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[P90]

1. Persona 4-best characterization in a game. Lots of humor to offset the dark tone.
2. Skies of Arcadia-Classic game
3. Grandia 1- Best sense of adventure in an RPG
4. Pokemon Diamond/Pearl/Platinum-Fun for the whole family. Darkrai. Arceus. Palkia. Dialga. Giratina. Redefined the Uber tier.
5. Final Fantasy IX-Wonderful setting and music. Best game ending cutscene yet in a game.
6. Dragon Quest VIII-What a beautiful world and heart touching story.
7. Dragon Quest IX-Fun for the whole family. So much to do after you beat the game.
8. Final Fantasy VII-Sephiroth, Cloud, Aeris are icons and well-deserved.
9. Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core-fleshed out the back story of FF VII. Saddest ending in a game.
10. Pokemon Red/blue-started it all.

 

[kswiston]

What I mean is, just an extra half point for each of the following 10, for instance? Just for the sake of the list having additional breadth.

I will take that into consideration if I decide to do this thread again next year. It's kind of late to implement that rule change now, without skewing the votes towards a handful of people. We are getting close to 150 participants, but posting has really slowed down.


The lists seem to be a lot more varied this year. Last year Chrono Trigger was #1 with 94 votes from 202 participants. So far Chrono Trigger has 51 votes this year from 145-150 participants. Not sure if it is still in first place this year, but that is a big drop proportionally.

 

[diffusionx]

Chrono Trigger (+2... the best)
Final Fantasy XII
Vagrant Story
Final Fantasy VI (III as I knew it) - this might be the only RPG I've beaten twice. Of course I was like 14 so what the hell else was I gonna do?
Final Fantasy Tactics
M&L: Bowser's Inside Story
Skyrim (I feel bad for PS3 owners, I really do, but I am on 360 and this game is amazing).
Mass Effect 2 - okay, this is barely an RPG. But I loved it
Chrono Cross - this was my favorite PSX RPG and that is saying something because I played a lot of them.

HM: Dragon Quest IX, Grandia, Souls games (I haven't played enough of them, is all), etc.

 

[lsslave]

I will take that into consideration if I decide to do this thread again next year. It's kind of late to implement that rule change now, without skewing the votes towards a handful of people. We are getting close to 150 participants, but posting has really slowed down.


The lists seem to be a lot more varied this year. Last year Chrono Trigger was #1 with 94 votes from 202 participants. So far Chrono Trigger has 51 votes this year from 145-150 participants. Not sure if it is still in first place this year, but that is a big drop proportionally.

Screw Chrono Trigger, the fact that there aren't even 10 votes for Secret of Mana is the real travesty going on here!

 

[Petit Melon]

I'm going to try to limit the Matsuno games to 2 :/

Final Fantasy Tactics - One of the few games I can replay annually and not tire of it. The characters and story are amazing, but the battle system is one of the best ever used in a SRPG, and it is to the point I judge other SRPGs by it. The end of the game is easy thanks to broken characters, but the end of the game is really about conquering the 99 level dungeon of hell, not fighting through joke level difficulty story battles.

Shadow Hearts: Covenant - Another fun RPG that melds a great humor with a revisionist history setting. The battle system, called Judgement Ring, is reliant on the player making timed button presses, so random battles still require a sense of timing and thought. You can modify the hit range of your ring so if you suck/have no rhythm you won't constantly be nulling your attacks. On the other hand, if you have great timing, you can achieve constant critical hits throughout the game. And as a plus, the voice acting was wonderful.

Vagrant Story - This game is the most thrilling, difficult, and deep that I've played next to Demon Souls. You may want to check a guide before starting (or be prepared to restart after so many hours once you've figured out the battle system) but everything about this game is top notch classic. Forget FFVII, this is the PSX RPG that needs a HD remake. :|

Shining Force 2 - I mostly put this for nostalgia purposes because it was my first SRPG. But it's still fun after all these years.

The World Ends With You - A unique RPG that utilized the DS well. The fact you can change your difficulty at any time, items and gear make a difference in the battle (as do your clothing/accessories), and have to control two screens at once make it a fun system to play through instead of a chore.

Persona 5 - All of the games released under the SMT umbrella could take up the list, but Persona 5 combined a great cast with a battle system that kept you on your toes because random battles could and would give you game over if you tried to mash your way through. The plot twist at the end was great, and the story itself balanced the serious with the humor rather well.

Trails in the Sky - In a time when I longed for a RPG like the ones I played as a child, this was released. It has an old school charm from the plot to the graphics to the battle system, though it updates what needed to be updated, resulting in a great RPG.

Ys Seven - All of the Ys games are fun, but because you can switch party members on the fly I enjoyed this one more. The soundtrack is amazing, the battle system is fun and varied thanks to the party switching, and though the plot is standard prose, you'll have so much fun with the battle system it won't matter.

Tales of the Abyss - The plot in this tales game is the best, though you have to put up with the lead being a jerkface until he matures. Like all the Tales games, the battle system is all real time action fun. Depending on your personal taste you may enjoy one development teams' style over another, so if one Tales system doesn't tickle your fancy another may. Vesperia gets an honorable mention but the sting of the revamped upgrades not available domestically is its albatross.

Chrono Trigger - There is really nothing I can say that hasn't already been said. If you haven't played it, it is your loss.

 

[jorgeton]

My List (which is probably missing 20+ titles I can't recall, but I'll go with these for now)

1. SMT Nocturne
2. Digital Devil Saga
3. Final Fantasy VI
4. Xenosaga 3
5. Xenogears
6. Phantasy Star 4
7. Persona 4
8. Fallout 3
9. Ys Oath in Felghana
10. Etrian Odyssey 3

 

[John]

No real order.

Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Costume Quest
Final Fantasy IX
Paper Mario
World of Warcraft
Risen

shrug

 

[kswiston]

Screw Chrono Trigger, the fact that there aren't even 10 votes for Secret of Mana is the real travesty going on here!

Secret of Mana was #29 in the original version of this thread, and #43 last year. Other than Chrono Trigger and the SNES Final Fantasy titles, most 16-bit rpg classics languish in the bottom half of the top 100. If Secret of Mana had 6 different ports/re-releases like Chrono Trigger did, I am sure it would fare better.

 

[Refreshment.01]

The Witcher 1. Dialog it's nothing special, the sequel did a good job improving it. But never sees to amaze how a small group of devs like CDPR created such a detailed world with a very old engine[/fontcolor], a feat that not even Witcher 2 could match in my opinion.

Dragon Age Origins. This is the supposed spiritual successor to Baldur's Gate. Haven't had the pleasure to play Baldur's but this quite possible my favorite Bioware RPG.

Skies of Arcadia. Probably one of the last great JRPG's. It has a fantastic sense of exploration and discovery, drifts away from the typical emo protagonist of the JRPG and ship battles are one of the funnest and most fulfilling moments i've had in this genre. DreamCast version has way to0 high random encounter rate beware of this.

Chrono Trigger. Greatest JRPG of all time not much else to say.

Paper Mario. It's really hard to decide whether to include Super Mario RPG, Square's vision of a Mario game in this genre or Paper Mario. Yet in the end i opted to include this one because of how fun, accessible and creative the play mechanics are.

Fallout: New Vegas. A modified New Vegas it's the most complete gaming experience in hole gaming, it transcends genres. Nothing comes close.

Mass Effect. By no means a perfect game. Yet it filled a necessity i had with RPG's and that it's solid shooting mechanics. Entertaining and competent dialog through out the game makes you care about the characters.

Alundra. My original choice here was for Symphony of the Night. Being objective Alundra is not a great game. But it came in a time were there was nothing quite like Zelda from a Japanese dev in the PSX (i think). I remember being stock for weeks in some parts and how sharing information with others was an important part of me advancing through the game. I would really like younger players at least try the game out so they get a feel or how gaming was before the hand holding trends of today's industry.

Secret of Mana. This entry is along with Alundra what i feel is my weakest one, there's certainly a lot of more deserving RPG's to include. But i just remember how fun it was playing this thing simultaneously with other 2 players.

Shenmue. (2 points)Surprised that im the first one, so far, to include the game in the main list. Shenmue takes a tornado of feelings, including nostalgia, materialize them and drops it into the players head. There's an air of sadness that permeates the game amplified by how fast the world around the protagonist is changing. All this touches the player more because Shenmue's world is grounded on reality. I think this game started the trend to infuse RPG's with solid mechanics from other genres. In this case, the fighting feel it like it was lifted from Virtua Fighter.

Edits incoming.

 

[the_prime_mover]

Final Fantasy VI
The Witcher 2
Skyrim
Disgaea
Phantasy Star IV
Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together
Valkyria Chronicles
Fallout 2
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Demon's Souls

 

[Xilium]

I'm too lazy to give reasons. Maybe I'll edit them in later but my list is as follows.

Final Fantasy X
Final Fantasy XII
Chrono Trigger
Chrono Cross
Tales of the Abyss
Persona 4
Witcher 2
Fallout 3: New Vegas
Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines
Alpha Protocol

Honorable Mentions:
The Legend of Dragoon
Pokemon Series
Fire Emblem Series
Suikoden V
Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together
Final Fantasy Tactics
The Last Remnant

 

[Bentendo]

Final Fantasy XII - Such a classic game with wonderful gameplay, music and characters.

Pokemon Black/White - The most addicting RPG in existence. Was going to go with HeartGold but the new mons are excellent and the content is endless.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door - The funniest RPG in existence with a really great battle system and AMAZING locations.

Skyrim - Takes the place of New Vegas as the greatest WRPG of all time (in my opinion of course). A lot of glitches but damn was it a fun experience.

Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance - Still my favorite Strategy game. It's the one that got me into the genre for about a year and I've yet to encounter one that's better.

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga - The original is still the best. Has the best turn-based combat in any RPG I've ever played. The sequel's have better combat, but I still had the most fun with the original.

Dragon Quest IX - The greatest traditional RPG I've ever played.

Fable II - I have several quibbles with the Fable franchise but there's no denying that Fable II was an excellent action RPG, even if it was heavily flawed.

Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings - Say what you want about this Final Fantasy spin-off. It's one of my favorite DS games. IMO there was very little wrong with the controls.

Torchlight - A brilliant dungeon crawler. I never got into Diablo but I spent hours playing this.

 

[hampig]

Nier- Probably one of my favorite current gen games. The graphical style was amazing, the gameplay was varied and fun, and the music. Oh god. The music alone would make this a contender for me. In the end though, it was really the story that had me. Interesting characters and great dialogue that told a not so common story for an RPG. I bolded this because I thought it would be underrepresented, but it is at the very least in my top three on this list.

Persona 4 - The battle system and dungeons were very fun, don't get me wrong. But the story really got me here as well. You get quick busts of interesting social link stories all while building up the main storyline. The character development was very well done.

Little Kings Story - Witty dialogue, unique graphical style, a classic soundtrack, along with pikmin-like gameplay really made this stand out for me. You really feel satisfied when you look at the map and see how much you've conquered.

Dark Souls - The challenging gameplay had me hooked. This is the first game in a long time I can remember playing as obsessively as I did. Almost every death is because of some stupid mistake you made. It really gives you that "I can do this, I just need to be better" feeling that makes arcade games their addiction. But on top of that, it throws in a hell of a lot of depth.

Pokemon Gold - A huge adventure, double the size of the first games, arguably the best collection of pokemon, and small refinements all around make this my favorite pokemon game. Pokemon always has been and hopefully always will be one of those easy to get into games with enough depth and content to keep you playing as long as you please.

The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim - The amount of content in this game is just amazing. It feels like for every one quest I accept I gain 4 more. This is what Oblivion should have been. The combat is at a point where I'm satisfied, the quests and main storyline are interesting, the graphics are great, and the world itself is just fun to be in.

Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne - While the story in this one was interesting, it's really all about the gameplay. The games crazy difficulty really forces you to think about what you're doing and conserve, and build an efficient team. It felt like a mature, crazy difficult pokemon. Which I loved. One of those games I always feel I can go back to when I just want to grind.

Zelda: Skyward Sword - This is the first Zelda that had a story I found interesting. On top of that, the gameplay changes with the Motion Plus work great. While there are some troubles now and then, the satisfaction of cutting up a baddy with your sword just can't be beat. Along with a soundtrack that meets expectations (which are high for a Zelda title) and a new graphical style that really allows for some gorgeous moments, this Zelda really shocked me with it's quality, coming off of what I would call my least favorite in the series, (Twilight Princess) it really shines.

Monster Hunter Tri - The only Monster Hunter I've played, but boy did I play it. It's one of those games you can play for 40 hours and still feel like you're a beginner. The progress, epic battles, and close encounters you share with friends really make playing it into something special. The game is fun alone, but it really does shine with a few friends. Everyone has a role to fill and when things go smoothly, you take pride in knowing it's because of hard work and focus, not because the game made it so.

Mother 3- I finally got the pleasure of playing through Mother 3 a few months ago. After all the praise I see on GAF I was really expecting a lot. It lived up to all of those expectations. By far the funniest game I've ever played, Mother 3 is nothing if not quirky. The sprites are drawn to perfection and along with the music, it really sets a perfect atmosphere. Leagues ahead of even what most console games are doing. Any game that can bring a tear to my eyes in the first few hours deserves some real recognition. If you haven't played it yet, find a way.

 

[Dennis]

1. Phantasy Star

2. Risen

3. Baldurs Gate II: Shadows of Amn

4. System Shock 2

5. Deus Ex

6. Mass Effect

7. Skyrim

8. Fallout 2

9. Deus Ex: Human Revolution

10. The Witcher 2

 

[Phreaker]

Phantasy Star Online - This game still holds a special place in my heart that no game has quite matched since

Sacred 2 - Such a great time playing this game co-op with friends. It felt like an MMORPG that was not MM, so had no monthly fees. More games should be made like this.

Borderlands - Stylized FPS / CO-RPG? Yes please, more! Had endless fun playing with the different characters, getting guns, and shooting stuff!

The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim - Amazing world to explore, just tons and tons to do. It's almost too easy to lose yourself while playing.

The Elder Scrolls: Morrowind - Another game, like PSO that holds a special place in my heart.

World of Warcraft - It's still going and I came back for Cataclysm!

Two Worlds Two - I really like this game and I liked the co-op play (at least a lot more than the first Two Worlds), still, no Sacred 2 as far as co-op play goes.

Torchlight - Love it, just needs some multiplayer!

Diablo II - Loot hunting at its best

Mass Effect 2 - Light side? Dark side?

 

[Dennis]

Really hard to limit yourself to 10 games. So many good RPGs over the years when you start listing them.

 

[Wiseblade]

Zelda: Skyward Sword - This is the first Zelda that had a story I found interesting. On top of that, the gameplay changes with the Motion Plus work great. While there are some troubles now and then, the satisfaction of cutting up a baddy with your sword just can't be beat. Along with a soundtrack that meets expectations (which are high for a Zelda title) and a new graphical style that really allows for some gorgeous moments, this Zelda really shocked me with it's quality, coming off of what I would call my least favorite in the series, (Twilight Princess) it really shines.

Not an RPG.

 

[Gambit]

Persona 5 - All of the games released under the SMT umbrella could take up the list, but Persona 5 combined a great cast with a battle system that kept you on your toes because random battles could and would give you game over if you tried to mash your way through. The plot twist at the end was great, and the story itself balanced the serious with the humor rather well.

erm, 5?

EDIT: Yes, I actually read all the lists.

 

[=GabrielKnight=]

- Skies of Arcadia - the perfect jrpg. Huge sense of exploration, great characters, setting and story. Perfect battle system and fun ship battles.
- Phantasy Star
- Dragon Quest VIII
- Star Wars Knights of the old republic
- Tales of Symphonia
- Tales of Vesperia
- Star Ocean till the end of time
- Star Ocean last hope
- Golden Sun
- Final Fantasy XII

 

[Dennis]

Phantasy Star, fuck yeah!

 

[kswiston]

Not an RPG.

Zelda games always show up on these lists. One of the classic examples of Adventure game vs RPG. Most people don't vote for them though.

erm, 5?

EDIT: Yes, I actually read all the lists.

Good catch. I PM'd him to give him a chance to clarify. I can't tell if it is P3 or P4 from the description.

 

[kswiston]

Bumping because I will be away from the internet for a couple of days.

If you still want to participate (and qualify for the game draws) you have about 4 days to do so. I will announce the draw winners on Dec 28th (probably the afternoon or evening), and will start compiling the results at that time.

Thanks to those who have already participated. I think we are getting close to 160 voters. Hopefully we can work that number up to around 200.

Merry Xmas!

 

[Hansel]

Bumping because I will be away from the internet for a couple of days.

If you still want to participate (and qualify for the game draws) you have about 4 days to do so. I will announce the draw winners on Dec 28th (probably the afternoon or evening), and will start compiling the results at that time.

Thanks to those who have already participated. I think we are getting close to 160 voters. Hopefully we can work that number up to around 200.

Merry Xmas!

Will you be voting as well?

 

[bigdaddygamebot]

Not an RPG.

/cosigned

 

[cj_iwakura]

1. Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne [2 Points]
Even in the SMT umbrella, it's like no other game in the series. Other RPGs can't even come close to SMT3's style or aesthetics. Modern occultism at its finest.

2. Dragon Force
Eight kingdoms, totally different storylines, some of the most addictive and fun SRPG gameplay around. More than a decade later and there's still nothing else like it.

3. Lunar II: Eternal Blue [Sega CD]
The Silver Star started the tradition. Eternal Blue refined it. This is my favorite traditional RPG, bar none. The music, the cast, the ending, the story arc: everything is perfect.

4. Vampire: The Masquerade: Bloodlines
What Nocturne is for the JRPG, this is for the WRPG. If we had more western games like this, maybe every other game wouldn't be swords and sorcery: we'd get modern occult as the standard, and we'd all be the better for it.

5. Persona 2: Eternal Punishment
It's the second half of a whole, but even if you missed Innocent Sin, this brings everything full circle. If Nocturne isn't your first experience to SMT, let this be it. It's not just a modern day RPG: you get a full-fledged adult cast.

6. Growlanser II: The Sense of Justice
Second only to Dragon Force for SRPG innovation. Every move and action counts, and if you want a Mission Complete, that still won't be enough. Amazing art, great characters, Working Designs' last hurrah.

7. Final Fantasy VI
What can be said that hasn't been? It's a classic for a reason, and it never gets old.
Terra's still the best protagonist this series has ever had and ever will have.

8. Chrono Trigger
Same as FFVI. Corridors of Time always gives me the chills.

9. Shadow Hearts: Covenant
The best occult J-RPG that isn't Shin Megami Tensei. That's the highest praise I can offer.
Like nothing else around.

10. Digital Devil Saga: Avatar Tuner
Take a healthy dose of Hinduism, SMT's expansive demonary, and one of Shoji Meguro's finest scores, and you have one unforgettable saga of cannibalism and urban warfare.


Honorables: Devil Summoner - Soul Hackers, Demon's Souls, Dark Souls, Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love, The Witcher

 

[The Hermit]

Xenoblade - It's beautiful, magnificent soundtrack, no random encounters, intelligent gameplay. My 2011 GOTY

Skyrim - First time I've ever played a ES game and I understand why people love this series so much.

Chrono Trigger - Used to be my fav RPG before xenoblade.

Deus Ex - JUst plain awesome.

2011 is the first year that I am really sinking my teeth into the WRPG, now that I have more time. NExt will be Deus Ex (the new one) and Demon´s/ Dark Souls

 

[grenadeguru]

Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup
Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne
Wasteland
Suikoden II
Kings Field: The Ancient City
Chrono Cross
Dark Souls
Shadowhearts Covenant
Pool of Radiance (Gold Box)
Phantasy Star IV

 

[Aselith]

My List (which is probably missing 20+ titles I can't recall, but I'll go with these for now)

1. SMT Nocturne
2. Digital Devil Saga 1+2
3. Every mainline FF game from IV on
4. Xenosaga 1 and 3 (do yourself a favor and skip 2)
5. Xenogears
6. Phantasy Star 4
7. Persona 4
8. Fallout 3
9. Ys Oath in Felghana
10. Etrian Odyssey 3

You realize of course that he's probably not going to accept a list like this, right?

 

[kswiston]

Will you be voting as well?

Maybe. I haven't decided yet.


Two days left to vote for those still interested. After that I will conduct the free game draws and start tallying the results.

 

[DimmuBurgerKing]

(In no particular order except for #1.)

1. Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn (TWO POINTS!)- The quintessential computer RPG, the golden standard to witch I hold all RPG's, and the first game I ever played that felt like an actual tabletop game session.

2. Final Fantasy VI - My all-time favorite Final Fantasy, it boasted a huge world for its time, with an engrossing epic story that remains unmatched by any JRPG to date.

3. Dragon Quest VIII - I was going to put DQV here, but ended up deciding on this entry. Utterly unforgettable for its beautiful cel-shading, wonderful English voice acting, and classic DQ flair. My absolute favorite PS2 game, hands down.

4. Chrono Trigger - One of my most-played video games of all time. Extremely well-animated sprites and a charming narrative keep me coming back at least once a year.

5. Mother 2/Earthbound - There are few games like this one. On the surface, it appears to be a Dragon Quest clone set in modern times, but the game becomes so much more once you actually start playing. Full of unexpected twists, fun humor, and a surprisingly moving narrative, few games have sucked me in quite as much as Earthbound did.

6. Genso Suikoden II - When I received this game as a present shortly after its American release, I was stunned. I enjoyed the first game, but the sequel improved upon the same formula to provide a truly engaging plot full of intrigue, betrayal, and honest humor.

7. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - First-person roleplaying on an epic scale. My character was a Nord warrior/ranger and there was never a moment where I didn't feel like a viking. The setting was absolutely perfect, if bogged down by a number of texture issues that are easily fixed at this point with mods on the PC version. I would place this on a much higher pedestal if it weren't plagued by so many bugs, some of which are complete game breakers. Still, Skyrim is an experience absolutely worthy of any gamer's time.

8. The Witcher 2 - My personal 2011 game of the year, The Witcher's sequel is a sheer joy to play - or just to watch, as my girlfriend would attest. The combat is probably the biggest improvement compared to the first game, scrapping The Witcher's relatively simplistic point-and-click battles in favor of a visceral dance of slashes and ripostes more reminiscent of modern action games than your typical RPG.

9. Valkyria Chronicles - This is one of the few strategy RPG's I would recommend to any gamer, regardless of their experience with the genre. The winning combination of traditional turn-based orders and "real time" counterattacks in Action Mode make for an experience to which no other SRPG can compare. Some of the best use of cel-shading I've ever seen makes for one of the most beautiful video games I've seen to date on any platform.

10. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door - I always love going back to this vibrant, delightful game. The combat is rather simplistic, but not overly so, and the world and its cast of characters are memorable and full of humor. It's my favorite Gamecube title by far, and I'd recommend it to anyone who loves traditional JRPG's and Mario.

 

[Ra1den]

1: Valkyrie Profile --One of the best best battle systems in an RPG, excellent music and world design, awesome character designs...REALLY cool plot twist that that changes the entire plot on its head if certain condition are met.

2: Shadow Hearts: Covenant -- Complete perfection on all fronts, story, characters, music, world, gameplay systems.

3: Skies of Arcadia -- Excellent exploration and sense of adventure

4: Xenogears --Unmatched depth of plot and cool themes

5: Xenosaga Episode 3 -- See Xenogears above

6: Chrono Cross --Wonderful presentation, dreamy mystical atmosphere, dat OST

7: Persona 2: Eternal Punishment -- Kick ass music (before it went all zany with 3 and 4 UGH), cool modern day setting, great story and writing. Persona 2 Innocent sin could also take this slot. Play that before playing this.

8: Suikoden 3 --My favorite Suikoden, took awhile to get going, but when it does, it is well worth it.

9: Tales of the Abyss --Incredible characterization and great story

10: Final Fantasy VIII TWO POINTS--I didn't want to include any FFs on this list since they are obvious choices, but this game gets so much hate. The writing, the characters, the world, music...it's all top-notch. I'd say it has the most mature storytelling of all of the FF titles. I really appreciated how well developed Squall's personality is, and was sad to see this in depth introspection missing in other FF games.

Honorable mentions to The World Ends With You and Crisis Core FF7, two games that need much more love.

 

[Dennis]

Yeah, I think FFVIII is a better game than FFVII.

I don't understand why it gets all the hate while number 7 gets all the love.

Not that FFVII is a bad game or anything.

 

[Stampy]

1. Suikoden 2
2. Final Fantasy VII
3. Xenogears
4. Alundra
5. Final Fantasy Tactics
6. Demon's Souls
7. Front Mission 3
8. Vandal Hearts
9. Final Fantasy IX
10. Dark Souls

 

[KuwabaraTheMan]

I've procrastinated enough, so it's time to make my list. I'll try and come back and add in more explanations for my games before the deadline.

1. Earthbound (2 points): Simply put, the most magnificent experience in gaming that I've ever had. The music remains a joy to listen to even to this day, and the world is so finely crafted on every level. The battle system is simple, but it offered a lot of new ideas at the time. I love the scrolling health bars and the automatic battles against weaker enemies. I really think everyone who loves RPGs deserves to experience this game at least once.
2. Mother 3
3. Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4
4. Final Fantasy IX
5. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door
6. Final Fantasy XIII
7. Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep
8. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
9. The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky: This game was one of my most enjoyable experiences of the year, and it really stepped up and surprised me. The world is more fully realized than almost any other, and the story has the right mix of charm and intrigue. It's rare for a game to be able to combine child like innocence with serious, world shaking drama, but Falcolm did a great job with Trails in the Sky. I fell in love with all of the characters, and the experience of running around and just talking to all the random NPCs at every opportunity was something I actually looked forward to.
10. Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey

 

[Leeness]

Xenoblade (2 Points)
I can't even with this game. It's just so good. It's not super melodramatic so I can replay it forever, it's so fun, it's one of the few games that I want to just complete everything with. I loved all the characters, loved the story, the music. And finally, Takahashi got to complete his story. Well done sir.

Final Fantasy IX
This is my favourite Final Fantasy and probably the only one that will continue on with me. I enjoyed the others when I first played them but when I went back, they just bothered me. Except for FFIX. It's charming, Zidane is my favourite FF hero (and one of my faves in general), Kuja is my favourite FF villain. It just really worked for me. I don't want futuristic stuff and steam/cyber punk in my FF games, I want swords and castles and princesses.

Mother 3
Beautiful. I can't really say much more. It's just an amazing game. Only problem I have is that I couldn't do the battle system, haha. Either I just never got it, or my timing is awful or whatever, but I just never could, not even with Duster's skill. Whoops, music fail for me.

Xenosaga 3
I loved the whole XS series and how ~deep~ it is, but it's so so melodramatic, I doubt I could go back and play it anymore without ruining my love for it. But I was one of the few who really enjoyed Shion as the main character, I freaking love Albedo, Wilhelm and Kevin were great. I really liked 1 and 2, but 3 just kind of took the things I enjoyed a lot and made the best game out of it.

Earthbound
This is kind of my go to nostalgia game, even though I didn't play it as a kid when it first came out (I remember my mom looking at the huge box and all "Aliens and garbage, that sounds awful, no" haha). It's just a nice, pleasant game, it makes me happy and comfortable, and I've probably played through it 10 or so times. I just play it when I feel like I don't want to start a new game of anything else and it's just there and ~smiling at me~.

Kingdom Hearts
Can this count? Action RPG? Eh. I love Kingdom Hearts. I don't even care that it's gotten so batshit crazy it doesn't even make sense anymore, haha. I love Sora, he's always so happy. I love Disney, even though the worlds are just the movies watered down. I think the first game is still my favourite, even though 2 is a bit more fun to me. I just enjoyed the simple story in KH1 compared to the batshittery of the rest.

Threads of Fate
I don't even know why I love this game, I just do, haha. It's a lot of fun, I really enjoyed the stories overlapping, it's so delightfully bizarre and rather funny. I just had fun with it.

Chrono Trigger
It's Trigger.

Shadow Hearts: Covenant
Another that's really bizarre (first is too) but it was fun, the battle system was greatly improved, and I really liked the story (time travel! Demons! Let's revive people!). I also really enjoy Yuri as a a character.

Pokemon Heart Gold
It's ridiculous how much time I spent with Gold as a kid. Ridiculous. With this entry, I kind of mean original Gold and Heart Gold, because they're the same, one just more refined and using new mechanics. It's "better" than the original, but the original was still the one that ate my 10/11 year old brain for 125 hours.

Older games I need to play next year:
-Skies of Arcadia (somehow, without spending $80 )
-Final Fantasy XII (I didn't like it much the first time I tried it, but having played Xenoblade now, I may appreciate the battle system more, and the fact that I don't go for melodrama much anymore might warm me to the political story)
-Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep (I need a cheap PSP... )

Here's to 2012 and the coming new RPGs!

 

[Pau]

Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door - The battle system is fun and engaging. The story is simple but cute and doesn't take itself seriously. The writing is actually pretty funny.

Valkyria Chronicles - I'm a sucker for SRPGs and for World War I and II history, so this pretty much hits the mark in all the right places. The story itself is kind of whatever but not too distracting as the art style, graphics, and great gameplay more than make up for it.

Demon's Souls - It's a very "heavy" game in the sense that it's constantly trying to wear you down. The atmosphere is bleak, the punishment for a small error can be brutal, but you still keep going.

Earthbound (Mother 2) - I don't think I have anything to add about Earthbound that hasn't been said already. Only reason Mother 3 isn't on this list is because I haven't played it yet.

Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn (2 Points) - Probably my favorite game of all time. Sure, it lacks the support conversations of the previous Fire Emblems, but you learn to deal with it. The first part is absolutely brutal and I wouldn't want it any other way. I actually enjoyed the switching between the armies - it gives you a large variety of characters to play with and adds a lot of replay value considering how many characters can turn into efficient killing machines.

Pokemon Soul Silver/Heart Gold - What makes this franchise so great is that you could play it the same way you played it as a ten year old (choosing just your favorite monsters) and still have a blast, or you can really get into the mechanics of it. (And waste a shit load of time doing so... all those hours I'll never get back...)

Pokemon Red/Blue - The first RPG I ever played and still one of my favorites.

It was kind of hard to vote - not because there weren't enough voting slots, but the opposite. I don't play too many RPGs (too much of a time sink unfortunately), so I kind of feel bad voting since I haven't played a huge variety. But this thread has been pretty helpful as I'm writing down what sounds interesting and I'm very curious to see the results!

 

[Zwei]

1. Suikoden 2
2. FFVII
3. Xenogears
4. Alundra
5. FF Tactics
6. Demon's Souls
7. Front Mission 3
8. Vandal Hearts
9. FF IX
10. Dark Souls

Just in case you didn't read the OP, take a look at rule #2:

2) You can list a maximum of 10 games. It you list more than 10 games I will not include your list. Feel free to include honorable mentions though. Just label them as such. Also, type out the full name of the game. Entering FF7 instead of Final Fantasy VII or Final Fantasy 7 will result in your vote being missed.

 

[AniHawk]

1. skies of arcadia (dc)
old-school rpg done in the happiest and most charming way possible. turn-based random battles aplenty, but i don't give a shit.

2. valkyria chronicles (ps3)
holy shit someone gave the devs of a console strategy rpg a pretty hefty budget and a lot of freedom to move around. it looks amazing, sounds amazing, and plays like no other strategy rpg i've ever played. simply awesome.

3. paper mario 2: the thousand-year door (gc)
it's actually been so long since i've played this game that i've forgotten a lot about it, but i remember enjoying the hell out of it, and thought that this and pikmin 2 were the gamecube's best games.

4. shin megami tensei: persona 4 (ps2)
pretty unique to me, as i had not played previous persona titles. the dungeon crawling, persona-building stuff was great, but so was the outside link/relationship building

5. valkyrie profile 2: silmeria (ps2)
beautiful to look at and fun as hell to play. it also has one of the best va performances i can remember in a jrpg

6. dragon quest viii: journey of the cursed king (ps2)
like skies of arcadia, i enjoyed just how charming it all was despite being a turn-based rpg with random battles.

7. final fantasy xii (ps2)
it took me a while, but once i got the hang of combat, i just enjoyed exploring the overworld and running into enemy zones. i think i got out of this game what many people got out of the demon's/dark souls games.

8. chrono trigger (snes)
time travel in an rpg and it doesn't suck (hi radiant historia)? sign me up! loved the battle system and lack of random battles. at the time, it was a huge departure for me from other rpgs. today, it's still a lot of fun.

9. terranigma (snes)
i loved that my actions in this game had clear and obvious consequences, even though they were all preset. it really felt like i was accomplishing something. the relatively fast-paced nature compared to other rpgs at the time made it more exciting, too.

10. star wars: knights of the old republic (xbox)
this was my first western rpg. it's probably not the best, but it left an impression on me. the voice acting, the combat, the decision-making, and hell, the plot twist. all of it blew my mind in 2004.

 

[wickedcapedkid]

Genso Suikoden - In my opinion, one of the first JRPGs to introduce serious melodramatic tonies, including death, politics, rage, and fury. At the time it was quite different from your typical Squaresoft RPG that many had become familiar with. It also had a wonderfully simple, but amazing battle system, and 108 characters, all that I actually cared for, and a big castle to store them all in.

Fallout - The true, essential computer RPG of the 1990s. Fallout 2 and 3 did not really capture the same level of sick, hopelessness that Fallout 1 was able to produce. Exploring ruins, getting to know ghouls, and ultimately meeting The Master was a truly harrowing experience to me when I played this in my younger days.

Baldur's Gate 2: Shadows of Amn - Perhaps one of the most engrossingly long epics I have ever played. A sequel to a wonderful game, that pushed forward the RPG genre tenfold. I will never forget Black Isle Studios. While the original Fallout may have better atmosphere, Baldur's Gate 2 makes up for it by sporting my favorite RPG villain of all-time, Jon Irenicus. He beats you, he tortures you, he taunts you, and he's seemingly unstoppable. You just love to hate him. Thinking about some of his quotes from the game still makes me boil with rage.

Lunar: Eternal Blue (Sega CD) - An amazing update to the original game. It really pushed the envelope for its time (the anime cutscenes look great!) and I found the story to be incredibly fun. On the other hand, I think the Japanese version is superior due to Working Designs's unneeded tweeks, and well, I still prefer the Japanese voice actors.

Dragon Force - Sega Saturn's best RPG. It's addicting, pretty, and has an amazing soundtrack. If you thought the army battles in Genso Suikoden were mildly amusing, well, this will blow you the hell away.

Ultima Online (2000 and before) - The first, real MMORPG. I had hours of fun with this open-ended RPG. PKing, breaking into other players' houses, cooking, camping, and treasure hunting. These days none of this is at all possible in the likes of World of Warcraft or FFXIV. UO started it all and before the year 2000, it was truly the most innovative game I've ever played.

Terranigma - My favorite action RPG. Something about the idea of being "the avatar" (outside of an Ultima game) and restoring the world piece by piece is fascinating. The ending was a real treat as well.

Dragon Quest 5 - Many consider this to be the best Dragon Quest. Unlike other Dragon Quests, this game chronicles your character's growth from childhood, young adulthood, and parenthood. It's an ongoing adventure through time and ultimately for a piece of vengeance. Amazing!

Chrono Trigger - Not much to say. A revolutionary title by the Dream Team. Multiple endings, and lovable characters designed by Toriyama. Unlimited replay value.

Castlevania Symphony of the Night - The best modern update to Super Metroid with some great RPG elements to increase the variety and fun in exploring a giant castle. The soundtrack, artwork, and graphics still blow me away today.

 

[mèx]

Not in order, except for Planescape that is my favorite rpg.

Planescape: Torment
Deus Ex
Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines
Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura
The Witcher 2
System Shock 2
Xenoblade Chronicles
Chrono Trigger
Terranigma
Final Fantasy VI

 

[magawolaz]

1) Grandia - I was very late to the party since I played this game only a couple of months ago (purchased on PSN during summer sales), but omg it's really awesome. Love the battle system, interesting story, pretty good characters.
2) The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky - Amazing PSP game, too bad it took so long to come in US/EU... A very good turn-based JRPG with lovely characters (Estelle *_*) and good story.
3) Final Fantasy VII - Sephiroth!
4) Final Fantasy X - Another good turn based jrpg, I really liked it. Can't wait for the HD version announced @ 2011 E3.
5) Valkyria Chronicles - One of the best exclusive game on PS3, great art style and overall design, amazing soundtrack.
6) Final Fantasy IX - One of the best FF (between the last ones), I loved the medieval setting.
7) Demon's Souls - I don't usually like hard games, but when I do it's because they are pretty damn awesome.
8) PopoloCrois - For kids? Yeah right, I want to be a kid :3
9) Final Fantasy Tactics - I still need to finish this game, but from what I saw it's great.
10) Jeanne D'Arc - Same as above.

 

[kswiston]

Last day to get your votes in!

Thanks for all of those who have replied so far.

 

[Phonomezer]

Oooooh

Panzer Dragoon Saga
Phantasy Star IV
Shining Force II
Final Fantasy VI
Mass Effect
Lost Odyssey
Dragon Force
Skyrim
Demon's Souls
Dark Souls

 

[Stampy]

Just in case you didn't read the OP, take a look at rule #2:

Corrected. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Rad-]

I'm a bit bored so I will only explain my top 3:

Baldur's Gate 2: Shadows of Amn (2 points) - The most perfect game I have ever played. Not only is there a huge amount of content but most of it is very good quality too. Great writing, great combat and it still looks good because the environments are hand drawn.

Suikoden 2 - Best story in a JRPG if you ask me. Combat is pretty fun too, as far as turnbased combat goes.

Final Fantasy 12 - My favorite gameplay out of any JRPG. Fighting is just so much fun. If possible, I recommend "International Zodiac Job System" version before the original because it adds a job system into the game.

Final Fantasy 7

Knights of the Old Republic

Mass Effect 2

Final Fantasy 6

Morrowind

Fallout

 

[PatrickLyons]

so many good games that i haven't played. guess i need to limit myself to those i can definitely speak to. I guess these are in no particular order.

chrono trigger
dragon age origins
knights of the old republic
quest for glory: trial by fire
final fantasy 7
alpha protocol
shining force 2
fallout 1
phantasy star 4
fable 1

 

[Manmademan]

Yeah, I think FFVIII is a better game than FFVII.

I don't understand why it gets all the hate while number 7 gets all the love.

Not that FFVII is a bad game or anything.

It got tons of hate because

1.) Final Fantasy 7 was many gamers first introduction to the FF franchise, and most did not understand why the sequel "wasn't ff7 part 2".

2.) Even for those used to playing jrpgs, it did some rather unorthodox things with the junction and leveling systems. Grinding for hours only made the game harder instead of easier, and a lot of players skipped refining items and cards entirely and thought you had to constantly "draw" spells for hours.

FF8 was a brilliant game, but there may have been TOO much "innovation" for the casual gamer at that point.

 

[hipgnosis]

1. Suikoden II
2. Final Fantasy IX
3. Grandia
4. Dragon Quest VIII
5. Final Fantasy VII
6. Persona 4
7. Suikoden
8. Radiant Historia
9. Star Ocean The Second Story
10. Fallout 3

 

[Tampinha]

• Baldur's Gate 2
  Insane amount of content and polish combined with a great combat system and writing.
  
• Fallout 2
  A fantastic lore and great writing are what make this game special, the combat is still pretty good, but the moments that make Fallout 2 unique aren't in it.
  
• Deus Ex
  Choice these days just means a moral choice,in Deus Ex choice actually means the form of how you approach a situation, there's just a insane amount of paths in the level design, making each playthrough different.
  
• System Shock 2
  Wonderful setting and a great character progression system.And a fantastic villain too.
  
• The Witcher 2
  A superb lore, great combat and writing.The grey choices and their repercussions are what make it so great.
  
• KOTOR 2
  While many prefer the first game, i think KOTOR 2 is the better one,even with the major cuts and lack of polish, simply because of the writing and some of the most memorable characters in the entire Star Wars universe, such a shame it couldn't be completed.
  
• Persona 4
  A great mix of a Dating Sim and RPG,a huge amount of content in both the slice-of-life parts and in the dungeons and a great cast of characters.
  
• Valkyria Chronicles
  Beautiful presentantion, and a unique twist to the SRPG genre.
  
• Diablo 2
  So addictive.
  
• Alpha Protocol
  Unpolished for sure, but the dialog system and the influence of choice in this game are just perfect.
  

 

[cartman414]

It got tons of hate because

1.) Final Fantasy 7 was many gamers first introduction to the FF franchise, and most did not understand why the sequel "wasn't ff7 part 2".

2.) Even for those used to playing jrpgs, it did some rather unorthodox things with the junction and leveling systems. Grinding for hours only made the game harder instead of easier, and a lot of players skipped refining items and cards entirely and thought you had to constantly "draw" spells for hours.

FF8 was a brilliant game, but there may have been TOO much "innovation" for the casual gamer at that point.

I think the card refine method takes a bit of work itself if not as much, not to mention there's still the issue of junctioning. Not to mention IIRC that the game can be broken quicker with the right junctions (i. e. Haste to Speed for +50).

If there's one game in the series I go to bat for in defense of, it's 5.

I will take that into consideration if I decide to do this thread again next year. It's kind of late to implement that rule change now, without skewing the votes towards a handful of people. We are getting close to 150 participants, but posting has really slowed down.

Cool. I think it would help both with breaking ties among the lower ranks, and also keep some of the games that would be Honorable Mentions from getting left in the dust but for a few top 10 votes, or even help top up a few overall front-runners.

Last day to get your votes in!

Thanks for all of those who have replied so far.

My pleasure. Hope I did mine right.