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Your favorite RPGs in 3x3 Format


Jedi
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I was recently asked for my favorite RPGs and decided to do it in this funky 3x3 format 

I didn't include more tactical rpgs or I'd have Ogre Battle & Fire Emblem as stated in my tweet here.

If you want an easy format for said 3x3 heres an empty one 

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So yeah, post & discuss RPGs I suppose. Clarify your choices, ask why others like theirs etc, I'll probably get to mine here shortly (in terms of clarifications)

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If I had put strategy RPGs here, I would have replaced Fate/Extra CCC, Eternal Sonata, and Star Ocean with Final Fantasy Tactics, Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn, and Bahamut Lagoon.  Otherwise these are my favorite RPGs.  I also franchise ruled it, so only one game per franchise.

Spoiler

 

  • Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth - Valkyrie Profile is such a solid RPG that not only had good art and designs, but the story was really good.  Although, I do have to say in order to get the true ending, you really gotta look it up since it's not something you would in instinctively.  The voice acting is actually really solid too for an older game.  It was different from other RPGs with its combat system and I like how many choices you have in the game.  Depending on what you do, you might get a different ending.  Super solid game that I wish for more sequels outside of SIlmeria.
  • The World Ends With You - This is such a good DS game.  I love the style, combat, characters, and story.  There's a lot to this game that I just absolutely adore.  I got so invested with the game that I even sought out to create actual pins from the game.  I like how it uses everything the DS has to offer which you honestly don't find often in most DS games.
  • Persona 5 - Surpassing Persona 3 as my favorite, Persona 5 has such great presentation, characters, story, combat, and almost anything you can think of that is staple for an RPG.  I've never related to characters so much as I did with a couple of the characters in Persona 5.  The game felt immersive and what really helped is that I was in Japan a month before I played the game, so I felt like I was reliving my trip through the game as well which really helped me enjoy it a lot.
  • Fate/Extra CCC - This isn't quite the best game in terms of combat, considering it's just roshambo, however I do enjoy it for the Heaven's Feel-esque story and overall presentation.  It's such a huge upgrade from the original Fate/Extra that I appreciate that it looked so different.  Also, I thoroughly enjoy the different costumes and just being able to have Archer/Emiya as your servant.
  • Suikoden II - My favorite game in general is definitely my favorite RPG.  There's so many things to this game that I appreciate and just thoroughly enjoy.  The story is so good, the cast of characters are all very colorful and pretty distinct even if most of them are minor, the combat is fast and fun, the sprites are adorable, and the presentation is solid.  It also helps that I streamed this for my Birthday and it was just a blast talking to people who have also played and enjoyed this game as much as I did.  I replay this game at least once a year because I enjoy it so much.
  • Tales of Symphonia - This is probably the most overrated Tales game, but it's one that I hold so close to childhood.  I replayed this game constantly when I was younger.  Almost immediately after beating it for the 10th time, I kept replaying it because I enjoyed it that much.  The story is pretty cliche, but what I enjoyed were the characters and their interactions with each other.
  • Pokemon SoulSilver - The remake of my favorite Pokemon gen was almost a guaranteed favorite of mine for Pokemon and it's definitely one of my favorite RPGs.  Reliving Johto and exploring Johto again was really invigorating for me and just so fun.  I also felt like there was so much to do in the game without it feeling overwhelming.
  • Eternal Sonata - I feel this game is severely underrated and just had so much potential to be big in the RPG market.  While the story is a bit cliche, there were enough plot twists and things that just made me enjoy the story and characters.  The combat was really fun and it challenged you as you kept going.  The light-shadow mechanic in the combat was really cool and chaining attacks together was really cool too.
  • Star Ocean: The Second Story - I love this game so much because it was one of the first RPGs I got to play.  So yes, a lot my love for this game is because of nostalgia, but I do enjoy the game for the combat, the story, and the characters.  I like that there are route-exclusive characters and just generally characters that can or cannot be obtained because you got someone else.  There's a lot of replayability to the game that I appreciate.

 

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Edited by MediocreLee
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Since I love RPGs and I love doing shit like this:

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My flimsy reasoning:

Spoiler

1. Valkyrie Profile has got to be one of the coolest RPG series that never got the kind of attention it deserved. It's got a cool lady protagonist (which is always an instant plus in my book), a unique battle system, and is mechanically both engaging and not really like anything else out there. It's got a nearly-as-excellent sequel and a weird TRPG spinoff, but the series has always been way lower profile than it deserved, and now it's been reduced to just being a crappy mobile game. I guess we gotta wait for Indivisible to get something resembling an actual continuation of the series, unless Squeenix suddenly gets its head out of its ass.

2. I've never actually played the original Paper Mario, and I have very limited, largely negative experience with everything that came after, but TTYD is pretty great. I always appreciate RPG combat that doesn't consist of hammering Attack, and I guess I've got a fondness for quirkier RPGs that aren't so concerned with being super-serious all the time. I think it's a great example of how sometimes going with a smaller scale can pay off over having enormous numbers and insane scope. A good lesson for the FE ROMhacking community to learn lol.

3. Mass Effect is a game that's really, personally, important to me. It might not be the best put-together thing on the planet, and there are certain technical/gameplay things that the sequels would improve upon, but I'll always be especially fond of ME1 for coming into my life at a time when shit wasn't going super-great for me. I'm not even remotely ashamed of all the terrible fanfic and such this thing got me to write; it helped me develop into something resembling an actual writer. Also, even though I couldn't romance him yet, it introduced me to Space Hubby Garrus, who I'd probably marry if he was an actually real person.

4. Like I said, I'm fond of offbeat RPGs that aren't all dour and gloomy. Earthbound's a genuinely charming and adorable little game that won me over pretty much immediately. It's got a battle system that could charitably be called "antiquated" (though the rolling HP thing is neat), but the game is so genuinely endearing that I'm willing to look past all that. I'm fond of Mother 3, but I disagree when people say it's the best of the trilogy; I can't exactly pinpoint why, but I feel Earthbound works better as a whole. Also, it's clearly a direct predecessor and inspiration to another game I posted here, so it gets points for that too.

5. I had to forcibly limit myself to 1 FF game, or else it would've been half the damn list. After a coin flip between 10 and 12, 12 won out. 12 got a lot of flak when it came out, because that's what happens every time a new FF game comes out, and in this case everyone was completely and utterly wrong. I really love Ivalice as a setting, and I came to love FF12's entire cast, especially Ashe. It's got a battle system that's genuinely satisfying to watch play out, and while I do maybe prefer 10's battles over 12's, I still wouldn't have minded if 12's system had been copied by at least 1 other mainline FF game instead of whatever mess 13 handed us.

6. Despite complaining about dark, dour games, I gotta give it to Dark Souls for making me actually give a damn about such a world. I've never really messed about much with other Souls games, and I'm usually not one for more action-oriented RPGs, but I really do like Dark Souls a lot. I can't say I was ever especially good at it, but I think it's a testament to how engaging it is that despite how much difficulty I had actually finishing it, I didn't give up on it and I think it's worth recommending if you're one of the twenty people who still hasn't tried it by now.

7. I'm not 100% sure if Recettear counts as an RPG or if it's a business sim, but the term "RPG" is so damn vague that I'm counting it as one anyway. It's a fun fusion of the two genres at any rate, and way less micromanage-y than most business sims which makes it perfect for my squirrelbrained ass. I guess it's combat system isn't the most deep or complex thing in the world, and in fact I rarely played as anyone other than Charme once I got her, but I think the business side of the game and the lighthearted atmosphere and fun characters help make up for how meh the dungeon bits can be, and there's certainly still some memorable fights in the game regardless.

8. Little known fact about me, I happen to love the SaGa series. Unlike Valkyrie Profile, I perfectly understand why this series isn't exactly popular, and I don't judge anyone for hating it. But fuck it, I love these games, and I especially love this one, the first game in the series I ever played. The PS2 version of Romancing Saga is orders more playable than its janky SNES origins, and was one of the few that made it to the States without getting a weird Final Fantasy dolling up. It's a cruel joke that this was sold only after Unlimited Saga came out, because it deserved way better than following that ludicrous disaster.

9. I'm sure a lot of people hate this one purely because of the media buzz it generated, because of the fanbase it gathered, or just because it was semi-popular, but fuck y'all. I'm not gonna go on some MatPat-esque tangent about pacifism or whatever, because that's not really why Undertale is good. It's another RPG that doesn't come down to just spamming Attack, and is one of the few that manages to make random encounters feel almost as engaging as scripted boss battles. It's got Earthbound's quirky charm and tendency to play with convention (the latter more pronounced in Undertale that Earthbound tbh), and it's got a cast where even minor one-note NPCs feel memorable and unique. Also, one of it's main characters is a lesbian fishwoman knight who's basically a ridiculous anime protagonist, and is the best character anyone's ever come up with.

Also, some way too many honorable mentions because I'm me and can't just narrow it down to 9:

Spoiler

A lot of Final Fantasies (4, 6, 7, 9, 10, MQ, FFT and A2, FFRK, Dissidia even though that's a fighting game), Chrono Trigger, most Pokemons but especially Gen 2 and Mystery Dungeon, Baldur's Gate series, Mass Effect 2, Vagrant Story, Valkyrie Profile 2, Secret of Mana, The Drop, Dragon Quest 9, Mother 3, Suikoden series, Tales of Phantasia, Golden Sun series, Live-A-Live, The World Ends With You, ADOM, Planescape: Torment, Etrian Odyssey 4, some of the Shining games that aren't TRPGs, Legend of Grimrock, Lost Kingdoms, Mount & Blade: Warband, Exit Fate, Arcana, Kartia (if that doesn't fit under TRPGs, I guess?), Bahamut Lagoon (likewise), Hero's Realm, OFF, Pillars of Eternity, various scattered SaGa games that I'm not gonna bother listing, Dragon Age: Origins, Darkest Dungeon for aesthetic reasons if nothing else, Avernum series, Ogre Battle/Tactics Ogre series even though they're TRPGs because they're excellent and deserve it, probably other shit I'm forgetting.

(don't bother moaning and whining about anything i've picked because i don't really care about opinions of random dicks lol)

Edited by epilepsyduck
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I struggle to play JRPGs as an adult, but I played my fair share, so let's do this. List form because I'm inept at using image software.

Spoiler

 

Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door

Legend of Dragoon

Mother 3

Final Fantasy IV DS

Fallout: New Vegas

Fire Emblem: Sacred Stones

Pokemon Black/White

Radiant Historia

Persona 3 FES

 

Self imposed rules: One game per franchise. I decide what's RPG enough to count as an RPG. The most RPG-like games I'm excluding for reference are metroidvanias and Dark Souls style games

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I did a bad job with JPEG conversion and stretching. If this included non-traditional RPGs my chart would be different, probbably including Star Control 2, Secret of Mana, Disgaea, Star Flight, Mario Tennis GBC, System Shock 2, Vagrant Story maybe Silent Storm. Only the Bioware games and Chrono Trigger are really "hard" picks.

3x3

 

3x3 grid.png 

Explanations

 

Skies of Arcadia- I enjoyed it, characters were likable, and the exploration aspect and setting really had me interested. The high encounter rate and low difficulty can be a bit of a turn off, especially because of the in-battle voice acting.

Chrono Trigger- Always replayable. Probbably my favorite ATB based RPG. Lot of nice touches, an epic soundtrack, semi-avoidable enemies (although it has a lot of invisible triggers that force on-map enemies into you even if you could theoretically avoid them). Music is moody, story doesn't too heavy handed. I like how other than Lucca every member of the party is ultimately using an assumed name. Has some light-hearted comedy throughout, even setting aside the silly alternate endings. 

Baldur's Gate 2- starts you at a medium level, so you ddon't have to do the ability less- fumbling around that DnD games that start at level 1 do. Excellent story, art, etc. Moreover it got me really interested in the mechanics of 2nd edition ADD (although it uses so many modules that it should be considered 2.5 at the least). Can be played fairly differently depending on charathers. Combat is given second place to always being ready for traps / dispelling. 

Final Fantasy 4- I don't consider it the best final fantasy in any department, but as this list is specifically about favorites, I must admit that it was the one that I found the most fun. The main theme does its job getting you pumped up, the charathers are given enough story.

Bard's Tale 2- the final holdout of the Western RPGs ( later Apple/dos games like Might and Magic and Bard's Tale 3 would use automaps). It's at a nice place halfway between "text-adventure games" and "dungeon crawlers". Like the wizardry games before it, it isn't for the easily frustrated. Despite it's reputation for difficulty, it is relatively fair, especially considering the bastard-mod shenanigans of something like Wizardry 4. Something like Shining Holy Ark, Slayer, or even Etrian Odyssey might be more reasonable gateway games to the dungeon crawler Western RPG, but advantages of console/handhold conversion does leave you without the satisfaction of graph paper and handmade maps.

Planescape Torment- Still has the best written evil player character ever (although the impact is reduced because the neutral and good routes hold more weight). It is dumbed down mechanically, but the story, presentation, and charathers are worth the price.

Grandia 2- The battle system of this game is king. Unfortunately if you must use ports, Grandia 1 is less butchered than Grandia 2. Either way, everyone should experience the battle system of one or the other. Actual story and characters are very archtypical and even generic at times, but I would personally rate them somewhere between Breath of Fire 2-3 and Lunar 2.  

Phantasy Star 4- Foremost for giving the player the ability to use Macros for the party members in combat. It also has some pretty gratifying resource management, specifically in the very limited healing you can have with you due to TP cost / items. Having your healers so inefficent is a very exciting change compared to other rpgs, and it pays off by making you take random encounters more seriously throughout the game, and by making bosses like Lashiec, triplets, and Dark Force into intense damage races where your turns to kill them are numbered. The endgame is generally less intense, but you can play it under leveled for one last hurrah. I like the story and charathers (but not to the point of hyberbolic alys > aerith comparisons). It's the easiest classic PS game to play today. However it has some wrinkles;  the agility stat and turn order makes no sense outside of using macros to force charathers to move in order. The game uses its own made up words for the spells akin to old rpgs like wizardry - good luck finding out what ANTI and TSU do outside of trial and error. 

Draqon Quest 7- A very fun game. It's pretty easy, although I guess it has difficulty spikes. I enjoy the music, monster designs, and most of the comedey (Cor-Blimely wears thin though).  Although it's straightforward, I had more fun with it than any Final Fantasy. I don't particularly like how metal slimes kind of define the level curve at some points. Also the balance of the PS2 original is funny in that magic (other than healing magic) is underpowered and the mage charather's physical damage output can rival the hero's due to the high multipliers on some of her skills. 

Honorable mentions

 

Final Fantasy 7- I will always contend that 7 is better than 6 story wise. I find that it challenges convention more than it is given credit for. Like 6 it is kind of a low difficulty game though. I would argue that the materia system, works fine granted that the game is setup to be beatable regardless, so letting people experiment with silly stuff like magic garret or make any charather steal others roles isn't a problem. I don't consider the villains to drive the plot to the degree they do in other final fantasy games, but I don't see that as neccesarily a problem. 

Chrono Cross- does not handle charather bloat as well as Suikoden (although suikoden has its share of problems) Charathers use cookie cutter dialgoue and an "accent" program to determine their speech in most of the game, but the pre-recruitment and charather specific quest sections feature unique dialog for each charather. Probbably because of this, most of the fleshed-out charathers are those that join later in the game or spend part of the time as villians (Fargo, Gen Viper, Harle, etc) The game has a battle system that fascinates me, particualrly due to the "turn elements" and the color field system, although little thing like the way accuracy is handled and action points are handled are also great. However, while it's fun to play with, it's flawed due to one of the other unique things about the game, namely the way it handles level ups and the general stat curve. It uses "star points" awarded automatically after boss battles instead of a traditional experience system. In theory, this means that even with your oversized party, you will never end up underleveled. Howeverr, It also kind of means that random encounters are pointless outside of unlocking doors/stealing magic from enemies, and I think the fixed levels the developers decided on paradoxically mmake you overleveled for the entire game. Worst of all, the beautiful potential of the field system is somewhat wasted by the low difficuly: I'll admit that the first time I played the second disc I simply beat everything to death to death with fierce attacks from Serge/Sprigg/Grobyc/Glenn and the only magic I used was for healing/blocking enemy summons. Being rewarded for using basic melee makes the game almost a "mash a to win" kind of RPG, especially when you get the stronger (and the auto-crit) weapons.The only difficulty spikes the game really has is maybe Miguel/Son of the Sun/ Highwayman and even those should be no problem on a repeat play through or after reloading the save after one or two deaths. The story is good, but crippled by taking half steps toward whether things are "suggested" or explictly connected to Chrono Trigger- the developers were obviously either afraid for people  playing cross first or pressed for time, with the end result being several half-baked plot points (EG: schala and magus)

Paper Mario- I like this game, and I love how the action commands help common battles stay fresh compared to traditional rpgs, but I am conflicted on how easy of an entry RPG it is compared to dragon quest or even pokemon. Thousand Year door cranks up the comedey of the original, and fleshes out its partners more. [

Baten Kaitos- I don't think the battle system is fully realized until disc two- you don't really have the ability to do more than a 2-4 straight and have to play it more a conventional rpg than you should before stuff like the rotating numbers are introduced. I hate the voice acting in this game. I consider the locations among the loveliest in any rpg, but actual dungeon puzzles are pretty lightweight. story is fine, although I wish more was done with charathers like Lyude.

Ogre Battle 64- This was expressly considered a non-tradional RPG by the OP, but I would argue that while Tactics Ogre and MAYBE March of Black Queen (mostly due to having to pay units) fit that description, this game can be considered traditional, since the map system has little to no impact- it's all too likely to end up fighting face-to-face thoughout the entire game, and strategy and positioning only really mattter on the equipment menus. I really love the game (above 5 of the 9 I picked), but I can't really describe it as a strategy RPG.

Pokemon- I would probbably go with Red, Silver or Sapphire. I was really into pokemon as an RPG once (over 200 hours in each of these three) but in 4th gen I started playing competetive via simulators and I haven't really looked back. I feel like the pokemon RPGs  are geared on the basis of players not knowing the value of items (esp healing items) and making lots of unnesariy treks back to pokemon centers after going through only part of a route/dungeon. Of course if you do go in knowing a bit about RPGs, you can make considerably smoother progress. Either way you can use pretty much anything you want through the entire game- stuff like Raticate,Pidgeoto, and Butterfree aren't off limits. The colorful designs of the pokemon make it interesting, but the RPGs kind of discourage strategy beyond type matchup, particularly in the first two games, where wild/trainer pokemon regardless of type will use normal moves throughout most of the game because you don't get to decent level up moves until bafflingy high levels. Enemy trianers seem to have tm moves more often in Silver, and in Sapphire the pokemon are designed to learn moves at lower levels, eliminating the problem. Things like status conditions and setup moves exist, but don't seem to have much of a place within the RPG as player tools.  (zubat's confuse ray will be used 10 times more often than bulbasaur's sleep powder). Things like stun spore//leer/sandattack are similarly enemy-only since the player will usually have the option to simply KO the opponent making crippling them unnecessary. Honestly relative to Dragon Quest, where spells like sleep, bounce, and the tension mechanic will be used, pokemon's combat is very damage focused. Nevertheless Pokemon as an RPG is fun, but it is very much a "mash  A to win"  kind of game. Thank god for repels.

Lufia 2- The main game is a great old style RPG, but the game is doubly great because of its rougelike bonus mode, which has significant advantages over other full-on rogue games in that it can use the main RPG as its tutorial and therefore doesn't really need to pull punches or give even on earlier floors. The story also has a poignant bittersweet ending, and the dungeons themselves usually feature nice little puzles, some of which requiring items hat wouldn't be out of place in a game like link to the past. The game places encounters "on the map" but does a better job than chrono trigger as enemies tend to have rules (moving once every two player moves, moving only when player is horizontal from them, teleporting in knight chess pattern etc) and you even have a nice starting battle rules (attackign their map sprite from the side, front or back) instead of relying on the traditional randomness/ cryptic speed stat calculations. to decide first strikes/enemy ambushes. The roguelike portion gets milealage out of consumable items unusual for the genre (as you don't regenerate Magic points by walking around) and not just the top floors but perhaps 1/3 of the entire dungeon uses enemies  that don't appear in the main RPG, and can be stronger than what you find in the final dungeons. As rougelike's go, this one keeps the high difficulty neccesary for succes without being overbearing.[/spoiler] 

Edited by Reality
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My reasoning:

Spoiler

Hyperdevotion Noire: Big fan of the Neptunia series and Noire is my favorite character so to have her own game like this is really cool. Plus it's a tactical RPG and you can never go wrong with a tactics spin-off game.

Muramasa Rebirth: This is like playing a moving painting. It's such a beautiful game and the soundtrack really gets me pumped up to kick some ass. It also happens to be my first ever Vita game.

Pokémon Sun: I was excited for this game when it was announced and it really exceeded my expectations. Its story actually brought tears to my eyes with Lillie and Nebby. The soundtrack is fantastic, the visuals are great and you could really tell that a lot of love and work was put into developing this game.

Fire Emblem Awakening: It was my first Fire Emblem game and I absolutely adored it! I've replayed it 3 times and each time I teared up at the chapter after Emmeryn's "death", when Lucina reunites with Chrom, and during Robin's Id (Purpose) moment. It has such addicting gameplay with reclassing and DLC and reading the charming characters' support conversations. I really love this game!

Pokémon Sapphire: My first ever Pokémon video game. I was a fan since the anime and TCG but never tried the games until 2003. I replayed this game so many times I have lost track. The game still holds up well today since it still has running shoes, natures and abilities, and the game itself runs in a smooth 60 fps. The visuals still look great and the soundtrack is such a joy to listen to! It's my favorite region home to some of my favorite Pokémon like Blaziken and Kyogre, has a pretty interesting story, and some charming characters. It happens to be my favorite video game of all time.

Megadimension Neptunia VII: My first Neptunia game since I was interested in the series and heard this was a good game to jump into. The gameplay is very unique and rather addicting. The characters are hilarious and the soundtrack is very good. I love the idea of having personified consoles because it reminded me of Sega Hard Girls and of course Neptunia had a crossover game with that anime lol.

Nights of Azure: This was a game I always felt on and off about buying because I kept hearing how it was a good game but rather mediocre and easy. However the soundtrack was so darn good and the art style of the game was gorgeous. I couldn't help myself so I got the game and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The game was easy but I enjoyed Arnice's relationship with Lillyse. It was sweet and funny to see their interactions and I felt attached to them. I look forward to its sequel coming out soon!

Final Fantasy X HD: XIII was my first Final Fantasy game and even though it received a lot of hate and criticism by fans, I still enjoyed playing it. I never got a chance to finish it but it kept me open minded about other FF games. I bought X/X-2 HD on a whim for my Vita but later switched to the PS4 version. I ended up really liking this game. It's a traditional turn-based RPG and I love it for that. It brings me back to my days of playing Pokémon 24/7 as a kid. The characters look cool and the music is good too!

Ys Memories of Celceta: I bought this on a whim because I heard good things about the series and the cover looked cool. After playing it I was blown away by the epic soundtrack that blasted my ears while fighting my first boss. I knew I was gonna be in for a great adventure. I also love reading the characters' dialogue because of how hilarious and charming it can get.

 

Edited by Ronnie
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This was hard to make so I will add reasons later. I followed a one game per series rule (otherwise KOTOR 2 and ME 3 would have appeared instead of Xenoblade and Ni No Kuni) and I didn't include SRPG because I enjoy XCOM for the same reason I enjoy FE I think they belong most the Strategy game area. If I had included them FE 7 and Final Fantasy Tactics Advanced would have replaced Xenoblade and Ni No Kuni and FE 7 would be on the top square where Mother 3 is (pictures would move one to the left from there).

Spoiler

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Reasoning/placement (Work in Progess)

Spoiler

 Just so you know I'm not gonna be 100% nice to the games in question here only about 6 100% respect for  lack of inclusion for SRPGS and repeat games in series means that there are some games on here I include that don't get anywhere close to my top 10 or even 20 games are played but these are my favorite RPGs that I have played and all these games or at the very least exceptional.  Keep in mind that many games like Crono trigger game  most of the Final Fantasy game I have not played yet because I did growup up playing RPG's (besides Pokémon) I only started playing them starting with the GameCube generation and even then very little JRPGs that's why my list is so heavy on western RPG's it's only in recent years I started catching up on the Japanese ones.

Mother 3:  This is my third favorite game of all time and it is a work of art and a utter masterpiece this is not only one of the best stories in games in my opinion, it one of the best works ever be put to pen. The core battle system and the way the game itself all works together to with the story is pretty great, though the systems divorced from everything else is not the greatest ever it works well enough and is entertaining, but the way it adds together to create the experience it does is what makes it a true masterpiece.

 

 

 

Edited by Locke087
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Picking favorites is hard... especially when most games I play are actually RPGs, and I rarely play any of them more than once. One game per series.

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Now, this doesn't mean I don't play or enjoy new games... but it always feels premature to call a recently-played game -- like Ys VIII, Persona 5 or Atelier Firis -- a favorite. I suppose nostalgia glasses come in full strength in these cases. As well as the "first game" rule...

Either way, silly reasoning time.

Trails in the Sky SC: Effectively the game that introduced me to the Trails series, back when it was still Legend of Heroes VI and I didn't know much Japanese beyond basic kana. I saw SIlver Will, Golden Wings and simply wanted to play it, language barrier be damned. Naturally, I played FC first, but the sequel's sense of progression and continuity simply got me. Oh, and the music, obviously.

Final Fantasy VI: My first Final Fantasy, my first experience with multiple main characters, and the first SNES game I actually played. Of course it'd become a favorite.

Phantasy Star IV: The original Phantasy Star introduced me to RPGs in general, but it was a clunky Sega Master System game. The sequel had a great, compact story that remains relevant to this day, but was extremely and arbitrarily punishing. But this one, while perhaps a bit too easy, is the perfect conclusion for that trilogy, and perhaps the only RPG on Genesis/Mega Drive that could compete with the quality of the 90s monster called Squaresoft. (Not Squeenix. Screw Squeenix.)

Ys - The Oath in Felghana: My first Falcom game. I've always liked game soundtracks, and the impact of The Boy's Got Wings's violin was something I never quite recovered from...

Fire Emblem - Seisen no Keifu: I actually don't really like SRPGs, but the Barbeque of Barhara was really something else. Especially since I didn't know Japanese, so I didn't see it coming. And I didn't see second gen coming, either. This damn game made a Nintendo hater base his internet life around Fire Emblem forums...

Diablo: During odd internetless days when playing console games during the week was forbidden, but somehow playing them on PC wasn't (dad pls), naturally I'd play some computer games over and over. Diablo was one of those, and though it's a bit of a stretch to call it a RPG...

Chrono Trigger: The second SNES game I played, and probably one of the few where I bothered playing NG+ and maxing out everyone. Though it had some holes and a sequel that really wasn't a sequel, it was still quite fun and memorable.

Baldur's Gate 2: I'm quite the AD&D nut; in fact, it was the whole reason I learned English in the first place. So, of course the most polished AD&D game ever released would have to make its way to this list... especially since I haven't played Planescape: Torment. I wonder if that enhanced version is worth it? I really should give it a try...

Seiken Densetsu 3: I think what really got me in this game was the class system and the multiple combinations it allowed, even though it was a bit unbalanced (*cough* Kevin *cough*). I looked around for something similar, but my search was fruitless...

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made with paint and bad croping because i'm lazy

Xej3Yfj.jpg

Shin Megami Tensei IV, Shin Megami Tensei Nocturne, Dark Souls

Bloodborne, Final Fantasy VII, Fire Emblem (Blazing Blade/7)

Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest, Xenoblade Chronicles X, Pokemon Emerald

Plenty of games I love didn't make it to the list and I could limit it to one entry per series, but it wouldn't feel right, since I can't even choose between Conquest and FE7 or DS and BB, and while I like SMT IV over Nocturne, Nocturne is so fucking great it HAS to be on the list.

If fire emblem doesn't count, replace them with Nier Automata and Tales of Berseria or M&L Superstar Saga.

 

Shin Megami Tensei IV: The jorney from the nostalgic and peaceful Mikado into the chaotic and ruined Tokyo is an incredible one. The way the game builds up the arrival into Tokyo is fantastic, and getting lost there, reading the NPC dialogue, doing the sidequests, seeing the "true meaning of evil" next to your friends who will end up taking their own paths, is simply too good. This is one of the games with the best atmosphere I've ever played, the sidestories and npc dialogue add to that, and gameplay is also really great, with the press turn system and demon fusing. While the later was improved in the sequel, I feel like everything else was made worse. The amazing atmosphere is gone in Apocalypse, the story is weaker, and the world which used to feel mysterious and full of (chatic) life turned stiff, with bland sidequests and boring NPC dialogue, yet it still manages to be a great game. That shows how fucking awesome the original IV is. Getting the neutral ending on a second playthrough after getting one of the "bad" ones is one of the most rewarding things ever, and seeing at least one of your friends remaining at your side on the ending is nice.

Shin Megami Tensei III: Gameplay wise, the reasoning is the same as that of IV. Press turn and demon fusioning are awesome. This game's dungeons are really great, as are the boss fights. The story is even more chaotic than IV's, and you don't even want to save the world, you just want to rule it. Despite many in the west seeing this as the "defining" SMT game, it's actually IMO a spin on the form of the original, being about having all the power, rather than choosing a idealogy.

Dark Souls: Challeging, fun, with an amazing world that is full of mindblowing shortcuts and interconnected areas that are greatly designed. Fantastic boss fights. UNDEAD BURG. ANOR LONDO. I even love the later areas of the game (duke's archives and the catacombs are really good).

Bloodborne: Like Dark Souls but faster. Boss fights are really amazing, as are the areas. 

Final Fantasy VII: I'm not as much of a Final Fantasy fan as some. I've only played half the entries, and had played VI before this game, and found it a decent game but not nearly as great as most claim. So, when I got this game on my PS4, I expected it to be overrated as fuck. I was wrong. I loved this game as much as someone who first played it in 1997. The story was great, it played well. It was just a joy to play this. MUCH better than VI.

Fire Emblem 7: Probably my favorite game ever. HHM is an amazingly designed difficulty. The maps are fantastically crafted. I legitimately can go from Noble Lady of Caelin to Battle Before Dawn in a single sitting because this game is just PURE fun for me.

Fire Emblem Fates Conquest: I love the mechanics and map designs. It's extremely fun, and I never get tired of replaying this game on Lunatic/Classic, because it makes me think while still remaining very enjoyable.

Xenoblade Chronicles X: I liked the original Xenoblade a lot, but I was never really one of those people who thought it was "the best RPG ever" and since I dislike Sci Fi, I wasn't really looking forward to this game that much. That said, as soon as I got it, I couldn't stop playing it. Mira is an amazing place to explore, and it really feels like a unexplored world, full of secrets and HUGE. I also really liked the battle system, and killing powerful tyrants while in infinite overdrive is fun. I love its weird soundtrack, and even the vague-ish story that ends needing a sequel. The sidequests are also amazing. In the end, I enjoyed this even more than the original, and it became one of my favorite games ever.

Pokemon Emerald: Better than ORAS. I love everything about it. Hoenn is my favorite pokemon region and I love how full of secrets its ocean is. Battle Frontier is the best.

Edited by Nobody
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Strategy RPGs are included. Obviously what is and isn't an RPG is a pretty arbitrary definition and I'm not faulting anyone else for having a different one, but I certainly feel that SRPGs have a lot more in common with your archetpyical JRPG than Metroidvanias or Souls games do. It helps that my list includes one game which very much rides the border between strategy RPG and traditional RPG. Metroidvanias, as mentioned, are not listed. Games are arranged for some series symmetry rather than by favourite, though generally I like the ones towards the top more.

I don't care for WRPGs at all really (XCOM: Enemy Unknown is my favourite, but many don't even consider that an RPG!), so don't expect any here.

Top%20RPGs.png

 

Explanations and honourable mentions:

Spoiler

Final Fantasy Tactics - Lots of fun, fast-paced battles against a surprisingly capable AI, and a very fun class system. Job system games are a particular pleasure of mine and this game combines that with a good strategy RPG.

Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn - A challenging yet very fair and tactically rewarding Fire Emblem. I love the rotating perspectives and think they help tell the best plot of the series, but it's really all about the rich gameplay: skills, varied map design, and a cast of dozens of characters, most of which are actually useful in some way or for some stretch of time (unlike most other huge-cast FEs).

Final Fantasy X - I'm a SRPG nut. That said, if you ask me what my favourite non-SRPG is, I won't even hestitate to answer FFX. Its storyline, characters, and world are all extremely strong, and its gameplay was amazing for the time; there's a reason so many other PS2 RPGs imitated it. Status and utility skills are actually useful, every character has a clear role, the sphere system does add some customisation to those roles. Just great all-around.

Wild Arms XF - The spiritual successor to FFT which Square Enix refused to give me. A fun SPRG with a great job system, and in particular its jobs are a bit off the beaten path of the FF norm, yet still manage to be balanced well against each other (better than FFT at this, even). Its battle design isn't as good at FFT's on average, but it has some good puzzles in there and its best battles are really damn fun.

Suikoden 3 - So much good to say about this game. The graphics of its world wowed me back in 2002 and actually immersed me in the setting in a way few RPGs can manage. Like most Suikodens it has a great story and characters. On top of that it adds some great point-of-view work (the game is told through 3+ perspectives) and has great scene direction. The skill system makes the gameplay more interesting than the Suikoden norm, too, though it's still not why I'd play the game.

Wild Arms 4 - The aforementioned hybrid between SRPG and normal RPG, WA4 has another very fun spin on the FFX battle system, except that it takes place on a grid of seven hexes. Like FFX the characters play very diverse and clear roles and good fun is to be had making them work as a team. Also, the game's pace is just amazing; no wasting time, lots of gameplay and plot, stuff happens, and it's a packed experience that takes only 20-30 hours. Really wish modern RPGs took after this a bit more.

Final Fantasy 13 - While its plot sadly is a bit of a mess (though it has some really golden moments), I love its cast of intriguing and sometimes troubled individuals going through dark times, and the battle design is just a joy; it's a tough game that relies on you putting together effective job combinations and employing them at the correct time.

Fire Emblem Fates (mostly Conquest) - Fire Emblem is grand, this list kinda undersells my love of it (the top 20 would have 4 more!). Conquest has the best gameplay in the series, no questions asked, and probably the best cast. I'm more overall happy with RD's plot and its epic scope but it's always a tough call for me for favourite Fire Emblem. Conquest may just have my favourite pure gameplay of any game ever.

Final Fantasy 6 - To be honest this isn't one that these days I hold in quite as high regard as the rest of the list, but it was an incredibly formative RPG for me. Chrono Trigger and Super Mario RPG got me into the genre, but it was FF6 with its magic system and huge array of stuff to sink my teeth into (rages! lores! blitzes! etc.) and memorable characters which convinced me I was here to stay.

 

Honourable mentions:

Undertale - I'm never 100% sure if I consider this an RPG, but if it is, it would probably kick FF6 off of the above list. Fun, unique gameplay, great characters, sharp writing, and it makes you think. Love it.

Phantasy Star 4, Chrono Trigger, and Final Fantasy 5 - Along with FF6, my other favourite 16-bit RPGs. CT doesn't need to be explained, PS4 maybe doesn't either given that I've already seen it show up on other lists here, FF5 is the prototype job system game and still holds up very strong, as the annual Four Job Fiesta craze proves.

Fire Emblem (7), Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones, Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, Fire Emblem Awakening - So I think I might really like this series.

Valkyrie Profile - Unique plot/setting which is pulled off well and some great storytelling vignettes, and a fun actiony gameplay to go with it.

Grandia 3, Shadow Hearts: Covenant, Shadow Hearts: From the New World - I group these three together because they all kinda feel like FFX successors to me; strong CTB gameplay, pretty graphics. Their strengths and weaknesses vary: SH2 has by far the best story of the three but is too easy, G3 the best gameplay but trash writing, SH3 somewhere in the middle.

Xenogears, Suikoden 2, and Suikoden 5 - Three more top-tier RPGs for writing, though the gameplay is a bit lacking in all cases. Xenogears does a masteful job of plotting in a way few games can match (juggling together an incredible number of plot/characters arcs and pulling them off well). I do love the Suikoden world, and it's sad that the series set kinda spluttered out.

Bravely Default, Bravely Second - The non-SRPG spiritual successors to FF5. While I like SRPGs more, these were still great games to play, even if they were both too long (see my comments on Wild Arms 4).

Saga Frontier - It's weird, it's bizarre, and it's a lot of fun. It feels like it's almost a very bad game (certainly its writing is all over the place, and it's buggy/incomplete at points), but pulls off its crazy ideas quite well with its seven weird short stories and fun gameplay centered around four different races, each with their own levelling mechanics.

 

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I guess I'll toss in mine with my poor image editing skills.

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Explanations

Spoiler

Grandia II - One of my favorite games of all time due to it's battle system, which consists of units moving along a bar until they can enter a command, and then move to the end of the bar to execute their action. During that small window, the move can be interrupted. Also, I loved the music (like the battle music and its guitar riffs) and characters in Grandia II, as well as the CG cutscenes when they appear (both in story and when casting powerful magic). I was first exposed to Grandia from a hand-me-down Dreamcast, but now I have the Steam version and plan on doing a newly implemented Hard Mode run one of these days.

If I ever get around to developing my own game, I really want to mix in Ogre Battle's 64 unit management and map gameplay with Grandia II's battle system. Course, considering my luck it will never happen, but a man can try to dream...

Skies of Arcadia - Another top favorite title, I loved the setting of Skies of Arcadia and exploring the world to discover new horizons. I enjoyed the battle system, finding the magic and skill system to be rather unique to the title. Then there was also the ship battles which were fun! Of course, like any good RPG, the music immerses one into the world and it has an enjoyable cast of characters.

I never got around to playing Legends, which was the Gamecube port of Skies of Arcadia. It had additional content, but the music was made lower quality so everything fit on the Gamecube disc (the original Dreamcast version was 2 discs).

Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles - While I was introduced to this particular title from a future one (I think either Echoes of Time or Crystal Bearers), the overall tone of the very first title is what sticks with me throughout the entire franchise. Sure, the combat in the Crystal Chronicle games is not really groundbreaking, but the aesthetic and celtic-inspired music are fantastic.

The other games were also all right, even Crystal Bearers. For the DS titles, Ring of Fate had the better story while I feel Echoes of Time had the better gameplay. However, nothing beats the original though. I would love to see an expansion to the original title or just another game in the Crystal Chronicles universe because I love the designs, but I feel Crystal Chronicles is gone now...

God Eater: Resurrection - While I'm not sure if God Eater (or by extension, the Monster Hunter franchise) falls under the RPG umbrella, I'll give it the God Eater since it actually has a story and characters compare to MH's focus on simply hunting monsters.

Man, I was hooked on God Eater, marathoning through the original game and its "two expansions" (Burst and Resurrection) in maybe one to two weeks. I was deeply entrenched into the story and the interactions between the characters and enjoyed their dubbed voices. The music played for each battle were also satisfying, including even the more emotional moments. The simply inclusion of both a ranged and melee weapon made combat fun, especially since I loved running with my Shotgun and slashing foes with my Long Sword. The extra Predator Style attacks helped immensely with attack variety, which Blood Arts from 2 somewhat lacked outside of the cool factor.

As some trivia, on the second title (God Eater 2: Rage Burst) I decided to re-create my avatar from Xenoblade Chronicles X. While I was trying to find a voice that was similar to the one I used for the first title, I somehow ended up using a voice that was done by the exact same voice actor who did my XCX avatar (Keith Silverstein).

Xenoblade Chronicles - Oh man, I remember the Operation Rainfall days for Xenoblade Chronicles, The Last Story, and Pandora's Tower. While I haven't gotten around to obtaining and playing the latter two, I did manage to get my hands on Xenoblade Chronicles. (I still follow Operation Rainfall to this day as my primary "gaming news" site.)

This game was the first to make me appreciate the environment and scenery. Seriously, almost anything in the Xenoblade series is a vista with a breathtaking view. Then, we get amazing battle tracks to beautiful pieces of music. The battle system with the auto attacks and the art system were also innovative to me. Of course, we can't forget our voice actors for XC, which in itself was a wonderful experience of its own.

Xenoblade Chronicles X - I remember initially not being too happy with the music shift with X as it is not really my style. It does have some awesome tracks of its own, such as Noctilum's Day Theme, but I was not too convinced with the rap music and the like. However, after a while I got converted over as it did seem to fit in with the atmosphere of X. Now I too can't hear you or see you...

Honestly, take everything almost everything I loved about Xenoblade Chronicles and transfer it over to X. I was addicted to XCX, clocking in over 100 hours in a single week, and I think I clocked in 100 more and I'm still not completely done yet. The only real flaw of X in my opinion was the weaker main story, but the massive improvement to gameplay, Skells, and excellent side quests more than made up for it. I also did not mind the character models as I actually like the aesthetic.

I was honestly expecting a sequel to X next because it left open so many possibilities and I really want to know what happens next, both in the main plot and all the minor subplots. Does H.B. end up becoming the new leader of B.L.A.D.E.? Does Professor B ever figure out how to return to his proper home, or has the prospect of business and money change him? What about the Definians, does our choices from X carry over to it's theorectical sequel? Isn't there still another hostile alien faction out there in the galaxy, since we really only faced one of them (remember there were two factions fighting around Earth). There is so much I want to know, and we get Xenoblade Chronicles 2 instead. I was not expecting 2 and I love the return of XC's composers, but the character designs is putting me off a bit...

Vindictus - Good Ole Vindictus, the F2P RPG from DevCat and run by Nexon...

Vindictus makes the list because for a F2P title, it has one of the best action combat systems out there. You can even clash against bosses with one character (who I main) The story is nothing spectacular, but I am personally invested in the characters and I want to know what happens next. I also love the music because I am a sucker for vocals and choirs.

Sadly, Vindictus for me is mostly just a memory now. Nexon NA still loves to screw things up and besides the Pay-To-Win aspect of Vindictus, they ended up banning a prominent community member who ran an useful database website and who did nothing but expressed love for the game. Like with my theoretical Grandia II x Ogre Battle game, I would like to make my own version of Vindictus someday. The combat and artstyle is enjoyable and I would love to see see Vindictus reborn, remembering what it once was and not how it currently is...

Dark Souls - I remember hearing so much about Dark Souls and how it was an extremely difficult game. I steeled myself and stepped up to the challenge, expecting a fulfilling time with its battle system and mechanics. Instead, I got so much more. So many feels...

The aesthetic of Dark Souls is amazing, and the world itself becomes so much more once one pays attention to the little details as well as the item descriptions. While I have played through the first title and its DLC, I have not "fully experienced" it since I did not fight two optional bosses. I also played through the second game, but without DLC or the Scholar of the First Sin version. As for the third title, I haven't gotten around to it yet.

Right now, the Souls series is in my backlog of games to get back into. Right now I'm trying to focus on Trails in the Sky, but Earth Defense Force 4.1 is calling me again. The EDF doesn't leave a man behind. Ever.

Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen - Holy ****. This game was an unexpected hit for me. While I heard of Dragon's Dogma when it first released, I thought it nothing more but a "fantasy version of Monster Hunter." I planned on getting around to it at some point, and many years later, I did.

It is not a fantasy version of Monster Hunter. It is a wonderful fantasy RPG with an excellent setting and music, and the story itself isn't half-bad. The real treasure is the gameplay and the Pawn system (Pawns are essentially player-created party members) and I got rather attached to my main Pawn. Dragon's Dogma may have beaten Grandia II for being my top-favorite game of all time because it combines everything (story, setting, gameplay, and music) together so wonderfully that I can just keep talking about how great Dragon's Dogma is.

If Dragon's Dogma could improve, it can definitely do better with it's main storyline. I consider Dragon's Dogma to be similar to Xenoblade Chronicles X (excellent gameplay and side content, weaker main story), but I since I love my fantasy settings far more than Sci-Fi, Dragon's Dogma wins out. I need a proper sequel to this game, not the MMO version that is locked overseas...

Honorable Mentions

Spoiler

I probably forgot a few titles, but here are some HM all the same.

Trails in the Sky - Still trying to play through Trails in the Sky, and while I was hooked because "new RPG to play!," it does struggle to hold my attention compared to alternatives. I love the title thus far (in Bose, just finished meeting The General) and want to continue playing through it, but Trails is not calling my name to play. I need to deliberately set time aside to sit down for a playthrough.

I had this same problem with Transistor. I know Transistor is an excellent game because it is make by the same people who made Bastion, but it just never called to me. I had to force myself to sit down and play. I enjoyed the experience and want to go back, but there is that lack of drive...

Ys: Origin - My first YS game. I was introduced to the YS series due to one of the signatures here on Serene's Forest and decided to give it a try. It was definitely worth my time.

For my, the Ys games are mostly about the gameplay and the music. The story is not really the strong point. However, like Trails in the Sky, while I enjoy the titles, they do not call for me to play them. I still need to finish my in-progress playthrough of YS II and get through YS VI.

The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim - Base Skyrim is all right, but the main reason I picked it up is because of the mods. I was looking up mods one day and saw some mods for Oblivion that looked interesting. With Skyrim on the horizon, I decided to pick up Skyrim and experience the modded experience there.

While Base Skyrim can be enjoyable, the Mods are what really make it amazing. From overhauls, graphic updates, and new adventures, modding is a beautiful thing.

Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door - The last "proper" Paper Mario game. While I did love Super Paper Mario for its story and setting, the gameplay was not Paper Mario. Then Sticker Star came along and tarnished my view of the franchise. I hear decent things about Color Splash, but I really just want a return to the Paper Mario basics. The first title and Thousand Year Door had a good formula, why change it?...

Darkest Dungeon - Putting this here because its great presentation. However, despite everything, I did lose interest in playing Darkest Dungeon. It is RNG based like XCOM, and I love XCOM, but something about Darkest Dungeon puts me off. I guess it feels repetitive to me, and other games call for my attention than Darkest Dungeon even though DD is an excellent game of its own.

Recettear: An Item Shop's Tale - Half item-shop sim, half-RPG, Recettear is a unique title that is rather charming. I personally stuck with the starting hero (Louie) the entire way, so I essentially ended up playing Recettear: The Legend of Zelda Louie when I was not managing the shop.

A part of me wants to go back to properly complete Recettear and play with the other characters more, but of course time is a limited resource...

Cthulhu Saves the World - Yes, Cthulhu Saves the World, likely made in RPG Maker or something similar. It goes back to the old, old days of RPGs.

The music is awesome, the overall tone is rather light and enjoyable, and I love its simplistic nature. Sadly, I never got to finish it since I originally using the title as one of my playthroughs back when I wanted to do Youtube content. One of these days I'll start a fresh file and experience the game properly...

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3 hours ago, Dark Holy Elf said:
Spoiler

 

Strategy RPGs are included. Obviously what is and isn't an RPG is a pretty arbitrary definition and I'm not faulting anyone else for having a different one, but I certainly feel that SRPGs have a lot more in common with your archetpyical JRPG than Metroidvanias or Souls games do. It helps that my list includes one game which very much rides the border between strategy RPG and traditional RPG. Metroidvanias, as mentioned, are not listed. Games are arranged for some series symmetry rather than by favourite, though generally I like the ones towards the top more.

I don't care for WRPGs at all really (XCOM: Enemy Unknown is my favourite, but many don't even consider that an RPG!), so don't expect any here.

Top%20RPGs.png

 

Explanations and honourable mentions:

  Reveal hidden contents

Final Fantasy Tactics - Lots of fun, fast-paced battles against a surprisingly capable AI, and a very fun class system. Job system games are a particular pleasure of mine and this game combines that with a good strategy RPG.

Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn - A challenging yet very fair and tactically rewarding Fire Emblem. I love the rotating perspectives and think they help tell the best plot of the series, but it's really all about the rich gameplay: skills, varied map design, and a cast of dozens of characters, most of which are actually useful in some way or for some stretch of time (unlike most other huge-cast FEs).

Final Fantasy X - I'm a SRPG nut. That said, if you ask me what my favourite non-SRPG is, I won't even hestitate to answer FFX. Its storyline, characters, and world are all extremely strong, and its gameplay was amazing for the time; there's a reason so many other PS2 RPGs imitated it. Status and utility skills are actually useful, every character has a clear role, the sphere system does add some customisation to those roles. Just great all-around.

Wild Arms XF - The spiritual successor to FFT which Square Enix refused to give me. A fun SPRG with a great job system, and in particular its jobs are a bit off the beaten path of the FF norm, yet still manage to be balanced well against each other (better than FFT at this, even). Its battle design isn't as good at FFT's on average, but it has some good puzzles in there and its best battles are really damn fun.

Suikoden 3 - So much good to say about this game. The graphics of its world wowed me back in 2002 and actually immersed me in the setting in a way few RPGs can manage. Like most Suikodens it has a great story and characters. On top of that it adds some great point-of-view work (the game is told through 3+ perspectives) and has great scene direction. The skill system makes the gameplay more interesting than the Suikoden norm, too, though it's still not why I'd play the game.

Wild Arms 4 - The aforementioned hybrid between SRPG and normal RPG, WA4 has another very fun spin on the FFX battle system, except that it takes place on a grid of seven hexes. Like FFX the characters play very diverse and clear roles and good fun is to be had making them work as a team. Also, the game's pace is just amazing; no wasting time, lots of gameplay and plot, stuff happens, and it's a packed experience that takes only 20-30 hours. Really wish modern RPGs took after this a bit more.

Final Fantasy 13 - While its plot sadly is a bit of a mess (though it has some really golden moments), I love its cast of intriguing and sometimes troubled individuals going through dark times, and the battle design is just a joy; it's a tough game that relies on you putting together effective job combinations and employing them at the correct time.

Fire Emblem Fates (mostly Conquest) - Fire Emblem is grand, this list kinda undersells my love of it (the top 20 would have 4 more!). Conquest has the best gameplay in the series, no questions asked, and probably the best cast. I'm more overall happy with RD's plot and its epic scope but it's always a tough call for me for favourite Fire Emblem. Conquest may just have my favourite pure gameplay of any game ever.

Final Fantasy 6 - To be honest this isn't one that these days I hold in quite as high regard as the rest of the list, but it was an incredibly formative RPG for me. Chrono Trigger and Super Mario RPG got me into the genre, but it was FF6 with its magic system and huge array of stuff to sink my teeth into (rages! lores! blitzes! etc.) and memorable characters which convinced me I was here to stay.

 

Honourable mentions:

Undertale - I'm never 100% sure if I consider this an RPG, but if it is, it would probably kick FF6 off of the above list. Fun, unique gameplay, great characters, sharp writing, and it makes you think. Love it.

Phantasy Star 4, Chrono Trigger, and Final Fantasy 5 - Along with FF6, my other favourite 16-bit RPGs. CT doesn't need to be explained, PS4 maybe doesn't either given that I've already seen it show up on other lists here, FF5 is the prototype job system game and still holds up very strong, as the annual Four Job Fiesta craze proves.

Fire Emblem (7), Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones, Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, Fire Emblem Awakening - So I think I might really like this series.

Valkyrie Profile - Unique plot/setting which is pulled off well and some great storytelling vignettes, and a fun actiony gameplay to go with it.

Grandia 3, Shadow Hearts: Covenant, Shadow Hearts: From the New World - I group these three together because they all kinda feel like FFX successors to me; strong CTB gameplay, pretty graphics. Their strengths and weaknesses vary: SH2 has by far the best story of the three but is too easy, G3 the best gameplay but trash writing, SH3 somewhere in the middle.

Xenogears, Suikoden 2, and Suikoden 5 - Three more top-tier RPGs for writing, though the gameplay is a bit lacking in all cases. Xenogears does a masteful job of plotting in a way few games can match (juggling together an incredible number of plot/characters arcs and pulling them off well). I do love the Suikoden world, and it's sad that the series set kinda spluttered out.

Bravely Default, Bravely Second - The non-SRPG spiritual successors to FF5. While I like SRPGs more, these were still great games to play, even if they were both too long (see my comments on Wild Arms 4).

Saga Frontier - It's weird, it's bizarre, and it's a lot of fun. It feels like it's almost a very bad game (certainly its writing is all over the place, and it's buggy/incomplete at points), but pulls off its crazy ideas quite well with its seven weird short stories and fun gameplay centered around four different races, each with their own levelling mechanics.


 

 

Really glad to see another 13 fan! I was also a fan of the characters, specifically Sazh and Lightning. I do agree it can get challenging if not paying much attention to what's going on in the battles. It always bothered me when I read comments saying that people could beat the game by just mashing auto-battle.

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This took way more time and finangling in MS Paint than it probably should have.

9x9.thumb.png.62b0f669169952676005144ebea5c52e.png

Honorable mentions to the following:

Spoiler

*deep breath* Final Fantasies IV, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, X-2, XII, XIII, Tactics, Persona 5, Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald, X/Y, Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire, Sun/Moon, Fallout 3, Fallout 4, Parasite Eve 2, Ni no Kuni, Xenoblade Chronicles, Trails in the Sky, Shin Megami Tensei IV, Digital Devil Saga 1 + 2, Devil Survivor 1 + 2, Binding Blade, Echoes, Knights of the Old Republic, Radiant Historia, Skyrim, Ys: Memories of Celcetia, Tales of Graces, Tales of Hearts, Tales of Xillia, Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth, Jeanne d'Arc, Yo-kai Watch, Super Robot Wars J, Super Robot Wars W, Super Robot Wars L, Kingdom Hearts 2, God Eater Burst, Mana Khemia

Explanations to come later.

Edited by AzureSen
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If you only like four RPG's, maybe don't post in a thread where you have to pick your top nine favourite RPG's.  Food for thought.

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6ww5xbI.png

Assuming Diablo counts as an RPG.

Dark Messiah has potential to have been swapped out for other games like Dragon's Dogma and Jade Empire but I have played them a lot so they were worth putting on here.

Edit: Crusader Kings II isn't an RPG on further thinking, so I replaced it with Jade Empire. Mass Effect II was also a choice but that's a pretty weak game to be included as an RPG too.

Edited by Tryhard
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too lazy to photoshop a 3x3 image, but Neptunia rebirth 3, nep v2, radiant dawn, dragon age origins, dragon age inquisition, skyrim, pokemon heartgold, pokemon white 2, and ffx-2.

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*Doesn't have a photo editing software* Anyways my top 9 RPG's would be: Fire Emblem Awakening, Pokemon Platinum, Project X Zone 2, God Eater 2 Rage Burst, Golden Sun Dark Dawn, Valkyria Chronicles, Xenoblade Chronicles, The Legend of Zelda Breath of the wild (does this on count?) and Project X Zone.

Now the last two are iffy picks, I have other rpg's in my collection I have yet to start, so I have no opinion on them. So I guess shout out to Tales of Vesperia or Tales of Symphonia, either of those would be likely to replace Project X Zone. Also I implemented a 1 per series rule except for Project X Zone, otherwise Echoes would be on there and maybe another pokemon game or two.

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