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[Hikami]

Ah was wondering when this thread would go up. I remember only being able to like name 7 RPGs last year. Played a lot more this year though so this should be interesting.

 

[orthodoxy1095]

I'm open to people sticking them on their list, but it does seem a little crazy to me to stick a game that just came out this year on an "Essentials" of all time list, let alone sticking them in the Top 10. It doesn't seem like we've had very much time to digest these things.

But to each their own.

 

[like.a.ser]

No particular order:

1.) Final Fantasy VI - (Best Story) Nevermind FF7, this is the RPG that revolutionized storytelling for the genre, the one in whose footsteps the Final Fantasy games of the PlayStation era would follow. With memorable playable characters, most of whom possess a surprising amount of development considering the sheer size of the cast, and a villain whose rise to power over the course of the game culminates in one of the biggest twists in RPG history, this is one of very few games I consider an absolute Must Play.

2.) Dragon Quest V - Although it rarely strays from the series' classic JRPG gameplay, DQ5 is the most memorable game in the series for a number of reasons. Watching the main character grow (literally) as the story unfolds, eventually marrying and having children of his own.

3.) Nier - (Best Soundtrack) I'm not 100% sure Nier is an RPG. It claims to be an action-RPG, and its satisfying hack and slash combat lends credence to the claim. But there were times, my first time playing through Nier, that I would almost swear I was playing a bullet hell shooter. Or Farmville. Or Zelda. Nier is very much a mash-up, but it does its genre bending exceptionally well, and at the end of the day, remains a satisfying RPG with what I consider the best soundtrack of any game ever released.

4.) Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door - Full of charm, quirky humor, and fan-favorite Mario characters. The RPG mechanics are some of the most polished I've played, which is surprising as the cast and number of onscreen characters at a given time (two) is extremely small for a JRPG.

5.) Earthbound - If there were a category for Best Sense of Humor, I'd give it to this game. The soundtrack is amazing, the writing is superb, and the artstyle is one of the most endearing of any 16-bit game. More than that, the game has a genuine sense of adventure and an important message about friendship. I can't recommend it enough.

6.) Dragon's Dogma - (Best Combat) While I feel the story lacking, and the game's performance on the consoles it originally appeared on quite lackluster to put it mildly, it more than made up for it with the grand scale possible in its combat.

7.) Baldur's Gate II

8.) Chrono Trigger

9.) Ys: The Oath in Felghana

10.) Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

11.) Mass Effect

12.) Persona 4 Golden

13.) The Witcher III: Wild Hunt

14.) Alpha Protocol

15.) Final Fantasy XIV

16.) Fire Emblem: Awakening

17.) Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together

18.) Valkyrie Profile

19.) Neverwinter Nights

20.) Suikoden II

 

[Neifirst]

I'm open to people sticking them on their list, but it does seem a little crazy to me to stick a game that just came out this year on an "Essentials" of all time list, let alone sticking them in the Top 10. It doesn't seem like we've had very much time to digest these things.

But to each their own.

I hear you, but I included Xenoblade Chronicles X because it essentially takes everything I loved about the original, and expands the scope even further and in HD. There hasn't been one minute during the 50 hours I've played thus far where I was even tempted to throw on a podcast since I was so absorbed in the universe created by Monolithsoft.

 

[orthodoxy1095]

Which picks do you have issues with?

Anything from 2015 really. I mean as an example, I love TW3, but I don't think that I can in good faith put it on my list as anything above an Honorable Mention. I played the game what, seven months ago? Is that really enough time to declare it an Essential RPG? I dunno. I'm open to it, it's just a thought.

 

[zero shift]

1. Shin Megami Tensei IV (Best Soundtrack)

Shin Megami Tensei IV is a very divisive game in the series. Some think it more than fulfilled the huge expectations that were put on it. Others find it disappointing. Well, lucky for me, I am in the former camp. After putting over 130 hours in the game I can attest it is the finest RPG I have played. The game does a great job of stuffing the meat of the game with quality sidequests that help build an engaging world.The dystopian Tokyo visuals spring to life as the game feels like a dark demonic Bladerunner. Something previous games tried to achieve but failed. The game also has one of the most engaging battle systems around as it is press turn combat at its finest.

The game may not be perfect, but it is one of the best packages in the genre that I have played. It is both fresh and yet traditional at the same time. It pushes the series forward while retaining its roots. And it does all this while fitting in your front or back pocket.

Also I must give shout out to the game's amazing soundtrack. I mean just listen to this:

Main Theme
Above Urban Area C
Kagome Tower
Traffic

2. Xenoblade Chronicles (Best Story)

I'm currently playing through Xenoblade Chronicles X now. While the game is very enjoyable and very fresh and innovative, I highly doubt it is going to overtake Xenoblade Chronicles. Playing Xenoblade Chronicles earlier this year could only be described as...nostalgic. Every once in a while gamers will encounter a game that will bring them back to the days of middle school or high school where they would get absolutely engrossed in specific games. Games that will give them that "spark" back of that magic moment. To me Xenoblade was that game. The story, the world, the characters were all very engrossing. I was very invested to see what would happen next. To add on to that the level design was top notch. The maps were big enough for the game to feel "open world", but small enough for the developers to give the player purpose of exploring the world as the player would encounter lost tribes, treasure, mythical beings, hidden areas, ancient ruins, and the like. The battle system, while hardly perfect, was also a nice change of pace from the usual RPG affair. The art direction looked astounding, especially on Dolphin. Xenoblade Chronicles was an instant classic as it immediately made the top 5 in the 2012 thread immediately after it was released in Europe. After playing the game it isn't hard to see why.

3. The Witcher III: The Wild Hunt

If I could describe The Witcher III in one word it would be "masterpiece". Technically it certainly is a masterpiece. It did what many thought was impossible, it had a huge, lush, detailed openworld and yet still looked better than pretty much every single other game released. To further drive how impressive it is, it ran well too. With my GTX 970 and 2500k I pushed the game to be a steady 30fps at 4K resolution downsampled. A no easy feat. But the best way to summarize this game is that it is a game that WRPG fans have been dreaming of since the '80s. A highly realistic 3D RPG with deep "choose your own path" mechanics, with a living breathing detailed open world with seemless transitions, mature content that pulls no punches, all on a budget of a blockbuster film. The future is now.

4. Ys Origin (Best Combat)

The ultimate action RPG. There really isn't any other way to describe this game. It is an action-RPG to its core and it does it better than any other game out there. Fantastic bosses, challenging enemy encounters, top notch level design, and a whole empahsis on "git gud." There is also a soundtrack that is arguably the best in gaming and it barely lost to the game on the number one spot. The combat in the game is simply unrivaled, no other RPG has as good as combat as this game. The only game series that really surpass this game's combat are Bayonetta and Devil May Cry, it's just that good. But what really stands out with this game is how replayable it is. I beat this game with all three characters, yet find myself still starting new playthroughs despite long beating the game.

5. Mother 3

Mother 3 is simply a game that lives up to its hype. Heralded as the quintessential example of a legendary game left in Japan, Mother 3 is a very unique experience. It pulls players in by introducing them to a world that is at one hand very light hearted and on the other very dark. It is not meant to be the next epic Final Fantasy, the next hardcore Megaten, or the ambitious Elder Scrolls. It is simply a quirky, unique, tightly contained game with a mature story and some of the best writing in the industry (despite it being "fan translated"). It is sad that more people haven't played this game, but in a way that just lends to the whole mysterious cult status of it. With Nintendo bringing Earthbound and it's long lost prequel to life on the E-Shop, hopefully they will follow suit with Mother 3. The game deserves more players.

6. Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines

For the longest time this was my favorite WRPG. The game does wonders in having a design that focuses more on the players choices and commitments rather than their combat. It also has a very interesting world that doesn't strive for knights in the middle age or mechs in the future, but rather vampires in the present. The game isn't without its flaws as it is a Troika game. This means second to none role playing mechanics that rely on talking and allegiances more than weapon stats and a unique setting, however it also means lackluster combat and terrible dungeon design. Yes the former easily eclipses the latter, but unfortunately I feel that this is what holds the game back a tad from being in the top 5.

7. The World Ends with You

In an age where JRPGs seemed to be creatively bankrupt, the most conservative company did something noone expected. They released a game that was against everything the company stood for. New IP, 2D, modern setting, and gameplay that was anything but conventional, The World Ends with You was a game released by a Square-Enix from a parallel universe. What made the game stand out were primarily three things. The first is that the game was/is very "cool". It is in the similar vein of Jet Set Radio where you are put into this trendy and hyper stylized world the overflows your senses with fashion, graffiti, and a kickass soundtrack. The second was how innovative the game was. From controlling two characters during battle at once to building a game revolving around two screens and a stylus, the game did many things to push the genre and really handheld gaming forward. Even little things such as a difficulty adjuster were well welcomed. The third is that it was a major production third party IP on a handheld. In an age where many game series, especially RPGs, have migrated to handhelds for being their primary platforms, we may forget that back in the day handheld games used to be nothing but spin-off central and low budget efforts. Seeing a new mainline IP from a major branch from Square-Enix was very exciting at the time. In a year and a half it will be a full decade since the game has been released with no sequel or a game as unique coming from Square-Enix since. A great fluke for the company, but a fluke none-the-less.

8. Fallout: New Vegas:

Obsidian does it better, plain and simple. I knew Fallout 4 was going to suck, Fallout 3 warned me of this. Unlike most high profile WRPG developers of this age, rather than focusing on big worlds for exploration or flashy effects, Obsidian brings their Black Isle roots and puts actual role playing as the main focus. Fallout: New Vegas is essentially Fallout 2 in 3D given a cowboy theme. It has an objective it sets out to do and it does it very well. Out of all of the high-profile mainstream WRPGs of last generation this is the only one to me that felt that it deserved its acclaim. Here is hoping for Obsidian to develop the real Fallout 4.

9. Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King

If Fallout: New Vegas is an example of a 90s WRPG transferred to the 3rd dimension correctly then Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King is the JRPG equivalent. Containing the charm, sense of adventure, and engaging plot that JRPGs of yesteryears have, Dragon Quest VIII impresses and it comes to no surprise to as of why the series is so huge in Japan. A game that takes almost 100 hours to beat and yet going through the game there is no downtime due to the player being so engaged with the story and characters. It isn't the most hardcore game or even the most fun, but it is definitely the one of the most, or the most, "classic" game on this list.

10. The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings

The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings is a classic case of a later entry in the series overshadowing its predecessor. Up until a few months ago most would agree that The Witcher 2 was one of the top RPGs around. Having CDProjekt's "gray moral" choice based gameplay, tight combat, engaging world, and beautiful graphics and tech, it had very few, if any, rivals. To many's delight The Witcher III did not just meet expectations, but blew them away. And while that certainly raises the standard of RPGs, it should not negate the importance and craft of the second entry in the series.

11. Persona 3: FES

At a time when next-generation (currently the previous generation) consoles were all the rage, a game for the aged Playstation 2 was taking the gaming world by storm. Persona 3 managed to mix traditional dungeon crawling RPG turnbased gameplay with date simulation. The result was a combination so good that pretty much every Japanese styled RPG after has the feature in some way. Clocking in the players at 100 hours, the game keeps the player entertained with a quality story, quality gameplay, quality soundtrack, and theme and style that just screams "hip!" The expansion pack "FES" is basically the exact same game just improved and updated.

12. Fire Emblem: Awakening

SRPGs bore me to tears. I can only play Advanced Wars for so long. Valkyria Chronicles got old after a dozen hours or so. However, Fire Emblem Awakening managed to keep my attention for basically two playthroughs. What makes this game so different? Could it be the unique relationship based system? The charming and appealing artstyle, characters, story, and music? The spit polished battle system? The tension knowing that if one of my characters die they...well die? I'm not sure, but one thing I am sure of is that this game deserves a spot on this list.

13. Deus Ex

It is unfortunate that this will be the true swan song for developer Warren Spector. Deus Ex blends traditional first person shooter with RPG perfectly. While the gunplay leaves a lot to be desired, the role playing aspect of the game is very impressive. Multiple routes of progression and multiple endings gives the end result of a high enjoyable experience. It feels like an interactive 90s dystopian future scifi film, which in many ways it kind of is.

14. Deus Ex: Human Revolution

Prior to Deus Ex: Human Revolution's release, it was understandable to be a bit apathetic toward the game. Previous WRPG classic franchises such as The Elder Scrolls and Fallout were dumbed down for the masses. To make matters worse the game was to be developed by an internal Ubisoft studio. The result is a game that is a pleasant surprise. It more than lives up to the Deus Ex name both in polish, immersion, and role playing. An engaging game from start to finish it truly defines what a modern AAA RPG should be. Only a hair short of the greatness of the original, it is a must play for anybody who enjoyed the original game.

15. Chrono Trigger

Blasphemy! This is what many posters are likely screaming. Unfortunately, to me, Chrono Trigger isn't the undisputed "second to none" JRPG that many people proclaim it is. It certainly was the best JRPG released during its time but over the past twenty years hundreds of quality RPGs have come out. It only makes sense that a split-fraction of those games would dethrone it. Just because it has been surpassed, does not mean the game isn't paced excellently, has an engaging story and characters, and remarkably feels relatively modern two decades after being released. Chrono Trigger has just come victim with the inevitability of time.

16. The Witcher

The Witcher 2 has been overshadowed by The Witcher III. So what does that make the original The Witcher which was overshadowed by The Witcher 2? A game that is still fantastic. One needs to put this game in perspective to understand the importance of it. In an age where WRPGs were beginning to cash in for the more casual mass market player base on consoles, The Witcher promised something else entirely. It could be summed up as the following: Big Budget. Gray Choices. Adult Themed. This the status quo for CD Projekt, and The Witcher is what paved the way for the studio to become who they are today. Deep RPG mechanics that will make the player's heart wrench of the lose-lose situation they are put in, dark adult oriented story, and CD Projekt's spit polish. A game worthy of their freshman release.

17. Dark Souls

Like Chrono Trigger, I don't think this game is as amazing as people say it is. That said the game has clearly left its mark on the industry with its tight combat, polished dungeon design, and harsh but fair difficulty. Unlike most games that feature a progressing difficulty level, Dark Souls forces the player to "git gud". As the player navigates to what at first seems like sadistically difficulty dungeons filled with traps, tough enemies, and seemingly impossible bosses, the player eventually develops skill enough to hold their own. The "I did it!" feeling of the game when you finally beat a boss that was giving you such trouble. The "I can finally do this!" feeling of when you realize the game isn't such an obstacle anymore. The "I finally beat it! I can add it to my mandatory game completion list!" relief. These are the feelings that make Dark Souls so special and have the game kindle with so many players worldwide. These feelings that games all too often lack these days and results in Dark Souls standing out in an era where most games put on kid gloves.

18. Final Fantasy X

I struggle to confirm just how much of my fondness toward Final Fantasy X is nostalgia. This is the game that, by and large, got me into RPGs. Sure I've technically played RPGs before such as Poke'mon and Digimon World, but this was my first proper RPG. I was enamored by the story, the characters, the setting, the graphics, really everything. I had never played anything like it. I poured well over a hundred hours just to beat the game after restarting three times. It was truly a very important game to me growing up, however I'm not sure how well it will have aged with me if I played it today. One thing that I know about it that holds up is the soundtrack. Which I regularly go back and forth of it being the best soundtrack in gaming.

19. Skies of Arcadia: Legends

Last year the game barely made it on my top ten list. I stated that I wouldn't be surprised if the game wouldn't be on the top ten next year. This year the game has hardly made my top twenty list. This is really more of a testament to the immense quality of the genre though. Skies of Arcadia is a fine title with great world and a great story. The game just screams "blue sky" as it is more or less a playable Saturday morning cartoon. This isn't for everyone however. What some people see as light hearted and fun, others see as childish and stupid. To each his own though, but it is worth noting that Skies of Arcade did very well to push the JRPG subgenre into the third dimension. While virtually every other JRPG relied on fixed camera angles and painted backgrounds, Skies of Arcadia dared to rely on the Z-axis. It paid off very well.

20. Ys: Oath in Felghana

The poor man's Ys Origin. This game is inferior to Ys Origin in every way. This makes sense as Ys Origin is directly built off of Ys: Oath in Felghana. Regardless on its own the game is still one of the best action RPGs ever. Having the same fast and frantic gameplay as Ys Origin it makes for a perfect game to play whenever killing time and you want a change of pace on going through Ys Origin's scenarios. It is the game that turn Western gamers heads toward Falcom not once with the PSP release, but twice with the PC release. A testament to how fun and appealing the game is.

Honorable Mentions

Arcanum of Steamworks of Magick Obscura - This is quite simply Troika at their best and their worst. By far the most intricate role playing mechanics out there. However, a terrible broken battle system, long and boring dungeons, and plenty of "what the fuck do I do now moments." These things just barely prevent the game from making the list.

The Last Remnant - A daring game from Square-Enix when big budget new IPs were almost unheard of. The game has a great combat system and a detailed quest system. Unfortunately the lackluster story, characters, and world coupled with frustrating pacing really holds this game back.

Alpha Protocol - A mix of third person action and RPG goodness. While the RPG part is some of the most well developed mechanics in the genre, the action part is...well bad. While you don't necessarily have to have both in top form to earn a part on my list, you can't have something be outright bad.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky - The quintessential JRPG. Has everything a quality JRPG has. Appealing story, appealing world, appealing characters, and long length. It is a great game. Unfortunately "great" isn't top 20 material.

Final Fantasy VII - The juggernaut of the JRPG genre. The game single handedly brought traditional JRPGs out of the basement and into the living room. While I can understand people putting this game on their lists for the intriguing story, world, and characters, I can also understand others leaving it out due to its gimmicks and stench of the nineties. It's classic to be sure, but it is a classic in a sea of classics.

Space Funeral - If Space Funeral was a full fledged game that managed to keep its quality up, it would have definitely made my list. More or less the best RPG Maker RPG I've played the game has a unique and engaging setting and atmosphere unmatched by pretty much any other game out there. Its only fault is that it takes only around an hour and a half to complete. That said due to its short length and it being a free download (which you can get here) it should be a mandatory play for every RPG fan.

Ys II Chronicles - No that isn't a typo. I didn't enjoy Ys I much at all. I found the game to be extremely dated and honestly quite disappointing. Ys II however was a nice surprise. The game may not be the best at what it does, but it definitely is a very charming gaming that gives a great sense of adventure years after its release. The Chronicles remaster makes the game all the more enjoyable with updated graphics and giving the player choice of different soundtracks and art having the game be a very customizable experience.

Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin - Ultimately not as good as the previous entry, the game is still highly enjoyable. While the game introduces unwelcome features such as fast travel from the get go and some odd class changes, it also has more crafted combat and more robust online features. It isn't Dark Souls but it gets pretty damn close at times.

Contact - A very unique RPG to say the least. It was very unconventional at the time because the game focused more on the side quests and just running around the world rather than following a strict path story. It relied a lot on its little quirks and thus it was often compared to the Mother games. Unfortunately this likely hurt more than helped it as it garnered a reputation of being a half-assed Mother clone which is a shame as it really isn't. It is also a shame that it's spiritual sequel, Space Agency, is also likely canned.

World of Warcraft - This game feels a bit odd to include here for two reasons. The first is the elephant in the room, which is that it is an MMO. For some reason RPG usually implies solo or at most coop play. Rarely when one things "RPG" they think interacting with virtually the whole world. The second is that I technically didn't "beat" the game, which is a requirement to be on my list. However, being that the game took hundreds of hours just to beat the main story at the time and the fact that I played the game for hours at a time for two months straight, not to mention the topic of "can you really 'beat" a MMO", I guess I can give it some leeway. People know what this game is all about, it is an addicting time sink in a living breathing world that set off a long trend of me-too clones. In short, WoW is WoW.

 

[decoyplatypus]

I will start working on my list. In the meantime, however, I want to list the games I added to my backlog based on last year's thread and give myself a pat on the back for finishing most of them:

Alpha Protocol
Might and Magic X: Legacy
Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky
Shadowrun: Dragonfall
Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magic Obscura
Gothic 2
Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer
Darklands

As you can see, I've still got some work to do.* But I expect at least one of the completed game's to make my final list.

*Darklands, in particular, may be waiting a while. After watching Josh Sawyer stream Darklands on twitch, I can see a lot of its virtues, but I am not sure I've got the perseverance for it.

 

[Fou-Lu]

I am not going to even bother sorting things into a specific order, it's much too difficult. I like this way of doing things since we are looking for essential RPGs not 'best'. I will fill it in with more opions but for now I just wanted to get the list out there.

---------
Main List
---------
1. Xenoblade Chronicles - Xenoblade truly is one of the best RPGs to come out in years and years. It's an overall solid package with breathtaking vistas, a killer soundtrack, a solid cast and enjoyable systems.
2. Final Fantasy VI
3. Final Fantasy VII
4. Final Fantasy VIII
5. Final Fantasy IX
6. Final Fantasy X (Best Combat)
7. Final Fantasy XII
8. Mother 3 (Best Story) - Mother 3 is the most touching, the most charming, the most whimsical, the most beautiful video game ever made. If I was to sort this list it would probably be sitting at number one. No game has ever had such a lasting impact on me. Itoi is a genius, if I could meet ANY celebrity I would choose him.
9. Earthbound
10. Paper Mario TTYD
11. Suikoden 2
12. Breath of Fire IV
13. Persona 4 Golden (Best Soundtrack)
14. Chrono Trigger
15. Chrono Cross
16. Nier
17. Undertale
18. Dark Cloud
19. Terranigma
20. Shining Force 2

-------------------
Honourable Mentions
-------------------
1. Okage Shadow King
2. Super Mario RPG
3. Paper Mario
4. The Witcher 3
5. Xenoblade Chronicles X
6. Elder Scrolls III Morrowind
7. Dragon's Dogma
8. Final Fantasy Tactics
9. Diablo 2
10. Phantasy Star IV

 

[ULTROS!]

1. Suikoden II (Best Story) - The story of this line is fantastic. It's not your ordinary story but revolves around the brutalities of war and politics. It was mature for it's time. Not to mention I love Suikoden's castle building gameplay (and the cooking here is marvelous).
2. Chrono Trigger (Best Soundtrack) - I love the soundtrack of this game. It's almost surreal and imaginative and has a wide variety of sadness, heroism, and epicness. Favorites are Chrono Trigger, Black Omen, and To Far Away Times.
3. Earthbound
4. Final Fantasy X
5. Star Ocean: Second Story
6. Persona 4: Golden
7. Final Fantasy IX
8. Final Fantasy IV
9. Final Fantasy VI
10. Kingdom Hearts II
11. Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep
12. Ys: Oath in Felghana
13. Parasite Eve
14. Xenogears
15. Dragon Quest V
16. Final Fantasy VII
17. Mother 3
18. Suikoden V
19. Tales of Graces ƒ (Best Combat) - Yes this might be a controversial choice but I decided to place it here because of the fun combat system. It's the best that Tales has offered by far.
20. Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky

Honorable Mentions:
1. Final Fantasy XIII
2. Nier
3. Dark Cloud
4. Illusion of Gaia
5. Legend of Mana
6. Grandia
7. SaGa Frontier
8. Lunar: Silve Star Story
9. Breath of Fire IV
10. Suikoden I

 

[MetroidPrimeRib]

Ah, damn. Forgot Nier because it's not really the first thing that comes to mind when I think of an RPG. Not sure I would have put it very high because of that.

 

[orthodoxy1095]

Yeah I kept the newest stuff to my honorable mentions for that reason. I still think, because we do these every year, newer stuff is a bit more appropriate than other best of all time lists.

For me, Age of Decadence is pretty much the bits I liked the best about Fallout distilled into a game of its own. It is incredible. But as excited as I am about it I couldn't put it in the top list just yet. I had to at least mention it.

Same goes for TW3... I loved the stories and characters in all three games and found I enjoyed that aspect of the third the best. So instead of mentioning the other two this year I just gave TW3 a nod, and I'll sort it all out in the next few years of lists.

That's a very fair approach.

I just wanted to throw the question out there to get people's input in regards to whether they think there's a needed "cooldown" period before they're ready to make declarative statements about games' place in history. My gut says a year is too soon for me, but what about 2014? 2013? Where do other people see a line, if anywhere?

 

[kswiston]

Part of the fun of having a series of these threads is that you can go back and see which new releases were flashes in the pan and which had staying power.

The Witcher 3 is probably a good candidate for staying power if it ends up being the last game in that franchise (or at least the last Geralt game). The series has been popular in every one of these threads, and part 3 expanded the scope pretty dramatically.

 

[names2hard4you]

That's a very fair approach.

I just wanted to throw the question out there to get people's input in regards to whether they think there's a needed "cooldown" period before they're ready to make declarative statements about games' place in history. My gut says a year is too soon for me, but what about 2014? 2013? Where do other people see a line, if anywhere?

Let me ask you this, I see that you have a Yosuke avy. Right when you finished Persona 4 (Golden? Original? No matter aha) did you not think to yourself "damn, that was one fine JRPG. One of the best I've ever played in fact"? I am only assuming because of how much I and everyone else loves Persona but I'm using this example, again, because of your avy.

This is why I will definitely include The Witcher in my list. The game was phenomenal, and I KNOW that this will be a game that people will look back on and think of as one of the pinnacles of modern open world RPG games.

 

[18-Volt]

1- Final Fantasy VI: Nothing ever can top this for me. Steampunk - fusion with a hint of Star Wars influence makes everything perfect. Joker-esque crazy villain is just the icing on the top. -Best Story-
2- Chrono Trigger: The Essential RPG Gods All-Stars game. Uematsu on Music, Toriyama on Art and Sakaguchi on everything else. The theme is time travel. A frog and a robot is on your team. I wish this was a high budget Hollywood flick from a renowned sci fi director. -Best Combat-
3- Super Mario RPG: There was a time when all Square created was legendary. This was one of them and among the first of the endless Mario spinoffs. Magical world of Mario meets the mechanical world of Final Fantasy was the everything a dedicated fan would want. Too bad there were just of a few of them back then. -Best Music-
4- Dragon Quest V Hand of the Heavenly Bride: It's very hard to create an game free from all the fantasy fiction cliches. Especially your series is just a clone series of a bigger series from west, Ultima. But idea of a story spans generations is just genius. Having enemies to fight on your side is even more.

5- Kingdom Hearts
6- Baldur's Gate 2
7- Final Fantasy 4
8- Legend of Mana
9- Final Fantasy 12
10- EarthBound
12- Tales of Symphonia
13- Phantasy Star 4
14- Dragon Quest 8 The Journey of the Cursed King
15- Final Fantasy X
16- Xenogears
17- Diablo 3
18- Kingdom Hearts 2
19- Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga
20- Vargant Story

 

[His Majesty]

That's a very fair approach.

I just wanted to throw the question out there to get people's input in regards to whether they think there's a needed "cooldown" period before they're ready to make declarative statements about games' place in history. My gut says a year is too soon for me, but what about 2014? 2013? Where do other people see a line, if anywhere?

2014 and 2015 are the first two years in a long time which have delivered a cartload of great crpg's. Seems a bit silly to keep them all on hold just based on possible honeymoon feelings.

 

[orthodoxy1095]

Let me ask you this, I see that you have a Yosuke avy. Right when you finished Persona 4 (Golden? Original? No matter aha) did you not think to yourself "damn, that was one fine JRPG. One of the best I've ever played in fact"? I am only assuming because of how much I and everyone else loves Persona but I'm using this example, again, because of your avy.

This is why I will definitely include The Witcher in my list. The game was phenomenal, and I KNOW that this will be a game that people will look back on and think of as one of the pinnacles of modern open world RPG games.

Sure. That would have been my immediate reaction.

But then let's imagine that it's 2012, and someone asked me to tell you the Essential RPGs of all time. Would I put P4G on it? Nope. Because your imagined internal thoughts could be applied to The Witcher 3: "Damn, that was one fine WRPG. One of the best I've ever played in fact." Am I going to vote for it? Nope.

2014 and 2015 are the first two years in a long time which have delivered a cartload of great crpg's. Seems a bit silly to keep them all on hold just based on possible honeymoon feelings.

Fair enough if that's your thought process, I just have found the honeymoon effect to be a very real thing for myself over the past few years. Games that I loved right after I finished, I often found to not be as loved months later, and older games rising back to prominence in my mind.

 

[KuwabaraTheMan]

Part of the fun of having a series of these threads is that you can go back and see which new releases were flashes in the pan and which had staying power.

The Witcher 3 is probably a good candidate for staying power if it ends up being the last game in that franchise (or at least the last Geralt game). The series has been popular in every one of these threads, and part 3 expanded the scope pretty dramatically.

Yeah, one interesting case and point is the 2012 list. Xenoblade and Skyrim debuted at 3 and 4 respectively following their releases (or English language release for Xenoblade). But Xenoblade has remained consistently in the Top 5 since then (4th in 2013 and then 5th last year), while Skyrim dropped all the way to 26th the next year and then dropped again to 29th last year. So despite both having strong debuts, one game has stood the test of time, while the other has kept dropping. That's one of the interesting aspects of the annual updates to the list. They can help to survive as a time capsule for how opinions on games changed over time (Nier is another good example of this).

 

[Lanrutcon]

1. Planescape Torment - The writing and detail in the world are really something special, despite having questionable combat. It's also quite possibly the most demanding and mature rpg ever produced. I don't take people seriously when they claim to be rpg fans but haven't played this masterpiece. We'll never see its like again.

2. Baldur's Gate 2 - The definitive fantasy rpg. Brings it on all fronts: world building, story, characters and interpretation of the (then) current D&D system. The standard by which all isometric rpgs should be held to.

3. Wizardry 8 - Amazing character progression system and game mechanics. Arguably the finest blobber ever created (M&M fans come at me). I compare all character progression systems to the ones in this game.

4. NwN 2: Mask of the Betrayer - Torment's little brother. Mind blowing writing, and the sheer amount of paths you can go down with the choice/consequence model is insane. Makes modern rpg dialogue trees look like they were written by preschoolers.

5. Dark Souls - How to tell a story without telling a story. The most intriguing setting I've encountered in years, and a lesson to every developer who wants to spam cutscenes and slow walking segments. Plus the combat and atmosphere are genre defining.

6. Divinity: Original Sin - Criminally underrated game, and the best proof that pure turn based combat can still deliver.

7. Xenoblade
8 System Shock
9. Alpha Protocol
10. Deus Ex
11. Final Fantasy XII
12. Morrowind
13. Fallout: New Vegas
14. The Witcher
15. Knights of the Old Republic
16. The Witcher 3
17. Final Fantasy VII
18. Dragon Age: Origins
19. Diablo 2
20. Final Fantasy Tactics

 

[names2hard4you]

I think it makes sense, this is the list of Essentials of 2016. Just like you guys said, opinions change so whichever games are on it this year, may not be on it next year and that's fine. Wouldn't that solve that honeymoon problem? Even if we are in the "honeymoon stage" with the games from this year, next year we might not be anymore, and therefore not include the games on our lists then.

 

[Lanrutcon]

This is an exercise in selecting what the community on NeoGAF considers to be the most essential RPGs of all time

From the OP.

 

[Uthred]

I'm open to people sticking them on their list, but it does seem a little crazy to me to stick a game that just came out this year on an "Essentials" of all time list, let alone sticking them in the Top 10. It doesn't seem like we've had very much time to digest these things.

But to each their own.

I suppose it depends on what you think Essential means. If you're talking about essential experiences then I dont see how the age of the game really enters into it. Just like there isnt really anything out there that provides quite the same experience as Ultima VII its reasonable to finish a new release and think "That was a unique experience and one which I'd be happy to recommend to fans of the genre". I dont think you need much temporal distance to decide you consider something an essential experience. There is the bias that "Cult of the New" can introduce but I think thats a separate issue. Of course different meanings of essential could certainly lead to different conclusions e.g. if you take essential to mean "Necessary to understand and appreciate the genre" then age would certainly be a factor.

 

[Vecks]

1. Persona 4 (Best Story) - To me, Persona 4 is like the perfect anime rpg. It has a fun, likable cast of characters, and the mix of dungeon and sim elements keeps things fresh. The social links in particular help to flesh out the characters in ways the main story can't. The main story is also pretty good with a solid twist at the end. It's also rather long, but never a dull moment.

2. Final Fantasy IX - My favorite game in the Final Fantasy series. It has everything I like about the series, from summons to fun minigames, and manages to be incredibly charming. While some of the graphics have aged quite a bit, the pre-rendered backgrounds are still fantastic to gaze at, and the cutscenes hold up well.

3. Xenoblade Chronicles (Best Soundtrack) - I just love everything about this game. My only issue would be the blurry faces. But aside from that, I enjoyed every minute. The world is vast, beautiful and fun to explore. The battle system is simple, but keeps you engaged with positioning and timing. The loot, arts, skills, and visible gear allows for creativity in customizing your characters. And the setting being on two gods was so novel and unique for its time.

4. Final Fantasy VII - Playing this for the first time was a wonderful experience. I still replay this one every once in a while and it's enjoyable every time. The materia system in particular is awesome because it's so simple yet allows you to customize each character to your preference. It broke away from the job/class system of previous games to give quite a bit of freedom in your characters' abilities.

5. Mass Effect - As a huge fan of Star Wars, I feel like Mass Effect is such a great evolution of what Bioware started with Knights of the Old Republic. I did enjoy all the Mass Effect games, but the first one had the biggest impact on me. It was really enthralling to be able to travel to different worlds, to see alien races with such neat designs, and to be a part of that huge epic conclusion.

6. Fallout: New Vegas
7. Deus Ex
8. Chrono Trigger
9. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
10. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
11. Dragon Quest V
12. Paper Mario
13. Dragon Age Origins
14. Valkyria Chronicles
15. Vampire: The Masquerade: Bloodlines
16. Xenoblade Chronicles X
17. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door
18. Dark Souls (Best Combat)
19. Earthbound
20. Rune Factory Frontier

Honorable Mentions:
1. Mass Effect 3
2. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II
3. Final Fantasy VI
4. Kingdom Hearts 2
5. Alpha Protocol
6. Pokemon Gold and Silver
7. Divinity: Original Sin
8. Mass Effect 2
9. Dragon Quest VIII
10. Ys: Oath of Felgana

 

[Comrade Crunch]

That's a very fair approach.

I just wanted to throw the question out there to get people's input in regards to whether they think there's a needed "cooldown" period before they're ready to make declarative statements about games' place in history. My gut says a year is too soon for me, but what about 2014? 2013? Where do other people see a line, if anywhere?

I feel like a couple months after completion is plenty of time to figure out if it's an all time great or not, usually that's the point at which the honeymoon period ends for me and I can look at a game with a more critical eye.

 

[SatelliteOfLove]

I'm open to people sticking them on their list, but it does seem a little crazy to me to stick a game that just came out this year on an "Essentials" of all time list, let alone sticking them in the Top 10. It doesn't seem like we've had very much time to digest these things.

But to each their own.

I replayed Legend of Grimrock 2 last year to test for this reason (well half a reason, I craved jumping back in there hunting secrets with all the crazy character building I didn't know to do last time) and it passed with flying colors. The quality that infatuated me in the first run not only held, but deepened into adulation.

I mean, I have my own personal restrictions on things in other voting (especially SOTY) but rest assured I have SCIENTIFIC RIGOR here.

 

[higgsboson1997]

1. Pokemon Emerald (or R/S/OR/AS)- easy choice for me. Poured hours and hours into this game, and did countless runs. Probably my most played game of all time (along with Pokemon Diamond). The Battle Frontier at the end, especially the Pokemon Dome, was an absolutely amazing end-game expansion. The amount of Pokemon you can catch is also unparalleled in the pre-DS Pokemon games.

2. Xenoblade Chronicles X - really like this one, first time playing a game with mechs. Flying around in what I view to be the best gaming overworld ever made is simply magical. Starting from smaller monsters, then finally being able to take on those large brachiosaurus-esque ones that you had to avoid constantly is great. Best Soundtrack

3. Pokemon Y (or X) - this is what got me into competitive Pokemon. It made IV breeding and EV training so, so much easier. No longer feels like a chore at all. Mega evolution is the best thing to happen to Pokemon since wi-fi. I also really liked the new Pokemon, and how the game simply gave access to so many from the very beginning. Best Combat

4. Pokemon Black (or White) - you can probably guess what my favourite series is by now Great entries, and the first time I actually cared for a story in a Pokemon game. N's room was great also, and I loved how there were only Gen V Pokemon available until one beat the Elite Four. Made me feel like I was playing the originals all over again.

5. Fable 2 - I was heavily into fantasy books when I played this, so having abilities that made me essentially feel like I was Rand al Thor/Richard Rahl was fascinating. Remains my favourite game on the XBox systems. So, so good.

6. Pokemon FireRed (or R/B/G/LeafGreen) - I remember finding this to actually be pretty hard as a child. Got stuck many times, and probably restarted the games 10 times or so from pretty far into them before I beat it. Took me so long to figure out that you had to go through the house with the hole in the wall, and use the sleeping flute on the Snorlax.

7. Golden Sun - oh man, this was great. I wish more people had the chance to try it out back on the GBA SP. Great stuff.

8. Dragon Ball Z: Buu's Fury - first game I ever owned, a Dragon Ball RPG. Loved every second of it.

9. Dragon Age: Origins - took me a long time to find something akin to Fable 2 that I liked almost as much as. This was it.

10. Pokemon Diamond/Pearl - the reason I purchased a DS. Did not disappoint. Trained so much that I had an Infernape before the second gym.

11. Fire Emblem: Awakening
12. Shin Megami Tensei IV
13. Skyrim
14. Undertale
15. Super Mario RPG
16. Final Fantasy IV
17. Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story
18. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
19. Fallout: New Vegas
20. Bravely Default

 

[decoyplatypus]

A few caveats: I include only one game per series in order to unclutter my list, and I order each set of ten alphabetically to spare myself some of the harder decisions. I am going to forego the optional awards. Although I am curious to see others’ opinions (and I am sure they will provide useful information to those, like me, who scan these lists for recommendations), the diverse kinds of combat and stories I find in RPGs make it impossible for me to label any “best.” Besides, I’ve come to regret almost every superlative I’ve thrown out in previous years. Maybe I’d better leave them alone.

1-10

Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magic Obscura
Chrono Trigger
Dark Souls
Fallout: New Vegas
Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance
Might and Magic X: Legacy
Suikoden 2
Valkyria Chronicles
Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines
XCOM: Long War

I have three newcomers to my top ten: Arcanum, M&M:X, and XCOM. The first is here on its own merits and as a representative of the first two Fallout games, which I omit under my “one game per series” rule. Arcanum shares Fallout’s desire (no surprise, given the pedigree) to arm the player with a flexible character sheet, set her in a strange, highly-reactive world, and encourage her to do what comes naturally. It does each of these things about as well as any RPG ever has. Troika deserves particular credit for generating a Victorian-fantasy setting (rare enough, so far as I know) and turning its particular features to effective use in many aspects of the system design and story.

M&MX, I’m almost embarrassed to include because I have to reveal that it was my first (and to date, only) Might and Magic game. I now see what all the fuss was about. M&MX combines the cartographic appeal of first-person dungeon crawlers with a broader world and non-linear progression that only serve to deepen my interest in the setting and my need to map every tile. It conquered my life for a month. I hope I find time to play the older games.

XCOM: Long War, a partial conversion mod for XCOM: EU/EW, is as engrossing a tactics RPG experience as I’ve encountered. It’s also the culmination of nearly three years of addiction. The base game and its expansion already did an impressive job of importing Civilization’s one-more-turn clockwork into a tactics RPG. Long War reconfigures both tactical and strategy layers to make them more flexible, less deterministic, and all around more fun. I wish I had enough time to really get my head around it, but the name does not exaggerate: in the year-plus since I got the mod, I’ve completed one campaign. Consider this vote to be a third on experience, a third on faith, and a third on the knowledge that if you’ve got this game, you’ve also got the base game and expansion, which I consider deserving of a top twenty spot in their own right.

11-20

Baldur’s Gate 2: Shadows of Amn
Breath of Fire 5: Dragon Quarter
Divinity: Original Sin
Dragon Quest 7
Pillars of Eternity
Planescape: Torment
Pokemon Gold/Silver
Shadowrun: Dragonfall
Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne
Temple of Elemental Evil

I’m not sure I would disagree if someone said my 11-20 were stronger than my 1-10. I don’t have much to say about these games that I haven’t said already (and others haven’t said better). Dragonfall, Pillars, and Temple of Elemental Evil are new additions. Dragonfall does a lot of things well (art, writing, combat, etc.) and earns my affection by combining quality role-playing features (lots of dialogue choices and skill checks) with a short enough run-time for a busy person to contemplate seeing some of the roads not taken on the first playthrough.* Temple of Elemental Evil has the closest approximation of D&D combat in any videogame I’ve played. If you’ve never played D&D, the fun is in building characters and testing a wide variety of abilities to find creative and synergistic combinations that exploit positioning and unique enemy configurations. The fact that it is turn-based makes this all very accessible and easy to manage. It’s up there with Divinity: Original Sin among my favorite combat systems. It just happens to sit in a slightly rougher game.

*This is one reason why Age of Decadence is likely to show up on my list once I sort out some bugs.

Honorable Mentions

Alpha Protocol
Devil Survivor
Earthbound
Final Fantasy 6
King of Dragon Pass
Persona 4
South Park: The Stick of Truth
Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together
Undertale
Valkyrie Profile

Few of these honorable mentions are a threat to crack my top twenty, but each has some particular strength that I want to honor in spite of my reservations about their ultimate quality. Stick of Truth, for example, is an uncommonly funny RPG. Alpha Protocol has an original setting and an ambitious dialogue system (undercut, in my view, by bad voice-acting and a tepid story). Valkyrie Profile has a truly original character recruitment/development system that integrates nicely with the story.

Limitations

Finally, I want to add a brief, non-exhaustive list of major RPGs I have not played. Think of this as my wall of shame:

1. Ultima (all)
2. Wizardry (all)
3. Gothic 2
4. Neverwinter Nights 2 (base game plus Mask of the Betrayer)
5. Might and Magic (any before M&MX)

There are many, many games that could go on here: e.g., Darklands, from the retro division; Legend of Grimrock 2, from the renaissance. But I'll leave it at five for now.

 

[Jigorath]

1. Fallout 2 (Best Writing) - The Black Isle era brought out a lot of great RPGs. And Fallout 2 is my personal favorite. It's a pitch perfect sequel, fixing everything that didn't work in the original, and taking what did it work and making it even better. You'll be taking a trip through a post apocalyptic wasteland where you meet a wide array of colorful characters, take on a bunch of interesting quests, and make some very difficult choices along the way.
Not only does it feature a gripping story, but it can also be downright hilarious at times, provided you don't mind some very dark humor. Fallout 2 did everything right, the standout RPG from one of the greatest era in gaming history.

2. Suikoden II - A game that manages to be epic in scope, yet tells a very personal story. A story about two friends who find themselves on separate sides of massive war. Their differing ideologies prevent them from any sort of reconciliation. Suikoden II tells this tale masterfully. Never losing on focus on the characters, yet still managing to create a very entertaining war drama. Even with a giant of cast of characters, you'll get to know many of them very well as you outfit an entire castle with more and more people. Coupled with a fast paced battle system, and strategic war battles, the game is always mixing things up to stay entertaining. The pace never dulls throughout the whole 40 hour + experience. Suikoden II is a classic of the genre. One of the best RPGs, and one of the best games, ever made.

3. Dark Souls (Best Combat) - All four of the Souls games are worth playing, but Dark Souls is hands down the best in the series. It's an absolutely massive game that allows for tons of replayability thanks to a wide breadth of character customization. The level design is incredible, and the interesting lore made players feel like architects, as they piece together the history of this once great civilization. Miyazaki crafted his magnum opus with Dark Souls, and everyone owes it to themselves to check it out.

4. Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines - A game that went underappreciated for many years, until fans brought it to life through patches and mods allowing a largely broken game to actually be played on modern systems. And thanks to that, it gained a reputation of a flawed gem, and many have fallen in love with it. Featuring some of the best writing in gaming history, Bloodlines is wholly unique to the genre. There's nothing else like it, and there probably never will be.

5. Persona 4 - One of the PS2's most memorable JRPGs. The battle and persona system offer a lot of to experiment with. The dungeons are randomized but they're well designed and look nice. Where Persona 4 really stands out is with it's characters. It has possibly the most likable cast of any RPG in history. A group of friends that work together to solve a mystery, as they slowly become a family. You'll grow to love these characters over the course of the game, and when it ends, it's hard to say goodbye.

6. Might & Magic VI: The Mandate of Heaven - There's a lot of nostalgia here for me as MMVI is one of the first RPGs I ever played. Though nostalgia isn't the only reason I put it on the list. It's a fantastic RPG. One that doesn't hold your hand or make you take baby steps. You're immediately thrown into a massive world and forced to make your way through it. While it's a difficult game, it's never unfair and if you're willing to take on the challenge, it's one of the most rewarding role playing experiences you can have.

7. Fallout: New Vegas - Obsidian took Bethesda's engine and Fallout 3's gameplay and combined with top tier writing and elaborate quest design. Obsidian knows how to make RPGs, and it shows through and through with this one. In New Vegas, they designed a world that makes sense, with characters that feel like actual inhabitants of it, rather than just NPCs sitting around waiting for you to show up. The multiple factions at war with each other provides an excellent setting with plenty of choices for you to make. The added weapon mods heavily enhance the gameplay, and the faction neutrality system provides a lot of depth. New Vegas is one of the best modern RPGs you can play.

8. Parasite Eve - In a time when Square was rolling in cash from mainline Final Fantasy games it's amazing that we got something like this. A game set in New York city? It isn't a 60 hour epic? A battle system where you can move? Square rocked the boat with Parasite Eve and in turn created one of the most memorable RPGs they've ever released. If you're looking for a Square game that takes some chances, this is the one to get.

9. Final Fantasy IX (Best Soundtrack) - My personal favorite game in the series. I love the cast, the world, the story, it's a game that drew me in with it's charm over a decade and I can still go back to it to this day.

10. The Witcher 3 - The Witcher 3 is a massive game. Be ready to pour in a hundred hours in the minimum. And yet, it doesn't cut any corners to achieve that scope. The quests are more than just your average MMO grind. The world is varied and beautiful and begs to be explored. The characters feel like real people. The choices and consequences are wonderfully done. Geralt himself is one of the greatest protagonists in gaming history. I don't know yet whether this game will stand the test of time. If I'll still love it ten years from now. I certainly love it now though, and that's what matters.

11. Dark Cloud 2

12. Xenogears

13. Dragon Quest VIII

14. Final Fantasy X-2

15. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II

16. Baldur's Gate 2

17. Diablo 2

18. Pillars of Eternity

19. Deus Ex: Human Revolution

20. Final Fantasy XII

Honorable Mentions

21. Demon's Souls
22. Final Fantasy VI
23. Bloodborne
24. Wild Arms
25. SMT III: Nocturne
26. South Park: The Stick of Truth
27. The Witcher 2
28. Fallout
29. Morrowind
30. Suikoden III

 

[KuwabaraTheMan]

Special thanks to kswiston for making the awesome new banner for the thread, highlighting some of this year's big new RPGs, as well as last year's top finishers.

I'm honestly surprised we're not seeing Undertale more. That game is getting pushed hard all around the internet right now.

I do expect to see that title feature prominently, although I wouldn't read too much into early voting, given how much time is left.

Undertale's lower sales level and it being more offbeat will probably keep it from getting to the very top of the list, but I think it will probably have a solid first showing.

 

[zero shift]

Is my post formatted correctly?

 

[KuwabaraTheMan]

Is my post formatted correctly?

Yeah, it's great. Really a top quality post, so props to you for that.

I've been impressed by the level of quality posts in here already, and it hasn't even been half a day yet.

 

[kswiston]

Limitations

Finally, I want to add a brief, non-exhaustive list of major RPGs I have not played. Think of this as my wall of shame:

1. Ultima (all)
2. Wizardry (all)
3. Gothic 2
4. Neverwinter Nights 2 (base game plus Mask of the Betrayer)
5. Might and Magic (any before M&MX)

Might and Magic VI needs to go on your 2016 homework list at the very least. Graphics are dated (though not as much as the early 90s entries that came before it), but everything else holds up well. Dungeon design is excellent in the game, and the pseudo-open world is full of secrets and easter eggs to explore. Honestly, M&M 3-7 are all excellent (I have a soft spot for 8 as well), but I think that 6 is the best starting point for the older series.

 

[Incendiary]

I'm honestly surprised we're not seeing Undertale more. That game is getting pushed hard all around the internet right now.

It's a really clever game and a great overall experience that's going to be particularly hard to place in lists like these, given how the gameplay works from an RPG perspective, and the general backlash that comes with cultivating a vocal fandom.

The things it does with choice and consequences are particularly interesting, especially

Spoiler

flagging your cloud storage save to permanently affect your saves even if you delete them.

They're also the sorts of things that might be picked up and developed much further in the wake of the game, so who knows.

Undertale's definitely going on my list, I'm currently deciding whether I want to give it 3 points or 2 as I organize my thoughts.

I really like the addition of the sub-categories to award extra points, because it really makes me think. Like, Undertale has an amazing soundtrack and probably the best video game soundtrack in recent history (I'd say this generation for sure, possibly last generation too). But is it better than, say, Chrono Trigger or Final Fantasy VI which are two of the all-time greatest video game soundtracks in my opinion? Then again, I can make a case for Undertale's combat/gameplay being something unique to the RPG genre...hmmm.

Also having 20 games + 10 HMs is making my head dizzy. I really have to think about this.

 

[KuwabaraTheMan]

Also, as a note, I have decided after the earlier discussion that I will go ahead and changed "Best Story" to "Best Writing", since I do think that it better conveys the whole of what the category should be considered.

No one who has already posted needs to change their lists though, since I'm counting things manually. So feel free to say "Story" instead of "Writing" if that's your preference.

 

[names2hard4you]

Is my post formatted correctly?

I just saw this and it is an excellent list. You have great tastes specifically with SMT4

Spoiler

it's my #1 pick as well as "best soundtrack" too

. Would you mind if I used a similar layout as you, I think it looks great!

Now, I have my entries all typed up but I need to write up my explanations for each still, and with an exam tomorrow early in the morning it ain't happening tonight aha.

 

[decoyplatypus]

Might and Magic VI needs to go on your 2016 homework list at the very least. Graphics are dated (though not as much as the early 90s entries that came before it), but everything else holds up well. Dungeon design is excellent in the game, and the pseudo-open world is full of secrets and easter eggs to explore. Honestly, M&M 3-7 are all excellent (I have a soft spot for 8 as well), but I think that 6 is the best starting point for the older series.

I will be glad to take your recommendation. I should have done so years ago, with all the times you've written up the M&M games on your lists. The graphics won't be an obstacle. I played Legacy on the lowest settings. 6, even with its dated style, will probably look better.

 

[CJCW]

Gonna be reusing some of my text from last year's voting out of laziness. There are a few new entries on my list, some 2015 releases and others just games I finally got around to. As you'll see from my list I don't have much experience with CRPG's, on account of my laptop being a piece of garbage that shuts down when I try to play anything. I'm sure I'd love Planescape and Deus Ex, but I'll need to wait until I have a decent PC to play them.

Main List:

Pokemon Red - My introduction to RPG's. Remember all those news reports and articles about how kids were obsessed with Pokemon? I was proof of that: the show, the toys, the clothes, and most of all the games were my crack as a little one. Pokemon hits that perfect spot where addictiveness stops just short of being stressful, where grinding out levels for your team is actually fun instead of the chore it is in most games. The monster designs were brilliant, the mechanics sound (except for Psychic being way overpowered), and the music is still etched in my brain more than a decade later. Nostalgia makes this my favorite RPG over some others, but don't sell it short on its own merits.

Persona 4 Golden (Best Writing) - The game plays well, it has a nice look, the fusions are fun, but really, it's the story and its characters that make it one of my favorites, regardless of genre. After spending 80 hours with the Investigation Team, I can say that I've never seen a more likable bunch of characters in any piece of entertainment. It actually made me sad as I approached the game's end, knowing I would soon be done hanging around people I came to love. There's a weird nostalgic feeling that comes up when I think of P4, even though I only just finished it last year, as strong as what I feel for the games I played as a kid. I guess it's just proof of how engrained in me my love of the game is. Also, Chie is best girl.

Fallout 3 - I spent way more time patrolling the wastes than I should have, but I don't regret any of it. Jank abounds, especially on the PS3 version that I played, but that didn't stop me from blasting heads with the Terrible Shotgun and busting everyone's safe open. The shooting is okay, but it doesn't matter when you're given so much to do in such a big world. I explored every area and tackled every mission I could, and even came back for the DLC. Buggy as hell, but still a lot of fun.

Bloodborne (Best Combat) - My personal GOTY for 2015. Builds on the Souls series' combat, making it faster, adding some great tweaks like the regain system, as well as diving headfirst into some Lovecraft mythos. Excellent world-building and lore in the way you expect from Miyazaki. Absolutely gorgeous art, especially on the various creatures you fight, and a fantastic soundtrack. Just an incredible game.

Final Fantasy VII (Best Soundtrack) - Not only my first FF, but my first traditional RPG as well. Equipment, summons, and the like were first shown to me here, and it was mind blowing. Never had I explored a world so large in a game before, nor played one that put as much effort into telling its story. I replayed it about two years back and, graphics aside, it holds up remarkably well. The thing that struck me most of all being a more experienced player was how well managed the difficulty slope is. Not once did I need to stop and grind in order to hold my own against my enemies, making it a nearly frustration-free experience.

Final Fantasy X - The game with my very favorite turn based battle system. Being able to look ahead and see how your actions would affect both your team and your enemies, in addition to things like Haste and Slow, give a ton of depth to such a simple idea. You can switch people mid-battle, fight with just a summon, and teach any skill to any person if you try hard enough. The Sphere Grid can seem daunting at first, but gives plenty of flexibility in terms of how you'd like to build each of your characters. The story and voice acting can seem hammy, but 11 year old me was engaged throughout its entirety. Really, I can't find any glaring flaws in FFX.

Dark Souls - When I first played this game after buying it at launch, I played for about two hours before giving up in frustration in the Undead Berg. That night, while trying to get to sleep, I wondered to myself if I had my a poor purchasing decision and if I should just return the game. The next day, I resolved to give it another chance before doing so, and proceeded on to one of the most rewarding games I've ever encountered. Yes, the game is going to kick your ass over and over, like it did mine, but only to teach you Dark Souls' greatest lesson: patience. Take your time, observe your enemies, strike when there's an opening, and DON'T just run through after a boss kills you for the 8th time. Don't be afraid to look for outside help, as I wouldn't have finished the game without it. Once you find a playstyle that fits you, the frustration that seems to envelop the game will drift away, leaving a playground to have a hell of a time in.

Dark Cloud 2 - I'll admit, I haven't played it in more than a decade, but what I remember was a brilliant mix of simple loot grabbing and crazy world manipulation via time travel . The latter is what blew me away as a kid - the idea that I could deliberately affect the world in the past, then jump ahead to the present to see what I had done. I'll need to revisit it sometime (HD remaster when?), but it's stuck with me as a favorite for this long.

Dragon Quest VIII - Probably the most "traditional" RPG on my list, DQ8 is great because of how well it nails the little things. Instead of throwing in convoluted systems and trying to reinvent the wheel, it scales things back and gives you basic RPG mechanics, a fun cast of characters, and a huge world to explore. On top of that, the game happens to look beautiful, with an art style that still holds up today.

Mass Effect 2 - Sure, cover shooting isn't very RPG-like, but just about everything else in this game is. Leveling a squad, assigning skills, and influencing the story through the choices you make add up to an RPG disguised as something else, though those mechanics still shine through. It helps that the shooting is solid, but the real fun was interacting with everyone I could and digging through their backstory. Bioware made a galaxy full of interesting creatures, most of which mean little to the main narrative being told. I can't remember another game of its kind where I made sure to do every single side quest and extra mission possible. It's final boss may be dumb, but everything else is great.

Dragon's Dogma - It took me a few tries to get into this one, but once I did I was hooked. The combat is smooth, the world massive, the skills tantalizing, the pawn system innovative - so much to love about this game. It has it's flaws - fast travel was a pain until I looked up how it worked, I didn't know what the general story was most of the time, and my pawns just wouldn't shut up - but it overcomes it issues to become one of last gen's best RPG's.

The Witcher 3 - I'll admit I haven't finished it, but this game would need to take an insane nosedive from where I am to not make this list. Maybe the only open world game where I was truly interested in every side quest I could find. CDPR know how to write characters that actually seem like people instead of just signposts with tasks pinned on them. The combat is much better than the previous game's, and the general gameplay loop translated perfectly to an open world.

Fallout New Vegas - I still don't know why people insist this is so much better than 3 (I haven't noticed much difference between the two), but I liked 3 enough to check out its spin-off midquel-thing. Generally more of the same from 3, but I'm okay with that.

Diablo 3 - Good thing I jumped in with the console version, because I got an addictive and well-balanced intro to the franchise.

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 - I played this after P4, so unfortunately I would compare them to each other constantly, which rarely went in P3's favor. Still, it does hold it's own as a fun RPG with those good ole' Social Links I can't get enough of.

Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim - Once again, the PS3 version of a Bethesda RPG has serious technical issues, but I still found myself sinking a whole lot of time into this one. There's just too much for me to do to keep me from enjoying Skyrim.

Demon's Souls - While it felt a bit easier than Dark Souls for me (probably because of the order I played them in), it's still a damn tough game with the same type of great gameplay I grew to love before. Highlights include finally triumphing over the Maneaters, and the Old Monk battle, where I got to have a fun, even duel with another player as the boss.

Paper Mario - One of the few RPG's us N64 owners got during its lifetime. It's Mario, in an RPG that plays well and can be pretty funny at times. What's not to like?

Final Fantasy IX - Another traditional fantasy-based RPG, stripping everything down to sound mechanics and building an interesting world around them.

Deus Ex Human Revolution - Finally played this last year. Great combination of FPS and RPG. I played a stealth character throughout, which lead to issues with boss battles when they came up. That aside, no real complaints on this one, and I'm excited for the sequel next year.

Honorable Mentions:

Pokemon X - My first game in the series since the original Game Boy. There's some mechanics that are new to me, and whole hell of a lot of Pokemon I don't recognize, but the same great gameplay I fell in love with all those years back is still here to enjoy all over again.

Kingdom Hearts 2 - Definitely an improvement over its predecessor as far as combat goes. Though I kind of hated it when I was young, I've come to fondly remember the lengthy prologue playing as Roxas.

Tales of Xilia - My first Tales game, so now I can see why people like them so much. Not quite on the level of the others listed here, but still a solid game nonetheless.

Mass Effect 3 - Say what you will about the story and especially its ending, ME3 had the series' combat absolutely nailed here. Who knew multiplayer Mass Effect would be so good?

Child of Light - A damn fine RPG from someone you wouldn't expect. The story is very rote, but the combat and visuals make it worth a play.

The Witcher 2 - My intro to the series. A great story throughout, but the combat was rough, even on 360.

Final Fantasy XII - I remember enjoying this a lot when I played it, but man does that feel like a long long time ago. Get on that re-release SE!

Pokemon Gold/Silver/Whatever - Not sure why I took such a long hiatus from the series after this, but I remember having a great time with it.

Kingdom Hearts - Doesn't hold up as well as I'd hoped, but it has a special place in my heart built purely out of nostalgia.

Dragon's Crown - I really need to get back to this one.

 

[Yoshi]

1. Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story - Mario & Luigi mixes classic jRPG elements with some platforming / skill game elements and a world structure and mild puzzles reminiscent of an Action-Adventure, which makes for an incredible experience. Bowser's Inside Story is not only my favourite among the series, but also among all RPGs, because it has a fantastic pacing and an incredibly fun premise and humour. Bowser's Inside Story had me laughing almost constantly and offered compelling and non-laberous gameplay all the time. A true gem! (Best Writing)
2. Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance - My first Fire Emblem has a special place in my heart, as it not only completely convinced me of the series, but also made me a fan of the sub-genre of strategy rpgs. It's wonderfully strategic, yet simple and quickly grasped. This simpleness combined with complexity makes Fire Emblem so compelling. I also love the use of experience points not as a way to enforce busy-work, but to make the player decide who to use properly. I won't comment on all Fire Emblem games I name individually, because their strengths are almost universal for the series and I'd just repeat myself. (Best Combat)
3. Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn - Very similar to Path of Radiance. What I prefer in this game is the fact you are forced to split up your forces and that the difficulty is considerably higher. However, playing PoR before is more or less mandatory.
4. Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam Bros. - Merging these two series might seem a bit odd and the story explanation is of course rather dumb. However, it makes for some welcome shake-up of the battle system, now having battle commands from the Mario & Luigi series as well as from the Paper Mario series mixed together. Additionally each enemy comes in two flavours and dodging works slightly different with Paper Mario when compared to Mario and Luigi. Also, Alpahdream addressed the pacing issues of the predecessor well and designed a varied, interesting world full of fun gameplay content. It doesn't quite reach the height of Mario & Luigi Bowser's Inside Story, but it still is the second best Mario RPG in my book.
5. Lufia (that's the European name, it's the second game in the series, and called Lufia 2 in the US, I think using the subtitle Rise of the Sinistrals) - This truly is a masterpiece. It is devoid of any busy-work and concentrates on a simple, yet rewarding fighting system and involving dungeon design filled with great puzzles. Lufia basically offers, what I'm looking for, but failing to find in many RPGs and is my favourite SNES rpg due to this.
6. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door - I liked the first Paper Mario, but found it a bit too slow for my taste, the second game takes the formula and ramps it up considerably. The fighting mechanics are awesome and the humor is outstanding. Paper Mario 2 is a real masterpiece and if it were not for the tedious last big mission where you basically just have to wander around all known locations without any meaningful new gameplay content, it'd rank even higher.
7. Pokémon Red / Green / Blue / Yellow - The first Pokémon is somewhat a placeholder for the series, but I think it also has the most pure design, the idea of training various creatures with individual advantages and disadvantages and exploring a tightly designed world with quite a few nice little puzzles is a huge winner, although nowadays, I've grown a bit weary of its more laberous aspects.
8. Fire Emblem - the seventh game in the series here, the frist released in the west, great introduction to the series!
9. Super Mario RPG
10. Fire Emblem Sacred Stones
11. Fire Emblem Shadow Dragon
12. Fire Emblem Awakening - It's down here because of the option to train your units arbitrarily much, therefore breaking the balance, other than that, it's a fantastic game
13. Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga
14. Mario & Luigi Dream Team
15. Mario & Luigi Brothers in Time
16. Chrono Trigger - Last year I had Final Fantasy IX in the list, but after playing Chrono Trigger, I think I prefer CT, since it is a bit faster, but otherwise very similar.
17. Paper Mario
18. Super Paper Mario
19. Paper Mario Sticker Star
20. Shining Force


By the way, it's a bit sad that there is no category for "best world design", because one point that varies greatly between RPGs is the degree of interactivity and the ways to interact with the world. Lufia oder Mario & Luigi are highly interactive for instance, whereas asomething like Xenoblad Chronicles X is using the world more like a backdrop. So I'd love to find games that offer functional world design, over, say ones with good writing, because it directly affects gameplay.

 

[randomkid]

I'm honestly surprised we're not seeing Undertale more. That game is getting pushed hard all around the internet right now.

It's a really clever game and a great overall experience that's going to be particularly hard to place in lists like these, given how the gameplay works from an RPG perspective, and the general backlash that comes with cultivating a vocal fandom.

The things it does with choice and consequences are particularly interesting, especially

Spoiler

flagging your cloud storage save to permanently affect your saves even if you delete them.

They're also the sorts of things that might be picked up and developed much further in the wake of the game, so who knows.

Semantic genre debates are like the most miserably tedious kind of discussion there is, but honestly I had been so confused as to why people kept calling Undertale an RPG until I read about how the other routes of the game work. My experience was a straight up action-adventure! Although yeah, plenty of text adventure and choice and consequence stuff too, so I guess it's more of a hearkening to the OG definition of RPG rather than the videogame one.

 

[Aaronrules380]

By the way, it's a bit sad that there is no category for "best world design", because one point that varies greatly between RPGs is the degree of interactivity and the ways to interact with the world. Lufia oder Mario & Luigi are highly interactive for instance, whereas asomething like Xenoblad Chronicles X is using the world more like a backdrop. So I'd love to find games that offer functional world design, over, say ones with good writing, because it directly affects gameplay.

Agreed. World Design is critical for a lot of rpgs nowadays

 

[zero shift]

I just saw this and it is an excellent list. You have great tastes specifically with SMT4

Spoiler

it's my #1 pick as well as "best soundtrack" too

. Would you mind if I used a similar layout as you, I think it looks great!

Now, I have my entries all typed up but I need to write up my explanations for each still, and with an exam tomorrow early in the morning it ain't happening tonight aha.

By all means feel free to use my format.

 

[hemtae]

15. Might and Magic: World of Xeen - I enjoy Wizardry, but I'm not a min/maxer at heart. So my go-to for some grid-based dungeon crawling and turn-based combat is Might and Magic. World of Xeen is, to my mind, the most relevant of the era from this subgenre. Outside of a few UI issues it is very playable today, and exploring this gigantic world -- technically two games -- is some of the most fun I've had in gaming.

Rule 6 means no more World of Xeen vote. Also your Ultima VII vote might be a little suspect although that will probably just count for The Black Gate.

 

[AntiFacebook]

1. Diablo 3(Best Combat) - it took the almost perfect diablo 2 formula and refined it.
2, Diablo 2 - one of the most addicting games ever
3. Divinity: Original sin - amazing combat, innovative co op
4. Morrowind(Best soundtrack) - best open world game ever made. Interesting story, rich world which is rewarding to explore, a godly soundtrack
5. Planescape torment(Best writing) - best video game story ever written
6. Baldur's gate 2
7. Deus ex
8. system shock 2
9. might and magic 6
9. Fallout 1
10. Fallout 2
11. the witcher 1
12. the witcher 2
13. the witcher 3
14. baten kaitos origins
15. suikoden 5
16. baten kaitos
17. suikoden 2
18.arcanum
19. gothic 2
20. ultima 7

Honorable mentions:
vampire:bloodlines
Tales of the abyss
xenogears
dark souls
bloodborne
final fantasy 6
shin megami tensai 3
chrono cross

 

[Dad]

I should actually sit down and play my copy of Planescape Torment someday

 

[Worthintendo]

Posting my list, will give write ups later when I can

Top 20 RPGs

1: Final Fantasy 4
2: Etrian Odessy IV
3: Fire Emblem Awakening
4: Xenoblade Chronciles
5: Fallout 4
6: Secret of Mana
7: The Last Story
8: Final Fantasy 4 Heroes of Light
9: Crimson Shroud
10: Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner - Soul Hackers
11: Chrono Trigger
12: Etrian Mystery Dungeon
13: Bravely Default
14: XCOM Enemy Unknown
15: Pokemon Diamond
16: Shin Megami Tensei IV
17: Torchlight 2
18: Dokapon Kingdom
19: Shin Megami Tensei Devil Surivor Overclocked
20: Mario & Luigi Bowsers Inside Story


Honourable Mentions
Golden Sun
Pokemon Silver
Mario & Luigi Super Star Saga
Shining Force: The Sword of Hajya
Fantasy Life
Fallout 3
Final Fantasy Tactics Advance

 

[archnemesis]

I decided to go with an alphabetical order, since it doesn't affect the score. The list is largely the same as last year's. Then again, I haven't played that many RPGs from 2015 and the ones I played weren't good enough to replace these classics.

Top 20:
• Atelier Totori: The Adventurer of Arland (PS3) - Few other Japanese RPGs offer as much freedom. As an alchemist you need to divide your time between gathering ingredients, synthesizing items, fighting monsters, and completing quests. Some of the more recent entries have improved systems although Totori has a more likeable cast of characters.
• Chrono Trigger (SNES) - It has great pacing and does almost nothing wrong.
• Demon's Souls (PS3) - A perfect combination between action-oriented combat and traditional RPG mechanics.
• The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (PC) - Daggerfall, Oblivion and Skyrim all have merits that can't be found in other games, but on average Morrowind is still my favorite Elder Scrolls game.
• Final Fantasy VI (SNES) - The best game in a series of great games.
• Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions (PSP) - Easier to approach than Tactics Ogre and with so many classes it's very replayable.
• Fire Emblem: Awakening (3DS) - A sweet mix between strategy and command-based RPGs.
• Koudelka (PS1) - If it wasn't for the slow speed it might even make the top 10.
• Legend of Grimrock (PC) - This is the first western first-person dungeon crawler I've managed to finish even though I've played classics like Dungeon Master and Eye of the Beholder. It's especially impressive considering the tiny dev team size.
• Might & Magic X: Legacy (PC) - Old school dungeon crawlers are better than ever.
• Mount and Blade: Warband (PC) - It's certainly a bit rough around the edges and almost all aspects of it could be easily improved. Despite that it's one of the best games I've played and hopefully M&B2 will fix most of my issues with it.
• Parasite Eve (PS1) - It's one of the few RPGs that managed to pull off a modern setting.
• Quest for Glory: So You Want to Be a Hero (PC) - A perfect blend between Sierra's old adventure games and a stat-driven RPG. Pick one of three classes and follow your hero through five excellent games.
• Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne - I hoped that SMT4 would take its place, but unfortunately I never finished that.
• Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 - I started playing Persona 4 Arena: Ultimax this week and I realized how much I missed the cast from P4.
• Suikoden III (PS2) - Suikoden is a great series and it's really difficult to pick only one game, but the different perspectives and non-linearity of SIII makes it a bit more special than the others.
• Valkyria Chronicles (PS3) - It's not only beautiful, but it also showed that strategy role-playing games can improve and evolve with modern gaming systems.
• Valkyrie Profile (PS1) - I really hope we get VP3 this generation.
• Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines (PC) - It holds up surprisingly well, especially with the unofficial fan patch.
• Ys Origin (PC)

Honorable Mentions:
• Diablo II (PC)
• Dragon Quest VIII (PS2)
• Etrian Odyssey IV: Legend of the Titan (3DS)
• Grandia (PS1)
• Mass Effect (PC)
• Resonance of Fate (PS3)
• Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor (NDS)
• The Banner Saga (PC)
• Vagrant Story (PS1)
• Wizardry: Tale of the Forsaken Land (PS2)

 

[Earthpainting]

1. Chrono Trigger (Best Writing) - I’m hesitant to dare and call a game “perfect”, but Chrono Trigger is one of the select few that may apply in my book. Its music, sprites and battle system will immediately stand out, but Chrono Trigger’s greatest strength does comes from its writing. It’s not the most verbose game, but it’s expertly paced. Your short-term goals are always clear and within reach, and the time-travel set-up ensures that the agency of the central conflict is not compromised by detours. The game has a lot of memorable scenes and details that’ll stick with you for a long time.

2. Final Fantasy VI (Best Soundtrack) - Final Fantasy 6 shares a lot of structural similarities and design priorities with Chrono Trigger, which is probably why I am so fond of both of them. Again we have a game that is driven forward by short-term goals. In this one the forward momentum is not just for your active party, but can span across multiple perspectives. The game places importance on a diverse cast, all of whom feel “lost” in one way or another. The big central theme of the game ends up being keeping your chin up, and moving on, no matter how dire the circumstances may be. The soundtrack contains some of my all-time favourite pieces, and plays a prominent role in the story. FF6 just oozed with ambition, and even in 2015 it still impresses.

3. Final Fantasy IX - Of all the games in my list, this is probably the entry that is the most apparently flawed. You have a game that is being held back by its hardware, and a final stretch that could have been eased into better. Still, in spite of all of this, this is the title I think of when I think of “Final Fantasy”, “Fantasy” and “RPG”. It captures the sense of adventure and wonder better than any other game on my list. A large part of this is due to the music and art style, which seem tailor-made for my tastes. Mechanically this is one of the more conservative games in my list, but I want to give props to its “Active Time Events” feature. A mechanic that allows you to have a quick peek at what your friends are doing when you are separated from them. This is a simple, but highly effective trick that I’m amazed not more games borrowed.

4. Undertale - I’m always a bit hesitant to put new games on my list, but this is how I feel at the moment, and one of the reasons why we do this annually. Undertale is just a game that really resonated with me. Fully discussing why and how it did that would take too long and delve deeply into spoiler territory, but let’s just say that it knew how to play me, disarm me, and teach me a bit about myself. It intentionally tried to make me not want to replay it and see other endings, and weaved the fact that I did into the fabric of its story. It was one of my most anticipated games of 2015, and over-delivered on my expectations. I don’t know where it’ll settle on my list once the honeymoon period is over, but it’s definitely been the game I’ve thought about the most before and after launch.

5. Terranigma - Terranigma is a Zelda-esque Action RPG game about progress. It shows both the beauty and ugliness of progress, and doesn’t really have to say much about it other than that progress is life itself. Quintet games are dear to my heart for a lot reasons, but the fact that are seemingly willing to go any one, is one of the main reasons why. Terrangima takes the best elements of its predecessors, and tries to marry them into a single, cohesive package. You revive the world, nurture and guide its growth, and see where it’ll take you.

6. Dragon Quest V - Dragon Quest 5 may not be the biggest game on my list, but it’s the one that feels the grandest. Its story spans many years, and you get to see the world grow around you. I noticed that this is a running theme in half of the picks of my list, but what can I say? I like to immerse myself into worlds, meet characters, and get immersed in their virtual cultures.While DQ5 is possibly one of the most conservative entries on my list, perhaps alongside of FF9, it proves that the foundations of the genre is immensely strong.

7. Paper Mario - Paper Mario is charming, sassy and has a very striking art style, but that’s only a tiny fraction of its worth. If you applied the “design by subtraction” philosophy to Japanese RPGs, and then re-develop the ideas from that foundation, you’ll end up with Paper Mario. The inflation of numbers has been overturned and brought back to the roots of RPGs, while also giving the player a more active role in manipulating the element of chance. This allows you to fully plan reliably ahead in Paper Mario for many turns, giving it a pretty strategic feeling. The excellent customisation of your values and abilities through the Badge System, gives you ample opportunity to try new things in replays. While its sequels refined and expanded on its already stellar mechanics, I still prefer the original due to its setting and atmosphere.

8. Xenoblade Chronicles - I’ve never been a big fan of the Xeno games or MMO-style games and Xenoblade Chronicles is pretty much both of those. Somehow it managed to overcome its odds and give me a lite-version of the two, turning it into something that I ended up adoring. It was able to subvert a lot of the weaknesses of MMO-style games by virtue of being offline-only.. Your party is not pushed to the sidelines to tell a story about someone else, nor are they comprised of vague avatars without any sort of definition of personality. Xenoblade is definitely a lighter experience than the other titles that carry the Xeno prefix, but it's my favourite of them all.

9. Mega Man Battle Network 2 (Best Combat) - As a Mega Man and an RPG fan, this was like a dream marriage to me. While the story and characters are a little naff, the gameplay is nothing short of brilliant. Centred around the digitising of the world, you plug your e-Pokémon into all sorts of items and bust viruses or breach firewalls. The battle system is like a card game where you move in real-time and you take terrain into account and you combine your "cards" and you can transform into elemental forms. The sequel doesn't make any drastic changes over the original. It just adds more content and polished up the existing systems. The series would get more content and more polish as it went on, but franchise-milking-induced-fatigue started to set in by then.

10. Half-minute Hero - Clever, hilarious, and ideal for bite-sized sessions. They saw a novel concept, and they utilised it fully across several game-modes. Basically the world is ending in (roughly) 30 seconds, and you have to go through an entire RPG or anime "chapter" in that amount of time. You get some help from the goddess of time, who can fill your 30 seconds back up, for a price. During your 30 seconds you need to level up, buy gear, solve sidequests, and open paths to prevent the end of the world. Many quests even multiple branches and achievements to unlock, depending on how you tackled the mission. Some of the other game modes probably don't qualify as an RPG, but they're all fun and feed back into the main gameplay mode eventually. It was the game that turned single-handedly overturned my initial disappointment in a game console, into a system that I had on my night stand for months.

11. Chrono Cross

12. NieR

13. Mother 3

14. Pokémon Gold/Silver

15. Legend of Mana

16. Emerald Dragon

17. Mass Effect 2

18. Final Fantasy V

19. Earthbound

20. Breath of Fire 2

 

[Vertti]

1. Chrono Trigger - Time travelling aspect itself is cool but when you have a great rooster of characters, awesome pacing, multiple endings and one of the best soundtracks of all time it's very hard to beat Chrono. Also a perfect example how a RPG can be a short and still awesome experience.

2. Earthbound - Lacking in so many aspects but oh the charm. There is a reason why this game has a cult following. Playing Earthbound makes me feel so many things. I also must mention the soundtrack. I think it's the best in any game ever. It loses to Chrono because the 2nd half isn't quite in the level of 1st one.

3. Undertale - GotY and a truly awesome experience. I can't quite put it over Chrono and Earthbound yet but it's not far off. Really funny game I laughted a lot. Has one of the most satisfying endings in any games ever and again this one has also a killer soundtrack. If you still haven't played this game what are you waiting for.

4. Final Fantasy VI - A classic. It's very solid all around but again the 2nd half of the game doesn't quite live the expectations. The story feels very grandiose almost like some drama from the early 1900s century. FF has never quite reach this high after VI.

5. Ni No Kuni - Pretty basic stuff but the artstyle alone makes it ah so awesome. I enjoyed the battle system even though I understand the critisicm. Can't wait Ni No Kuni 2.

6. Demon Souls

7. Super Mario RPG: A Thousand Year Door

8. Pokemon Gold & Silver

9. Mega Man Battle Network 3

10. Fire Emblem Awakening

 

[upandaway]

ahh didn't mean to post yet

 

[KuwabaraTheMan]

Sinitar already made a case for World of Xeen. Literally no one plays Might and Magic 4 and 5 separately anymore, there's unique content, and it forms a coherent whole. If it doesn't get counted, oh well. I'm gonna leave it in.

I'm going to go ahead and go along with this, since I think it is a fairly unique situation, and it isn't just an example of a couple of tangentially related games being collected together. I realized after thinking over it a little more and seeing people's comments that blocking it wasn't really in the spirit of what I was trying to implement.

 

[E-flux]

Top ten rpgs:

1. Persona 3

In my mind this is one of the best paced rpgs out there, once you get into the rhythm of balancing your school and social life with the nightly hunts to Tartarus the game flows beautifully. One thing i enjoyed immensely was the characters, none of them were annoying and everybody was fleshed out enough to make me care what happened, worst part of the game is how in early game the game pits monsters against you with Mudo- instant death spells which can ruin your run if you are not careful enough, however that isn't as big of an issue later on. No other rpg has had a quite an impact as this one has for me.

2. Fallout 1

My favorite Fallout, and personally my favorite beginning in the series, your vaults waterchip has broken down and you have limited number of days to replace it. I found it amazing how cut throat the world feels once you get outside of the vault, your best plan is to just zip your mouth about the vault and ditch your clothes so that no one can find about your vault. Superb atmosphere, and great story telling.

3. Shadowrun: Dragonfall

One of the best Crpgs of that has come out in the last few years, and also one of my favorites, this is one of the easiest way to get into the genre of Crpgs, it's easy to understand, not that difficult, nor is it a long game. Everything from combat to story is made well and with love. This is easily the best Shadowrun game out there, so if a blend of Fantasy and cyberpunk sounds cool to you, don't hesitate to try it out.

4.Deus ex

Freedom this game gives to the player is amazing, there's not much that hasn't been said about Deus ex, however it is still one of the finest pc games out there.

5. Demon's Souls

My favorite of the souls series, most of what you love about the series got started here.

6. Chrono trigger

Everybody knows why people love Chrono trigger, from an amazing soundtrack to an amazing cast it's still hugely popular to this day with good reasons.

7. Sunless sea

This probably surprises a lot of you, Sunless sea might not be your typical rpg but it gives you a lot of choices to play how you want to, from having kids to selling your soul to the devil is all here.

8. Mass effect

One of my favorite sci-fi games, mass effect 2 might be a better game overall but personally, mass effect 1 has my favorite moments from the series.

9. Ultima Underworld

A classic dungeon delving action, game hasn't aged that well but it is still a pleasure to play.

10. Diablo 2

When i was a kid i loved the oppressive atmosphere of Diablo, everything is just so bleak and lifeless but there was still this feeling that you had to continue playing. Diablo 2 feels great to play to this day and is easily the best Diablo out there.