Help looking for a game as a gift?

[GeneralValor]

Hi all, I am looking to get a gift for a friend of mine that wants to play an open world game "like skyrim with the quests, story, crafting, and etc with an option of no (hostile?) encounters". There is a preference for open world, free roam (they like just running around in DCUO, for example) and like games such as KH, Tekken, Pokemon (likes turn based, uncomplicated combat?)FF, Dragon Quest VIII, Legend of Dragoon, and Star Ocean: Til The End of Time.

PC games aren't an option yet, due to owning a very terrible laptop but they do have a 3DS and a PS3. I've recommended games likes Minecraft (a hard no) and Fire Emblem (which they may pick up if it's used, but is unsure).

Unfortunately, all I have experience with is PC and Xbox games so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated while I get back to my terrible Google-fu.

 

[communist gamer]

I think far cry 3 may be on the PS3 and i know that ass 4 black flag is for PS3

 

[Nadia Gezichtboek]

They have a 3DS? Then I recommend Fantasy Life. It's like a cutesy Skyrim.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

I emphatically recommend Dragon Quest VIII. Gorgeous looks, open world, free roaming, turn-based combat, lots of crafting and questing.

 

[happyninja42]

I think far cry 3 may be on the PS3 and i know that ass 4 black flag is for PS3

Preeeetty sure Farcry 3 won't match his "no hostile" encounters request. xD Considering the game is all about a person's decent into his animalistic nature as he learns to kill and thrive as a hunter.

 

[Delerien]

Red Dead Redemption and Dragons Dogma would be two games that might fit.
I personally haven't played them due to not owning a PS3 so you might want to look into them yourself, but I've heard a lot of good about them.

 

[GeneralValor]

They have a 3DS? Then I recommend Fantasy Life. It's like a cutesy Skyrim.

I'll look into it, see if it matches their preferences. Thanks for the tip.

Red Dead Redemption and Dragons Dogma would be two games that might fit.
I personally haven't played them due to not owning a PS3 so you might want to look into them yourself, but I've heard a lot of good about them.

I completely forgot about Dragon's Dogma, loved that game. Pretty sure they are generally against Westerns/Shooters but if they weren't Red Dead would also be on the list. Thanks.

I emphatically recommend Dragon Quest VIII. Gorgeous looks, open world, free roaming, turn-based combat, lots of crafting and questing.

That might be what I'm looking for, thanks.

Thanks for the replies everyone, I'm going to see if I can sneakily get their appraisal of these games and a few others (like Phantasy Star Online, if that's still a thing).

 

[KOMega]

I'm confused by the no hostile encounters part. Do you mean no combat at all?

Since I see dragons dogma here with a generally good reaction from you, do you mean hostile encounters that are easy to get away from if you wanted, excluding story/plot encounters?

Maybe... Assassin's Creed 2?
Prototype 1,2?
Infamous 1,2?
Final Fantasy 8,9?

Not much crafting in my examples I suppose.