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Your Top Five RPG

Vawn

Banned
Almost everything is an RPG of some sort now, so I'm ignoring things like Demon's Souls, Witcher, MMOs, etc and just lusting more traditional JRPG-style games.

Final Fantasy VI
Persona 5
Final Fantasy IV
Final Fantasy VII
Chrono Trigger

This list would probably change every time I try to make it. There are so many great JRPGs I've played since NES.
 

Northeastmonk

Gold Member
Chrono Trigger - music, characters, art, and story. I love the theme of time.
Front Mission 3 - Excellent characters, fun tactic combat, and interesting story. The best mech TRPG I’ve ever played
Final Fantasy VI - Story, art, and world.
Final Fantasy VII - Characters, battle system, and story.
Dark Souls 3 - Combat, bosses, and music. I love it’s OST and the way the world looks. (Lunar:SSSC if DS3 doesn’t count).
It’s a hard list to make because there’s multiple Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy games that could take up 5 slots.
 

Yoshi

Headmaster of Console Warrior Jugendstrafanstalt
No order, one per franchise:
Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story The most well-paced of the Mario RPGs, with a very fluid fast gamepla,y combining light strategy, puzzle solving and motor skill elements with a lighthearted funny story to a brilliant package
Fire Emblem Fates Conquest The most focussed, challenging and varied SRPG I have ever played. I in particular like the strict no-grinding approach and the amazing map design.
Lufia 2 Probably the best dungeon design I have ever seen in an RPG with amazing puzzles throughout
Pokémon RGBY The first one was basic in many ways, but it also had the best pacing and most interesting world design. Moreover, 150 Pokémon is a very good number to balance between variety and managable numbers
Chrono Trigger The best of the ATB RPGs from Square, primarily because it is tighter in its world design thatn FFVI.
 

ranmafan

Member
So hard to put it to five. Had to leave out some amazing games I love, but I love a challenge. So I would say for me:

1. FInal Fantasy VI - My all time favorite video game. An amazing cast, an great story, fantastic world, and the perfection of the series in ins 2d form. I love the entire series, but VI is the pinnacle of it.
2. Persona 5 - One of the best JRPG stories out there. Amazing style in its cast and world. The great Atlus gameplay all make it fantastic. Cant wait to play Royal soon.
3. Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE - A wonderful light hearted story, with a fun cast and great music. Mix it together with the gameplay and aesthetics of two of my favorite series, Persona and Fire Emblem, and you have a great experience.
4. Dragon Quest XI - Dragon Quest perfected in my opinion. Everything that makes the series so iconic is presented here in its best form. Always a delight to play.
5. Xenogears - While flawed due to its productions issues (which made its second disk feel like the last two tv episodes of evangleion, appropriate since many felt it was very close to that series in many ways), Xenogears story stands out above its flaws. Oh how I wish the game could be remake and fully completed sometime in the future.
 

Collin

Banned
Final Fantasy VII Remake
Persona 4
Bloodborne
Tales of Symphonia
Paper Mario: Thousand Year Door


Many Final Fantasys are great but 7R really blew me away with a great combat system and killer presentation. Also, I see some people putting Zelda but I’m not sure that counts as an RPG? If it does then I’d have Majoras Mask in there but even though those games do have some mild RPG elements, I feel like they are more Adventure-based games.
 

Silvawuff

Member
Final Fantasy VII - A legend.

Final Fantasy XI - One of the best MMOs ever made. It didn't age well, but it's an incredible game that trailblazed for those to follow.

Zelda: OoT - Nuff said.

Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter - This game came out way ahead of its time, and was panned for it. I feel like if it came out today, it will be celebrated for how forward-thinking its systems and gameplay are. Add that it has an awesome City of Ember type story with interesting characters, art direction, music, and insane replay value. This game demanded you to literally restart it with a Roguesoulslikewhatever twist if you wanted any chance of finishing it. You could one-shot any boss in the game, but at a cost. Really one of the best in the series -- I'm hoping Capcom gives it an update or remaster, because it's such a brilliantly designed game.

Kingdom Hearts - I know the story is nukin futs, but I think what it represented as a collaboration between SE and Disney was stylishly well-executed, and it's managed to bounce between so many platforms and tried so many different things as a game series. This franchise has been by my side through my gaming hobby and has been a focal point for some pretty awesome ideas.
 

Fbh

Member
In no particular order:

Chrono Trigger: I really like the world and cast of characters, the time travel plot is fun and still comes across as rather unique, the gameplay is great with one of my favorite takes on traditional turn based combat, and it came out at just the right time to get top tier SNES visuals that have aged wonderfully.

Mass Effect Trilogy: Said it in another thread but despite all the issues I just love this franchise. The characters are really memorable and this whole world with unique races and backstories with a plot told over 3 games did in some ways feel more ambitious than anything released this gen and ,IMO, has nothing to envy from big movie franchises (I'll take ME 1-3 over the MCU or the new Star Wars/Star Trek Movies any day)

Witcher 3: I'm not too much into open world game and I generally dislike long RPG's because the vast majority of the time that length is achieved with lots of bloat. This game though is open world and it took me like 200 hours to finish, and I loved every second of it. Amazing world with great side content that actually makes you want to explore every nook and cranny

Dark Souls: I like Bloodborne better as a game but I think as an RPG Dark Souls has more to offer due to a much higher variety of builds. Amazing game with amazing level design, combat, world, lore and art direction. There quite simply isn't anything like the souls games and they are by far my favorite franchise in gaming

Final Fantasy IX: As with other entries I just really like the world and characters. It was a sort of "FF going back to its roots" while integrating all the elements that made the Ps1 era of the franchise great


There's a lot of others like Nier Automata or any of the Yakuza games that could easily take the spot of any other non souls game in the list. But I think some of them might go a bit too far away from what is normally perceived as an RPG
 
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Ballthyrm

Member
  • Baldur's Gate II : An expansive cast with some of the best written NPC ever.
    So well written that they became part of the forgotten realm canon.
    No hand holding and leave the player free to roam and suffer the consequence of their actions with real stakes. A perfectly executed game if such a thing exist, nothing close i've played has come close to improve on it.

  • Final Fantasy 6: True Narrative arcs for its characters, everything be it the art, the music or the gameplay is there to tell you a story. Still the best Final Fantasy IMHO.

  • Final fantasy Tactics: no battle is ever the same, you can play however you like, every battle make you feel like a chess grandmaster. So many possibilities, really no wrong way to play. The tactics genre firing on all cylinders so much that very few games match it still. Play as good as ever, a timeless gem.

  • KotoR II : takes a beloved franchise and expanded on it. The only game where i really felt like a JEDI. They took what Bioware did and improved on everything just like they would do later on with Fallout New Vegas.

  • World of Warcraft : i had so many adventure in that game. some of the best gaming moments i've experienced where in that one. If games were ranked by fondness or good memories alone, this game would tower above all else. If the other RPG games gave me great fictional characters, this one gave me great people to have fun with. What else need to be said.
 

Guilty_AI

Member
I guess in a way, Tales of Symphonia is my "favourite" tales game
i did hear this was the best one of the series. But I played Berseria more because of particular interest in the setting and story and less because i wanted to play a 'Tales of ' game.

Lmao I'm just half asleep still. Don't mind me
Aren't we all

---

I could've added Xenoblade Chronicles X to the list, but i didn't because i'd always stopped playing midway despite having liked it. The game was just waaaaay to massive to keep my attention for enough time.
 
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Aion002

Member
I am sorry, but I have to cheat.


In no particular oder:

JRPG:

Shadow Hearts 2/Xenogears (both are so unique... they don't make games like these anymore)
Final Fantasy VII (FFV introduced me to the series, FFVII made me fall in love with it)
Breath of Fire IV (tons of fond memories, memorable characters and story)
Persona 3 (so original, a mix of living sim with jrpg was really amazing to me)
Suikoden V (I love the characters and the story, the battle system is great)

Action RPG:

Bloodborne (Almost perfect, fun gameplay, amazing world, characters and soundtrack)
Dark Souls 3 (everything that I like about Souls + new things)
The Witcher 3 (story, characters, world and design are really interesting and exciting)
Nioh (perfect gameplay and replayability + demons and samurais, what can go wrong)
Way of The Samurai (the only game where the player is almost free, so many choices in how to interact with NPC's and storylines)

Tactical RPG:

FFT (great story and gameplay, sooooo good!)
SD Gundam G Generation (I played in Japanese and it captivated me so much, pure tactics, didn't understand a word, but that didn't stop me from finishing many times)
Vanguard Bandits (it was like an anime with magic and mechas with a FFT gameplay style, my younger self loved)
Suikoden Tactics (great story, great systems and characters, I love Suikoden)
Front Mission 3 (I like mechas and the story is fun, while the gameplay is unique and really well made)
 
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gtrwll

Member
This is hard. I’m leaving out all Zeldas as I don’t count them as RPGs but action adventure games instead. But here goes:

1. Xenoblade Chronicles 2

First place for rekindling my childhood/teenage love for JRPGs. Fantastic characters and an emotional story, got me in its grips from beginning to the end, twice.

2. Deus Ex

Kinda on the fence whether to list DX, as being an RPG is only one part of what it is. But then again, it’s the best game ever made, so...

3. Jade Empire

The game that hooked me with classic Bioware and led to hundreds of hours of pure RPG bliss. Fantastic story and an intriguing setting.

4. TES V: Skyrim

The only TES game where I managed to finish the main story. I grew up with Morrowind, and quite frankly don’t get the acclaim, even though it still is a good game. Even so, I think Bethesda improved on the core concept first on Oblivion and then on Skyrim.

5. Mass Effect Trilogy

It’s funny because initially I was really disappointed with ME1 after Jade Empire and KotOR, and dropped it after a while. Then the hype train of ME2 got me and I gave it another chance, and boy what an experience it was after all.

Wait, I already used all my 5 slots? I was just getting started...
 

CatLady

Selfishly plays on Xbox Purr-ies X
I listed my favorite RPG series. There is no way I could narrow it down to only 5 if I had to list only individual games and even then I still had to list 2 for the #5 spot. I noted my favorite in each series.

1. Fallout (Bethesda versions) FO3
2. Deus Ex (Eidos Montreal) Mankind Divided
3. Elder Scrolls - Oblivion
4. Mass Effect - ME1
5. AC Odyssey/Horizion Zero Dawn (Not sure if HZD counts as an RPG)
 
In no order

Final Fantasy Tactics Advance 2
7th Dragon 3
Final Fantasy X (this and IX are very close, but IX's design hasn't aged as well)
Xenoblade Chronicles
Golden Sun Duology (can't leave one without the other as they are supposed to be full games)

Pokemon Yellow is probably the 6th Bonus one I would choose as it was my first RPG that I beat

Honourable mentions:

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga (the original release)
Final Fantasy IX
Fire Emblem: Sacred Stones
Phantasy Star 4
Persona 5
SMT: Devil Summoner
Lunar: Silver Star Harmony
Trails of Cold Steel 1 (not played 2)
Chrono Trigger
 
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S

Steve.1981

Unconfirmed Member
Don't like JRPGs, CRPGs, infinity engine stuff. Just never been able to get into any of them. So that rules out Final Fantasy, Persona, Baldur's Gate, Planescape, Divinity, etc... I like western ARPGs. So,

Dragon Age: Origins
Knights of the Old Republic
Mass Effect
Oblivion
Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

There are others I could mention, but if I have to pick 5 then those are my choices.They each captured my attention for many happy hours. I was totally absorbed in their settings, spent ages perfecting my characters, took care how I behaved in their worlds, read every bit of lore I could find & just simply had a great time from start to finish with all of them.
 

GeorgPrime

Banned
I never thought it could happen but my former Number 1 is now Number 2.

Here is my list:

1. Place:

Legend_of_Heroes_Trails_in_the_Sky-pc-games_b2article_artwork.jpg


I want to keep it clean so i will just say Trails 1-3. Its one of the best RPG experiences i got and it really flashed me. I still have to play Trails Zero 1-2 and Traills of Cold Steel 1-4.

The depth of the characters, the world and the whole story is just great. :)

2. Place:

Suikoden-2-Orchester-Japan-511x381.jpg


Still a great memory of my childhood. Great story, great gameplay and one of the best boss fights ever.

3. Place:

capsule_616x353.jpg


Jeah it still one of the best RPGs ever and i really love the remake too. But the size and depth of FF 7... nobody else comes close.

4. Place:

The-Legend-of-Dragoon-705x397.jpg


I just love it

5. Place:

35797-skies-of-arcadia-legends-gamecube-front-cover.jpg


I just love the setting and the ship battles. :)
 

Great Hair

Banned
Western RPG

Fallout 3
Oblivion

Lord of the Rings Online
Guild Wars 1

Titan Quest
Diablo (PSX)
Dragon Age 1
Gothic 3
A Bard´s Tale 4
Baldurs Gate Dark Alliance (PS2)

JRPG (too many)


Final Fantasy Tactics
Growlanser Coll. PS2
Disagea 1
FF7, FF9, FF12
Front Mission Alternative
Suikoden 3
Dark Cloud

.Hack 1
Skies of Arcadia
Shenmue

Breath of Fire 5
pretty much every FromSoftware title except DS2

so far their best list yet? - by ignore
 

nicktwilight

Neo Member
In no particular order:
Xenoblade Chronicles(Most immersive rpg world and one of the best soundtracks in all of gaming)
Golden Sun(awesome battle system and truly incredible atmosphere)
Pokemon Yellow(great pokemon designs and addictive gameplay)
Chrono Trigger(lovable charachters and many twists)
Dragon Quest 11 xs(beatifull visuals and lots of quality content)
 
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