5 favourite RPG series of all time?

[Pokeslob]

so I want to know what other FF fans also enjoy in an RPG. so go ahead and list your 5 favourite RPG series here:
here is mine

Number 1. Kingdom Hearts.
favourite title: Kingdom Hearts
I've loved kingdom hearts ever since I first played it, it was an awesome RPG, with great graphics, a cool story, and gameplay that was so good other games just never seemed to meet up to it. honestly why has no other game on earth ever played like KH?
mixing platforming, with RPG stuff has been done but never quite like kingdom hearts did

Number 2. Final Fantasy.
favourite title: Final Fantasy V
I love final fantasy because it has so many great stories and so many cool twists on gameplay. plus so many cool creatures and races (moogles, chocobos) and the designs have always been beautiful and the graphics have always pushed the console limits

Number 3. Star Ocean.
favourite title: Star Ocean: The Second Story
my grandmother bought me SO2 for christmas becaus eshe knew I got a play station that year, ever since then I've loved that game and thus bought the rest of the series as it came out. I love the gameplay in this game becuase its not turn based and the story telling is great to (I loved it so much I'm currently buying the SO2 manga and anime)

Number 4. Fable
favourite title: Fable II
I like fable because it is open and you get to change things beased on what happens, its like living in the middle ages
plus the graphics are beautiful and the game is so deep, I glitched it though and had to take my wife out back and shoot her or else I would have had duplicate wives if anyone wants to know more about that glitch PM me

Number 5. Pocket Monsters.
favourite title: Pocket Monsters: Green Version
I played this on the game boy for a long while, my first was green version
I murdered that game so hard it hurt afterwords
it brings back good memories, and although that series has been ruined by the devil "4Kids entertainment" 's anime dub, I still play the games (and read one of the manga) all the time

 

[MekanikStik]

#1: Final Fantasy
Favorite Title: Final Fantasy X
Ok, kinda an obvious choice, but I'm not going to lie. The FF series has always been, and may always be, my favorite rpg series. We can debate which game you think is the best, or in what position you place it, but i'm pretty sure this will make everyone's top 5.

#2: Pokemon
Favorite Title: Red (FireRed remake was pretty faithful and had some nice gfx, alas nostalgia wins)
I think everyone has played a pokemon game at sometime in their childhood. If not, I don't want to listen to your childhood stories of deprivation. This series owns, and I can't wait till the new games come out.

#3: Legend of Zelda
Favorite Title: (Take a wild guess) Ocarina of Time
Man, talking about this series brings tears to my eyes. I remember sitting in my friend's basement playing OoT for hours, and I still have one or two of the gbc games somewhere. Twilight Princess was pretty awesome too, but not as good as OoT.

#4: Mana Series
Favorite Title: Secret of Mana
Yeah, cliche but good. Why does it seem most, if not all, of the greatest rpg's are on the older systems?

#5: Neverwinter Nights
Favorite Title: Neverwinter Nights
This game was what I always played when my friends go too cool for DnD. Man I thought it was awesome....

 

[Vladislak]

Number 1: Xenosaga/Xenogears
Favorite title: Xenogears
Really the only reason I listed Xenosaga up there is because Xenogears alone technically isn't an RPG "series". Otherwise Xenosaga would probably be #5.
Anyway, I just can't get enough of Xenogears. It has by far the deepest and most complex plot I have ever encountered. It's also one of the longest games I've ever encountered.

Number: Legend of Zelda
Favorite title: Link's Awakening (not the DX version)
I grew up on Zelda. Link's Awakening was my first Zelda game, I got it when I was very little and it really helped me through a time when I was really depressed because my grandmother had died of cancer. Actually, the game had belonged to her, so it was also something to remember her by. Anyway, I've been hooked on Zelda since. I'm proud to say that I've beaten them all.

Number 3: Grandia
Favorite title: Grandia I
I loved this game for it's awesome characters and enjoyable battle system. The plot was entertaining and the whole game just had a certain charm to it. Too bad Grandia II wasn't as good. D:

Number 4: Breath of Fire
Favorite title: Breath of Fire II
Compelling plot, fun characters, and dragons. 'Nuff said.

Number 5: Tales of...
Favorite title: Tales of Destiny
I really just enjoyed the gameplay for this one. Tales of Destiny's gameplay really just blows alot of other games out of the water IMO.


I know what you're thinking: "No Final Fantasy?".
Sorry, but no. As good as the franchise is, I don't like where it's headed. If we were talking about individual games then VI or IX would probably be up there, but as a whole series I don't feel the FF franchise is good enough.

 

[Moogles]

1. Tales Series (Favorite Title: Tales of Symphonia): Great characters, an amazing soundtrack, an engaging story, and tons of content to keep you occupied for dozens of hours. Tales of Symphonia is easily my favorite RPG. I love the other games in the series for the same reasons.

2. Fable (Favorite Title: Fable: The Lost Chapters): The game's too easy, but with the expansion, it at least offers more than 10 hours of gameplay now. I love the world of Albion. The vibe it gives off makes me want to keep playing the game. It's so open-ended, presenting players with plenty of different options as they play. Honestly, I'm not a HUGE fan of Fable 2, though with the addition of the DLC, it's far better than it was at launch.

3. Pokemon (Favorite Title: Pokemon Gold/Silver): This series would probably be my favorite if it offered more variety across the board. Even so, enslaving cute critters and forcing them into battle never gets old. I've been addicted to Pokemon since '95, and I don't see that changing any time soon.

4. Kingdom Hearts (Favorite Title: Kingdom Hearts): I'm not excited about all the handheld games, but I adore the console titles. The first game in particular ranks as one of my all-time favorite games. Combining Disney with Final Fantasy actually proved a genius move. The characters, story, and gameplay are all fantastic.

5. Elder Scrolls (Favorite Title: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion): Oblivion alone puts this series on my Top 5 list. The sheer amount of content Oblivion has to offer is staggering. I spent more than 50 hours walking around the world and exploring random dungeons. By the time I bothered actually playing through the game, I had well over 100 hours logged in. A game has to be pretty entertaining to keep me playing THAT long.

No, Final Fantasy doesn't crack my list. It probably wouldn't if I listed 10 RPG series, to be honest. If I made this list a decade ago, it would have. Maybe the group of upcoming FF titles will restore my faith.

 

[Zerokku]

Number 1: Chrono Trigger/Chrono Cross
Favorite title: Chrono Trigger

Much like Vladislak, I'm mostly including Cross because without it, it isn't exactly a series (While it's still one of my favorite games, it doesn't measure up to Trigger)

Chrono Trigger has remained my favorite RPG of all time, despite how much my tastes in gaming have changed over the past several years. It mixes all the great things about both sides of square and enix. It has such a rich, imaginative, and charming world. It has a deep and complex plot, but without the melodrama, without any pretentiousness, nor is it particularly convoluted. That and a great battle system. In my mind, it is the definitive JRPG. You'll find everything good about JRPGs in chrono trigger without any of the dreck. Easily one of the best RPGs ever, and one of the best games of all time.

Chrono Cross is also awesome, but it's failings are that the plot gets needlessly convoluted, there's way way way too many characters, and there was no sign of any of the faces we loved so much from CT. On the other hand, it has arguably the best soundtrack of any RPG ever.

Number 2: Dragon Quest
Favorite title: Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride

Think of DQ as a sort of "comfort food" jrpg for a lot us big rpg fans. Many of us all go on about the disappointment at the monotony within FF and other JRPGs, and it's true. Despite how much I love FF, you can often see me complaining about it's ridiculous melodrama and the like that's so common in JRPGs.

But I can go and play DQ and have a fun and charming world with no pretenses, just good, clean, fun. It's not the typical JRPG (at least not by todays standards) and thats the best part. I don't have to deal with overly dramatic and pretentious plots, or an overly convoluted story that makes less sense the more you play it. DQ is all about the charming and imaginative world, and it should stay that way. I don't need any angsty beltandzipper types in one of the only refuges I have left when it comes to rpg gaming.

Some things shouldn't try and change too much, and DQ is one of them.

Number 3: Pokemon
Favorite title: Pokemon Silver/Pokemon Platinum

Pokemon, along with SaGa 2, was my introduction to RPGs. Because of that fact it will always hold a special place in my heart. Even without the nostalgia, it stands up as one hell of a quality JRPG.

It actually probably wouldn't have made my Top 5 if I hadn't stumbled upon the competitive scene with Diamond/Pearl. While the game on the surface doesn't seem much more then a cute and kiddy rpg, underneath you'll find all kinds of hidden mechanics and workings that promote this to one of the deepest and most rewarding games of strategy you'll find. Online battles and trade becoming a staple of the series has pushed this over the top.

Number 4: Mass Effect
Favorite title: Mass Effect

Okay, while it's technically not a series yet, it will be. It also says something about the quality of the game with the fact there's only one and yet it's still in my top 5.

Mass Effect is one of the best WRPGs I've ever played. It took all the lessons Bioware has learned over the years from games like Baldur's gate and KotOR, and puts them together in one amazingly well crafted and modern game. The combat feels good without being too shoddy for a game where the combat isn't the focus, the dialogue is superb with excellent voice acting, and it has one the best villains ever in an RPG, Saren. Not to mention such a rich and well constructed galaxy for you to explore. A truly memorable and enjoyable game, and I am greatly awaiting the sequel.

Number 5: Final Fantasy
Favorite title: Final Fantasy Tactics/Final Fantasy IX

Final Fantasy only barely edges into my top 5 and if it wasn't for overwhelming amounts of nostalgia, it probably wouldn't make it at all.

Despite that, Some of my favorite games ever, and some of my most highly cherished memories of gaming comes from this series. FFIV was my first ever console RPG, and I fell in love with the plot, characters, and style. I've played through every single main series game since (And many of the side games) and enjoyed most of them.

That being said, I extremely dislike the direction the series is going with stuff like like X/XIII and the entire VII compilation. If the series continues to go down such a path, I have a feeling final fantasy may be dethroned quite easily.

 

[Shadra]

Well some of you may be thinking 'wtf?' to my choices but I haven't played that many games.

#1 ~ Xeno
Favorite ~ Xenosaga I
This series has to be my favorite series. I'm currently playing xenogears and I love it as well. The main reason that I absolutely love this series is the storyline and how complex the storyline is. The reason that XSI is my favorite in the series is because I love a challenge. The regular battles are like mini Boss battles. I remember getting into a regular fight and almost getting game over several times because the enemies were so powerful. And it wasn't because my characters weren't leveled up correctly or anything, because I power level... bigtime.

2 ~ Star Ocean
Favorite ~ Star Ocean 3 : Til the End of Time
I really do love this series. The reason this series rates so high up on my list is the gameplay of SO3. I haven't played the first 2 games in the series, but I have played 3 and dabbled in 4. To me the gameplay in this series is amazing! XD Also I love that there are so many endings that you could get in the game. Really enjoyed the storyline. A lot of people that I've talked to about the game don't like one of the plot twists in the game but I thought it really added to the game itself.

3 ~ Final Fantasy
Favorite ~ Final Fantasy IX
I have most of the FF games but haven't had the chance to play them all. FIX is my favorite in the FF series thus far. It was the first FF game that I played and seriously fell in love with it. The characters are so different from any other creatures that have been in a FF game. I think that's why I like it so much simply because the characters are so unique. Granted that the battles get repetitive after a while, but isn't it the same with every Final Fantasy game??

4 ~ Spyro
Spyro was the first game I got to try out on the PSX. I never did get to finish that game, but still love it. I've only ever finished one game out of the Spyro series simply because I haven't been able to find that game that I first played. lol It's not turn based like the other games that I've posted are but I still love the series.

5 ~ Kingdom Hearts
Favorite ~ Kingdom Hearts II
When I first heard about this series I was very hesitant to get it. Finally I got it and was glad that I did. As much as I loved the storyline in the first one, KHII takes it for me because of the gameplay and storyline. I thought the gameplay was better in the 2nd one. And I loved the storyline! It made me think of Freya in FFIX how to be forgotten is worse than death. I actually found myself getting mad at the game at one point because I really like Roxas and feel so bad for him, but in the end it all works out.

 

[Zerokku]

Nah, everything on your list is pretty understandable except spyro. That's the only 'wtf?' one on their, since it's not an rpg, it's a 3d platformer.

 

[RioDragon]

Number 1: MegaTen/Shin Megami Tensei Franchise
Favorite title: Shin Megami Tensei I/II/III, Persona 2: Crime and Punishment

As dark as JRPG's go, this is also technically one of the largest JRPG series in terms of the number of affiliated titles. The series started in 1987 on the MSX and NES with the Namco-made Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei (english translation: Reincarnation of the Goddess). With a western-RPG first-person view, similar to early Wizardry and Might and Magic games. However, what this game introduced continues through most of the MegaTen franchise, as well as another series that got more mainstream attention and TRULY introduced the world to JRPGs back in 1995 on a little system called the gameboy.

Not FFVII, but Poke'mon. Yep, this is the first RPG series where you could turn your enemies into teammates; not with Poke'balls or items of any kind, but through dialog choices in the middle of battle. Also, the 'monsters' of MegaTen are all demons, angels, and gods from various religions, and its views of morality are very dark, making Poke'mon a kind of unnofficial 'kid-friendly' MegaTen with the creatures made cuter and plot cut to barebones essentials. So, Poke'mon fans, thank your lucky stars for the existence of MegaTen.

Number 2: Wasteland/Fallout Series
Favorite title: Fallout 2 (Plot), Fallout 3 (Atmosphere/Immersion)

1997, year of the Sony Playstation, and specifically of FFVII. The computer RPGs were basically ignored for their shiny console and JRPG counterparts. Those who kept their eyes on the CRPG market got a true gem, Fallout: A Post-Nuclear RPG (or just Fallout for short). This game did a lot for ending up a cult classic RPG; character stats that could dramatically change gameplay in unforeseen ways, choice and consequence gameplay implemented through your actions and karma (later becoming a staple in games like Star Wars: KotOR, The Witcher, and Fable Series), and shades of grey morality where almost nothing was clear-cut good or evil.

Despite all of these injections of brilliance and creativity to the RPG genre, the series was left relatively untouched until the release of Fallout 3 just at the end of last year, in which the gameplay mechanics got an overhaul, changing it from a third-person, isometic perspective (think Diablo) with turn-based combat, to a first-person perspective with real time with pause combat. Fallout 3 was the series' second, and most canon, venture to the console RPG market, after the Abyssmal Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel for Xbox and PS2 consoles. Fallout 3 was also the first in the series to be developed by Bethesda Softworks, following the close of Black Isle Studios, the company that made the first two Fallouts.

Number 3: The Elder Scrolls
Favorite title: The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall

Originally, Arena was created to be a first-person game with a tournament-style, multiplayer focus back when multiplayer was an emerging technology with PC networks. Eventually, the developers at Bethesda started introducing little references from their weekly Dungeons and Dragons custom modules into the game. Eventually, they created a whole new fantasy/sci-fi setting for the game, placing it on a world called Nirn, on a large island continent named Tamriel. Eventually, it was filled with lore and given a story, and the original plans for the game were dropped to convert it into The Elder Scrolls: Arena. The end result in 1994 was a massive and completely open RPG world, with gameplay along the style of the Ultima Underworld series.

The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall, the second installment, was ambitious, involving a larger plot where your actions changed the outcome of the game (one could even choose to ignore the main storyline altogether and just focus on their own goals or sidequests. The game also introduced a new combat system in which weapon swings/trusts/firings could be directly controlled by the mouse. It was also one of the most freeing computer RPGs of the era, allowing any kind of play style, custom spells and weapon enchantments, a real-estate system where you could buy houses and ships, and even a political system that kept track of your reputation with different groups, towns, people, etc as you interact with the world. There was even the ability to learn languages of creatures throughout the game's world, which is still the largest to date, virtually the size of England.

Unfortunately, I feel like doing the last two of these things, so I'm not going to do a rundown for Morrowind and Oblivion. After all, a lot of you should already know of those by now. This covers almost all of the foundation of the series, anyway.



Number 4: Dragon Quest/Dragon Warrior
Favorite title: Dragon Warrior I+II, Dragon Warrior III

1982. Japanese developer Enix holds a contest for videogame programming. Yuji Horii wins. The JRPG genre gets it's birth under Hojii's direction, combining the overworld map of Ultima (an element which has since become a staple of the Final Fantasy Series, excluding FF X-XII and possibly XIII, VS XIII, and XIV) with the first-person dungeons of Wizardry, all brought together by the character and monster designs of Dragonball/Dr. Slump creator Akira Toriyama. Technically a mish-mash of Western RPG elements, its uniqueness mostly lies in the fact that it invented the JRPG genre.

Number 5: Final Fantasy
Favorite title: FF VIII and IX (First Games Bias), FF II, IV, and VI (Genuine Merit)

Final Fantasy gets in here mostly because of the first six titles, in addition to FF VIII, and IX, which are mostly my favorites due to the personal bias of them being my first. In many ways, the early series is a stereotypical JRPG style with more advanced plot and characterization than other games of the time, especially the early Dragon Quests, which admittedly had limited plot and characterization whatsoever. As the FF series developed, it starting adding drama and plot twists to the JRPG genre long before most games could utilize it.

However, VII and X onwards have mostly lost me a lot of respect for the series, with bad casts of characters, bad plots, and overused themes/motifs, as well as a focus on needless visuals rather than any of the really important elements. This series knocks Chrono off the list for one reason; there's only one Chrono game I liked (ChronoTrigger) as opposed to the many FF's I like (I-VI, VIII, and IX).

 

[Zerokku]

This series knocks Chrono off the list for one reason; there's only one Chrono game I liked (ChronoTrigger) as opposed to the many FF's I like (I-VI, VIII, and IX).

Quality over quantity man, quality over quantity

Mod Edit: Please add a bit more effort to your post as this is considered spam. Thank you. ^^

 

[RioDragon]

Quality over quantity man, quality over quantity

I know, I'm probably off of it because I've been in a classic FF mood, what with all of that FFVII debate. xD

 

[Sir Kenneth]

1. Final Fantasy.
2. Baldur's Gate
3. Fable


Sorry, I don't think I can do top 5 list of RPG series where I genuinely think that the franchise holds up as a series quality-wise Knights of the Old Republic for example is one of my all time favourite games, but KOTOR 2 was abominable. Same goes for Neverwinter Nights. I love the first game in the series, but I find it hard to rank them as a series, when the sequel didn't live up to my expectations at all.

 

[Hightower]

1. wild arms - first rpg game/series i played and its still is the best. wild arms 1 is my all time favorite rpg game. the seires had great characters in them and i think thats what made me enjoy the series a lot. the story was okay and the game play was pretty good. it also has some great music in it too

2. xenosaga- great story, too bad they cut it down. also has one of the best female character ever, KOS-MOS

3. .hack- probably the most interesting story in an rpg game. i just like the story a lot starting from the anime through the games, into the second, third anime and the last part of the game. game play got a little repititive but the story just kept me going

4. final fantasy- yeah its a good series

5. lunar- great game, has some nice character and good storyline. also fun to play too

 

[DarkSquall]

I'll say:

1- Final Fantasy series---? We all know it
2- . Hack series---> it's awesome to have a special power that no one have. Damn, the avatar is awesome!!
3- Rouge Galaxy--> it's more like FFXII if you want my opinion but still better.
4- Kingdom Hearts

I'm not quite an RPG player, so those are the RPGs that I played so far

 

[Noctis Lucis Caelum]

1.the elder scrolls
favorite title:morrowind

although ive never been able to track down 1,ive playe daggerfall,morrowinf,and oblivion,what makes morrowind my favorite is the indiana jones reference/easter egg in it that made me cry,its really deep

2.fallout and he LupineVoid,its great to know that someone also thinks as fallout as a sequel to wasteland
favorite:brotherhood of steel

what made the critically acclaimed worst game in the series my favorite,the characters,but 2 is a strong second because the vault dweller came back in it,but only if you start a new game,2,unlike 3 whcih most people have played,was in 3rd person,the reason 3 didnt make,although it should have,it felt like a futuristic oblivion

3.legend of zelda..WRONG!!
zelda killed the entire series with phantom hourglass,twilight princess,as good as it was,never made up for it,thats why my real third is
REAL 3.Final fantasy
favorite:final fantasy iv

dawn of souls was the first i played on the gba,i dont remember iii being remade for it,then i played iv,vii,x,xii,and vii:cc,then iii on the ds,but,iv was the only one i actually didnt get bored of,i didnt get bored of ii,just got in a point where i couldnt get out,maria was the only character left,guy had little health.firion fainted,and everytime i try to move,i would get in a battle where guy dies,and maria is low on health,and then maria dies,so,i just decided i could go further,but iv just made me feel like i could relate to it,so i went to the costume store,paid 130 for a power ranger costume,then tried to fight crime,why,i dont know,it was fun,and obsidian,whose mostly the remnants of black isle studios,who made fallout 1 and 2,and the van buren beta or f3,is now working on fallout new vegas,which releases on june 2 2010,just days before ff xiiis release in north america on june 7th,

4.Deus Ex
favoriteeus Ex:invisble war

what can i say,its a first person rpg set in the future,its great for anybody who likes fallout,Deus Ex originally came out for ps2 and pc,where the sequel,invisible war,came out for pc and xbox,its a perfect blend of fps,and rpg,great for any rpg lover

5.Pokemon
favorites:silver,platinum

for those pokefans out there,the remakes of gold and silver,called heart gold and soul silver,will be dropping fo rds in early 2010 in north america,and september or november,i forget,in japan,silver is my favorite because you can explore 2 regions,other than others where one region is explored,also gold and crystal take place in the same plot,platinum because of all the advances,like trading pokemon over wifi,and the 3d views,i sollidly give a medal of recommendation for this series