Best RPG ever!?

[Oyeve]

Stonekeep, Baldurs Gate II, Ultima7

 

[JoshGuru7]

These conversations always come down to some game we played a long time ago, probably when we were kids. Funny how that works out. I'm usually inclined to vote just like that myself, typically say Chrono Trigger, but hell I just finished Mass Effect 2 and loved that game. And now that I think about it, KOTOR is even more epic.

It's difficult to truly compare against eras because modern games are generally better than older games were due to the relentless advancements in technology. If Wolf3D was released this year as a new product nobody had ever played before, it would sell about 8 copies. Similarly, a modern game like Mass Effect 2 is a far superior product to most of the classic RPGs listed in this thread. Consider how amazing ME2 would have been if it had released in 1993, or compare playtime in 2010 of both ME2 and BG2. BG2 and Planescape may be my favorite RPGs of all time, but they are hardly the first games I would recommend to a new gamer because they are graphically dated especially when it comes to the UI (planescape less so with the widescreen mods).

I think what people are really discussing when they talk about the "best" product across eras is what their favorite product was; accounting for things like nolstagia, personal experiences, and influence the product had on later products they also liked. My favorite RPG is Planescape: Torment because of how much better it was than anything else at the time, favorite console RPG was Xenogears.

 

[Kabob]

But as I was reading through I noticed that no one has brought up Fallout 3, Diablo 2, Dragon Age or Mass Effect. Yes, one of those is a PC only title and another is arguabily not an RPG (Mass Effect, but I considering it an RPG that skirts the line as action RPG--but its totally an RPG in my book).

FO3 and Diablo 2 have both been mentioned. Mass Effect was good but didn't thrill me, I still need to play DAO.

 

[waggy]

Final Fantasy 6, dragon warrior 8 are my 2 favorite (i love these type of rpgs)

other then that it would be NVW or BG 2

 

[Beev]

I own DQ8 and have only played it for like, an hour, and that was a few years ago. Maybe I should boot it up.

 

[waggy]

I own DQ8 and have only played it for like, an hour, and that was a few years ago. Maybe I should boot it up.

DQ8 is not for the faint of heart. i put in around 100 hours in it before the ending.

but i did enjoy the game. it had a good battle system, story, etc. sure the graphics are outdated and you don't get as many or as flashy cutscenes as say FF series.

hmm thinking of fireing it up again once i beat DQ9

 

[Barnaby W. Füi]

I always wanted to get into Star Ocean, and I really dig the soundtracks, but it just didn't hold my interest. Still kinda bummed about that.

 

[Beev]

DQ8 is not for the faint of heart. i put in around 100 hours in it before the ending.

but i did enjoy the game. it had a good battle system, story, etc. sure the graphics are outdated and you don't get as many or as flashy cutscenes as say FF series.

hmm thinking of fireing it up again once i beat DQ9

I love long games. Especially if they have a bunch of bonus content, like FFX for example. I own DQ7 as well and have never, ever played it

 

[smackababy]

Best RPG, without question, is Dungeons and Dragons; of course using the d20 system. At least 90% RPGs use a system based off this. Imitation is the best form of flattery, right?

I, myself, loathe the d20 system and prefer GURPS d6, but whatever.

 

[Kabob]

Best RPG, without question, is Dungeons and Dragons; of course using the d20 system. At least 90% RPGs use a system based off this. Imitation is the best form of flattery, right?

I, myself, loathe the d20 system and prefer GURPS d6, but whatever.

Heh, nerd!!! :awe:

 

[digiram]

My best RPG was when I had Danger Close on, and launched one right into the bunkers on Wasteland and got a multi kill which led to my harrier, which took me to my ac-130, and a nuke shortly after that.

 

[Cogman]

Knights of the old republic. Even with the bugs, it was a pretty decent RPG.

Next, dungeon siege.

 

[gorcorps]

My best RPG was when I had Danger Close on, and launched one right into the bunkers on Wasteland and got a multi kill which led to my harrier, which took me to my ac-130, and a nuke shortly after that.

:hmm::sneaky:

I see what you did there

 

[Kabob]

:hmm::sneaky:

I see what you did there

:thumbsup:

 

[erwos]

No contest: Persona 3 FES / Portable.

 

[Oil]

Ff6

 

[onlyCOpunk]

I know I'm probably going to get slack for this, but I really enjoyed Skies of Arcadia on Dreamcast. It was a little tough to get into but once you learned the battle system and started exploring it because way more fun.

 

[FeathersMcGraw]

I know I'm probably going to get slack for this, but I really enjoyed Skies of Arcadia on Dreamcast. It was a little tough to get into but once you learned the battle system and started exploring it because way more fun.

I enjoyed the storyline in Skies of Arcadia so much that I bought the remastered version (Skies of Arcadia Legends) for the Gamecube and replayed it for the bonus content.

A fine runner-up RPG on the Dreamcast was the hack-and-slash Record of Lodoss War.

 

[pathos]

It's difficult to truly compare against eras because modern games are generally better than older games were due to the relentless advancements in technology.

Although I agree with the first part of the sentence, not so much there towards the middle. For me, at least, prettier graphics doesn't always mean a game is "better". Don't get me wrong, I like pretty graphics as much as the next guy, but it's only 1 part of the equation. And I've played plenty of modern pretty games that sucked. I'm pretty sure I'm not completely alone here, considering the amount of people that still sometimes play Baldur's Gate 2, to this day. Even with the advances in technology from the time it was released, I still compare it favorably to anything produced today. And, that all boils down to gameplay and story. Sure, nostalgia might fit in there somewhere too. But, there's a reason the game is considered one of the best rpg's every by a whole lot of people. And it's not completely rose colored glasses talking.

Consider how amazing ME2 would have been if it had released in 1993, or compare playtime in 2010 of both ME2 and BG2.

heh, would anyone in 93 be able to run Mass Effect 2? What was top of the line back then? Pentium 166's? Perhaps a 486? And I don't the 360 being around then either.

yeah, I know, I know, but I had to say it anyway.

 

[Golgatha]

FF6 or Chrono Trigger

i cant decide

Ditto.

 

[digiram]

:thumbsup:

You know that's your favorite rpg as well, Kabob.

Seriously, as mentioned though.. Xenogears. The Story, atmosphere, and music were all just epic in that game.

 

[Washoe]

Gotta go with Baldur's Gate.

 

[Dumac]

Gotta go with Baldur's Gate.

I see your Baldur's Gate and raise you one Baldur's Gate 2.

 

[pathos]

Hrm, just realized, don't think I ever gave my pick. But, I don't know which game i'd vote as the best ever.

if I left it at just consoles, I could at least narrow it down to

Shadowhearts Covenant
Persona 3
Persona 4
Ar Tonelico 1 (even with its flaws, i thought it was great)

Add PC games in there, and the list gets bigger

Baldur's Gate 1/2/expansions
The Elder Scrolls Arena, Daggerfall, and Morrowind (I like Oblivion, but it was the worst of the lot, not counting Redguard and Battlespire)
Planescape Torment
Icewind Dale
Vampire, the Masquerade:Bloodlines

Oh, I know, I'll go with a darkhorse pick.

The Temple of Elemental Evil - sure, it was buggy, but it brought back memories of my middle school geekdom, when we graduated from playing Dungeons and Dragons to Advanced Dungeons and Dragons. Ah, the days of playing through old school modules like ToEE, Against the Giants, and the Temple of err, whatever the hell the name was.

 

[AbAbber2k]

Next, dungeon siege.

404 RPG Not Found

Absolutely no character depth whatsoever. I really enjoyed it as an action-hack'n'slash game ala Diablo, but a great RPG it is not. Even the story itself was only "ok" IMHO.