While I am happy to see such a response in this thread, I feel like a lot of your have missed my point.
I see a lot of your lists have what I would call "Classics", games like Chrono Trigger, Zelda (which isn't an RPG in any sense of the word), and Final Fantasy 7.
Look I'm not denying that these are great games. Fantastic games, and it's your list. But I was hoping people would take another look at the RPG spectrum. Final Fantasy 7 is one of my top 5 favorite games of all time. But I can't call it the best RPG anymore. There have been countless games that have done what FF7 has done but better.
Try to remove the classics from your mind. Instead build on them. Take what you loved about those games and look into more recent history. Ask yourself if you have played any games that have taken the RPG formula and done it better than those past games.
What games have done the Final Fantasy thing, but better?
What about Pokemon or Chrono Trigger?
I see a lot of your lists have what I would call "Classics", games like Chrono Trigger, Zelda (which isn't an RPG in any sense of the word), and Final Fantasy 7.
Look I'm not denying that these are great games. Fantastic games, and it's your list. But I was hoping people would take another look at the RPG spectrum. Final Fantasy 7 is one of my top 5 favorite games of all time. But I can't call it the best RPG anymore. There have been countless games that have done what FF7 has done but better.
Try to remove the classics from your mind. Instead build on them. Take what you loved about those games and look into more recent history. Ask yourself if you have played any games that have taken the RPG formula and done it better than those past games.
What games have done the Final Fantasy thing, but better?
What about Pokemon or Chrono Trigger?