Need some suggestions for rpgs!

[Allergic_to_Farming]

I was hoping i could get a list of RPG games to check out started, and i need a little help with that. I got a good amount of options: PS4, PS3, 3DS, SNES, GBA, and Vita. 

 

I'm hoping for some that aren't too heavy on religious themes and references, if possible... And I don't mind if it's a blend of RPG and some other genre (like strategy, for example).

Edited May 15, 2017 by Allergic_to_Farming

[EricaofRenais]

Well since you have an SNES if you haven't played EarthBound yet I highly recommend it, it has a good story fun game play and is a classic.

[Refa]

8 minutes ago, EricaofRenais said:

Well since you have an SNES if you haven't played EarthBound yet I highly recommend it, it has a good story fun game play and is a classic.

>Affording a SNES copy of Earthbound

Anyways, it'd help if you gave a list of the RPG's that you've already played, so that you don't get recommended those games and your taste is easier to pin down.

[Allergic_to_Farming]

11 minutes ago, Refa said:

>Affording a SNES copy of Earthbound

Anyways, it'd help if you gave a list of the RPG's that you've already played, so that you don't get recommended those games and your taste is easier to pin down.

Yeah, true. Here's a few:

 

-Valkyria Chronicles

-Tales of... (Almost any of the games with 3D battles)

-The Persona series (Shin Megami Tensei too)

-Breath of Fire IV

There's also one called Fire Emblem... But i doubt you all know anything about that!

(Kidding!)

 

 

[Corrobin]

Chrono Trigger

Golden Sun

[Jedi]

I'd recommend the Trails in the Sky trilogy (all on steam now and you can play them on a toaster) and the current Trails of Cold Steel games on the PS3 (getting ported to the PC later this year). 

Some of the best writing and characters I've seen in any medium. Not to mention a really fun combat system to boot. They should be played in sequence they don't make too much sense otherwise, Cold Steel can be played independent of Sky, but a few factors of Sky do play their part in CS.

58 minutes ago, Corrobin said:

Chrono Trigger

Golden Sun

I'll second these and add some stuff like Star Ocean, Secret of Mana, Pretty much the entire final fantasy lineup, Ogre Battle, Tactics Ogre, Lunar, TWEWY, Dragon Age Origins, Super Mario RPG, Illusion of Gaia, Lufia, Suikoden, Legend of Dragoon (You can get that via the PSN), 

Thats just to start.

I'd recommend a fair number of translated SNES games but I doubt you go that road. 

Edited May 15, 2017 by Jedi

[Magical Glace]

Dragon Quest, unless the sort of stock fantasy religion that basically exists for the saving system/curing poison and nothing else outside VIII (the Church of the Goddess is relevant to the plot of VIII, because it's full of corrupt leadership, the actual practices of the religion itself actually are quite irrelevant in comparison to how corrupt its leadership is), and VII (where a typical fantasy god is directly connected to a rather important part of the backstory, and a rather intricate plan of his is basically what caused the plot to play out as it did).  

I don't really know what extent you mean by that line, so yeah.  

[Interdimensional Observer]

You could always go for Final Fantasy if you haven't already. If you're going to play just a couple of them, go with V and VI. V is the best gameplay with its class system, and VI has probably one of the best plots of the series, and a varied and powerful soundtrack.

Spoiler

VII is technically the most famed of all, but you have to bear with the antiquated graphics. The gameplay is like VI's- Materia is basically a variant on VI's Magicite, albeit with more physical offerings. However, the characters lack any real distinctions in gameplay beyond Limit Breaks and minor statistical differences. Ultimately I just prefer VI over VII, but I can understand the other way around. The plot is fairly decent-ish.

VIII was experimental with the gameplay, but it didn't execute well according for most, including me. The plot has some interesting things about it, but the romance at the heart of it fell flat.

IX I'm only about to start on, so I can't say much about that. 

X is very linear until the end. At the end, you need to play ridiculous minigames, collect hoards of monsters, and do absurd amounts of grinding to handle the postgame stuff if you're into that. The plot and the world of Spira are fairly well done I think.

Skip I-IV. FFI-III laid the groundwork for the series, but aren't outstanding by modern standards. IV is where the series began to shine, but the plot is fairly generic and the gameplay traditional too.

Of the spinoffs, Final Fantasy Tactics is generally praised, even though a current Let's Play on SF is shredding its plot apart. Tactics Advance has good gameplay, and FFTA2 makes it even better, albeit at times cheap when the enemy gets a gazillion turns before you get 1.

Bravely Default and its sequel Bravely Second are sisters to FFV. Class-based turn-based gameplay is the series' hallmark and strength. Bravely Default is repetitive in the latter half for spoilerific reasons, but you can skip much though not all of the repetition to little cost. Play Bravely Second second, as its opening sequence alone spoils a gigaton from Default. And it isn't like Default is that much worse in gameplay from Second either. The characters range from cartoon-bad, to decent, and the plots throw in a few surprises, which counteract some of the dullness they fall into at times. Default's plot is considered better than Second's, as is it's wonderful music.

 

Etrian Odyssey is very old school, and also very challenging on the highest difficulties. You make your own team of generic adventurers from a number of classes, each with its own skill trees. Once this is done, you dive into giant labyrinths, avoiding FOEs and fighting bosses as you work your work your way through the labyrinth, drawing your own maps along the way (GFAQs has all the floors mapped out if you don't wanna bother with that). The plot is generally thin and lacking, but good traditional turn-based gameplay is the franchise's strength. The Untold games (remakes of the first two EOs) do have a Story Mode with a preset team of characters with actual personalities- but the plots and characters are nothing great.

Pick one of the 3DS Etrian Odysseys if you want to try the series, the DS ones lack many quality of life improvements which the 3DS ones have. The best start would be to download the EOIV demo- the data transfers over to the main game if you choose to buy it. EOIV has 3-floor labyrinths + small caves instead of the 5-floor stratums of EOU and EOU2, which along with it's Normal Mode not being too difficult, make it a very good starting point for seeing if EO is up your alley or not.

 

For an Action RPG- Castlevania from Symphony of the Night to Order of Ecclesia works. Symphony established the "Metroidvania" and is simple, but pretty good. Circle of the Moon had some issues, but the Dual Setup System was a solid gameplay gimmick (use a guide to find out which baddies drop which cards) and it has 4 new game+ variations which alter how you play the game a bit. Harmony of Dissonance is the forgettable middle child of the GBA Metriodvanias, with gaudy colors, awful music, and lacking gameplay. Aria of Sorrow is good in plot and gameplay alike. Dawn of Sorrow (the plot sequel to Aria) is a bit repetitive with Aria of Sorrow, but on a technical level did better in the gameplay. Portrait of Ruin is another forgettable middle child without much originality. Order of Ecclesia spiced up the stagnant gameplay, was a good challenge, and had a new aesthetic. Symphony, Order, Aria, Dawn, Circle, Portrait, Harmony is my personal preference order.

 

If you have a New 3DS, Xenoblade Chronicles is a good choice for something modern. It has some religious themes, but they're pretty light compared to Xenogears or Xenosaga. The modernized gameplay is good (though for your own benefit, ditch Sharla once you get the fourth character- at least for generic baddies- it'll make things go by so much faster). The plot is decent, the music beautiful, the physical world is art unto itself. If only they bothered to fix the problem of being 5 levels above or below your enemy making fights a joke or a nightmare. Quests give experience- so do not do too many if you want to keep the game being a challenge. Do eventually complete enough of them to unlock at least the 4th skill trees though (which begin to unlock around the time you get the fifth and sixth playable characters).

 

Skip Suikoden, at least I and II. Suikoden II is supposed to be the best in the series, but I thought it was only okay. The villain Luca Blight was good, but there were a lot of plot and characterization issues beyond him. Gameplay is better than the original's, but far from anything you'd remotely consider coming back to, and War Battles are as clunky as Camilla and Charlotte.

Legend of Dragoon was legend of nothing special, if nothing bad either. Chrono Cross had too many issues in plot and gameplay alike to recommend it. Resonance of Fate had flashy gameplay, if little depth and a plot that had unused potential due to an insistence on restricting plot for 1 minute cutscenes. Eternal Sonata has a cringeworthy kiddy plot at times, but the gameplay was good and the music, which includes selections by the famed 19th century composer Frederic Chopin, is solid.

Golden Sun is very easy and traditional. The main reason to play if you ask me is for the psynergy puzzles, though I do like the flashy animations as well and find the simple characters charming, if lacking in depth. Play Golden Sun (no subtitle) and then transfer your data to The Lost Age. Dark Dawn promised to be new vista of hope for the series- it ended its miserable existence with a cliffhanger. It needs a sequel, but was so bad that we haven't heard of one in the years since.

Earthbound is also very traditional and simple in gameplay, and tough as well. But its world, if not so much its plot, is very quirky and unique and some people love it for that reason.

[Jedi]

13 minutes ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

Skip Suikoden, at least I and II. Suikoden II is supposed to be the best in the series, but I thought it was only okay. The villain Luca Blight was good, but there were a lot of plot and characterization issues beyond him. Gameplay is better than the original's, but far from anything you'd remotely consider coming back to, and War Battles are as clunky as Camilla and Charlotte.

You are quite possibly the most nitpicky RPG player i've ever seen. Just from this statement alone.

[Elieson]

13 minutes ago, Interdimensional Observer said:

Skip Suikoden, at least I and II.

I normally wouldn't comment in a thread like this, but if you're encouraging an RPG fan to skip over Suikoden 1 and 2, you're a little too critical or desensitized on what games in the genre have to offer. After reading your post, I'd only think that of all the games you posted, FF5/6 and action stuff like castlevania.

Suikoden is coveted as one of the best JRPGs of all time, and it's not because of its "clunky war battles" which make up like 5% of the game.

[Jedi]

Didn't even state a big reason people really like Legend of Dragoon is the awesome combat system which is basically Paper Mario but better. Talk about an unfair assessment.

[Elieson]

2 minutes ago, Jedi said:

Didn't even state a big reason people really like Legend of Dragoon is the awesome combat system which is basically Paper Mario but better. Talk about an unfair assessment.

It gets a bit tiring if you're not super focused into the game itself (as a distracted pick up and put down gamer like myself, it's a bit tedious), but if you're able to dedicate your attention, it's nice in that you need to pay attention and actually swap out your characters. 

My only complaint about LoD is that it's a bit long for a casual RPG player to just pick up and enjoy

[Jedi]

6 minutes ago, Elieson said:

It gets a bit tiring if you're not super focused into the game itself (as a distracted pick up and put down gamer like myself, it's a bit tedious), but if you're able to dedicate your attention, it's nice in that you need to pay attention and actually swap out your characters. 

My only complaint about LoD is that it's a bit long for a casual RPG player to just pick up and enjoy

Now thats a fair evaluation, also pick up and play is nice for a number of people, which is why I found Shining Force SoH nice when I was more busy at Job Corps.

Edited May 15, 2017 by Jedi

[Interdimensional Observer]

Maybe I was being a little too harsh on Suikoden. I just felt Suikoden II didn't live up to the hype it gets as a masterpiece.

Spoiler

Luca is around for only so long (though his departure is very well done). Joey wasn't quite as good as an antagonist. Neclord should have died for good at the end of the first game- he was twice unneeded filler, and so much less forgivable the second time around. Shu was too perfect, the player is also too worshipped. Greenhill is a drag. The war battles held the potential of being strategic fun, but the developers never let that happen.

Also, I'm worse when I'm being analytical than when I actually play the games. When I play them, I enjoy them for what their worth. I junctioned away in FFVIII without much complaint in the moment, and I only cringed when the plot was forcing the relationship between Rinoa and Squall. I came to like Zell and Irvine, and thought the Gardens, Esthar, and Laguna were all well done.

I'm being fair though and admitting to the flaws of each game, not one is perfect. I confess to FFVI's magicite and magic destroying character uniqueness in gameplay in the end, and FFV's plot not being of the highest tier. If you want me to admit flaws to the Metroidvanias, I can.

RPGs take 30-60 hours to complete, if someone is going to invest that much time of their short life into a game, they might as well make sure it is well placed.

I have nothing against being traditional or simplistic (Child of Light's problem was only that it was rushed at the end), nor do I demand modernity everywhere. After all, I love SMT and EO, and they aren't MMO or action heavy. Perhaps my wording adds a pejorative tone to those words, but I'm simply saying them as a general descriptor of the gameplay.

Paper Mario and M&L I feel do the action reflexes better than LoD. It feels much more varied. I did like the aesthetics and the reusable special items though.

Edited May 15, 2017 by Interdimensional Observer

[Corrobin]

Oh, the Tales series as well. I'd suggest Tales of Symphonia as a starting point, it has a re-release on the PS3 (Along with it's kind of bad but still relatively solid sequel Dawn of the New World). Tales of the Abyss was re-released on the 3DS, if you don't mind a lower polygon count and blurrier textures than the PS2 version.

[Jedi]

14 minutes ago, Corrobin said:

Oh, the Tales series as well. I'd suggest Tales of Symphonia as a starting point, it has a re-release on the PS3 (Along with it's kind of bad but still relatively solid sequel Dawn of the New World). Tales of the Abyss was re-released on the 3DS, if you don't mind a lower polygon count and blurrier textures than the PS2 version.

I wouldn't recommend the re-releases of Symphonia due to the massively downed down framerate, which usually doesn't bug me but the GC 60 being turned into 30 everywhere else is jarring, but maybe if they did start with it there it would work.

[Rapier]

6 hours ago, Allergic_to_Farming said:

Yeah, true. Here's a few:

 

-Valkyria Chronicles

-Tales of... (Almost any of the games with 3D battles)

-The Persona series (Shin Megami Tensei too)

-Breath of Fire IV

There's also one called Fire Emblem... But i doubt you all know anything about that!

(Kidding!)

 

 

Similar to Fire Emblem:

- Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume [DS] (similar gameplay, good story and decent characters)

- (Not really a RPG, but you might be interested) XCOM: Enemy Unknown and XCOM 2 [both for PC]. They are more technologically advanced than Fire Emblem, but they're tactical games where permadeath and unit customization are big points. The first XCOM game is relatively cheap on sale.

- Langrisser [SNES, Mega Drive (I suggest avoiding this one), PS1, 3DS]. Especially if you have played Fire Emblem: Heroes, as some types of units are stronger against other types and it makes all the difference (it is as punishing as if you used a red unit to fight a blue unit).

- Growlanser [PS, PSP, PS2]: Story heavy, turn based tactical RPG. I've read a LP and saw a few videos of Growlanser Generations

- Yggdra Union [PSP, GBA]: Similar story structure and characters. Gameplay is a bit more gimmicky, but you'll probably feel right at home.

- Devil Survivor [DS, 3DS remakes]: Also similar to SMT/Persona for obvious reasons.

I'd also recommend Tactics Ogre and Ogre Battle, but I only played the N64 game for 15 minutes.

 

Similar to Breath of Fire: I haven't played much of it, but from what I can remember...

- Dragon Quest [originally for the NES/SNES, they have remakes for the DS/3DS]: I've played 4, 5 and 9 only, and the only title that I got close to finishing was 5 (which also has a much simplified generation mechanic integrated), my favorite one from the three (although it drags a lot during the early game why the hell must I play with Kid Gohan for 5 hours straight).

- Lufia and Lufia II [SNES]: If you have the stomach for really old RPGs that didn't age so well. Lufia II is slightly better in gameplay.

- Final Fantasy. I doubt you haven't played any, anyway. In that case, Bravely Default and its sequel [3DS], which have improved Job mechanics similar to 3 and 5 and a good story.

- Chrono Trigger

- Earthbound: Simple gameplay that started as a subversion of the classic, fantasy medieval RPGs like Dragon Quest.

If you like Earthbound, I heavily suggest Undertale, although it plays nothing like a RPG. If you like the story telling so much, you might still like it.

[qwernst]

For those in the Sega Saturn or Dreamcast market:

Albert Odyssey, Shining Force 3, Panzer Dragoon Saga, Shining Of The Holy Ark, Magic Knight Rayearth, The Legend of Oasis, Skies Of Arcadia, Grandia II, and Phantasy Star Online.

[Allergic_to_Farming]

Just wanted to drop a quick message here... thank you all for these suggestions so far! And do keep them coming if you all want.

[Pixelman]

Just now, Allergic_to_Farming said:

Just wanted to drop a quick message here... thank you all for these suggestions so far! And do keep them coming if you all want.

Just of interest, how experienced are you in the realm of RPGs?

Like, can you stomach a challenge, for example? Do you prefer complexity or simplicity? Stuff like that.

[Allergic_to_Farming]

 

18 minutes ago, Pixelman said:

Just of interest, how experienced are you in the realm of RPGs?

Like, can you stomach a challenge, for example? Do you prefer complexity or simplicity? Stuff like that.

I'm alright with both hard, and easy. As long as the game has something of a unique, and fun, battle system.

For example; I love almost everything in Final Fantasy 6 so far... But the ATB system is so boring (in my opinion), i can't even get past the part where

Spoiler

Terra, Sabin, and Locke split up.

I need the gameplay to be solid. RPG's may place a large focus on story, but at least 50% of your time in them is still going to be spent in fights.

[Pixelman]

1 minute ago, Allergic_to_Farming said:

text

Hm... what's your opinion on turn-based battle systems?

[Allergic_to_Farming]

3 hours ago, Pixelman said:

Hm... what's your opinion on turn-based battle systems?

Turn-based systems are my favorites. Since there's no rush to choose your next move fast, it leaves more room for thought...

 

I just wish more games did a good job taking advantage of that! Most of the time you just keep repeating the same action over, and over. Once you find the boss's weakness, you'll just spam that and everyone else's strongest attacks until you win.

 

This is why i like them having unique gimmicks and battle systems. It adds something new to consider, and get the mental juices floating.

[Locke087]

 How do you feel about western RPG's? 

If you're okay with them here's a couple suggestions, The Witcher 3, Fallout 3 & New Vegas, and Mass Effect Trilogy. 

If you're looking for something more the tactics genre There is XCOM 1 & 2  though I can't entirely recommend XCOM 2 on consoles load times are pretty long for a game as hard as it is...

For JRPGs I recommend Ni No Kuni (it's basically live action Pokémon it's pretty sweet),  if you have a New 3DS there's Xenoblade Chronicles,  if you only have the old one the two Dragon Quest 7 & 8 game remakes are good as well.  There's Pokémon as well but I'm going to assume you wouldn't know it if you like that or not lol, though I do believe that Sun & Moon are far better than X & Y so if you were turned off by those it's improved IMO.  

[Pixelman]

14 hours ago, Allergic_to_Farming said:

text

Ah, okay.

Then I'll go ahead and recommend Romancing SaGa 2 for the Android and iPhone, which is a port of the SNES game released back in 1993 in Japan. Despite being a whopping $17.99, considering the length of the game (40-50 hours) and the replay value, I say it's well worth the price

Here's a gameplay video of it:

The game is unique in that the it runs off a generation system; after you complete a certain amount of scenarios in one generation, the game skips forward in time (up to 250 years IIRC), and you get to choose a new emperor and a new party. The gameplay is also intersting in a number of ways; you can put your party in different formations which give certain bonuses to certain positions, and the game is mostly non-linear, just to name a few

Of course, sometimes it's rather obtuse and wierd in its mechanics and doesn't really explain itself properly (for example, it never tells you that a formation break occurs when running, despite putting you on AUTORUN), but a quick trip to either the SaGa Wiki or the Romancing SaGa 2 GameFAQs page can help migitate those problems. The guys over at the GameFAQs page in particular are really knowledgeable in regards to the mechanics of the game.

Also, if you do decide to pick it up, don't be ashamed to look up strats against the 7 Heroes (the main bosses of the game). They'll give you one hell of a time if you don't prepare beforehand.

 

Edited May 16, 2017 by Pixelman