FFVII was the first RPG that I was introduced to. I was nine when I got my first copy. Didn't beat it (or indeed get out of Midgar) until a year later. When I finally understood what I was doing, I replayed it all through middle school.

Breath of Fire III was the one that made me love story. Aside from the obvious "dragon-child" selling point, I loved the character interactions and the fact that you went from childhood to adolescence. Plus it was the first time I ever took on a goddess.

Then there's Golden Sun and Golden Sun: The Lost Age. When I got these two, I was totally hooked. Cohesive story, wonderful mechanics, a beautiful score, and some of the damn finest characters I've ever seen. These two titles are the ones I draw the most inspiration from for my own projects.