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GAF, what is your favourite starting town in RPG's?
- Thread starter Lightning Count
- Start date
This. Just listen to the music. Feels like the start of a huge adventure.Pallet Town. It's nothing amazing but it's the only one I remember.
Acquiescence
Member
Midgar. It's the Los Angeles 2019 of JRPGs.
GKSilKamina
Member
Adding another vote for FFIX's Alexandria. Filled me with wonder when I first played the game all those years ago. Spent ages exploring and playing that jump rope minigame.
Strangelove77
Member
Midgar. The slums are possibly the most interesting location in that game. I wish more time had been spent there.
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I like the moody atmosphere of Traverse Town myself, especially the music.
1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7NU9jBNbjw
DDD, a more lullabyish version.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTR-wmAiIdc
1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7NU9jBNbjw
DDD, a more lullabyish version.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTR-wmAiIdc
Most of the answers given in this thread would qualify, depending on my mood. There's so many good ones.
Ritardando, Arni Village, Pallet Town, Pirate Isle, Balamb Garden, Vale and so much more. If I had to pick one right now though... probably Balamb Garden. That music still gives me goosebumbs.
Ritardando, Arni Village, Pallet Town, Pirate Isle, Balamb Garden, Vale and so much more. If I had to pick one right now though... probably Balamb Garden. That music still gives me goosebumbs.
So much happens there in the first hour and it is amazing.How could it be anything but Vale from Golden Sun
The way it's used to set off the story is pretty damn cool and if you count Sol Sanctum as part of it... phew.
pirateluigi
Member
I just love Onett in Earthbound. I love the music, I love the seaside shack, I love the bright colors. It's my all time fave.
brianjones
Member
fuck i read the title as small towns in RPG
i need to go to sleep
i need to go to sleep
Yep.
Rim Elm in Legend of Lagaia. I absolutely love the music in it aswel
This^
Small, no bullshit spending 5h talking to gazillion of NPCs before starting you quest and nice music
A toaster could run it. I'm sure your laptop would be fine.
The Xbox version is absolutely gross. Many of the textures really aren't even visible on the Xbox version.
P.S. I'd also choose Seyda Neen from Morrowind if Zelda games don't count as RPGs. Otherwise, it's Outset Island from Wind Waker for me.
mrhyderager
Member
Clock Town. One of my favorite games of all time so it's no doubt that this is my favorite beginning location. The way all of the NPCs have a story that matters in some way, shape or form is excellent. Plus the music is iconic.
ChaosZeroX
Banned
Truce
How could it be anything but Vale from Golden Sun
The way it's used to set off the story is pretty damn cool and if you count Sol Sanctum as part of it... phew.
My choices as well.
jetsetnickradio
Member
I know it's not an RPG, but Bioshock Infinite's Columbia felt a lot like an awesome RPG town, before the violence kicked in. It was pretty, expansive and filled with tons of NPCs to get lore from and fun mini-games to play. It was like the 2013 version of Chrono Trigger's festival opening.
Splatterpunk
Member
Onett easily for me.
Midgar and Narshe are both interesting because they're both in direct contrast of the calm peaceful backwater that RPGs usually begun in. Less "ready to grow up and go on an adventure" and more "I gotta get the hell out of this place." Narshe especially for me is depressing, at least Midgar has upper class areas somewhere.
Midgar and Narshe are both interesting because they're both in direct contrast of the calm peaceful backwater that RPGs usually begun in. Less "ready to grow up and go on an adventure" and more "I gotta get the hell out of this place." Narshe especially for me is depressing, at least Midgar has upper class areas somewhere.
ShinMaruku
Member
The first town in breath of fire 2.
Sheriff_Battlesnake
Banned
Arni Village, Chrono Cross.
Athkatla and Sigil are fantastic, but they don't feel much "starting towns", given that they are the centralized hub where stuff happens.
If it was just "best town" then I would agree.
Cipher Peon
Banned
New Bark Town.
Ahhhhhhhh the memories
Ahhhhhhhh the memories
bizzarewars
Banned
I find Goomba Village in Paper Mario to be incredibly memorable. I guess it's not really a traditional starting town, though, because it's really small.
iceblade997
Member
I'm going to have to say Easthaven, from Icewind Dale. That quest where you have the spirit singing that wants to contact the one guy
really sold me on the game. Need to finish it still.
Failing that, Cyseal from Divinity: Original Sin, since it is big, dense (in terms of quests and content) and takes a while to go through. The map seems small but they really managed to pack in a bunch of stuff so that unlike some other starting towns which wind up being basically places to stock up on potions before you head out, it starts to become familiar and feel something like home.
and if you have a Bard it gets easier because they get a special dialog option
Failing that, Cyseal from Divinity: Original Sin, since it is big, dense (in terms of quests and content) and takes a while to go through. The map seems small but they really managed to pack in a bunch of stuff so that unlike some other starting towns which wind up being basically places to stock up on potions before you head out, it starts to become familiar and feel something like home.
Tar-Miriel
Banned
Parm in Grandia reminds me a bit of my own hometown and there are plenty of quests in the town which set the tone perfectly.
Parm is pretty but being 3d makes it super easy to get turned around and very lost which was extremely frustrating for me
Rabanastre (Final Fantasy XII)
My vote. I remember how awesome it was exploring for the first time.
Switch Back 9
a lot of my threads involve me fucking up somehow. Perhaps I'm a moron?
This was my first thought as well. Instantly heard the music and everything, man that game blew my mind when I first played it.
Traverse Town from Kingdom Hearts 1.
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It also has one of the best starting town themes ever:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7NU9jBNbjw
It also has one of the best starting town themes ever:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7NU9jBNbjw
JamesJoyce1882
Member
My answer would have to Inaba from Persona 4. Technically not cheating because you do visit at least one other town.
Tied with it is Ni No Kuni though, loved Motortown, and the first fantasy town Ding Dong Dell. My only regret is that their budget apparently did not suffice to render Motortown fully in 3D, thus the camera angles are locked.
Tied with it is Ni No Kuni though, loved Motortown, and the first fantasy town Ding Dong Dell. My only regret is that their budget apparently did not suffice to render Motortown fully in 3D, thus the camera angles are locked.
PassiveObserver
Member
Camineet in Phantasy Star 1. 80s space anime to the core. Looks whatever in the overhead view but looks great in first person.
Rabanastre (Final Fantasy XII)
Yes....gimme HD release pleaseeeeeeeeeee.
A few favourites have already been mentioned (outside of Wild Arms - I consider the giant town of Adlehyde to be the start once all three characters join up) but I'm going to mention one that probably won't get a nod.
The Gilded Vale in Pillars of Eternity is depressing the moment you step in to it. A dozen people hanging dead strung from a tree. A ruined temple dedicated to an outlawed god. The populace constantly biting their tongues in case they're the next one falsely accused and thrown up there as well. The place reeks of decay from drought and the paranoia of Waidwen's Legacy. The people are only just clinging on.
It's a wonderful moody place.
The Gilded Vale in Pillars of Eternity is depressing the moment you step in to it. A dozen people hanging dead strung from a tree. A ruined temple dedicated to an outlawed god. The populace constantly biting their tongues in case they're the next one falsely accused and thrown up there as well. The place reeks of decay from drought and the paranoia of Waidwen's Legacy. The people are only just clinging on.
It's a wonderful moody place.
This, a town that is always at the prettiest time of day, with an absolutely relaxing theme (at least Roxas' version) that is a lot of fun to run around in because of how interconnected it is to itself. FF references were on point, and the command menu changing to motifs of the first game in the digital version and chain of memories in the white rooms are amazing details.
Muffdraul
Member
Balamb Garden - FFVIII
Not particularly special, but the music is beyond lovely and the concept is all kinds of awesome. VIII was my first RPG as well, so it gets a few extra points there. Honorable mention to Pallet Town.
That was my answer. FFVIII had my favorite RPG world in general.
Theanine3D
Member
Camineet in Phantasy Star 1. 80s space anime to the core. Looks whatever in the overhead view but looks great in first person.
Also like this one. There's a lady who will heal you for free an infinite amount of times. Very handy in such a grindy game.
The graphics in firstperson view were really impressive for its time.