I've been reading almost every post - though I don't do it all at once. Generally I skip over descriptions and whatnot to get a general idea of how the votes are splitting and when I have time I come back to see people's explanations.
That said, the fancy headers are a great way to identify people who have finished their lists.
1) Dark Souls - Such an amazing game! It's challenging, but not unfair, the lore is deep, gameplay is on spot, graphics are beautiful and the overall athmosphere is amazing.
2) Legend of Heroes - Trails in the Sky (3 Points) - I can't praise this game enough! The world is so lively and well designed, the fighting system is addicting and it has one of the best stories in any JRPG. It's a shame, that SC and 3rd aren't released here yet.
3) Final Fantasy VII - Enough is said about this game. EVERYONE should have played this.
4) Dragon Quest VIII - Long, beautiful, charming! The best looking PS2 Game and also one of the best JRPG on the PS2 in my opinion.
5) Persona 4 - I love this whole series, but Persona 4 has a special place in my heart. This game is so overwhelming in every way and fixed nearly everything, that was wrong with Persona 3.
6) Valkyria Chronicles - Absolutely beautiful tactical JRPG with an interesting cast and a deep, dark story. The fighting system gives you so much freedom and you actually care about your squad mates.
7) Lost Odyssey - The game FF12 should have been. This game screams Final Fantasy all over the place, but has enough small changes, that seperate it from other JRPGs. It has the best side stories i've ever experienced.
8) Resonance of Fate - The story.. well there is no deep story, but THAT combat! God, i loved every single fight in this one. No other RPG kept me entertained to the end simply because of the fighting system.
Star Tropics
Ok, you guys made me want to put a WRPG on here, and this is the best one ever made IMO. It made me impress my 6th grade teacher by teaching me the meaning of the word cipher, and still stands as one of my favorite childhood games. Why they stopped at 2, I'll never know.
Great writeup, Link - I love many of those games as well (kudos to the WA3 and SaGa Frontier shouts, those games are really underrated)... and of course DQ5 was one of the first 3 games I imported too (with FF5 and SD3 being the other 2). Though StarTropics was only released in the west, it was actually developed in Japan, so I don't really know if you can count it as a western RPG (I wouldn't personally count it as an RPG at all, more like a Zelda-esque game with puzzle-platforming).
I wish more people would vote for Arc the Lad 2. Definitely another one of myf avorites.
1. Dark Cloud 2 (3 pts) - Tough call between this and my No. 2, but DC2 wins with the best assortment of side stuff in any RPG.
2. Dragon Quest 8 - Close to perfect. Wish they'd make another one like this for consoles.
3. Valkyria Chronicles - Gorgeous, unique, amazing... best RPG this generation by far.
4. Persona 4 - I dug P3 but they knocked it out of the park with this one.
5. Dragon Quest 4 - Yes, I love me some DQ. I have a hard time choosing between 4 & 5 so here they are together.
6. Dragon Quest 5 - See above.
7. Final Fantasy 10 - Friends talked me into playing this despite my reservations about the cover boy. They were right... awesome game.
8. Wild Arms 3 - The Old West flavor makes it stand out.
9. Final Fantasy 1 - I loved it back on NES as a young punk and a few decades later on PSP.
10. Jeanne d'Arc - Nice refinements on the SRPG formula make it the perfect gateway drug to the likes of FFT, Tactics Ogre and Disgaea.
Honorable mention:
Xenoblade Chronicles - I'm playing it now... about 30 hours in. It seems headed for my Top 10 but can't put it there until I'm finished.
Champions of Norrath - Played it with my brother, our first hack-n-slash co-op ride... took over a year but it was a great time.
Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness - There are some great, addictive SRPGs on PSP, but I'm giving this the nod over FFT and Tactics Ogre for the fun factor.
Rogue Galaxy - Could have been in my top 5 but they dropped the ball with boring side stuff and one dungeon that is a true drag.
So, for personal schedule reasons, I am moving the voting deadline up 12 hours. The last day to vote is still Dec 28th, but nominations are due by 11:59am instead of 11:59pm. I will still accept late votes for a few hours after that point while I work on tallying the results, but you won't be able to change your pre-existing lists after that point.
That gives you 7 days left to vote. Thanks to the 160 people who have voted so far. This thread has slowed down quite a bit over the past few days, but I am still optimistic we can hit 200 participants!
1. FFX
-The highest point of the FF series. An imaginative story, a beautiful artstyle, and the classic JRPG battle style perfected.
2. Persona 4
-An excellent blend of urgency, humor, mystique, and charm.
3. KOTOR
-Still Biowares best game to date
4. Skyrim
-Epic is the only way to define this game. Bethesda outdid themselves. 5. Mass Effect 3
-A blockbuster finale to the most critically acclaimed trilogy of all time.
6. FF6
-See my username
7. Persona 3
-While not as fine tuned the 4th in the series, still an excellent JRPG in every way.
8. Chrono Cross
-It's better that Chrono Trigger.
9. Paper Mario
-Simple, but sublime.
10. Fallout 3
-Fallout 3 manages to give you the satisfying feeling of being an unstoppable badass like no other JRPG.
1. Final Fantasy XII - A truly magical game: a wonderful world to explore, great strategic battles, unique atmosphere. One of the best FFs.
2. Xenoblade Chronicles (3 points) - Everything I love about RPGs, with a touch of Nintendo's feel, a great open-world to explore and a Takahashi-penned story. Best Wii game.
3. Shadow Hearts: Covenant - A unique mix of gothic, early 20th century atmosphere and quirky humor, this is an RPG with some of the best cutscenes/VA/story. The battle system takes everything good from the first and makes it 10 times better. Awesome soundtrack, too.
4. Xenogears - Everything's been said about this game already. The story is imaginative, and I'm personnally a fan of Disc 2.
5. Final Fantasy X - A story that deals with death in very sensible way, rarely seen in video games. The scene with Yuna dancing on the water has to be one of the most beautiful ever seen in games. Soundtrack brings Hamauzu and Uematsu together for a wonderful result. A true classic.
6. Final Fantasy VIII - One of my favourite FFs. Great story, music and overall fantastic package that doesn't look like anything done before, -and- after.
7. Xenosaga 3 - Takahashi going all out with plenty (maybe too much?) of plot twists. Some say Xenosaga's story is convoluted, I say it's dense and brings many themes rarely seen in video games. Kajiura's soundtrack is one of the best I've heard.
8. Final Fantasy Tactics - A real classic. Not much to say about it that hasn't been said before.
9. NIER - One of the most underrated games ever. The soundtrack and story are unequaled this gen. It's a shame we'll never see a sequel, or even a spiritual sequel.
10. Final Fantasy VII - This one still holds today as one of the most enjoyable experience seen in a JRPG. The story is deep, the music full of classics and the gameplay (mostly the materia system!) is fantastic.
Honorable Mentions:
1. Tactics Ogre - Another deep, political story by Matsuno. O'Smith's localization and the gameplay improvements in the PSP port bring it up to FFT's level. (I'm playing Crimson Shroud right now and it's great!!)
2. The World Ends With You - This game manages to mix urban atmosphere and music with very creative JRPG mechanics. A truly unique game. I hope we'll see a non-iOS sequel soon...
3. Chrono Cross - Better than Chrono Trigger in every way IMO. Tied with Xenogears for Mitsuda's best soundtrack and Kato's best story.
4. SMT: Nocturne - Played this one very recently and it finally clicked with me. A dark, twisted game that's full of surprises.
5. Final Fantasy IX - Probably the most charming JRPG I've ever played. I can't wait for a new FF with this kind of feel.
Vagrant Story, Kingdom Hearts 1 & 2, Crisis Core, Parasite Eve, Digital Devil Saga, etc. etc. could've all made the list, but I really don't know where to cut .
Bumping this now because I will be busy with family stuff for most of the next 4 days.
5 days left to vote!
We could really use more participants. If you plan on participating but have been putting it off, make sure to do so before you become too busy with Holiday stuff! Voting ends midday on Dec 28th.
Thanks to the 162 people who have submitted their picks so far.
Unless things changed drastically, Chrono Trigger will top the list again this year. We might have some surprises after that though.
This was such a difficult list to make! There's no way that I can rank my favorites and I feel that my list can change daily. So in no specific order (aside from S2):
- Suikoden 2 (3 points) I can't say much that hasn't been said about this game, perfected everything about the first game. Very emotional and interesting story, my favorite game without a doubt.
- Chrono trigger - Among my favorite snes games, I have fond memories of obsessing over this game as a teenager.
- Final Fantasy VI -This won in a toss up against V but only depending on my mood, these two are my favorites in the series for sure. Still play both once a year.
-Earthbound - This is a very nostalgic game for me along with the other snes titles on my list. Early - mid 90s was when I really became interested in games as more than a fun distraction. The writing in this game is unlike any other with its touching and bizarre story.
-Skyrim - Here's a surprise but very worthy inclusion. This and Dragons Dogma were in my current gen pile. Both very awesome games, but Skyrim had me hooked more than DD. I have the buggy PS3 version and actually immediately restarted from a game ending glitch 70 hours into the story. There aren't many games I would have the patience to do that with.
-Ys 1&2 - This was a very necessary inclusion. My list could be VERY Falcom heavy but for variety I had to limit it to three. While not my favorite overall Falcom title this is definitely my favorite Ys release and the beginning of my love affair with Falcom.
-Dragon Quest 3 - My favorite DQ, love the jobs and amazing graphics of the sfc version especially.
-Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions - This is imo the best version of this awesome game and my personal favorite tactical RPG.
-Xanadu Next - This is likely my overall favorite Falcom release. Though this is a hard choice I just love the design and atmosphere of the game as well as the precise gameplay. This special edition includes the two Legend of Xanadu games as well which are two of my all time PCE favorites.
-Legend of Heroes: Trails in the sky - Though I list this first game of the trilogy I feel that FC SC and 3rd are one giant game that need to be experienced, I have renewed faith that these games will be released in English with their Kai HD editions. I'm very drawn to the diorama style graphics of these games, they are overflowing with charm and the world detail as well as character/story depth is staggering.
I may return with a runners up/honorable mention listing to add but for now I will leave this list.
I love the banners that people have made for their posted games! I'm not so savvy so here's a nice easy group shot:
1. Vampire: The Masqurade: Bloodlines (3 Points) Easily my number one RPG of all time. All who haven't played this game needs to fix that asap. This game hits so many high notes with the setting, to the writing, choices and consequences, the skill system, and the variety of builds you can play. That no game has yet to surpass it and up until the recent Kickstarter RPG revival I was sure this game would be the last truly great Western RPG. Really if it wasn't for the bugs at launch and the game falling apart towards the end this game would of been perfect. So this game was a no brainier for my top spot. Most of the following games in my list do move around depending on the day.
2. Fallout: New Vegas: Probably the closest to topping Bloodlines any game got, but even it was still a pretty distant second. Probably my favorite Fallout and really showed both the good and bad of Obsidian. With writing, characters, and better game mechanics that made Bethesda look like amateurs. Obsidian was also able to capture the feel of the old Fallouts and actually make a world that unlike Bethesda make a world that felt "real" and not like some kind of theme park.
3. Knights of the Old Republic 2: Time for some more Obsidian love. This times Obsidian shows Bioware how it is done. I was going to write a whole big thing, but just look at what I wrote for New Vegas and you get the idea.
4. Morrowind: Well Bethesda ain't all bad I guess. No matter how far they might fall they will always have a place in my heart because of Morrowind. Morrowind was the first time I saw what an open-world rpg was and as someone coming from JRPGs it blew my mind that a game could just put you in a world and say "Go do what you want." It also help add to that sense of wonder that Morrowind was an alien world. The setting was more then just Medieval Europe with magic. Sadly it looks like Bethesda will never top it again.
5.Deus Ex The Bloodlines of its time. All the stuff I love Bloodlines for this game was the first I played to have them. As other have said just the shear variety of ways to could tackle a level was amazing. It is also one of two RPG/Shooters(the other is on this list further down) that actually remained more RPG then shooter.
6. Persona 4: I really enjoyed this game. I dunno there is just something about it that puts it above lots of other games. I enjoyed the setting, the story, the characters, and all that. Really I can't think of a single thing that really annoyed me with this game. The only reason it isn't higher is because JRPGs have kind of fallen out of favor with me. So while it didn't do anything terrible it does have a lot of those JRPG "problems" that prevent it from being higher.
7. Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions to be specific. The PSP version just seems to make that game better. Though it doesn't matter the PS1 version would have the same spot. Like most of the games you will see in my list it was the story that really made me love this game. Now the Job System and all that didn't hurt. Once I spent some time figuring it out this game just clicked with me.
8. Suikoden 2: The best game in one of my favorite series of all time. Getting your own castle and improving it, raising an army, and fighting in battles always appealed to me. Which is why I enjoyed most of the series so much. What made Suikoden II better then the rest is it actually had an interesting story. Though I do think it went way over the top with Luca Blight. That guy was so ridiculously over the top that I ended up laughing when the game was trying to make me feel the exact opposite.
9. Alpha Protocol: The other RPG/Shooter that was more RPG. This game is an acquired taste to be blunt. If you go in expecting a shooter even with low expectations you will be disappointed. Yes the shooter games play is that bad. As an RPG though it is amazing. Where this game really shines is in the character interaction. This RPG is second to none and the reactivity in that area is beyond belief.
10. Final Fantasy 7 Arguably the best in the series. Now I fully admit that this might be nostalgia talking here, but I thoroughly enjoyed this game. There are many good Final Fantasies, but I don't think any of them captured the magic quite as well as 7 did.
Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne (3 points) - All around the best rpg I've played. Great battle system, music, visuals, novel setting. Engaging all the way through, also the best bonus dungeon ever.
Valkyrie Profile 1 - After some deliberation I think VP1 is the better experience, it's a fact that VP2 is better gameplay-wise. But nothing beats being a god and flying through the world the very first time you start playing it. The whole Einherjar angle was awesome. It's such an unique game, that's hard not to include it in an 'essential' rpgs list.
Resonance of Fate - it's the best JRPG of the current gen so far. The story plays out a lot like Cowboy Bebop where the real focus is the character interactions and their daily life in this bizarre world the game is set, it's very 'slice of life' and it was very refreshing. Music is amazing. One of the best battle systems ever.
Suikoden II - Suikoden II does the whole direct sequel RIGHT, seeing returning characters all grown up was awesome and being able to have the first game's hero in your party was very good way to nod at fans of the original. One of the best villains ever in Luca Blight.
Deus Ex Human Revolution - I never played the original, but I tried this one because I absolutely adore cyberpunk, and was blown away. Shitty bosses aside, I really really enjoyed this game and the open ended nature of the multi-linear level design. Art direction was amazing and it has my favorite soundtrack of the current generation. I'd like to try the first one at some point.
Dark Souls - the game that brought me back into gaming after some disappointments, FROM gets it. No game beats the experience of plowing through Lordran for the very first time.
Persona 4 - This game is carried by the cast, which is phenomenal. The gameplay is typical MegaTen awesomeness which is never boring. It's Atlus R&D1 most popular and arguably best game for a reason.
Dragon Quest III - I love DQ7 just as much, but I rather wait to see what the remake improves upon before deciding which I like more but as of now I think I'll go with DQ3 for this list. The epitome of what JRPGs are all about, grand adventure with an absolutely awesome soundtrack. The SNES remake is fantastic and to me the definitive version of the game.
Vagrant Story - Matsuno's best game, I hope he goes back to making games like this. The industry needs more Matsuno games.
Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter - the game that killed the franchise, is also the best game in the franchise. IRONIC.
1) Valkyrie Profile 1 (3 points) - One of the best, most complete packages I've ever played. Fantastic combat mechanics, excellent music, enthralling story, diverse characters and an interesting metagame all set in an uncharacteristically depressing world. The only downside is that the true ending is kind of obscured, but it's completely worth it when you reach the end.
2) Tales of Vesperia - Loved the world, it was extremely idyllic and nostalgesque and the entire party was at the very least likable (even that shitty kid) and had probably one of the best JRPG protagonists in forever. Also that cel-shading is fantastic, it has really come a long way. Great game to just get lost in... until you notice that there is some shit you've missed and you have to restart the game to get. That makes my piss boil but still a great game.
3) Dark Souls - I prefer this game over Demon's Souls because the loading times are greatly reduced, and the interconnected world lends a cohesiveness that is hard to find otherwise. Extremely obscurantist and relentless and completely opposite to most babby games nowadays, it feels nice to be treated as a person who can figure things out for himself. Play this game if you want to curb your hubrisitc and arrogant tendencies (or continue with them if you completely schooled this game).
4) Fallout: New Vegas - An extremely compelling and lively world found in an (ironically) post-nuclear apocalypse wasteland. This game had me trek across the world of my own volition to find an abandoned school, a destitute robotics factory or a shanty town. Walking into a random cave and finding a Legendary Cazador I would've shit my pants... if I were a lesser man but I was a hardened wasteland warrior and I proceeded blow it to pieces with my sniper rifle.
5) Chrono Trigger - I guess this game will always be in these kinds of lists, it's just so damn good but I'm not possessed by so much nostalgia that I say it's number one. Timeless sprite art, combat system just complex enough to not make it tedious yet doesn't overstay its welcome and dat music. Also runs a story with time travel pretty damn well. The first time I entered Zeal is forever seared into my brain, a screenshot isn't enough, you need to see the animations and you need to hear the music. It's an experience.
6) Morrowind - The world is simply great, each faction and the towns they inhabit are completely different, the flora is weird and alien, the fauna annoying and deadly, and no at-will fast travel that makes the player omnipresent which completely wrecks the world and boils it down to a series of disconnected patches of land unlike that utterly compromised game, Skyrim, which is only palatable with mods. It's a world that I got completely lost in, then after being battered by cliff racers I would return to my house that I got from murdering its occupant that is filled with lanterns and candles because I didn't like the darkness. Also a pillow fort.
7) Xenoblade - This world, this farking world. So amazing in its scope and beauty despite being rendered on 10 year old hardware. Gaur Plains: Amazing, Eryth Sea: Amazing, Fallen hand: Amazing, Valka Mountains at night: Amazing, Nopon Hometree: Amazing. Soundtrack is amazing. Combat is... only good, only so much you can do with an evolved form of MMO auto-attacking. Characters voiced by British people? Yes please!
8) Deus Ex 1 - "And Denton, don't go into the women's toilet" A game that responds to what you've done, so good. The non-linearity doesn't really give the game replay value to me, but the fact that there is some content I could be missing simply because I decided to lockpick my way in rather than talk my way in, you just really don't see that in games these days, RPG or no. And it was nice to see an RPG that was set in the near-future with some semblance of the current day, made things a lot more relatable and immersive.
9) Persona 4 - I haven't finished this game because I don't want it to end. It really does feel like Inaba could be a real place. It's a dull town out in the sticks... and that's what makes it great. Mundanities makes it easier to form connections to the world I find. The game is very mature in its characters and story, a breath of fresh air in the JRPG space.
10) Mother 3 - Goddamn this game is heartrending. The campfire scene has more emotion in it than entire games. And the ending, holy shit. But besides that, catchy tunes, charming characters expressed through wonderfully animated sprite art and a pretty good battle system.
Honourable Mentions
-Ys: Oath in Felghana
-Ys Origin
-Earthbound/Mother 2
-Valkyria Chronicles
-Suikoden 2 - I love, love, love the owning your own castle part of the game. When you first get it it's run down, but then you restore it, fill it with people, build and add expansions to it and see all your party members mill about doing their own thing. The transformation from lifeless to a bustling center of activity made me feel like I had an impact on the world (besides saving it which happens in pretty much every game ever made)
Might add or change more if I can remember some more games.
1.) Dark Souls (3 Points) - Dark Souls represents the pinnacle of both action and storytelling in RPGs. While the genre has expanded and undertaken various subgenres, the game remains faithful to what it set out to do: delivering a unique narrative experience. Sure people remember Dark Souls for it’s excellent combat system, tough enemies/basses, and beautifully haunting worlds; I remember Dark Souls for the story it tried to tell and how it did so. The game cleverly masks plot points in items and the various lines delivered by characters. Dark Souls is a puzzle and you must solve it to understand even the basic details that make up the intricate and complex lore that is hidden in Lordran. Dark Souls delivers a compelling experience from beginning to end in more ways than one. It’s all about the experience and there is no RPG experience that tops Dark Souls for me. None.
2.) Deus Ex: Human Revolution - Human Revolution is a thought-provoking RPG, one that dabbles in themes that might very well be reality. The idea of mechanical augmentation and the bio-technical human progress is the future and in Human Revolution, it has divided the world in two. The world in Human Revolution is a simple game but at the same time complex. Multi-layered narrative that tackles the ethical principles behind tampering a human body, exceeding the limitations of humans, as well as what society as a whole should do once such a world exists are all bits that contribute to the realistic world of Human Revolution. Gameplay is bipolar. The game’s customization allows for various playstyles to be utilized. However, various aspects don’t allow certain styles to be sustainable. It’s sad that the game is marred by such things but the RPG is a solid experience nonetheless. In fact, it’s more than solid. It’s amazing.
3.) Final Fantasy V - Jobs. The system that defines this game boosts it to super stardom. The amount of possibilities are endless when playing with this system. While turn based combat most of the time borders on boredom, Final Fantasy V makes it interesting since the various jobs allow for you to switch moves out, customize your character to be a badass - or loser, and partake in the annual Fiesta event. I can go on and on about how wonderful this game’s job system is. While I don’t consider one single mechanic for a game to embody the entire game itself, this is an exception. It’s damn good.
4.) Resonance of Fate - Resonance is an atypical game. The narrative style is reminiscent of a play or a multi-parted theatrical presentation. It takes the simple background premises of the main cast and somehow incorporates a grander plot by the game’s end. It’s a turnoff to some but I appreciate the artistic storytelling style that Resonance implements. However, that’s not the star of Resonance. The combat system is unlike anything the genre has seen. Gunplay that is both turn-based and real-time sounds unreal but Resonance pulls it off with flying colors. It’s hard to describe why it’s so good other than it’s different and refreshing. Of course, it helps that it’s great.
5.) Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars - This game holds a special place in my heart not because it’s a spectacular game or because it’s outstanding but because it holds up well and for some reason I don’t find it much different from the Paper Mario RPGs or the Superstar Saga series. This game works as the basis and core for the mentioned series. However, it’s not hard to discount how fun this game it is. Annoying dungeon levels aside, the combat is extremely enjoyable and the script is amusing from beginning to end. This is an excellently crafted RPG and to this day it shocks me how great it is.
6.) Paper Mario - This game takes everything about Super Mario RPG and modernizes it to make it more accessible, more fun, and most importantly more engaging. The unique visual style of 2-D and 3-D blending makes Paper Mario an odd adventure but this quirk somehow makes great strides in trying to be quirky. It’s redundant I know but the jokes that it makes with its flat nature never gets old throughout Mario’s lengthy quest and the easter eggs/nods to everything Nintendo makes it that much sweeter. Paper Mario is a game that holds up to this day and makes some modern RPGs walk away in shame and that is saying something. Or nothing considering some modern RPGs just suck that much.
7.) Mother 2/Earthbound - I hate boring turn-based combat systems that Earthbound uses. Having text read out at you describing attacks, only seeing the monsters, and there isn’t anything particularly special overall about the combat system. Still, despite these problems that annoy me, Earthbound stands out to me as one of the system’s, if not generation’s, shining gem. A parody in and of itself in ways making fun of everything gaming and not gaming, Earthbound is clever in trying to draw in players with an immensely large sense of humor and a huge heart. The game never takes itself too seriously and when it does it seems so ridiculously stupid that it quickly lightens the mood. Earthbound isn’t really about trying to dissect how the various gameplay mechanics combine to make something magical or not. Earthbound is more about the experience that you share with a boy and his journey to save the world in perhaps the most humorous way possible.
8.) The World Ends With You - If there was a list of games that defined the Nintendo DS system as a whole, The World Ends With You would be on there. This game utilizes the various “gimmicky” capabilities that the system holds but in a meaningful and fun way. The top screen serves as a character you can control using the D-Pad while the bottom screen uses the stylus for touch-based combat. Mixing these ideas might seem stupid but it’s insanely addicting when trying it out. The World Ends With You is a fun game and while it’s repetitive structure might get on your nerves it’s more than that really. It’s about the journey of a kid that’s trying to grow up and get over a certain phase of life. RPGs like The World Ends With You is hard to come by because as a package - as a whole - it’s a fantastic piece of software from the moment you start it up until the credits stop rolling. Live life and enjoy cuz It’s a Beautiful World.
9.) Tales of Graces f - I’m not one for loving an RPG because I like a certain aspect of the game but Tales of Graces f is an exception. The combat system in Graces is by far, hands down, indubitably the best RPG combat system this gen if not the past couple of gens and even then perhaps of all time. How the fast paced, non-stop moves keep coming out of your characters and the various mechanics that enhance the combat system come together is just absolutely baffling. Everything revolving around the combat system is just outstanding. It’s hard to describe in only a short words why it’s amazing but this game’s combat system SHOULD NOT BE MISSED.
10.) Final Fantasy IX - Experience. That’s what Final Fantasy IX is about. It is the culmination of what makes Final Fantasy Final Fantasy. It’s a fond look at the past but not only that but it’s a fun game. It’s an amusing, nonchalant, light-hearted quest about a troubled princess a joking protagonist and his merry band of misfits. Everyone has their problems and that’s what Final Fantasy IX is about. How do these guys overcome it? Just enjoy the ride.
Honorable Mentions (Not in any order)
Guild Wars 2
Arc Rise Fantasia
The Last Remnant
Fire Emblem
Zone of the Enders: Fist of Mars
Waoh this year it's ll be even more difficult than last year because i have 3 rpgs i'm playing and nowhere near to have finished with them ..
Here is my list :
1)*XENOBLADE ( there is like one game like this every 10 years )
There is really almost no game like this . you're overwhelmed but still totally free and in control. Few games tried , fewer succeded. The excellent localisation did help to enjoy this incredible battle system and experience.
When a game given you so much and that well you have to say "yes"
2)*MANA KHEMIA 1 ( Balance between fighting , exploration and customisation was excellent. not to mention the exceptionnal soundtrack )
For an atelier fan ,like me , adding a fast battle system was the strawberry on top of the cake . But that cake felt so good . It has comedic elements, very good dialogs, and a battle system where you can rack up the hits over and over ..
RUN FOR YOUR LIFE - STIGMATA - NEFERTITI .. You'll miss me , GUST
damn you KOEI
Just don't play the psp version..
3)*Chrono Trigger( The classic )
WHAT TO SAY ? It's one of the games that made me a RPG lover. New game plus , various endings , memorable music , awesome triple attacks. And a plot that felt good to complete. The amount of end game stuff was also impressive for it's time.
4)*RADIANT HISTORIA ( more time travel ? )
Time travel in rpg is no exception but few use it as a game mecanic .
Radiant historia managed to get me involved into the world , and i had a hard time putting it down until i saw the true end. it is IMO a must play if only for the good vilain and the way you can shape things. it might become a mention next year. BUT this i without a doubt a great game.
One year after i've added this game into my 2012 list i feel that it stood the test of time perfectly ..i now enjoy the fact that game does end on a high note , but not on a "bright" note.. meaning that you can give me a sequel , guys !! i want one !
5)*SKIES OF ARCADIA LEGENDS ( Pirates and adventure .. Who said one piece ? )
SOA:L is the perfected version of skies of arcadia DC. While the graphics haven't aged well .. The feelign of exploration is intact.And when you're looking for adventure , that's all you need .Loading times are good , battles rates are down. New challenges, new ennemies , new stories, new secrets , Very good battle system and Base customisation ( something i wish more RPG would do ). No, really .everything's perfect .. Even the translation errors are fixed ... GO PLAY THIS GAME
6)*SUIKODEN 5
Suikoden 5 was a shock..my first suikoden and the game that made me play all the others. Political turmoil, various endings , nice battle system. Nice war system ..and lots , lots of quests. A very good entry in the franchise. Beware playing this will make you play the others.
i realise that this game isn't perfect ( many don't like the war system )Suikoden 2 is not far from it in my heart, BUT , untill Suiko2 is released as a director cut, translation iproved title, suikoden 5 will be the best for me.
7)*FINAL FANTASY 5 ( yes it's 5 )
My favorite Final fantasy. Humour, tragic deaths, best job system in the entire franchise , Good music ( at the time ) and best chocobo !! ..this game is just fun and doesn't take itself seriously unless needed .
ALSO GILGAMESH
8)*XENOGEARS ( Go citan )
Ground battles, combo battles, mecha battles , awesome music. "I'm gonna throw this ship back at you".
Despite the awefull second disc , there is just so much diversity , so much fun or cutomisation , so much to DO. Complex at times but so satisfying.the plot also doesn't make sense when you look back but the game was just too much fun.
9)Tales of symphonia
i realise my choice will disapoint many tales of fans that know me... but Symphonia is the one tales of game that has the most amount of content. Phantasia , destiny director cut , abyss are good in that aspect but symphonia was crazy on this part ...i don't know how many times i've played this game.. the answer is probably more than 20.
on a graphic side, vesperia is better , grace might have better battles, xillia might have the most intresting use of artes( and a better cast ), abyss is everything symphonia did but improved ..but still symphonia is for me the most balanced tales ofin the entire saga.. that doesn't means that it's the best of the saga..but it's the one i'll cast my vote one this year.
10) Dragon dogma
Dragon dogma is full of flaws..
the quest system that doesn't hold your hands, the uneven difficulty, the unsteady framerate...BUT
BUT this game battle system just make you ignore it. Slaying your first dragon, climbing on each of that hydra heads to kill it .. the mixture of classes and skills , the way your character can be in a pinch if you trully think nothing can kill you and drop your guard ... this is just so good .. so entertaining be it warrior , or assasin or mage i had fun.. and that's what matters ...for now
Honorable Mentions 11)SUIKODEN 2
Best vilain ever : lucas blight is just incredible . Suiko 2 deserve more praise than suiko 5.but my taste is talking not my reason. Anyway Play this game too .it's full of secrets , lenghty , with various endings.
12)THE WORLD ENDS WITH YOU
a unique rpg that tried to find his identity and found several others !!
TWEWY is a game that is like no other , fun , and using everything the DS has to offer.It's a adventure i enjoyed a great deal.
13)GRANDIA 2
Grandia 3 has a better battle system. but grandia 2 has everything else better. characters , story , balance , twists. Another unique battle system that IS MISSING NOWADAYS
14)TALES OF XILLIA
I wish i could put xillia 2 , but i haven't finished that game yet..but i'll throw a vote for Xillia 1 because the cast is impressive and the battle system works.. next year maybe ?
15)Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky
Something about this game just scream "old school rpg" and this was a delicious surprise. the battle system was veyr fun , and the world to explore more intresting that i would have hoped . the music works in context and i have no real complains toward this game other that i want the sequel localised.
Unranked Honorable Mentions
-*PERSONA 4 ( for a taste of japanese school life )
Impressive game flow and very enjoyable party system.
There is just so much to say about this. but there is as many ways to tackle this game.
Humour was spot-on and the subtle touches were too. Also a must play.
-*VALKYRIA CHRONICLES ( Why is this blue haired girl coming at me ? )
A fresh take on Srpgs ..it was a brillant attempt that will be lost thanks to the psp market.
Anyway the gameplay was great , graphics are incredible and the setting done just the way i like it .
A must play ( game isn't for everyone)
-PERSONA 3
Mood was intense and game was fun.
-DRAGON QUEST 5
Story is his highlight, but gameplay was just excellent too .a very good job at being immersed within a game world.
-XENOSAGA 3
Best part of the 3, with the best battle system and a story that feels like it's advancing ... Also JIN UZUKI.
-VALKYRIE PROFILE 1
A tri ace classic, with a great battle system , and very good story line
"nibelung valesti" .... "such is your fate" O_O
-golden sun: the lost age
A very polished game that is not higher on my list because i there are better game than it ...but it's still an exceptionnal rpg that should be played by most as everything's done in it is done without flaws.the first and second game are one big package for the "true" experience.. do it , play it !
Thanks to the 168 participants so far. Hopefully we can at least match last year's participation level (196 voters).
I'll bump the thread again on the 27th, ~24 hours from the voting deadline, but I am not going to be around much tomorrow or Boxing Day. If you reserved a post on the first couple of pages, remember to fill in your list. Also remember that you can change your picks until the 28th.
(1) Baldur's Gate 2 (3 points). Really the whole series. Funnily enough I've never played either expansion to completion, but I have played vanilla BG2 so many times I'm literally sick to the back teeth with it. Which is a funny way of saying it's my favourite game ever. You know you're obsessed when you've installed all of the tactics mods, the game is on maximum difficulty and the computer AI is modded beyond demi-God level.
(2) Final Fantasy 7. Ah yes, I remember going to the store to pick this one up as a young 'un. Bred the best chocobos and everything. Timeless.
(3) Final Fantasy 10. Sucked me back in. From the opening piano theme to the voice acting, the FF magic is strong.
(4) Knights of the Old Republic. Dark Side ending FTW. Bastilla FTW.
(5) World of Warcraft (vanilla). Astonishing if you're willing to sacrifice fitness for purples. Which I was at the time.
(6) Chrono Trigger. Played it on DS for the first time. Puts most modern RPGs to shame with its characters and charm. And world and battle system. Everything really.
(7) Fallout 3. My first Bethesda game, and made me wish I'd played their earlier efforts. That said, I could not get into Skyrim as much; I prefer the post-apocalyptic landscape and storylines.
(8) Deus Ex (the original). LTTP again (2 years ago), and it's just as good as people say. Tons of items to pick up (like in Bethesda's games) and supports different play styles.
(9) Mass Effect 3. Again, really the series. Don't understand the hate for 3. So the ending was in the metaphysical domain; the journey there was gripping.
(10) Zelda A Link to the Past/Link's Awakening (can't distinguish between them). I prefer narrative driven games now I'm older, but these remain unsurpassed if you've never played them and want more action/puzzles and less story. Much better than 3D Zelda for me.
Honourable mentions (have played enough to know they're brilliant, but not completed):
(11) Planescape Torment - have started this countless times but never gotten far.
(12) Radiant Historia. Got pretty far and it was a fantastic homage to old-school JRPG's, but with better writing. Definitely on my list to restart.
(13) Final Fantasy VI. Playing for the first time ever right now (GBA version). Just have to be in the right mood for random battles. Surprisingly good so far and a billion miles from the wretched FFXIII.
(14) Tactics Ogre: Let us Cling Together. Keep meaning to play this (along with FFT: WoTL), but I can't sit down for long enough.
(15) Final Fantasy XII. Tried it again recently after getting about halfway through years ago, but I'm not feeling it. FFVI is drawing me in more.
Unranked honourable mentions:
Persona 4. Keep hearing how great this is.
KoTOR 2. Gonna start this sucker up on December 28th once the latest patch comes out from the Restored Content team. Part of me is put off because it's not considered as canon as the first game, but then I keep hearing about the amazing characterisation.
Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines. Going to start this eventually, given how much I LOVED Deus Ex and the Bethesda-style games.
Fallout 1 & 2. Must play these.
Secret of Mana (SNES). Halfway between Zelda and something deeper. Someone above asked why it's remembered less fondly than its contemporaries (Chrono Trigger and FFVI). While a fantastically vibrant game in its own right, SoM lacks the same depth of plot and characters.
Asheron's Call/Dark Age of Camelot. Seminal MMORPG's, both. Only reason they are unranked is because of the ephemeral nature of the MMO experience; playing these in their heyday was a large part of the charm.
Also, why the hell are some of you spoiling the endings of games (specifically, FFVI, which I *was* playing through until I read back through your posts). How about I detail the twist in Knights of the Old Republic for those of you who haven't played it? Thanks a bunch.
1. Deus Ex (3 points) (You how amazingly revolutionary a game is when you play it for the first time a decade after its release and it still manages to blow your mind. This game might not be the be all end all RPG ever releases, it certainly shines more in some aspects than in others, but still I rather take a work that is risky, flawed, but new and like nothing before than something that simply excels at all the conventions )
2. Planescape: Torment (Some say it has the best story ever written in a video game, and I agree. The fact that PS:T gets ways with having a main character that runs half naked through the entire narrative, and that can barely be customized with equipment or abilities, but nonetheless becomes someone unique for each player is testament of not only how engaging that writing must be, but also of how well crafted are the roles presented to us )
3. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (I said that I prefer risky decision to having a well rounded polished game, nonetheless, that does not mean that a this games are less excellent. KOTOR is in my eyes that games which excels in most fronts and still manages to surprise us. I'll take this will actually be Baldur's Gate II but sadly, I have never got past the beginning of that game,and of that I'm deeply ashame. But because of it, KOTOR becomes the most complete RPG I've played)
4. Final Fantasy VI I haven't played more than a few Final Fantasy games, and I specifically played this because of how is held in such high regard; and yes, it was everything I read it would be. There is really superb desing behind how the party and the narratives split up, that still makes it fresh to this day.)
5. Diablo II (This is hardly the same kind of rpg seen in my other entries, but damn it is good, and yet so simply. Click and kill, click and run, die, loot; you know it is amazingly adictive and yet so engrossing, even if played alone; this games has an atmosphere unmatched by other sprite games. )
6. Golden Sun: The Lost Age One thing I love of Japanese games is that they are incredibly visual. Golden sun is a game where you can choose not to read a word and still have a great time, specially since the puzzles in the dudgeons are so well made 4hat you can figure them out with your eyes only, and because the djinn and battle system are so good.
7. The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings (I actually like the sequel a little than the original, but this time I will give more for actually doing something much more risky and still find a balance between the best visual I ever saw, fun combat, customization, and an intricate story where the players choice is more important than the big scheme of things forced by the developers)
8. The Witcher (This is one of my favorite games ever made, and it is mostly because it blew my mind with its approach to difficult choices. In an era of black an whites I found it amazingly pleasing to see that I was having a hard time trying to convince myself not to kill someone because I felt it was right; and in other games I actually find it hard to kill guys when there is an option to spare lives. Here, however, lives meant consequences, and although more artificial than what it shows, the world felt real, and I wouldn't risk this world just to be seen as a good guy.)
9. Fallout 3 (I give props for translating it to 3D, mechanically I love it, and although others can do a better job in the other departments, kudos for the solid foundation)
10. Never Winter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer (This is down here because I have no finished it, but I already know that maybe only two other games here are better written. This such and improvement over NWN2, and don't get me wrong I really like that game, but this feels so fresh. There really should be more games where you start a very high level, it really is an unexplored realm to tell the stories of epic level characters, and MotB just does it so well I feel satisfied)
Honorable mentions
11. Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (dumb fun, great fun)
12. Mass Effect (story)
13. Deus Ex: Human Revolution (design)
14. Tales of Symphonia (gameplay/battle system)
15. Baten Kaitos (gameplay/battle system)
I was scratching my head at finding 10 great RPGs, but after looking at other people's list 15 slots is way too restricting for me. Planescape: Torment, NWN1 + expansions, NWN2: MotB, FFVI, Witcher 2, Diablo 2, Mass Effect 1. OMG I didn't even put Xenoblade on my list :S
1) Valkyria Chronicles - A satisfying strategy rpg with troop placement. Visit your camp to level up your troops and spend hard earned cash to upgrade their gear, firearms and tanks. Touching bonding moments with your squad with some hilarious sidequests. Underneath the main plot, a charming romance begins to bloom. Definitely underrated gem that hardly anyone played.
2) Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky - Haven't been moved like this when playing this game. It hit me like a ton of bricks. Cast is likable with a lot of comedic moments. SC2 can't come soon enough. Estelle is the polar opposite of Joshua and they play well off each other.
3) SMT: Persona 3 FES - Dungeon Crawling dating sims rpg. Limitations are that you can't control your party members directly, but through tactics. Pick your girl and have fun raising their social link to get the maximum benefit when fusing yours. It pays to make friends literally. Only thing it lacks is not enough bromance!
4) Dark Souls - After 400 hours and 4 builds, and currently working on a 5th. Addicting, fun, and no hands holding hell of a game. Pvp and co-op aspect keeps people coming back to help or hinder the poor unfortunate souls in human form.
5) Final Fantasy VI - Great story with no main characters. Each one gets their time to shine. Their leveling system allows even the brawnest of character to be a very adequate healer.
6) Diablo 2 - Be prepared to follow the dark wanderer from Tristram to the far east. Loot based Arpg with the same stat distribution from Diablo. Pvp is easy and mostly unwanted at the worst possible moments. Provides a lot of replay value and its the best iteration in the Diablo franchise hands down.
7) Elder Scrolls: Morrowind - Main plot is fantastic. Become the hero or villain that you always wanted to be. Nameless servant to become a legend or a tyrant.
8) Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines - It's like Deus Ex, but with supernatural powers, ghosts, vampire hunters, werewolves, and even people at the top fighting over power. Each vampire clan with their own strengths and different ways to complete the same mission. Who will you fight for at the end?
9) Wild Arms - Three characters with their own abilities. Partial to Jack because he can become a beast. His quickdraw is devastating when he learns them all. Rudy can carry his own once he upgrades all his ARMs. Cecilia ain't bad with her spells, buffs, debuffs and healing.
10) The Witcher - On a quest for revenge, Geralt is the perfect blank slate with a history he doesn't remember himself. Fortifying your current ability or learn new ones while mediating at any campfire. So many love interests. Gotta catch them all.
Honorable Mentions
11) Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions - Choice to customize your party is simply just amazing. The battles are the best part.
12) Chrono Trigger - Classic game with team attacks. Many different endings, a ton of replayability and choices for your favorite party.
13) Deus Ex Human Revolution - Love the banter between Jensen and Pritchard. Compelling story, ex-lover, and a pushy boss. What's not to love?
14) Fallout: New Vegas - Perks are now every other level. Being liked by a faction affects another one. Skill points are reduced per level as well. Everything that was broken in Fallout 3 was fixed in New Vegas. Builds actually matter this time. Who's up for a game of blackjack?
15) Nier - A well told story that actually tries something different. Environments are somewhat bland, but you can drift on a bull. The soundtrack is superb.
Will edit this list until the end. Harder than I thought just to narrow it down to only 15.
Chrono Cross - There's no better example for the importance of artistic design in bringing a world to life than Chrono Cross. Towns and dungeons are still beautiful and memorable despite dated graphics, and are accentuated by a soundtrack that I believe has never been surpassed by any other game.
Final Fantasy VII - If there's one game that encapsulates the beauty, emotion, and excitement of the Final Fantasy series, it's VII. The story is crafted well, teasing players with the gradual reveal of one of the most memorable arch-villains in gaming history. The game also served as many western players' first taste of JRPGs and created a fanbase so ravenous that other series were also able to gain a foothold. The materia system is wonderfully fun to experiment with and exploit, and plenty of side quests are provided for the players who wish to obtain the most powerful skill combinations.
Final Fantasy X - The PS2 was a golden age for JRPGs, and FFX was one of the games that ushered that in. It dared to break from the traditions established by the previous games, with battles being straight-up turn based rather than ATB. X's biggest strength, though, is its world. Spira feels alive and interconnected in a way that no other Final Fantasy game has managed.
Kingdom Hearts 2 - Building on the success of the first game, KH2 contains some seriously fun 3D hack-and-slash combat. The story begins to get a little convoluted here, but the Square Enix take on Disney's classics still winds up being a perplexingly great mix, with each world being uniquely memorable. How can Tron and Steamboat Willie possibly go together? Well, KH2 pulls it off.
Nier - Cavia's swan song, and what a song it is. Taking on the role of a father out to save his daughter, you embark on a journey that is in turns poignant, bleak, mysterious, and heartbreaking. Nier's world is actually rather small, but each location has a distinct feel to it, in no small part due to an absolutely phenomenal soundtrack. Multiple playthroughs are encouraged here in order to fully understand the forces at work.
Persona 4 - The description of the game sounds so pedestrian compared to other RPG greats: High school kids attempt to solve a murder mystery in a rural city. But by keeping the story's scope small, we're able to experience it entirely through interactions amongst the game's characters, and this where the game shines. By encouraging us to develop relationships with party members and NPCs, Persona 4 allows us to understand its cast and story without ever shoving them in our face.
Tales of the Abyss - The 3D combat system really excels here, building on Symphonia's system by adding more maneuverability and special skill-altering effects. The story relies on a fair few tropes, but ultimately tells a great tale of redemption and discovery of personal identity. Abyss stands out in the genre for growth of a main character during a game.
Tales of Vesperia - Perhaps the last great RPG we'll ever see with a classic-style overworld. Vesperia brings a nice cast of characters to the table, particularly a refreshingly decisive main character. The story falters toward the end of the game, but combat is still solid and the game provides a wealth of side quests.
Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht - If you're looking for a sci-fi JRPG, look no further than Xenosaga. It contains an immensely deep character growth system and turn-based battles with some great strategical elements added in. Its lengthy cutscenes can sometimes become confusing, especially when new terminology is thrown around as if players should already know it, but those who can keep up are rewarded with a fantastic space epic.
Xenosaga Episode III: Also sprach Zarathustra - Criminally underplayed due to being the third installment in a story-heavy trilogy, XS3 brings together the best battle system elements from the first and second games. A story and terminology glossary is a very welcome addition here, as the many forces and factions of the Xenosaga universe clash and bring the story to its conclusion.
Honorable Mentions: Diablo 2 - The ultimate loot-based hack-and-slash. Final Fantasy IV - The game where Final Fantasy hit its stride. Final Fantasy X-2 - The best Final Fantasy combat system. Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions - If you're looking to try out SRPGs, start here. Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep - Nailed KH gameplay on a portable. Addictive skill development system.
Unranked Honorable Mentions:
Final Fantasy VIII
Final Fantasy IX
Final Fantasy XIII
Final Fantasy XIII-2
Dark Cloud 2
Kingdom Hearts
Tales of Symphonia
Trails in the Sky
I have to split my post up. I was going to do banners with links to music from the game like I usually do but I don't have room at all.
I talked this over with kayos when this thread first went up, and I think I’m going to do this: rather than list out stuff that are my favourites, I’ll just pick 15 that I think would be nice to play.
Once again, I’m going to try very hard to limit it to one entry per series. I also used some of my descriptions from last year, so don't be surprised if you see some repeats.
1. Genso Suikoden II
It was going to make the list no matter what I decided to do. I like GS1 as a package, but it’s not the first game that I’d recommend to people trying to get into the series due to how I’ve seen other people react to its general structure and game design (as they may find it dated and not very enjoyable).
I’ve gone over why I love the import your save game from GS1 feature, and I’ve said why I love that particular character’s stats so much. Genso Suikoden II truly gave the player a sense that the history and canonical nature of the games mattered. While each tale was self-contained, playing other games in the series would have provided veteran players with extras. This was the first game where characters from the previous game’s cameos were expected and players looked forward to seeing how older characters developed. This began a tradition in the Suikoden series where cameo appearances were expected. Flik, Viktor and Apple are characters from the previous game who demonstrated minor immaturity, but in Genso Suikoden II, they’re more mature and battle-hardened, and are thus more able to take up the sword readily to get things done, no questions asked.
What I love about the GS games is that they’re fast and they have respect for the player’s time. The games’ combat aren’t exactly much to lavish praise over outside of combination attacks, rune spell effects, rune combinations, etc., but to GS2’s credit, it made a lot of those things lovely to watch, and thus they truly felt like they hurt whenever they were used. Combat is fast and efficient and you can get battles done within one or two rounds because the games aren’t that hard, and everyone executes their commands at the same time depending on their speed stats. You may now equip up to three runes on one character, and if the character is proficient with spellcasting, he or she may combine higher-level magic-based runes to create an enhanced combination attack with both.
GS2 also has probably the best castle and minigames in the series. The cooking minigame was wonderful in that it felt like a small story within a story, and it assisted the player in learning about the little things about his or her recruits (what kinds of food they liked). And the castle growth aspect was done rather remarkably in this game, which each new piece of the castle adding something that doesn’t seem crucial at first but ends up feeling crucial to the player in the long run. Everything you add to the castle matters, unlike some of the other castles in the series.
The narrative is what most people remember from this game—a narrative that includes subject matter such as implied rape, child soldiers (ie: children getting involved in what should be mainly adult affairs), social justice, war, tragedy, and politics. What’s great about the narrative is that the characters are so memorable and well-developed. Many characters are well-written, have good dialogue, and are memorable not just based on what they say, but their actions, their reactions (Pilika, in particular, as a character who experienced symptoms of psychological shock and PTSD, and her behaviour throughout the game until the halfway point is interesting to observe), and what happens to them throughout the narrative. Luca Blight is a character who needs no introduction because of his brutal war and killing tactics. His story is perhaps one of the most tragic of all the characters.
Genso Suikoden II also has my favourite large-scale battle type. It’s basically an SRPG system, and the more characters you have, the more units you are able to use (and the diversity of units increase as you rotate your units around). It’s unfortunate that this model was not used in other mainline Genso Suikoden titles, because this was perfect. The Genso Suikoden II fanmade homage/clone (“Exit Fate” introduces a ranking system, which probably should have been the next step in evolving the large-scale battles.
I think everyone should play it at least once, just for the multitude of things that it offers the player.
2. Chrono Trigger
I think Chrono Trigger is a beautiful game, and reading about how it was conceived right down to how the developers felt about it afterwards makes me feel like the game had a lot of thought and attention to detail added to it in order to make the player feel like it was truly the realization of the Dream Team’s… dream.
I can easily recommend Chrono Trigger to both new RPG players and veterans. The background art, by Yasuyuki Honne, is incredibly appealing because of its attention to detail and beautiful use of colour (something that will become recognizable in many Monolith Soft titles and Chrono Cross). The Toriyama art, is essentially an excuse for—and this is truly the case, actually—Sakaguchi and co. to play with the whimsical nature of Toriyama’s universe, with characters that stand out, and still look rather unique in terms of the colour palettes used for them, the designs, and the characters’ identities (ex: humans, robots, animals, etc). The spritework is detailed, the animations are so detailed and wonderful to watch in action. The Mitsuda/Uematsu/Matsueda soundtrack demonstrates so much compositional synergy, catchiness and beauty throughout. And the story is just utterly delightful and tragic at the same time. Everyone who worked on this game should be proud.
But the battle system is truly what shines in this game. Dubbed “ATB 2.0”, Hiroyuki Ito & co. amped up the familiar ATB system found in previous Final Fantasy games (starting with FFIV) and developed it into a system that takes into account party synergy, combo attacks, timing (helping make the speed stat being one of the most important stats in the game rather than sheer power), the importance of healing, both difficulty and ease, and enemy positioning for linear, group or single attacks. It’s a beautiful system. There is never any “right” or “wrong” party because each party member brings their own special abilities (everyone but Magus has a healing spell, for instance), and players can customize their parties for efficiency, favouritism, etc.
The beauty of Chrono Trigger truly lies in its accessibility to newcomers and veterans alike. People can play through it without any problems to get through the story, but veterans can play through it to amp up the difficulty to test themselves by using parties that aren’t tailored to speed (because truly, speed is an asset in any game that uses ATB to an extent).
3. Final Fantasy V
Final Fantasy is an incredibly prolific series of games. It’s very difficult to pinpoint which ones I think people should play, but out of FFX-2, FF9 and FF5, I picked FF5. I suspect that people who had played Final Fantasy III and then moved onto Final Fantasy IV may have felt frustrated by how limiting FF4 is to players. Final Fantasy III allowed players to customize their PCs’ jobs and to see whether or not certain combinations would lead to victory or would lead to your demise. In Final Fantasy IV, everything was chosen for you and there was very little flexibility for the player to make his or her decisions as to who he or she should add or subtract from the party.
Final Fantasy V brought customization and flexibility back to the player in a fun way. The player takes on the role of Buttz (Bartz, whatever), who gets pulled into a journey to save the world when he goes to inspect meteor crash site. You may now see ATB bars on the battle status screen and can clearly see how agility and support spells affect it. Final Fantasy V’s claim to fame is its job system. The GBA version is probably the most definitive version of the game, so its 26 jobs (22 in the SFC version) can allow the player to experiment with many combinations and permutations of the jobs in a battle party. Additionally, !skills from different jobs can be set as secondary commands when a player is using another job (so it adds another level of flexibility for the player). It’s incredibly fun to mix and match all of the skills and see what works for you in terms of either making the game very easy or making the game very hard depending on your playstyle.
FF5’s narrative may or may not be considered dry, but it certainly is rather funny, and that’s helped by the extra character animations that each character has (laugh animations, O_O animations, etc.). Its English script, if you play the GBA version is incredibly marvelous (we’re not going to talk about the PS1 translation here). FF5 also gave us the character Gilgamesh, who has become a series staple in a tongue-in-cheek way.
4. Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn
This game is probably my favourite game that Bioware developed. I don’t really know what happened down the road, but I feel like BG2 was Bioware’s best work. While Baldur’s Gate was pretty great, Baldur’s Gate II builds upon nearly every aspect of the original, making lots of improvements. It’s essentially D&D (and Bioware) at its best. It’s my favourite Infinity Engine game, and the music is fantastic.
When you do create or import your character, you may recruit a few characters to join your quest. This creates an interesting dynamic whereby you may get quests, friendship, a relationship, arguments, etc. depending on who you choose to join you. Your party isn’t just there for the sake of being there because they gain notoriety, which depends on what you do, and affects how NPCs react with you (so it doesn’t solely depend on your charisma stat).
The main quest of the game is lengthy (and it has an expansion! :O), and the narrative had great pacing and great elements attached to it. What I like a lot about this game is just how huge it is! There’re a ton of sidequests to do, the places you visit are quite varied and very well-designed, the character-writing in this game (ie: the people who give you sidequests) are very well-written, and the sidequests just flesh out the world even more. They’re optional, but to get the full experience of Amn, it’s advisable that you do them. The environments are also quite gorgeous and varied, and the models are well-animated. All-in-all, it’s just a very fun game with fun combat.
5. Planescape: Torment
Planescape: Torment isn’t exactly going to win many medals for its combat, but the narrative is its shining star. You are an immortal: The Nameless One, and in what may be considered as clichéd, you have amnesia and you can’t remember a single thing about who you are or what your past was like despite your body being covered in scars. You need to go across Sigil to rediscover who you are. One nice thing about playing as an immortal character is that death is not really an option because if you fall in battle it’s not a real inconvenience to you, and it isn’t hard to revive your party members.
Planescape: Torment, because its focus is on narrative over gameplay, is filled to the brim with dialogue. This allows the player to fully realize Sigil and realize how much depth there is to the game world. This is world-building at its finest because you’re learning from everyone in the game world as opposed to a massive menu-based textdump that some developers seem to really like adding to a game so they won’t have to adequately execute world-building. There’s everything to learn: Sigil, Blood War, your character’s past, etc. If you have higher stats in terms of intelligence and wisdom, you can learn even more (and that’s kind of beautiful in a game design sort of way). And while quests can be the lacklustre fetch quest/kill these variety, the quests also happen to immerse the player into the game even more.
Going back and reading some of the developer interviews, Planescape: Torment was created out of a desire to challenge other RPG norms (ex: number of races, certain enemies being strong, etc). They wanted to create a game that players could remember that didn’t bend to unwritten RPG rules. And I think they succeeded. While the combat isn’t anything spectacular, the world and the narrative are probably worthy of being judged as one of the best RPG narratives.
6. Shadow Hearts: Covenant
Shadow Hearts: Covenant is not my favourite game in that series. In fact, atmosphere-wise and musically, I prefer Shadow Hearts by far. Battle system-wise, I prefer From the New World by far. Shadow Hearts: Covenant is probably the most easily-accessible Shadow Hearts game with a decent narrative that won’t put new players off, and it includes the majority of battle additions that From the New World also employed.
Shadow Hearts: Covenant stars the previous game’s protagonist Yuri, and canonically takes place after one of the previous game’s endings. Depending on which ending you got in the previous game, it may or may not feel like a kick to the gut. Throughout Yuri’s second journey, he meets with a vast amount of historical figures and party members who give him the information he needs or who give him the biggest headaches in the world. A rather large focus is placed on the game’s new heroine, Karin, who falls in love with Yuri and desires to learn more about the past he refuses to let go.
The Judgement Ring battle system returns with many improvements. You may now attack enemies with different types of attacks (knock down, kick up, knock back, regular—this is incredibly strategic in that how you use attacks, it will affect the enemy depending on the enemy’s weight class), and you may also combine attacks with your other party members to deliver a devastating end-blow depending on which innate elements are contained in the attack (like before, each party member has an innate element). You may still customize the ring with Hit Area Expand and Strike Expand, and you may equip items that add status effects to your PC’s attacks.
Crest Magic was also introduced. You do not need to level up characters to learn new skills this time—equipping different Crests and combinations to Crests to allow them to cast certain spells and configure their spellsets. This allows for flexibility for the player, and if the player puts the Crests in the correct slot in the Solomon’s Key map, it will allow him or her to unlock the Crest’s full potential.
Thus, Covenant is a massive improvement gameplay-wise from the original, and it makes every effort it can to make newcomers to the series feel welcome. The narrative is interesting and full of comic relief at various turns, and it allows the player to visit alternate historical places in Europe and Asia with the ability to switch between continents. If you can get your hands on the Japanese Director’s Cut, go for it. It has new dungeons, new scenes, and new playable characters.
7. Ultima VII: The Black Gate
Ultima VII (with Exult) revolutionized and changed its interface and gameplay, and it was a marvel to be seen in 1992. It had a fully-voiced introduction by The Guardian, even if it seems rather dated now. But the reason why I’m recommending Ultima VII over Ultima VI is because of the interface change: it is no longer grid-based and the game takes up the entire screen as opposed to being confined in a small part of the screen framed by the UI. The new Gumps system allowed the player to see container contents on-screen, books, opening menus, etc. You may now interact with everything (well, almost everything). It also uses dialogue trees now, where you may pick dialogue options.
Additionally, the game changed to real-time combat (you may only pause when a menu’s open). Your party members are now AI-controlled (and you can pick the behavior that you want your AI to execute—honestly, think Tales when you’re thinking of Ultima VII’s AI if you’re not experienced with the series), and rather than micromanaging everything, you’re now macromanaging. This may or may not be a good thing depending on which cup of tea you like, but it’s really well-executed in this game. While you may steal and kill whenever you wish, if you do too much of it, your party members may leave or attack you. The only thing I can see people not liking is when the Avatar or his companions vomit when they see a corpse, or beg and plead to be fed otherwise they my die from thirst or hunger (FEED YOURSELVES). But it allows for free exploration throughout the land, and it feels much easier to do than previous installments because you may see more of the game screen now.
The story can be interesting in that the Avatar is no longer perceived as a deity to be worshipped as the world has come across a new religion, the Fellowship. A wonky religion, but one that does charity work. As you delve deeper into the game, you predictably realize that not everything is as it seems (in fact, you kind of know about that as you start up the game with the Guardian taunting you, but whatever), and it’s up to you to put a stop to it. It’s kind of interesting to go back and read some of the notes where parts of the game was inspired by Origin Systems’ conflict with EA, the Fellowship being inspired by Scientology, etc. Regardless, because of the streamlined changes to the Ultima games that U7 provided, I feel like it’s essential for many players to experience it at least once.
Also, never play Ultima IX. Ever. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200. Don’t bother with Ultima IX.
8. Persona 4 Golden)
I was looking at my list from last year and was wondering where the heck I put Persona 4 and then realized that I never voted for it. I guess I wasn’t in the mood to include it. Regardless, I picked up Persona 4: Golden this year and I ended up falling in love with Inaba and its residents all over again. The thing about Golden is that it’s so much better than the original Persona 4. You have added difficulty options, all of the environments are very clear and colourful, new Social Links, a fast-forward option, the works!
Persona 4 emphasizes bonds and friendship in a brighter light than the other Persona games, and the Social Link mechanic becomes something that feels less limiting than it did in Persona 3. In Persona 3 you kind of got a sense that you were using the people around you for the power that they’d give you, but in Persona 4, you genuinely feel like you’re forging deeper friendships with the people around you. You’re giving and receiving. And there are fewer chances to reverse social links now. Your character traits also play a role in how you respond to others or whether or not you may progress a social link. These after school experiences help tremendously in trying to immerse the player into the game’s world and, based on Persona 4’s fandom, I’d say that Atlus’s use of Social Links in P4 was successful. P4: Golden rewards the player for progressing links for your party members even further by offering new skills, allowing the players to reconfigure the skills if you choose to go out with them on the scooters, etc.
The One More battle gameplay is tweaked a little from Persona 3 in that you may now finally manually control your characters, and your characters no longer get tired so you may do dungeons in one day. Persona 4: Golden offers more chances for the inactive party members to help the party out, or for characters to perform a follow-up attack if an all-out attack doesn’t take everything out.
Persona 4: Golden and Persona 4 at least followed the “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” approach to game design, and while a few things could be better, Persona 4: Golden is the best, and most fun, version of Persona 4 out there. If you need a fun narrative or a game that just makes you feel good at the end, check P4 out.
9. Phantasy Star
I had a difficult time choosing one of them (mostly PS2) and debating whether or not I should put Online on this list somewhere due to how revolutionary it was. And then I realized that not everyone would like to play online game, and despite the narrative strides Phantasy Star II had made for its time, it may not be the best game to play in terms of interface and difficulty unless you’re playing the collection.
So what makes the original Phantasy Star for the SMS so worth it? I kind of have to take some of the stuff I said in the Phantasy Star Anniversary thread. Phantasy Star I was Sega’s first 4 Mb cart, due to its graphical prowess and how much stuff it had. For its time, its battle system and party join system was considered to be rather admirable. Characters had personalities, the dialogue cutscenes were gorgeous, battle backgrounds were immensely pretty, and dungeons were a visual feat. It was one of the first games to feature animated enemies during encounters. And obviously, Alis—next to the likes of Samus Aran of Metroid—was deemed as one of video games’s first female heroines whose push to get the plot rolling was out of a personal mission (in Alis’s case, it is borne out of revenge and becomes something much more than that—akin to the likes of social justice). She is therefore considered to be one of the better-written female protagonists.
Game designer Reiko Kodama had intended to do something different with Phantasy Star. She had wanted to create an RPG that starred a female protagonist, an RPG that had 3D dungeons, an RPG with intricate monster animation, and something completely different from the theme and setting of Dragon Quest.
Phantasy Star had an immense amount of colour, and its 3D dungeon traversal was quite a sight at the time because of how smooth it was. Perhaps something that might be detracting is its dungeon design and a need to draw out all of the maps, but outside of that, its presentation and general gameplay makes it worth a once-through.
10. Mother 3
Mother 3 is a perfect example of good storytelling in an RPG. When I played Mother 3, I was expecting Earthbound. I was not expecting such a profound tale of love, loss, capitalism, loss of rustic charm, and a ton of other themes this narrative included. The music was great, the battle system with the addition of the rhythm hits was fun, the characters and chapter divisions were well-planned, and the dialogue was wonderful (especially if you go back and look at all the dialogue throughout the chapters in Tazmily Village). In fact, I think Tazmily Village is kind of like Clock Town where I felt like the people were what made the town so great. I'm not sure if a lot of people did this, but if you go back to Tazmily after nearly every new chapter, the NPC dialogue changes. The development of the town and its citizens are really interesting to look at because of all of this. I really liked how well it was written, and it's one of towns I remember the most in any videogame I've played. The fan-translation was also well-done, imo. I loved its flavour.
And the rhythm-based battles were really cool, especially when playing on a GBA. Learning the underlying rhythms was one of my favourite parts of the game was well. Clearly, Mother 3 was a labour of love in terms of writing on Itoi’s part.
Honourable Mentions (aka: I ran out of space so the HMs are worth just as much as the ones above):
x. The Last Remnant
I think this is probably Square-Enix’s best console/PC games this generation, despite being rather flawed. I’ve only played the PC version, which benefits with turbo in battle, and a better framerate. You control Johnny Yong Bosch Rush Sykes who joins up with the army to find his sister. He gets caught in politics and a quest to find things called remnants. The game also has a rather lovely art direction, which is nice to see on PC.
My favourite aspect of TLR is its battle system. You aren’t just using one single party for your game, you’re hiring unions. You hire a leader and recruit people to fight with you in said unions. Each of your units have their own stats and skills (which level up with more uses). You end up having to issue commands for your unions during battle as if you were the army’s military strategist. Thus if you’re acting as the perfect military strategist, you must group your units in proper unions and proper formations for the utmost success. You’ll need to get a grip on enemy weaknesses and your unions’ strengths before venturing out to settle scores and beat harder enemies up.
If you do feel like experiencing The Last Remnant, go for the PC version. The improvements are well-worth it.
x. Tales of Destiny Remake Director’s Cut
I had to pick one Tales game. I was very close to picking Tales of Graces f until I realized that considering how much dissatisfaction everyone had with the narrative, why would new players think otherwise? Thus, I’ve decided to go with Tales of Destiny: Director’s Cut. I don’t think it’s much of a secret that I go to Tales games for the battle systems and not the story. This isn’t any different either. I feel as though people might enjoy the characters and story better, at least. And this version has an “Another Side, Another Story” part of it, so people might dig that, and it introduced the Second difficulty setting (moderate).
Tales of Destiny: Director’s Cut features the AR-LMBS, which prioritizes aerial comboing, and it now has CC (which was featured in Tales of Graces for those unfamiliar with the concept). This meant that TP restrictions were gone, and the players could also call the sky their battlefield. This allowed players to surprise enemies on the ground with aerials or fight enemies in the air head-on. Spells may also be altered while in the air during a combo. Narikiri dolls were also added to this release (taken from the original Narikiri Dungeon), which allowed players to transform characters into another character (so everyone could be Stahn!).
ToD:R is probably one of the best Tales games in the series, and the best version of Destiny. The DC also adds a few things that make it worth finding.
x. Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride
The generational narrative is truly what pulls me into the game (ie: especially the bit where the main character is turned into a statue and cannot watch his children grow up; it’s quite emotional). You can also choose who the main character marries, but this doesn’t impact the main narrative too much—combat, yes, some narrative elements, yes. What’s wonderful about this narrative is that it’s a tale about family, and the meaning of family unity. It’s a very nice piece. Dragon Quest V also introduced the monster recruiting system, and players are able to get spells earlier (if they put enough work into it) than their normal characters would. It’s pretty cool and fleshed-out quite well.
x. Anachronox
Anachronox is a WRPG from 2001 which plays a lot like Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy, but it focuses a lot on cyberpunk styles and film noir. You are Sly Boots, a PI who’s looking for work in Anachronox’s slums. As he goes to other planets, he investigates a mystery which will affect everyone in the universe. Unfortunately, the game ends on a cliffhanger, and as much as the developer wanted to make a sequel, it never happened since the developer shuttered a few months after the game’s release.
As I mentioned, it plays a lot like FF(7). You have a party of three characters, and you explore a cyberpunk world, futuristic cities, other planets, etc. Each of your playable characters have certain skills they can use for puzzles, and there are several minigames that the player can experience. There are no enemy encounters, and the battle system includes a variant of ATB: the meter fills up and when it’s filled, you can finally act. You can physically attack, use magic, use BattleSkill attacks, move to different positions, etc. Attacks eat up HP, and magic attacks need, well, MP, basically. In terms of magic, 8 colours exist which represent different elements.
Despite its development issues, Anachronox is a perfectly serviceable WRPG with some FF trappings. The systems in place in the game and some of the minigames are fun, and the game has its own brand of humour which was refreshing.
x. Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria
In Valkyrie Profile 2, players are met with an interesting protagonist: the dual protagonist known as Alicia/Silmeria. Both characters are trapped in the same body, and Silmeria was placed in the Princess of Dipan Alicia’s body for disobeying Odin. Thus, Alicia’s body was one that harboured two souls, making her seem possessed or mad.
But Valkyrie Profile 2 is known more for its gameplay. At least I’d like to think so. Combat takes place on a 3D battlefield and utilizes the ATC system (Advanced Tactical Combination). You use up Action Points every time you attack or dash, and you regain them by killing enemies, moving around, or getting hit. You may use four characters in your battle party, and you can also get einherjar to fight for you. You can slash at enemies on the dungeon screen for an instant 100 AP (so, think Persona’s pre-emptive battles).
You may elect to kill the enemy leader to end the battle quicker, and you may attack enemies when you’re in their range, so the system ends up being rather tactical. The system is similar to the first game’s. Each party member is designated a face button. You can hit the character’s button and their attacks will be carried out in order. Stringing things together will increase your Heat Gauge, and when your Heat Gauge is at 100%, you can execute a Soul Crush (this is a limit break kinda). Soul Crushes have the potential to fill Heat Gauges up again which allow you to execute yet another Soul Crush.
When you do attack enemies you can attack certain parts of them and damage them. After breaking off a body part, you can enter Break Mode, which allows you to string together attacks with no AP cost to you. Monster parts can be used as accessories or for crafting stuff.
Tactically combining your attacks rather than button mashing your way through is one of the reasons why I like VP2 a lot. It has a lot of depth, and you can end fights quicker if you feel like just netting XP.
Unranked Mention: The Soul Blazer Trilogy
If I wanted to talk about a series of games that helped to force me in a direction of falling in love with research and learning about everything I could, the Soul Blazer Trilogy would be almost at the top of that list. Soul Blazer, even if it did not have a lot of real-world connections, was just the beginning as it at least showed the player that there are different types of geographical landscapes. Illusion of Gaia left a huge impression on me when I was a kid—I became interested in world structures, the Seven Wonders, tectonic plate functioning, geography, historical geography (actually, Chrono Trigger sort of set that in motion), world history, etc. I borrowed a ton of books from the library that I couldn’t even fully comprehend because I was eight and tried to read them to learn more and more about the world around me. I didn’t play Terranigma until I was a teenager, but when I did, I was incredibly impressed with how much thought went into recreating many real-world areas in terms of geography or historically-speaking. Rather than merely learning about the world’s geography and history as I revived the world and built the towns, I applied the knowledge that I got as a result of research post-Illusion of Gaia and stuff I learned as I grew up. And I kind of think that applying the knowledge that you have of the real-world to the semi-fictional world that Quintet constructed was rather remarkable.
And even then, while playing Terranigma, you aren’t merely drawn to geography and history. Quintet added another layer on top of that: ethics and culture. Every town in Terranigma has its own culture and you experience that. You experience democracy after a monarchy. You experience different cultures expressing themselves differently in each town you go to and every time you level up the town. With respect to ethics and being respectful to other lifeforms on the planet, I can’t help but to feel like Terranigma pulled on my heartstrings when certain beings I met in the past became enslaved in the future (and I had to pick up the pieces even if it were an ethical dilemma). Even the climax of the game was something that was sort of like a dilemma where the result was something that you couldn’t even stop no matter how much you disagreed with it. I love Terranigma. It’s not wrapped up in combat intricacies, but I love that game to death because of its narrative, its thematic elements, and how it used real-world geography in wonderful ways.
So… if anyone wanted to say that video games never taught me anything, I have to disagree. At the very least games gave me a basis for learning and that’s why I loved playing RPGs so much.
…I miss Quintet. So much.
Unranked Mention: The Arc the Lad Trilogy
These are the set of games that I have to credit with pushing me into the TRPG genre, not FFT. I remember saving up for months just so I could get my hands on a copy because I thought the packaging looked so awesome. I knew these games had to be special. I’m mostly putting this here for Arc the Lad II, but I wanted to add Arc I because it’s very short and you should have a completed save file (like, complete with the optional dungeon done so you can get full enjoyment from Arc II, your characters’ levels and skills imported, and you get an extra character and sidequest. Arc I is blander and easier than Arc II, but the ending was good and sets up Arc II very nicely.
Arc II is the pinnacle of the three Arc games included in the collection, and it's much longer (and I guess that's why they adapted it for an anime but made some very huge changes to the story). There's a TON of stuff to do in Arc II, and I guess that's part of the reason why I found it so enjoyable. There's monster capturing/rearing/evolving, guild sidequests (and they are a ton of fun, imo), a sidequest to obtain an extra character, sidequests/sidedungeons to get a character's powerups and armours, and a bunch of other stuff. It also links up with Arc Arena, but it isn’t necessary to play Arc Arena.
Battle system works like a lot of SRPGs, but I found it very approachable. Everything operates on a 2D plane, and every character has his/her own MOV stat that determines how far along on the battlefield they can go. Each character has his/her own unique moveset and unique weapons style/proficiency (so you can have characters level up how proficient they are with certain weapons so they make lots of hits/are more accurate), so everyone, imo, is fun to play around with. I didn't stick to one particular party half the time (and you kind of can't, since sometimes the party is separated in Arc II). Turn order, as usual, is determined by speed. Magic is super-fun to use too. There is a difficulty spike in Arc II. Probably multiple, so watch out for that and keep restorative items on-hand at all times.
And the music is excellent. A lot of it's done by the leader of T-Square (Masahiro Ando). Take a listen to the Arc I arrange album. It's very reminiscent of T-Square's stuff... and it's the only place to listen to Arc I's ending theme.
The only thing I really really don't like about Arc II is that the inventory is limited. What happens is if you transfer your Arc I save to your Arc II game, you get a bunch of your old inventory back in Arc II, but the problem is that you might not have enough space to put it all in! Meaning: you've gotta ditch some stuff. It sucks.
Arc III isn’t that special to me; I don’t really like how it looks, and I don’t really like some of the characters, but it’s perfectly serviceable in terms of a TRPG sort of affair. It has decent design and a good optional dungeon. The Hunter’s Guild is more of a crucial mechanic than it was in the previous game, and you get more rewards for doing more jobs than you previously did. Sidequest strings actually matter and the end result and payoffs for them are very nicely executed. You may also get an additional character if you choose to do so.
Lots of other stuff I wanted to include: Ys: Origin, Skies of Arcadia, Grandia, Diablo II, Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu, Growlanser IV, Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter, Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne, Paper Mario: TTYD, probably a ton of other stuff I can’t remember right now but they’re sitting in a pile in my room or in a box in my closet, etc. Edit Oh crap I totally forgot Rudra no Hihou. List ruined.
Why no Deus Ex game? Because 3D first-person and I don’t go well together so I’ve never played one. Even seeing footage makes me incredibly nauseous.
I still have to play Alpha Protocol and Sora no Kiseki: The 3rd, which I’ve put at the top of my backlog pile.
1) Paper Mario - My favorite game of all time.
2) Persona 4 - The most addictive JRPG I've ever played and everything about this game is well done ranging from the soundtrack to the art design to the gameplay.
3) Chrono Trigger - The classic JRPG. My favorite SNES game.
4) Pokemon Heart Gold/Soul Silver - Remakes of the best Pokemon games ever, Gold and Silver. It had everything that was great about the old games and tweaked the game to pure perfection.
5) Mass Effect 2 - Even though ME2 took away many of the RPG elements from ME1, the game has great gameplay, awesome sound design, great voice acting, and an intriguing character driven story.
6) Xenoblade Chronicles - Probably the best JRPG this generation on consoles.
7) Mother 3 - a Japan only relase, but has been given a 100% translation patch and the fans made a professional Player's Guide. There's a reason this game has so much fan service.
8) The World Ends With You - Great soundtrack and a very interesting combat system.
9) Tales of Symphonia - My favorite in the Tales series and is as good as JRPGs with real time combat get.
10) Final Fantasy X - My favorite game in the Final Fantasy series, which is one of the most (if not the most) respected JRPG series ever.
I was scratching my head at finding 10 great RPGs, but after looking at other people's list 15 slots is way too restricting for me. Planescape: Torment, NWN1 + expansions, NWN2: MotB, FFVI, Witcher 2, Diablo 2, Mass Effect 1. OMG I didn't even put Xenoblade on my list :S
Ya, I could have easily posted a Top 25 and still would have been forced to leave some favourites out. Still, I think 10 + 5 Honorable Mentions is a good amount.
Less than 2 days to get your votes in now. Thanks to the 174 people who have contributed to date.
I disagree too but meh... if it was any more it'd be killer. It's nice to see everyone's lists coming together though. Your posts/list is a mega monster. I thought I wrote a decent amount but you topped it. Time to start working on next years list so I can beat it! BUWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
That's why I never participate in this thread.
I enjoy reading it, but coming up with a top list of just 10+5 games is far more personal anguish than it's worth.
That's why I never participate in this thread.
I enjoy reading it, but coming up with a top list of just 10+5 games is far more personal anguish than it's worth.
I usually go with games that I think people should try. This changes from year to year. I left out many games that could have been on the list, but those would be personal favourites and might not have been great choices for an "essential rpgs list".
That's why I never participate in this thread.
I enjoy reading it, but coming up with a top list of just 10+5 games is far more personal anguish than it's worth.
Yeah, now I'm starting to remember stuff I should have included. Even coming up with stuff I think others should play is really hard. I can only imagine what it's like for you since you've played way more stuff than I have, making selection extra hard.
That's why I never participate in this thread.
I enjoy reading it, but coming up with a top list of just 10+5 games is far more personal anguish than it's worth.
You probably wouldn't be satisfied with a top 50 though
I like 10+5 for list parity reasons. Only around half the participants bothered to post honorable mentions, and several people didn't even name 10 games. Increasing the cap beyond 15 would be a welcome change for people like Durante or Dark Schala, but we would get a drop off in the number of people posting full lists. This would bias the results towards a handful of fans who have played hundreds of games (and care enough about the thread to bother naming more than 10 of them).
Like Labadal mentioned, I usually pick games that I think are worth playing, or could use more exposure/inclusion on the final list. If I was posting my personal top 10/15, my list would look really different.
I couldn't even list all of the RPGs I played so my list is partially crap. My google doc is filled with only a handful ive played. Though despite my currently remembered list is short I had a hard time choosing 10 games. Ugh.
1)Final Fantasy X- The pinnacle of the series for me. Engaging storyline full of emotion and mystery. A really good turn-based battle system that forces you to use all of your characters, and also think ahead. Also has the best use of summons in the series. Most importantly it just feels like a real adventure. Exploring Spira from beginning to end is one of the most memorable journeys I have had in gaming. Playing through it on PCSX2 is giving me my HD fix early. It looks so good!
2)Chrono Trigger- I consider this to be essential reading for anyone interested in JRPGs. I love the characters and story. The battle system still feels fresh and exciting. Not having random encounters, and having them be avoidable on the map is nice as well. It is also very short, which means it never overstays it's welcome. Perfect JRPG? Perhaps.
3)Dark Souls- Exploring Lordran is one of the most atmospheric experiences in an RPG. Although there were moments where I became frustrated and wanted to quit, I was always able to overcome. The moments where everything ended up working out gave satisfaction that games rarely do. The exhilaration felt after clearing the Anor Londo archers. Wow!
4)Final Fantasy XII- One of the most well-crafted worlds in any media I have seen. The amount of love put into architecture, clothing, monsters, places, etc is second to none. The amount of stuff to find in this game is astounding. If I had one game only for the rest of my life, this wouldn't be a bad choice.
5)Soul Blazer- This little SNES action RPG by Quintet is certainly one of the best. The gameplay is very precise and has a nice simplicity to it. In the game you get to kill monsters in dungeons to resurrect townspeople and buildings. At first you start with an empty lot, but after freeing more souls of villagers you end up with a thriving community. The visuals are nice, and the soundtrack is one of my favorites. It had two sequels, but I think this game is better than the both of them. Best of all, you can clear it in an afternoon.
6)Ys: Oath in Felghana- Essentially a perfect action RPG. This remake of Ys III takes the basic elements of the mediocre original and turns into one of the best action RPGs ever. Quite short, sweet, and damn near perfect. It is also a game that is very easy to replay because of it's short length.
7)Xenogears- Playing through this recently I still think it has one of the greatest stories every told in gaming. If you want a JRPG that really goes places and does amazing things, this is it. Many of the events and plot twists are forever ingrained in my mind.
8)Phantasy Star 2- My first JRPG, and also one that I think is an essential. It isn't a very fair game. In fact, for many people it would be outright brutal. But there is something that is still great about the sci-fi world presented in this game. It has that 80's anime look that I miss so very much today. The ending it also quite memorable and surprising.
9) King's Field IV: The Ancient City- Like From's Dark Soul's this game drops you somewhere with no real instructions of where to go. The sense of exploration in this game is fantastic and very organic. Souls fan's owe it to themselves to play this game.
10) Breath of Fire 3- What a charming adventure. I loved all the characters and felt like by the end I had been on the greatest journey ever. The schmaltzy elevator music and plastic toy-looking monsters and people really add to the charm. It also has some surprisingly dark elements as well. When I think of Breath of Fire, 3 is the first thing that comes to mind.
1)Seiken Densetsu 3 (Super Famicom) - I played through this over six times (once with each character) - more than I have with any other RPG. Loved everything about it. It's just plain magical.
2)Secret of Mana (SNES) - This game has my favorite soundtrack of any RPG. Also a very magical world and the gameplay is still fun today.
3)Lunar (Sega CD) - I will always prefer the original Sega CD version. The soundtrack, the sharp 16 bit graphics, the pacing. The later remakes just don't quite match up.
4)Tengai Makyou 4: The Apocalypse (PSP) - One of the most entertaining stories in any RPG, with great characters and a fun quest. A truly under-appreciated gem.
5)Grandia (Saturn) - True to its name, this game is quite grand. I love the sense of adventure it gives the player. The sequels never really captured that again.
6)Bravely Default (3DS) - This has one of the best scripts in any RPG I've played. Wonderful music, wonderful graphics, a wonderful story. Sure to be a classic in the years to come.
7)Dragon Quest VIII (PS2) - Such an expansive world. The best graphics and gameplay in any DQ to date. No complaints.
8)Criminal Girls (PSP) - I really loved this game, there's nothing else quite like it. The battle system remains one of my favorites in any RPG. I hope they make a sequel for the Vita.
9)Tengai Makyou Ziria (Xbox 360) - The X360 remake of the original PC Engine game from 1989, while plagued by some crude 3D character models, is actually quite a fantastic game if you give it a chance. It has real charm, unlike so many other cookie-cutter RPGs.
10)Lost Odyssey (X360) - The best of the original console RPGs of this generation (Blue Dragon is a close second). What Final Fantasy should be today.
Honorable mentions:
11)Dragon Quest V (DS) - Pure fun. A nice blend of the best of old and new DQ.
12)Blue Dragon (X360) - While the characters are a bit generic, the game world is lovely and the epic scale of everything is impressive. It is also a well-paced quest with lots of fun along the way. Hate the battle music, though.
13)Magic Knight Rayearth (Saturn) - One of the best action RPGs ever. Simple perfection.
14)Ys Seven (PSP) - Still my favorite Ys game, even after playing Ys Celeta (Vita).
15)Tales of Rebirth (PS2) - my favorite Tales game, actually the only one I really loved from start to finish.
I couldn't even list all of the RPGs I played so my list is partially crap. My google doc is filled with only a handful ive played. Though despite my currently remembered list is short I had a hard time choosing 10 games. Ugh.
I'm still trying to determine exactly which games will and won't make my list this year, but I just want to applaud Dark Schala for the excellent list you posted. Not only does it feature a number of games that will make my own final list, but your balanced consideration of WRPGs and JRPGs over such an extensive temporal scope paired with thorough descriptions/justifications really made me glad I read through this thread every year.
This would bias the results towards a handful of fans who have played hundreds of games (and care enough about the thread to bother naming more than 10 of them).
I think this would result in a more interesting list to read. Annualized threads means I've got a pretty good handle at this point on aggregate GAF RPG taste; if participation's dwindling each year despite expanding GAF membership, might as well mix it up next year! I personally get a lot more out of reading super hardcore knowledgeable ballots with neat little insights, but I know that's not what you're really trying to go for with this thread series so it's all good.
I do wish more people would just highlight 10 interesting RPGs rather than fretting so much about narrowing down their personal favorites. I feel like there are cool 8 bit RPGs that are probably completely overlooked. There's a late Super Famicom RPG called Arabian Nights I'd never heard of before today that just had a fan translation released. Even the classics deserve new write ups from people with interesting things to day, the other day someone pointed out that the sprites for Kefka, Terra and magicite shards use the same coloring and base, that's pretty cool! I think if people were encouraged to post in more interesting ways instead of providing broad general purpose recommendations that these threads would be more fun to read, but again, I know that's not what you're going for so I'll quit whining heh.
For me, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is the game that has it all. The combat system: intuitive and surprisingly deep. The writing: wonderful and witty. The environments: varied and memorable. The music: loads of fun. The pacing: superb. The visual style: timeless. With the exception of a brief bit of backtracking towards the end of the game (and really, the warp pipe shortcuts almost make it a non-issue), I can't think of a single aspect of this game that I'm not completely in love with.
The best representation of the spirit of TTYD is the theater motif that frames its combat. Whenever you are fighting in this game, you are putting on a show. Well timed attacks (which spawn colorful bursts of adjectives like "STYLISH!") pump the crowd up and get the people jumping while a string of unimpressive turns will turn the audience against you, prompting people to hurl trash and other hazards at you. This also provides excellent visual feedback for everything you do and truly helps to make major fights feel like genuine spectacles. And yeah, getting to preemptively smack an audience member that's about to throw something at you, prompting them to squeal in pain and then scurry off the screen? Awesome.
Fighting isn't all that you do in this game, though. As I mentioned earlier, this game is very well paced, never allowing you to lapse into boredom and frequently whisking you away to something completely different. In one chapter, you work your way through an elaborate arena in the sky, bouncing between different locker rooms and the pit while advancing in rank. In another chapter, Mario is thwarted by an impostor and has to fight his friends to reclaim his own body. Later on, you get to investigate the mysterious events that take place during a train ride. Within the chapters themselves, combat is balanced out by great dialogue, exploration, and environmental traversal that utilizes Mario's various paper transformations and his partners' abilities.
And these are just the "Mario" sections; the game also gives Peach and Bowser substantial screen time, and their interludes serve as delightful palette cleansers. Eschewing combat altogether, their side stories flesh out the plot and allow the developers to go down some even more bizarre tangents. Playing through those sections makes me desperately crave a full-blown Bowser platformer.
This isn't to say that spending time with the game's combat system isn't enjoyable. In fact, I would argue that TTYD's mechanics are the best representation of a "streamlined" experience in that it makes the game highly approachable while still giving the player meaningful options and rewarding skillful play with its timing mechanics. It wasn't easy, but I played through this entire game without ever upgrading Mario's health, and that run served to highlight all of the different ways that you can approach a fight. You can use your partners to shield you, you can make appeals to the crowd to charge up your flashiest movies, you can apply useful buffs or debuffs, you can throw out powerful items (from your purposefully limited inventory), or you could go all out on the offensive. The badge system that provides you with special moves and attributes is brilliant, and the badges themselves also happen to be fun items to hunt down.
Man... I could rave about this game forever. Don't just take my word for it, though. If you've missed out on this gem, I implore you to find a copy and give it a shot.
Final Fantasy Tactics
Final Fantasy Tactics is the game that I've replayed more than anything else on this list. Tinkering with individual characters' job assignments, skill loadouts and equipment is endlessly entertaining, as is piecing together flexible and powerful teams. The game's central campaign is also a pleasure to revisit, as its dense and layered story successfully balances distinct character arcs with weightier themes like politics and religion in a way that few games even attempt to do.
Central to the game experience is the job system, and its implementation of it is masterful, making grinding feel rewarding and purposeful. The combined incentives of standard experience points and job points bake clear progression into nearly every action that your characters take. One job quickly bleeds into the next job as the game showers every character with a wide variety skills to mix and match, giving you the freedom to approach encounters however you want. Hell, I have fun with it even when it's broken. Nothing makes me cackle with glee quite like eliminating every enemy at once with an absurd volley of Holy spells from a Calculator.
I'm going to be mentioning music frequently throughout my submission, but with games like this on this list, how could I not? *This* is a standard battle theme in this game! Simply put, the score is sweeping and majestic.
World of Warcraft
There is no way that I could write a list like this without discussing World of Warcraft. For better or worse, this game occupied the majority of my gaming time for several years, and I greatly enjoyed most of my time with it. The combination of the game's social hooks and the daunting scale of its world made for an experience that was unlike anything else for me. It was my first and (at least up to this point) only MMORPG.
Others have described World of Warcraft as being akin to an amusement park, and I find that to be a perfectly apt description. Azeroth contains a dizzying array of environments that reminds one of a platforming game on steroids. There are haunted forests, rustic mountain ranges, beaches, subterranean regions, rolling plains, volcanoes, pirate coves, desserts, snowy tundras, steamy jungles, ancient ruins, decrepit crypts, magical kingdoms and gladiatorial arenas. I remember seriously freaking out some of my friends in high school by showing them the in-game map and gradually pulling out from the zone level view to a view of the entire world. The music greatly added to the sense of immersion, with Wrath of the Lich King's soundtrack being one of my favorite from this generation.
Blizzard's storytelling and quest design, while admittedly hit or miss, brought these zones to life with memorable characters and questlines. If I were to say "Van Cleef," most of the people reading this would instantly recall The Deadmines and the series of events leading up to it. Comic relief and pop culture references coexist with more serious plot threads, including the use of chemical weapons and political infighting in Wrath of the Lich King. The ongoing conflict between the two central factions made for a lot of interesting scenarios and provided a compelling reason to play around with multiple characters.
The icon clicking combat was the weakest part of the game for me, but it was enough to keep me going while playing alone and it really shined in group settings that placed greater demands on you. Anyone that has "raided" before will tell you that boss encounters can be very elaborate and challenging, requiring clear communication between players to overcome. As with any other MMO, it's not like you're actually fighting all of the time, anyways. Delving into the auction house, crafting professions, guild politics and any other of the game's time sinks can make for a worthwhile diversion.
I'm not coming back to World of Warcraft, but I remain very interested in whatever MMO Blizzard is working on next.
Fallout 3
Fallout 3 completely sold me on its setting. The vast expanses of scrap metal, scarred plains and effulgent waste contain fascinating pockets of humanity at its weirdest that are a delight to uncover. Disregarding my quest log and wandering off to uncharted territories to the feeble sound of my static-y radio was liberating. Outside of the main story quests, Fallout 3 is the type of game that everybody experiences differently.
In that sense, talking about time spent with Fallout 3 is akin to rattling off a bunch of personal anecdotes. "Just the other day, I ran into the strangest thing. A bunch of people living in some ramshackle compound pulled me aside to extol the virtures of some guy named Dave. As it turns out, this Dave considers himself a sovereign authority, with this compound representing 'The Republic of Dave.' I knew that he was off his rocker, so I rigged an election against him and pilfered the contents of his safe."
Fallout 3 wouldn't be nearly as fun as it is if it didn't provide you with the ability to advance through the game using very different skill sets. In some cases, the way that quests can branch are rather plain (pick a lock or hack a computer terminal... eh), but most of the time, I was rewarded for investing in the skills and perks that I had in clever ways. You can talk your way out of several critical fights, and even some entire missions, for example. In more specific circumstances, other skills like Repair and Explosives can provide branches of their own. This isn't the only game to do this, of course, but it does it well.
The real-time combat is outrageously clunky, but luckily, V.A.T.S. allows you to circumvent that. If you're facing a single enemy, it allows you to unload a salvo of attacks on it that will likely take it out all at once. If you're facing multiple enemies, you can strategically cripple them and buy yourself time to either hide while V.A.T.S. recharges or finish them off manually. The slow motion effects combine with the goofy animations to create fights that are hilarious to watch unfold.
As a small bonus, Fallout 3 received several worthwhile pieces of downloadable content after its initial release, which expanded the lifespan of the game considerably. It's a shame that the majority of downloadable content comes across as cheap cash grabs, because RPGs seem well suited for it.
Mass Effect 2
Strangely, given the fact that this was NeoGAF's game of the year in 2010, this will probably be the most controversial inclusion on my list. The abandonment of several RPG mainstays from the first game, including an inventory system and some of the character progression options, frustrated many fans and soured them on the franchise. Personally speaking, I welcomed the removal of that baggage. Mass Effect 2 benefits greatly from its tight focus on action, dialogue and characters.
Although Mass Effect 2's gunplay is not as tight or polished as any given Gears of War or Call of Duty title, I find it it to be immensely more enjoyable. Managing your crewmates, ammo types and biotic powers gives you a lot more to do in fights beyond sitting behind cover and lining up head shot after head shot. I want to specifically highlight the Vanguard class and its devastating charge ability as something that provided a unique and rollicking way to barrel through the battlefield.
Where Mass Effect 2 really excels, however, is in its character work. The loyalty missions provide a clever excuse to spend time with the game's extensive supporting cast, and the best of those characters are some of the best in any game. Mordin Solus is far and away my favorite, with his rapid fire style of speech and imposing intellect. His personal struggle with his past work on the genophage is the focus of his loyalty mission and it presents the player with a fascinating moral dilemma. There are plenty of other noteworthy character moments in this game, including Joker and EDI trading barbs, finding out what Garrus has been up to and just about everything with Legion. The more episodic approach to storytelling that the game adopts may dilute the impact of the main plot, but it makes for a better experience overall.
The game's secret weapon is its sense of humor. Wandering around the hub areas allows you to stumble into a bevy of little advertisements and conversations that add little nuggets of knowledge to Mass Effect's already incredible sense of place, and many of them are genuinely funny. Look at Blasto, the first Hanar spectre. How about the Elcor cast that performs Hamlet? If you don't care about spoilers, I recommend sitting back and enjoying this montage of "jerk Shephard."
"I've had enough of your disingenuous assertions!" (Shepard punches the reporter)
Xenoblade Chronicles
A progression combination of old and new, this game marries the things that I have always enjoyed about RPGs with welcome modern advancements. It has a gorgeous, unique and interconnected world andfast travel. If presents you with many challenging battles, but it also allows you to save anywhere and to instantly respawn at a nearby checkpoint when you fall. The plot is epic in scope and there are dozens of characters with their own side stories and relationships, but there is also a clever social hierarchy chart and a journal to help you keep track of it all. Traditional loot is bolstered by an MMO-style socketing system. The game even has an achievement system, and it's on the Wii.
This thoughtful approach to game design permeates throughout everything you do. When you feel the impulse to run off into the distance and take in an impressive vista, go for it; the game will expect you to do that and will be ready to reward you with a huge chunk of experience points. If you happen to stumble into a bunch of collectables while exploring, you can have them ready for a quest giver before you even talk to him or her. When a group of colonists decide to rebuild their community from scratch, you can take an active role in reviving the local economy and bringing in new members. With the sole exception of some slapdash sidequests, everything here feels like it has a purpose and like it logically feeds back into the rest of the game.
The combat also takes some cues from modern games, with fights taking place in real time and placing an emphasis on character positioning and aggro control. You can get through the game with the standard tank/healer/damage dealer trifecta, but I had a lot of fun controlling different party members and pursuing more creative setups. The skill trees, the abilities that are shared between characters (tied to your characters' relationships) and the gems give you the ability to specialize characters in strikingly different ways. By the end of the game, I had
Fiora
acting as a high damage evasion tank while getting the bulk of my healing through life stealing techniques.
Oh, and the music. If you have somehow avoided the game's soundtrack so far, you should go listen to it. I'm comfortable with calling Mechnois Field my favorite dungeon song, period.
Chrono Trigger
What else is left to say about this game? It remains as relevant today as it was when it was first released 17 years ago, and I know this because I played it for the first time only a year ago and I still had a great time The music is some of gaming's best, the battles are fast and fun and there is nothing about the story that feels bloated or unnecessary. The closest thing that I have to a complaint is that I find Crono to be an uninteresting lead character, which lessens the impact of
his death
.
The World Ends With You
The World Ends With You is easily my favorite Square Enix game from the last decade. The setting alone was immediately refreshing to me, providing a modern and recognizable backdrop for a genre that normally only offers different flavors of fantasy and sci-fi. Another hook was the novel dual screen combat, which really clicked with me and made encounters feel frantic and fun. Subverting my expectations, I even grew to appreciate Nomura's outlandish designs (fashion is directly tied to character progression!) and the angst-ridden lead character (his initial crappiness was intentional, leading to believable character development!).
I dearly wish that other games would take some hints from The World Ends With You when it comes to creating adjustable difficulty settings. During a single playthrough, you can adjust the general difficulty setting between every battle if you desire. You can also up the ante by pulling in multiple groups of Noise in at once, turning a single fight into a multi-round fight. The game tailors the spoils of battle to the amount of risk you took on, providing ample encouragement to test your skills. Put together, these options allow you to never worry about grinding to complete the story while also allowing you to struggle as much as you want. The only other games that come to mind that have similar systems are Bastion and Halo Reach.
Pokémon Gold and Silver
This was, and still is, a beast of a game. Rising to the challenge of hightened expectations set by the first wave of Pokémon games, which sparked a worldwide phenomenon, Gold and Silver packed an unbelievable amount of content into a Game Boy cartridge. Not content to provide an entirely new world to explore and another 100 Pokémon to capture and raise, these games allowed you to revisit the old world as a victory lap and fight the original gym leaders. You even get to challenge the protagonist of the old games in a terrific and unexpected fight.
The game's multitude of refinements and minor additions added up to a significant update on the original formula that provided a foundation for the series going forward. These games were the first to introduce breeding to the series, which remains critical to developing optimal teams. Glaring balance issues from the first games, including the domination of Pyschic-type Pokémon, were addressed with new types of Pokémon and system level changes (like splitting up the "Special" stat). I loved the addition of the Pokégear, too. Its various gadgets, like a radio and a phone, made the game feel very futuristic and modern to me as a ten year old.
I usually value innovation and novelty, but Pokémon Gold and Silver is my go-to example of how a developer can successfully provide more of the same.
Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy VII is the most dated game on this list, but that doesn't really matter to me. When this game came out, it was anevent. Putting aside the aggressive marketing blitz surrounding it, Final Fantasy VII was a milestone in cinematic presentation for games and it helped RPGs to become a more dominant genre in the West. All of my friends and I obsessed over it at the time, pouring over strategy guides and getting to the point of abusing that Knights of the Round Table summon with a bunch of Mime materia.
The material from the game with the most staying power today mostly has to do with Midgar and the related environmental messages. The game more or less starts you out as a terrorist fighting against a corporation that is suffocating much of the city's population in poverty and pollution, which is a more interesting conflict to me than fighting the ancient power as the chosen one something something. Midgar itself is one of gaming's most iconic settings, and it also provides the game's best moments. Storming through the Shinra building and its dining halls and fitness centers remains as one of my favorite "dungeon" experiences.
I love that it wasn't afraid to be bombastic and ridiculous at times, too. This game has houses with legs that shoot bullets at you, cross-dressing, snowboarding, motorcycle chase sequences, chocobo racing and submarine simulators. Oh, and cinematic attacks that take over a minute to finish and destroy the entire solar system in the process? Why not. It's all goofy, but I think that it only adds to the game's charm.
.
