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Threads of Fate (PS1, 1999)

Subgenre: 3D ARPG (Use-based stat progression for MP and HP (you can also buy HP and MP upgrades at a shop though it's expensive), Stat increasing items and dishes - STR and DEF are the only stats besides HP and MP)

Perspective: TP View (sometimes locked TD view or SV)

Other: Town hub w/ a gate bringing up an area/level select menu that grows larger as you progress, 3 forced side view platformer levels ending with mini-games (pretty short but you get sent back to the beginning if you fall down a pit here and there's a time limit), One short escort segment, Optional collectathon/grinding element (if you gave the legendary gear to Jargen then he can cook stat increasing dishes for you - these require killing 50+ of one enemy type each)

2 different playable chars (pick before beginning - mostly the same path)
Mostly linear structure (Mostly linear (sometimes 2.5D-style) levels connected to dungeons - sometimes can't backtrack into town after entering a level from where you entered it and sometimes can't go backwards when moving between rooms, can visit Lakeside before Mel's Atelier but your char will just say a couple of lines and go back to town, can fight trap master before gorotan, mostly optional duels with Rod (and his dog) - to make extra money), Some backtracking to reach new parts of previously visited levels (optional items) and to progress
Some ability gating (Rue gains monster transformations that he can switch between on the fly - floating over swamp water, double jumping, climbing certain trees, melting ice blocks, fitting into small spaces, etc. (can't transform in non-hostile areas nor into bosses); Mint is a spellcaster and some of them are used to activate things or remove obstacles) - some of it is for optional items only and while Mint gains a jumping dash it isn't required
Town teleporters appear at the end of visited levels/areas
Save and rest in towns (6 slots per game, shows time taken+current chapter and basic stats) - can sometimes save within a sub area/level as well
Lives system (coins give extra lives and restore different amounts of MP when respawning, frequent checkpoints)
No maps and no mini-maps (zoomed in view, first ruins area is a looping maze)
Healing springs in some hostile area rooms (one use only though), Can't buy or find HP or MP restorative inventory items, Regain MP by attacking enemies, Mint gains a healing spell in the late game
Minor sequence breaking (can use the gargoyle's double jump to skip ahead a bit in the ruins, more?)
Minor puzzles (one more involved one before the final boss)
Unlockable third ending (beat both Mint's and Rue's games)
Frequently respawning enemies in some rooms and they seem to always respawn if you re-enter a room
No journal/quest log feature - can only repeat the last thing an NPC says to you
Some new boss encounters while moving through visited areas
Can only carry 4 transformation coin types at once and if you pick up a new one then the first stack you collected is removed from the transform menu
No item drop magnet (see Sonic 3 or God of War, they're pretty small with small hit boxes)
No full control config - can only pick between 4 settings and they all map jump+cancel to circle
Optional rumble feature
Enemy HP/MP drops don't disappear based on a timer however there can only be 2-3 in a room at any one point (if you kill more enemies before picking them up then the previous ones disappear)
Many invisible walls (can't jump over small fences in the first town for example, levels/hostile areas that look open tend to have a path that you can't stray from besides some branching paths here and there)
Enemies keep dropping MP/HP even if you already have a full stock
Story dialogue choices don't really matter
Unskippable cutscenes and staff roll

Playthrough - Video Review - Mini Review

Influenced by: Probably Brave Fencer Musashi, possibly Mega Man series, Wonder Boy III, Final Fantasy II or Elder Scrolls series, Legend of Mana?

Influenced: Possibly Alundra 2