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Your favorite all-time RPGs

H

HAOHMARU

Member
What are your favorite RPGs? I'm looking to get into some games that I have missed over the years.

I have only played 3 RPG's in my life:

Evolution (DC) First one I ever played and I thought it kicked ass. Apparently, the people that play RPGs all the time think it sucks. I don't get why...it was an awesome game, imo.

Super Mario RPG (SNES) I played this after I saw some people talking about how great it was. It was pretty good and I had a lot of fun with it.

Skies of Arcadia: Legends (GC) I originally bought this on the DC after playing Evolution but somebody stole it from me. I ended up getting the GC version years later because I heard it was better. I finished this sometime last year and had a great time playing it. While there were some draw back like random battles, it was an overall great game. I really wish they would make SOA2... :(

So what are the best RPGs out there? I know there are like 10 FF games out there...which ones should I try and which ones should be avoided? What about Grandia, Phantasy Star, Shining Force? I heard that it was ok when the released it back on the DC.

Are there any NES/SNES/Genesis/Saturn/PSX/PS2/GC/XBox RPG's that are a must play?
 
T

Tabris

Member
My Top 3 Favorite RPGs.

1) Suikoden II - This game is absolutely brillant. Solid story that touched me personally, amazing Suikoden-esque setting and setup. Great characters. FAST gameplay.

2) Xenogears

3) Final Fantasy VII

My Top 2 Personal Favorite RPGs (these are games I absolutely adore, but realize they're not the best)

1) Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals

2) Lufia and the Fortress of Doom
 
K

KonVex

Member
In no particular order:
-Chrono Trigger
-Lufia 2
-Skies of Arcadia

But because I like good puzzles, I would give the nod to Lufia 2.
 
S

Semjaza Azazel

Member
Persona 2

Megami Tensei, Shin Megami Tensei 1 and 2 (fan translated obviously)

Dragon Warrior 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 (not really into 2)

Lunar: Eternal Blue

Disgaea

Suikoden II

Skies of Arcadia Legends

Earthbound

Valkyrie Profile

Vagrant Story

Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter

That's all I can think of right now
 
Blackace

Blackace

if you see me in a fight with a bear, don't help me fool, help the bear!
Wasteland C64/PC

Planescape PC

KoTOR Xbox/PC

final fantasy IV SNES

Curse of Azure Bonds C64/PC


EDIT: ignore the PC only titles...
 
K

Kiriku

SWEDISH PERFECTION
in no particular order, except for the first game

Xenogears
Suikoden II
Wild Arms
Final Fantasy X
Chrono Trigger
Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter
Disgaea
Final Fantasy V

and to stretch the genre a bit...

Final Fantasy Tactics
Brave Fencer Musashi
 
H

Hero

Member
In no order:

FFIV
Chrono Trigger
BoF III
Mario RPG series
FFVI
FFT
Star Ocean 2
Valkyrie Profile
Secret of Mana
 
P

pheurton

Member
The Bard's Tale: this game started it for me i spent many hours running around Skara Brae gaining levels. it was great you would start the game go outside and your first battle you would be lucky if your whole party didn't die, unless you used the gay as hell pre-created characters.

Phantasy Star 1&2: great games, nothing more needs to be said.

suikoden: i love this game.

Might & Magic 2: Gates to Another World (genesis): a friend bought this game and got nowhere. it was a tough game and like Phantasy Star 2 they included a hint book because they figured no one could complete it without. so my friend bet me i couldn't complete the game, i laughed and said i could complete it without the hintbook. 2 weeks, a full notebook, and almost no sleep later it was done. it wasn't a very good game but it will always hold a special place in my heart.


Edit: i forgot Vay for the sega cd, ive completed it 5 or 6 times, i always liked it much better than Lunar.
 
P

pops619

Member
Mega Man Battle Network 2: What can I say, I love the battle system. If an RPG doesn't have gameplay that I'm going to enjoy, chances are I won't like it. I like the entire series, but the second game has the best dungeons so it gets my vote. I really need to go get Battle Network 4 sometime soon.

Panzer Dragoon Saga: Again, I had a lot of fun with the battle system. This game isn't particularly long or hard, but it's a great experience. What it lacks in graphics it makes up in sound. Great atmosphere.

Vagrant Story: I love this game. It is so incredibly well done. Vagrant Story is probably one of the most well-made games I've ever played. The game is superb in just about every area.

Chrono Trigger: Although I've lost a lot of love for traditional console RPGs, I've got to give Chrono Trigger some props. Square really did a great job with this one. Time travelling was and still is a breath of fresh air in the RPG genre, and it still has some of the most memorable music in any game period.

Mario & Luigi: I forgot about this one. A fun and humorous adventure. I decided that the final boss was too cheap, so I never finished it, but what I did play I enjoyed immensely. Unlike the other Mario RPGs, this one actually had some challenge. I appreciate that.
 
S

StrikerObi

Member
Skies of Arcadia: Legends is my all time favorite RPG (used to be Skies of Arcadia, but Legends improves on it).

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga is brilliant.
 
J

jarrod

Banned
Outside the Dragon Warrior series and a few varied releases I don't really think traditional RPGs hold up all that well. And the ones that do I'd also hardly call tranditional (Valkyrie Profile, Paper Mario, Dragon Quarter, etc) so instead here's the best ARPGs and SRPGs (both being far better genres for my tastes)...


Top 10 ARPGs
01 The Legend of Zelda (Nintendo)
02 The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (Nintendo)
03 LandStalker: The Treasure of King Nole (Sega/Climax)
04 The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (Nintendo)
05 Alundra (SCEI/Matrix)
06 Crystalis (SNK)
07 Terranigma (Enix/Quintet)
08 The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages/Seasons (Nintendo/Capcom)
09 Wonderboy III: The Dragon's Trap (Sega/WestOne)
10 Govellius: The Valley of Doom (Compile)

Top 10 SRPGs
01 Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together (Quest)
02 Final Fantasy Tactics (Square)
03 Front Mission 3 (Square)
04 Disgaea: Hour of Darkness (Nippon Ichi)
05 Fire Emblem (Nintendo/Intelligent Systems)
06 Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber (Quest)
07 Ogre Battle: March of the Black Queen (Quest)
08 Hoshigami: Ruining Blue Earth (Max Five)
09 Tactics Ogre: The Knights of Lodis (Quest)
10 Shining Force III (Sega/Camelot)
 
I

IAmtheFMan

Member
Console RPG's:
1: Chrono Trigger
2: FF6
3: FF7
4: FF9
5: Skies of Arcadia
6: Tales of Phantasia
7: Xenogears

PC RPG's:
1: Wizardry 6: Bane of the Cosmic Forge
2: Bard's Tale
3: Might and Magic 6
4: Wizardry 1
5: Citadel: Adventures of the Crystal Keep
6: Planescape: Torment
7: Stonekeep (not the best RPG, but a personal fav)
 
A

AeroGod

Member
Grandia 2
Skies of Arcadia
Anachronox
Deus Ex
Dark Cloud 2
FFX
Kingdom Hearts
Morrowind
Dungeon Siege

That pretty much covers my all time favorites
 
N

nitewulf

Member
top 10, in order:

1) panzer dragoon saga - fantastic atmosphere. the music, story, and the graphics sweep you into a cinematic adventure. fun battle system, loved the dragon customizations, and some of the boss battles were fun to figure out.
i love it mostly for the amazing world, each location seeps ancient history, culture and mystery. you just wanna know more and more about the world. you wanna be IN it.
the story is great and the pacing is perfect, never too melodramatic, never inhumane.

2) chrono trigger - great fairy tale rpg. fantastic graphics and music, but that goes without saying for a squaresoft game. i liked the battle system a lot, a notch up from the FF games, but hated the battle music. loved all the locations and time shifts...the steam punk post-apocalyptic world, the prehistoric world and the medieval world...integrated perfectly. it must have been a hard game to design, and they pulled it off.

3) final fantasy 9 - im a big square fan, and this is my favorite FF. not for the graphics, nor the battle system...just for the simple, adorable love story. it's not overly ambitious like most FF games, it doesnt have that pretentious self-important feel like most FFs. basically, as a player, i felt the game didnt insult my intelligence, and i got the usual FF bonuses like badass summons and fantastic cutscenes...and i could customize the characters to my liking. love it.

4) skies of arcadia - i like it for the epic world design. it was greater in ambition than anything i have played upto that point, and till now. it actually felt like a living, breathing planet. i also loved the event based gameplay, it kept me tense and playing till morning, during finals! and after the relentless pacing, you get a nice break midway through the game...where you can appreciate the world a lot more, and of course those who played will know what im talking about. i just loved how the devs handled the pacing, it was perfect. one event, after another. battle after battle.
loved the characters, the graphics, the music, the special technics. didnt mind the frequency of the battle system, as i loved the music...but i wish there were more varied enemies and that the characters animated better. usually i just used aika's special techniques to clear most of the enemies in the first turn, and followed with vyse and finas respective attacks...usually battles were over in 2/3 turns. thats why they never bothered me much.

5) phantasy star 4 - second rpg i played and completed. epic, fast and some of the latter dungeons were long and tough. lots of different locales, great characters, great battle system and good story. there's not much more to say about this, eagerly awaiting the updated version.

6) FF3/6 - first rpg i played and completed. initially it was my favorite FF and a top favorite...but later on i realized that the game really did fall apart in the middle. non linearity is one thing, utter chaos is another. it wasnt handled well at all. still, the music, the bosses, the locales, the characters were great...the story generic, but served its purpose. still a good rpg.

7) shining force 2 - hasnt aged well, but still great fun. lots of secrets, lots of characters. deep enough, yet not too deep to become tedious. as usual, generic story, but what can you do.

8) star control 2 - if it was a traditional rpg, it would in the top three in this list. why dont more westerd developers take their fantastic skills in storytelling and world design and create japanese style rpgs is beyond me. SC2 is such a great game. i mean i cant count how many times i burst out laughing while playing, or how many times while approaching a mysterious star system i felt like i was IN my ship, hurlting towards the unknown, on the brink of discovering a hidden civilization, treasures or some fantastic monster.

9) FF8 - would be a lot better w/o the melodrama and the retarded battle system. in fact it would be the contender for the best FF.

10) Lufia 2 - in a stark contrast to other japanese rpgs, lufia stands on its own. only traditional japanese rpg where the gameplay outshines the story. its like a puzzle based dungeon crawler under a rpg shell. great game.
 
D

dark10x

Digital Foundry pixel pusher
Evolution (DC) First one I ever played and I thought it kicked ass. Apparently, the people that play RPGs all the time think it sucks. I don't get why...it was an awesome game, imo.
Click to expand...

I can explain that one...

The world was tiny and made up of nothing but random, boring hallways, the battle system was nothing special, there was almost nothing in the way of plot or character development, and it just wasn't fun. I really tried to like it, but the dungeon design was extremely boring.

The only good qualities the game had were decent visuals and good music.
 
A

Asbel

Member
The charm in Skies of Arcadia/Legends sits at the top of my list with Panzer Dragoon Saga (dragon battle system/story) and Final Fantasy 3/6 (characters/moments) tied behind it.
 
P

psycho_snake

I went to WAGs boutique and all I got was a sniff
My favourite rpg's in order are:

1)final fantasy 9
2)Dark Cloud 2
3)final fantasy 9
4)Final Fantasy 10
5)Kingdom Hearts
 
D

Doom_Bringer

Banned
1)
logo.gif


2)
ff7logo.jpg


3)
finalfantasyixlago.jpg


4)
ff10-logo.jpg


5)
valkyrie_logo.jpg


6)
logo_kotor.jpg


7)
cc_logo.jpg


8)
logo.jpg


plus many more; diablo 2, suikoden series, age of mythology, star ocean 2, breath of fire dragon quarter


I love RPGs :D
 
R

Ranger X

Member
My best ever RPGs in no particuliar order:

Xenogears
Suikoden
Lunar the Silver Star Story
Final Fantasy 6
Dark Cloud 2
Diablo 2
 
C

CrimsonSkies

Member
No order:

Baldur's Gate 1 & 2
Ultima VII
Diablo I & II
Planescape: Torment
Meridian 59 (when it was new)
Star Wars KOTOR
Deus Ex
 
E

evil ways

Member
Final Fantasy VI
Super Mario RPG
Final Fantasy VII
Dragon Warrior 1-3
Secret of Mana
Illusion of Gaia
Wild Arms
Xenogears
 
B

bionic77

Member
All-Time:
Chronotrigger
Final Fantasy 3
Xenogears
Phantasy Star 2
Fire Emblem
Dragon Warrior 4
Secret of Mana (only with 3 players)

Honorable Mentions:
FF9
FF2
Suikoden 1,2
All the Mario RPGs

I have a feeling I am forgetting something important.
 
J

jiggle

Member
All time favorite is Final Fantasy VIII.


Also love
Chrono Cross
Final Fantasy X
Kingdom Hearts
Xenogears
Valkyrie Profile
Dark Cloud 1 & 2
Shadow Hearts 2
Crystalis
Dragon Quest IV/V
Wild Arms
Secret of Mana
and many others.

It's easier to list RPGs I hate:)
 
T

Teddman

Member
Chrono Trigger's #1 by a mile.

Then probably FFVI, Vagrant Story, and FFVII.

My favorite action RPG is Final Fantasy Adventure AKA Seiken Densetsu 1. Killer game!
 
B

btrboyev

Member
Phantasy Star I,II,IV
Lunar the silver star
Final Fantasy IV (II)
Final Fantasy VI (III)
Final Fantasy VII
Wild Arms
Panzer Dragoon Saga
Chrono Trigger
Skies of Arcadia
Grandia
Grandia II
Mario and Luigi
 
B

bionic77

Member
Teddman said:
Chrono Trigger's #1 by a mile.

Then probably FFVI, Vagrant Story, and FFVII.

My favorite action RPG is Final Fantasy Adventure AKA Seiken Densetsu 1. Killer game!
Click to expand...

Seriously, words cannot express how perfect that game is(CT). It just never stops being awesome.
 
B

BobbyRobby

Member
This is like choosing a favorite child. Here's a few I really, really like:

Final Fantasy 6
Dragon Warrior 4
Suikoden II
Final Fantasy 7
LUNAR:SSSC
Chrono Trigger
 
B

bionic77

Member
They should amend the Patriot Act so that anyone who doesn't list Chrono Trigger as the all time greatest RPG should be labeled a terrorist and should be sent to Gitmo.
 
D

Duck of Death

Member
My favorites:

1) Fallout (PC)
2) Chrono Trigger (SNES)
3) Planescape: Torment (PC)
4) Baldur's Gate II (PC)
5) Shadowrun (SNES/Genesis)
 
T

The Shadow

Member
I didn't really play many RPGS prior to the 3D consoles so take that as you will.

-Chrono Trigger
-Super Mario RPG
-KotOR
-Fallout
-Skies of Arcadia
-Shining the Holy Ark
 
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