411 Games Top 5 05.11.09: Week 11 - The RPG Edition

Posted by Todd Vote on 05.11.2009

Well it was bound to happen no matter how much I fought it. This week the 411 games staff chimes in with an eclectic look at our... excuse me their, favorite RPGs of all time. What made the list? Well you will have to do some clicking to find out the answer to that question.

This week we cover a subject I was hoping would never come up in the top 5. mainly because I am not a fan of the genre. But this isn't written for me, it's written for you guys out there in internet land. Now provided we can get everyone with full mana, we should be able to zip right through this week. If not, we may be in trouble. This week, 411 Games brings to you our top 5 RPG's. By now, you folks know the drill, the points are worthless. Just there to add a little fun to the column, and to kind of hold it together. In other words the points are as worthless as a turn based attack system.










First up this week is Armando Rodriguez. Armando seems to love RPG's... So much in fact that he vote for this subject just to spite loveable ole Toddo. Why anyone would want to spite me is just flabbergasting. Take it away Armando.

Armando Rodriguez

Honorable Mentions:

Neverwinter Nights 2 - I loved this game to death. The flexibility in character creation and the engaging story kept me coming back for more. I must have beaten this game a dozen times with different character classes.

Star Wars: KOTOR - This was like a cross between Star Wars and Neverwinter Nights and it worked. I loved the original more than I did the sequel. The story was better and so was the pace of the game. I just wished you could get a lightsaber faster than you did, though.

Final Fantasy VII - OK, I really liked this game. It was a pretty solid RPG that had many memorable moments. But this is NOT the best RPG ever. Hell, it isn't the best FF game ever. People treat this game as groundbreaking, but it was not. "Boo-hoo, Aerith died and it was emotional". Sega did that years before with Phantasy Star II. "Sephiroth is a bad-ass!" Yes, but more so than Kefka? It was good and memorable, but is not even close in the innovation department or the enjoyment factor. Don't get me wrong, I like the game and it is in this list for a reason, but it is not the best ever.



Final Fantasy IX - It was better than VII. Enough said. The story was not on the same level, but as far as gameplay is concerned, it was far more entertaining and it had the better pace. In other words, it actually moved! Not like FFVII that seemed stuck in the same things forever and boosted a plot so complex that you needed DNA charts and a Tarot card reader to understand what the %$#@ is going on.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - The best Zelda game since A Link to the Past. Better in my opinion than Twilight Princess. Navi was annoying as hell, but outside of that this game is flawless.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past - This is my favorite Zelda of all time. The time-travelling mechanic was well implemented and the dungeons where a blast to play.
You know, I'm pretty sure this is the first time anyone has ever had more honorable mentions, than actual list items. I suppose thats worth something... About 30 points maybe.

5.Phantasy Star (Master System) - Growing up a Sega gamer, this is the pinnacle of Master System RPG's. It is the type of game you show your friends to prove that the Master System was more powerful than the NES. For starters, the graphics are colorful and it featured first-person 3D dungeons! On an 8-bit system! The story was pretty entertaining and the game was typical JRPG fare: lots of grinding and leveling up before you could advance....but it was worth it!
Masters system... Thats the old school shit right there< and we all know old school is worth 10 points

4.Phantasy Star IV: End of the Milenium(Genesis) - Phantasy Star II and III where good, but part IV was the bomb. It finally tied all the events from the previous games (even the disjointed mess of PS III) into a cohesive storyline and brought a satisfying conclusion. It was one of the longest and prettiest RPG's on the Genesis or any 16-bit system for that matter.

3. Shining Force (Genesis) - The father of strategy RPG's in America, SF is similar to games like Final Fantasy Tactics and Fire Emblem: You control a cast of characters on turn-based battles against a series of enemies. Characters level up and get promoted to new classes, becoming more powerful. The bosses where memorable (Laser Eye anyone?) and the cast of characters was pretty awesome as well. Pelle was my favcrite because he was a beast.

2.Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion - The breath and scope of Oblivion blew me away. It was such a large, detailed world that you could explore at your leisure and do whatever the hell you wanted. I created the Solid Snake of thieves, a silent, deadly threat that could kill anyone without ever being noticed. I was literally unstoppable. You didn't even need to follow the story to have fun!

1.Shining Force II(Genesis) - Besides being a kick-ass strategy RPG, I think this game has the best bosses of any other game in the genre. From Taros the giant, Kraken, Odd Eye, Red Baron and Zeon himself, they where all pretty badass. The world was larger than the original, the cast of characters more diverse, with some pretty sweet classes (Pegasus Knight, Golem, Dragon Turtle/Dinosaur/Monster-thingy) and an overall better story than the first game. To me, this is the pinnacle of strategy RPG's.
30 points... Why? Because I've played this game, and I do what I want

Armando sets the bar this week with 70 points. Lets see if it holds up. Up next we have the master of Working Title, Jordan Williams. Let's see what Jordan has for us.

Jordan Williams

Honorable Mention:

Neverwinter Nights - While I am not the biggest Pen and Paper RPG fan, I do love it when they make it accessible to us non-stat rollers. NWN was fun as hell alone but I loved it to death when I could connect and play it with friends.

Hybrid Heaven - If you had an N64 and you didn't at least rent this game you are doing yourself a strong disservice. Hybrid Heaven was a Sci-Fi Action/RPG that had a pretty awesome ass leveling system in that you leveled up your bodyparts and not nessecarily your entire body. Couple that with the fact that you were a bit of a Blue Mage in the sense that moves had to be done to you before you learned them and the game got real deep, real fast. Of course you could just level up one bodypart until it was crazy strong and win that way, too. I had the strongest right leg in all of the world by the time I finished that game.
Okay I am giving you 15 points because that sounds interesting enough that I may want to break out the N64 and track that one down.

5. Final Fantasy: Mystic Quest - That's right. I actually fucking liked this game. People dog the shit out of it all of the time for being too easy and cookie cutter but I actually started playing this game for the first time when I was 5 years old, a year before I actually played Final Fantasy 2(IV). These games actually TAUGHT ME TO FUCKING READ. Take that as being obscenely sad or exceedingly awesome. I'm going to go for the latter.



4.Megaman X: Command Mission - Now, while Command Mission wasn't a groundbreaking or great game by any measures, it's on my list simply because it proved that if you take the time for the writing and some creativity it IS possible to cross-genre a game into an RPG. They managed to hit on every point of the 'standard' RPG but managed to never lose the Megaman X feel of the game. It definitely could've done with a sequel to continue the decent story they had going there. But it is still a favorite RPG of mine for the fact that it proved that Mario isn't the only guy with crossover appeal.

3. Final Fantasy 2 (IV) - Like I said, this and Mystic Quest were my first RPGs and this was actually one of the earliest games I remember playing. It's sad to see that the story and some of the mechanics in the game haven't exactly aged well but FUCK THAT NOISE. THIS GAME TAUGHT ME HOW TO FUCKING READ Do you know how AWESOME it is being the only kid on the playground going "I'm Bahamut" and "FIRE 3" at kids? Power Rangers? Fuck that. I was a member of the Redwings. I used to yell Achoo before I dragon kicked fuckers in the head. This game is definitely one of my favorites.
Here is another 20 points just stop Dragon kicking little kids on the playground man.

2. Phantasy Star Online Episodes 1 and 2 - People might write this off and just a grinding game, but fuck those people. It was an RPG and this game single handedly ate up like three years of my life. Not only did this game provide hours of nonsense fun, but I actually made money playing this game.

Let me say this again. For two years I had monetary game from playing PSO. People at school would actually pay me to level thier characters and farm Meseta and Rares for them. Eventually they found out that it was fucking STUPID for me to do so, but it was only after they pretty much financed my Senior Trip as well as some new games for myself. PSO also lead to some pretty long standed friendships in highschool who I still hang out with today. Although I haven't played the game in quite a long time I still leave the Gamecube hooked up and the memory card in for when those friends come over. You just aren't a man until you beat Episode II on Ultimate in one sitting.
You had kids from school paying you to beat this game for you? Thats awesome heres 10 points.

1. Final Fantasy 3 (VI) - Cliche as it sounds, this is my favorite fucking RPG. It might be just as overrated as Final Fantasy VII (which is a lot of overrated, too) but fuck all of that noise. Great cast of characters? Check. Awesome story? Check. Awesome villian who actually does villianous stuff and sticks to his words? Check PlusPlus. I mean there really just isn't much else I can say about why this is my favorite RPG, you can scour any forum on the internet and see the same stuff that I am going to end up saying, so I'll just sum it up like this. Fuck Setzer. Long live Gau. Kefka is King. Sephiroth can lick the sweatiest part of my body.

Alright, Jordan comes in just shy of Armando's lead with 45 points. Let's see if someone can knock Armando from the lead this week. Up next we have a list straight from "Mr. Catnip," himself.

James "Mr. Catnip" McGee

HONORABLE MENTION



The Virgin Milkmaid and the Well-hung Stable Boy - My wife and I enjoy this one because…oh, you mean role-playing video games. Oh, never mind then…

5. Jade Empire - Bioware's first appearance on this list comes from eschewing the traditional swords-n-sorcery or space-opera models and going with a fresh setting. Chinese mythology is ripe with stories, themes, and monsters tailor-made for a video game, and Empire uses them to great effect. Bonus points for blending RPG elements with a martial-arts beat ‘em up, though the combat really just boils down to button-mashing.
I always had intentions on trying this game. here take 20 points.

4. Super Mario RPG - This definitely falls under the heading "Things That Had No Right To Be Awesome." The standard-bearer for platformers turned into an RPG? But, weirdness aside, this game works on every level. A great cast of characters adds some depth to the Mario universe while staying true to the feel of the more traditional games in the series. The battle system (which has players pressing buttons at just the right moment to defend or augment their attack) is also a simple, brilliant way of making those long, turn-based encounters more engaging. This one is kind of a precursor to Kingdom Hearts, proving that even the oddest pairings can lead to a great game if handled with care.

3. Elder scrolls IV: Oblivion - I'll take quality over quantity any day, but it certainly doesn't hurt when there's so much quality in a game it can make your head spin for weeks. I logged about sixty hours in Oblivion (longer than many "epic" games) before I realized that I hadn't even touched the main quest since escaping from the Imperial Sewer. The sheer number of things to do in this game is ridiculous, and there is so much variety, that it should literally have something to please everyone. Be a thief, a barbarian, an evil sorcerer, or just spend hours roaming the countryside killing wolves and raiding caves. For a game that truly puts the pure, no-limits "RP" in RPG, it doesn't get more open-ended (or awesome) than Oblivion.
Is it true this is like Fallout without the coolness? Here have 15 points and get back to me on that one.

2. Final Fantasy VI (III on the SNES) - I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Final Fantasy VII is a fine game, but it can't hold a candle to this masterpiece. Cloud and company are exposed for the shallow caricatures they are when standing beside Terra, Locke, Cyan and the rest of my old friends from the 16-bit era. And forget Sephiroth; Kefka is the be-all, end-all of RPG villains. With a diverse cast of characters, a moving (and truly epic) story, and haunting score, this was the pinnacle for the series. It's still my favorite game from the Super Nintendo era, one of the greatest games I've ever played, and I'll petition Square for a remake until the end of days.

1. Knights of the Old Republic - If KOTOR had nothing to do with George Lucas's cash-cow of a universe, it would still be an incredible RPG, with compelling characters, a great story, and dynamic, evolving gameplay. But when you consider that this game—great all on its own merits—also happens to take place in a universe that defined childhood for many a geek., you realize what a force (HA!) we're dealing with here. After Episodes I-III left many a fanboy wanting, KOTOR came along and blew us away. Yes, it is set thousands of years before the story of Anakin and Obi Wan, but this is clearly Star Wars. We may not know these characters, but the themes, the action, the humor, and the friggin' lightsabers are all here. Best of all, the player is given choices that actually affect this universe, making you feel all the more a part of it. You can be the noble hero or the most sadistic Sith imaginable, and it actually makes a difference. Bioware made me a fan for life with this game, showing what an RPG can truly be, and reminding me why I love them.
Maybe I need to go back and try to finish this game up... Nah, I'll just give James 15 points and he can tell me how it ends.

James finishes with 50 points and Armando is still our leader this week. Up next is Adam Larck, Can Adam use his mojo to stop Armando?

Adam Larck

HONORABLE MENTIONS

The Last Remnant - The newest RPG on my list, I really liked the new group control strategy. While it annoyed me sometimes with their attack choices, this control scheme could be redefined a bit and it would work great.

Disgaea: Hour of Darkness - My second favorite strategy RPG. This one has a great sense of humor, and its unique weapon upgrading and judging system makes for near infinite gameplay.
How exactly is that name pronounced? 15 points if you can tell me.

Earthbound - I had a lot of fun with this one, and it was a close race between it and my fifth place choice. They STILL need to bring Mother 3 (the Japanese name for this series) over to the States.

5.Kingdom Hearts II - The newest game on my list, I loved the action RPG elements to this game. The different forms also allowed for a lot of variety while playing, and the overall upgrade from the original was great. I still remember destroying both Cloud and Sephiroth, along with the huge battle against 100 enemies.
This game was certainly a creative take on the ole RPG genre. I suppose that is worth something. Maybe even 12 points.

4.Final Fantasy Tactics - The top strategy RPG for me. There were so many minor details to go into with characters classes and equipment and using enemies on your team. I have this for PSX, and the rerelease for PSP was the first one I bought when I got that system. It helped define this subset of the RPG genre, and spawned great games like Disgaea.

3. Chrono Trigger - My first time playing this was actually on the PSX with the rerelease it came out on, and I loved it. For being an RPG that came out on the Super NES, the gameplay and combo attacks were amazing. The story was captivating and compelled me to play the game, like an RPG story should. As you can probably guess, I immediately got the DS release this past winter so I could play this game from place to place.
So which is the best RPG of all time? Chrono Trigger or Final Fantasy? 5 points?



2. Suikoden II - Hey, look. It's another game that needs a rerelease on the PSP. This is one of the hardest games to find from the PSX era, and with good reason. It was a short production cycle, but the game was amazing. Trying to find and recruit all 108 characters, along with the six character battle mode with combos, made this game have great replay value for me and wish I could find a copy again (I never could find the game to buy, only rent).

1.Final Fantasy VIII - Probably my most played RPG ever. This is the only one I've actually pulled an all-nighter on to finish; beating it around 6 a.m. that next morning (beat it twice actually. The first time it froze during the ending and I flipped out). From the Draw system to get magic, to the card game it has (which I spent probably a solid month on alone); there was nothing bad about this game for me. It's still my top favorite, and a blast to play whenever I get a chance to.

Adam clocks in with 37 points. Not enough to knock Armando from the top spot. Now, some of you may be wondering where our mainstay Mark Salmela was this week. He failed to send us a list and I think we all know why. He has finally submersed himself completely into his work. We have photographic proof that Mark has finally become "The One" inside the Target Terror world.


Bet you thought you would make it through without Target Terror, didn't ya?

Well that is it for this week, I was going to make a list of my own to go on here, but I could not name more than 3 RPG's that I have ever played in my life, so I skipped it. Armando is our winner this week, so everyone be sure to send him a congratulatory email.. There is no prize, so it might make him feel better. (just kidding Armando)

So, what are your favorite RPG's of all time? Do they match up with the lists presented by our fine writers? Are the writers high with lists like these? Let us know what you think down below. And in honor of Jordan being in the column this week, we'll throw out a Working Question: What is the best RPG of all time? No top 5, what is the absolute best you have ever played?

We'll see you back here next week when we start taking a look at E3's history. This years show is just around the corner, so what has the past brought us that we would all really like to forget?