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Golden Era of RPGs: SNES, PS1 or PS2?

I consider myself a RPG fan and pretty much the only genre I play, but I have no played majority of that list. I was too late to the game but there are so many greats on that list.

I do not think any era was better than the other and that they all have amazing games worth playing.
 

DigSCCP

Member
Was going to say this. I like how the op totally doesn't count pc rpgs.

Though honestly, I think this era had the best pc rpgs, there weren't that many though. I would say those 3 consoles have a larger pool of good rpgs.

Seems like its more a jRPG topic then a RPG topic.
If thats the case,I dont see PC getting a chance here.
If we are talking about RPGs, all of them, I think we can add PC and PS360 to the table.
 

enigmatic_alex44

Whenever a game uses "middleware," I expect mediocrity. Just see how poor TLOU looks.
I just now noticed Okami in the PS2 list. WTF? You also left out Arc the Lad Twilight of the Spirits.

When I was adding DS to the OP and put Okamiden in the DS section I quickly realized that I forgot the masterpiece that is Okami in the PS2 section and stealth edited that one in hoping no one would notice
M4oe5vt.gif
 
Not PS3.

PS1 for me at the top.

PS2 second.

But SNES can't be discounted for the number of quality JRPGs, they just were less popular unfortunately.
 

Corpekata

Banned
PS2 may have had more but the average one was worse. Like half the list is mediocre, while most of the lists of the others are classics or near enough to it. Like nearly every series you have that has multiple entries there has a turd of a game like Wild Arms 4, Grandia Xtreme, etc. Though at least you had the good sense to leave off Star Ocean 3.

I'd say around the PSone era is the height, especially when you combine it with what was going on on the PC at the time.
 
I like a few PS2 jrpgs better than anything on ther others, but the ps1 would go with me to the desert island out of sheer quantity.
 
SNES for sure, though I LOVE my PS1 RPGs... Breath of Fire 3 felt like the perfect and natural extension of SNES era RPGs for example.
 
PS1 has pretty much all my favorite RPG's sans Chrono Trigger and FFVI. So it wins out handedly.

PS2 comes close, with SNES bringing up the rear. I will always love Chrono Trigger, FFIV and VI and Earthbound though.
 

Eolz

Member
Oh yeah, thought it was only about JRPGs due to the platforms. If you count W/CRPGs, PC is really easily in top 2/3.

When I was adding DS to the OP and put Okamiden in the DS section I quickly realized that I forgot the masterpiece that is Okami in the PS2 section and stealth edited that one in hoping no one would notice
M4oe5vt.gif

I think he was saying that because Okami isn't a RPG. Action/Adventure like Zelda.

DS is not on the same league...you guys are stretching it.

It's easily in the same league, especially if you count re-releases there.
 

cireza

Member
Would vote for the SNES era, because it includes the Genesis (my favorite games in the genre), and because games were faster paced. 3D introduced so many things that take too much time.
 

LCGeek

formerly sane
For me it's either Snes or PS1 stuff, when I get bored really good genesis or early pc gaming stuff.
 

kswiston

Member
DS is not on the same league...you guys are stretching it.

We did a similar thread with PS2 vs DS, and basically the DS side comes down to explaining how a bunch of SNES remakes, some Nintendo RPGs (including a few top rate ones), and an abundance of dungeon crawlers and SPRGs (not even the best srpgs at that) makes it the greatest RPG lineup of all time.

Looking at original games, I am not sure how you can go DS over the three in the title, but to each their own I guess.
 

Scum

Junior Member
Worldshaker is the only to mention Terranigma. He's legit. You should all be ashamed of yourselves. That includes you, enigmatic_alex44.
 

Weiss

Banned
SNES, especially if we include games we never got like Tales of Phantasia, Seiken Densetsu 3, Terranigma, and Shin Megami Tensei.
 

RPGam3r

Member
PS1 without a doubt, much of the 16bit's gems didn't even make it the states. Also for shame no Vagrant Story or Parasite Eve!
 

Battlechili

Banned
I'd say PS2, although I really adore the DS and 3DS lineups. Probably like the 3DS lineup even more than the DS one. Why haven't you included that?
I mean its got:
-Bravely Default
-Bravely Second
-Persona Q
-Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance
-Shin Megami Tensei IV
-Shin Megami Tensei IV Final
-Devil Survivor: Overclocked
-Devil Survivor 2: Record Breaker
-Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers
-Xenoblade Chronicles 3D
-Fire Emblem Awakening
-Fire Emblem Fates
-Project x Zone
-Project x Zone 2
-Yokai Watch
-Etrian Odyssey IV
-Etrian Odyssey Untold: The Milennium Girl
-Etrian Odyssey Untold 2: The Fafnir Knight
-Moco Moco Friends
-Legend of Legacy
-Pokemon X/Y
-Pokemon ORAS
-Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity
-Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon

Also, don't forget about Kingdom Hearts RE: Chain of Memories on PS2. That game was pretty great.
Tail Concerto
Does Tail Concerto really count as an RPG? I figured it was more of just a 3D platformer.
 
Baldur's Gate: Dark of Alliance was one of the funnest times I had with a WRPG. I still never got to finish it or any WRPG, but I think it'll be my first.
 

Kwixotik

Member
SNES because bad anime tropes were less prevalent and the games were short enough that I have time to complete them. Also 16 bit graphics are great.
 

SpotAnime

Member
Going into the thread I was going to say it would be a tough choice between the PS1 and the SNES, but you make a good argument for both the DS and the PS2.

I'm going to say the PS2, because I really feel like that had the most innovation in the genre. PS1 was mostly reskinned, or even same-skinned, SNES RPGs.

The DS though is a wildcard. Not only did it port some of the best RPGs from the SNES era on it, but it also had a lot of original titles as well. That's what makes it so tough.

So I'm going to say:

PS2 > SNES / DS > PS1

Crazy, I know, but looking at it on paper gives it a completely different argument than going by my nostalgia for each.
 
The PS2 era is sort of where the genre was starting to lose me, presumably due to voice acting and padded game design. That leaves it between SNES and PS1, but I think if we allow the SFC, which we probably should, the PS1 may have to settle for second place in my ranking.
 

redcrayon

Member
I'd say PS2, although I really adore the DS and 3DS lineups. Probably like the 3DS lineup even more than the DS one. Why haven't you included that?
I mean its got:
-Bravely Default
-Bravely Second
-Persona Q
-Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance
-Shin Megami Tensei IV
-Shin Megami Tensei IV Final
-Devil Survivor: Overclocked
-Devil Survivor 2: Record Breaker

-Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers
-Xenoblade Chronicles 3D
-Fire Emblem Awakening
-Fire Emblem Fates
-Project x Zone
-Project x Zone 2

-Yokai Watch
-Etrian Odyssey IV
-Etrian Odyssey Untold: The Milennium Girl
-Etrian Odyssey Untold 2: The Fafnir Knight

-Moco Moco Friends
-Legend of Legacy
-Pokemon X/Y
-Pokemon ORAS
-Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity
-Pokemon Super Mystery Dungeon


Also, don't forget about Kingdom Hearts RE: Chain of Memories on PS2. That game was pretty great.
Does Tail Concerto really count as an RPG? I figured it was more of just a 3D platformer.
I love the 3DS, but I think this discussion is usually framed around rpgs. If you cross off the dungeon crawlers and SRPGs (I've added in bold), it really doesn't have that many, you've even added a couple that aren't out yet.

Otherwise we'd have to add SRPGs to the PSOne list, which would be FFT and Front Mission 3 for starters, and a ridiculously huge amount on PS2.

Personally I think Etrian Odyssey, Fire Emblem and Devil Survivor games are awesome though, and SMTIV is one of the best JRPGs this gen. Apologies for pedantry :)
 

mejin

Member
It's easily in the same league, especially if you count re-releases there.

But if you do that than some of the best games on SNES were re-released for PSone: Chrono Trigger, FF VI, Tales of Phantasia, Tactics Ogre, etc.

We did a similar thread with PS2 vs DS, and basically the DS side comes down to explaining how a bunch of SNES remakes, some Nintendo RPGs (including a few top rate ones), and an abundance of dungeon crawlers and SPRGs (not even the best srpgs at that) makes it the greatest RPG lineup of all time.

Looking at original games, I am not sure how you can go DS over the three in the title, but to each their own I guess.

Ah, I see....well, I'll bring nothing new to this topic then. Back to work.
 

kswiston

Member
Crazy, I know, but looking at it on paper gives it a completely different argument than going by my nostalgia for each.

My issue with counting ports/remakes when talking about a golden era is that we had those games already. Golden Era typically refers to abundant quality + abundant creativity. Ports don't meet the latter criteria. If you are just going to argue what is playable on a platform, then the PS3 is king since between ports/remakes/collections, PS1/2 classics, and original software, it plays a shitload of the best games in the genre. You don't even have to go into backwards compatibility.

I can also play Final Fantasy I-VI (and soon VII) + tactics, Chrono Trigger, Shining Force, The World Ends with You, and Dragon Quest I-VI + VIII on iOS/Android (using a controller too if that is a must), but no one argues for mobile.
 

Morrigan Stark

Arrogant Smirk
PS1/Saturn

Panzer Dragoon Saga
Shining the Holy Ark
Final Fantasy 7
Suikoden 1
Suikoden 2
Xenogears
Final Fantasy Tactics
Wild Arms 1
Wild Arms 2
Breath of Fire 3
Breath of Fire 4
Alundra
Valkyrie Profile
 

Jinkies

Member
I think it's obviously PS1. The (relative) budget and innovation of those titles were unprecedented and unsurpassed since.

The JRPG genre never translated well beyond that age. There were a few diamonds, but it was mostly rough.

[edit] Oh, we're doing rate trains: PS1>SNES>PS2
 

Faustek

Member
Since FFXII only appeared on PS2 and it's backwards compatible with PS1 I'll say PS2 and cheat my way out then...This is impossible to answer.
 
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