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[Grimmy]

No order:

1. Wizardry: Crusaders of the Dark Savant
2. Final Fantasy VI
3. Betrayal at Krondor
4. Mother 3
5. Fallout 3
6. Eye of the Beholder 2: The Legend of Darkmoon
7. Persona 2: Innocent Sin
8. Final Fantasy X
9. Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss
10. Planescape: Torment

No hybrid RPGs included, otherwise the list would include the Ys series, Jagged Alliance, Zeliard, etc.

 

[Lionheart1827]

Chrono Trigger - Probably the best RPG ever imo. Everything about this game is pretty much great. Characters, music, story, battle system, its got it all. Time travel is awesome and I really wish more games would have multiple time periods to visit in the same world. Great concept. Nostalgia or not, its great.

Final Fantasy VI - Very close to my favorite RPG of all time but Chrono Trigger beats it out for me because of its multiple endings. Another game from the golden age of games. One of the best of all time for me.

Skies of Arcadia - This game was awesome, despite its excessive battles (which are much better in the GC version), it was a return to a classic JRPG from the 90s. It didnt have a super deep storyline, but it doesnt matter, it just oozed that "going on a fun awesome adventure" feel that a lot of games nowadays are missing. Huge overworld, awesome music, and ship to ship battles were so cool.

Baten Kaitos Origins - Underrated as hell from the GC generation. Came out around the same time as FF12, but I thought Origins was a way more fun game. Awesome music, the prequel story to the first game really was pretty cool and it was cool to see the world years earlier and how it has changed over time. I recommend playing Eternal wings before playing origins as the story details is worth it.

Terranigma - Great SNES game from the 90s again. Awesome story concept, great music, and a pretty cool action RPG style reminiscent of Illusion of Gaia. Sad that it never got a US version.

Mass Effect - One of my dreams come true. A believable near future space RPG. The great thing about this game is it actually has tons of extra information that serves only to immerse you in the world. The Codex is an awesome way to get into the world of the game and I wish more games would do this so it makes the world more believable. Shepard is an awesome character, as well as the supporting characters, and the dialogue options as well as the decisions that carry over through the games is a great addition. Exploring space and reading about planets and systems is awesome.

Secret of Mana - Despite its glitchiness, I absolutely loved this game when I was younger and I still love it. The music in these SNES games were such a giant part of the game that it makes it even more memorable. I loved finally getting Flammie and flying around the overworld. I loved the battle system as well and also that my friends could join in with the multitap.

Super Mario RPG - Bittersweet as hell since it was the last Square RPG for nintendo at the time, and its ironic that it was Square and Nintendo teaming up for an RPG. Amazing combination of both companies made this game timeless. Great battle system, great music, cool mario style story. The Paper mario series, despite its acclaim, cannot touch this game IMO.

Planescape Torment - I bought this game back when it came out purely out of the review scores. I didnt read reviews as much back then but damn I'm glad I did get it. Awesome atmosphere and the dialogue and story is awesome. I really enjoyed this game because it just felt so different than anything else I played at the time.

Final Fantasy VIII - As much hate as this game gets, I enjoyed this thoroughly. I even own the PC version and the official OST. I can understand people not liking the junction system, but I could care less. Its different, but I like it. GF animations were awesome and the FMV story sequences blew me the fuck away. That intro scene is one of the best of all time. The ending is also a whopping 30 minutes or so. I liked all the characters in this game and I loved the world. Great game that doesn't really deserve all the hate it gets, imo.

 

[Perfect Blue]

1. Chrono Trigger
2. Mother 3
3. The World Ends With You
4. Final Fantasy VI
5. Persona 4
6. Pokemon Gold/Silver
7. Final Fantasy IV
8. SMT: Nocturne
9. Final Fantasy X
10. Golden Sun

 

[jonnybryce]

Pokemon Red: This was an essential RPG for a great deal of gamers. While not too challenging, it has a solid foundation and addictive concept.

Final Fantasy X: This is my favorite Final Fantasy. The characters were both beautiful and enjoyable. It was breathtaking to see on PS2 at the time and a true "next gen" package.

Legend of Dragoon: Favorite RPG of all time. I simply had the best time playing it. The mechanic of transforming into a dragoon was exciting and the precision and time based battle system kept the traditional turn based affair from being stale. The story may have started on the generic side but it was a real treat as the game progressed. This game is seriously overlooked and underappreciated.

Valkyria Chronicles: Gorgeous and innovative. Damn does it do battles well.

Mass Effect: Opened up a galaxy of exploration and depth. A great Scifi RPG.

Final Fantasy 9: The characters were both compelling and whimsical while other aspects like the level system were a nice addition to my RPG life.

Phantasy Star Online: It could be frustrating and the honor system used for trading was a joke, yet running around with your mag and destroying monsters online with buds was simply awesome.

Baten Kaitos Origins: Beautiful visuals. Great battle system.

Arc the Lad Twilight of the Spirits: It's engaging. It has great characters. The battle system was fresh. When I think back on my PS2 days, some of the most fun I had was with RPGs like Arc The Lad. They may not have the best story but you truly enjoyed playing them and the ride they took you on.

Gothic: The game felt alive. Blew me away.

 

[Poohblaster]

1. Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic
great story with interesting characters

2. Final Fantasy X
great story great music

3. Mass Effect 2
great story with great combat

4. The Elder Scrolls III Morrowind
fun setting an great story

5. The Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion
fun open world to explore

6. Fallout 3
fun open world to explore

7. Jade Empire
I liked the setting in mythical ancient China

8. Pokemon Red/Blue
I played through it so it must be okay right?

 

[djtiesto]

These JRPG-only lists are ridiculous.

Is it so hard to for people comprehend that there are plenty of people out there who just don't like WRPGs? I like the american take on the genre as much as the next guy but in my top 10 list is dominated by Japanese, it's just that the things I am more concerned about in an RPG (great music, captivating environments and world-building, and of course sophisticated combat systems, with a ton of polish and cohesion) tend to be found more in Japanese games in general. Oh well.

Will just repost what I posted last year. Nothing really that new, except I added Ys 7 and Witcher to Honorable Mentions.

There are so many to pick, but I'll keep it fairly oldskool for now. Not in any sort of order, except Phantasy Star 2 is #1.

Phantasy Star 1 - the game that changed everything for me. Granted, some of the gameplay may seem dated (repetitive dungeons, simplified combat), but after only playing DQ1, Ultima 3 NES, and FF1, this game was just so absolutely mindblowing. It quickly became my favorite game of all time, just after seeing it at a friend's house, and made me want a Genesis for PS2 and 3, instead of the SNES I was dying to get upon its release. The graphics were awesome (animated monsters! smoothly scrolling 3D dungeons!), music was catchy, and I loved all the different planets you got to explore, as well as the different vehicles you can ride. Very challenging and extremely nonlinear as soon as you get your spaceship, too.

Phantasy Star 2 - my favorite game ever. Amazing setting, some of the best plot twists in video game history, extremely difficult dungeons.

Phantasy Star 4 - the offline PS games are my favorite franchise in all of gaming, and this is the perfect send-off (before PS turned into a despicable online game). The varied music (including some EDM-sounding stuff!), the nods to the rest of the series (even the black sheep, PS3), the macro system (every turn-based RPG should have one of these), combination attacks, it's all here. Oh, and not to mention some awesome manga-influenced cutscenes.

Star Ocean: The Second Story - ridiculous amount of customization, all sorts of private actions that change around the ending, extremely fast-paced and fun battles, huge variety of gameplay, challenging postgame content. Only complains were the middling story and bad translation/dubbing. Actually the bad voice acting gives the game its charm.

Valkyrie Profile - I loved how the game's setup was different from your typical RPG, and the tale was extremely dark and depressing. The sidescrolling dungeons were a great idea (as my other favorite genre is 2D sidescrollers), and I like the combo-oriented battle system. Only problem was, getting the "good" ending was extremely obtuse and required a guide.

Dragon Quest 5 - probably the height of the DQ series. I love how the storyline spans the life of one person, from a young boy up till he gets married and has kids. Extremely epic in scope, in the way that only the DQ series can be.

Final Fantasy 5 - my favorite of the FF series. My first FF was 1, so a semi-throwback to that game, but expanding on the job system and allowing you to create combinations of different classes was a lot of fun. Game also had a great soundtrack.

Final Fantasy 4 - I'll never forget being absolutely blown away by the soundtrack, the first time hearing it. The game was also one of the first heavily story-based games I've played, so I'll always have great memories of it.

Chrono Trigger - It's a little too short, and gameplay a bit too simple, but the lush 2D graphics, amazing music (my favorite game soundtrack ever), and cool time-travel premise makes up for that.

Skies of Arcadia - it's Kodama, how could you go wrong? I love getting and customizing my airship, the epic ship battles, the scope and breadth of the world, the different discoveries you made, the puzzle-filled dungeons, charming characters and back-to-basics storyline (especially at a time when more and more RPGs tried going the extremely complex philosophical route) Random encounters got on my nerves a bit though.

Honorable Mentions: Live A Live, Dragon Quest 3, Dragon Quest 8, Suikoden 2, Mother 3, Ys Book 1 and 2, Ys IV, Ys: Oath in Felghana, Lufia 2: Rise of the Sinistrals, Shadow Hearts: Covenant, Baten Kaitos: Origins, Xenogears, Valkyria Chronicles, Final Fantasy 7, Final Fantasy 1, SoulBlazer, Terranigma, Ultima IV, Shining Force 2, Landstalker, Grandia, SaGa 2, Secret of Mana, Fallout 3, Planescape Torment, Tengai Makyo: The Apocalypse IV, The World Ends With You, Tales of Vesperia, The Witcher, Ys 7

 

[Magnus]

Is it so hard to for people comprehend that there are plenty of people out there who just don't like WRPGs? I like the american take on the genre as much as the next guy but in my top 10 list is dominated by Japanese, it's just that the things I am more concerned about in an RPG (great music, captivating environments and world-building, and of course sophisticated combat systems, with a ton of polish and cohesion) tend to be found more in Japanese games in general. Oh well.

Seconded. Every WRPG I've tried to play's put me to sleep quickly.

My top 3 would probably be Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy VI and then FFVII in that order.

 

[cartman414]

1) Final Fantasy VI
2) Baldur's Gate II
3) Planescape: Torment
4) Chrono Trigger
5) Final Fantasy Tactics
6) Paper Mario
7) Dragon Quest V
8) Valkyrie Profile
9) Final Fantasy V
10) Quest for Glory IV, but the entire series is recommended (does this count?)

Needs to play SMT franchise games.

 

[electricpirate]

1.)
5.)Geneforge (Yes, hardly anyone has played it, but I consider it criminally overlooked for how good it is)

I just want to say that you are awesome, and have awesome taste. Though, I think I'd put SpidWeb's Avernum over geneforge.

1. Planescape Torment (Writing is so damn good, it's almost more of an adventure than an RPG)
2. Earthbound (Unique setting and deliberate weirdness is worth so much here)
3. Chrono Trigger
4. Earthbound (mother 3 didn't grab me the same way)
5. Avernum (Ultima esque classic RPG)
6. FFIII (American numbering, no clue which one this one was in Japan)
7. Oblivion (Better writing/quest design puts it over Morrowind for me)
8. Baldur's gate (Never got around to playing the second past the opening)
9. Knights of the Old Republic
10. Dues Ex

 

[riskVSreward]

Shenmue because of it's tremendous ambition and sense of atmosphere
Shenmue 2 (double vote) because it takes what made the first game great and adds tons of action
Final Fantasy 6 because it's a classic, one of the best
Skies of Arcadia because of it's exquisite charm and great set pieces
Grandia 2 because the combat system is awesome and the graphics are purdy
Pokemon Leaf Green/Fire Red because Charmander > Mudkip
TES3: Morrowind because it's the greatest WRPG ever made
The Magic of Sheherezade because it mixes Legend of Zelda and Final Fantasy perfectly
Suikoden 2 because 120 party members aint nothing to fuck with
Final Fantasy 7 because it was the last great FF game.

 

[Dennis]

Is it so hard to for people comprehend that there are plenty of people out there who just don't like WRPGs?

Yes actually, I find that hard to understand. Why on earth would you cut yourself off from so many games?

And the idea that only JRPGs offer great music and deep gameplay is laughable.

Thank god I can enjoy both Demon's Souls and Mass Effect without worrying that one of them is a JRPG while the other is a WRPG.

^^^ Shenmue 2 is not an RPG - otherwise I would have to include it in my list.

 

[szaromir]

Is it so hard to for people comprehend that there are plenty of people out there who just don't like WRPGs? I like the american take on the genre as much as the next guy but in my top 10 list is dominated by Japanese, it's just that the things I am more concerned about in an RPG (great music, captivating environments and world-building, and of course sophisticated combat systems, with a ton of polish and cohesion) tend to be found more in Japanese games in general. Oh well.

Yes, it is hard to comprehend. I am not quite sure if you are serious or not with your the things JRPGs supposedly do better. Combat systems usually lack any depth whatsoever, I don't quite get how WRPGs lack captivating environments or great music. But whatever.

 

[inner-G]

Yes actually, I find that hard to understand. Why on earth would you cut yourself off from so many games?

Maybe they just don't find them to be fun. I don't like baseball games but I like Power Pros.

Its really not hard to understand...

 

[riskVSreward]

Yes, it is hard to comprehend. I am not quite sure if you are serious or not with your the things JRPGs supposedly do better. Combat systems usually lack any depth whatsoever, I don't quite get how WRPGs lack captivating environments or great music. But whatever.

The one thing that should be obvious about turn based combat is that it absolutely trumps most WRPGs in terms of depth.

^^^ Shenmue 2 is not an RPG - otherwise I would have to include it in my list.

Bite your tongue sir before someone surely removes it from your skull.

 

[djtiesto]

Yes actually, I find that hard to understand. Why on earth would you cut yourself off from so many games?

And the idea that only JRPGs offer great music and deep gameplay is laughable.

Thank god I can enjoy both Demon's Souls and Mass Effect without worrying that one of them is a JRPG while the other is a WRPG.

Because, there are just some genres that don't appeal to people. I'm sure there are some awesome sports or simulation games out there, but they aren't the genres I like. So I'd play a good RPG (yes that includes WRPG, I guess you guys missed that I said I do play them, got the Planescape box calling out to me to play when I'm on vacation next week )

And of course I don't think that only Japan can offer great music and deep gameplay - hell one of my favorite game soundtracks from the last few years is the Canadian game Mass Effect - but I've found a lot of WRPG to lack the overall cohesion where everything is standout in the way the best of the Japanese games are.

Like, going back to Mass Effect. It's music is amazing, storyline and lore is captivating, but the combat system, inventory management, repetitive sidequests and framerate stutters harm it enough where I wouldn't even consider it one of my favorite games of the last generation. Same with The Witcher, I can tell you I really enjoyed the game, but could also list a bunch of things I didn't like (namely, the combat system, stuttery framerate, bad voice acting, the Swamp)... but with a game like Dragon Quest 5, and Mother 3, I struggle to find flaws, everything just seems so polished. It's hard to describe.

But WRPGs is such a big category of games with different gameplay types that I find it strange not to like a even single one.

It seems like some kind of weird phobia to disregard so many different games just because they are from the west. Because they truly are so diverse.

Agreed, and this can be said of Japanese games/RPGs as well.

 

[Dennis]

Maybe they just don't find them to be fun. I don't like baseball games but I like Power Pros.

Its really not hard to understand...

But WRPGs is such a big category of games with different gameplay types that I find it strange not to like a even single one.

It seems like some kind of weird phobia to disregard so many different games just because they are from the west. Because they truly are so diverse.

 

[DaBuddaDa]

But WRPGs is such a big category of games with different gameplay types that I find it strange not to like a even single one.

It seems like some kind of weird phobia to disregard so many different games just because they are from the west. Because they truly are so diverse.

I don't know if it has happened yet in this thread, but it's most suspect when someone has a list of all traditional JRPGs like Chrono Trigger, etc., and then has Demon's Souls on there too. Demon's Souls is through and through a WRPG made in Japan. It's style and gameplay are based off western influences.

 

[XiaNaphryz]

The general lack of Grandia mentions so far is distrubing.

 

[The Technomancer]

I just want to say that you are awesome, and have awesome taste. Though, I think I'd put SpidWeb's Avernum over geneforge.

Heh, I like Avernum, but Geneforge managed such awesome world building, feelings of exploration of an alien culture, and a good story that I like it more. Its probably the best I've ever seen a truly different culture of magic and society built, which is a large part of why it makes my list.

 

[riskVSreward]

The general lack of Grandia mentions so far is distrubing.

It appears you generally did not read my post.

 

[ZephyrFate]

1. Shadow Hearts
2. Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne
3. Final Fantasy IX
4. Skies of Arcadia
5. Nier
6. Drakengard II
7. Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga
8. Planescape: Torment
9. Borderlands
10. Grandia

 

[Lumpy Onion]

Final Fantasy XII- A drastic change in the Final Fantasy series that I consider to be one of the most memorable in the series. Partly because of the realization of Ivalice and the lore and scenery. And also because of the amazing battle system that had to be the first FF game that made you feel like you were really in a battle.

Final Fantasy X- After seeing the opening cinema I was hooked. Although I had played all of the previous PS FF games and had seen Squares previous efforts to create a cinematic RPG, this was beyond anything I had seen in the past. It can be kinda linear, but there were quite a few secrets that I didn't even find till my second playthrough.

Dragon Quest VIII- This is probably my favorite Dragon Quest out of all the ones I have played. Seeing the world map and being able to explore it with freedom was something I rarely see done so well in JRPGs. Towns and dungeons also had a feeling of uniqueness to them which made me eager to see the next location.

Chrono Trigger- Although I hoenstly hated the DS version because I didn't think it brought anything new to the table, I will always have a soft spot for this game. I remember looking at pictures in issues of Famitsu watching the game take form, and then amazed at the final product. Graphics, gameplay, music, story and characters were fantastic. But one of my favorite parts is that it can be beaten in a fairly short time. Kinda wish that was more common in JRPGs tbh.

Final Fantasy V- I remember this being the first import game I ever bought back on the SFC. I was so impressed by Final Fantasy II (IV) that when I saw the name FF V in an import game ad in the back of an issue of EGM I sent away for it while not even knowing Japanese. Turned out to be one of the best JRPGs I have ever played. The sheer amount of customizability you are given through the job system was astounding at the time. I think I have been through the game at least 7 times on various systems.

Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion- I can't say that I have even gotten that far in it. But something about this game just mesmerizes me every time I play. Sadly I am almost afraid to play it sometimes because I get lost in the amount of stuff to do and then hours just fly by.

Final Fantasy VIII- I gotta admit I didn't like it that much at first. But when I actually learned the systems and realized that this FF was going be totally different than what came before, I appreciated it a lot more. It also has an insane amount of customizability allowed for your characters. I imagine no two playthroughs of FF VIII would ever be the same.

Final Fantasy IV DS- Probably one of the most fulfilling FF games ever, because of the challenge alone. Once I reached the final quarter of the game I was thrown into some of the most ruthless battles I have ever seen in an RPG, and it forced me to use almost every spell at my disposal. Something I rarely must do in an FF game. It made it feel like every fight counted. The added content and visual flair was also the best that square has done for a remake.

Demons Souls- It forces you to be in complete control of your game, and stay alert at all times. I have rarely seen a game that forces you to play at your absolute best. Also the amount of freedom in regard to your characters weapons and abilities was largely up to you, which was nice. Kings Field was one of my favorite games back in the day so it makes me love DS even more. Probably the best RPG (or act-rpg) to come out this gen.

Xenogears- I know some of the gameplay elements aren't as balanced as they could have been, as well as the second disk feeling a little bit disjointed, but this will always be remembered as one of my favorites. The characters and story are what kept me glued to this one. But the battle system was pretty fun too.

 

[cosmicblizzard]

Yes actually, I find that hard to understand. Why on earth would you cut yourself off from so many games?

And the idea that only JRPGs offer great music and deep gameplay is laughable.

Thank god I can enjoy both Demon's Souls and Mass Effect without worrying that one of them is a JRPG while the other is a WRPG.

^^^ Shenmue 2 is not an RPG - otherwise I would have to include it in my list.

I have played A LOT of WRPGs. The only one that didn't put me to sleep was Diablo 2. Did I give all of them a fair chance? Probably not, but many I gave at least 2-3 hours. I am by no means a close minded person, I just don't find the genre fun. I'm not going to fault anyone for disliking JRPGs even if I think it's one of the most broad genres out there.

 

[szaromir]

The one thing that should be obvious about turn based combat is that it absolutely trumps most WRPGs in terms of depth.

The one thing that should be obvious about turn based combat that in order to absolutely trump most WRPGs in terms of depth is that it should be deep in the first place. 99% of JRPGs are ridiculously shallow.

Like, going back to Mass Effect. It's music is amazing, storyline and lore is captivating, but the combat system, inventory management, repetitive sidequests and framerate stutters harm it enough where I wouldn't even consider it one of my favorite games of the last generation. Same with The Witcher, I can tell you I really enjoyed the game, but could also list a bunch of things I didn't like (namely, the combat system, stuttery framerate, bad voice acting, the Swamp)... but with a game like Dragon Quest 5, and Mother 3, I struggle to find flaws, everything just seems so polished. It's hard to describe.

ME and The Witcher are some of the more unpolished WRPGs. It's not fair to take them as typical examples of WRPGs. DQ5 flaws - shallow combat, too many fights between story sequences (which were lovely!).

 

[Oyashiro]

Final Fantasy IX (This is my "highlight" game) - Best Final Fantasy in terms of characters, gameplay, story, locations, etc. Love this game.
Ys Seven - Extremely fun, addictive, and fast paced. Best RPG on the PSP, hands down.
NiER/NIER/Nier (However you wanna spell it) Best RPG this year. Amazing story and characters, soundtrack of the forever. Must play for RPG fans.
The World Ends With You - Great setting, extremely fun and original gameplay, good story.
Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 - Probably the only RPG ever where I've spent more than 100 hours playing. It's got an excellent story, great characters, and fun gameplay. The whole Social Link aspect is really wonderful and makes the non-dungeon parts of the game very fun and exciting. A must-play for PS2 owners.
Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 Portable - Another awesome PSP RPG. It's not as good as Persona 4, but it's up there with the other great RPGs. It's much more streamlined than the other Persona 3 iterations and it's perfect for on-the-go play. Good story, fun gameplay, the works.
Okami - Yes, it's too fucking long. However, it has a wonderful art style, great and hilarious characters, a unique story, and fun gameplay. There's no game quite like this one.
Borderlands - Does this even count? It's got some RPG aspects, right? Anyway, if it does count, it's an extremely fun game that brings out the loot whore in everyone. You'll be addicted to it before you can realize it. The feeling of constantly getting new and more powerful weapons is simply enthralling. Great game to play with friends.
Mass Effect 2 - Great characters, amazing graphics, very fun gameplay. It's a bit more shooter-y than RPG, but it still manages to be incredibly fun. It's definitely one of the best games this year right up there with Bayonetta and Nier.
Kingdom Hearts - You know what? The story is bat shit insane, and it gets very convoluted and whiny and LOLDEEP, but it's still a great game. Come on, Disney x Square Enix? It's a great combination.

 

[John Rabbit]

But WRPGs is such a big category of games with different gameplay types that I find it strange not to like a even single one.

It seems like some kind of weird phobia to disregard so many different games just because they are from the west. Because they truly are so diverse.

where was this said? wrpg is a label used to differentiate them from jrpgs, it has nothing to do with xenophobia. anyone who disregards wrpgs solely because of their country of origin is a moron; that said its entirely possible for someone to dislike the 'flavor' or 'style' that a majority of wrpgs have.

 

[erragal]

1. System Shock 2
2. Planescape: Torment
3. Fallout: New Vegas
4. Fallout 2
5. Ultima VII: The Black Gate/Serpent Isle
6. Demon's Souls
7. Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne
8. SMT: Persona 2: Innocent Sin
9. Disgaea: Hour of Darkness
10. Wizardry 8


This is assuming X-Com: UFO Defense doesn't count as an RPG. If it did (Which it probably should), put it at the top and move everything down a spot.

 

[Booshka]

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (2 votes)- Elder Scrolls at its finest, this game is an example of what Bethesda does best, Massively Singleplayer RPG.

Grandia 2-Great Battle system, good overall story, characters, design and music

Final Fantasy 4-When I think of Final Fantasy, this is the first game that comes to mind

Mass Effect 1-Science Fiction space opera, looks great and did a lot of what KotOR did well and made it even better.

Dark Cloud 2-Fantastic sequel, better in every way to the original. It's a cheesy game, but it has a lot of fun elements, Inventing, Building, Real time combat, good art design.

Baldur's Gate 2-The best isometric D&D Action RPG you can play.

Diablo 2-Addictive online, one of the best loot systems ever created.

 

[flyinpiranha]

Balders Gate II
The Witcher
Mass Effect 1
Mass Effect 2
Dragon Quest IX
Demon's Souls
Dark Cloud 2
FFVII
FFX
Super Mario RPG

Those are the ones that I keep thinking of when I think of great. I haven't finished 2W2 so that will come in time possibly. But each one of those sucked me in like crazy.

I know there are more "great" RPG's that I've played like the SNES staples and PS1 games, even a lot of the PS2 ones ... but those stand out.

 

[ZombieSupaStar]

1) Chrono Trigger
2) Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines
3) Final Fantasy 6
4) Fallout 3
5) Earthbound
6) Fallout 1
7) Shining Force
8) Oblivion (only with mods)
9) Suikoden 1
10) Final Fantasy 7

 

[aktham]

1. Final Fantasy VII
2. Chrono Trigger
3. Skies of Arcadia/Legends
4. Lunar
5. Xenogears
6. Chrono Cross
7. Breath of Fire III
8. Final Fantasy IX
9. Final Fantasy XII
10. Dragon Quest VIII

 

[djtiesto]

The one thing that should be obvious about turn based combat that in order to absolutely trump most WRPGs in terms of depth is that it should be deep in the first place. 99% of JRPGs are ridiculously shallow.


ME and The Witcher are some of the more unpolished WRPGs. It's not fair to take them as typical examples of WRPGs. DQ5 flaws - shallow combat, too many fights between story sequences (which were lovely!).

What are some examples of more polished ones? The Infinity Engine games are rather polished, but then again you always hear about stuff like Vampire the Masquerade Bloodlines, Fallout New Vegas, (basically any Obsidian game ), Bethesda stuff prone to crashing (I was one of the lucky ones, Fallout 3 only crashed 3 times in 80 hours of playing) or janky Eastern Euro stuff...

 

[Jazzy Network]

In no particular order:

Fallout 3
Super Mario RPG
Final Fantasy 7,8,9
Star Wars: Kotor
Mass Effect
Dragon Age
Persona 3
Valkyrie Profile

 

[Lard]

BattleTech: The Crescent Hawk's Inception

Pool of Radiance - The original, not the awful remake

Wasteland - Not that ripoff Fallout

Star Wars - Knights of the Old Republic

Suikoden 2 - Two points

Shin Megami Tensei Nocturne

Final Fantasy X

Shin Megami Tensei - Persona 4

Legend of Mana

Xenosaga (all three of them together as one entity)

These JRPG-only lists are ridiculous.

OMG Only my tastes should have priority! I know better than everyone else!



* Note - Okami and Zelda do not count as RPGs.

 

[bhlaab]

Since we were restricted to 10 entries, I had to leave out classics such as Gothic 2, Arcanum and Vampire.

Yeah, I decided to edit that post and put in reasons why except it took me 20 minutes and it turns out this forum moves pretty fast who wouldve guessed.

 

[Dennis]

BattleTech: The Crescent Hawk's Inception

Is that an RPG - or mech game? If it is an RPG I need it on my list because that is my third best game of all time.

 

[Salsa]

uh

Tell me why its an RPG

 

[Lard]

Is that an RPG - or mech game? If it is an RPG I need it on my list because that is my third best game of all time.

It's an RPG. You do level up (as I recall, it's been a while) and your equipment does improve over time.

It's got the standard RPG tropes, it's just scifi.

 

[bhlaab]

Well I don't like jrpgs much either but a lot of wrpg guys are putting Baldur's Gate 2 high up on their lists and BG really really sucks so...

 

[gokieks]

My list is going to be the same as last year's, with only one change.

The copied-from-last-year non-ordered list:

Chrono Trigger - still the best combination of story, characters, and battle system of any JRPG. Throw in great 2D visuals and a fantastic soundtrack, and this will probably be my favorite JRPG for eternity.

Final Fantasy VI - just about everything CT did well, FFVI did as well. But while I think FFVI had the superior soundtrack, in terms of everything else, for how good FFVI is, CT was just a little bit better.

Final Fantasy Tactics - objectively speaking, Tactics Ogre is arguably the better and more important game in the genre, and NIS has since then taken the formula to new (and ridiculous) levels, but FFT remains my favorite of the grid/hex-based strategy/tactical RPGs. The game is far from being without faults (laughably uneven difficulty, terribad localization in the PS1 version, just to mention a few), but the story and characters give the game a charm that few others match.

Valkyria Chronicles - arguably the biggest step forward in SRPG/TRPG gameplay since the genre was invented. Story and characters are not anything particularly new or inventive, but the battle system, watercolor-esque visuals, stirring soundtrack, and generally amazing presentation more than make up for it.

Xenogears - almost certainly the most flawed game on my list, but probably the one I feel most strongly about. The story may be convoluted, and localization comes from the "bad days" of Square's NA efforts, but I can't think of another RPG that I've felt so much emotion for the cast (even the non-major characters) - Citan, Fei, Elly, and Emeralda would all be on the shortlist of my favorite characters in gaming, and Id is at the top for villains.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic - delivered almost everything I could have ever wanted out of a Star Wars RPG in spectacular fashion. The story, setting, and characters are all very well done (HK-47 is one of the most memorable characters in a videogame ever), and the gameplay felt fast-paced and action-oriented enough despite, at it's core, still being a D&D roll-based system.

Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - is there anything left to say about this game that hasn't been said countless times before? Sure, the story is simply and straightforward in true Nintendo fashion, but the time travel mechanic, the expansive overworld, the horseriding/fishing minigames, and the combination of a camera and Z-Targetting that was 3D gaming done right all added up to one of the most memorable gaming experiences ever, evem if's it's RPG-lite.

World of WarCraft - well, there really isn't much to say about this, is there? It's hard to judge because the game has evolved so much, but even as someone who's quit the game over a year ago, it's still hard to argue against this being one of the best, and certainly one of the most important, games ever. There have always been issues in the game (the evolution of PvP certainly comes to mind), but looking back, from saving up enough gold to buy the first mount to stepping foot into Molten Core for the first time to killing C'Thun to taking flight on a flying mount, the game is chock full of fantastic experiences.

Baldur's Gate 2 - there are not enough words I can write to properly describe a game of this epic proportions. But the fact that a decade later it's still considered the definitive fantasy/D&D RPG really says it all.

Removed from last year's list:

Dragon Age: Origins

What I previously said: it's like Baldur's Gate updated for the 21st century and crossed with WoW. I had my doubts regarding this game, but 150+ hours of playing later, suffice to say they have been allayed. While it's not the prettiest, deepest, or most epic of BioWare's games, it comes together in a fantastic package that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Why I removed it: Even by RPG standards, the game suffers greatly on replayability. The long and dragged out sections that are merely annoying on the first playthrough becomes absolutely insufferable on subsequent ones. I played it on PC, and even when I was able to effectively remove combat from the equation by using cheating custom-created gear, I still absolutely hated it everytime I had to go into the Fade in the Tower, or through the Deep Roads... or really, all of the parts of the game between the origin story and the Landsmeet. And to top it all off, the DLC and expansion have both been tremendously disappointing from both story and gameplay views.

And replacing it on this year's list:

The Witcher - It actually came down to this or DAO last year, and I guess the freshness of my first playthrough of Dragon Age tilted me towards it. Looking back now, I would say I made the wrong decision - Dragon Age may have had (a few) better supporting characters, but the protagonist in The Witcher is much more interesting, and I would have to say the setting and story are as well. Technically it was kind of a mess (I had played the original version, which had the longest loading and saving times of any game I've ever played), but I thought it the best WRPG since KotOR even before the Enhanced Edition massively improved it.

 

[DMG-01]

In no order:

Paper Mario (N64, VC)
I played this game so many times as a little kid and loved it every time. Great music, gameplay, graphics, and story (well, for a Mario game). Eve today, the game still holds up really well.

Golden Sun (1 and 2) (GBA)
I'm counting the two games together, because they were meant to be a single game in the first place, and you can't really play one without the other. I owe a lot of who I am as a gamer to Golden Sun as it solidified RPGs as my favorite genre.

Final Fantasy V (SFC, GBA)
Truly my favorite Final Fantasy game. While the characters and story might be lacking in comparison to the preceding and following games in the series, the job system and music more than make up for it. I also find the jovial nature of the game to be much more appealing than the darker fan favorites of VI and VII.

Fire Emblem 7 (GBA)
While I love all of the GBA Fire Emblem games, I ended up choosing 7 over 8 (Sacred Stones) due to it's better (IMO) story and cast. Also, 6's (Blazing Sword) lack of English severely hurt its ranking for me. :lol

Yggdra Union (GBA, PSP)
An excellent SRPG from St!ng that shouldn't be missed by any RPG fan. Being part of the Dept. Heaven series, Yggdra Union has many unorthodox gameplay mechanics. I can't explain the gameplay that well, but suffice it to say that the battles are grid-based and mix together cards, character unions, a day/night cycle, skills, and a sort of real-time action gauge. Even if it's not my number one favorite RPG, I'm highlighting it because I think more people need to play it, and I doubt many will vote for it.

Pokemon Black/White (DS/DSi enhanced)
Being a Pokemaniac of sorts, I had to choose a Pokemon game for my list. I ended up with Black and White because they have managed to keep the formula feeling fresh and nostalgic with the new Pokemon and features. Plus, the story is actually pretty cool!

Dragon Warrior Monsters 2 (GBC, PS1)
DWM2 is my favorite game in the spin-off series, and is the game that got me interested in the main series that is Dragon Quest. DWM2 is a top-notch monster collecting/breeding/battling/whatever game with lots of depth and variety in both monster selection and breeding/skill mechanics.

Dragon Quest IX (DS)
I was going to either choose V or IX for this slot. Since I enjoyed both pretty much equally, I gave the win to IX because I logged more hours in it. :lol

Most of my gaming is on portables, so my list is pretty skewed in that direction. Also, I tried to limit it to games that I've finished, so quite a few console games were left out.


EDIT: I was considering putting Mother 3 up there, but I haven't played the game in English yet, so I haven't gotten the full experience.

 

[Lostconfused]

I don't know if I should post my list. Because after trying to come up with reasons for listing the games it turns out that I liked most of them for their setting and story.

 

[aktham]

If you guys want to get technical, ALL videogames are role-playing games. IMO Diablo is an RPG. I simply consider it WRPG, because it's so different from the RPGs I prefer.

WRPGs,for whatever reason, just don't flow well story wise for me. If I had to narrow it down, it's because the main character always seems like a shell (that's you're supposed to imagine yourself as that shell).

 

[szaromir]

What are some examples of more polished ones? The Infinity Engine games are rather polished, but then again you always hear about stuff like Vampire the Masquerade Bloodlines, Fallout New Vegas, (basically any Obsidian game ), Bethesda stuff prone to crashing (I was one of the lucky ones, Fallout 3 only crashed 3 times in 80 hours of playing) or janky Eastern Euro stuff...

Yeah, many of them are supposedly garbage on the release date, but the issues are resolved eventually. I rarely play them around the release, so I get solid experience most of the time. For examples games on my list are all very solid at this point. I had to give up on playing The Witcher because it was crashing on me all the time (Enhanced Edition).

Recently, Mass Effect 2 was very polished on day 1, but this game is a very streamlined experience (akin to JRPGs I'd say).

 

[Lard]

I don't know if I should post my list. Because after trying to come up with reasons for listing the games it turns out that I liked most of them for their setting and story.

What's wrong with that?

 

[Fimbulvetr]

Recently, Mass Effect 2 was very polished on day 1, but this game is a very streamlined experience (akin to JRPGs I'd say).

I wouldn't call getting stuck in cover or randomly floating, when you try to walk out of a wall which you were randomly inside, polished.

Maybe relatively, but....

 

[Lostconfused]

What's wrong with that?

Probably because I feel like I am ignoring gameplay/characters or other details. They do have an impact for me but they are not that important to me thats why I would take Mass Effect 1 over 2 any day. I can acknowledge the game play changes and improvements but I liked the world and story in the first game so much more that everything else is insignificant, to me, in comparison.

Edit: Also games would make it onto my list because they have different well executed worlds/settings even if mechanically they are essentially the same.

 

[szaromir]

I wouldn't call getting stuck in cover or randomly floating, when you try to walk out of a wall which you were randomly inside, polished.

Maybe relatively, but....

Are you sure you're talking about ME2? I had these issues a lot of times in ME1 but never happened in ME2.

 

[methos75]

I just want to know where these JRPGs with sophisticated battle systems are at, I have probably played and beaten well over 100 JRPGS and I sure haven't found one that mets that criteria yet.

 

[Fimbulvetr]

Are you sure you're talking about ME2? I had these issues a lot of times in ME1 but never happened in ME2.

Yep.

And I remember other people reporting stuff like that too, so I know I wasn't just unfortunate enough to be the only one(though I'm pretty sure it was patched).

Strangely, I never encountered that issue in ME1.