Rez09
10-26-2018, 08:05 PM
I'ma be cheaty here and included both RPGs and TRPGs, 'cause I can.
NES
Traditional:
FF1, 3, and DQ3 are easily the best the console has to offer, and it is honestly always hard to pick a favorite between the three, but FF1 was my first RPG and the one that kind of defined my tastes in the genre in a lot of ways, so I'll pick it for that alongside its shorter playtime and the open world exploration post Lich.
Tactical:
Frankly, Fire Emblem is an abysmal experience on the NES, and the second game isn't really any better other than the final boss, which is still the coolest thing in that entire series. That really only leaves the two Ultima games for the slot, and maaaaaaybe a Goldbox port I never played, so I'll pick Exodus here and Quest later down the line for another console. Both games are fantastic open world RPGs with grid based combat, where you are basically given a task at the start and tossed into the world on your own to figure out how to accomplish it, and I love piecing together what I'm supposed to do and where to go, so this is a pretty natural fit for my tastes.
SNES
Traditional:
FF6 has, without a doubt, my favorite combat system in an RPG to date, with the proper balance of character regidity and flexibility in defined classes and relics alongside equipment that plays to the elemental resistance/weakness game well enough that it is actually worth using statistically weaker equipment for a greater elemental advantage -- it is a game where your choices actually matter and you come up with different strategies depending on the party you are running. Throw into the mix everything else FF6 does right, like memorable locations and conversations, characters and story, graphics and music, and you have a game that, despite the couple hundred more hours I have spent playing Romancing SaGa 3, is the single easiest pick on this entire list -- and the N64 basically only has one damn RPG.
Tactical:
Fire Emblem 3, girl, you know I love you, but this Der Langrisser game here, this is on a whole other level. Though the series gets really rocky after entry 2.5, this game alone could have carried the entire series for me, what with its great branching plot (seriously, I love that you can backstab EVERYBODY in this game), enjoyable general/troop battle system, the branching character leveling system, the in battle graphics, the bonus maps, how equipment is used, and the difficulty overall (though some missions can totally burn in a fire, I wouldn't mind in the least). I also really love that something Leo says in FF6 rings true here, because one of the generals in the 'evil' empire can also wield the divine sword of light and plotness if you don't, which is kind of cool since most of the time in games like this YOU and ONLY you are the chosen one. I mean, you ARE still the chosen one, but daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamn can you make both the Gods of Light AND Darkness regret that decision. < .<
N64
Traditional:
It's hard to argue against this pick, not only because it is basically the only competent RPG on the console, but because it ends up being a damn good one in its own right. It's just too bad the series went off the deep end from the 3rd title onward. :'(
Tactical:
It's sad to say March of the Black Queen wasn't in consideration for the SNES tactical pick, but that isn't because it was a bad game or had poor ideas -- quite the opposite, the game is utterly fantastic and one of my all time favorites, it just had to deal with, well, quite possibly my favorite. When it comes to 64 the game is, I feel anyway, only a slight step down from the original, with a less interesting story and more balanced combat, and it was one of the first Virtual Console games I rushed when the Wii VC was still around.
Gamecube
Traditional:
Nintendo completely knocked it out of the park with this title, mixing an enjoyable interactive battle system with a ton of humor and some crazy memorable characters for my personal favorite Mario RPG to date -- it even has a cameo by almost US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders! :D
https://www.mariowiki.com/images/thumb/c/c4/Frankly2.jpg/200px-Frankly2.jpg
Tactical:
Real talk, this game is overrated as all hell and over priced. The game is still good, don't get me wrong, but it isn't the last great entry in the series I sometimes hear it touted as, and the story is one of the least engaging the franchise has dropped. That said, combat remains completely solid, without the serious babying pairing up and reclassing dropped on later entries, and most of the characters and their interactions are still worth playing the game for on their own.
Wii:
Traditional:
In a way I hate picking this because Xenoblade is around, but I didn't play Xenoblade, so this is the best of what I did play on the console. It's kind of neat picking up a later tale in the FFIV world, at least in concept, but I do have to admit that this game really suffered from its episodic nature and doesn't feel like it ever all comes together for me. Still fun, but not on par with the original. Like, at all. Remotely.
Tactical:
NIS are an extremely hit and miss company with me, and I find the Disgaea series they are so famous for in particular more of a chore to play than anything remotely enjoyable, so it is surprising that they also produced several of my favorite tactical RPGs as well. Phantom Brave's story is an attempt at something more serious than most of their other titles, and while I don't mind it I have to admit that it isn't especially gripping either -- what is outright addictive is the combat. You basically unlock and create spirits you can bind to objects in stages, which can in turn pick up damn near every object you see and learn/use unique attacks based on said object, and this gets hilarious when prefixes drop into the mix you start picking up "Sexy Fish" to whack things with or other people to 'borrow' their skillsets; there is nothing quite like a stampede of giant Maronas flooding the battlefield or clubbing people with a 'dud' golem. Mix this in with a combat system built for speed and flexibility by cutting out the queued actions and tile based movement from the Disgaea series and you save soooooooooooo much time over many other NIS titles, even when grinding, and the mix makes this easily one of the most enjoyable NIS titles to date, and easily the best tactical RPG offering on the Wii.
Gameboy
Traditional:
You know, I see a lot of flak drifting back towards these titles, but I still love them. There is something wonderful about playing this series in its most unrefined state, and the unique crit and wrap mechanics give them a feel none of the other games have. I also have a lot of fond memories of playing against people at school, which helps push this ahead for me. Also doesn't help that I don't like Gen 2 at all.
Tactical: Got nothing here -- I've played some tactical games on the console like Game Boy Wars, but nothing I'd consider an RPG by any stretch.
Gameboy Advance
Traditional:
Kind of like Paper Mario's more interactive litttle brother, I actually really like what Nintendo did with the combat system here, with relatively low damage and hp values and a big focus on dodging/countering attacks. It was also awesome seeing the Koopalings again after a rather long break from the series, and the game has my favorite final dungeon in the series largely because of them. Also, Bowletta, what is that? Who did that to Bowser? I love it. Cackletta's final boss form is damn memorable too, if only because you are almost guarenteed to lose to her at LEAST once.
Tactical:
Though FE3 is my favorite in the series, 7 is a damn close second, with 3 main characters, a story, a villain, and mechanics I love, not to mention one of the few romances in the series I feel actually works. I DO feel the 'good' ending is a complete waste, and I think it highlights the problem with random plot revivals since it kills a lot of the impact events otherwise should have had, but it ultimately doesn't hurt the game that much. I'm also a fan of the Hector Mode inclusion as a kind of B side campaign to add that extra bit of replayability, and there's actually a bit of bonus story you can unlock for a generally unexplained character if you play your cards right during it. Also, much like Path above, character interactions in the game are really good, and I love getting to know my units in this game through their interactions with each other.
DS
Traditional:
Sooooo . . . this may be my favorite Pokemon generation; Gamefreak made all of the right choices here. The physical/special split revolutionized the game more than every gen other than 2's special split and crit/wrap reworks, new evolutions for old Pokemon is a far better choice then Megas, the Underground is still my favorite minigame in the series, Cynthia is still my favorite champion (that muuuuuusic, ahhhhhh), I love Pokeball decorations, the Poketch is the best use of the bottom screen so far, the Pokemon radar is my favorite way of getting rare pokemon, ect. The only thing I don't especially like in the generation is the sheer number of HMs you need for navigation, but on the whole this isn't really that unique or major of a problem. Also, Dawn's hat is my favorite player avatar this far in the series.
Tactical:
Special mention to Advance Wars: Dual Strike here, as I enjoy the title more than FM DS, but I don't consider it an RPG even if I do consider it the better tactical/strategy game. That out of the way, FMDS is the definitive release of the original Front Mission, adding in some cameos to tie it into Front Mission 5 as well as the second story from the PS1 re-release, marking the first time that campaign is playable for people outside of Japan, and there are some pretty sweet unlockable mobile weapon platforms. The game itself is a very solid experience, and I really love the political underpinnings of all the main entries in this series, where things are really dirty behind the scenes and it's all a big powerplay, though I do have to fan some criticism towards Switch for being an extremely overpowered skill in this game, especially alongside . . . duel, I think it was? Or maybe aim? Anyway, if you know what you are doing this game ends up really easy because of it, but otherwise the challenge is pretty fair, and specializing Wanzers is always a lot of fun. Solid entry.
3DS
Traditional:
Aha. Ahaha. Ahhhhhh. Yeah. I bought my 3DS for this game and it is terrible. Pokemon Ultra Moon is my actual pick, as it put the series back on track for me after the extremely disappointing X/Y, and Team Skull may be the absolutely best thing to ever happen to that series.
Tactical:
You know, in a way it is too bad to have to pick this, because the game is extremely easy in all but Lunatic mode due to the extreme power of Pairing Up and reclassing, but it does far too many things right to pass it up for that, especially looking at the two followup titles. First, I like the story and their use of the Days of Future Past setup, and Lucina is one of the most likable leads in the series, with just the right amount of emotion and strength of will to her. Second, while on the easy side, combat here is well balanced and not especially annoying like it can be with all the ******* gimmicks Fates and, to a lesser extent, Echos throw at you. You aren't dealing with shifting landscapes or enemies that ignore traditional rules of range and movement. Third, the children in this system actually make sense, as opposed to their inclusion in Fates, and I like pairing up people to make super babies. IT'S LIKE POKEMON BREEDING PEOPLES, WAHAHAHAAA! Fourth, I kind of like the false ending you get after Gangrel, with Walhart dropping out of nowhere as this pressing threat from another land. It's an unexpected distraction from the Grima problem and I dig it. On the whole, damn solid title and my favorite tactical RPG on the handheld.
SMS
Traditional:
This game is a lot like Paper Mario in that it is really the console's only viable pick, but it is also an exceptional game for its time despite that, so it'd have been the pick even IF there had been some form of competition. Which there isn't. Because this is the Master System. And ain't nobody like Ys, go home.
Tactical:
See Ultima Exodus under the NES section, only this is a better game, with the interesting premis of focusing on self improvement and becoming the avatar of a new religion instead of defeating the great computer of evil inside a castle. The NES version is miles away the superior version of this title, but that doesn't mean the SMS version is bad or anything, and the slot lacks competition, so it is an easy pick here.
Genesis / Megadrive
Traditional:
On top of being a solid game in its own right, this game gets major points for its presentation, with the anime stills adding a lot to conversations and story moments that unemotive sprites really didn't, and its dungeons are FAR less annoying than the ones Phantasy Star II, the competition for this slot, was packing. Macros are an awesome idea for turn based combat and it is a shame more games didn't adopt this feature, and you can find attack combos between your party members, adding some needed depth to the game. It was also the first game I remember where a plot death really got me, especially since later you are kind of teased with option of undoing it, but, well . . .
Tactical:
Not even a remote question for me; sorry, Shining Force. Though Langrisser 2 improved literally EVERY aspect of the game, it competes with its remake, Der Langrisser, in my mind, while L1 stands on its own as a completely competent entry with the same great combat and promotion systems I love in DL. This is also, quite interestingly, probably one of only two TRPGs (Ring of Red being the other) where I use terrain a LOT when making my decisions (especially the decision NOT to use Tiberon -- **** crocodile knights, IT SHOULD BE LITERALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR THAT UNIT TO SUCK, WHY IS IT BAD), which is something surprisingly refreshing. Mountains, in particular, are really your friends in this game, because damage values are extremely fickle here, and the games devs knew that and made it a problem in some maps by doing whatever they could to force you out of your safe zones with objectives, especially Bayard, oooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Bayard, you and your AI might be the most annoying thing in any game ever. ever.
Ever.
Sega CD
Traditional:
Some people like Silver Star more, some like Eternal Blue more, and I fall in with the minority in preferring the sequel. Though both titles field likable casts and interesting enough stories, I find myself more attached to Lucia than I ever was to Luna, and the same goes for pretty much all of the remaining cast, epecially Leo and the Mystere thing that fools absolutely no one, and seeing a certain major villain come back from the first game was all kinds of awesome.
Tactical:
Weird saving issues aside, this is a damn solid title, not to mention the only real option in slot for the console since Dark Wizard isn't remotely RPGish. Amusingly it might be the only time a Shining game makes my list too, despite the series, on the whole, being rather solid. You also get two and a bit extra games for the price of one here, so it is the best value on the entire list to boot. :D
Dreamcast
Traditional:
Yo-ho, fiddle-de-dee, an unfortunate truth of owning a Dreamcast was that you really only got two notable RPGs on your console, this and Grandia II, and while G2 was a good game, I just ended up liking Skies more, even if my Dreamcast didn't.
Tactical: None
I don't remember playing a single tactical RPG on the console.
Game Gear
Traditional: None
Conversely, I don't remember playing a single NON tactical RPG on the Game Gear.
Tactical:
Kind of a poor man's Fire Emblem, Crystal Warriors was nifty in that it used elemental affinities for characters in place of a weapon triangle, and you got a female lead character if you are someone that is important to, though I am only putting the game here as the Shining Force games on the platform were already selected for their Sega CD rerelease.
PS1
Traditional:
There are tons of potential picks for the platform here, but Valkyrie Profile wins out for me for a reason similar to Pokemon DPP: it does everything right. Some people may not like the choice to largely abandon a greater overall story in favor of focusing on smaller character based ones, but Tri-Ace's choice to focus on a Valkyrie selecting souls for Asgard makes this work well, and there is a second storyline the player can unlock for Lenneth herself for those who need a stronger narrative. The choice to stick with 2D sprites for the game in the age of 3D also paid off, as the game is one of, if not THE, best looking RPGs on the platform, and Tri-Ace really played to the strength of their 2D choice in the title by adopting a platformer-ish style for town and dungeon exploration, giving Lenneth various abilities to navigate and rewarding the player for understanding what she can do via creative uses of her crystal shards. This is, of course, supplemented by many well designed dungeons for the player to uncover, and the developers even went the extra mile by designing several DIFFERENT dungeons that appear in different difficulties, most notably several puzzle/platforming heavy ones that appear exclusively in hard mode and reward players with another of the games excellent choices: Flame Jewels. As is Tri-Ace tradition, the game contains a challenging post-game dungeon to explore, but for players who spent the time clearing hard mode and locating all of the Flame Jewels the dungeon also includes unlockable versions of several major NPCs from the main game, and it is kind of awesome to drop them into your party for the hardest challenges the game has to offer. Combat is yet ANOTHER well done element of the game, as what appears at first to be simple button mashing fest is, indeed, well designed for people who take the time to learn how each of their characters attack and can chain together long combos for greater damage, xp, and the ability to cast spells more often. The game also includes a ton of different items that are actually WORTH tracking down, including weak equipment with huge elemental boons, spell books and skill tomes that power up your army, gear to increase character leveling gains, different gear that allow for different numbers of attacks and include special effects like boosting PWS damage, ect, and the item customization system included is easy to understand and use, but deep enough to make even MORE items you find worth hanging onto, just to see what you can transmute them into. In a way it is sad Tri-Ace hit their pinnacle so quickly into their career, because even their high quality titles after this were steps down, but it is a hell of a pinnacle to have reached.
Tactical:
While not their most famous or popular series, I do feel Front Mission holds its place as Square's most consistent franchise, with every entry in the main series being solid in its own right and holding up as one of the best tactical games on each platform they appear on, and FM3 is no exception here and actually manages to beat out FFT for me. The dual narrative the series is largely known for is probably the best implemented here, with the player using the same main character through either story and seeing things from a different perspective, pairing up with old enemies and fighting on the opposite side of certain familiar conflicts, as opposed to playing as two different people and parties entirely. I find it lends itself to a greater appreciation of certain events and characters, especially Liu, when you've fought both against and alongside them. The game's choice to use different Wanzer parts to unlock skills is also one of the best in the series, because, while tedious in a way, it does encourage the use of various parts instead of just 'the best' ones, not to mention the upgrade system allows one to stave off the obsolescence of these parts for basically the entire game, addressing two major problems of the previous entries. The Internet is also a pretty sweet inclusion in the game, as it allows for an interesting direction in world building as you poke around on your own initiative and read about different events and companies, and you can even find out passwords to get into places you shouldn't be, though for the most part this isn't all THAT important outside of a certain chain of events unlocking a special Wanzer. It also has some of my favorite missions in the series, notably the Dagat Ahas and Tianlei infiltrations, and while FFT has some seriously memorable missions, I don't think they ever get me as hyped as FM3's do.
PS2
Traditional:
Generally speaking, dating games are not for me, and it took a while for me to really warm up to this title because of that, especially since neither the mechanics nor story are especially deep, but once the music started to pull me in and I got attached to Aurica this game had me. There are a lot of other offerings on the console that were in the runnings, most notably VP2, FFX, and XII, but each of those games have something major I hold against them, so AT wins for me here.
Tactical:
Another NIS game, when this company does things right, they do it right, even when I'm fairly certain the project itself is underfunded like this one appeared to be. Soul Nomad's combat is, at heart, a turn based take on Ogre Battle, where you build squads of different units and they gain different attacks depending on where you place them in the grid, with the additional perk that certain combinations result in special combination attacks you can pull off. What sets it apart from OB is the additional depth you are afforded with 'Rooms' that grant your squads different abilities, such as '+%5 attack per square moved before attacking', unlockable decorations that grant single battle boosts, like 'act second in combat, but all stats +20%', map based magic spells based on the units in the group, like a lightning bolt that gains more range the more mages you have, and the aforementioned combo attacks; the game simply offers more interesting tactical options than OB did. It also has an unlockable 'evil' story line which, while basic, really shows off exactly how ugly the situation could have become if you didn't remain in control of your other half throughout the game, and there are several enemies that become allies during the course of this second playthrough. My only real complaint is the length of several of the special attacks you can pull off, because you will see these things a toooooooooooooooon, and there is no way to turn just them off, it is either all or nothing with battle animations, and I kind of like watching my shotgun fairies blast people. ; -; *sigh* It's just too bad NIS has such a fixation on the Disgaea series, because this is the combat system I'd prefer to see further refined, though, having seen what they did to Phantom Brave with Makai Kingdom, maybe not, because there really are many things that DON'T get better when you stick some Disagea into it.
PSP
Traditional:
The original SNES Star Ocean would have been my favorite game in that franchise if I didn't have to play with its god awful excuse for a combat system. Conversely, Star Ocean 2 would have been my favorite game in the franchise if I didn't have to deal with Rena and Claude. What happens when someone rebuilds the first game in the second's engine? Well, one of the three games I keep my PSP around for. While the game's final act leaves a lot to be desired, something I'd argue about the series as a whole excepting 2 actually, I absolutely love Roak and exploring it and the people you meet along the way. I love uncovering the mystery behind some of the locations, like the Old Race Ruins and Purgatorium, or that random cave at the start where you get brutally murdered if you absently wander into it. I also love how absolutely rewarding experimentation and item creation in the game can be, like when you are asked to clear out an armory and told you can 'borrow' gear while you are there but have to return it, so you just start transmuting it out of spite and end up making some super silly good gear because you put points into customization. The game also isn't especially long, so you never feel bad experimenting with different character picks, which is probably a good thing since there are a few mutually exclusive people, particularly in Astral. Actually, speaking of Astral, they nerfed Phia into the ground in the remake and I don't know why, which I kind of resent. She was my favorite. >: I
Tactical:
It had trouble beating FM3 for the PS1 slot, but it wipes everything clean for the PSP one. Final Fantasy Tactics is simply one of the best tactical games out there, with tons of depth to the character customization, many tactical considerations like elevation and facing actually mattering, a wonderfully political story and gritty feeling world, a surprising number of secrets to be found, and a lot of memorable characters. The game is also, assuming you aren't grinding, maybe just a tiny little bit difficult, something Dorter decides to show you pretty early in the game, and I love it for it. Also, Agrias <3. Also, Cid <3. Also, Worker 8 is a refence to the FF1 androids and nobody noticed, best hidden reference since Shadow being a promoted thief. <3
http://www.videogamesprites.net/FinalFantasy1/NPCs/Nonhuman/Robot2-Front.gif
PC-98:
Sometimes you don't need a deep story or mechanics, sometimes you just need a lighthearted story and cute anime peoples beating the crap out of each other on the battlefield, and that's what this game is all about. It is a good deal harder than the original though, since I seem to recall changes to healing mechanics and the main character's defense stat growth here so he didn't win every map on his own with a heal battery behind him. Also, Docatti, best man in a helmet ever.
90s PC:
Kind of the RPG that got me into PC RPGs, Baldur's Gate felt like playing a game of DnD, where you weren't railroaded into things and had the freedom to explore and do what you wanted to do, and level how you wanted to level. It is still in my top 10 PC games to this day.
2000s PC:
Same as the above, only expanded and better in basically every way. Planescape also deserves mention here, but it never resonated with me the way BG2 did, as I wasn't already super invested in the story the way I was with BG, having already cleared a game and its expansion with my party.
2010s PC:
It took me FAR too long to get into this series, but I'm kind of iffy about games people bombard me with recommendations for, so it wasn't until the unneccesary hatestorm dropped on ME3 that I finally gave this series a shot, and, uh, yeah, the AI in ME1 is a mess and I kind of hate it, but ME2 got me super invested in the story, my characters, and the combat. I love this game. :D The only problem is FemShep has nothing but terrible and awkward relationship options, and I feel bad for her because of it. >: I
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