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[Knurek]

Just a list now, will edit with writeups later:

In alphabetical order

1. Chrono Trigger
2. Dragon Quest V
3. Dragon Quest VIII
4. Etrian Odyssey III - first iteration upon the EO formula (EOII was just a level pack IMO), and a homerun. World exploration, multi-classes, amazing music and dungeon design. Pretty much best game on DS.
5. Final Fantasy V
6. Final Fantasy VIII
7. Final Fantasy XII
8. Final Fantasy Tactics
9. Front Mission 3
10. Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning - you can chalk the game being here to the fact that I haven't played Dragon's Dogma yet. Simply stated, KoA:R is most fun I had with a battle system in a action RPG. Game is completely broken progression-wise, and is drowning in MMO-tier quests, but the fighting is simply exquisite. My advice would be to stick with main + faction questlines, which are great here, and which would not have the player hitting level ceiling one third through the game.
11. The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky
12. Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals
13. Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete
14. Mass Effect 2
15. Might & Magic X
16. Mother 3 (Best Writing)
17. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
18. Vagrant Story
19. Valkyria Chronicles (Best Soundtrack)
20. Valkyrie Profile (Best Combat)

Honorable Mentions:
1. World of Xeen
2. Planescape: Torment
3. Shin Megami Tensei III
4. Dark Souls
5. Romancing Saga: Minstrel Song

 

[DigtialT]

1. Persona 4 Golden - One of my favorite games of all time, made even better on a handheld. While easier then the PS2 version, the extra hours of content and extra character make up for it. Also one of the few games that made it feel like the characters in the party were actually my friends, and made me sad when I had to say goodbye.

2. Undertale (Best Soundtrack)- The most recently released game on this list, but that does not change it's quality. This game is so well written, and the characters are so well developed that it made it feel like they loved me, that the small moments between us was as important to them as it was to me. Also it's soundtrack is out of this world, one of the few where I would recommend getting the soundtrack even if you haven't played the game.

3. Dragons Dogma (Best Combat) - This game, hands down, has the best combat in an action rpg to date. The feedback of each move you do just feels so good, and the class system allows you to switch freely between classes whenever you want, encouraging experimentation. Also the story, while weak at first, ends extremely and surprisingly strong

4. The World Ends with You - If you have a DS or 3DS and you haven't played TWEWY yet, you need to get on that now. One of the best games I've ever played on the DS or 3DS. The combat, while not intuitive nor conventional, was a blast once you figured it out. That and the exceptional story makes this an easy recommendation.

Honorable Mentions (AKA games I think people should play but can't explain why or don't fully remember my experience with)

1. Chrono Trigger - I played this game a long time ago, and don't really remember much of my experience. But I do know this it was a fun game.

2. Mass Effect 2

3. Persona 3 FES

4. Kingdom Hearts 2

 

[zero shift]

Glad to see that people are finally starting to recognize the greatness that is Shin Megami Tensei IV.

 

[decoyplatypus]

Glad to see that people are finally starting to recognize the greatness that is Shin Megami Tensei IV's soundtrack.

FTFY. The game is pretty good, but the soundtrack is an instant classic.

 

[names2hard4you]

Glad to see that people are finally starting to recognize the greatness that is Shin Megami Tensei IV.

Forreal. Game is fucking fantastic. I kinda feel bad because I went kinda off on my explanation for my vote, but I legitimately want people to both play it, and listen to the godly soundtrack.

 

[zero shift]

I updated my post. I finally fulfilled the twenty games and ten honorable mentions option.

FTFY. The game is pretty good, but the soundtrack is an instant classic.

They both are instant classics.

 

[Xbro]

1. Paper Mario The Thousand Year Door(Best Writing) - There really is nothing like this game. The humor is on point, the battle system is amazing and the characters are top tier. I can play this game several times and never get tired of it. The chapters are some of the best portions of games out there.
2. Chrono Trigger(Best Music) - Wow what could be said about this game. There is literally nothing I can say that hasn't already been said.
3. Xenoblade Chronicles(Best Story) - Now here's a game that came out swinging. The hype is constantly delivered in the cutscenes, and some scenes literally had me on the edge of my seat. Let me say that I was hooked on this game from start to finish, and that's no small feat considering I was going at it for 80 hours.
4. Mother 3 - I cry. I cry every time.
5. Tales of Symphonia
6. Persona 4 Golden
7. Final Fantasy 6
8. Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn
9. Pokemon Gold/Silver
10. Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne
11. Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance
12. Fire Emblem 7: Blazing Sword
13. Earthbound
14. Fire Emblem: Awakening
15. Persona 2: Eternal Punishment
16. Pokemon Red/Blue
17. Final Fantasy VII
18. Super Mario RPG
19. Secret of Mana
20. Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones

 

[Timeaisis]

I'll add comments later.

1. Final Fantasy IX (Best Writing) - In my mind, the quintessential JRPG experience. A beautiful opening, lovable characters, a remarkable and engrossing world rife with conflict but with just the right amount charm and levity. Final Fantasy IX is Sakaguchi's masterwork. He brings every part of RPGs that we love into one cohesive experience that offers an experience people will not soon forget.

2. Chrono Trigger (Best Soundtrack) - It has been argued the Chrono Trigger is the best game ever made. It certainly is the best RPG ever made. I cannot fathom something I'd look to changing. From characters to story to combat to scenarios, everything in the game was polished to perfection. With input by some of the most famous designers and developers in the business of RPGs (Sakaguchi, Horii, Kitase, Toriyama, Kato, Tokita, Ito, Mitsuda, Uematsu), it's a veritable dream team of game developers capturing lightning in a bottle.

3. Earthbound - Itoi's weird and quirky masterpiece has it's ups and it's down. It's a timeless game that has aged poorly and also not aged at all. The best example of a game being more than the sum of it's parts.

4. Final Fantasy VII - Sakaguchi and Kitase work together again for what some call the definitive JRPG. Moving the genre from two dimensions to three while simultaneously creating a world more mature and impactful than previous role-playing games, yet balancing the charm and levity Sakaguchi is now known for, FFVII came to become many people's first experience with the genre, including my own. It's effect on the medium of gaming cannot be understated.

5. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door - Quite possibly the most charming game you'll ever play. The fairytale-like world of Mario comes to like in a grand RPG adventure. Never taking itself too seriously, but always being interesting and fun, TTYD accomplishes what few other games can: being humorous, lighthearted, and charming while remaining engaging and interesting.

6. Bloodborne (Best Combat) - A dark Victorian nightmare comes to life from the mind of Miyazaki. With a simple, yet deep combat system that encourages trial by fire, a world you want to get lost in, and art and creature designs so beautifully disturbing that you cannot possibly look away, Bloodborne makes for an incredible experience.
7. Fallout: New Vegas - An open world brought to life like none have before or none since. Fallout: New Vegas is the game Bethesda has wanted to make for so long, but never could. Realizing both interesting RPG mechanics, an open world, and actually interesting content in that open world, New Vegas is an incredibly memorable experience set in an incredibly memorable place.

8. Mass Effect 2 - The story isn't as interesting as the original, but the characterizations is better than most. Mass Effect 2 is an emotional experience wrapped in an RPG.

9. Xenoblade Chronicles - With an interesting premise, a fun and brisk combat system, and beautiful world to explore, Xenoblade is a game that shouldn't be as good as it is, but is.

10. Final Fantasy IV - The first JRPG that really made me feel things. The story feels real, the characters feel real, and the world feels real.

11. Mass Effect - Science fiction and RPGs meet in this fun romp through the galaxy.

12. Final Fantasy VI - FFVI is the promise of things to come. Pushing the SNES as far as it can possibly go, it's obvious Kitase, Sakaguchi and Ito want to make the most epic RPG they can imagine. They succeed in areas, and fail in others. But it's still an excellent game.

13. Dark Souls - Inventing almost a completely new genre and refining environmental storytelling, Dark Souls has a loyal following of fans that love challenge and discovery. And for good reason, it's an excellent game.

14. Lost Odyssey - Sakaguchi's last great RPG. It has it's faults, and it's too old-school for it's own good at times, but the experience is fun.

15. Fallout 3 - The first open world RPG that made me realize open world RPGs can actually be good. It's not a flawless game, but still a very good one.

16. Pokemon Red and Blue - What can be said about Red and Blue that hasn't already? Childhood defining? Phenomenon starting? Genre creating? Yes, yes, and yes.

17. Deus Ex: Human Revolution - A refinement of RPG and shooter mechanics come to their logical conclusion in HR. A little rough around the edges, and too linear at times, HR is an great game trying to be an excellent one. Still, it is a fantastic ride.

18. The Witcher 2- The Witcher 2 is a game about people's stories, and your interaction with those people. Making choices in this game is harder than any other game I can remember.

19. Final Fantasy X - The first PS2 entry in the popular franchise, FFX didn't do anything groundbreaking, but it did usher JRPGs into the voiceover generation, and with spectacle. The game itself is polished and well done. Memorable, but not too memorable.

20. Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga - A fun, hilarious ride through the hidden parts of the Mario universe, baked into a JRPG.

 

[QFNS]

The list isn't ranked even though I've put numbers here. Don't take placement on the list to mean anything. Not that we would ever argue about such things, right?


1. Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn - The grand-daddy of everything that has come to define WRPGs is still an amazing game if you can handle the 2nd Ed. AD&D Ruleset. Even still the story and the amazing variety of locales and monsters and spells and weapons make this an easy shoe-in for the list.

2. Xenoblade Chronicles - A breath of fresh air when it first appeared on the Wii. It breathed new life into the JRPGs for me personally. It has a unique (excepting the sequel) battle system, a surprisingly deep story, and amazing visuals. The feeling when you first step out onto Gaur Plains has yet to be equaled.

3. Suikoden II - The epitome of the Suikoden games came early. This game has excellent music and an amazing cast of characters (especially considering there are 108 of them). A great deal of those characters receive some sort of development as the game goes on, which is impressive for such a long game. Make sure to play this one through to the end.

4. Final Fantasy VII - The game that set the stage for everything that came after. It has numerous well-documented flaws, but this game showed the potential for what could be in the JRPG genre. A truly ground-breaking game at the time.

5. Chrono Cross (Best Soundtrack) - This game has proved time and again that despite a confusing plot and lots of very pointless side characters, an amazing soundtrack can keep a game in the public eye. The story and battle system are not nearly as important as the amazing tracks that play as you explore and battle. Sit and bask in the Dreams of Another World or Time's Scar.

6. Planescape: Torment (Best Writing) - What is a man? This philosophical question is the focus of the entire game. With combat that is largely forgettable, the story and where it takes the player is superb. It has yet to be outdone.

7. Shadowrun: Dragonfall - Shadowrun always felt like a setting in search of an amazing game to hang its hat on. Dragonfall is that game. The game has everything you could want in a cyberpunk dystopia, and then some.

8. Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky - What a fantastic game. The writing has deep shades of Suikoden II which is high praise. Even more, the world is fully realized and feels inhabited. NPCs will comment (and change their commentary) as the game progresses and the quest changes. A truly spectacular game.

9. Chrono Trigger - Another amazing soundtrack and impressive story. The game is certainly better overall than the "sequel", and should be played first in either case. It is a testament to the power of the SNES, and one of the best games on the system.

10. Valkyria Chronicles - A very fun take on the SRPG/JRPG genre. A unique setting and very different mechanics in battle.

11. Dark Souls (Best Combat) - The greatest combat system in a game that people call an RPG. Although it doesn't explain much in terms of its mechanics, when you finally dive in the combat is deep and satisfying. There are multiple different ways to play Dark Souls which is the beauty of the system. Magic, Melee, and Hybrids are all viable.

12. Fallout 2 - Still in my mind the best Fallout game. The sheer number of approaches to characters and situations make it a classic.

13. Pillars of Eternity - So close to recapturing the amazing feeling of the Baldur's Gate II. I personally don't like it quite as much, but the writing is there and the combat is very good. Certainly worth a play for a lover of WRPGs.

Honorable Mentions:
1. Xenoblade Chronicles X - This game feels too new to put on this list as yet, but the game constantly is giving me that Guar Plains feeling. So it's here.
2. Vagrant Story
3. Xenogears
4. Xenosaga III
5. Demon's Souls
6. Dragon Quest VIII
7. Final Fantasy XII
8. The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt - another new addition, but an amazingly written game and still a great expansive world. Gerault's quest for Ciri is the best in the Witcher series.

 

[rsniper59]

No particular order to this list, adding in a combination of personal favorites and things I think are classic games that people wanting a full range of experiences should check out.

1. Final Fantasy VI - An all-around classic title, and regarded by a wide number as the best title in a widely acclaimed series. The game contains a memorable cast of heroes and villains, and takes place in an interesting world that balances magic and fantasy with emerging technology. A wonderful soundtrack and character artwork make the game pleasing to view and listen to as well!

2. Fallout: New Vegas - A wonderful game from Obsidian using Bethesda's RPG engine. Combines some of the best ingredients from both companies, including a wide-open world to explore, memorable characters, plenty of humor, and loot galore.

3. Chrono Trigger - Another SNES classic from Squaresoft. Combines an amazing soundtrack, an extremely well-paced story, great characters, and an interesting twist on the standard ATB combat system with the tech system. Personally, the pacing is probably the most important piece for my continued enjoyment, as no section of the game overstays its welcome, and the story properly handles the build-up to various climactic moments.

4. Mass Effect - A Bioware classic that introduced gamers to a galaxy of great characters, interesting cross-race politics, and a sweeping story filled with exploration and memorable scenes/locations.

5. Undertale (Best Writing) - This game is an interesting exploration of morals, player agency, and the meaning of our choices. Every enemy is unique and has their own quirks to exploit (for good or evil). Well-written characters, dialogue, and reactions to the player's actions combine for a truly memorable Tale that draws out a number of emotions.

6. Fire Emblem Awakening - A game that broad a long-running series in Japan (with a few entries in the US) to mainstream appeal worldwide. Combined elements that the hardcore fans of the series love with the options to turn down that difficulty for those who preferred to play through the game in a more casual fashion. Adding this entry because it's not only a great game, but a great jumping off point to a wonderful series.

7. Mass Effect 2 - Took a very different approach to its story from the first game, focusing more heavily on the members of the team and building relationships with them in preparation for the Suicide Mission at the end. Some amazing moments and a cast that fans of the series will always remember.

8. Persona 4 - Haven't played it fully, but it's heralded as one of the best JRPGs ever released and thus should be tried by all fans of the genre.

9. Pokemon Red/Blue - The jumping off point for the series that swept the world. While there were many gameplay additions and features added to the series since, I've always gravitated back toward the originals. Personally, I feel that later entries in the series feel very dragged out compared to the first that lets you hop right into your Pokemon adventure and begin building your team.

10. Chrono Cross (Best Soundtrack): The follow-up to Chrono Trigger boasts an amazing soundtrack, a vibrant and colorful setting, and a very interesting take on the turn-based battle system.

11. Lufia 2 - Adding this as it is my personal favorite RPG. Lufia 2 uses puzzles effectively in its dungeons to keep each new one feeling fresh and different, without being frustrating. Having no random encounters helps remove the frustration as well, as you can always plan out which enemies to face. A fun cast of characters and a relationship between the two main ones that refreshingly takes a back seat to the overall story, while still allowing the player to be emotionally attached.

The game also has one of the best mini-games in the genre, the Ancient Cave - a 100-floor randomly-generated dungeon that adds a huge amount of replayability and enjoyment, to go along with the possibility for great loot!

12. FFXIII: Lightning Returns (Best Combat) - I am adding this game to the list because it has what I think is the best battle system in an RPG to date. The mixture of the various Schematics and the unique builds they offer, in addition to this fast-paced but tactical version of the ATB system is insanely fun. Story is wonky, but that's not why I'm adding it to the list.

13. The World Ends With You - Frenetic combat and one of the most imaginative uses of stylus controls made this a joy to play.

14. Morrowind - Oblivion is my personal favoriteTES entry, but Morrowind is so incredibly loved by the long-time fans of the series that I added it as the TES entry in my list. Incredible world-building and a nearly unmatched sense of exploration make this an incredible RPG.

15. Valkyrie Profile - Takes turn-based combat and turns it into a fast-paced, combo-building affair. Unique story-telling method presented through individual short stories for each person whose soul the Valkyrie collects that build toward the over-arching coming of the apocalypse.

16. Avernum: Escape from the Pit - Adding because of my love for Spiderweb Software's games and their wonderful approach to world-building and story-telling. Very text-heavy but contains rich detail. Could have included any of their games on this list but went with this because it was the culmination of years of ideas and additions to their formula.

17. Final Fantasy IX - A love letter to the older entries in the Final Fantasy series with an endless supply of charm.

18. Final Fantasy Tactics - Incredible depth from the job system in place, and a wonderful tale realized by Matsuno's vision of a politically corrupt world. Some of the most memorable and well-written villains in RPG history as well.

19. The Witcher 3 - I haven't played this myself, but its near universal praise demands attention.

20. Bastion - The excellent narration and presentation, along with beautiful graphics and one of the best soundtracks in gaming history make this game a true piece of art.

 

[KuwabaraTheMan]

1. Paper Mario The Thousand Year Door(Best Writing) - There really is nothing like this game. The humor is on point, the battle system is amazing and the characters are top tier. I can play this game several times and never get tired of it. The chapters are some of the best portions of games out there.
3. Xenoblade Chronicles(Best Story) - Now here's a game that came out swinging. The hype is constantly delivered in the cutscenes, and some scenes literally had me on the edge of my seat. Let me say that I was hooked on this game from start to finish, and that's no small feat considering I was going at it for 80 hours.

Did you mean for one of these to be best combat? Writing and Story are the same category.

1. Final Fantasy IX (Best Writing)
5. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door (Best Story)

Only one of these will count, since you can't highlight two different games for the same category.

Apologies if me changing the wording from Best Story to Best Writing confused some people.

 

[Zach]

I've played a surprising number of RPGs because my son loves them. It's not my favorite genre, but here goes anyway!

1. Chrono Trigger (Best Soundtrack) - This is one of those games we will talk about from time to time for the rest of our lives. A timeless classic with great music and characters. Truly special.
2. Super Mario RPG - Who thought this would work? Great game. The platforming segments sucked, though.
3. Paper Mario (Best Writing) - Our favorite Mario RPG. Just a delight to play through. Giggles were had.
4. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door - Another excellent entry.
5. Fable - I loved this game when it first released on the original Xbox. I remember a lot of folks having issues with it, but I guess those complaints came from the hardcore RPG faithful.
6. Fallout 3 - I was really into the post-apocalyptic setting when this came out, which probably helped.
7. Valkyria Chronicles (Best Combat) - This game was hard, but I really enjoyed the art style, the gameplay and some of the characters. Glad I took some guy's suggestion and played it.
8. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - We loved just exploring for hours. We were in awe upon its release.
9. Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch - Beautiful game. Cute characters. The gameplay was kiiiind of a bore from time to time, but we still loved playing through it.
10. South Park: The Stick of Truth - Funny, disturbing, and wonderfully crafted.
11. Mass Effect - I was surprised when I was the first one of my friend group to play this. They like RPGs more than I do and when I played this I was like "Guys! What are you doing?! Play Mass Effect!"
12. Mass Effect 2 - Better than the first.
13. Mass Effect 3 - I was tiring of the series at this point, but it was still a good time.
14. Blue Dragon - My son and I had a good time. I remember rolling my eyes at some stuff, but whatevs.
15. Costume Quest - Best Halloween-time game ever.
16. Costume Quest 2 - Another great Halloween-time game!
17. Torchlight - I think I got this for free. It was a lot of fun. I should probably play the second one...
18. XCOM: Enemy Unknown - Super fun strategy game. I guess it's an RPG because I've seen some of you list it. Works for me!
19. Suikoden - Yeah, the first one! We tired of the second one and stopped playing... Anyway, really cool, olden times RPG. >_>
20. Child of Light - Incredibly beautiful. I love the art style. If there was a "Best Art Style", this game would get it. Or Ni no Kuni. Man, am I glad there's not a category for "Best Art Style".

 

[Ekai]

Undertale's lower sales level.

Lower sales level? It's sold about half a million copies in it's short time of existence. That's not really a lower number to me considering it more or less came out of nowhere and only has had word of mouth to catapult it.

Anyhoo, I'll make a new post later for my list. I almost have it complete in terms of a top 30 but I do need to make some write-ups. I'm having difficulty with best narrative in particular as I have three choices that immediately stick out to me and it's difficult to narrow it down.

 

[Hansel]

1. Harvest Moon 64 N64
The best video game I've ever played. The characters all felt like real people I knew and the town felt like my home.
2. Paper Mario N64

3. Mother 3 (Best Story) GBA
I was easily as engrossed in this story as much as any novel I've read. It really pulls you in and it really sticks with you.
4. Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow GBA

5. Pokémon Gold Version/Pokémon Silver Version/Pokémon HeartGold Version/Pokémon SoulSilver Version NDS
I still play these games on the same file I started when the remakes came out. There's so much to do and all of it is fun.
6. The World Ends With You/The World Ends With You -Solo Remix- NDS/iOS

7. Izuna: Legend of the Unemployed Ninja NDS

8. Contact NDS

9. Etrian Odyssey/Etrian Odyssey Untold: The Millennium Girl NDS/3DS

10. Fire Emblem Awakening 3DS

11. Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4/Persona 4 Golden (Best Soundtrack) PS2/PSV

12. Final Fantasy XII/Final Fantasy XII International Zodiac Job System PS2

13. Odin Sphere/Odin Sphere: Leifthrasir PS2/PS3/PS4/PSV

14. Dragon's Crown PS3/PSV

15. Valkyria Chronicles (Best Combat) PS3/PS4

16. Demon's Souls PS3

17. Dragon's Dogma/Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen PS3

18. Nier/Nier Gestalt/Nier Replicant PS3/360

19. Resonance of Fate PS3/360

20. Skies of Arcadia/Skies of Arcadia Legends DC/GCN


Honorable Mentions:

Harvest Moon: Back to Nature/Harvest Moon: Boy and Girl/Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town/Harvest Moon: More Friends of Mineral Town
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
EarthBound
Pokémon Yellow Version/Pokémon Red Version/Pokémon Blue Version
Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
Etrian Odyssey II: Heroes of Lagaard/Etrian Odyssey 2 Untold: The Fafnir Knight
Etrian Odyssey IV: Legends of the Titan
Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 FES/Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 Portable
Sakura Note
Undertale

 

[djtiesto]

Top 20? Hmm... I don't think my top 10 has changed significantly much from previous years but doing a top 20 will be a bit tougher. This year the big RPGs I've played through were Type-0, Wild Arms: Alter Code F, Wild Arms 5, Suikoden Tierkreis, Emerald Dragon, Ys 5: Sand City of Kefin, Mother 1 and about 2 hours of Xenoblade X. Which I will probably wait to dive further into before doing my list, just in case But those other ones, while I enjoyed a good chunk, not sure if they would crack the top 20 for me...

 

[Ekai]

Alright, got my list complete. Now all I got to do is make the write-ups < . >
I'll do that in a new post once I'm back from work, maybe.

 

[rakhir]

Everything after the first two is in alphabetical order:

1. The Witcher III (Best Soundtrack) - It's hard to write something without going into full-on drooling about the game. It does everything right, the game is beautiful, writing is stellar, the music is award-worthy on itself. A great masterpiece.

2. Baldur's Gate II (Best Combat) - There will never be a game like this again. It's epic in every sense: it spans lands, you travel underwater, underground, getting teleported into other planes and dimensions, and it's all full of content that made me still discover new things years after the game came out. This game cannot be produced nowadays, not in 3d anyways. I'm also a sucker for tactical, rtwp combat, and this game has it in spades.

3. Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura - During a game full of magic,
technology, old gods and different religions, the game made me think about concepts far larger than itself, about my real life, and i'm foverver grateful.
4. Diablo 2
5. Dragon Age: Origins
6. Dragon Age 2 - Reused maps bother me as well, but it has one of the best main characters I've ever saw in videogames - the sarcastis female Hawke.
7. Fallout 2
8. Fallout: New Vegas
9. Fallout: Tactics - everyone is including FF Tactis, but i just prefer F:T real time hybrid combat.
10. Final Fantasy X
11. Gothic 2 - one of the best open, hand-crafted world in history. There's adventure, enemies and wild boars that will kill you mercilessly at every turn.
12. Mass Effect 2
13. Mass Effect 3 - I'm a big fan of Stephen King, so lackluster endings are not something that's bothering me much. People tend to mention that ending, but i absolutely 14. loved everything that came before it, and the multiplayer component was way better than anyone could have imagined
14. Persona 4
15. Planescape: Torment (Best Writing)
16. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
17. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II
18. The Elder Scrolls - Skyrim - TES games never clicked with me before Skyrim. I've absolutely hated Morrowinds' dialogue system and it's weird bug-infested world (I hate bugs), and Oblivion was too sterile and made of plastic.
19. Witcher 2
20. World of Warcraft - I've spent a year in-game time playing it. Nuff said.

--
Honorable mentions:
Mass Effect
Pillars of Eternity
Fallout
Icewind Dale
Risen - i know the games are terrible, the animations a decade old, and the game are buggy as hell, but I've always play and enjoy every new instalment.

 

[Jisgsaw]

Well, with some recent great RPGs and the higher number of entries allowed, I may mix my 2015 list a bit. Though as I'm lazy, most of the descriptions won't change

Like last year, only the top three are ranked.

Ranked Games
1) Shin Megami Tensei III (aka Nocturne (J/US) aka Lucifer's call (PAL)) (best combat)

Probably not just my favorite RPG, but also my favoite game overall.
Almost everything in this game is perfect: the art direction is gorgeous (thanks Kaneko), the resulting aesthetics (including dungeons) ingame is... whoa, the atmosphere in the game is quite unlike anything I've seen in other games (and tops them all), the OST is accordingly good, the fusion system is addictive, and it has the best turned based gameplay in RPGs, supported by a consistent difficulty throughout the game, which keeps the combats interesting.

You are basically, after 10 minutes of gameplay, put in a destroyed Tokyo after the Wrold ended; your role is to decide how the world will be rebuild. Everything in this game is made to emphasis the desolation that became Tokyo, and that hooked me up for 80+ hours. Every step of the way, you'll have to be thinking of your party management: should I heal now, or wait a bit? What demons to take in my default party to not get whipe out in a turn? Should I maybe fuse some demons to get better ones?
All this is tied to the combat gameplay, the Press Turn System. You basically have to watch out for the elemental weaknesses of your party and your ennemies, as that will pretty much decide the battle. And we finally have a jRPG where buffs and status/death spells really work well, so you'll have to take that into account too.

On the down side, some could wish for a more dense story; the storytelling is minimalistic, the game focuses more on wolrd-building and gameplay mechanisms.
I'd definitvely recommend for Persona 3/4 fans to try it at least a few hours. There is no social links, but all the rest tops these games. Also a good pick for those who prefered Persona 3's atmosphere over Persona 4's; it's quite dark.
Likewise, those that like SMT4 could give it a try, as it tops it in every compartiment aside story and ergonomy of the menues.

(Would have awarded it the best atmosphere award if there was one, but I also love the Press Turn System, so combat award it is)

2) The Witcher 3 (best writing)

Threw The Witcher 1 out of my top 3. While I still have a sweet spot for TW1 and its more intimate feel, The Wild Hunt is a huge slap in the face to all those other open world RPGs (and even most open world games). The map is gigantic, but still filled with crazy environments and meaningful content, there are literally hundreds of quest (real quest, with a well written story that could put to shame a lot of main sotries of other games), the characters are great, and the game is beautiful and runs well (on PC at least).

Granted, having read most of the books and played the previous two games to completion meant I already started with an obvious affection for this games universe, lore and characters. But CD Project really managed to give life to Velen, Novigrad, Skellidge and those other places, by building a big, believable, beautiful world.

3) Nier (best soundtrack)

The prime example that a game's quality is more than the sum of its subpart's qualities put together. Aside from the best soundtrack in existance, I was especially taken by the narrative, which played with the gaming medium and gamers expectation (relevant: Taro's 40 minute conference on GDC, with spoilers of Nier ).

Definitively a divisive game, as I can quite understand the people who disliked it. Either the game's charm works or it doesn't, and if it doesn't I guess you'll hate the approx. 20 hours the first run takes.
If you tried it and liked your first playthrough, doing the quick (ca. 5 hours) NG+ is an absolute must.

I'm immensely hyped for Nier Automata, though, given what made Nier great, it may be hard to reach the high expectations.

Persona 3

Persona 3 was notably noticed for its clever inclusion of "dating sim" like elements in its RPG-elements. Both aspects work quite well together, and especially are combined together, with the LN elements having direct impact on the RPG gameplay. I'd like Persona 5 go even further down this road, but we'll see what Atlus will do.
Now, Persona 4 largely improved on the gameplay and mechanisms of Persona 3, which is why one could arguably rank Persona 4 higher.
I, however, was far more touched by Persona 3's atmosphere (notice a trend in what I like in games?) and story, which is why Persona 3 ranks higher.
(Would have almost won my soundtrack award for that music, but Nier's is far too superior)

The Witcher

Like Nocturne/Lucifer's call, the game convinced me with its atmosphere, general mood and OST. I liked how I felt included in the game, with the feeling of control over the actions of Geralt, as seen by small inpacts of your choices in the story.
The combats and fetch quests are sadly not the strong points of the game. TW3 also surpasses it on almost all levels, aside maybe for the OST.

Divinity: Original Sin

After all the praise on the internet and from some friends, I gave in and tried it out.
The combats sold me after a couple hours, the world was nice enough, and the story serviceable. If the y manage to up that last point in the second game, I'll have a serious hard time to make my top 3 next year.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution

Nice setting and atmosphere (yeah I now, I should skip writing it down for every comment, as all of my favourite games have that as common point), controversial art direction (I liked it), and interesting outlook on the near future. The different approach for each mission made for a nice gameplay for me.
I'll have to play the first Deus Ex one of these days...

Alpha Protocol

Having so much choices which have such important impact on the rest of the game was great.
The lame combats and bugs not so much.
(Would have taken the story award if not for the quality of Witcher's writing, though it doesn't reach the reach interaction of AP's one)

Atelier Escha & Logy

I love alchemy in Gust games, and Esha is by far the best Atelier game I played. I wish more games would go for the formula of the Atlier series (illustrated in that image), maybe with a darker or different tone (I have to admit, the Moe effect can get on my nerves sometimes). Can't wait for its Vita port and the next instalment of the series.
(Would have won the best gameplay (not combat) award if there was one)

Final Fantasy 10

My first dip into jRPG, I really enjoyed it, which lead me to be more interested in the genre (and sadly skipping WRPG at the time). Great setting, nice story, interesting combats, the english voices and boring post game content were a letdown though.

Shadow Heart: Covenants - Again a game which impressed me with its setting, atmosphere and story. The wheel during the combats was a nice addition to traditional turn based combats, and Yuri's "Personas" (sorry, forgot the right name) were quite fun to unlock and develop.
Unlike many fans of the series, I almost quite equally enjoyed From the New World, but Covenant still is the more consistent good game.
Star Ocean 3 - This, I think, was my first real action jRPG (unless you count Zelda as one, which I don't). I was quite happy with the fast, interesting combats. The futuristic wolrd and the second part of the story were a nice touch, and the crafting system was great. I expect a lot of SO5 as a result.
Persona 4/Golden - Persona 3, with a lighter atmosphere, but better mechanism - pretty great.
Devil Survivor 2 - I don't like tactical RPGs, but this one convinced me, partly because of the adapted press turn system, partly for (again) the SMT-esque setting and atmosphere.
Valkyria Chronicles - same as above, it's unusual for me to like tacticals. This one though looks gorgeous (especially on PC), and the mixed in real time combats are great. The companion stuff was better managed in Valkyria 2 though imho. I need to test 3, but a Valkyria 4 on PS4/Vita would will be an instant buy (2015 really was a great year for jRPG announcements).
Final Fantasy XIII: Lightning Returns - Best game of the FF13 trilogy, best A-RPG combats I ever played. I think the FFXIII name actually hurt it a little, as did Lightning. The whole "open real time permanent World" was nicely thought out too.
The Last Story - Good combat, but what sold me was the solid storytelling: nothing fancy or new, just a decent game story very well told.
Resonance of Fate (/End of Eternity) - God was the combat system fun. Beating an ennemy that has 20 levels more than you just by exploiting the terrain and combat system was very satisfying. A shame the story telling becomes weak after a few chapters.
Mana Khemia 2 - Strange for me to have two games from a small studio like Gust in my top, but I had to add this one. While Atelier Esha is the more complete game (and looks gorgeous, in comparison to the PS1 look of MK2), Mana Khemia 2 has my favourite level up system of Gust games, the alchemy is like always great, the battle system is fun (and actually quite close to what Esha does) but above all, it has a loveable cast and some great, funny moments in between.
South Park: The Stick of Truth - Best licence adaptation ever (just before the recent Batman games), of a show I really love on top of that, and it just so happens to be a (actually pretty good, even if on the easy side) RPG, so it earns its place in this list.

Honorable mentions
- Pokemon Red/Blue - The SMTs collecting/fusion system Pokemon copied is still better, but I don't have to describe the hystery this game caused small children like me when in came out in the late '90s.
- Pandora's Tower - Great setting, great story, intersting gameplay. Didn't rank it because I'm not sure I'd call it a RPG; I think it'd get a placed among my top 10 if I'd count it as jRPG.
- The Last Remnant - Hands down one of the best combat system (on PC), but also the least well explained one in jRPGs I've played. I'd love SE to expand on this system, but alas that won't happen.


I'm sadly still trying to find time to play some classics from the 90's (Planescape: Torment is on top of my todo list

Spoiler

it still is this year

), but I don't know if I'll ever find it.

 

[names2hard4you]

So here's my list. First 3 items (3 points) are placed in order, while all other 18 are in random order. Now, without further ado:

1 - Shin Megami Tensei IV (Best Soundtrack)

Platforms: 3DS

Basically the one and only gaming soundtrack that I have actually fallen in love with. The fact that I use SDDS IV as my ringtone since the game's launch in 2013 can tell you that much. Or how I've been tracking the prices for this many years for the 4 CD pack for the beautiful sound score put together by Ryota Kozuka, giving it a dark, grim, post-apocalyptic, cyberpunk-ish vibe. I bought them this week.

Now to go together with a fantastic OST, there is a fantastic role playing adventure that, just like in other SMT titles, gives you the choice to pick a side: Law or Chaos. Things aren't that simple (law isn't always good) and there are other grey areas explored in the game's story. The latter is told in a minimalistic way, that can be expanded further thanks to wonderful/meaningful side-quests. The gameplay is phenomenal thanks to the press turn system that we all know and love from previous iterations, along with some new quirks. The fact that this huge package comes in a small handheld makes me hold it higher than other titles, and I am super excited for SMT4F, which just by watching the few trailers out, already seems to look even better and sound just as great as this game. Hopefully next year I will be able to put it up against its older brother and maybe, JUST MAYBE, have it go side by side on my list for then.


2 - Persona 3 FES / Persona 3 Portable (Best Writing)

Platforms: PS2/PS2 Classics/PSP

Persona 3. Basically one of my favourite games ever. Be a student by day, Shadow operative by night. During the day you must do what students do, go to class, write tests, read books, make friends. The latter is a requirement, not just in order to see the brilliant writing and characterization given to these people, but also in order to make yourself stronger, grow your Persona both figuratively and literally. Without spoiling the story, you are taken through many surprising moments up until the very end, which by the way will stick with you for a long time to come. Cherish your friend. Enjoy the little things in life. Always remember: Memento Mori.

Quick important detail, P3P is missing the visual cutscenes from the PS2 version. It instead features cut-outs instead. This was done because in this version you are allowed to choose to play as a girl, changing the things you can say or do quite a lot. When you play as the male you have female romance interests, when you play as a female it is the opposite.

3 - Dark Souls (Best Combat)

Platforms: PS3

This one was tough. On one hand Demon's Souls was the one that started it all, while Bloodborne was the one that took the formula into the next level both graphically and mechanically. I chose this one. While Demon's Souls created a path that From Software has been walking on up until today, Dark Souls was a game that left me and many other gamers in awe. An unforgiving game that was balanced in order to make all achievable, if you chose to play carefully. Just look at how beautifully well crafted the target boxes are:

This game is hard, but it is also fair. The balancing is done in such a way that it created a masterpiece that I keep replaying up until this day.

4 - The Witcher 3

Platforms: PS4/XO/PC

This game took me by surprise. I never played any of the other Witcher games and I can't say I'm a big fan of open world exploration games. This one came and conquered however. It is an open world, and it does give tons to do. CDProjekt however packed within this already massive package meaningful characters, vibrant towns and lore creating one of the greatest story campaigns of this year. Some of the characters from side quests have some of the greatest little stories to them, and these can only be seen if you choose to step outside of main path in the game. This is a game that I can revisit at any time, and still see something new.

5 - Bloodborne

Platforms: PS4

As mentioned earlier I debated whether this should have gone 3rd or not. The game is amazing. The combat takes the weight from Dark Souls' armour away and gives you mobility and a ranged fire-weapon instead. This made for faster, "all-in" gameplay that rewards those who face their enemies head on.

6 - Fire Emblem: Awakening

Platforms: 3DS

One of the most accessible games in this great SRPG series, with tons of interesting characters, all of which can develop relationships between each other affecting how they combat and great plot between nations. Fire Emblem Fates is releasing in February and that one is looking great as well!

7 - Persona 4/ Persona 4 Golden

Platforms: PS2/PS2 Classics/PSV

Friendship and bonds are the main theme in this game. It took the sim elements of the previous iteration, updated the gameplay, and gave us an all new cast with their own personalities. As you meet each character you understand them better, you learn more about what worries them, what future prospects they have. These characters feel alive. To go together with this wonderful cast, you have a great story full of mystery which you and your friends set out to resolve with the power of your Personas. This would easily go right after Persona 3 as one of my favourite games in the genre. Sadly only one could make it.

8 - Pokemon Gold/Silver

Platforms: GB/GBA

This game was massive. Not only did you have brand new Pokemon to catch, with a new set of badges, you were also given the opportunity at the end to go back to Kanto and basically play from the very beginning there as well. You had 2 games in one.

9 - Pokemon Red/Blue

Platforms: GB/GBA/eShop

My first videogame ever, and an RPG at that, that began the love I have for games up until this day. This was my starting point. I chose Charmander even though I got Pokemon Blue.

10 - Dragon Quest VIII

Platforms: PS2/iOS/Android/3DS

My god this game. Seriously, so many memories. I played this with my best friend at the time back in my home country. We played this game RELIGIOUSLY from start to finish, and boy was it amazing.

11 - Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate

Platforms: 3DS

You want to slay down beasts 10x your size and feel great about it? Crazy amounts of customization? You want content? You want it in your pocket? Oh and I heard you like playing online too... Look no further. This game is a true gem in the 3DS library.

12 - Xenoblade Chronicles

Platforms: Wii/n3DS

Sadly I did not get to play this game on a Wii. I kept hearing about it, about how great it was, and then it got announced on the n3DS. My jaw dropped when I saw just how massive the world in this game is. The art pictured above is an accurate representation of the vistas you see all throughout the game as you climb the world you live in, which happens to be a giant fossilized-robot-looking thing. The soundtrack is simply amazing with tracks such as this one that simply gave me goosebumps every time I was running in the gigantic fields. If you own a Wii or a n3DS you owe it to yourself just to experience what a true open world looks like on those platforms. Xenoblade X has apparently surpassed the bar on the Wii U, but sadly I don't own that console.

13 - Persona 2 Innocent Sin

Platforms: PS1/PSP

I still think to this day that this game had one of the craziest premises at the time, and it was quite ballzie with the content it had. Another great title that certainly feels dated. But you know what they say about older wine...

14 - Final Fantasy VII

Platforms: PS1/PS1 Classics/PS4/PC

Words for what.

15 - Etrian Odyssey IV

Platforms: 3DS

Fantastic series, I got introduced to it with this game, which so happens to be my favourite after playing through them all. What makes this game special is how you are the one drawing the maps as you play, just like you would in DRPGs back in the old days. Soundtrack is quite stellar as well, and the story, although quite minimalistic compared to the Untold remake series, is also quite charming and moves the gameplay along as you travel through the dungeons with your custom party members.

16 - Shin Megami Tensei Strange Journey

Platforms: DS

This is a spectacular game that I recently got the chance to play again, it is very challenging, it is thought provoking in terms of the plot and the gameplay, just like any other SMT game is excellent. Highly recommended if you are willing to put up with the older DS graphics.

17 - The World Ends With You

Platforms: DS/iOS/Android

Ahhhh, this game. When it came out it was so different from anything out at the time. It took me a while for it to hook me, but boy when it did.

18 - Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core

Platforms: PSP

Basically a prequel that you should only play AFTER you finish VII. Without spoiling too much, you play as Zach Fair, a SOLDIER member. The gameplay is not ATB/turn-based, it is more of an action/real-time game. The story is sure to make you feel things lol.

19 - Dragon's Crown

Platforms: PSV/PS3

Character design controversy aside, this game is beautiful. It plays super smoothly and is a blast when playing co-op. I have lost quite a lot of hours into this game, because of its loot.

20 - Final Fantasy X

PlatformsS2/PS3/PS4/PSV

Last but not least, what some consider to be one of the greatest Final Fantasy games ever. The story is quite great, and so is the gameplay. With more platforms to play it on as ever, passing on it would be a shame if you consider yourself to be an RPG fan.

 

[Cilla]

Wow up to 30? I love your lists and have a few more games to play this year until I make my own!

 

[Jamix012]

1. Persona 3 Portable (Best Soundtrack) - I love Persona 3. I feel this game, particularly the PSP version, is the best RPG ever created. It combines a beautiful, unique soundtrack with lovable characters an so much to do. It truly is incredible. Honestly if it weren't for the rule barring giving both the best soundtrack and writing to one game, this would win both.
2. Persona 4 Golden
3. Baten Kaitos Origins (Best Combat)- Holy moly does this game do combat better than any other game I've ever played. I love it so much and it makes every battle exciting.
4. Golden Sun
5. Golden Sun: The Lost Age
6. The World Ends With You (Best Writing) - Other than Persona 3, this has my favourite setting in any RPG to date. I love the character progression and the fact this game was capable on a DS blows my mind. It's a bit of a shame though honestly, I feel the game could have been bettered on the 3DS.
7. Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean
8. Final Fantasy X
9. Xenoblade Chronicles
10. Pokemon Emerald
11. Pokemon Heart Gold
12. Pokemon Fire Red
13. Pokemon Black
14. Pokemon Trading Card Game
15. Child of Light
16. Zelda II: Adventure of Link
17. Ys: Memories of Celceta
18. Fire Emblem: Sacred Stones
19. Pokemon Colosseum
20. Radiant Historia

Honorable Mentions:
1. Chrono Trigger
2. Xenoblade Chronicles X - Still playing through this one! May graduate before the submission deadline to the big boy list.
3. Star Control 2
4. Undertale - Also playing through this one. Unlike Xenoblade though, I don't think this will graduate. Fun game though!
5. Skies of Arcadia: Legends
6. Fire Emblem Awakening - Awful story and characters in my opinion, but it has some really neat new mechanics and I think, even though Fates has some weird content, in the gameplay department I'm expecting a lot from the sequel.
7. Fire Emblem 7 - Not as good as Sacred Stones, in my opinion, but still very fun.
8. Final Fantasy III - Yep. The NES one. Can't stand the ATB system honestly so it was nice to have an FF without it (see also FFX in the main list)
9. Bloodborne - Only on the Honourable mentions list because I'm not sure I personally class it as an RPG. Kind of borderline for me.
10. Dragon Force - Like Bloodborne this only makes the kids table list because it's a boderline RPG. The best console strategy game ever IMO but somewhat light on RPG elements.

 

[flatearthpandas]

No order, will format later.

Devil Survivor Overclocked
Dragon Quest V
Etrian Odyssey III
Final Fantasy VII
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
World of Warcraft
The Secret World
The World Ends With You
SMT: Strange Journey

 

[Incendiary]

Okay, I think I have my list for now - it will be subject to change before the end of voting, however, if I remember things or play something new.

I chose to divide my list into three categories - the first ten are my essential RPGs, or the ten I would choose as my personal favorites. The next ten are RPGs that may not be my favorite, but I enjoyed them AND I think they're important for new people to the genre to experience/essential if you haven't played them yet. And the set of honorable mentions are games I either haven't finished and have only experienced somewhat so I don't feel comfortable putting them in my top 20, or have some flaws that prevent them from being truly essential.

Here we go.

My Personal Essentials(1-10)
1. Chrono Trigger - (Best Writing) - Chrono Trigger has been and always will be my favorite game of all time, so no surprise that I consider it essential. It has everything you need for an RPG - great characters, a great soundtrack, and a great story that doesn't overstay its welcome, and yet gives you plenty of content to make it a world worth exploring. On top of that, the game is created in a way that through New Game+ you can experience loads of completely unique endings that give you extra story on top of the baseline. It was the first RPG I ever played, and I believe it's one of the best RPGs ever made and definitely anyone who loves the genre should play it if they haven't already.

2. Dark Souls - (Best Combat) - The Souls series is one of my favorite franchises, and while it's definitely more on the A side of ARPG, it still has my favorite gameplay across any series. I think Dark Souls is the pinnacle of the series so far - it has the perfect mixture of stats where you can customize your character towards how you want to play, but you don't ever feel like a god that can do everything so its worth it to play through multiple times. It also has the most coherent world and while there are some downsides (Blighttown) the overall game is worth it and a good place to start if you're interested in the Souls series.

3. Undertale - (Best Soundtrack) - Undertale was my surprise of the year this year, and while it may seem strange to give a 3 month old game the highest honors, I believe this game is essential for RPGs for a number of reasons. Most importantly, it has one of the best video game soundtracks ever made (A few examples) to the extent that this soundtrack has been on my iPhone for the last two months and I've yet to get sick of listening to it. On top of that, it explores combat in an RPG like no RPG before it (in my opinion) and manages to be funny, engaging, and display genuine emotion. It's one of the few games to legit make me tear up with the manliest of tears. This is a game that needs to be played.

4. Final Fantasy VI - My second favorite RPG of all time. It's one of the few RPGs where you collect a bunch of characters and have the opportunity to actually use them all. Especially with the second half of the game just going all out in a completely different way than most RPGs. Also Magicite still remains my favorite interpretation of magic in Final Fantasy, and how its used is very cool. Plus, another awesome soundtrack.

5. Final Fantasy Tactics - The S-Tier SRPG. Even though it has an early difficulty curve, overall I still think it's one of the best games to introduce people to the strategy RPG style play. And now having a chance to have played the War of the Lions version on my PSTV, I still wholeheartedly believe this is the best SRPG made. The plot may be a little dense, and at some point you do get to run around kicking ass like you're a god, but it's totally worth it.

6. Earthbound - A unique RPG that's a must-play, just due to the setting. The rolling HP counters are an inspired twist on the regular gameplay. The hilarity and strangeness of the game makes it an instant classic. It also manages to send-up normal RPG tropes in a fun way that still makes sense in the context of the built world. Great RPG for people who aren't into a dystopian/fantasy/the usual RPG settings.

7. Alpha Protocol - My personal favorite WRPG, just due to the fact that you hardly ever get to play as a spy in an RPG setting. Yes, it's not perfect - it has bugs and the gameplay takes getting used to (especially if you want to play it like a normal shooter). But it more than makes up for it with a choice/dialogue system that is still unmatched in terms of how it affects your game as you progress.

8. Fallout: New Vegas - Of all the Fallouts, this is the one I spent the most time with. It's the first game I ever bought all the DLC for and got every achievement for. You have so many options, what you say and do matters, and there's all sorts of nooks and crannies in the world to explore that the main and side stories may never take you to unless you explore yourself. And the VATS system lets you not have to play it as a regular shooter if you don't want to. A very worthy introduction to WRPGs.

9. Persona 4 - I think this JRPG really balanced the social links and dungeons well. You want to do both, plus the mystery weaved into the overall story really intrigued me. You have to put a lot of time and effort into it, but the story is rewarding and I think the social links are a must for people who want to experience variety in their RPGs.

10. Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars - The second RPG I ever played, and the first RPG I ever beat myself. Not a typical RPG by any means, but its unique battle system which keeps you invested and paying attention has been used and refined in a lot of games since. Great humor that plays off a lot of the Mario tropes people were used to at the time as well.

Overall Essentials(11-20)
11. Fallout 2 - I always like telling the story of how I sat down at 10 in the morning to play a little Fallout 2 and suddenly it was 10 at night and I hadn't eaten or moved all day. That's how engaging this game is, and is a great example of the isometic RPG setting and also, in my opinion, the best place to start in the Fallout world.
12. Final Fantasy X - FFX has what I consider the best combat system of all the mainline Final Fantasies, because it makes you truly feel like you're traveling as a party, and not teleporting people in from a spaceship at save points while adding more strategy to who is active in your party.
13. Paper Mario: Thousand Year Door - Of all the Mario RPGs, I think this is the best one to start with. Lots of different abilities, fun boss battles and great music. In terms of pure fun, I'd say this one is the best to play for fun's sake.
14. Shin Megami Tensei IV - I think while Persona 4 is a more accessible game in general, this game is a better introduction to SMT-style games. It's fun, engaging, and not as difficult as previous SMT games. Plus, as is a requirement for me, a killer soundtrack.
15. Fire Emblem: Awakening - An outstanding SRPG, that really refreshes the Fire Emblem formula. I would definitely pair this one (no pun intended) with FFT as the best way to get new players into SRPGs. Plus, with different difficulty options it allows players to play to their comfort level.
16. Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together - I got a PSTV literally so I could download and play this game finally. And it doesn't disappoint. Another S-tier SRPG, although it's a little on the heavy side for stat management. But if you're into that, it has a rewarding and fun combat system.
17. Resonance of Fate - Yes, you have to go through every tutorial and in-game manual in this game to perfectly understand how the combat works. But once you do, man, the gameplay really clicks and is super fun. A very good mix-up of strategy and action.
18. Mass Effect 2 - I've struggled trying to replay ME1, while ME2 has just the right amount of action and dialogue. The battle system is streamlined to the point where it's a lot more fun. Sure, the overall RPG elements are notched down but I think it's a worthwhile game for anyone interested in the sci-fi genre and also WRPGs.
19. South Park: Stick of Truth - If you like South Park, you'll like this game. If you don't like South Park, you might still like this game. If you like RPGs, you should probably like this game.
20. Divinity: Original Sin: Enhanced Edition - I bought this game and in a week have already put close to 50 hours into it, a game hasn't gripped me this completely in a long while. The combat is refreshingly excellent and makes you be strategic, and is streamlined for a great introductory isometric RPG experience.

Honorable Mentions
Bloodborne - Probably like this as a game more than Dark Souls, but it is the least RPG of all the Souls/Souls-like games, which is why I feel I can only give it an HM.
Final Fantasy XII - Personal requirement that any game I've spent 80+ hours playing needs to be on the recommendation list somewhere because it has to be doing something right.
Lost Odyssey - See FFXII.
Dragon Quest VIII - See FFXII.
Vandal Hearts II - Adds an interesting mechanic where the enemy moves at the same time as you, so you have to predict where they're going. It adds a different flavor to battles, but should be reserved for people who have experience in the genre.
Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn - Great Fire Emblem, but probably not as accessible as FE: Awakening.
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga - My favorite of the Mario & Luigi RPGs, and also the simplest and best place to start for the series, I'd say.
Shadowrun: Dragonfall - Have only played a few hours of this, but the setting is amazing and when I get around to playing more of it, it's possible I could upgrade it to top 20.
Mother 3 - Would probably be top 20 if I didn't get stuck on a boss early in the game due to emulation issues with the combat.
The World Ends With You - A great game with a unique spin on combat, but unfortunately my OCD took over and while trying to upgrade badges while turning the game off...I never turned the game back on...oops.

---

This is subject to change before the deadline for a multitude of reasons, namely I have Suikoden II and Vagrant Story downloaded on my PS3 and may start playing them, I've just started playing both Shadowrun: Dragonfall and Pillars of Eternity, and am currently downloading Wasteland 2: Director's Cut as well. And I may purchase Divinity: Original Sin before the end of the year, too. While it's unlikely I'll be able to play all these games for long enough to feel comfortable putting them on the list, at least one has left enough of an impression to include so I'm not discounting any of them yet.

 

[zero shift]

List.

List.

Really quality stuff.

 

[names2hard4you]

Really quality stuff.

Thank you! But I have to agree, in general. Everyone around these parts has excellent taste and even though there are always the usual top culprits, but it's fun seeing where the 3 point votes go for everyone.

EDIT: To those who put SMT4 on their lists, along with my post, you have convinced my friend to buy the game. It is apparently 22% off on the eShop right now too.

 

[afreaknamedpete]

(In no particular order)
Rune Factory 4 - This game came straight out of left field for me, and I did not expect it to utterly engross me. The best "town" experience any RPG has to offer, where everyone has something new to say pretty much every day. An RPG progression system that fuels a cycle of exploration and crafting that carries a constant and satisfying progression loop. The systems there are extremely deep; although farming is not up to other traditional Harvest Moons standards there is a ridiculous amount of variety between the tons of weapon classes, monster-recruitment and extremely deep equipment crafting system. There's always something to do, and most importantly, there's always something DIFFERENT to do when you become even slightly bored of one aspect of the game. Interesting characters (un-nuanced romances aside), a significant difference between M/F players, and the utter abolition of loading times makes for the smoothest and IMO best RPG experience of the 3DS.

Trails in the Sky FC Best Story- The quintessential feel-good impact RPG, when you don't want to worry about saving the world. I expected a comfortable plot with likable characters and a passable combat system, which I received. What I didn't expect was the way the setting became a character, from the strangely to-scale routes and the sheer amount of NPC dialogue that changes with your actions. But what struck me the most was the dialogue which I loved but found unusual. It took me a few hours to realize why: characters talk like human beings having human conversations. This game will make you cry, or at least build up pressure behind your eyes for the soulless amongst us. I'd love to recommend the sequel but it's plot is really too stupid to be in my top 20, but it is mandatory playing after FC.

Persona 4 Golden - What hasn't been said about this game already? Strategic combat, just enough life-sim and dating sim to spice up the grind, and an amazing cast. The only problem with this game are all the shitty school-setting RPGs that popped up after this. And the milking. Stop milking this series Atlus.

Final Fantasy 6 - I felt obligated to include a Final Fantasy, and 6 is the major standout. Amazing cast, amazing villain, and an elegant execution of the ATB system. This game triggers genuine emotional response with blocks and two frame animations that SE can't seem to do with million dollar budgets and 5 year development windows.

Xenoblade Chronicles - Gameplay is competent, plot is competent, characters are competent, the progression system is WAY too complicated for its own good. But looking down from the rafters of the Fallen Arm and realizing its namesake? Actually tracing your path through the map from your perch? Then realizing you can basically do this for every zone in the game? There's no other game I've played with as majestic and fully realized setting. It makes me explore not to find quests, EXP or resources but just to see what's on the other side.

Tales of Vesperia - Tales always has really great gameplay and often interesting worlds. Vesperia trades the traditional overbearing stick of Tales storytelling with a more subdued social class conflict story (at least in the beginning), with a relateable and non-brain dead main character. While Graces was more fun to play minute to minute, Vesperia is much easier to play with a smoother character progression system, a story you can actually stomach, and crisp visuals. It also baffles me that years and like half a dozen Tales titles later Vesperia STILL looks the best. What the fuck was wrong with cell shading Bamco!?

Atelier Escha+Logy - As a huge Atelier fan it was really difficult distilling which one of the Atelier games really captures the quintessential essence of the franchise. Although Eschalogy doesn't have the best cast, best alchemy, best use of time or best soundtrack it is easily 2nd best in everything else and boasts the best battle system. The "full package" of the Atelier franchise that features all of the great, unique aspects of the game with unfortunately no "wow" factor. For the uninitiated E+L is an RPG with a a comfortable, small-town setting, a plot that focuses on characters fulfilling life and career goals in lieu of saving the world. A bombastic combat system is supplemented by an extremely deep and complex crafting system that demands mastery. The only game series that actually makes crafting FUN. E+L also avoids some of the more pervy elements of the series, yay for age appropriateness!

Witcher 3 - GOTY or something right? This is the game that puts the "role" into role-playing game. An entire game that seems written like short story anthologies, where every dot on the horizon promises not riches but a touch of comedy and drama. Geralt was also a huge mental 180; I came in expecting a wish-fulfillment brooding final fantasy character, but the game constantly surprises you with the amount of nuance and leeway good writing can instill even to "emotionless" characters. The gameplay is okay, I guess? The world isn't really all that interesting to explore either. Bonus points for breathtaking weather effects; Skyrim eat your heart out. Also Gwent.

Undertale Best Soundtrack - Best game ever, just ask Gamefaqs! Many RPGs can hit emotional or dramatic notes by sheer force of length. Games like Persona and Trails make you care about the characters by bludgeoning you with character moments to make them feel real. Somehow Undertale does this in minutes flat. This game is practically a litmus test for a human soul. The combat system is genuinely unique and well realized. The story though, and how it truly responds to your actions and has the guts to judge you for them, is the game's key selling point. I expect people to still be talking about this game decades from now. I expect people to be listening to the soundtrack centuries from now.

Baldur's Gate 2 - Bioware's best product! Shadowy villains, an intriguing mystery based plot, and a heavily populated world full of interesting side quests. The D+D based combat system was a little janky, but that's part of the charm.

Dark Souls 1 - Less is more, evidently. Dark Souls did a lot of things that sound terrible and risky on paper. It dared to make combat slow and ploddy when its contemporaries were extreme and crazy. It dared to take an archaeology style of storytelling when everyone else was trying to ape movies. It dared to make you suffer for death, when other games were practically eliminating progress loss. And best of all, DS1 tied all the systems from plot to combat to even the multiplayer into it's vision of a dying world.

Shadowrun Returns: Dragonfall - Great plot, fully realized setting, tons of leeway to actually roleplay. The set-piece nature of combat reminds me of all the best features of XCOM, and the whole production oozes style. Hong Kong is good too, but in many ways is second fiddle to Dragonfall. I've not played the the first Shadowrun Returns, though I hear it's mediocre.

Bloodborne - Bram Stoker meets Lovecraft meets Dark Souls? Despite it basically being a reskin it works so well I'm letting From Software double up on my rank list.

Skyrim - Dr. Skinner's Wet Dream. I don't know why this works; hell it shouldn't work. The combat is ass, the story is ass, you spend more time crafting daggers and managing inventory than doing anything meaningful, and seriously despite the hype there are basically only a dozen dungeons with copy-pasted assets. The less that's said about the quests and zombie-NPCs the better. But it's like crack and I've dropped like a hundred hours into this game. Skyrim has somehow tapped into some kind of animalistic lizard-brain hoarding instinct. It also cannot be ignored that this is probably the most heavily modded, and thus customizeable, RPG in the world.

Divinity Original Sin Best Combat- So this is how you write a comedy RPG. A combat system deeper than the marina trench, yet is the only game I can remember where I can raid a safe by telekinetically smashing a wine barrel into a guard. The plot features a first act that somehow makes every side quest a part of the main quest, and nooks and crannies filled with bizarre and interesting hooks from beginning to end. The most amazing part of this is how, at least for me, the difficulty remained remarkably consistent despite the ever expanding tool arsenal.

Kingdom Hearts 2 - A game based entirely around what a 12 year old would find cool. It's a crossover between two giants of children's entertainment. Everybody original tries so hard to look hip and awesome. Zippers everywhere. Magic spells AND super moves AND super-saiyan mode AND kung-fu keyblade action. Every action is heavily stylized and the game is almost as fun to watch as it is the play. Furthermore the combat system (at least on Critical Mode) gives you the biggest power trip this side of Dynasty Warriors.

Suikoden V - The best part about this series is not the plot, which is usually political, somewhat depersonalized and usually competent but not amazing. It's also not the bare bones characters and hyper-simplistic combat. Really, this game is on my list for that indescribable feeling of seeing your castle slowly go from a ghost town to a thriving center. I don't remember much about what happens in this game, but I can still hear the flute playing on the last tour you can do in your castle before the final battle. Doesn't hurt that V has amazing music and a strangely robust strategy war game.

Baten Kaitos: Origin - The biggest turnover from shitty RPG to amazing RPG. A real gem in the rough, made only radiant by its turd of a predecessor. A combat system that is fast, strategic, but not as plodding and utterly dependent on luck as the first game. A plot that's interesting and reframes some of the two-dimensional aspects of the villains of the first game into something that's actually very gray. A far better realization of the "guardian spirit" 4th-wall breaking concept than the rather tacked on way the first game did it. Doesn't hurt that this game has the best VA work in any RPG ever.

Fire Emblem Radiant Dawn - Despite the loss of supports, Radiant Dawn has the most intriguing FE plot and awesome set-piece style maps. Fire Emblem, and most strategy games, live and die by the scenario and map design, and Radiant Dawn easily has the best of all the Fire Emblems. Unfortanetly a bit marred by the difficulty whiplash. Still beats endless beat-the-boss maps of the new FEs.

Pokemon XY - Although pokemon just practically clones itself, XY really is the easiest and most "fun" game in the franchise to play. It livened up the formula with Mega Stones and added some much needed convenience features in the terms of Exp Share and Super Training. XY understands that the fun of pokemon doesn't lie in the tedious grind or leveling, but rather the collecting or competition. RBY was great, but has aged ungracefully.


Honorable Mentions:
Atelier Totori - Best plot of the Atelier series.
Odin Sphere - 2D isn't dead yet. Worth it based on visual presentation alone.
Golden Sun: The Lost Age - Best puzzles, cool combat, all around solid.
FF Tactics - Almost put this in place of FE, but it's a bit too slow paced for my tastes and very poorly balanced. Unparalleled depth in character progression though.
Fallout NV - Bethesda formula + Good Writing. Somehow not as supernaturally addictive as other bethesda games.
Ar NoSurge - Love it or hate it, but how many 4th-wall breaking, scifi-fantasy/dating sim/VNs are there? Also read the setting books.
FFX - Probably the most successful "hollywood" style RPG SE had made. Proves that SE can, indeed, write characters I can care about.
Sunless Sea - Wears its browser game origins on its sleeve, but this is the Twilight Zone: Wet and Wild and there's nothing like it.
Transistor - Beautiful, best example IMO of the "narrated" RPG.
Trails in the Sky SC - Cause you gotta resolve the FC's cliffhanger. Plot itself leaves much to be desired, but everythinge else good about FC carries into SC.

 

[Incendiary]

Really quality stuff.

Thank you! I tried to keep my list varied and keep it to one game per series in each set of 10. It just feels wrong to me to put together an essential list and have a good chunk of them be from the same series.

I think my biggest regret is not delving more into the DS RPG catalog - I own Sands of Destruction, Nostalgia, Lufia, Contact, and Radiant Historia all sitting around waiting for me to play them but I keep getting distracted by life.

EDIT: To those who put SMT4 on their lists, along with my post, you have convinced my friend to buy the game. It is apparently 22% off on the eShop right now too.

Your friend made the right decision. Good luck and godspeed.

Divinity Original Sin Best Combat- So this is how you write a comedy RPG. A combat system deeper than the marina trench, yet is the only game I can remember where I can raid a safe by telekinetically smashing a wine barrel into a guard.

I'd just like to let you know that this sentence right here probably just sold me on buying the game. Well done.

 

[Fat4all]

Quick question while I build my list, do regions matter?

It might be an issue cuz I love the game Live A Live but it never got an official English translation, only a fan translation.

I feel like its a game everyone should of played.

 

[Disaster Nebraska]

What a fun thread! Thanks for the chance to participate, OP. I am holding myself to a self-imposed rule of only 1 game per franchise/series.


Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate - though I spent more time with Freedom 2 and Freedom Unite (roughly 1,000 hours a piece), MH4U is the most complete MH game to date. It is crammed with content, toppling Unite (which I didn't imagine was possible). This is my favorite action-RPG. Best memory: soloing a monster that handily killed you 100 hours ago is what this series is all about.

Bloodborne - after all the comparisons to other Souls games wear out their welcome, the fact remains that this is simultaneously one of the best Victorian horror games as well as one of the best Lovecraftian games, two subgenres that aren't exactly well populated anyway. Combat is exceptional and each weapon is viable in its own way. The music was a bummer for me in DS2, but Bloodborne restored my faith in FROM's ability to compose a good OST. Best memory: the slow transition from London Steampunk Horror to OH SHIT WHAT IS DRIPPING FROM THAT HOLE IN THE COSMOS?!?

Pokemon HeartGold - the original Gold would've made the list just fine, as that was one of my favorite handheld games of all time, but HeartGold is the same...but better. I hold the Pokemon format in the highest respect. It is addictive and fun and rewarding all at the same time. Best memory: revealing dat 2nd map...

ADOM - I could easily list Nethack, Slash 'Em, Angband, Dwarf Fortress, or any of the other countless roguelikes I played back in the day. ADOM was the best because it gave you enough set-in-stone areas to come up with a game plan for subsequent playthroughs. The game did some cool stuff with backstory and class choices and there were some REALLY tough tasks like the Quickling Tree or Filk quest (if you got a bad 1st kill) or the Red Rooster questline. Best memory: getting the Red Rooster in a no-scum legit playthrough. Was a triumph.

Resonance of Fate - I was sad that FF13's combat was so lame. Resonance of Fate basically met that desire. I can't say the story is the best I've seen, but the characters were each charming in their own way. The game was chock-full of weird PS1-esque mechanics that were going out of style at the time, like filling up the hex map to progress, or slapping any/all parts on a gun, or clearing an entire battle with one tri-attack. Best memory: Nathan Drake dancing and being a pervert, of course

Aetolia, The Midnight Age - the depth in this game was really something special, and one thing it did very well where other online RPGs failed is that - for the most part - everyone played in character. You'd 'whisper' to players to talk about non-game stuff but otherwise you did your best to play a role according to your class, faction, and race. I never got a chance to play PnP RPGs when I was a kid and this felt like it captured some of that magic. Best memory: taking the vampire curse and starting my own vampire House over the course of a few months, then going in-game crazy until my followers were forced to kill me (which is when I retired the character).

Baldur's Gate II - the game is full of memorable everything. It's really a love letter to all the cool stuff that D&D is known for. Replaying the game can be a bit rough (get that mod to skip, breh!) but once you're out of Irenicus' dungeon the world is your fantasy oyster. Oh, and Jon Irenicus is one of the most interesting villains out there. Best memory: Valygar's story quests.

X-COM: UFO Defense (Enemy Unknown) - only major flaw with this game when it comes to playing it now is that the interface has a healthy dose of clunk. But it remains the only turn-based game I've ever played that made me genuinely fearful for what was hiding around the corner. The creepy soundtrack played a role in that too, I think. Base building, research, and of course the battles all blend together to make a complete experience. Best memory: that one time a single ethereal wiped out my whole landing party. And by "that one time" I mean every time. Claaaassic.

Persona 4 Golden - P3 definitely gets credit for popularizing this franchise, but P4 is a better game. Better characters, better combat, more varied environments, and better social links. Music and graphical style were totally cool. Best memory: Teddie becomes a real man.

Diablo - I love D2 and D3, but the first game was a revelation. It was an action-roguelike with open-ended classes (anyone could learn spells, for instance). There was so much to explore and the randomized nature was very cool at the time. Very creepy game with great music and atmosphere. Plus, multiplayer. C'mon son. Best memory: the first time I encountered The Butcher, obviously.

Disgaea 4 - the core gameplay of Disgaea keeps getting better and better. Since I haven't played D5, this is my pick. Near-endless content to mess around with. It's just a giant sandbox of goofy toys and the goal is to cheat the game and make your damage go as high as possible. Best memory: slowly seeing the damage you're dealing go from a few hundred, to a few thousand, to 250k, to 250m, and up and up and up.

Chrono Trigger - nothing much needs to be said here. It is one of the very few "perfect" 16-bit games out there. Best memory: setting foot on Zeal as 'Corridor of Time' played in the background. Chills every time.

Suikoden II - Growing up with both PC and console RPGs, this was one of the first games that really made me go "oh wow! They're doing stuff on PS1 that PC hasn't done yet". The concept of 108 party members -- each with their own dialog and a variable amount of story -- was mind blowing. Great music didn't hurt. Combat finally addressed a common complaint at the time, which was parties being too small. Best memory: facing down Neclord in an epic confrontation with epic music.

System Shock II - somehow managed to blend horror, sci-fi, RPG, shooting, exploration, and crafting/research all into one neat package. One thing this game does the best compared to other games in the subgenre is the player really feels like they're playing a "role" based on their initial choices. Psy is different from Tech which is different from pure soldier. AI in the game was also really good. I swear the enemies never cheated but they were so good at searching for you. Best memory: hiding behind an overturned desk while a midwife walks the hallway, and then she opens the door to the room I'm in...

Star Control II - hey, it's on RPG Codex's top list, so why not mine? It's definitely RPG-lite and mashes together all sorts of other genres. The arc of the game is perfectly paced, and there's enough optional and mutually-exclusive stuff that it's fun to replay. But honestly, this game isn't great because it has the biggest map or the most options. It's great because every single piece fits together perfectly with no fat. Best memory: finally getting that darn Shofixti plot wrapped up. Took me so many playthroughs back in the day.

Mount & Blade: Warband - such a good game. I've spun up at least a dozen characters in this game series. Warband is the best you can get, so that receives my vote. The weight of combat still holds up, and the horseback riding and archery are unmatched. Best memory: charging through a hail of javelins and throwing axes with my squad of fully-armored knights and just trashing the enemy army in a single charge.

Fire Emblem Awakening - took the aspects I enjoyed from Suikoden II (building up a group of interconnected heroes) and added Persona-esque social stuff. Such a guilty pleasure. I've replayed this game countless times just to see different dialog between my units. Best memory: turning Donnel into a badass.

Dragon Quest 5 - originally played this as a translated ROM of the SNES release, but the DS remake is exceptional, too. It's actually really clunky and obtuse compared to other RPGs on the SNES, but in my opinion this is the quintissential example of "NES-style" RPGs. Phenomenal music, mythic storyline, enjoyable combat, fun world to explore, good party members, plenty of eye-opening twists. I love it. Best memory: waking up from my stone slumber and reuniting with my family.

Deus Ex - the sequel and the reboot are both enjoyable, but this game has it all. I've replayed it countless times. Definitely a "comfort food" RPG for me. Everyone praises the freedom but I think the story arc itself was also a highlight. Best memory: using the killwords against Gunther and Anna.

Final Fantasy XII - this game got a lot of hate (which has faded with time) but it is easily the best in the series for a number of reasons. One, when you realize it's okay to ignore Vaan and Penelo, the story is great. Fairly mature and political instead of being all about saving the world (even though that ends up being the goal) Two, the aesthetic is my favorite Final Fantasy "fantasy" aesthetic in the franchise. Three, the combat is phenomenal. Four, soundtrack is best in the series for me. Best memory: the confrontation between Basch and Gabranth was so good.


Honorable Mentions:

Mass Effect - Mass Effect is to Star Control II as Super Mario 64 is to Super Mario Bros 3. Very good game with a lot of options, but what really settles this one is the overall feel of the game. I loved how ambitious this title is compared to its successors (which improved the core mechanics but seems to reduce their scope). The music was great and exploring the galaxy as a team of hardened soldiers was a ton of fun.

Dragon's Crown - I played and beat the main story for every character except the Knight. Takes the best parts of beat 'em ups and wraps it in a delicious RPG package.

Dishonored - I couldn't justify having this, Deus Ex, and SS2 all in the Top 20, but this one is nearly up there. Everyone knows that Bioshock is responsible for introducing the Deus Ex/Shock formula to modern audiences, but in my opinion Dishonored is the game that really embraced what defined those older games and ran with it. In every way superior to Bioshock and its sequels.

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga - the gameplay is just...wow. It's like they applied the same loving care from the main Mario games and slathered it all over an RPG. My main complaint is that it's a bit short, which keeps it off my Top 20 list.

Golden Sun - this game was quite a treat at the time. There were a lot of puzzles that required creative use of your spells and items, above and beyond what I'd seen in RPGs up to that point. Tons of customization, whether we're talking about equipment or how djinni determined your class and psynergies. The soundtrack was rock 'n roll infused with classic fantasy, which made every battle feel like a boss fight. The fast, crunchy combat felt so damn good. I can't even describe what made the combat so satisfying. The fact that it's basically half a game is what kicks it off the Top 20.

Fallout - really impressive story, lots of freedom, cool use of time limits, plenty of different factions and towns to put your mark on. The ending was exceptional. To go through the game and have most of your major decisions acknowledged in the ending cutscene prompted me to start it all over again immediately after beating. The clunk and the bad pacing in the middle/end of the game kinda hurt it, though.

Planescape: Torment - beautiful writing and lots of really cool ways to solve scenarios. I think it does suffer from the less-refined mechanics and story arc compared to BG2. Things don't really get interesting until after Pharos.

 

[zero shift]

Quick question while I build my list, do regions matter?

It might be an issue cuz I love the game Live A Live but it never got an official English translation, only a fan translation.

I feel like its a game everyone should of played.

Plenty of people (including myself) put Mother 3 on the list so you definitely can. Now if the game wasn't available in English, like say Segagaga, then it could be a problem. I'm not sure.

 

[Zukuu]

• NieR (Best Soundtrack)
  
  
  
  The best game you probably have never played! Visuals are bland and the gameplay is mediocre, so what makes it so brilliant and even named "best game ever" by so many enthusiasts? It's hard to put it into words as it's much more than a mere game. It's an experience first and foremost. Among great characters, an insanely great world and the best soundtrack ever put into a video game, it also features the most unique spin on NG+ and that is were the game becomes magic and so deeply loved by its fans. My shared number #1 game of all time.
  
  
• Final Fantasy 7
  
  
  
  When I first played it, I was amazed by the visuals (funny writing that now) during the battle and cinematics. It has a great cast with likable characters, a great story and great OST with some of the most memorable songs of all time. My #1 game of all time.
  
  
• Final Fantasy 8
  
  
  
  After Final Fantasy 7 I was soohyped for Final Fantasy 8 and I wasn't let down. While it can't reach FF 7 (which was pretty much impossible to begin with) I immensely enjoyed the game and find the setting / world among the best of any RPG to date. The detailed cities just melted my eyes at the time. Music is again really memorable and it has one of the greatest intros. Where it not for the incredibly stupid plot twist, it would stand among my favorite games of all time.
  
  
• Gothic 1
  
  
  
  It has to this date, the most immersive gameworld. No other game has created such a believable, cohesive world. Everything just makes sense, everyone has a 'reason' within the world to do the things he does.
  

  The game takes place in a medieval fantasy realm in which humans are fighting a losing war against the Orcs. In order to fight back, the king needs to extract magical ore from mines, which can be used to forge more powerful weapons. Therefore he decides to send every man who has committed a crime to the ore mines.
  To prevent the convicts from escaping he orders his 12 most powerful magicians to erect a magical dome over the mining colony. However, the Barrier goes out of control and grows large enough to cover the entire valley, trapping the magicians inside, and giving the convicts a chance to kill the distracted guards and take control over the colony. You can only enter the barrier, but not leave it. The king is thus forced to come to an agreement with the prisoners, trading goods for ore.
  Soon after, the convicts separate into three different groups: the Old Camp which controls trading with the king, the New Camp which refuses to trade the ore they mine, and instead plan to use its magical power to explode the Barrier, and the Brotherhood, whose members believe in a god called the Sleeper which will help them escape from the colony. The magicians that created the Barrier also divided; they formed the Fire Mages, who joined the Old Camp, and the Water Mages, who joined the New Camp.

  It is so fun to be just a part of the world. Do duties, go hunting, work up your rank. Day/night cycles, open world without any restrictions, great voice acting and all that before everything listed was even a thing in other games. One of the best gems and one of my favorite games. Apart from the very clunky controls (which were terrible even when it was released), it still holds up well to this day, if you got a knack for the genre.
  
  
• Gothic 2
  
  
  
  Take the world from Gothic 1 and just quadruple it. That's what Gothic 2 has done. It's dense, huge and filled with the same great immersive living world as Gothic 1. You even have access to almost the entire map of Gothic 1 on top. It picks up right where Gothic 1 has left off and you get the see the mainland continent. Everything what made Gothic 1 so great, made Gothic 2 even greater, as it has improved a lot and only added positives aspects to the game. Instant classic. Really nothing compares to Gothic 1 and 2.
  
  
• Mass Effect 1
  
  
  
  The whole trilogy is an amazing experience. You shape your Shepard and live with the consequences. The approach to carry over your character and choices was ingenious and changed how you perceived your journey. The series created such a detailed, vast and interesting universe that you could immerse yourself fully and get lost in it for hours. The game was a milestone in terms of dialogue and choices and is the inventor of the now commonly used 'dialogue wheel'. You care for all crew members and have a great story and universe to explore
  
  
• Mass Effect 2
  
  
  
  I went into it blind and I literally stood up and raised my arms out of joy when I saw my pal Garrus again. The 'suicide' mission is one of the most intense things I have ever played. I really liked the structure of the game, first you recruit your crew and then venture forth into the unknown. Seeing how your choices from part 1 affected the world was just satisfying. Yet again, they nailed the party members. Everyone has a reason, has a complex character and is interesting.
  
  
• Dark Souls (Best Combat)
  Are you casul or what?
  
  
• Persona 3
  
  
  
  ]My personal favorite SMT / Persona title. The tone of the game is just great. The story and characters are very well done and the game dares to be very mature, despite being half a high school simulator. Music is also top notch.
  
  
• Persona 4
  
  
  
  While as a whole it's not as good as Persona 3 in my opinion, it's still great on its own. Very upbeat tone overall, which is in stark contrast to the game's plot line. The Socializing + Dungeon crawling formula just works and P4 tweaked P3's somewhat mediocre battle-design to be less frustrating and more enjoyable.
  
  
• Demon Souls
• Diablo II
• Divinity: Oiriginal Sin
• Fallout New Vegas
• Final Fantasy 9
  Final Fantasy 10
• Planescape: Torment (Best Writing)
• Pokemon Red/Blue
• World of Warcraft
• Dragon Age: Origins
  
  Honorable Mentions
• Fallout 1
• Fallout 2
• Fallout 3
• Fallout 4
• Baldurs Gate 2
• Witcher 3
• Breath of Fire 4
• Neverwinter Nights 2
• Ni no Kuni
• Jagged Alliance

 

[Zukuu]

Also, I gotta say, Top 20 + 10 mentions is far too much. I find top 10 + 10 much better, personally. What good is an unranked list, if you can almost include everything you ever remotely liked? Not the thing I assume when I hear "ESSENTIAL". Making a choice and selecting the best should be part of your thinking. 30 entries are also a very daunting task and will most likely scare off quite a few members from posting, even tho it's "optional".

 

[KuwabaraTheMan]

Plenty of people (including myself) put Mother 3 on the list so you definitely can. Now if the game wasn't available in English, like say Segagaga, then it could be a problem. I'm not sure.

Anything is fine as long as it's a real RPG.

I plan on putting Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth on my list, and that game isn't currently available in English at all.

 

[Aizo]

Interesting change of rules this year. I'm excited to see it all get shaken up! I also look forward to figuring out my favorite combat, music, and writing. Even this year, though, I feel like I've yet to play lots of the classics. I think the only one I got around to since last time was Chrono Trigger.

 

[Mulgrok]

woot, can't wait to see the results. I don't care about ranking, just seeing new and interesting stuff. I wish more people weren't so fixated on ranks

 

[KuwabaraTheMan]

The broader lists could end up getting some interesting games in the bottom half of the list, though. Games that would miss a top 10 or even 20 but are still coming to a lot of people's minds.

Yeah, one of my hopes is that the additional list options will lead to more forgotten titles or older classics appearing on the essential list. Take last year's list for example. Only one Ultima title in the Top 100, no Phantasy Star, only on Shining Force, no Might & Magic, no Wizardry at all, etc. I feel like a lot of iconic and important titles might have a better chance of making some mentions by expanding the amount people can vote on slightly, allowing some titles that are important but don't always get the mentions quite alongside the Planescapes and Chrono Trigger to have a better showing this time out.

 

[Yoshi]

Oh man, more than 100 postings of 20-30 RPGs and only 3 mentions of Lufia [2: Rise of the Sinistrals]. this might of course be because most people prefer 30 other games over Lufia, but for those who just don't know Lufia, I advice you to play it. Fantastic dungeon design here, it would certainly get my "best world / dungeon design" bonus point if there was one.

 

[Moonkid]

Hey all, I've been meaning to get into some older JPRGs as I missed that boat growing up. I want to start with Chrono Trigger or Final Fantasy VI and I was wondering what my best options were to play these. I own a PS4, PSP, and NDS.

 

[KuwabaraTheMan]

Hey all, I've been meaning to get into some older JPRGs as I missed that boat growing up. I want to start with Chrono Trigger or Final Fantasy VI and I was wondering what my best options were to play these. I own a PS4, PSP, and NDS.

For Chrono Trigger your best option would be the DS version.

For Final Fantasy VI you could probably go with the GBA version played on the DS. A lot of folks aren't the biggest fans of that version due to the lower sound quality, but it also has a lot going for it, and it's the only real option you have fwith your setup.

 

[Dad]

For Chrono Trigger your best option would be the DS version.

For Final Fantasy VI you could probably go with the GBA version played on the DS. A lot of folks aren't the biggest fans of that version due to the lower sound quality, but it also has a lot going for it, and it's the only real option you have fwith your setup.

There's still the PS1 version, though I would recommend trying literally any other way first.

 

[Whiteblade999]

Last year I went with most influential, this year I'm doing my favorites.

1)Dark Souls (Best Combat): It is the greatest game ever made. The combat, intricate level design, lore, and Berserk influence all come together in a way that make the most complete package for someone with my tastes.

2)Baldur's Gate 2: The sheer amount of content this game has is astounding. 100 hours and almost no filler. Encounter design is one of the best out there. This is the metric I compare any WRPG to.

3)Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance- Out of all the Fire Emblem titles this one feels like the most complete package. It has the best story of the English releases in terms of subject matter and the most interesting characters. The gameplay is typical Fire Emblem, not much to say.

4) Ys Origins (Best Soundtrack): The boss fights and music in this game are god tier. The only reason its better then Felghana is you have 3 characters to play as, leading to a much more varied experience that can be replayed 18 times instead of 6.

5)Ys: Oath in Felghana: The best boss fights in the series, the music is debatable. I prefer the OST of Origins.

6) Guild Wars: The skill system has yet to be topped in an RPG. The low level cap and energy system are a couple of other great innovations. What kept me coming back was the expansion system. 3 standalone games that I can play, which would be separate sequels in any other franchise.

7) Fire Emblem Radiant Dawn: This is the weaker half of a very strong duology. Unlike popular opinion I loved the Dawn Brigade sections. What brought it down was the support system, Thundergod Haar, and a story that took a while to get going. The whole overarching story of the two games was something I really liked in the end though.

8) Diablo II: The atmosphere of the original was better, but I liked where they took the story of this one more. The online play had me coming back for year. Out of any franchise in gaming only this is the one I enjoy the lore of most. Shame there was never a sequel to the story.

9)Dragon's Dogma Dark Arisen: If lighting myself on fire, jumping onto a griffon, riding it through the air, and then forcing it to the ground because of said flames doesn't sell you idk what will. The game is full of moments like that. Bitterblack Isle is amazing also.

10) Divinity Original Sin: My complaint about turn based games often boils down to how static they are and how boring trash encounters are. The magic system makes this game go from run of the mill to the best turn based WRPG period. The great encounter design helps too.

11) Fallout New Vegas: An open world game with a staggering amount of choices that actually change the worldstate. The Witcher 3 has the best sidequests in terms of production value, but the ones I enjoyed the most were here.

12) Dark Souls II Scholar of the First Sin: The base game with the revisions is MUCH better. It still isn't anywhere near the original. The DLC is a different story. If it was the DLC vs. the first game, it would be an easy victory for the DLC. Fume Knight is one of the best boss fights in gaming and a serious case of get good and stop hiding behind the shield scrub.

13) Rune Factory 4: I'm really cutting it with this one. I consider it an RPG, even though it could be considered a simulation game. Regardless, I love how alive this game feels. Every day I need to talk with the town members, and they have something different to say. Often times its hilarious and fits their personality perfectly. The gameplay itself reminds me of Ys titles, which is a reason to keep playing even if the simulation aspect sucked (which it doesn't).

Maybe a knee-jerk to put this in here at all since I'm still playing it, but it was a pleasant surprise in a major way.

14) Fire Emblem 7: I kind of like this series OK? This was my introduction to it, and for that reason it holds a lot of nostalgic value.

15) Planescape Torment (Best writing): This is the game that made me start taking writing in games seriously. Do I really need to explain what is great about this?

16) Final Fantasy Tactics: It has good gameplay, but I could care less about that part frankly. The story is what made me enjoy it so much. The politics, religious aspect, and ultimately the tragic ending left a strong impression.

17) Transistor: The game was incredibly short, but woah boy what a ride. There was so much story told without saying much. The ending made me legit tear up, and that hasn't happened since the end of the First Law where

Spoiler

Jezal was utterly broken by Bayaz

.

18) Neverwinter Nights 2 Mask of the Betrayer: Torment with a good combat system? Sign me up! The high level D&D is a bit wonky, but doesn't hurt the experience at all.

19) Valkyria Chronicles: This is a game with a bunch of parts that shouldn't have worked, but did. SRPG mixed with a third person shooter. A gorgeous art style. Set in alternate Europe. Covers issues most games are afraid to cover.

20) Radiant Historia: The game could be utter trite and still make this list if only because of Stocke. He is by far the best fixed protagonist I've seen in a JRPG. Calm and professional in the face of danger, he figures out how to solve problems and does it. No bumbling around like a fool or coming of age crap, this man is the real deal.

The gameplay is great too, lining enemies up on a grid to perform multi-hit combos. The story itself where you are jumping between time lines is done pretty well too.

 

[Knurek]

For Final Fantasy VI you could probably go with the GBA version played on the DS. A lot of folks aren't the biggest fans of that version due to the lower sound quality, but it also has a lot going for it, and it's the only real option you have fwith your setup.

GBA version with sound restoration patch played on a GBA emulator on PSP.
SNES sound quality + GBA enhancements + savestates.

 

[Ekai]

These are for the most part in no particular order. All of my specific votes are cast.

1. Skies of Arcadia: Legends. This was easily the rpg that really got me into rpgs and I still can't put it down to this day. I've replayed it at least 5 or so times and it never gets old. I tend to drag it out to play it once every other year or so and god do I love it. It's got so much charm, such perfect world-building, exploration, freedom, fantastic music, wonderful story that tackles heavier subjects (such as class-warfare, slavery, and genocide to name a few) in such a kid-friendly sort of manner, and a wonderful cast too. The whole package for this game just really ties nicely together for me and it will probably always be one of my top games of all time. I still get goosebumps and dread facing the lower sky and Dark Rift to this day.

2. Persona 2: Innocent Sin- Best Gameplay. (as of this edit I have progressed past a specific late game dungeon and am near the end-game) I still need to progress quite a bit in this one but I can't not put it up here. It's far and away the best Persona experience I've ever had. It easily outpaces 4 and is at the very least equal to Persona 3 Portable in terms of quality. There's something that just really clicks with this game for me. It isn't filled with much of any fluff in terms of what you see in the more recent Persona games. There's no s-linking or anything like that. Not to say that stuff is bad, it's not. I include P3P in my list here. Just, Persona 2:IS (and from what I know of EP as well and 1) is nothing like P3 or P4. Tonally they're entirely different games and it surprises me to consider them the same series. There's even story and gameplay mechanics that entirely separate them. There's still a mystery to the game like in 3 and 4 but there's less of a focus on school day to day life. The story rather focuses almost solely on the mystery at the heart of the game. It actually works quite well in the games favor too. On top of that it has a combat system very reminiscent of older SMT titles. You can just fight enemies standardly with your personas (which by the way anyone can switch out for any persona anytime they want-you aren't limited to the one persona per person) OR you can befriend them/make them angry/curious/whatever by performing actions in combat. Dance, impersonate motorcycles, flirt, do whatever you want to any enemy you want. It's actually quite funny to actually converse with the enemies in battle like this. The combat system benefits from this and contributes to the overwhelming charm that the game just has. Tatsuya is also easily my second favorite protagonist of the Persona series (Maya may overtake him if I ever play EP) falling shortly behind the female protag of P3P. This would potentially get best writing if Pathologic didn't exist.

3. Pathologic. Best Writing Choice. This game easily has far and away the most surreal world-building. It also has far and away the most poetic and haunting writing I've ever seen in any game ever. Of course it's from the minds at Ice-Pick Lodge, so what should I expect? Yes, the game has some clunky gameplay going for it in terms of difficulty BUT with the remaster of the classic version now out on Steam and a full remake hopefully coming out late 2016, it's never been a better time to be a fan of this severely and criminally underrated/under the radar psychological horror role player. Like Undertale, it's a bit hard to discuss what makes this game so good without spoiling key details. It's like Rashomon, in a sense, but for video games. Because you experience the story from one of three perspectives. Basically, you pick one of three doctors who arrive in a remote town and attempt to solve the mystery and administer the treatment behind the plague that has fallen upon said town. However they all have different specialties and believe different things are at the core of the issue. Whoever you choose, the other two potential protagonists are still doing their thing. You only get a part of the whole puzzle. In order to really piece everything together (and even then the game still has quite a bit of depth to it) you have to play as all three characters. Each one deals with entirely unique obstacles, different fully realized npcs, factions, etc. etc. It's incredible the amount of detail and dedication that went into making this game. The sound design is also incredibly top-notch as it oozes dread and helps further contribute to the tone the game sets. The town itself even feels like a character, stalking you as you try to 'save' it. The struggle to survive (do you sell your gun for money to buy food or keep it in order to live?) has never been any more thoroughly engrossing than this. It was a toss-up between this, Undertale, Live-A-Live and Skies for best writing and in the end I settled with Pathologic.

4. Undertale. Easily my GOTY. This rpg does everything so perfectly. Story? It's got a skeleton of fantastic writing going for it. Combat? It's got that befriending mechanic I loved from P2:IS and it's just as charming here. The fact that that is also intrinsic to the story itself is also a huge seller for me. The soundtrack? It's also very simple but it all works sooooo wellll. Just, ugh. I could never not think about this game now. Tobyfox made a damn near close to perfect if not perfect game. The fact that it plays so perfectly with conventions also is a huge seller for me. Was a contender for all 3 specifics but ended up giving them to other games. Still a very very strong game, however.

5. Live-A-Live: A "on the shorter-end" rpg that revolves around different hero chapters? Some of those revolving around 1) Giant Robots. 2) Wrestling. 3) Robots who make coffee and you have me sold. You play as various protagonists in each time period essentially. It's all fairly standard but it's wrapped in a very cute package. It's when the end-game comes that the game really shows it's form and breaks rpg conventions so incredibly well. It's hard to discuss without spoiling but there's a specific chapter that I quite love for what it does and your choice in the chapter after that is really quite good too. It's the first game I can think of that ever did what it does in the ending chapters. It's overall writing and the ending bits alone put it as one of my top contenders for best writing. Not the winner but it's definitely up there for best writing for sure. If you want to experience it, there's a good fan-translation out there too.

6. Tales of Vesperia. Easily the best Tales game I've played. Thanks to its all around fantastic cast (including Yeagar, who I desperately wish was playable....let's just ignore the existence of Cumore tho....) and a really well done story. It avoids so many cliches that have plagued the genre and it does it all with grace. Combat is also top-notch and really tight too.

7. Paper Mario. Ahh, Paper Mario. Like Skies you're one of the few games I've played multiple times. From it's gameplay mechanics to the overall writing for the game itself, it's just too darn cute. Cuteness is a huge plus.

8. Xenoblade Chronicles. The game takes a while to get going at times but it very nicely builds up it's intro sequences. Compared to X, which I mention down-below, there's a greater focus on story and the story in here is one that works quite well for me. The VA is also some of the best in a recent rpg for me really. Very nice work there. The fact it plays somewhat unconventionally, like a mmo but in single player, also worked in it's favor actually. It was loads of fun setting up combos with allies and messing around with equips/gems. Soundtrack also tied it together quite nicely.

9. Fire Emblem: Sword of Flame. My first FE game and still my favorite. The gameplay mechanics alone were enough to draw me in but the fact it had such charming character too certainly helped keep it in my memory. Unique characters threatened with perma-death? Check. A simple but intricate as it advances triangle system for combat? Sure. More advanced combat mechanics coming in with terrain? Definitely. While later games in the FE series do expand on the gameplay in some ways I much prefer the package that comes with FE: Sword of Flame. I still quite love the other FE games though. It's hard to really just pick one or two. For sheer quality and the fact that it's the first one to come to America, it's worth checking out.

10. Panzer Dragoon Saga. An early RPG that really knew how to capture the cinematic feeling. Just, watch how it starts sometime and where it goes. It does scope extremely well. It's also got a wonderful soundtrack and gameplay systems too. I mean, you ride a dragon, come on. What more can I say than that? You can also buy it now for the low low price of only 450 dollars! So what are you waiting for?

11. Dark Souls. The way it told it's story, the world-building, top-notch. I love when games tell their story by showing things and that's what Dark Souls does. It doesn't hold your hand. It expects you to put things together. It tells it's story through the environment itself and that's powerful to me. Of course there's item descriptions and the intermittent npc but the story-telling in Dark Souls is what sticks with me the most. It helps it has very tight and fun combat too.

12. Valkyria Chronicles. A friend had shown me this game a while back and I became obsessed with it. Did pretty much everything I could with it and wanted more. Thankfully we're getting Azure Revolution sometime soonish. The characters/story/style of combat just work so well. I love strategy games with perma-death and VC does it so damn well.

13. Persona 3 Portable. I never much cared for Persona 3 until Portable. Largely because I never liked the protagonist. He seemed very shallow in terms of writing, with little sense of development, and like a creepy asshole. I really couldn't stand the guy and it really turned me off of the game for a while. Which was a shame because I knew I would like it. I liked what I had seen outside of that but I could not get past how badly Minato was written for me. The female protagonist in P3P was a breath of fresh air and made the game so much more likable and playable for me. I could actually appreciate a lot of what the game had to offer because she was so well-written. It really feels like she's also much more suited to the story overall because she actually has s. links with SEES overall. Not just potential love interests but everyone. I can't say much more that anyone else has said on it. I like the various management in terms of deciding what to do each day, the gameplay, the s. linking, story, characters, etc. it's all fantastic stuff. Just, the female protagonist elevates Persona 3 so much for me. It's a shame that she's not considered canon and probably won't be in anything ever again ever.

14. Recettear: An Item's Shop Tale. Not the usual RPG but I love games that do things with a twist. Playing as the item shop owner in a rpg? Awesome. It's in a cute package? Yes please. It's got fantastic writing? Hells yea. The soundtrack is charming? Sure, though it does get repetitive. It's guaranteed to stick in your head, that's for sure. Gameplay? Oh god, the main gameplay mechanics are so engrossing. I lose myself in shop designing, haggling, leveling up my shop to do even better things, fusing, etc. etc. the dungeons do need a bit more going for them but the various characters and their gameplay styles help shake things up. Plus Charme's block style requires some of the most specific frame work I've seen in a game so playing as her makes for a fun challenge. Overall, how can you not love this game? From the get-go it's just got so much charm.

15. The Last Remnant: I never quite beat this (though I do still own it and progressed quite far) but the unique gameplay elements alone really made it standout for its time. It still stands out to this day. The fact you can get it for so cheap too certainly helps it's accessibility. Besides the gameplay the soundtrack also helps catapult it above it's station. A shame it was so criminally ignored because it really deserves another look by many.

16. Fragile Dreams: Farwell Ruins of the Moon. Probably one of the less rpgy games on my list but it still has a good chunk of rpg mechanics going for it. The atmosphere, soundtrack and world-building of the game really helped to draw me in. The story and characters are also fairly nice. Somewhat straight-forward but it's certainly endearing in a sense. The ideas it presents regarding sorrow and how it can manifest itself in various ways once you pass on was also fairly interesting. Memories, how we affect others, etc. it's a very nice little game that I wish got more recognition than it did.

17. Pandora's Tower: This was actually my favorite of the Project Rainfall games. Yes, it beats out/at the very least ties Xenoblade for me. Just, the gameplay being such a tight combination of LoZ meets Shadow of the Colossus meets Castlevania worked so incredibly well. That combined with it's killer soundtrack really helps keep it strong in my memory. The story is pretty straight-forward but I quite like how the game ties it's endings to your actions thorough gameplay.

18. The Last Story: In a way, I also would say this is almost tied with Xenoblade. It's probably the weaker of the Project Rainfall games but it's an rpg that is concise....in the sense that you can do literally everything and it's still only 30 hours long. It's an rpg that knows what it wants to do and doesn't waste much time doing it either. The overall combat was also quite refreshing and worked well for what it's worth. Outside of the final form of the final boss, it was also not too cheaply hard or too easy either. Just right really. Story and characters were also pretty good all things considered. Fairly standard rpg-fare but it worked quite well. PLUS with the fantastic ost done by Nobuo Uematsu, you know you're in for a treat.

19. Nier. Best Soundtrack Choice Probably one of the more underrated games of last gen., so glad it's getting a proper sequel with Taro Yoko directing and Platinum designing. The first game had criticisms of it's gameplay (which I honestly liked already) so seeing Platinum tighten up it's hack n slash style bullet hell-esque game mechanics is just pure icing. But enough about the potential sequel. The story, ost, and characters really help to sell this game so much. Second playthrough content onward is so damn good in the sense of perspective it adds. Of course that requires a commitment to beat it one time initially and the game does suffer from some harder sidequests due to rng BUT the world-building these quests and everything else provide is so wonderfully done. Soundtrack was even more of a toss-up than writing and god was this was a difficult one to settle on.

20. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door. Like Live-A-Live, it has a wrestling chapter. I mean, what more do I need to say? Oh and Vivian, it has Vivian. We need more trans characters in gaming and I quite like her being in there and being as prominent as she is. It also improves in some ways on the 64 Paper Mario that I quite loved in terms of gameplay mechanics while still keeping the same charming writing that the first did. Is it better than the first? I would almost dare to argue that yes it is.

Honorable Mentions:
21. Baiten Kaitos: Eternal Wings And The Lost Ocean. Loved what I played but never beat it.

22. Trails in The Sky FC. Have only played bits of FC, not SC yet. Still quite like what I have done so far.

23. Charles Barkley Shut Up And Jam Gaiden. Not necessarily less essential than my top 20 by any stretch, I just thought of it after the fact. Can't really see moving any of them out either. The one I would add to the top 20 if I could while moving one down to honorables wouldn't even be this, it would be Little King's Story. Still, it's a fantastically made game. Loads of fun.

24. Little King's Story: I'd rank it higher but it's probably one of the least rpgy games on this list. It has elements, certainly but not quite as rpg as others, I suppose. I quite love it though and it's incredibly fun and cute.

25. Legend of Grimrock 2. Another one I quite like but need to play more of.

26. Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War. Have only played a bit or else I would put it up higher.

27. Xenoblade X. Still early in playing so I can't rate it up higher.

28. OFF: see reasoning with Barkley. It's also the game that helped somewhat inspire Undertale so, yea. OFF is pretty special and I quite like it.

29. Kotor 2: I did a few playthroughs of it, it's fantastic but others knock it down for me. Didn't put in 1 because it hasn't aged well.

30. Lost Odyssey. It's a fantastic game but I feel the writing shifts back and forth at times in quality. It can be extremely top-notch and suddenly feel very plain. It also feels like it takes a while to get to the point which is a problem with a lot of rpgs unfortunately.

 

[upandaway]

1. Pokemon Red
2. Ys Chronicles I & II
3. MOTHER 3
4. Pokemon Diamond/Platinum
5. Disgaea
6. Chrono Trigger
7. Xenoblade
8. Pokemon Silver
9. Dragon Quest 5
10. Earthbound
11. Final Fantasy

Tried doing some writeups but I found out (again) that I'm just really bad at doing that, oh well. my choices aren't that standout anyways

 

[Earthpainting]

Quick question while I build my list, do regions matter?

It might be an issue cuz I love the game Live A Live but it never got an official English translation, only a fan translation.

I feel like its a game everyone should of played.

It counts and deserves a mention.Its English fantranslation especially deserves some props too now that you mention it. It went above and beyond what an official translation would have done at the time if we're completely honest. Everything just felt really polished. Names and descriptions did not seem cut off, text is well formatted for reading comfort, and all the chapters even get unique fonts that fit their respective time and style. The team who did it really took their time and it was well-worth it. Live-A-Live is a fine 16-bit RPG in general too. It's definitely one of the games that represents Square's ability to try new and interesting things.

 

[RespectThySole]

1. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (Best Writing) - Possibly my favorite game of all time. This game is a masterclass in nearly every aspect. Divine atmosphere that is varied in each location with a lovely designed world that you can get lost for months in. My personal favorite would be the oppressive vibe in Velen/No Mans Land. Novigrad is one of the best cities in a game, full stop. The realistic scale of it alone puts other cities in recent games to shame. Going to Skellige and Kaer Morhen is like playing The Witcher 3: Part 2. I know everyone's jaw dropped when they first arrived to Skellige and heard the glorious "Fields of Ard Skellig" playing. The gradual change of the aesthetics as you journey is highly impressive and believable. The attention to detail is just staggering and seeing landmarks in the distance such as lighthouses, mansions, cities, etc. feel like rewards that the game is giving you and all of them feel distinct in some way. It features a soundtrack that perfectly captures the feel of Poland. I actually listen to this soundtrack from front-to-back on Apple Music fairly frequently. I can probably count on one hand the amount of game OSTs I've done that for. Some of the greatest characters in gaming not just this year, but ever. A few of my favorites are Gaunter O'Dimm, Olgierd von Everec, Keira Metz, Cirilla, the Bloody Baron, Djikstra and the ghost of Vlodimir von Everec just to name a few of the new ones. Every single sidequest in this game is very high quality and often takes twists in ways you wouldn't expect. This is true with even quests that appear simple and routine such as the infamous "pan" quest. This is probably the only game where I've ever done sidequests because they were that damn good rather than to reap rewards or experience. It's hard to argue that this isn't the best written game in a long time. How is it even possible that a 200+ hour game actually didn't disappoint with the ending of its narrative? Combat nails the feel of being a witcher and is almost dance-like once you get into a rhythm and realize the importance of utilizing your full toolset instead of just slash/dodge. I'm a huge fan of The Witcher series and CDPR managed to completely shatter my extremely high expectations. I generally do not like most open world games, but if there ever was a model that showed the validity of that design, this would have to be it. If this was truly Geralt's last ride, then it was one hell of a way to go out. Did I mention that Gwent is amazing and that the content in the Hearts of Stone expansion is just as good as anything in the main game? I cannot wait for Blood and Wine, Cyberpunk and whatever else CDPR decides to do next.

2. Persona 4

3. Pokemon Gold/Silver/Crystal

4. Final Fantasy VI (Best Soundtrack)

5. The Witcher - The original Witcher has a special place in my heart. Incredible atmosphere, fantastic music, a story that is true to the books, the series' trademark morality and fun rhythm-based combat that forces the player to use Geralt's full arsenal of tools. It's world inspired a sense of wonder in the player especially in the Lakeside areas.

6. Vampire: The Masquerade: Bloodlines

7. The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky

8. Undertale - Witty, humorous, and charming. Undertale is one of the most soulful games I've played in years. It features an inventive battle system that is part-turnbased, part-bullet hell shooter that tests your reflexes, while also giving you information about the enemy you're fighting. Its soundtrack is very engrossing with many great tunes. My personal favorite being the rhythmic "Spider Dance." Choices are vital in this game and shouldn't be taken lightly. The game even remembers what you did in previous playthroughs and punishes you for it. The aspect that truly makes Undertale shine though is its characters. Every major character is layered and well done, which is quite a feat in a game that only lasts 6-7 hours. Finally, one of the things I love most about this game is how it features virtually no "filler", which plagues so many games today. The nearly perfect pacing makes Undertale an easy game to replay and an even easier one to recommend.

9. Diablo II

10. Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn

11. Persona 3

12. Divinity: Original Sin (Best Combat)

13. Demon's Souls

14. Dragon's Dogma

15. The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings

16. Fallout: New Vegas

17. Freedom Force - The ultimate superhero game. There are mods to use practically anyone. The writing and main theme are also fantastic. One of Levine's best works.

18. Lost Odyssey - The Thousand Years of Dreams short stories are wonderfully written. Their impact is hard-hitting and described in a way that makes them easy to visualize.

19. Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance

20. Tales of Vesperia

Honorable mentions:

21. Mass Effect 2
22. Final Fantasy VII
23. Golden Sun
24. Final Fantasy X
25. Fallout 2
26. Kingdom Hearts 2
27. Dragon Age: Origins
28. The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
29. Pokemon Red/Blue
30. Ni No Kuni

 

[Ekai]

It counts and deserves a mention.Its English fantranslation especially deserves some props too now that you mention it. It went above and beyond what an official translation would have done at the time if we're completely honest. Everything just felt really polished. Names and descriptions did not seem cut off, text is well formatted for reading comfort, and all the chapters even get unique fonts that fit their respective time and style. The team who did it really took their time and it was well-worth it. Live-A-Live is a fine 16-bit RPG in general too. It's definitely one of the games that represents Square's ability to try new and interesting things.

I threw it in. Don't see why it shouldn't be mentioned.

 

[Valkyri von Thanatos]

GBA version with sound restoration patch played on a GBA emulator on PSP.
SNES sound quality + GBA enhancements + savestates.

There is a mod that makes the visuals more like the SNES and not washed-out too right? Is the resolution the same, no aspect ratio issues?

 

[Knurek]

There is a mod that makes the visuals more like the SNES and not washed-out too right? Is the resolution the same, no aspect ratio issues?

Yeah, there's a mod to fix colors.
As for resolution, SNES is 256x224, GBA is 240x160, so slightly smaller and widescreenish.
Had no problem with that during my recent playthrough though. YMMV.

 

[2+2=5]

I saw the 2015 chart and there was no mention of M&M6! Blasphemy!
I'll try to put in the chart some new names

1)Might & Magic VI: The Mandate Of Heaven:here a summary of relatively recent posts:

Might & Magic VI without any doubt.
The map is probably tiny by today's standards(but it's not even full of water to enlarge the map like many recent games ) but it's:

1)VARIED, there are all kinds of environments, pyramids, snow lands, dead lands and so on.

2)FULL, every step you take you find an object, a place of interest, an army of enemies, a dungeon, a city or whatever, trust me it's a joy to wander in it.

3)OPEN and "unbalanced", you can go wherever you want from the beginning, even in the most difficult dungeons if you are able to reach them, enemies and dungeons difficulty isn't proportional to the distance from the starting point, in fact one of the most difficult dungeons is really close to the initial town, you can understand how hard is a dungeon only by entering in it at your own risk.

I forgot to say that in Might & Magic 6 with the right spells or potions you can fly, walk on water and teleport to the last city visited or to a point where you used a certain spell.

people just roam around but shops and transports have different opening and closing days and times, certain events happen only a certain day of the year at a certain time(the circus for example is in a different place depending on the season), fruits and enemies respaws after a certain time and so on.

IIRC in Might & Magic 6 there was no GPS function, quests were like: "Get item X in Dungeon Y at west/east/north/south/near location W in region Z"

Also there was a good amount of humor.

2)Fallout 3: because exploring its desolated world was really an incredible experience for me

3)FFVII Crisis Core: despite its ending was known since the beginning, it was able to move its players, also the way it tied a gameplay mechanic to Zack's feelings and story is still unique and unbeaten.

4)Demon Soul: because it tried a more old school "arcade"-ish gameplay successfully

5)Moonstone(amiga): more action than rpg, but many consider it the ancestor of demon souls

6)waxwork(but also elvira 1 & 2, all for the amiga): a different kind of dungeon rpg with horror atmosphere, a more point&click adventure-like gameplay and splatter death screens.

7)the original deus ex and its sequel(yes even the sequel):i loved their atmosphere, they were very unique e well made games

8)hired guns(amiga): a futuristic first person dungeon rpg where you control your party members independently.

I don't know if it can be considered a rpg, but:
Heroes of Might & Magic 3: simply the best game of the series and one of the best game ever.