GamePro's Top 26 RPGs Everyone Should Play

[Warskull]

I am going to go with the theory that they realized how worthless and obsolete they have become and decided to get page views by coming up with a batshit insane list and hoping everyone links their friends to discuss how crazy it is.

[schild]

I am going to go with the theory that they realized how worthless and obsolete they have become and decided to get page views by coming up with a batshit insane list and hoping everyone links their friends to discuss how crazy it is.

You'd be wrong. It was an advertisement.

[Margalis]

If you are going to list JRPGs you better list FFIV or VI since those are the best ones.

Friendly reminder: FFIV remake is out for the DS right now. Buy yours today! 

[Lantyssa]

IF an MMO is going to be on any RPG list, I would say FF XI.  The grind might have been killer, but there was a lot of story in there.  Just in Windurst for the ten levels I managed I was very impressed by what I found.

I'm not sure it would rank in the top 26.  Unless it's a free advert of course.

[Margalis]

Ha ha ha I'm so glad you posted that so I didn't have to.

(Slips Lantyssa ten bucks and a fan-festival ticket)

[schild]

Still wouldn't put it on the list. >_>

[Lantyssa]

Ha ha ha I'm so glad you posted that so I didn't have to.

(Slips Lantyssa ten bucks and a fan-festival ticket)

My address is... 

[WindupAtheist]

Xenogears that high? It was half a fucking game and everyone god damned well knows this.

FF7 was shit next to FF6. Everyone who's not retarded knows this.

The "Ultima series" entry should have been replaced with Ultima 5, or Ultima 7.

Diablo and Zelda barely belong on an RPG list.

WoW and WAR don't belong at all.

This is some seriously stupid shit. Lists are always going to generate some bitching, but I defy anyone in the world to look at this list and tell me it's not utterly retarded. Fucking GamePro. I used to like them when I was a kid, but back then my only real basis for comparison was Nintendo's monthly propaganda outlet, Nintendo Power.

[Venkman]

These stupid ass lists are the one downside to every year's holiday shopping season.

The only part of what WUA just said that I disagree with is the Ultima 5 or 7 bit. I think it should be 4 and 5. 

[Jain Zar]

I'd put Fable 1 on that list before I'd put any goddamn MMO.

That's funny, I was going to say I'd put Blue Dragon or fucking Suikoden V on that list before any MMORPG.

Fuck, I'd put Mystic Quest on the list.

Mystic Quest was always unfairly treated IMHO.  Its a good beginner's RPG, and actually has more puzzles than most console RPGs of that timeframe had.

But yeah, that list was a pile of shit.  No Wasteland, Bard's Tale, AD&D series, Fallout 1-2, or even any Dragon Quest?

No Vandal Hearts?  Lunar?  Paper Mario?  Metroidvania genre titles?  (If Zelda can be an RPG, the Metroid and Castlevania series has TONS of games that fit the definition too.)

[Rasix]

You're crazier than the list.

[schild]

It's funny because it's true!

[Amarr HM]

Man that list is awful for a start SNES Zelda was fairly mediocre, the Gameboy alternative Link's Awakening was two or three times as good. The Witcher is better than a good chubk of games there and NWN's part one.

[Triforcer]

Man that list is awful for a start SNES Zelda was fairly mediocre

You are the most wrong person on the history of the Internet.  If stupidity online could cause blindness, I've have to burn every computer I've used to view this thread and seal the ashes at the bottom of the ocean, because the power of your stupidity could radiate from those ashes and end civilization if the box wasn't deep enough. 

[Fabricated]

Xenogears was awesome and deep when you were in middle school.

[Pringles]

Hey guys, lets play Warhammer!

if I was going to list 26 RPGs I'd at least put Final Fantasy Tactics in there somewhere.

Maybe I'm just an idiot though and dunno good games.

[UnSub]

I was reminded today on another forum how awesome Hero's Quest (aka Quest for Glory: So You Want To Be A Hero?) was as an RPG.

Also, Vagrant Story.

I was also a fan of an Amiga RPG called Legend, which had the most customisable magic system I can remember seeing.

... I can see where this thread is going.

[Amarr HM]

Man that list is awful for a start SNES Zelda was fairly mediocre

You are the most wrong person on the history of the Internet.  If stupidity online could cause blindness, I've have to burn every computer I've used to view this thread and seal the ashes at the bottom of the ocean, because the power of your stupidity could radiate from those ashes and end civilization if the box wasn't deep enough. 

Hah fanboi ftw! it was definitely one of the worst of the series, but seeing as you put it so eloquently I'll admit mediocre is harsh, maybe I mean mediocre by comparison to the other games in the Zelda series.

[fuser]

Man that list is awful for a start SNES Zelda was fairly mediocre

You are the most wrong person on the history of the Internet.  If stupidity online could cause blindness, I've have to burn every computer I've used to view this thread and seal the ashes at the bottom of the ocean, because the power of your stupidity could radiate from those ashes and end civilization if the box wasn't deep enough. 

I love the game but its totally wrong on the list. I thought there was a check box of "choose your starting stats" that an RPG had to tick off to qualify ;)

Someone has to say it... where's Arcanum?

[Amarr HM]

I really enjoyed it aswell I think I was bit strong in my words, but it's defintely not an all time RPG it isn't even close to being the best Zelda game that's what I meant.

[Rasix]

Someone has to say it... where's Arcanum?

It's busy.  It's currently taking up space on the "buggy, poorly balanced and too fucking ugly to live" list.   The settting, writing, and story aspects were pretty decent, but the rest of the game was somewhat of a trainwreck and, holy god, it was easily the ugliest game ever released in the context of it's time.

Oddly enough, you're making me want to play it now.

Heh, everyone's bringing out their personal crazy includes. I imagine personal list thread would bring out of lot of eyerollers. I think I'd have to den it the first time I see Chrono Cross or Final Fantasy 8 make an appearence.

Edit: Personally, A Link to the Past was my favorite Zelda and I think the best of the bunch.  Not a huge fan of any of the newer Zeldas (Ocarina and beyond) and haven't been bothered to beat any of them.  Hell, I didn't even buy Twilight Princess.  Still, not a RPG.

[schild]

While Link has always been thrown into the RPG genre, I've always found them to veer more to the side of the road that includes adventure titles. Particularly the first and second one. And then it slowly b-lined straight towards action with growth, like every action game.

[Sky]

GTA:SA is one of my favorite rpgs.

[Yegolev]

Mine too.  Really.  Why would it not be a RPG?

[Rasix]

It's the most RPGish of any GTA.  It's got stats that help determine success in just about everything.  It has extensive character customization.  Fairly plot driven. 

I think most people that put together these lists would consider it an action/adventure game with RPG trappings. As an RPG alone, it would likely make a top 25 list of mine, although likely pretty low on the list due to the RPG aspects being fairly weak in my opinion. 

Personally, I don't know.  I really wouldn't even consider No More Heroes to be a RPG and it's basically the same deal.  For whatever reason it just feels like a semantic cop-out by including the them. /big_shrug

[Yegolev]

Hey, look, I'm arguing about what is and isn't a RPG again!

[Rasix]

Inevitable tangent is inevitable.

[Triforcer]

I do want to say that putting Crono Trigger in the top 5 was correct, as was putting Super Mario RPG on the list (if you haven't played the latter, download the emulation- a lot of fun and a new take on the Mario universe).  However, that is wiped out by the editors' negative million points for placing Oblivion on the list, and for having BG2 so low. 

[Rishathra]

Since we're mentioning favorites, I'll say mine was Morrowind.  I don't remember ever caring as much about the story and the world and about my character's fate than I did in this game.  I loved reading all the books and finding out things about the setting and the history of the world.  I loved searching for the reason the dwarves disappeared and exploring the ruins of their cities.  I loved piecing together just who Nerevar was and what exactly happenend between him and the Tribunal.  There was so much more going on than you would find out just by doing the main quest alone, and it made an incredibly engaging story for me because of it.

[Yegolev]

I enjoyed such favorites as the Boots of Blinding Speed and the Scroll of Icarian Flight.  It seems so much better now that I have played Oblivion.

Did anyone mention Shadowhearts yet?

[Rasix]

I enjoyed such favorites as the Boots of Blinding Speed and the Scroll of Icarian Flight.  It seems so much better now that I have played Oblivion.

Did anyone mention Shadowhearts yet?

I was going to avoid interjecting my own picks, but Shadow Hearts: Covenant (SH2) was a masterpiece.  The first Shadow Hearts showed the potential and despite some flaws in production value and UI design was, in my opinion (obviously) every bit the equal of FFVII.  SH2 just improved upon every single aspect of the game.  Similar to what Baldur's Gate 2 did for the original.

Only jRPGs I'd consider its equal would be Final Fantasy 6 and perhaps Persona 3.  Persona 3 has just so much different stuff going for it that it's hard to quantify just how good all of it is.

[WindupAtheist]

GTA:SA is one of my favorite rpgs.

Mine too.  Really.  Why would it not be a RPG?

Fuck yes. I've been saying this forever.

[Ingmar]

GTA:SA is one of my favorite rpgs.

Mine too.  Really.  Why would it not be a RPG?

Fuck yes. I've been saying this forever.

I haven't played it. Does the character customization/advancement go beyond looks/gear?

[schild]

The reason I don't count GTA3 as an RPG is because it opens some nasty floodgates and genre separation is a good thing sometimes. I don't want Crackdown, Saints Row and other SANDBOX/ACTION titles to be chucked into the pile with RPGs. It just makes no sense and shouldn't be done.

[Strazos]

I agree with whoever said above....Where the FUCK is my FFT? 

Also, Arcanum is buried in The Box of Suck at the bottom of a trash heap somewhere. Fuck, Arcanum, for making me gimp because I wanted to play a hybrid, so that I wasn't good with either tech or magic, and got destroyed by both.


PS: lol, Mystic Quest.