Alright kids, weigh in. What is the best RPG yet made?

[RedEyesBlackGamer]

Well deciding what the greatest Rpg made is impossible to do (obviously ) but I think these are the main answers you'll get:

Planescape: Torment
Deus Ex
KOTOR (and arguably KOTOR 2, though a lot of people think KOTOR 2 was a bit disappointing)
Dragon Age: Origins
Baldurs Gate 1 & 2
Skyrim + any of Bethesda's sandbox Rpgs
Fallout 1 & 2
The Mass Effect series

I've probably missed out one or two games by the way (some of them are probably games I love too, so don't take offense) but those are the top contenders.

EDIT: I didn't add Jrpgs because...well not to be offensive but are Jrpgs really even proper Rpgs? I haven't played Final Fantasy, Persona or Chronotrigger though so I might be wrong. I've heard though that you don't even role play a character in those games and you apparently don't even get to choose how you level up and etc.

Who told you those things? They are wrong. And JRPGs are RPGs. People just need to get over it.

I've had to explain it once, I've had to explain it a million times... guess I have to explain it again.

RPG, when it comes to video games, comes from the mechanics inspired by tabletop games such as DnD, not the actual ability to roleplay. You won't find a single video game that offers a true 'role-playing' experience. Where the genre gets it's name is in it's variety of game mechanics. this is true of both WRPGs and JRPGs. Ultima and Dragon Quest have the same origin.

JRPG and WRPG is just that, role-playing games from different countries. Nothing more.

Thank you. The elitism that crops up from some WRPG players is very annoying.

 

[I-Protest-I]

ME1 is my favourite RPG, though I've put more hours into Runescape a while back than I'd like to admit.

 

[TehGingaNinja]

While I do love Mass Effect and the Final Fantasy games, I'm probably going to have to say The World Ends With You; great music, fresh game play, great characters, etc. Overall I found the game fun, and more compelling to play than a lot of other RPGs.

 

[MSfire012]

Japanese RPG: Chrono Trigger, Persona 4 and Final Fantasy VI

Action RPG: KOTOR, Deus EX 1 and Mass Effect

Open World RPG: Fallout 3, Daggerfall and Skyrim

 

[Gearhead mk2]

My vote is on ME2, though I do have fond memories about FF9.

 

[Byere]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Baldur's Gate 2: Shadows of Amn

It just does nothing wrong. Great tactical DnD combat, excellent story, amazing soundtrack, crisp 2D visuals and high-resolution artwork, fantastic cast of characters including an extremely memorable villain, an amazing array of mods from an active and imaginative mod-community, and enough replayability to have someone still discovering new things years after the game has been released.

Other RPG I've played might do one or two things better, but no other that I've played it quite so cohesive a product overall. Planescape: Torment for example has the better story, but in terms of gameplay and presentation lags behind while a game like Temple of Elemental Evil I might feel has better tactical DnD gameplay, but falls behind in terms of story and narrative.

Baldur's Gate 2 meanwhile is just the complete deal. I love it!

This pretty much sums up my argument as well. Baldur's Gate/BG2 and their expansions really are some of the best made WRPGs in existence in my view.

However, to take a page from Burningdragoon, there is no main answer to "what is best", because like everything else, it's all based on opinion.
Personally, I adore Legend of Legaia. It may have crappy graphics by today's standard (I'm still desperate for them to do a total/graphical remake of it for PS3), but it's still one of my most memorable games.
Another of my faves, and I'll ready my flame-shield for this, is Final Fantasy VIII. Yes... We've all seen the Spoony Review. There's a billion-and-1 plot holes and problems with it. It doesn't change the fact that it's one of my favourite RPG games of all time.

Generally though, If you're looking for a great series to play, get hold of all 5 main Suikoden games (and play them in the order of 4, 5, 1, 2, 3 for the most straightforward timeline).

 

[VoidWanderer]

Pen and Paper RPG? Star Wars Saga Edition. After being a huge fan of D&D3.5e I love the pacing of Star Wars, even though I wish I wasn't always running the game...

Computer Classic RPG? Planescape: Torment has the best plot and some excellent characters

Modern RPG series? Mass Effect.

Standalone RPG? Alpha Protocol... execution could've been better.

Best of all Time? Deus Ex.

 

[Sparrow]

Well, I have no idea. As a player of more recent RPGs (sorry folks!) I'd have to say I'm rather stuck between Dragon Age: Origins, Mass Effect and Skyrim. I need to put more hours into Skyrim really, but right now I'd say DA:O is ahead of the pack.

 

[bojackx]

Champions Return to arms

Wow, someone else knows that game! It's a very fun game I'm not sure many have heard of.

My choice is Oblivion. Whilst it's nowhere near as fun as other games are now, I got hundreds of hours of enjoyment out of it.

 

[Russirishican]

If I had to choose, I'd go for Knights of the Old Republic 2: The Sith Lords.

Today.

Tomorrow I might choose something different.

Your avatar deceives this thread!

I'd say its a three-way tie between Morrowind, Chrono Trigger and... Mario RPG! Fucking love that game!

Thank you, Chrono Trigger, hands down. Although those other two are very close.

Actually on further thought, Paper Mario: 1000 Year Door was one of the best games I've ever played, maybe it deserves top spot.

 

[CoL0sS]

RPG is a very broad term and I have this silly habit of dividing them into old-school and modern versions. Also few of these games will coincide, and I'll probably forget a few.

Old school: Baldurs Gate II, Planescape Torment
Modern take: Dragon Age: Origins

Open world
Old school: Morrowind
Modern: Skyrim

Hack & slash
Old school: Diablo II
Modern: (hopefully) Diablo III, I personally enjoy Titan Quest

Japanese
Old school: Final Fantasy VI(III)/Final Fantasy IX/Chrono Trigger II
Modern: how would I know

Action/adventure
Piss off

FPS/RPG hybrid
Old School: Deus Ex
Modern: -

A lot of personal preference here so you should take it with mountain of salt.
Honorable mention: The Witcher, Fallout series, Greyhawk: ToEE, Arcanum and Mass Effect series (if you like that sort of thing)

 

[spartan231490]

Skyrim. I'm sorry but I've found no other RPG anywhere near as detailed or immersive. And I couldn't get into morrowind. The gameplay was just too jerky and unnatural for me to do anything other than cringe.

 

[Vegosiux]

Baldur's Gate Trilogy

Trilogy? Did I miss something? Where is part 3?

Throne of Bhaal is generally considered to be part 3, not merely an expansion.

 

[Blue Deity]

Dragon Quest 8

 

[octafish]

Classic: Buck Rogers: Countdown to Doomsday...

I pretty much high-jacked my little brother's Mega Drive (Genesis) for 12 months just to play Buck Rogers. It is the closest I've ever come to owning a console.
I'm going to say NWN because of the awesome community built modules and the even more awesome LAN RPGing. It is the most pen and paper like experience I've had with a PC...also Deekin, I love Deekin.

For single player it is harder, I'd have to split it evenly between Planescape: Torment, System Shock 2, Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines, Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick, and New Vegas.

The best CRPG is not even an "RPG", but a game that has all the ingredients of a great CRPG: Jagged Alliance 2.

Ja, Grunty agrees.

EDIT: Oh and the best JRPG? To The Moon...To fucking The fucking Moon...yeah, I'm just going to leave that right here...

 

[spartan231490]

It depends. Do you consider Bioshock an RPG? If so, that.

If not, then I've got two answers:

Pokemon: For its heroine-level addictive gameplay. When an RPG has been around for 13 years, with the underlying basics still unchanged to this day, you know you're doing something right.

Persona 4: Because, for all the RPGs I've played, I've never REALLY gotten as attached to the characters as I did with this game. Oh, and the story is good, too.

Ok, you have a point with pokemon. Only time will tell if skyrim holds up as well as pokemon. I don't think I will be playing skyrim 13 years later, but I am playing pokemon now, and will continue to do so, so it's probably pokemon. But time may show skyrim to be my fav.

Bioshock was good, in fact it was absolutely amazing, but it didn't have enough replay value to make my top RPGs of all time list.

 

[Silent_Protagonist]

I'd have to put my money down on Final Fantasy 6. Perfect in every aspect.