Phantasy Star II was the best RPG of its generation.  The seemingly simple game by Sega introduced complex, party-based combat to a generation of Genesis owners who missed the original Phantasy Star on the Sega Master System.  PSII featured turn-based combat in which you could see your character carrying out the action you had ordered.  This simple feature made combat extremely entertaining, and provided incentive to get new weapons and abilities.  Watching Rolf, the protagonist, run up to a dragon and deliver a vicious slash with his laser sword is one of my favorite gaming memories.