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[Big Baller]

I finished The Witcher 3 and Elden Ring twice. They are the best RPGs of their generation but I simply can't choose.

I'll go with Ocarina of Time lol.

 

[Gaelyon]

Xenogears

very close are Planescape Torment, Elden Ring and BG3

 

[FinalBossWithTheMostPower]

Not a fan of a DnD, but...

It's Baldur's Gate 3.

Nothing I've played in the last 30 years has even come close.

 

[Bartski]

Witcher 3, played in the language as it was written

 

[DiscoDave]

FF7 I've tried to find other series that are can even come close, But Final Fantasy (ps1 era) just can't be touched for me.

 

[daxgame]

Chrono Trigger

there's only one correct answer and it's this one.

But Skies of Arcadia Legends is definitely in my top 5.

 

[Killjoy-NL]

Split decision:

FF VII
FF XIV

 

[Werewolf Jones]

Chrono Cross
Xenogears
Breath of Fire IV
Suikoden II
Final Fantasy IX

Vampire the Masquerade
Planescape: Torment
Knights of the Old Republic II
Fallout: New Vegas
Disco Elysium

 

[The artful mincer]

FFVII

 

[FinalBossWithTheMostPower]

The evolutionary path, over the decades, of my choice for best RPG of ALL TIME:

ChronoTrigger

FFVI

Legend of Dragoon

Zelda: OoT

FFX

KOTOR

Mass Effect

Fallout 3

Deus Ex: HR

FFXI

Zelda: BOW

Zelda: TOTK

Cyberpunk 2077

Baldur's Gate 3

 

[Zuzu]

Final Fantasy 9 for me

 

[Josemayuste]

Final Fantasy IX & Baldur's Gate III

 

[violence]

Final Fantasy VII (1997)

 

[Oberstein]

Never take into account the latest RPG releases, as this will distort the result. Basic principle in a "Best RPG of all time" thread.

 

[KungFucius]

Hard to name the best. Maybe my best experience was my first, Phantasy Star II, or maybe it was the peak JRPG FFVII, or perhaps the first western RPG that really nailed it for me, Arcanum.

The problem is that every so often a new game comes out that blows me away again. I am always hoping the next one will be like that. Starfield wasn't anywhere near as engrossing as Skyrim or FO4. FFXVI was not engrossing enough for me to finish. TotK was amazing, but not really an RPG. Still the next best game will have to surpass that for me.

I guess I will go with FFVII. It spawned a lot of good games on PS1 and localization of games that probably would not have happened. It also spawned a remake which is pretty good so far and the next chapter is my next game so I am currently hyped for it.

Disclaimer: I am still a BG3 virgin. I will play it when I am ready.

 

[Little Mac]

Final Fantasy VI

 

[blue velvet]

I really like Final Fantasy Tactics and Tactics Ogre.

 

[cyberheater]

I’ve always had a soft spot for Secrets of Mana.

 

[Closer]

It's Chrono Tigger. Not even close.

 

[Emedan]

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

The only correct answer.

 

[HerjansEagleFeeder]

Impossible decision.

I say Skyrim

 

[Bernardougf]

Final Fantasy 8

Spoiler

yes I said it

 

[Holammer]

Planescape: Torment.
There's 4-5 books worth of text in the game and it's the best RPG I ever read.

 

[Podge]

Xenoblade Chronicles 3.

 

[WitchHunter]

fallout 2
secret of the silver blades
curse of the azure bonds
Ravenloft
wizardry 7
phantasie iii
centauri alliance
shadowfire
enigma force
bard's tale iii
anachronox
ff7
dragon wars


there are a lot more, these are mostly till the 90s

 

[Disco Dave]

Shining Force 2.

 

[Sensei]

Xenogears.

I know it's not perfect, but if I had to choose just one game, this would be it.

 

[hinch7]

Final Fantasy 7 (PS1) - singleplayer
World of Warcraft - multiplayer

Elden Ring and Mass Effect 2 is up there as well as GOAT.

 

[Gideon]

Elden ring

 

[Shifty1897]

Chrono Trigger. I mean, come on, it's my dang profile picture.

 

[NeoIkaruGAF]

It’s still Chrono Trigger.
And it always will be, because even those who try to imitate it can’t help themselves filling their games with useless timewasters like fishing and best endings locked behind clueless item hunting. The best thing about CT, above all of its unquestionable qualities, is its no-nonsenseless. All the good is in the main quest, everything else is optional. CT is Occam’s razor, the RPG. If you think your RPG is good because it never fucking ends, you are deluded.

 

[DeathGuise]

Ff6. It’s a no brainer

This. Final Fantasy VI.

 

[darrylgorn]

Baldur's Gate 3

After that, BG2 and then Dragon Age.

 

[NotMyProblemAnymoreCunt]

It’s still Chrono Trigger.
And it always will be, because even those who try to imitate it can’t help themselves filling their games with useless timewasters like fishing and best endings locked behind clueless item hunting. The best thing about CT, above all of its unquestionable qualities, is its no-nonsenseless. All the good is in the main quest, everything else is optional. CT is Occam’s razor, the RPG. If you think your RPG is good because it never fucking ends, you are deluded.

One of the reasons why I love this game and is still my GOAT

There's not a single wasted moment in that game

 

[cyberheater]

Since a lot of folks have said Chrono Trigger.

 

[Bring Back Scalebound]

 

[Cyberpunkd]

Oblivion

You meant to write Morrowind, didn’t you?

 

[Radioskugga]

Final Fantasy VII

 

[rsouzadk]

The Witcher 3.

 

[Fbh]

I'm inclined to say Mass Effect (ideally 1-3).
They aren't my favourite games or even my favourite RPGs but I think they strike a good balance of making me feel like I'm shaping my character both in the narrative and combat, while presenting a story, world and characters which I really liked.

Like the Souls games I enjoy more as games, but as an "RPG" I'm missing a more direct narrative. There's tons of ways to build my character for combat but I've never felt like any of them have a personality.
Chrono Trigger is one of my favourites but like mot JRPG's there isn't much "role playing" at all. As a player you have a very limited influence on the story or the way characters fight, Crono will always use a Katana and lightning magic.

Now Mass Effect is very simple in many ways. There's no complex builds or equipment and in the 2 sequels it turns more into straightforward third person shooter. But with multiple classes and weapons I still feel like you get some say over how your character fights, and it also presents a fun narrative with interesting characters where as a player I feel like I have an input over how things play out and how my characters relates to his crew (even if it doesn't have a big impact on the overall narrative).

That said I still haven't played Baldur's Gate 3. Which from what I heard actually has the deep and complex character building AND an interesting story with cool characters AND meaningful choices.

 

[cash_longfellow]

I don’t really see any wrong answers in the thread lol

 

[Phil-NeoGAF]

 

[RDaneelOlivaw]

Oof so hard. I'll go with

Morrowind.

 

[Jedi0608]

Chrono Trigger

 

[Buggy Loop]

I wanted to pick a cRPG coming in the thread but my childhood memories and just raw quality of CT makes me pick it

Chrono Trigger

GOAT

 

[Sakura]

Heaven Burns Red, even though I'm sure I'm the only person on gaf who plays it.
If you asked me on a different day though I might give a different answer.

 

[LordOcidax]

Damn… Xenoblade Chronicles 3.

 

[ShadyAcshuns]

Fallout: New Vegas, easily.

 

[keefged4]

It's between Chrono Trigger or FFVII. I cant decide.

 

[DeceptiveAlarm]

FF 16. Great Game