The best RPG(s) you've ever played and why

[astrin24]

Star Ocean: The Second Story was my first RPG and in my opinion, is always going to be the best RPG. I love the beautiful music and the story (I often like stories that tell of normal people entering different worlds like Claude). There were many different endings which added replay value and great towns and dungeons. Bad points were: slightly repetitive dungeons, bad script (story was okay, but not the words!) and long reams of unwanted text.

Remember all:
"A great game is a great game no matter when it is released."

Nowadays RPGs are lacking a certain spark that kept them alive. Sure, I love Final Fantasy XII to death, but you always feel as if there's something missing. Like point n'' click adventures, RPGs had their heyday in the 90's.

 

[Monk]

Secret of Mana

I don't know what it is about that game, but it has such a thing about it where I am ALWAYS up for playing it again. Maybe it's the unique atmosphere, maybe it's the weapon upgrade system, maybe it's the story, maybe it's the memorable characters, maybe it's the SWEET boss fights (and their satisfying explosion animations when you beat them), maybe it was the epic end of the game, maybe it was FLAMMIE, maybe it was the PHENOMENAL musical score, maybe it was the up-to-THREE PLAYER GAMEPLAY, but probably it was all those factors combined which make me take off my hat and give the ultimate respect to Secret of Mana. I've easily played that game through dozens and dozens of times and each time was just as satisfying as the last.

Honorable Traditional Style Mentions:
*FF6
*FF7
*Super Mario RPG
*Beyond the Beyond (I don't give a crap what the reviews said, it was an awesome game)
*Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals
*7th Saga

Honorable Adventure RPG Mentions:
*Legend of Zelda: ALTTP
*King Arthur and the Knights of Justice

Honorable Tactics RPG Mentions:
*Vandal Hearts
*Kartia
*Final Fantasy Tactics
*Final Fantasy Tactics Advance
*Tactics Ogre
*Ogre Battle: March of the Black Queen

 

[BellGoRiiing]

Either Super Mario RPG or Earthbound.

 

[Mauru]

Sakura Taisen, an original rpg, with anime cutsenes mutiple endings, and branching storylines, in the best games of all time realsed by famitsu sakura taisen scored higher than ff8, ff9, xenogears, super mario bros, resident evil 4 etc..

 

[Marcus]

Too bad sega decided to NOT release it outside of the US.

I think the original remake was supposed to appear on the Dreamcast but just like half-life it got canceled at the last moment.

 

[Minkoff]

pokemon diamond pearl

i shouldn't even have to explain. it speaks for itself

 

[Anonymous]

I have three

secret of mana
suikoden
illusion of time (gaia)

 

[Mega Flare]

pokemon diamond pearl

i shouldn't even have to explain. it speaks for itself

yeah that was one great RPG, yes it may have been easyer then the other pokemon games but the online battleing kicks ass. and im stull UNDEFEATED NWHAHAHAHA

 

[Larynni]

Legend of Legaia I.
BEST Fighting system, and not only because of that, I also LOVE the story. Another impressing hard game, but also another impressing fun game. But, comparing to the 2nd season, well, 2nd stinks a bit. <-- LoL1 PS1, LoL2 PS2

I also love X-Man Legend 1 and 2. Great characters, skill system, SKILLS, abilities, and... a good ABS system ^^ <-- PS2

EDIT: OH YES! Forgot to say about Suikoden Tactics. Best Suikoden game there was ever out, compared to the others, and it was also fantastic to play it.
Oh another yes, Kingdom Hearts! KH1 was a bit short and also boring but KH2 pwned everyone's socks!

 

[hatred106]

Shining Force 2 for the Sega Genesis was a game that I completely loved and played through almost 5 times. Other honorable mentions are Suikoden series and BoF

 

[Buster]

Vagrant Story.
Amazing battle system, amazing stylized graphics (at the time, although they are still decent now), amazing replay value, intriguing story... just an amazing game period.

 

[PINEDAXP]

I liked VS a lot too, but not to be my fave

 

[OdioOmnus]

Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne.

Probably the best atmosphere of any RPG I've ever played. Unlike many RPGs, it doesn't use its plot as a crutch and tends to leave many questions up to the interpretation of the player. And it's very cunning in giving the illusion of non-linearity in what's actually a quite linear game.

 

[Mundane]

FFVII ftw! No...just kidding.

Seeing as I have played this one like a beast and cleared almost everything there is to do, and enjoyed it every step of the way - Oblivion. It's just too much fun.

 

[Despain]

-excessively praises pokemon-

 

[sephiroth976]

Hmm best RPGs i have ever played.. i would have to say Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy 7 would both be nr.1 on my list other then that i would have to say the .hack games are really good and also of course some of the other final fantasy games (except FF XII i did not like the battle system at all.. too online-ish) chrono cross was also good though just not as good as trigger oh and zelda of course

 

[Anonymous]

pokemon diamond pearl

i shouldn't even have to explain. it speaks for itself

what? fuck that; gold/silver/crystal are far superior. more interesting world, INFINITELY more interesting pokemon designs, and SLOWPOKETAILS. recipes for awesome all around.

 

[Despain]

Diamond and Pearl are far better GAMEPLAY-wise, there's much more depth to them. It also includes far more Pokemon, which in lots of ways sucks but it adds to the depth of the system and allows more options in the metagame.

Agreed that G/S had the best story and region of the series- with the remakes of SunGold and MoonSilver we'l have the best pokemon games made to date.

 

[Anonymous]

TIN and BRASS, get 'em right. also more != better; what gold/silver lacked in number they more than made up for in originality. also the soundtrack is like 90x better than d/p's, especially the kanto remixes.

 

[Despain]

I wasn't talking about merely the designs, it's agreed that Johto's gneration was the best. But D/P includes both Hoenn and Sinnoh generation monsters, many of them (though not the majority) with really fun designs, like Slaking, Combee and Drifblim.

And yeah the soundtrack is better- imo the best of the series. I'm not arguing that D/P is BETTER than G/S but that its advances in gameplay are beneifical to the series and would, with the Tin and Brass remake, make the most amazing games in the series yet.

So ultimately I am agreeing with you that G/S are better games on their own but with the advances of D/P it is a shame that we need to wait for upgrades to the godliness.