Focused RPGs

[Thule Esperada]

I've been on an RPG mood for a while now, but finding ones that have a focused story/campaign with interesting worlds and lore has been a bit difficult. Most modern RPGs seem obsessed with having 80% or more be 'side quests' (how is it side content if it's the majority?) or have an 'open world' design which is incabable of having a good narrative.

I vastly prefer the Final Fantasy or Bioware console RPG formula (Knights of The Old Republic, Dragon Age Origins), where the side quests were just small stuff to do on the side. Not numerous and not too time consuming.

Anybody got some recommendations? Some hidden gems or under-the-radar titles?

 

[Miko]

I don't have a lot of RPGs under my belt, at least not compared to some of the others here (or, well, who were here), but The Last Story came to mind if you haven't already played it. It was directed & co-written by Hironobu Sakaguchi.

Oldies, but some of my favorites growing up that come to mind: Chrono Trigger, Chrono Cross, Valkyrie Profile (Lenneth, specifically), Legend of Dragoon, Ar Tonelico (A bit cringe & pervy, but I enjoyed the first two games, Elemia & Metafalica)

I've also heard good things about Lost Odyssey for the same reasons as above with The Last Story, but I haven't played it myself.

I guess most of mine are old titles that you've either played or heard of, lmao. My husband enjoys a lot of the Tales of games, but I've only played a few myself. I think his favorite was a toss between Tales of Vesparia and Tales of Berseria.

Oh, and I also hear that new Hogwarts game was actually really good. There was a few of us in the Discord that was playing it & really seemed to enjoy it.

Sorry, hopefully someone else has some better suggestions!