Before Final Fantasy VII, there was Wild Arms
At the start, you are given an introduction and background to each of the three characters and how they came to meet and join up in the battle via a short mission with each one. Also of note is that each character has special "skills" to help solve puzzles throughout the game, which the player is also introduced to over time.
The game itself is a large overhead map which allows you to explore almost anywhere, so long as you have the right equipment to do such (air ship, etc).
Dungeons and monsters are your average lot of staple creatures but the battles are fun to watch as they are in 3D and fully animated battles. And like any RPG, the battles can be repetitive as you work to level your characters up.
By todays standards the RPG will seem boring and dated but for its time it was a diamond in the rough, overshadowed by a larger RPG game with a huge buget.