Breath of Fire did not hold any punches when it came to storyline. Genocide, murder, everything was there. Same with FF6 when you think about it. Villains are not always "cool but dark characters" you need to realise that they are irredeemably evil. There are also some conventions that, although we hate them in some ways, work:
Orphans with special powers (BoF1, BoF2, FF4's Rydia and even Cecil, FF6's Terra).
Headstrong princess (BoF 1 and 2, FF4's Rosa (not technically a princess), Half the cast in FF5)
Strong Silent type: That big dude in BoF2... Sabin, hell, even Umaro
These conventions became conventions because they worked.