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Rule #1: Only one game per franchise.
Rule #2: Their order is based solely on how much I enjoy playing them.
Rule #3: As the name implies, no Final Fantasy titles will appear, because if that were the case and rule 1 wasn't in place then it would take the entire list.
10. Xenosaga Episode 1: Der Wille Zur Macht
Xenosaga is a pretty unique RPG, honestly. It has an involved, if at times overwhelming, storyline and it's pretty damn fun to play. However it barely makes this list because of a few flaws. The music, while beautiful, is very limited. There are only a dozen tracks or so and most of the game is played in silence. Furthermore the combat difficulty curve is grotesque, shooting up ridiculously high about halfway into the game. And the voice acting can be a bit ridiculous at times.
Still, the AGWS mini-game and fast-paced combat system make up for these other flaws and I'll still pop this game in anytime.
9. Threads of Fate
I know, this is one of the video games that I will not shut up about, but I'm ticked that it didn't become a bigger thing, considering how good it was. There was a fan-made sequel, and that's it. Still the fact that it's essentially a b-game adds to it's appeal to me. It's like a treasure for those willing to try something unusual. The ability to play as one of two characters with completely different fighting styles essentially means there are two games in one, with some labyrinths being different between the two even. The only problem with this game is the length. After your first time through, you can clear the game in six hours on either storyline if you push yourself.
8. Kingdom Hearts 2
Yes Kingdom Hearts is what started it all, but I think we can all agree that Kingdom Hearts 2 had much more to offer as an RPG. The gummi-levels were vastly improved, the combat was more streamlined and fast-paced then ever and the limit break, form-changing fun added a new dimension to it. They also solved the problem with there being no incentive to use world-specific characters by adding special limits and removing those damned trinity spots, which while fun, made you grow angry everytime you saw one you couldn't activate right away.
Three problems though:
Number 1: What the hell happened to Atlantica? Underwater combat? Yes, very yes. Underwater sing-a-long like we're five damned years old? No. Fuck no.
Number 2: Why you make me have to get Final Form just to use Glide outside of combat?
Number 3: Quit making side-stories and sub-adventures that are card-based and nobody likes, and make Kingdom Hearts 3 already!!
7. Chrono Trigger
Oh ho ho man, if you have not played Chrono Trigger, you are missing out. This is 2D RPG at its finest, with a time-traveling mechanic that makes every action and decision matter; to a certain degree. It also has one of the best soundtracks in video games, thanks to Nobuo Uematsu's fine work (although to be fair MOST of the soundtrack was actually Yasunori Mitsuda). If I had to critique something about it, I'd say it takes a while to get into. You're really just checking stuff off a list until you gain access to the End of Time where you can start traveling through time.
6. Lunar 2: Eternal Blue Complete
Lunar 2: EBC was a game that I loved before I even started playing it. How? Well my older sister Amity had a copy of the game and she loved it. She had a soundtrack disk which she gave to me because she knew I loved video game music. And omg I listened to this music all the time. My childish mind calculated that music and compared it to what I figured might be the closest game of the time, which was Star Ocean: the Second Story (which appears below). I expected a game similar to that from the music. But it's on a whole other level and its just a joy to play. To be fair I didn't beat this, I could never get past the final boss, but I did beast through the game and it was nothing short of addictive.
5. .hack// GAME
Technically .hack//GAME's original series has four games, I'm going to count them as one, because it's essentially all one big game, just pieced out into four episodes. What can I say about this? It's a simulated MMO with an anime movie to go with each part that tells an incredibly unique story which I straight up stole as the inspiration for my original TerraEarth Adventures story. It's also another game that I just won't shut up about. There's so much to do. You have a "computer" then you have the actual game within a game. And you can choose to continue the story or go to a practically infinite number of worlds based on keywords and servers to go around playing. There's too much to say about this game to fit into one paragraph, but you need to go play it. Like right now. Seriously. Don't keep reading until you have.
4. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door
While I'm told that Super Mario RPG is better I have to give the nod to this game. It came standard with some Gamecubes (others were, sadly, given Luigi's Mansion and I pity them) and it was the first Mario-based RPG I ever played and beat. And I loved every second of it. From the trippy, surreal worlds, to the interesting story behind each star and of course the awesome, user-friendly but still fast-paced combat. What the hell is not to like, right? This game along with three others is the reason I want to go out and buy a gamecube (FYI those other games are Zelda: Wind Waker, Sonic Adventure 2 Battle and Eternal Darkness)
3. Star Ocean: The Second Story
Anybody who says the newer Star Ocean games are better is talking out of their ass. This old-school PSOne title is the definition of role-playing game, from fast-paced action-oriented combat to fully customizable characters to a plethora of item-creation skills, this is the RPG that made me realize that there are other good RPGs out there besides Final Fantasy. And I would like to point out that when I was considering including Final Fantasy titles in this list, this game (and the next two) STILL beat them out. Sure it also takes a bit to get into and at times the item-creation can drive you nuts, but it's still among the best RPGs I've ever played. I'm thrilled that it merited a remake, and I just hope it's better than the anime (which to be fair wasn't bad, but I just wish they would have actually finished the damn story and gone to Nede instead of cutting it off at the end of what would have been Disk One).
2. Wild Arms 3
Imagine that? The game that made me want to do this list appears on it. Wild Arms 3 officially raised my expectations on what an RPG could be. While the combat appears to be fairly bog-standard, it's multi-layered and patient players can find numerous ways of defeating the enemy, be it through the use of Gatling, Summon, Arcana, or just good old-fashioned shooting. The story is truly epic and broken up into four chapters plus a prologue, and the puzzles in the game involve the use of tools that require a bit of action-rpg experience (none of these press this switch then press that switch nonsense from Final Fantasy.) The western aesthetic initially turned me off to the game, but when I sat down and played the demo I was hooked. One of the best decisions of my life.
By way of criticism I will say that the tonal shifts between chapters are jarring particularly between 3 and 4. At least 1 through 3 while the subtlety and western feel does dissolve a bit with the revelation of mysterious prophets and a demon lord in two and three respectively the fourth chapter introduces a completely new character who seems to have nothing to do with anything and the explanation of her involvement in the story seems a tad Kojima-ish. (Although Pro-Tip. If you watch certain cutscenes carefully, you'll see she DOES in fact appear in the background.)
Still, if you own a PS2 do yourself a favor and go out and buy this game. There is so much in the wasteland to experience and it will be well worth your time and money. Oh, and New Game Plus option? Me gusta.
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So what could beat the game that I based this entire list on?
1. The Elder Scrolls Oblivion
Oh my goodness, it is such torture that Skyrim is out and I do not yet own a copy fortunately I own every DLC for Oblivion and even if I didn't I can pop this game in my XBOX any time and find a completely new way to play it. Straight up melee fighter? Cool. Sneaky bastard joining the thieves guild? Great. Powerful warlock with a staff in case things get dicey? Awesome.
But let's face it, everybody who has played the game knows where they have the most fun. Playing an absolute dickhead whose only goal is ruining the fragile piece within Cyrodiil. I'm not just talking about the Dark Brotherhood, although that is fun. I'm talking about indiscriminately killing everyone in a settlement, robbing from beggars while they sleep. Joining factions and then pitting brother against brother with well timed attacks. Or just going around with the Skull of Corruption and Wabbajak and just messing shit up. And let's not forget the famous item duplication glitch.
Oblivion is really fun not just because it's an open-world but because it brings out the corrupt person in all of us. Sure I've played it seriously and owned it, all but 100%-ing the game. But this game proves that sometimes it's more fun just to be bad.
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Okay so that's my list, and such a long-winded one it was. I would like you to post yours now. Give me some ideas for new games and show off what you kick ass at. Remember, no Final Fantasy titles (at least in this list)
