[thread=http://www.abandonia.com/games/208/download/BetrayalatKrondor.htm]Here[/thread] you go.
IV was very, very good - it was just a departure from the others in a number of ways. It was still a game that I enjoyed quite a bit.
You know, the first time I tried to play through Chrono Cross, I got a bit bored and stopped about ten hours in. The second time, I played it all the way through. And then I immediately played it all the way through again. It is an EXCELLENT game - just as good as Trigger in its own way. It’s one of four games ever to receive a perfect 10 review from GameSpot, and it absolutely deserves that rating (the first predated internet reviews, obviously).
I think that this is probably the “correct” answer to this thread - given the parameters that were laid out in the OP. Especially if you don’t mind some difficulty. Though I can’t say I necessarily agree with the rest of your post!
I’m a little deeper in Blue Dragon, but I think it’s exactly what you might be looking for. I’m digging it with a spoon.