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NeoGAF's Essential RPGs - 2015 edition

Almighty

Member
Too bad Xenoblade is $100 dollars. -_-

You should be thankful as that price tag saved you from playing yet another overrated game. Though if you live in the US it looks like you can rent it from Gamefly.

There were segments that were close. More votes probably wouldn't have affected the top 2-3 beyond what I said (Persona 4 had 39 points on Dark Souls and 66 points on Final Fantasy VI), but Baldur's Gate 2 missed the top 10 by 4 points, and Mass Effect beat PST by 5.

So what you saying is that the top three spots are pretty much set in stone.

Well until Persona 5 then it will be some combination Chrono Trigger, Persona 4, Persona 5, and then all the rest. :p
 

Grief.exe

Member
Persona, Xenoblade, and Fire Emblem are the only games out of the top ten I haven't played, better get to it.

You should be thankful as that price tag saved you from playing yet another overrated game. Though if you live in the US it looks like you can rent it from Gamefly.

I'm just going to wait for the n3DS version, but I wonder how much it would cost to rent Xenoblade Chronicles from Gamefly, then use the keep feature.
 

Shengar

Member
It's always interesting to follow Skyrim's path through the Essential RPGs list. Debuted in 2012 at number 4, and has since basically toppled out of the top 30.
s
Understandable why Bethesda's game tends to fall off really fast despite being hugely popular especially in earlier years of their releases.
Indeed. Nostalgia met reality.
Not only the remakes, but also re-release and port. Some of those games who are remade & re-released/ported went down substantially. FFX, Suikoden II, Valkyria Chronicles, even the Pokemon game.
Well it could be memory met reality, but I don't think it's exclusively for that reason. Maybe the person who voted for them last year isn't around anymore. Or perhaps there are newer games that enticed them more.
 
I also don't like the idea because while it may seem better off when reading say the top 20, but as you go on you will start to get a lot of games that have no business being on the list , especially when you get down to the bottom 20.

Gave it a shot.

Final Fantasy
Dragon Quest
Chrono
SMT
Persona
Disgaea
Wild Arms
Shadow Hearts
Suikoden
Pokemon


Tales
Atelier
Lunar
Grandia
Lufia
Mother
Phantasy Star
Shining Force
Xeno-
Etrian Odyssey


Souls
Fallout
Mass Effect
Baldur's Gate
Dragon Age
Valkyrie Profile
Saga
Seiken Densetsu / SoM
Souls
Mario


BoF
Valkyrie Chronicles
Fire Emblem
Ys
Trails
TWEWY
Radiant Historia
Skies Arcadia
Vagrant Story
Planescape:Torment


Arc the Lad
Terranigma
Ultima
Wizardry
Ogre (TO/OB)
Panzer Dragoon Saga
Golden Sun
Bravely Default
Divinity
Paladin's Quest

There's a total of 49 RPG series & standalone games that I could see on a Neogaf Top RPG list... plus Paladin's Quest (which I still think is a great game that people didn't give a fair chance).
 
I really need to play Suikoden 2 someday, damn backlog.

Fuck the rest of your backlog! You play GS 2 now! ;)

There were segments that were close. More votes probably wouldn't have affected the top 2-3 beyond what I said (Persona 4 had 39 points on Dark Souls and 66 points on Final Fantasy VI), but Baldur's Gate 2 missed the top 10 by 4 points, and Mass Effect beat PST by 5.

It really helps past 20, the point we're at now. The area of ties and single digit gaps is nearing. Every vote counts!
 

Almighty

Member
Fuck the rest of your backlog! You play GS 2 now! ;)

I'll second this.

On the subject of backlogs this is the year I promise I will do some serious work on mine, I already knocked out Tacitcs Ogre: Let us Cling Together and while it won't be dethroning Final Fantasy Tactics I am happy with that honorable mention I gave it. I am playing Atelier Totori right now and I dunno how I feel about that game. Part of me likes it, but I can't really tell you why. Either way I think I will be done with it soon and then on to Planescape: Torment. After that finally finish Trails in the Sky and then onto Mask of the Betrayer or Baldur's Gate 2.
 
Well it could be memory met reality, but I don't think it's exclusively for that reason. Maybe the person who voted for them last year isn't around anymore. Or perhaps there are newer games that enticed them more.

Well, yeah. Perhaps it's just a coincidence.

Anway, it's interesting to see that people adore Xenoblade so much but hate DA Inquisition instead. Both games have heavy mmo-like fetch quests. Fetch quests in Xenoblade are even much more exhausting, with less directions. As an avid MMO gamer, I have no problem with fetch quests, but how about the general consensus?
 
Well, yeah. Perhaps it's just a coincidence.

Anway, it's interesting to see that people adore Xenoblade so much but hate DA Inquisition instead. Both games have heavy mmo-like fetch quests. Fetch quests in Xenoblade are even much more exhausting, with less directions. As an avid MMO gamer, I have no problem with fetch quests, but how about the general consensus?

Well, my opinion is that while most of Xenoblade's quests are pretty forgettable fetch quests (some of the named NPC quests can be quite good, on the other hand), the game is so much fun due to how good the battle system is (and the world really makes me want to explore it all). So the fetch quests aren't great, but the game is still a ton of fun due to the great mechanics.
 
Final Fantasy VI, Mass Effect and Planescape: Torment are the only games in top 10 I haven't played.

FF6 I will play sometime soon (along with 4 and 5).

Mass Effect I've been holding off on because I'd rather play it on PC one day rather than settle for the PS3 versions (I've done this with a lot of western multiplats this gen actually).

Planescape I'm really not interested in, I much prefer JRPGs to WRPGs, and WRPGs just get worse the further back you go imo. I just don't think I can bring myself to play it.
 
Well, my opinion is that while most of Xenoblade's quests are pretty forgettable fetch quests (some of the named NPC quests can be quite good, on the other hand), the game is so much fun due to how good the battle system is (and the world really makes me want to explore it all). So the fetch quests aren't great, but the game is still a ton of fun due to the great mechanics.

I do agree that the combat is spot on. It's one of the most engaging combat in RPGs that I've played. However, I just found a few days ago that some people are in fact struggling with the combat.
 
Gave it a shot.


There's a total of 49 RPG series & standalone games that I could see on a Neogaf Top RPG list... plus Paladin's Quest (which I still think is a great game that people didn't give a fair chance).

In a way I feel this both helps and hurts my point. It hurts because you listed nearly fifty quality franchises which went well past my thirty prediction. Not to mention some games you didn't listed that I can imagine people thinking they belonged such as Icewind Dale.

On the other hand that is only half of the top 100, and well there are some game series on there that I don't believe should be on there such as Bravely Default and Arc the Lad.

EDIT - If it wouldn't be too much trouble maybe there could be two lists. One of "Essential RPGs" and the other of "Essential RPG Franchises"? I can imagine that being a lot of work though.
 

HK-47

Oh, bitch bitch bitch.
Final Fantasy VI, Mass Effect and Planescape: Torment are the only games in top 10 I haven't played.

FF6 I will play sometime soon (along with 4 and 5).

Mass Effect I've been holding off on because I'd rather play it on PC one day rather than settle for the PS3 versions (I've done this with a lot of western multiplats this gen actually).

Planescape I'm really not interested in, I much prefer JRPGs to WRPGs, and WRPGs just get worse the further back you go imo. I just don't think I can bring myself to play it.

Actually they get much better but to each his own.
 

Violet_0

Banned
so I was randomly browsing the BG wiki looking up some old companion quotes and now I'm re-installing BG2 for the tenth time or so. Funny how I remember almost nothing from my party interactions in DA:I or any of the other RPGs I've played recently, yet the voices of Imoen & friends and somehow burned themselves into my brain. Faster than Chiktikka Fastpaws!
 
Xenoblade's combat is not for everyone, especially not in the early parts of the game. I lost the will to finish the game on my own after
the boss of Agniratha because the length of some fights just got too long
among other things that I didn't feel to desire to utilize or do.

If you can't enjoy the feel of combat in the average MMO, IMHO Xenoblade is not worth it. It has some great ideas to tell, but it isn't engaging enough to tell them to everyone.


I guess it's time to go through my own backlog and likes and see if a game like Lufia 2, Suikoden 2, the games in the Terranigma cycle, or other ATB games should get added or not.
 
Xenoblade's combat is not for everyone, especially not in the early parts of the game. I lost the will to finish the game on my own after
the boss of Agniratha because the length of some fights just got too long
among other things that I didn't feel to desire to utilize or do.

I felt the same way too at first, but then I went back to the game and tried out different main characters and enjoyed it a lot more.
 

Ralemont

not me
Mass Effect I've been holding off on because I'd rather play it on PC one day rather than settle for the PS3 versions (I've done this with a lot of western multiplats this gen actually).

That's a good choice. Mouse aiming mitigates Mass Effect 1's combat flaws somewhat and the graphical difference is notable (and you'll want purty graphics for ME's impressive skyscapes).

I'm pleasant surprised to see FFXII ranked that high. I thought many at GAF disliked it.

It appears to have aged well. On release it felt like I was one of the few who loved it. Now it's regularly recommended.
 

Dennis

Banned
yet you like RPG Codex's even more centralized list

just admit it, you simply don't like jrpgs

I like JRPGs just fine. Phantasy Star is maybe my favorite RPG of all time.

The RPG Codex list is of the years best RPGs.

The GAF list is for the essential RPGs of ALL TIME and it is mostly JRPGs plus Mass Effect?
Come on, man.
 
I like JRPGs just fine. Phantasy Star is maybe my favorite RPG of all time.

The RPG Codex list is of the years best RPGs.

The GAF list is for the essential RPGs of ALL TIME and it is mostly JRPGs plus Mass Effect?
Come on, man.

And not even good jrpgs(well, except for ff6)
 

ilium

Member
I'm pleasant surprised to see FFXII ranked that high. I thought many at GAF disliked it.

while i was active in FFXIV i was suprised how many people held FFXII in high regard on the forums there. i also always assumed most didn't like it.
makes me happy to see it so high on the list.

highfive_done.gif
 

IntelliHeath

As in "Heathcliff"
Too bad Xenoblade is $100 dollars. -_-

If you are going with ebay and amazon, they probably are expensive. You could buy them cheaper at GameStop. Depend on locations, they are selling Xenoblade at 50 dollars to 60 dollars.

http://www.gamestop.com/wii/games/xenoblade-chronicles-gamestop-exclusive/98535

I would recommend you to buy the game if you only like mmorpg element-like features. I can see why some people don't like it because it can be overwhelmed for some people.
 

Burt

Member
I like JRPGs just fine. Phantasy Star is maybe my favorite RPG of all time.

The RPG Codex list is of the years best RPGs.

The GAF list is for the essential RPGs of ALL TIME and it is mostly JRPGs plus Mass Effect?
Come on, man.

wSvoup5.gif


Indicative of the community's demographics. It is what it is.

I can't wait for the year everyone wakes up and realizes that Xenoblade is an overstuffed piece of garbage.
 
I would recommend you to buy the game if you only like mmorpg element-like features. I can see why some people don't like it because it can be overwhelmed for some people.

I think the word is underwhelming...


Anyway, I'd recommend Xenoblade, despite it's gameplay flaws, the story makes up for it and not all of the side content is bad, there's quite a few good stuff in there too. Also a pretty good game for exploration (although I wish there was even more of it).

50-60 US$ is totally worth it imo.
 

IntelliHeath

As in "Heathcliff"
I think the word is underwhelming...


Anyway, I'd recommend Xenoblade, despite it's gameplay flaws, the story makes up for it and not all of the side content is bad, there's quite a few good stuff in there too. Also a pretty good game for exploration (although I wish there was even more of it).

50-60 US$ is totally worth it imo.

Yeah, I understand that for specific people but some people found combat engines overwhelming because they don't really understand how to play.
 
Yeah, I understand that for specific people but some people found combat engines overwhelming because they don't really understand how to play.

It's like, if you've never played an MMO before, then it will be overwhelming for the first few hours. But if you played an MMO before, it will feel underwhelming, because even MMOs these days have more stuff in their battle systems.

It's a shame, there's so much stuff they could've done to improve the system... Oh well.
 

IntelliHeath

As in "Heathcliff"
It's like, if you've never played an MMO before, then it will be overwhelming for the first few hours. But if you played an MMO before, it will feel underwhelming, because even MMOs these days have more stuff in their battle systems.

It's a shame, there's so much stuff they could've done to improve the system... Oh well.

Right. I definitely agreed with you there. However I really enjoy the simplicity of the game so it don't really bothered me that much. I'm very curious to see what kind of changes that they would work on Xenoblade X's battle designs. I really hope that it would evolved into something better.
 

WanderingWind

Mecklemore Is My Favorite Wrapper
I like JRPGs just fine. Phantasy Star is maybe my favorite RPG of all time.

The RPG Codex list is of the years best RPGs.

The GAF list is for the essential RPGs of ALL TIME and it is mostly JRPGs plus Mass Effect?
Come on, man.

I'm with you bro, but it's like going on an anime board and asking why their favorite movies are all animated. This forum skews in a certain direction.
 

Kieli

Member
I like JRPGs just fine. Phantasy Star is maybe my favorite RPG of all time.

The RPG Codex list is of the years best RPGs.

The GAF list is for the essential RPGs of ALL TIME and it is mostly JRPGs plus Mass Effect?
Come on, man.

It's hard for me to recommend cRPGs like Baldur's Gate when I simply haven't played them.

*shrugs*
 
It's hard for me to recommend cRPGs like Baldur's Gate when I simply haven't played them.

*shrugs*

That's pretty much the problem with making this a popularity contest. The top games aren't really essential if everyone on this forum played them. This list is less 'essential' and more 'popular'.
 
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