Top 10 Non-Final Fantasy RPGS

[Jason Tandro]

Ah yes, what would my life be if it were not for making pointless top 10 lists on these forums? Having just finished Wild Arms 3 last night for like my fourth time or so, I have resolved to make this list of the top 10 best RPGs that I have played and beaten. I am going to follow the ScrewAttack rule and set some parameters:

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.


===

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.


===

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)

[EverPhoenix]

Seeing as I don't think I've played 10 different RPG franchises (at least not finished more than one game), my list won't be at all complete. Nonetheless, I shall try to make this reasonably well-presented...

Honourable Mentions:

These are games that I have either not finished, or didn't completely blow me away. Either way, here are 6 games (mostly, the first 6 RPGs that came to mind that weren't Final Fantasy that I recall having some fun with).

Secret of Mana


Ah yes, this one. I had been told great things about this game, so decided to try it. My biggest downfall, however, was attempting this after having just found a Super Nintendo emulator that runs on DS. As such, the gaming experience truly sucked. I don't entirely blame the game (although the combat, before I found the magical Select button, was unbelievably frustrating - but that's a rant for another time), and may try it again later when I have time.


Golden Sun


Golden Sun was an RPG I tried several times. The first time, I got lost. I ended up finishing it the next time (I conveniently had it on cartridge when I bought my GBA), and I did enjoy it. Gameplay was decent enough, although it was irritating when there wasn't much indication of where to go next. Golden Sun II was a bigger offender, but that's beside the point. Maybe it's been too long, but I don't remember the story really getting me involved.


Dragon Quest IX


The most recent RPG I played. I am, as far as I can tell, almost at the end of the game. The combat is simplistic, but the character customisation is fairly decent, with several traits from the various classes you can use carrying over. Music didn't impress me that much - it was good, but not outstanding. The difficulty curve for bosses is rather tough, with some being absurdly powerful - their speed goes up a lot faster than yours, and characters with high speed are mostly frail. The story seemed good, although I didn't really get hooked. Maybe it's that I'm getting too old for video games, but I think that the plot would have been more enthralling, say, 5-7 years ago.


Chrono Trigger


A popular one. I have only played through this once - I got up to Zeal, and after suffering a rather crushing defeat (read, one turn - take all characters' hp to 1, second turn - mass nuke), i left it alone for a bit. After coming back to it, I proceeded to finish the rest of it. I don't remember what the music was like, but I can imagine it would have been good. At least, I remember one track distinctly - the overworld theme from 600AD or so. It should be ranked higher on this list, but ... well, it isn't.

Dragonball Z: Buu's Fury


Following the story of DBZ from the end of the Cell Saga, I played this primarily because I was watching that particular saga of DBZ at the time. A fun game, although a bit too easy. No real puzzles, and the levelling was so easily abusable that the fights weren't a challenge either. The plot is basically a summary of what happens in the anime, so there were no surprises. Didn't stop me from enjoying it though.

Super Mario RPG


Fun, but unfortunately it has been far too long for me to remember anything substantial about the game. I remember enjoying it when I played it, but I never beat the final boss. Not much to say, but it does earn a spot in the mentions.

That brings the Honourable Mentions section to an end. Now, the top 4 remain - 4 isnt really that special a number, it's just the games I can confidently say are awesome.


4. Pokemon SoulSilver


A remake of one of my favourite games, this was everything I hoped it would be. Very well done - the music is a bit on the boring side, but I stand by the fact that the Pokemon music has been going downhill since the first game. This is probably the most challenging of all the games, due to the high level trainers you can fight at the end (Elite Four round 2, and Red).


3. Lufia II


This being in the top 3 was inevitable. The story is amazing, the soundtrack is probably my favourite of all time, and the game itself was challenging. I put the original here instead of the DS remake for a few reasons. First of all, this is the original, and set the standard. As much as the DS version does have its merits, I still prefer the SNES version. A much larger world, capsule monsters... I could list things for a while, but I'll leave it at that.


2. Grandia II


Oh screw it, this can have a big picture. Another outstanding game - great soundtrack, likable characters, an amazing story, and neat character customisation. The game is incredibly linear, and there isnt much in the way of puzzles.


Before I get to the winner of my list, I'll ... just stall. I was going to write something more substantial here, but then realised that it was not entirely relevant. So... let's have some stalling.




mmm... donuts.





Anyway... the not-so-surprising first place:


1. Terranigma



...Yeah, two images. That's right. Now, who didn't expect this here? This game is just brilliant. I mean, sure, it is stale on the character-related gameplay, but the wonders are in the story and the setting. Despite this being partly a Terranigma-themed board, there are still people here who haven't played it, so I'll refrain from spoilers. But seriously, ... i'm out of synonyms for 'amazing'. Blah. Anyway, fantastic game.

[psychokind]

1. Terranigma


Nothing I need to say anymore.

2. Seiken Densetsu 3


just better than SoM 1. I found the possibility to choose different characters that actually were really different and had different endings astonishing.

3. Chrono Cross


HUGE game with a lot of secrets, tons of characters and a nice fighting system. awesome soundtrack too.

4. Gothic 2


an awesome RPG, quite old but still an ongoing franchise. how your character evolves and becomes boss is awesome, besides it's a german game which makes the game a man's game. insults, violence and rough speech with womens only being housewifes at best. also it has sth elder scrolls fails to achieve until today: an actual daily life for the npcs.

5. Risen


it's practically gothic 5, the developers lost their names copyright. and it made up for a bad gothic 3 and 4! no experiments, just new graphic and the old concept. although women aren't that worthless anymore

6. Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind


as totalbiscuit stated: "morrowind is the best elderscrolls. it's just a scientific fact."

7. Skies of Arcadia: Legends


even bigger than chrono cross. unfortunately sometimes a bit childish, but a great hidden rpg.

8. Xenogears


too bad I never finished it. was because of a broken rom

9. Neverwinter Nights 2


how the npcs interacted was really top notch. never seen something like that before.

(10.) Das schwarze Auge / The Dark Eye


well, this is a pen&paper rpg I play. much much better than DnD, but it's a german game. means: very complicated, and a universe so big and built out you can't imagine. ongoing newspaper which spins the plot all on, and some of its npc's existed for so long that I know more of them than from any other person from TV or newspapers.

[Brutus]

Dunno, but i'd at least mention Phantasy Star IV, Shining Force II and Breath of Fire....

[Blade]

Kudos @ Psyho for picking Gothic 2!

Keeping it a top 3 list: I have to go with:

Terranigma (best 2D realtime RPG),

Chrono Trigger (best 2D round-based RPG [srsly, I've never seen gamemechanics that smooth! Roundbased, but 100% grind-free!!])

Gothic 2 (never cared for any "The Elder Scrolls"-games because Gothic kept me busy)

All these 3 games have many things in common: memorable characters, atmosphere, top-notch music.

Also quite enjoyable: Paper Mario!

And I've always been curious about Golden Sun, miiight pic it up some time...

[Fazermint]

I can't think of 10 memorable rpgs right now, but I'll tell you about my favorite one.

Tales of Phantasia

Tales of Phantasia is the first game of the Tales franchise. It's considered one of the crowning achievements of the SNES era. Why is it so awesome?
- The story line is top notch, including time travels and more awesome stuff.
- The graphics are beautiful, one of the best I've seen in a SNES game.
- It has the "linear motion battle system", which turns the battles into an action game.
- It has voice acting! Very rare for a SNES game

I really recommend getting DeJap's translation of this game. Here are some screenshots for you:

[psychokind]

Blade wrote:

Kudos @ Psyho for picking Gothic 2!

"also mein name ist..."
-"dein name tut jetzt nichts zur sache!"

did you try Risen? if you liked gothic 2, you just have to play it! it's exactly the same just with new graphics, and you get all the feelings (walk off road - get killed by strong monster / make iron hot, hammer iron, cool iron off in water, sharpen iron, get sword) from the old gothic served fresh. and I'm saying this as a really gothic1/2 hardcore fan

[Blade]

I did start Risen, and went through everything you can do in town, but then stopped because I was missing the special "it", and friends told me it won't get better from there on, and the game would continue in dungeons for 80%.

I don't thing anything will ever come close to Gothic 1/2/DNdR.

Instead of Risen, I picked up Chrono Trigger.
Time.Spent.Totally.Worth.It.

[tay120n64]

Top 10 RPGs, eh? Well, since I haven't played a great deal of them, I'm gonna do a Top 5. So... Top 5 RPGs! Yeah!

5. Golden Sun (GBA)





I love this game so much. The characters are lively, the world is full of things to explore, the story is engaging... Okay, so the game is cliche for a JRPG. But the simplicity and approachability of it all is what draws me to it. Also the battle system is how all turn-based battle systems should be. It's straight-forward, but it gives you LOTS of options so you can play out a battle however you like. I LOVE that. Although Golden Sun 2 is arguably the superior game, I prefer the rigid, linear structure of GS1. It just feels tighter, you know? It sticks. Like, in your memory.

4. Pokemon Blue





Okay so hardcore RPG fans have probably stopped taking me seriously now. Okay, look: I like Puzzle games and Platformers. I like games that force you to react on impulse. Pokemon is a solid entry-level RPG, and the first installment was a freaking perfect game (if you ignore all the glitches, unbalanced types, overpowered moves, etc)! It's fun, it's addictive, it's just... IT'S A GOOD GAME, LEAVE ME ALONE. This is on here because I never get tired of replaying it. I seriously can't play the new ones anymore, but hand me Blue and I'll play it right now. Speaking of which, BRB, gotta catch this Clefairy.

3. Chrono Trigger





I didn't play this game until it released on DS in 2008.
...
...
...I'm sorry.

2. Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga





So I don't know if you guys know this, but there was a Mario RPG on GBA. It's also like, the single most fun RPG I've ever played. To be fair, I haven't played any Paper Mario games, but this game is better than Mario RPG: LotSS, which, let's be honest, is probably the weakest Mario RPG in terms of gameplay. Seriously though, M&L: SS is sublime. The writing is hilarious and the gameplay constantly forces the player to take part in the experience. None of that "Make Your Selection" crap. NOOO! You don't wanna do Timed Hits? Guess what? You just died. At the beginning of the game. I'm pretty sure you can dodge every attack in the game if you're skilled, which is AWESOME, and just further instills why I love it so much. For real, if you like Mario and RPGs, PLAY THIS NOW.

1. Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals





Did you ever play a game and think, "Wow. It's like the developers made this game just for me..." I did. Okay, so get this: Turn based battle system. Random encounters ONLY on the Overworld Map. Zelda-styled Tools and Dungeons. Pet simulator. Endurance mode. Multiple continents. Unpredictable plot-twists. Fleshed-out characters. A sweeping score. A strong, memorable ending.

...
...
...

And we're going to release it on the greatest system in history: The Super Nintendo.



Greatest game ever made? Maybe not. But I DEFY anyone to make a game closer to perfection than Lufia II.

[Blade]

Oddly, I find some people around my area who also know about Terranigma ^^
One of them named "crono trigger - SOM - seiken densetsu 3 - terranigma - lufia - FF mystic quest legend" the "RPG Overlords"
I kinda like that name ^^

[psychokind]

tay120n64 wrote:

Greatest game ever made? Maybe not. But I DEFY anyone to make a game closer to perfection than Lufia II.

I played Lufia (I &) II several times, and II is a really one of SNES's finest, but... what will happen to you when you're playing Terranigma then?

[tay120n64]

psychokind wrote:

tay120n64 wrote: Greatest game ever made? Maybe not. But I DEFY anyone to make a game closer to perfection than Lufia II. I played Lufia (I &) II several times, and II is a really one of SNES's finest, but... what will happen to you when you're playing Terranigma then?

Play... Terranigma?

Ummmmm...

What?

[Blade]

tay120n64 wrote:

Play... Terranigma? Ummmmm... What?

...still can't believe it...

Tay, I'll try to make you an offer you cannot refuse

I want you to play Terranigma; and if you do, in return, you can name a game you really want me to play (same gameplay lengh please[30 hours?])

It can be anything, as long as it's available for good emulation

[Flamez]

tay120n64 wrote:

psychokind wrote: tay120n64 wrote: Greatest game ever made? Maybe not. But I DEFY anyone to make a game closer to perfection than Lufia II. I played Lufia (I &) II several times, and II is a really one of SNES's finest, but... what will happen to you when you're playing Terranigma then? Play... Terranigma? Ummmmm... What?

Tay, Lufia 2 was my favorite game for about a year. Then I played Terranigma. Everything Lufia did, Terranigma just did better. You have to play it!

[EverPhoenix]

I TOO WILL JOIN THIS BANDWAGON

Seriously though, Lufia is a great game. I won't go as far as to say that Terranigma is strictly better, there are some things I preferred in Lufia, but overall I think I rate Terranigma higher.

And as a moderator on this forum NAMED AFTER TERRANIGMA, I think it is your responsibility to play it. Hah.