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

[Adeptus Aspartem]

As much as i like ME as an old school pen&paper RPG player i can only say: A horrible RPG game, but a neat storyline.

And since we're on it: You didn't specify if its only videogames. If not, i'd say Shadowrun is the best RPG i played so far.

 

[Electric Alpaca]

Legend: Four Crystals of Trazere 1992, Amiga.

Also takes the spot as the best game I have ever played.

Brutal puzzles, fights that genuinely are a struggle each time you're forced into a ruckus, fantastically unforgiving 'death' system, well created inventory system making a lot of early items stay relevant even to the end, an amazingly robust spell creation system with a lot of customisation options.

Admittedly the story has now become incredibly tired; the twist predictable from a mile by virtue of others mimicking it since.

And whilst I speak so highly of it, I don't recommend it to be played if you haven't already. A lot of focus is on graphics these days, and a twenty year old game certainly won't be wowing anyone at all.

 

[EvilPicnic]

BG2

/thread

[EDIT]

Not to seem dismissive of other people's opinions, but those who think otherwise probably haven't played it or simply don't like real RPGs. There are games with better story, and games with better graphics, but BG2 covers all bases with such a high level of quality: the story, player options, fight mechanics and so on, all of the highest standard up to a level no other rpg has reached. It is the quintessential rpg. Plus it was blessed to come out at a time when it's 2D environments with 3D sprites looked gorgeous, and still do, thanks to an easily modded engine that allows the game to be played at any HD resolution you wish.

It evens manages to merge real-time and turn-based combat in an engrossing way that blasts ATB out of the water.

 

[negimafan587]

Well I don't know how many of you consider this an Rpg but im going to say Harvest Moon 64, and also final fantasy 7. I have severe Adhd and never really complete games or 100% any of them but both of these games I maxed out and completed fully dozens of times and would probly still! They are just that fucking good!

 

[Drunkern_Hobo]

I have enjoyed many RPGs in my time. I'll haveta say tho my favorite one is the first one i played from start to finish....Final Fantasy VII. I got it for Xmas back in 1997 and couldn't stop playing it until Sephiroth perished. It captivated me, upset me, angered me and moved me from beginning to end. It's still the RPG i compare other RPGs to.

 

[tmande2nd]

Dragon Age 2.

 

[00slash00]

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!

you, my friend, have won this thread. baldurs gate 1 and 2 have been my two favorite rpgs since i first played them in the late 90s

 

[The Rainmaker]

In a hurry I'd say Fallout 3 is my favourite role-playing game of all time, just because it is so immersive and has so much depth, which is how I judge an RPG.

 

[WynneL]

I will give Smeggs a high-five and agree with his choices of best shooter/RPG hybrid--Mass Effect, and best sandbox RPG--Skyrim. Two great, great games, one sci-fi and one fantasy. Good balance there.

I played the crap out of BG2 and both KOTOR games, and Fallout 1 & 2, and all those games were awesome, but Mass Effect stole my heart with its immersion. I think the third game will surpass it, a difficult feat. Once I get my hands on ME3 I might stop mentioning other RPGs in lists like this.

 

[Kyr Knightbane]

Allow me to take you on a journey back in time.
There are 3 games that have been slightly mentioned in this thread, and only one of which was named.
NES: Solstice. Incredibly deep puzzle solving, amazing soundtrack and fun items and abilities
SNES: Secret of Evermore. Lots of weapons, charge attacks, summons, spells, alchemy, free roam gameplay, robots, dinosaurs, bazooka's, time travel, swords, spears, Hidden items, a perma sidekick who changes shape and abilities based on where you are. Tough boss fights, space ships... I could keep going! This game is overlooked so often that it's sickening...
SNES: Illusion of Gaia. This game has one of the most incredible storylines i have ever experienced. Genuine character growth, hidden item collecting, shapeshifting, ability upgrades, and this is in the first hour or so. It deals with loneliness, loss, slavery, and the death of an entire civilization waiting for someone to show up. ITs... Go play this game, right now!

 

[brenz]

Final Fantasy VII - one of the games that really hooked me emotionally and Ive still yet to get that feeling from another rpg

 

[KrossBillNye]

For me, that would probably be Final Fantasy IX. (As you can probably tell by my avatar.) I have first played the game only a year ago and I fell in love with it. Just almost everything clicked with me in that game. The presentation, the battle mechanics, the story, the cast of characters, the soundtrack, everything.

Some notable runner ups would be the Mass Effect games. (Even though they're slightly more action than RPG.) and Chrono Trigger DS.

I'm going with final fanstasy nine. It was beautiful in every respect.

*brofist*

*Bropower fists in this as well*

Aside from FF IX I have to say that I have always loved, as well as always view Chrono Trigger and Cross are one of the best memorable JRPGs I played.

As for RPGS.

Dungeons and Dragons.

Wait are we talking RPGS from a console or RPGS in general?

 

[viranimus]

So many criteria, so many justifications.

Best RPG gameplay mechanics? Demon/Dark Souls?

Best RPG narrative? KoTOR perhaps?

Best embodiment of RPG, Final Fantasy 3 (Snes)?

Best ambiance? Fable TLC?

Best depth, best statistical micromanagement, best char development, Best antagonist/protagonist clash, etc theres soooooo many criteria that it makes picking the "best" one impossible

 

[Rangerboy87]

Since an RPG is broadly defined my top five are (in no particular order cause I cannot pick a fav):

1)Mass Effect 2 - It has you role-play. It's an RPG. Get Over It!

2)KOTOR - The only good Star Wars game I have ever played (and no I have not played TOR nor will I)

3)FF X - Was it weird? Yes, but it is only one of two FF games I have completely finished (the other was FF VII). It is also the only one I played again.

4)Mass Effect 1 - Please refer to ME2.

5)Legend of Dragoon - It has its flaws, but this was the game that made me a gamer and an RPG fan. I still play it on occasion (although the second disk is screwed up now) and still love it. Hey Sony, please put this on PSN. I will give you my money.

 

[Athinira]

You're not getting it, this is a huge weakness for RTWP so I'll make it a little more clear for you.

With a properly implemented RTWP system you can keep decent control of your men as long as they stay together.

But what happens when you decide to split them up? This is something you can do in turn based, but it is incredibly frustrating in RTWP.

I generally don't like strategy games where the challenge comes from the difficulty of controlling everything rather than actual strategy. And the best RPG gameplay often revolves around strategy and tactics. Maybe you like frantic games where you have to pay attention to everything and where taking a sip from your glass of whiskey will ruin everything, but I prefer my games to be relaxing.

RPGs are turn-based.

Computer RPGs are digital single-user emulations of an RPG experience.

Therefore, computer RPGs should be turn-based.

Case closed.

/facepalm

Basically your ENTIRE post can be countered by a single argument: YOU like those things more, but the rest of us doesn't.

Your conclusions that computer RPG's should be turn-based because oldschool RPG's were turnbased is what made me make that /facepalm in the first place. That's about as valid as concluding that computer games should still be 2D graphics, because that's what original 8 bit games were. RPG's (before the computer was invented) started out as turnbased because that was the only way to play them when you had to use dices to decide outcomes. That doesn't mean that RPG's can't evolve to something new. You are basically arguing against innovation, instead using a logic that produces stagnation. Short answer: No.

Also, I'd like to remind you that original roleplaying was when people took up wooden (later latex) weapons, dressed up and went out into the forest and beat on each other. Last time i checked (having done that myself), that wasn't turnbased either.

And what it comes down to in the end is that most people prefer action over control, which is why most modern day RPG's aren't turnbased. Baldur's Gate, Skyrim, Mass Effect, Dragon Age. None of them were turnbased for a good reason: Because most people (although clearly not you) doesn't like control-based games as much as action-based games. What you see as a weakness, we see as a strength (because it entertains us), and that's what YOU aren't getting.

I'll concede to the fact that Baldur's Gate would have been a better game if it was turnbased.... if you happen to be a liker for turnbased games that is. Most people, however, aren't.

Case closed.

 

[-Seraph-]

There really is no "Best RPG ever", as they all offer something that another doesn't that makes them exceptional. But some of my all time favorites that have yet to be matched (in no specific order):

-Chrono Trigger
-FF4,6,7,9,Tactics WotL, Crisis Core
-Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep
-Witcher 1 and 2
-Deus Ex 1 and Human Revolution
-Baulders Gate series
-Planescape Torment
-Tactics Ogre/Ogre Battle series
-Jade Empire
-The Ys series

And there are more that I just can't be bothered to name at the moment. But those are off the top of my head and I know I've forgotten a few that deserve mention.

For me It's either Final Fantasy VI or Modern warfare 2. I love the characters and story of final fantasy VI, and I found the level up system and the amount of choice available in MW2 enough to make the character my own.

The mere idea of Modern Warfare being considered an RPG invokes an aneurism greater than those who claim Zelda is an RPG...

 

[Agayek]

Any game listed in these 11 pages that is not Baldur's Gate II is rendered null and void, on account of lack of taste. BG2 is demonstrably the best RPG of all time and in all ways.

There's a few games over the last decade that have done one or two particular aspects better than BG2 did, but nothing has even come close in terms of the complete package.

 

[Solo-Wing]

Best RPG of all time? Well that there would be my favorite game of all time. [HEADING=1]Final fantasy IX.[/HEADING]

For me It's either Final Fantasy VI or Modern warfare 2. I love the characters and story of final fantasy VI, and I found the level up system and the amount of choice available in MW2 enough to make the character my own.

The mere idea of Modern Warfare being considered an RPG invokes an aneurism greater than those who claim Zelda is an RPG...

Modern warfare... An... RPG? ERROR! DOES NOT COMPUTE! ERROR ERROR ERRRRROOOOOORRRR!!!!!11!!#!#@$@(#@*@$*(EGUG!@YS!@&#*!!!! *Blacks out*