In search of new (to me) RPGs

[JarinArenos]

So, my wife and I have been looking for new games to play recently. We both enjoy what I'll call "classic" RPGs, but I suspect that needs a bit of clarification, considering how much gets tossed under the "RPG" label these days. A preference for turn-based combat with a solid focus on story being the most important elements. Not a huge fan of "action-rpgs", with a few exceptions.

... maybe it'd just be easier to list the games on our "replay every few years" list.

Chrono Trigger, FF VI through IX plus XII and Tactics, Skies of Arcadia, Star Ocean 2 & 3, Wild Arms, Dark Cloud 2, Suikoden (3 only, but that's availability, not preference)...

And that's about it. There's other games, of course, but that's the best representation of RPG preference. Any suggestions for what other good games are out there that might fit the theme? New or old, I'm not picky.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Capcha: Tastes like chicken. Is that a commentary on the blandness of my preferences? <.<

 

[Vern5]

What systems do you have? I don't want to give you the comprehensive list without knowing what's within your capabilities.

 

[JarinArenos]

Oh, silly oversight on my part, sorry. Current systems: PC, Wii, PS2, Xbox 360.

Yeah.. important distinction. I'm sure the PS3 has some decent RPGs, but I don't currently have access to them.

Edit: Also DS, but not 3DS, though that may be changing in the near future.

 

[Doom972]

Golden Sun and Golden Sun: The Lost Age for the Gameboy Advance. You can play them on an emulator on your PC or Android smartphone/tablet.

 

[Vern5]

(I'm going on the assumption that the PS2 is backwards compatible. Not sure but what the hell)

Playstation:
Saga Frontier 2
Legend of Mana
Chrono Cross
Breath of Fire 4
Various "Tales of _____" games
SMT: Persona 3 & 4
Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne
Rogue Galaxy

Xbox360:
Lost Odyssey

Nintendo DS:
Devil Survivor 1 & 2
The World Ends with You
Radiant Historia

There's more. This is just off the top of my head.

As for PC, I can't really recommend anything based off of your current list. I would suggest checking out some of Bioware's work. Possibly Dragon Age: Origins, to start. But that's an extremely tentative recommendation.

And, of course, I must recommend Dwarf Fortress. At least it's free.

 

[ShinyCharizard]

Pick up Shin Megami Tensei Digital Devil Saga 1 and 2. I've been playing both over the past few weeks and I have to say they are easily the best of the PS2 RPGs.

 

[madwarper]

Since you have a DS, I'd recommend the Etrian Odyssey series and Rune Factory series.
Both have 3 games on the DS, EO4 is out on the 3DS and RF4 will be coming out on the 3DS sometime...

Etrian Odyssey is a classic first-person, dungeon crawler.
Rune Factory is a blend of Harvest Moon farming sim and action adventure RPG dungeon crawling.


Also, since you have a Wii, I'm pretty sure that they released Secret of Mana on the virtual console.

 

[Anthony Corrigan]

I was going to suggest all of biowares work because they are brilliant stories but if you shy away from the western style then maybe you wont like them. However definitely try Icewind dale and Baldur's gate, if you like turn based you can set it so it pauses at the end of each turn giving you a turn based system

 

[BQE]

I would submit Legend of Dragoon and Legend of Legaia, games I don't think got the press they should have.

 

[Sir Christopher McFarlane]

You have a DS. My favourite RPGs for the system are Radiant Historia, Chrono Trigger, Dragon Quest V.
You probably have a PS2 as well. I have been playing Okami for it. It has some RPG elements. You don't want to live your whole life without playing as a canine at least once.

 

[Miss G.]

For PS2
SMT Persona 3 FES and 4; 4 took the best of 3 and took it leaps forward in terms of mechanics and relatable characters. You still might wanna play 3 first to get the hang of things and to really appreciate the parts and callbacks to it in 4's story for the fans since they occupy the same universe and their stories happen 2 years apart.

SMT Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs the Soulless Army and it's sequel SMT Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs King Abaddon; if you want real-time battle.

Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne; if you want something that will kick your ass (if you can find a copy, try Amazon or ebay first)

SMT Digital Devil Sagas I & II: might also be nice for you to try

I would also recommend Okami

Shadow Hearts: From the New World

Atelier series games are fine too, like Mana Khemia: Alchemists of Al-Revis.

For DS
Okamiden (sequel to Okami)
Etrian Odyssey
Final Fantasy III
SMT Devil Survivor I & II
The World Ends With You (the battle system is quite unique and uses both screens for a fun and challenging play)
Pokemon Black or White (since these ones actually do focus on a story)

 

[In Search of Username]

Definitely pick up Lost Odyssey on the 360. Heavy focus on (a very well-written) story, turn-based and very old-school combat which manages to still be great fun and interesting. And it's made by Hironobu Sakaguchi, the creator of Final Fantasy which you say you enjoy. All in all an excellent game and you should be able to pick it up pretty cheaply now. Do it!

 

[tippy2k2]

Resonance of Fate (PS3 & 360) has a....very unique JRPG fighting system.

It takes a while to understand it and even when you do understand it, the game has some spikes of bullshit difficulty but if you can get past the faults (which I am trying to do with this BULLSHIT!!!! Chapter 11 fight), then you have a unique and interesting game for you to play.

I agree with Lost Odyssey as well. Easily one of the best traditional JRPG's released this generation.

 

[Keiichi Morisato]

dude try playing a tales of game, sure they are action JRPG's. but there is a huge emphasis on story, and character development.

 

[Morsomk_v1legacy]

We've been having some of these "Help me find Rpg" threads these past months. It's always lovely seeing people asking for help in their next gaming adventure.

I would personally reccomend the Tales game. Yes, I know you said that you werent that fond of action rpg but since you listed Star Ocean down I am hoping that they would also qualify as exception to the rule. It's kinda strange how the Tales game areant that huge considering that they are one of the best rpgs when it comes to quality(in my opinion atleast).

You could also try out Trinity Universe on the PS3, though it does feel like its mostly fanservice for the people who played the Disgea and Atelier series, it does have a interesting combat mechanic to it. It's sort of a combination between turn based and action based, though it favors more to the turn base.

Also, I'm noticing a lack of Shin megami Tensei and Persona games there, that's something that needs fixing. I'm not really sure about the main Shin Megami Tensei games but I've heard that they are solid games. Get Persona 3 and 4 for the ps2. Probably one of the best characterization in any jrpg I've seen, the are all such good characters it just makes me wonder if it isnt the best I've ever seen in gaming.

You could also check out the White Knight Chronicle series. I'm not really sure about that one honestly. It feels like that they took multiplayer parts and put them into a single players instead of the normal opposite. It's got a decent story though.

 

[Mauso88]

UnEpic. It's cheap, well made and a decent challenge.

 

[MrPhyntch]

For Playstation (/PS2) I'd say Legend of Dragoon; basically Final-Fantasy Power Rangers fight with Dragon Powers. Yes, it's as epic as it sounds.

On xbox 360, I'd ask if you like more classical RPGs? If yes, pick up Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection. You have access to Phantasy Star 1-4 and Shining Force 1 and 2.

On Wii's Virtual Console, I'd say pick up Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. It's the origin of Mario RPGs in all forms, as well as having laid most of the foundation for much of the Mario series' story for quite a while.

Also on Wii VC, since you said FF Tactics, I'd pick up Shining Force 1 and 2 if you didn't get the Sonic Collection for 360 listed above.

And speaking of Tactics, have you played FF Tactics Advance or A2? You have a DS, if you can play GBA get Tactics Advance, either way get Tactics A2. Both great SRPG games.

If you are gonna get a 3DS get Fire Emblem Awakening. Avoid Shadow Dragon; prolly the weakest in the series. Otherwise, get Path of Radiance and/or Radiant Dawn (GameCube and Wii, respectively).

Other posts have listed some other great suggestions too.

Captcha: A drop-down box with a vague question that can only be answered yes or no with either being right? Is there any way a bot couldn't respond to that properly? Captcha is getting weaker by the day, it seems...

 

[AdrianCeltigar]

I'll only list games for systems you have, and a lot of them are Strategy RPGs like FF Tactics because that's my favourite genre. Still plenty of 'standard' RPGs in the list though. Almost all of them are JRPGs.

PS2:
-Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria (My personal favourite PS2 game, developed by Tri-Ace who also made Star Ocean)
-Eternal Poison (Strategy RPG by Atlus, I enjoyed it)
-Suikoden V
-Suikoden Tactics (Fun if you can look past the appalling graphics, since it was an early title)
-Xenosaga Series (3 titles)
-Digital Devil Saga
-Atelier Series (Atelier Iris 1, 2 and 3, Ar Tonelico 1 and 2, Mana Khemia 1 and 2)
-Grandia III (Fun but some characters get on your nerves, I haven't played the earlier games in the series)
-Growlanser Generations (A collection of a few Growlanser games, they're a little outdated now)
-Persona Series
-Phantom Brave (Strategy RPG without a grid!)
-Disgaea 1 and 2 (Nippon Ichi Strategy RPG; grind fest)
-La Pucelle Tactics
-Stella Deus (Strategy RPG, pretty simplistic)

Wii:
-Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn (Strategy RPG)
-Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance (Gamecube title, I don't actually remember offhand if the Wii is backwards compatible)

NDS:
-Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon (Strategy RPG)
-Knights in the Nightmare (Saw a description of this above
-Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor
-Etrian Odyssey Series (Dungeon Crawler where you draw the map yourself)
-Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume
-Many others I don't really feel deserve a recommendation *coughSuikodenTierkriscough*

Xbox 360:
-Resonance of Fate (My brother's all time favourite PS3 title actually)
-Opperation Darkness (An alternate WWII Strategy RPG with fantasy elements thrown in)
-Lost Odyssey

PC:
Err... PC RPGs are usually D&D-based, or Might and Magic kind of games. No console-style RPGs come to mind.

PS1:
If you can find a PS1 Memory card, get your hands on Chrono Cross.

Hope that helps, though if you skip half of it I understand xD