top 5 rpg's on each console

[EnemyZero]

i know this has been done, but lets hear em again....pick a console..or every console

I'll take ps1 - in no particular order - no re-releases from other systems

FF7
XenoGears
Suikoden 2
Vandal Hearts
Brave Fencer Musashi

[Nez]

Ill do the easy one. Dreamcast.

1. Grandia 2
2. Skies of Arcadia
3. Shenmue 2
4. Shenmue
5. Phantasy Star Online.

[zmweasel]

Ill do the easy one. Dreamcast.

1. Grandia 2
2. Skies of Arcadia
3. Shenmue 2
4. Shenmue
5. Phantasy Star Online.

You'd classify Shenmue 1/2 as RPGs? Hmmm.

-- Z.

[EnemyZero]

shenmue has rpg elements...its action/adventure/rpg

[Avatard]

SNES: FF2(US), FF3(US), Mario SotSS, Chrono Trigger
Lagoon was interesting, but I don't think it deserves to be near the top.

NES: FF1 (duh), Dragon Warrior, Faxanadu! (does RPG != Turn based?),

Not in respective orders btw. And if Hylide makes it in the not NES ones I think I'll shoot myself.

[zmweasel]

shenmue has rpg elements...its action/adventure/rpg

Action/adventure, I agree with. RPG, I don't.

-- Z.

[Nez]

shenmue has rpg elements...its action/adventure/rpg

Action/adventure, I agree with. RPG, I don't.

-- Z.

Hey if it listed in the DP guide as a RPG thats good enough for me.

[Keir]

C64:
AD&D Curse of the Azure Bonds
Bard's Tale
Dragon Wars
Legacy of the Ancients
Ultima 3

[zmweasel]

shenmue has rpg elements...its action/adventure/rpg

Action/adventure, I agree with. RPG, I don't.

-- Z.

Hey if it listed in the DP guide as a RPG thats good enough for me.

I respect DP more than anyone, but I'd love to know which DPer classified Shenmue as an "RPG," and why. There's item collection and puzzle-solving, but those elements are present in Resident Evil, and I wouldn't classify that as an RPG. I assume it's the NPC conversations that prompted the RPG classification.

-- Z.

[Beefy Hits]

PS1
Star Ocean 2
Thousand Arms
Xenogears
Grandia
FF7

PS2
FFXI
Shadow Hearts
Star Ocean 3
Suikoden 3

SNES
FF2
FF3
Chronno Trigger
7th Saga
Secret of Evermore
Secret of Mana

Sega CD
Lunar 1
Lunar 2
Vay
Dark Wizard

NES
Dragon Warrior IV
Dragon Warrior III
Dragon Warrior II
Dragon Warrior
Final Fantasy

[Nez]

Not only that but there is a kind of leveling up system, you fighting skills sharpen and you learn new moves.

Theres a lot of story telling, meeting of new charictors, a love interest, plus you play the role of Ryo Hazuki.

THe only common RPG trait that it doesn't have are turn based combat.

[Ed Oscuro]

Resident Evil, if anything, is closer to an RPG in style with the inventory management details...but still, that's fitting in the wrong shape peg.

A game like Castlevania II: Simon's Quest can be called an Action RPG in that you can level up your character. There's really nothing of the sort in Shenmue...it's action through and through.

Shenmue seems to present problems for the forumers here...just because it did something in 3D that hadn't been tried that way before does NOT mean that it's bending genres all that much. It's a 3D adventure game, but unlike Gabriel Knight III (not quite sure which title looks uglier, heh heh) it adds in fighting game elements and lots and lots of reaction-based minigames.

[downfall]

Or you could take the really easy way out and pick Gamecube. It only has about 5 RPG's worth mentioning anyway:

Skies of Arcadia
Tales of Symphonia
Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door
Baten Kaitos

and.. uh..

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles.

I guess maybe.

Or maybe Phantasy Star Online.

And about Shenmue: I'm not picking on you specifically, as I've always hated the RPG label, but if you're going to call Shenmue an RPG because you play the role of Ryo Hazuki, then you need to call Super Mario Bros. an RPG because you play the role of Mario.

[NESaholic]

Nes top 5 rpg's/simulations:

-FF1
-Bard's Tale
-Maniac Mansion
-Shadow Gate
-Dragon Warrior

[zmweasel]

Not only that but there is a kind of leveling up system, you fighting skills sharpen and you learn new moves.

BloodRayne 2 has a similar leveling-up system. Is that an RPG?


Theres a lot of story telling, meeting of new charictors, a love interest, plus you play the role of Ryo Hazuki.

There's a lot of storytelling, lots of characters, several love interests, and a central character in GTA: San Andreas. Is that an RPG?

-- Z.

[zmweasel]

Resident Evil, if anything, is closer to an RPG in style with the inventory management details...but still, that's fitting in the wrong shape peg.

A game like Castlevania II: Simon's Quest can be called an Action RPG in that you can level up your character. There's really nothing of the sort in Shenmue...it's action through and through.

Shenmue seems to present problems for the forumers here...just because it did something in 3D that hadn't been tried that way before does NOT mean that it's bending genres all that much. It's a 3D adventure game, but unlike Gabriel Knight III (not quite sure which title looks uglier, heh heh) it adds in fighting game elements and lots and lots of reaction-based minigames.

I'm especially interested in this discussion because goatdan and I went on at length about the differences and similarities between Shenmue, KotOR, and San Andreas. To have others argue that Shenmue is an RPG makes me have to re-evaluate my position that Shenmue and KotOR are very different games. I admit that I've already been leaning toward agreeing with Dan that many modern games defy simple classification--and can be compared to each other--because they borrow elements from so many genres.

-- Z.

[Avatard]

*edit* Double post somehow, deleted.

[Nez]

Not only that but there is a kind of leveling up system, you fighting skills sharpen and you learn new moves.

BloodRayne 2 has a similar leveling-up system. Is that an RPG?


Theres a lot of story telling, meeting of new charictors, a love interest, plus you play the role of Ryo Hazuki.

There's a lot of storytelling, lots of characters, several love interests, and a central character in GTA: San Andreas. Is that an RPG?

-- Z.

No GTA is not a RPG becouse thats not whats its designed to be. The main enfasis is not the story but rather the missions, or for most gamers blowing the poorpedestrian away. *SPOILER WARNING* In Vice city did anyone feel bad for killing Lance becouse the story gave you a reason to care for him?

Blood Rain is not a RPG beouse its mostly a brawler, I think. None gives a shit about its story, becouse thats not its main point of interest.

While Shenmue is more about story, there isn't all that much combat (Just getting to the first fight can take up more then a half hour) and there are few puzzels to solve.

[Aussie2B]

Shenmue is basically a point-and-click style adventure without the cursor and pointing and clicking obviously. :P And some Virtua Fighter fighting slapped in. Definitely not an RPG in any shape or form (but a lot of people DO refer to point-and-click adventures as RPGs as well as tons of other games that I don't consider RPGs [such as Zelda]).

[LootRn]

One of the best RPG of all time, and some would say one of main ones that really progressed the genre, is DUNGEON MASTER for the AtariST (and Amiga I believe)

[geelw]

"Blood Rain is not a RPG beouse its mostly a brawler, I think. None gives a shit about its story, becouse thats not its main point of interest."

:/ er... this guy's obviously never played a d & d dungeon hack, a d & d slayer, rogue, or any other fun, plotless dungeon crawl on the PC.

RPGs aren't just about plot and fantasy elements and leveling up. a lot of games have elements from PC and console RPGs in them as design elements and to make the games more appealing to players more used to these elements. you could call almost every game a form of rpg, in that you're taking on a particular persona for a while, but naturally, more important elements come into play in order for any game to be seen as a part of the genre.

as for shenmue, why not go to the horse's mouth and see what yu suzuki has called the game in interviews? that should be the final word, LOL

[zmweasel]

No GTA is not a RPG becouse thats not whats its designed to be. The main enfasis is not the story but rather the missions, or for most gamers blowing the poorpedestrian away. *SPOILER WARNING* In Vice city did anyone feel bad for killing Lance becouse the story gave you a reason to care for him?

Blood Rain is not a RPG beouse its mostly a brawler, I think. None gives a shit about its story, becouse thats not its main point of interest.

While Shenmue is more about story, there isn't all that much combat (Just getting to the first fight can take up more then a half hour) and there are few puzzels to solve.

Many of Shenmue's gameplay elements are similar or almost identical to gameplay elements in BloodRayne 2 and San Andreas, but you're saying those games aren't RPGs because "they weren't meant to be." That's a perfectly reasonable personal opinion (and one I agree with), but it's not a definition of what an RPG is.

You're saying Shenmue is an RPG because it's "more about story." San Andreas has a fantastic story, better than Shenmue's, and the story progresses when you complete certain tasks, just like Shenmue.

So what is it about Shenmue's approach to storytelling that makes it an RPG? The NPC conversations?

-- Z.

[tritium]

My dreamcast list of RPG's

1. Phantasy star Online (no othergame can be the time consuming blackhole that is PSO)

2. Grandia 2 (I cried...)

3. Skies of Arcadia

4. Sakura Taisen 3 (En Francais Si Vous Plais)

5. Record of Lodoss War

Even though Shenmue has RPG elements in it, those also adventure game elements. RPG is defined by the way the character evolves throughout the story (ie: Levels)

-Tritium

[zmweasel]

as for shenmue, why not go to the horse's mouth and see what yu suzuki has called the game in interviews? that should be the final word, LOL

The most revealing quotes in this Suzuki interview (http://www.tiger-marmalade.com/~marc/writing/sega_articles_suzuki_shenmue.html):

"Other RPGs were not a reference at all, because I've never played any!"

"Comparing movies, Shenmue is not like 'Star Wars,' it's like 'Rocky'...you know, ordinary life, but exciting."

The latter sentence is the closest he comes to defining Shenmue.

The research continues.

-- Z.

[geelw]

lol- that's the interview i was thinking of, but i was too lazy to look it up. funny thing, though... i guess suzuki never played (sword of) vermilion once it was done, seeing as he's listed as its "creator" in a few places LOL

[Nez]

"

:/ er... this guy's obviously never played a d & d dungeon hack, a d & d slayer, rogue, or any other fun, plotless dungeon crawl on the PC.


You got me there. LOL

[geelw]

"

:/ er... this guy's obviously never played a d & d dungeon hack, a d & d slayer, rogue, or any other fun, plotless dungeon crawl on the PC.


You got me there. LOL

LOL well, they're all worth tracking down, if you're into older PC games. rogue is still available in many forms for free via a number of sources and you don't need a high end machine to play it... :D

[Ed Oscuro]

Rogue will be available free forever, plus there's Java versions, NetHack and some other crazy stuff out there. Bah. I don't waste my time with it. You'll try it and then move on.

I like many of the Gold Box AD&D RPGs but again you'll play them and probably not feel any reason to go back...or finish...the best one of all, Pool of Radiance, might not have enough features for everybody in this age; it has a nice plot and some interesting dungeons and the battle system holds up rather well (the word of the day is "Choke point") but again is rather dated.

[GobopopRevisited]

SNES-
1) Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
2) Chrono Trigger
3) EarthBound
4) Final Fantasy III / VI
5) Terranigma

NES-
1) Dragon Warrior III
2) Dragon Warrior IV
3) Final Fantasy
4) Dragon Warrior II
5) Dragon Warrior

[Daria]

NES:
1. Dragon Warrior (the first of course deserves mention)
2. Dragon Warrior 4 (probably the best for the system period)
3. Final Fantasy (not my favorite but if I list DW1 I have to mention it)
4. Star Tropics (hard as hell but an impressive game for it's time)
5. Crystalis

SNES:
1. Lufia 2
2. Super Mario RPG
3. Breath of Fire 2
4. Chrono Trigger
5. Final Fantasy 3 (same deal as FF)

Sega Master System:
1. Phantasy Star
2. Golden Axe Warrior
3. Miracle Warriors
4. Ys: Vanish Omens
5. Wonder Boy in Monster Worlds (ok that was easy I don't think the system even has more then five)

Genesis:
1. Shining Force
2. Shadowrun
3. Phantasy Star 4 (again same deal as the FF)
4. LandStalker
5. Warsong

GameGear:
1. Defenders of Oasis
2. Shining Force: Sword of Haija
3. Crystal Warriors
... and that's all they made

DreamCast:
1. Skies of Arcadia
2. Grandia II
3. Phantasy Star Online
... those are really the three RPGs that's worth anyone owning for the system. After that you have to list games like Record of Lodoss war and Silver. Which may be fun but don't belong on any top 10 list.

Shenmue is more akin to a consolized Point and Click adventure game then an RPG. In fact not an RPG at all. Great game though.

Sega CD:
1. Lunar Silver Star Story
2. Lunar Eternal Blue
3. Popful Mail
4. Dark Wizard (never played it but a friend would shoot me if I didn't mention it)
5. Shining Force CD

N64:
1. Paper Mario
2. Harvest Moon 64
3. Ogre Battle 64
4. Zelda Ocarina of Time
5. Zelda Majora's Mask

In all fairness I've never played Aiydan Chronicles so I have no idea if it's any good. And before anyone screams "Zelda's not an RPG" my only other choice was Quest 64 and that really sucks.

PlayStation:
1. Valkyrie Profile
2. Persona 2
3. Vandal Hearts
4. Grandia
5. Alundra

Wow that was hard, missing a lot of great games from that list, and I didn't bother to mention either Lunar because they're already in the Sega CD list. But anyway I think these 5 are among the best of the system, haven't really played either Suikoden in case you're wondering why it's not there. Final Fantasy 7 is complete garbage though. :P

... and I haven't played enough of the new systems to make a good list. And I simply don't know enough about the gameboy either.

[Aussie2B]

Okay, I'll give this a go now that I have the time:

(No particular order for any system.)

NES:
Dragon Warrior 1-4
Final Fantasy
(That's about all I can think of. The NES doesn't have much to offer as far as true RPGs go. For the most part, I prefer the system's adventure games like Crystalis, Zelda 1 and 2, Willow, Maniac Mansion, etc.)

SNES (US-released titles only):
Chrono Trigger
Final Fantasy 2
Final Fantasy 3
Super Mario RPG
Lufia 2

Super Famicom (Japan exclusives):
Star Ocean
Tales of Phantasia
Fire Emblem (any of the three, really)
Dragon Quest 6
Tengai Makyou Zero

PSX:
Star Ocean: The Second Story
Valkyrie Profile
Final Fantasy Tactics
Tales of Destiny 1 and 2

I have trouble coming up with 5 truly excellent RPGs for other consoles, so I'll leave it at that. o_O

[-hellvin-]

PC:

1. Betrayal At Krondor
2. Deus Ex
3. Lands Of Lore: Thrones Of Chaos
4. Planescape: Torment
5. System Shock 2

PSX:

1. Chrono Cross
2. Final Fantasy VII
3. Final Fantasy VIII
4. Final Fantasy Tactics
5. Valkyrie Profile

PS2:

1. Disgaea: Hours Of Darkness
2. Final Fantasy X
3. Kingdom Hearts
4. Breath Of Fire: Dragon Quarter
5. La Pucelle Tactics

Gamegear:

1. Ax Battler
2. Crystal Warriors
3. Defenders Of Oasis
4. Shining Force
5. ??

Genesis:

1. Shining Force
2. Shining Force II
3. Phantasy Star IV
4. Arcus Odyssey
5. Crusader Of Centy

Master System:

1. Phantasy Star
2. Miracle Warriors
3. Wonderboy In Monster World
4. Golden Axe Warrior
5. Wonderboy III

NES:

1. Dragon Warrior II
2. Dragon Warrior IV
3. Final Fantasy
4. Wizards & Warriors II
5. Ultima: Warriors Of Destiny

Saturn:

1. Albert Odyssey
2. Shining Force III
3. Panzer Dragoon Saga
4. Dragon Force
5. Shining The Holy Ark

Sega CD:

1. Dark Wizard
2. Shining Force CD
3. Popful Mail
4. Lunar II
5. Lunar

Super NES:

1. Chrono Trigger
2. Final Fantasy II
3. Final Fantasy III
4. Shadowrun
5. Terranigma