What's the best RPG of all time?

[thegreekdog]

I think there are too many to put in a poll (but correct me if I'm wrong).

My favorite is Baldur's Gate II. Yes, I've played Skyrim. The story and character interactions in BGII are better. I've just started Baldur's Gate again (to use my character there in BGII).

[Pedronicus]

this one seems really popular (and you get a free balaclava with every purchase)

Click image to enlarge.

[pancakemix]

Now that the obligatory rocket propelled grenade joke is out of the way, I'll give you my short list:

Mass Effect - 2/3 had better gameplay, but none really match the experience you get with the first one. Plus, it's the best example of The Hero's Journey I've ever seen in a video game.

Pokemon Gold/Silver - I know, I'm a nostalgia whore. This installation of Pokemon just has something none of the others - not even the remakes - could quite grasp.

(Honorable Mention) Star Ocean: The Second Story - It's one of the few "traditional" RPGs I've played, and one of an even smaller group of the one's I actually liked. It's honorable mention because I don't think it's well known enough to be "the best".

I'll probably think of more.

[pimpdave]

I'd like to turn this thread into a debate over which company is better at making them, Bethesda or Bioware.

My answer is both. Different strokes for different folks.

[deathcomesrippin]

Final Fantasy Tactics- Some don't consider it an RPG, but when it comes to character customization it is second to none.

Azure Dreams

Morrowind- Beats Skyrim just because in my mind it set the tone for the modern 1st person RPGs.

Super Mario RPG

Final Fantasy 7- First game I ever logged more time in than it could show on the clock.

[thegreekdog]

I feel an irrational anger to people who like RPGs that have nothing to do with role playing and are merely dressed up arcade games (see, e.g. Pokemon and Super Mario Brothers). I like the Final Fantasy games for what they are... and what they aren't is an RPG.

By the way, I knew this would happen. I don't know why I started this thread.

[deathcomesrippin]

It's not like any RPGs are actually Role Playing, everything in them is set and once you figure out how to use the best combo/cast the best spells/find the best gear its all the same shit. BG is no different than FF, or any of the others. The closest you can get apart from tabletop is in MMOs, because you can actually roleplay if you feel the need to ignore the actual game and make shit up as you go along. To not call FF an RPG, but call Baldurs Gate one is giving yourself a pretty narrow view of RPGs I would say. FF7 had just as good of a story and as much detail in character development as any D&D based game.

I assumed we were speaking of video games, but if we are stretching out outside of dressed up arcade games then I would go with 3rd Ed. D&D. Greatest RPG system ever made.

[pimpdave]

My favorite role playing game is Modern Warfare 3. My second favorite is old school, RC Pro Am!

Have you ever played those RPGs, deathcomesrippin?

[natty dread]

I like roguelike games. They're the closest thing to actual RPG:s you can come with computer games.

DCSS is pretty great. Today I was playing as a high elf wizard, and after killing Kirke who incidentally tried to turn me into a pig, I met this insanely powerful dwarven fighter - I tried to kill him with poison arrow which is a poison spell that is so powerful that it poisons even the guys who have poison resistance, but this guy kept blocking the arrows and then he hasted himself and started closing the distance so I had no choice but to teleport the f*ck out of there. Now I'm trying to figure out a way to kill him...

[Frigidus]

Baldur's Gate is a pretty solid choice. I really can't think of any flaws in that one off the top of my head (technological limitations forcing me to switch between six disks aside). I'm surprised nobody has suggested any JRPGs, although I suppose those are practically a different genre.

[Phatscotty]

Final Fantasy Tactics- Some don't consider it an RPG, but when it comes to character customization it is second to none.

Final Fantasy 7- First game I ever logged more time in than it could show on the clock.

Checkin to see if my favorites were on here. There they are!

I still play FFT once a year or so. Did you use the strategy guide on Tactics? Did you get all the special characters as well as clear the dungeons?

[Rodion]

Maybe these won't fit into your arbitrary definition of RPGs, but they are some of the games that I enjoyed the most:

Final Fantasy 7
Final Fantasy Tactics
Vandal Hearts
Suikoden 2
Dragon Force

[deathcomesrippin]

My favorite role playing game is Modern Warfare 3. My second favorite is old school, RC Pro Am!

Have you ever played those RPGs, deathcomesrippin?

I have played MW3 a fair bit, but RC Pro Am has been awhile.

MW2 is still king to MW3. I still play that far more than any other game.

[mviola]

Final Fantasy Tactics

Yes.

[pimpdave]

My favorite role playing game is Modern Warfare 3. My second favorite is old school, RC Pro Am!

Have you ever played those RPGs, deathcomesrippin?

I have played MW3 a fair bit, but RC Pro Am has been awhile.

MW2 is still king to MW3. I still play that far more than any other game.

Have you ever heard of the role playing game called Pac Man?

[Army of GOD]

Duke Nukem 3D

[deathcomesrippin]

My favorite role playing game is Modern Warfare 3. My second favorite is old school, RC Pro Am!

Have you ever played those RPGs, deathcomesrippin?

I have played MW3 a fair bit, but RC Pro Am has been awhile.

MW2 is still king to MW3. I still play that far more than any other game.

Have you ever heard of the role playing game called Pac Man?

I played a bit of Pac Man. Slightly before my time though.

[thegreekdog]

Maybe these won't fit into your arbitrary definition of RPGs, but they are some of the games that I enjoyed the most:

Final Fantasy 7
Final Fantasy Tactics
Vandal Hearts
Suikoden 2
Dragon Force

They do not fit into my arbitrary definition.

[Siedshow99]

While I really honestly do appreciate the RC Pro Am references (man I spent SO many hours of my childhood playing that shit!), I'm shocked not to see any love for WoW on this thread. I no longer play, but for about a year of my life I was insanely into it. C'mon guys...millions and millions of people can't be wrong!

[Army of GOD]

Mortal Kombat 3

[ManBungalow]

The original Tekken.

[natty dread]

While I really honestly do appreciate the RC Pro Am references (man I spent SO many hours of my childhood playing that shit!), I'm shocked not to see any love for WoW on this thread. I no longer play, but for about a year of my life I was insanely into it. C'mon guys...millions and millions of people can't be wrong!

Ad populum.

Personally, I think almost all of these modern popular "RPG:s" are fluff with fancy graphics and no substance.

I think the best RPG:s have none or very minimal graphics. The lack of fancy graphics is in fact a strength and not a weakness - not having to render every little event in the game in the latest 3d sparkly shit gives the game designers much more freedom, much more features and eventualities can be coded in... like when you have these realistic 3d graphics, and you have to render in graphics for every thing your character is able to perform, and the same goes for every enemy and NPC, it severely limits the amount of things they can do... as well as the amount of different enemies and NPC:s in the first place.

Maybe in a few years we'll have computers that have so insane amounts of memory and other resources that these limitations no longer apply, but I have a suspicion that even then the popular, top-of-the-line mainstream games will use 90% of those resources to make the graphics just a little bit sparklier... and the actual substance stays about the same.

[Army of GOD]

Does Fable count?

I think that might be the only RPG I've ever played

[Lootifer]

Soon to be GW2

/fanboy

[thegreekdog]

Does Fable count?

I think that might be the only RPG I've ever played

Yes it does. I like that game.