Awh I'm so sad none of these've really hit 10k or more. These videos're so wonderful and I always love when you put out ones like this. ;w; It's all so friggin' good.

Great video! Secret of Mana is definitely the first forest that leaps to my mind. Hiro Isono was so good at drawing vibrant foliage. I’ve got an art book of his rainforests on my desk! Def recommend for some (mostly) chill vibes.

One early forest I think often gets overlooked is the forest incident near the beginning of smt 4. It turns the calming forest trope on its head by showing you a clearly relaxing forest AFTER something has gone horrifically awry. From the blood spatters on the ground the malicious fairies and a painful reunion with your unfortunate friend at the end. It turns a clearly calming area into a tense uncomfortable high pace section.

Eruyt Village and Salika Wood from FFXII, still one of the most mesmerizing place I've ever seen in a Jrpg.

Yes another gamebro content!

the night forest in eternal sonata at the beginning of the game, with all the glowing flowers, is one of my favorite forests ever

I personally LOVE these settings videos esp when not attached to a top list just a handful of examples. I know the algorithm and views don’t show it but I find I disagree with a-lot of things the algorithm does so Im probably in the minority lol. However I will keep watching them at least a few times. They are super relaxing too

Definitely a segment of RPGs nobody really paid attention for. Great idea!

My favorite area in any video game happens to be a forest. Forest of Zoah from Panzer Dragoon Saga.

Have watched and liked every single one of your videos, especially enjoy the videos of this nature. By far one of my favorite RU-vid channels, keep up the fantastic work! Your videos literally bring me back to some of favorite years in gaming and with each new video the only thing I can’t decide is which one of the games talked about I’m going to replay next.

I’m sorry the algorithm is crummy to you guys on these videos because you always do such an excellent job with them. I never tire of these and I hope you never run out of topics to explore

Keep ‘em coming! Love these videos.

zelda snes forest is the best because of the music and the effect when the fog is clear away and the sun shines trough the leaves after you get the sword. but secret of mana forest is also on the top.

I also love forests in RPGs, especially starting area ones. The start of an adventure before things get too heavy, and when the music is often somewhat peaceful and relaxing...one of my favorite parts of the RPG experience.

Cuando subes vídeo nuevo me alegras el día!!! 💚💚💚 El mejor canal de RPG, sin duda :D

I just love rpgs period. Chrono trigger and cross. The ff games, legend of Dragoon, suikoden, grandia, xenogears.... I could go on. These games truly give you your dollars worth.

love your channel, dude. I've learnt so much about many Great Rpgs thanks to you.

These are maybe the best kind of videos! The atmosphere seems to be an important thing for you guys in games and that's something I feel too

These videos are great. Atmosphere is crucial in RPGs and bringing a spotlight to areas that is a great video series

Favorite setting for me might be the ruins of an ancient advanced civilization, which is a pretty common trope!

Kolima Forest's theme, Forest Requiem, stands as my favorite song that just screams nostalgia at my face. Another great forest song I enjoy is Mystical Forest from Tekken 6.

This is the vibe I needed after working this morning! My favorite forest in an RPG...I know it's not a very developed area, but I really like the dinosaur forest from FF6. The whole idea of there being a place in the world where beasts exist that can't be found anywhere else is really cool. Also, basically half of Secret of Mana. The music, the enemies, the color pallets, all *chef's kiss*.

These broad-spanning videos exploring a theme that knits together dozens of different games fascinate me. Your fluency with JRPGs is impressive, and the care you take to fit together all of these games into such a luscious, cohesive, thematic whole really elevates these experiences for me. I give an enthusiastic vote to continuing to create setting-based videos. As for my favorite setting in a JRPG... it's tough to beat forests. As you pointed out, the iconic forests in Chrono Trigger and Breath of Fire III are transcendent, truly iconic to someone who grew up with those titles. Even Bravely Default gave us the musical masterpiece "Silence of the Forest," further proving the inspirational power of dense, rich nature. Music moves me immensely and forests receive some of the most wondrous aural treatment. Forests present a depth of possibility, a call to our primal being, that few other environments can match. The only environment I think could even begin to match them would be mountainous terrain, but I feel those areas are relatively rare in games, serve more as visual backdrops rather than characters-in-the-clothes-of-setting, and cannot evoke the same range of emotion. Fantastic content. Thank you for continuing to create it and for giving voice to these elements that generally just fill the background of our favorite games.

Nothing can compare to the Heaven's Mirror Forest from Eternal Sonata. Overall locations there are gorgeous and atmospheric. Also yeah, Forest of the Black Moon from Xenogears also gives amazing vibes and atmosphere. And i really enjoy Makalania Woods from ff10, but mostly from ff10-2 because of the music. Also Salikawoods and Feywood from ff12 are amazing forests. Of course there's Golmore Jungle as well.

bro what were those games at 1:05 and 1:19 thank you! I'd just also like to say that these types of videos are my favourite gaming related content on RU-vid period, and it's a shame the algorithm doesn't hype them up!

I had no idea FFXIII had such drop dead forest graphics

I love how chill his voice is- these videos are dope

Yay! Loved this video! Such a great topic, especially for JRPGs - forests are more popular than I thought! Super Mario RPG and Pokemon Blue are probably the first time I experienced awesome forests in JRPGs - just so incredible. Keep these coming! Love them so much!

Awesome video man! Such a cool topic to talk about.

I personally love these kinds of videos and seeing the comparisons of different reoccurring themes and locales from various JRPGs.

It ain't a JRPG (and sometimes it's barely an RPG), but probably my favorite forest in all video gaming is Grizzly Hills from World of Warcraft. WOW is no slouch when I comes to memorable woodlands, but this boreal forest is something special. There's something about the sound of the cold wind blowing through the trees, the scattering of trapper camps in the glades and the sheer... well, WILDERNESS feel the place has is just... something else. Towering above it all, however, is the utterly amazing soundtrack the zone has. I'm guessing you have no idea what a Nyckelharpa is, but once you've heard it here you'll never forget it.

The Guilin forest in Shenmue 2 is probably my favorite forest ever. What a way to end a game.

This is such a fantastic idea for a video series! I’d love to see you cover deserts in the genre too. Memories like Final Fantasy X and Tales of Graces/Vesperia’s deserts are some of the coolest environments I remember exploring when I was younger!

Def should include Eruyt Village from FFXII - had the single best pice of music in the whole game

Great idea for a video! Here are some of my favourites Darkroot Garden - Dark Souls Rainbow Butterfly Wood - Dark Cloud 2 Salikawood - FF12

The Forest of Temptation on "Tales of Eternia" scared me when I was a kid.

Love love love these type of videos! JRPGs have a certain magic to them and this vid shows just one of the reasons why. Forests are awesome.

This is such a specific and niche topic that I love watching in gaming videos. It's like seeing a documentary that uncovers a one of a kind story in a subject that at first glance seems like an everyday occurrence, and I'll definitely be checking out your videos on other settings. But most importantly shout out to the I Think You Should Leave bit.

Been playing JRPGs since I was a baby gamer and have always loved forests in them. The Shingo forest in Star Ocean 2, Spooky Village forest from Paper Mario TTYD and the phantom Forest from Final Fantasy 6 were the first to come to mind reading your title. Also really love White Forest from Legend of Mana and my favorite forest town would be Mag Mell from Bravely Default 2.

This is a fantastic video and I for one would be extremely happy if you keep making videos like these. Each and every RPG gamer will have a catalog of favorite places locked away in their hearts 🔐 ❤️, and videos like this serve to open those locks and have waves of nostalgia and treasured experiences flow forth. These videos then also become treasured, it’s a really great experience. Not only do we get to recall fond, beloved, and formative experiences and locations, but there’s always the chance that the video itself or the comments on it introduce new locations to discover and love to people who have missed some games on their gaming journey, so the videos become even MORE useful and powerful 👍🏻✨ ! I also think that with a channel such as this, balance is important. If you make every video in service of the algorithm, then you will lose your identity to some degree. So I definitely think it’s important to make videos which speak from your heart and speak to the hearts of the people that form your community. Sometimes you can do both - satisfy the algorithm and speak to the community, other times it’s harder. But a video like this? A video like this really tells me as one RPG lover for life that I have watched something made by someone who shares the same gaming and emotional DNA as myself, and that’s the kind of connective feeling that keeps a viewer coming back and makes a person loyal to a channel. So please, never stop making videos like this if you can 🌿🍃🌳🌲✨. As for my own experiences with RPG forests, there are too many to mention. Many of them you already did. Secret of Mana will always be etched in my soul as probably the first game to forge a deep and powerful love for forests within me, and FFVI is very close to it too. But the woods in Link to the Past were also magical and atmospheric. I know you said Zelda isn’t an RPG but I really think it is - just an action adventure RPG. And thinking of forests in games, there’s no more iconic or atmospheric place than the forest temple in OoT, oh my god, so atmospheric. Anyway, I love this video and topic, and since you said to mention down below if we do and if we want more of these, this is me fulfilling my duty to keep this train of RPG love going 🌱🍀💚✨. Keep it up 👍🏻! If you made a Part 2 video on forests or any other type of location in RPGs I also think that would be fabulous too!

One of my favorite locations are ancient temples. They usually have all the backstory to the plot and are usually so creatively designed. They stand out especially in games with a medieval setting because ancient temples tend to house 'lost technology'

yeah please make more videos like this, its so nice to watch.

Great vid, really appreciate when you do a deep dive into the genre like this. Also, your cat rules!

These videos are awesome dude, keep making them! :)

I like these kinds of videos. The atmosphere of JRPGs is one of the things I like the most about the genre. Being able to completely immerse myself in a world very different from my own is peak gameplay design for me. With that being said, Forest areas and their music are always the most fun in the game. While not technically a JRPG, I feel like The Legend of Zelda series does Forest areas the best. From the Lost Woods in a Link to the Past all the way up until The Korok Woods in Breath of the Wild, I feel like they do them justice. Majority of the time, they are calm, mysterious, and terrifying so they hit on all marks...

This is definitely one of my favorite types of videos you guys do! :) it’s a nice perspective in the rpg RU-vid space

my favorite kind of video, thx for creating it!

Truth be told, I subscribed to your channel for the "8 Mature JRPG's" list and "Squaresoft in the 90's". These might get more views because they help us gamers get an idea of what to play next. Maybe a PS1 or SNES RPG retrospective would be great, or even a "Best Japanese Only, but Fan Translated JRPGs in the 90's."

big fan of these types of videos, def gonna check the world map one as well! great video as always!

Love this kind of content. Keep up the great work!

Slowly growing to love this channel very much.

love this typa content man, u guys have been extremely consistent all year long!

Great video! I really enjoy your presentation style; I find it very relaxing. I know you've already covered a few titles separately, but I am looking forward to hopefully one day seeing a full Ys Series retrospective here. Such an amazing series with a long history. Cheers!

Sorry to hear these vids are unpopular ones on your channel - I really love 'em! They're such a good theme; I can't believe it doesn't resonate with more people. Every gamer should appreciate this kinda thing, though I know there's a ton who just run through areas without really taking in any of the visuals or thinking about the hard work artists put in... and that's even if they get to these areas at all*. I always enjoy these, though I haven't seen all of them since I only discovered your channel around the winter town one. I'm definitely going to check out the others you mentioned now; I love 'em and it sounds like they really need some more views/love! Time to start with "Great Trees in JRPGs!" * - protip: *Don't* look at Achievement/Trophy data if you don't wanna get depressed. There are so many gamers who don't come _anywhere close_ to finishing their RPGs out there. I'm currently going through Star Ocean VI right now - fantastic game btw; definitely recommend it. Tri-Ace really turned things around after the last few Star Oceans with this one - and I only just met Theo. That's only 60/1000 possible Gamerscore points in the Xbox version of the game, or 6 out of 54 Achievements. Only like 45% of gamers have gotten it! That's sad! It's only, like, I dunno... 10 hours in or so? That's so much of the story, the GAME, that gamers aren't experiencing when they bail out at various points like how Trophies/Achievements show. This kinda thing is sadly all too common

I love forests in video games in general. Completely agree that they can bring so much to the table. I think I prefer the peaceful and beautiful way to make forests in video games. That being said, being in Viridian Forest, playing the original Pokémon games on my GameBoy, I felt EXACTLY the same as you describe in the video. It felt scary to go out into the woods like that, away from home - especially with that music. And as a teen, seeing the FFX' Macalania Woods scene really filled got to me too. I played for so long, hoping they would kiss. And then they do it in the most beautiful way possible.

I absolutely LOVE your channel man! Glad I magically stumbled upon you!

This was amazing keep it coming!

These are great, hope to see more content!!

Hyped af for the amount of views this vid is getting, the algo is starting to come around on these thematic videos of yours! Let's go!

"When i play a game i wanna feel lost in that world" You're God damn right.

I loved the video! This are really fun to watch and the campfire one is top tier 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻

I'd never made the Viridian Forest music connection before, why in G/S/C it gets that more chill song that still calls back to the original. The same location viewed by different people in different stages of their journey, the way you explained it makes it seem so obvious in hindsight. For a twist on the foreboding forest, I have to give a special mention to the forest of beastmen in Trials of Mana. It is dark, but the setting itself doesn't seem overly threatening. That's because it can be visited in 2 different contexts. Out of 6 playable characters, on any given playthrough you can choose one as the main character, each with their own opening scenario, as well as certain story bits and which of 3 final dungeons you end up against (yay replay value) and two other party members whose stories may intersect with your main character's. Seriously, if you're one that likes to revisit and replay great RPGs every year or so, not only is this a top tier game but changing up your party effects the gameplay and story, giving a different experience. Back to the forest, one of the playable characters is Kevin, an outcast beastman who had a human mother. He's your hand to hand fighter, and turns into a werewolf at night. His starting area is the dark forest between the beastman village and castle. The lack of any real danger as you first explore this area, and the fact that this forest is your character's home, makes it feel safe despite the dark and relatively threatening palette. Later in the game, you will need to make your way through this forest for plot reasons, no matter who you are playing as. In the time since Kevin's intro, the king of the beastmen has been on the warpath, and the once quiet forest is now full of wolves of the were and regular variety that were noticeably stronger than what I had been fighting before. I had a lot of close calls and found myself running back to town to heal a few times. Also, since I didn't pick Kevin on my first playthrough, it was really easy to get lost when paths started to branch. The forest itself looked the same, but while in Kevin's intro it was his home, for my party it was a dark, dangerous natural labyrinth. When I do my Kevin playthrough I wonder what emotions revisiting the forest when it is full of enemies will evoke.

Love your video, it has depth and quality

It is interesting how many different ways something as simple as a forest can be done in so many different ways

Hey man, amazing video. I really appreciate you making this and hope you continue to make them. I want to specifically point out that I love your taste in game music / music (I bet you like Nujabes and Ryuichi Sakamoto as much as I do) and the fact that you seem to love the same types of aesthetics and experiences as I do (e.g. prerendered PS1 backgrounds and Macalania Forest's glow, FF9's Evil forest ending cutscene hyping you as a kid etc). And finally, all the niche titles you put in there were masterfully done. Many of them (such as Jade Cocoon and Star Ocean 2) I am yet to play but the way you presented them was really appealing. I get the sense that you really enjoy JRPGs and therefore, please do continue to share your passion for them with more thematic videos like this, and take your time or change your mind if you want. The presentation, quality and passion is a one of a kind package here on youtube. I consider Gaming Broductions the FF Peasant of JRPG videogame essays - the best.

Subbed. Your voice is soothing as well. And I love old games

i love forests as well, but, beach and tropical vibes are my favorite (looking at you final fantasy 10)

Giant, sacred trees have a soft spot in my heart. The Mana Tree and the Deku Tree left me on awe as a child💗✨

Honestly I really enjoy these sorts of vids. I'd totally binge a playlist of them if y'all had one on the channel.

watching from malaysia , please keep uploading this kinda AMBIENCE rpg vids . 1 sub for sure . keep on going BRODUCTION GAMING !

Great video again my friends. I enjoy these types of videos. It's great spotlighting these interesting locations and then also showing many fun games at the same time. It makes me want to go back and play some games and play others for the first time. And the background music! You guys hit it so right every time. What tracks are you playing there? Keep it up!

I wanna give a shout out to Kicchigiorgi forest from Shin Megami Tensei IV. It’s an outside, lit area, yet it’s just as foreboding and oppressive as the rest of the game.

Love these videos. 😊

sad there was no mention of the forests in etrian odyssey - some of the most atmospheric and relaxing vibes I've ever experienced in my life

I love these kinds of videos! Very nice job!

I liked the vibe from all Grandia 1 forrests

Your cat's fur kinda looks like Slade from DC. Sick! Oh yeah, the video was great too. :P

Brave Fencer Musashi's sleeping forest is one of those that I always remember.

Loved the technical difficulties lol. Awesome vid. Altho i thought fatal frame would be mentioned

Another banger of a video!

Yo my gaming bro, fuck algorithm lol- these themed videos--forest, beach, etc. are refreshing and straight fire!!!

I love how you mention most of my favorite games ever! PS1 era for the win!

Like how included Sabin suplexing the Phantom Train.

it's interesting, the ghosts... I like this genre of videos. good job!

Great topic - great Legend of Dragoon drop. Vibes.