Let's Talk Top 5 RPG's

[Drathnoxis]

I would agree. An impossible ask.
It just happens that I was replaying System Shock hence me bringing it up (also, I need to vent a little because I'm not really enjoying it). I actually starting playing because someone (not on this site) said that System Shock was a better RPG than Skyrim. I was actually surprised someone would make this claim, called shenanigans but decided I need to research it again, just in case my memory was bad (e.g. I replayed BG1&2 a couple of years ago and have re-evaluated. BG1 is a bad game but BG2 is still great).

Part of this process was me actually playing Skyrim for 10 hrs again. I think people are becoming overly harsh on its criticism but I also like the freedom that its modular design has compared to the restrictive connected design you see in Witcher 3 or Fallout NV.

How specifically do yo think Skyrim doesn't hold up?

I tried replaying the game a couple of years ago. I spent around 20 hours installing mods and getting it all running, trying to see what all the fuss about the modding scene was. When I started playing though, I just couldn't think of anything to do, I already did most of the quests when the game was new and they are all so shallow and uninteresting that I couldn't force myself to sit through them again. I think the quests in Oblivion were more interesting in general, if not much better written.

There aren't any good characters either. Most people just don't have much to say, and what little there is isn't very interesting. The incredibly small voice cast doesn't help things either, but it's not as big an issue as the poor writing. One thing I just don't understand about Bethesda is how they give the same dialogue lines to different actors, so you have different character of all races and genders saying the exact same thing. I don't get it, if you aren't saving the cost of the voice actors you might as well give them something unique to read.

Combat isn't very good either, and shuffling things around with mods doesn't make it any better. Enemies are so damage spongy, and there aren't a whole lot of combat options that actually help in a fight against a stronger opponent so the challenge isn't very fun. But if you abuse enchantment and smithing to overpower yourself, there isn't a lot of fun in that either.

Without good quests or characters the world feels shallow, and there isn't even good combat to make doing anything worthwhile.

I really wish I knew what people who've played it for years are doing in the game to find so much enjoyment in it. I've asked people, but nobodies really given me an answer.

I remember renting The Thousand Year Door, but I never bought it. I'm not sure of the exact reason, but not playing it through is the primary reason I don't feel like rating it higher than Paper Mario 64.

That said, based on what I've played of it and some of the other Mario RPGs, I should probably just put "Mario RPGs" as #4. Paper Mario 64 just sticks out more to me for not only being one I've completed but also the first one I played.

Ah, makes sense. You should definitely play TTYD whatever way you can. I really like a good number of the Mario RPGs, but I think TTYD was the peak of the "series". That's not an easy thing for me to say, because I really like Mario RPG and Paper Mario 64, but I think it's true.

 

[Kerg3927]

I really wish I knew what people who've played [Skyrim] for years are doing in the game to find so much enjoyment in it. I've asked people, but nobodies really given me an answer.

I didn't get it, either. I lasted like 10-15 hours. To me it was like a hiking simulator. Yeah, pretty snow and mountains, but wtf am I supposed to be doing? And why am I supposed to care about doing it?

I think you have to be a certain type of person to enjoy it. Someone with a lot of imagination that can dream up their own story in their head while they play. Or someone who just enjoys doing MMO-style busy work quests as a time waster. Or someone who just never gets tired of walking around, exploring, and looking at cool scenery. I also think you can't be an OCD completionist (like me), or you'll try to do everything and explore under every rock until you are bored to tears.

Massive open world games aren't for everyone. I like a confined world, where I can do every quest, explore every area, and not get bored doing it. I like a strong, emotional story that grabs me and takes me for a ride. Leave the filler on the cutting room floor, please.

The Witcher 3 was better, but it still suffered from a lot of the same problems for me. Too big, too many side quests, too many markers on the map, too tedious. By the time I finished it, I was ready for it to be overwith, and I will probably never go back. And I really like the characters, setting, and main story of the Witcher series.

 

[CritialGaming]

I really wish I knew what people who've played [Skyrim] for years are doing in the game to find so much enjoyment in it. I've asked people, but nobodies really given me an answer.

I didn't get it, either. I lasted like 10-15 hours. To me it was like a hiking simulator. Yeah, pretty snow and mountains, but wtf am I supposed to be doing? And why am I supposed to care about doing it?

I think you have to be a certain type of person to enjoy it. Someone with a lot of imagination that can dream up their own story in their head while they play. Or someone who just enjoys doing MMO-style busy work quests as a time waster. Or someone who just never gets tired of walking around, exploring, and looking at cool scenery. I also think you can't be an OCD completionist (like me), or you'll try to do everything and explore under every rock until you are bored to tears.

Massive open world games aren't for everyone. I like a confined world, where I can do every quest, explore every area, and not get bored doing it. I like a strong, emotional story that grabs me and takes me for a ride. Leave the filler on the cutting room floor, please.

The Witcher 3 was better, but it still suffered from a lot of the same problems for me. Too big, too many side quests, too many markers on the map, too tedious. By the time I finished it, I was ready for it to be overwith, and I will probably never go back. And I really like the characters, setting, and main story of the Witcher series.

Well if I know anything about the internet, and I dont, the easy answer is sex mods.

 

[pearcinator]

5. Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - I dunno, it's a great game but I can't really get into Bethesda's RPG's. I haven't played Skyrim much and I after leaving the vault in Fallout 3 I was instantly bored and wanted to just go back in and live in the vault lol. However, Oblivion I played a lot of and enjoyed it but not as much as the rest on this list.

4. Dragon Age: Origins - This game is great because it looks and plays 'old' but it feels fresh and original. The game is absolutely massive without being an open-world game (it actually feels bigger in many ways).

3. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - I played through Witcher 2 and enjoyed it but I kinda rushed it because this was getting lots of hype. When it came out it completely exceeded expectations. The sidequests are amazing.

2. Mass Effect 2 - They took the best parts and fixed/scrapped the worst parts of the first one. This game truly immersed me in its world. I remember standing on Illium looking out at the city for 5 minutes because I felt like I was actually there! Mass Effect Andromeda couldn't grab me with all its open-world-ness (honestly I'm really sick of open-world games right now, feels like it's all I've been playing for the last 3 years).

1. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic - The game that got me into RPG's in the first place, I was never really a big Star Wars fan (I like the movies, but don't love the lore) but the story of this game was amazing and dare I say, better than all the movies. Great characters and a fantastic twist! I played this game for 8 hours in a single sitting and was still on Taris!

 

[Guffe]

My list is going to consist of games I've played. As I haven't played DarkSouls, Witcher, Skyrim, most Final Fantasy and so on, this list will look a bit weird in many peoples eyes. I do acknowledge the fact, that if I'd play the majority of good RPGs, my list might change quite a bit.

No particular order:
Pokemon
Tales of Symphonia (GameCube)
Zelda (I do see this series as a RPG series, and the game from the series would probably be Breath of the Wild)
Lord of the Rings Online
Xenoblade Chronicles

sooooo.... very Nintendo based.... and quickly put together list from the top of my head, with more games played and more time to think this list might well change a lot. But these are ones I've enjoyed very much and put a lot of time into. There are more of course, and hopefully I'll be able to play some of the looooong backlog of games that exists

 

[Thiel]

Can I do this in only five...no, not really. So I'm leaving FF IV, VI, VII and Chrono Trigger off this list only because they've been covered by a bunch of people and I don't need to sound like a broken record.

1. Dragon Age trilogy - DA:O is what brought me back into modern gaming after trying a bunch of newer titles and just never clicking with them. The detail and depth of the story, characters, and the entire world of Thedas is pretty mesmerizing. I like that this game added the random banters between party members as it can add a spot of humour while trudging around an area. Humour is another thing that I enjoyed about this game and given right party combo and situation there were some really funny moments (getting a date for Aveline anyone?) that weren't always present in other games I've played.

2. Mass Effect trilogy - I tried Mass Effect (even though I'm complete garbage at shooters) to see what the fuss was about, and was very pleasantly surprised. Mass Effect contains most of the same things I like in Dragon Age (story, characters, history) but in a totally new and different world.

3.Legend of Dragoon - It was never hugely popular and in my opinion very underrated, but I found the story to be top notch and would have loved to have seen a sequel or prequel to the game. The game mechanics could put some people off as trying to use Additions was a lesson in frustration, but once you get the hang of them they become second nature. Oddly enough there is a chance you never forget them. I started a new save a couple years back and lo and behold it only took a brief refresher before I could pull off a perfect Blossom Storm.

4. Lufia 1 & 2 - Lufia 2 was the better game overall, but Lufia 1 will always have a special place in my heart. I think one of the things that was the most memorable was the fact that it was the first game I had played that had a twist to it near the end. I can still remember the "OMG WHUT" feeling I had (probably cause I was just a kid) but it's a point that has stayed with me over the years.

5. Secret of Mana - Trapping a fire god in a stove to heat your village. What more do you need? But seriously, a couple of friends, a multi-tap and a free afternoon meant fun to be had once you were done arguing over who got to play the Hero, the Girl or the Sprite.

 

[Odbarc]

My top 5;

#1: Final Fantasy 6
#2: Diablo 2
#3: Fallout: New Vegas
#4: Dragon Age: Origins
#5: Elderscrolls: Oblivion

By majority, the best of it's series or company because I don't want to put 10 different Final Fantasy games on the list.
I'm also mostly going by the amount of time I played the games. Borderlands I would almost put up there except I think of it much more as an FPS whereas Fallout which is also FPS is an RPG.
I played plenty of ES4 and I prefer some of it's RPG mechanics far more than Skyrim which I played a lot more hours.
I didn't much care for DA2 and I haven't tried 3 because of it.

Honorable mentions: Final Fantasy Tactics, Front Mission, Ogre Battle, Mario RPG, half of the numerical Final Fantasies, Breath of Fire. I'm probably forgetting plenty.

 

[Silvanus]

1: Ni No Kuni
2: Final Fantasy IX
3: Guild Wars: Prophecies
4: Pokemon Heartgold/ Soulsilver
5: Final Fantasy X


NB: This is excluding games I would classify as "action-adventure", like Okami, the Arkham series, or Zelda. Sticking to games that have a stronger element of personalisation. If we were including those it would look quite a bit different.

 

[pookie101]

I would agree. An impossible ask.
It just happens that I was replaying System Shock hence me bringing it up (also, I need to vent a little because I'm not really enjoying it). I actually starting playing because someone (not on this site) said that System Shock was a better RPG than Skyrim. I was actually surprised someone would make this claim, called shenanigans but decided I need to research it again, just in case my memory was bad (e.g. I replayed BG1&2 a couple of years ago and have re-evaluated. BG1 is a bad game but BG2 is still great).

Part of this process was me actually playing Skyrim for 10 hrs again. I think people are becoming overly harsh on its criticism but I also like the freedom that its modular design has compared to the restrictive connected design you see in Witcher 3 or Fallout NV.

How specifically do yo think Skyrim doesn't hold up?

I tried replaying the game a couple of years ago. I spent around 20 hours installing mods and getting it all running, trying to see what all the fuss about the modding scene was. When I started playing though, I just couldn't think of anything to do, I already did most of the quests when the game was new and they are all so shallow and uninteresting that I couldn't force myself to sit through them again. I think the quests in Oblivion were more interesting in general, if not much better written.

There aren't any good characters either. Most people just don't have much to say, and what little there is isn't very interesting. The incredibly small voice cast doesn't help things either, but it's not as big an issue as the poor writing. One thing I just don't understand about Bethesda is how they give the same dialogue lines to different actors, so you have different character of all races and genders saying the exact same thing. I don't get it, if you aren't saving the cost of the voice actors you might as well give them something unique to read.

Combat isn't very good either, and shuffling things around with mods doesn't make it any better. Enemies are so damage spongy, and there aren't a whole lot of combat options that actually help in a fight against a stronger opponent so the challenge isn't very fun. But if you abuse enchantment and smithing to overpower yourself, there isn't a lot of fun in that either.

Without good quests or characters the world feels shallow, and there isn't even good combat to make doing anything worthwhile.

I really wish I knew what people who've played it for years are doing in the game to find so much enjoyment in it. I've asked people, but nobodies really given me an answer.

I remember renting The Thousand Year Door, but I never bought it. I'm not sure of the exact reason, but not playing it through is the primary reason I don't feel like rating it higher than Paper Mario 64.

That said, based on what I've played of it and some of the other Mario RPGs, I should probably just put "Mario RPGs" as #4. Paper Mario 64 just sticks out more to me for not only being one I've completed but also the first one I played.

Ah, makes sense. You should definitely play TTYD whatever way you can. I really like a good number of the Mario RPGs, but I think TTYD was the peak of the "series". That's not an easy thing for me to say, because I really like Mario RPG and Paper Mario 64, but I think it's true.

ahh skyrim a game i clocked over a thousand hours in.

what grtabbed me about it was how blank it started, id create a character background and role played that character.. a dark elf from morrowind with a serial killer hate for argonians.. an imperial who travelled to skyrim to unlock dwemer secrets.. an alchemist looking to write the most complete book on skyryms herbs

now my top 5 rpgs in no particular order
1. skyrim
2.. the fallout series.. ive loved them all
3. mass effect series
4. dragon age series
5.. sims 3.. yes THE sims 3.. i can play happy families in it or i can play a time traveling super villain looking to create a future dystopia or a martial arts expert who raids tombs all over the world.. its got stats.. inventory.. one of the best building systems, an open world thats good if you can run it, and a sand box to role play how you want

 

[Drathnoxis]

ahh skyrim a game i clocked over a thousand hours in.

what grtabbed me about it was how blank it started, id create a character background and role played that character.. a dark elf from morrowind with a serial killer hate for argonians.. an imperial who travelled to skyrim to unlock dwemer secrets.. an alchemist looking to write the most complete book on skyryms herbs

But the game doesn't acknowledge any of that. Did you just ignore most of the quests, too?

I don't think I can play games that way, I don't think I have the imagination, anymore. Actually I'm not sure that I ever did, considering I never had much fun with Lego or action figures.

 

[nondescript]

I'm numbering mine, but these are hard to list best/least best.

1. Willow (NES) This was probably my first RPG, and it stuck with me. It was loosely based off the movie Willow, but the mechanics are old-school RPG. I recently dug up a copy and can still hum Zhena's song. I love everything about this game-the maps, the story, the way you level your gear and progress, the monsters (okay, I take that one back - I still hate monsters, especially the "pig-dude.") It was one of the first games I played to the end, and I will always love it.

2. Baldur's Gate: Shadows of Amn (PC) I've played a couple games like this, but nothing can beat a good D&D campaign. The first game was fun, but SoA built on it with returning characters, strongholds, optional romances. This was Bioware before Bioware was Bioware. I keep reading that last line, but that sums it up. The wacky characters like Minsc and Edwin are what make Bioware games so great, and this had more than you could handle, but fan-made content they let you add. Wait a sec, I gotta go play it now.

3. Ultima Underground: The Stygian Abyss (PC) I've played every Ultima game, and I liked most of them. This one is my favorite, though. Unlike most games, there are no towns, no Lord British, and no populace happy to see you, the Avatar. You've been accused of kidnapping a nobleman's daughter and are punished by getting locked in the Abyss, a dungeon of labyrinthine scale. The upside is if you make it out you're considered innocent. The downside is no one ever has. It plays like Heretic and Hexen (the sorcerous version of Doom), though you have an entire arsenal of mundane weapons and runes you can find, loot, buy, or steal. Safe zones are rare, and some allies and monsters look the same. It's a puzzler, rpg, and hack-and-slash.

4. Mass Effect 2 I single out this one in the Mass Effect franchise not because it's better, or does everything right, or doesn't have a sucky ending, but due to personal attachment. I passed the first one because I didn't like FPS games. But when someone showed me ME2, I got hooked. Garrus was the Batman, Mordin was the Mad Scientist who dreamed of being in the theater, Jack was? well, Jack. I was shooting people, but I had a reason. I could be evil about it, or I could play Superman and have pity on them (and I mean a good, Superman, like Christopher Reeves, not the angsty emo Superman from Man of Steel.) Like I said, the characters were wacky, and I found the story amazing. I've picked up more FPS games now because of Mass Effect, and all of that is because of this one game.

I want to go on record as saying that I debated putting several others up. These are all favorites of mine. I cannot put down a 5, though. It might by Vampire The Masquerade: Redemption, or Planescape: Torment. Then again, I could shock everyone and put down Kingdom Hearts 2, which is about as much an RPG as Dark Souls. Let's say the last spot has been left undecided.

 

[pookie101]

ahh skyrim a game i clocked over a thousand hours in.

what grtabbed me about it was how blank it started, id create a character background and role played that character.. a dark elf from morrowind with a serial killer hate for argonians.. an imperial who travelled to skyrim to unlock dwemer secrets.. an alchemist looking to write the most complete book on skyryms herbs

But the game doesn't acknowledge any of that. Did you just ignore most of the quests, too?

I don't think I can play games that way, I don't think I have the imagination, anymore. Actually I'm not sure that I ever did, considering I never had much fun with Lego or action figures.

i tend to ignore quests that dont fit with the character im roleplaying... as for the imagination issue.. well i bust out some old character background creator books for table top rpg's that helps fill in details

 

[Aetrion]

Morrowind
Gothic 2
Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines
Fallout: New Vegas
Deus Ex

In no particular order.

 

[Kerg3927]

ahh skyrim a game i clocked over a thousand hours in.

what grtabbed me about it was how blank it started, id create a character background and role played that character.. a dark elf from morrowind with a serial killer hate for argonians.. an imperial who travelled to skyrim to unlock dwemer secrets.. an alchemist looking to write the most complete book on skyryms herbs

But the game doesn't acknowledge any of that. Did you just ignore most of the quests, too?

I don't think I can play games that way, I don't think I have the imagination, anymore. Actually I'm not sure that I ever did, considering I never had much fun with Lego or action figures.

i tend to ignore quests that dont fit with the character im roleplaying... as for the imagination issue.. well i bust out some old character background creator books for table top rpg's that helps fill in details

Totally respect people that can play that way, and I'm happy that games like Skyrim can provide your imagination with a canvas. But it's just not for me. I need the software to provide me with most of the story, and then roleplaying to me is making decisions for the characters within that framework. So if the writing/story is weak, for me that makes the game weak.

 

[pookie101]

ahh skyrim a game i clocked over a thousand hours in.

what grtabbed me about it was how blank it started, id create a character background and role played that character.. a dark elf from morrowind with a serial killer hate for argonians.. an imperial who travelled to skyrim to unlock dwemer secrets.. an alchemist looking to write the most complete book on skyryms herbs

But the game doesn't acknowledge any of that. Did you just ignore most of the quests, too?

I don't think I can play games that way, I don't think I have the imagination, anymore. Actually I'm not sure that I ever did, considering I never had much fun with Lego or action figures.

i tend to ignore quests that dont fit with the character im roleplaying... as for the imagination issue.. well i bust out some old character background creator books for table top rpg's that helps fill in details

Totally respect people that can play that way, and I'm happy that games like Skyrim can provide your imagination with a canvas. But it's just not for me. I need the software to provide me with most of the story, and then roleplaying to me is making decisions for the characters within that framework. So if the writing/story is weak, for me that makes the game weak.

totally understand that.. i dont have the chance to play table top rpgs these days so its my weird version of it i guess but i totally agree that its not for everyone

 

[MichaelWolff1982]

1) The original Wild Arms had puzzles, actions, and a deep customization system for all three characters that encouraged gamers to go out of their way to collect tech hints, new ARMs and spells.

2) Final Fantasy VI - Memorable characters who got fair attention and engaging background quests in the World of Ruin (every character got resolution).

3) Final Fantasy X - First FF to have spoken dialogue which meant engaging characters. Sphere Grid was a step outside of most RPG systems, but a little diversity didn't hurt anyone.

4) Suikoden I - Novel idea about 108 characters to recruit. Graphics were a little lame, but gameplay, rune magic and magic system gave new life to old troupes.

5) Tales of Symphonia - Likeable characters, engaging dungeons, two different systems of techniques to choose from, and a duel-wielding swordsman (sorry I'm a bit biased towards dual-wielding).

 

[CaitSeith]

But take another look at history and try to look at things critically.

Alright, I'll wait until those games are 10+ years old and see which ones still hold up. Bloodborne online features make the game better (not only messages, co-op and invasions; but also summoning other people's chalice dungeons without using ritual materials). But as with any online features, sooner or later it won't be supported anymore.

And also DLCs. Without the DLCs the ME2 and ME3 are just half as good (I mean, the ME3 DLCs is the only place where your class affect that game's narrative).

Well by that logic no game in the last 10 years can possibly hold up because they almost all have online components that wont be accessible anymore. I never used Online gameplay in Bloodborne, so I didn't hold it up by it's PVP or other online features.

Same goes for the Mass Effect DLC's, I never got the DLC so im judging it based on my experience without it.

What games would you put in the top 5?

From the self-imposed rules, in no particular order:

- Illusion of Gaia
- Chrono Trigger
- Mass Effect 2 (I'll cheat in this one)
- Neverwinter Nights
- Final Fantasy VI

Pretty much games that I have beaten several times, and even on 2017 I replay from start to finish if given the chance.

 

[KoudelkaMorgan]

Shadowhearts: Covenant
Vagrant Story
Chrono Trigger
Earthbound
Final Fantasy 6

Honorable Mention
Etrian Odyssey
Cosmic Star Heroine
Illusion of Gaia
Alundra

 

[Danbo Jambo]

1. The Witcher 2 - Assasins of Kings
IMO a far, far more enjoyable, epic, tighter and replayable experience than TW3. The branching story, and subsequent branching choices, give the game rediculous depth, and I genuinely cfan't think of a game which I've enjoyed as much every subsequent playthrough. Stunning/

Joint 2nd. Mass Effect 1
Fuck the sequels, this nailed it and gave us the best sense of space exploiration and roleplaying ever. I even loved the fact that they did away with ammo, and actually thought the combat was the best of the series tbh, it just needed a few more different set peices in the side quests.

Joint 2nd. Dragon Age Origins
Essentially the Mass Effect of Fantasy, it's graphics have dated, but I still find the rest of it a blast. Again very replayable with choices feeling as if they have real weight. Superb characters which make for a different playthrough each time. And again I actually really like the tactical combat, and have no idea why the changed it (for the worse IMO) for DA2. If Bioware wanted to get back on it's feet it'd make a proper sequel to this, using DA:O's foundation with better graphics, more combat options for Warriors, and not much else. I think there's plenty of cash to be made for anyone brave enough to do that and continue the Warden's story.

4th. Final Fantasy X
Cheesy, fairly linear, and definitely dated now, it still contained so much magic and so much goodness. I've always loved the FF series right up until 13, but this just had something very special about it. It's music, characters, story & just overall vibe seemed to capture JRPGs superbly.

5th. Morrowind
Christ alive has any game ever sucked me into a world as much as this did? Nope. The originality and alien monsters + environments superbly compliments the hand crafted world & RPG aspects to form a stunningly immersive experience. I hated the combat, the ciff racers, and the buggyness, but none of that mattered as you genuinely found yourself lost in the best virtual experience of another world which I've ever known.

Honourable mentions: FF7, FF5, Shadow Hearts: Covenant, Summoner 2, Chrono Trigger, Shining Force 1 & 2, Phantasy Star 4, The Last Remnant, Fallout 3 & NV, Zelda 4, Divinity 2 TDKS, Risen 2: Dark Waters

 

[mrdude2010]

#5 Mass Effect (I like a certain type of RPG)
#4 Diablo 3
#3 KotOR
#2 Undertale (totally counts, although I'll swap in System Shock 2 if you want to get really picky)
#1 Dark Souls

Honorable mention to Skyrim