Recommend me some RPGs
10-03-08, 09:41 PM
#1
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Recommend me some RPGs
One of my favorite games of all time is Star Wars KOTOR but I've never been interested in any other RPGs until now. I've been playing Lost Odyssey and find myself really enjoying it so I'm looking for things similar to it or KOTOR.
Up to now I've been pretty dismissive of the whole genre, it all seemed too...kiddy? Foreign? It all just looked like a bunch of Pikachus and big eyed people screeching in high pitched voices. I'd like to avoid that kind of stuff.
Looking for 360 or PS3 mainly.
Up to now I've been pretty dismissive of the whole genre, it all seemed too...kiddy? Foreign? It all just looked like a bunch of Pikachus and big eyed people screeching in high pitched voices. I'd like to avoid that kind of stuff.
Looking for 360 or PS3 mainly.
10-03-08, 10:27 PM
#3
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Broadly speaking, there are two types of RPGs: Western RPGs and Japanese RPGs.
Western RPGs tend to be fairly open-ended. You're given a goal, plunked down in the world, and left on your own to achieve the goal. Often, there are lots of side quests, and you have a good deal of freedom to decide which side quests you want to do and in what order. KOTOR is a Western RPG.
Japanese RPGs tend to be much more "on the rails." The plot is very much predetermined, and gameplay involves moving the characters through the plot. Lost Odyssey is a Japanese RPG.
In both kinds of RPGs, characters tend to get more powerful as the game progresses. As your characters level up, your stats increase, you get better equipment, and you get new abilities. So part of the game is developing your characters from wimps to bad-asses over the course of the game.
In terms of Western RPGs, Elder Scrolls: Oblivion (set in a sword-and-sorcery world) is absolutely spectacular. Fallout 3 (set in a post-nuclear apocolypse) is coming out in a few weeks; that's by the same people who did Oblivion, and should be good. Fable II is also coming out. That's also sword-and-sorcery. Mass Effect is in a sci-fi setting and is from the same people who did KOTOR. Finally, if you want to go old school, the KOTOR guys did a game called Jade Empire (set in ancient China) that you can download as an XBox Classic.
I'm less up to speed on Japanese RPGs, so I'm not sure what I'd recommend. Lost Odyssey is very good, as you've mentioned. Eternal Sonata is great, but you might find it too kiddy. Same for Blue Dragon. There is one that recently cae out called Tales of Vesperia that got pretty good reviews and another called Infinite Undiscovery that got less good reviews. Those are all for the 360; I'm not too up to speed on what's available for the PS3.
Western RPGs tend to be fairly open-ended. You're given a goal, plunked down in the world, and left on your own to achieve the goal. Often, there are lots of side quests, and you have a good deal of freedom to decide which side quests you want to do and in what order. KOTOR is a Western RPG.
Japanese RPGs tend to be much more "on the rails." The plot is very much predetermined, and gameplay involves moving the characters through the plot. Lost Odyssey is a Japanese RPG.
In both kinds of RPGs, characters tend to get more powerful as the game progresses. As your characters level up, your stats increase, you get better equipment, and you get new abilities. So part of the game is developing your characters from wimps to bad-asses over the course of the game.
In terms of Western RPGs, Elder Scrolls: Oblivion (set in a sword-and-sorcery world) is absolutely spectacular. Fallout 3 (set in a post-nuclear apocolypse) is coming out in a few weeks; that's by the same people who did Oblivion, and should be good. Fable II is also coming out. That's also sword-and-sorcery. Mass Effect is in a sci-fi setting and is from the same people who did KOTOR. Finally, if you want to go old school, the KOTOR guys did a game called Jade Empire (set in ancient China) that you can download as an XBox Classic.
I'm less up to speed on Japanese RPGs, so I'm not sure what I'd recommend. Lost Odyssey is very good, as you've mentioned. Eternal Sonata is great, but you might find it too kiddy. Same for Blue Dragon. There is one that recently cae out called Tales of Vesperia that got pretty good reviews and another called Infinite Undiscovery that got less good reviews. Those are all for the 360; I'm not too up to speed on what's available for the PS3.
10-03-08, 11:37 PM
#5
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Thread Starter
Thanks for the tips.
I've tried Obilivion twice now and for some reason just couldn't get into it. I may try again some time in the future.
I am planning on trying Fable II.
I don't mind the sound of JRPG as you describe it, I just was never fond of overacting way the characters speak. Lost Odyssey has so far proved to be very adult and cinematic.
I've tried Obilivion twice now and for some reason just couldn't get into it. I may try again some time in the future.
I am planning on trying Fable II.
I don't mind the sound of JRPG as you describe it, I just was never fond of overacting way the characters speak. Lost Odyssey has so far proved to be very adult and cinematic.
10-03-08, 11:43 PM
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10-04-08, 01:52 AM
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10-04-08, 07:12 AM
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I need to get back into Oblivion. I got frustrated with it when I was turned into a vampire, and quit for awhile because of that. I finally completed the vampire cure quest, then got sidetracked with life, and other games. I've been wanting to continue the quest though, so maybe I will. I'll just have to do it before Fallout 3 comes out or it might be a long while!
10-04-08, 07:19 AM
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I really like Tales of Symphonia on the 360 mainly because the action based battles are far more engaging than just about any other JRPG. Also the visible enemies on map allow you to battle as much or as little as you like (as opposed to Lost Od.). If you can't get past the anime stylings it may not be a goer for you, but for me it's a much better game than LO, which I also liked.
I recommend keeping an eye on both Fable 2 and Fallout 3 which are due soon.
I recommend keeping an eye on both Fable 2 and Fallout 3 which are due soon.
10-04-08, 11:46 AM
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mhg83, where did you see that about the $15? I don't see it on Best Buy's web site. For $15 I'd give that one a go.
10-04-08, 11:48 AM
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I second that ... I had a lot of fun with Folklore. It has the only motion control I've encountered on the PS3 that's actually fun. There's a demo on PSN if you want to try it out.
10-04-08, 11:57 AM
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10-04-08, 02:27 PM
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Broadly speaking, there are two types of RPGs: Western RPGs and Japanese RPGs.
Western RPGs tend to be fairly open-ended. You're given a goal, plunked down in the world, and left on your own to achieve the goal. Often, there are lots of side quests, and you have a good deal of freedom to decide which side quests you want to do and in what order. KOTOR is a Western RPG.
Japanese RPGs tend to be much more "on the rails." The plot is very much predetermined, and gameplay involves moving the characters through the plot. Lost Odyssey is a Japanese RPG.
In both kinds of RPGs, characters tend to get more powerful as the game progresses. As your characters level up, your stats increase, you get better equipment, and you get new abilities. So part of the game is developing your characters from wimps to bad-asses over the course of the game.
In terms of Western RPGs, Elder Scrolls: Oblivion (set in a sword-and-sorcery world) is absolutely spectacular. Fallout 3 (set in a post-nuclear apocolypse) is coming out in a few weeks; that's by the same people who did Oblivion, and should be good. Fable II is also coming out. That's also sword-and-sorcery. Mass Effect is in a sci-fi setting and is from the same people who did KOTOR. Finally, if you want to go old school, the KOTOR guys did a game called Jade Empire (set in ancient China) that you can download as an XBox Classic.
I'm less up to speed on Japanese RPGs, so I'm not sure what I'd recommend. Lost Odyssey is very good, as you've mentioned. Eternal Sonata is great, but you might find it too kiddy. Same for Blue Dragon. There is one that recently cae out called Tales of Vesperia that got pretty good reviews and another called Infinite Undiscovery that got less good reviews. Those are all for the 360; I'm not too up to speed on what's available for the PS3.
Western RPGs tend to be fairly open-ended. You're given a goal, plunked down in the world, and left on your own to achieve the goal. Often, there are lots of side quests, and you have a good deal of freedom to decide which side quests you want to do and in what order. KOTOR is a Western RPG.
Japanese RPGs tend to be much more "on the rails." The plot is very much predetermined, and gameplay involves moving the characters through the plot. Lost Odyssey is a Japanese RPG.
In both kinds of RPGs, characters tend to get more powerful as the game progresses. As your characters level up, your stats increase, you get better equipment, and you get new abilities. So part of the game is developing your characters from wimps to bad-asses over the course of the game.
In terms of Western RPGs, Elder Scrolls: Oblivion (set in a sword-and-sorcery world) is absolutely spectacular. Fallout 3 (set in a post-nuclear apocolypse) is coming out in a few weeks; that's by the same people who did Oblivion, and should be good. Fable II is also coming out. That's also sword-and-sorcery. Mass Effect is in a sci-fi setting and is from the same people who did KOTOR. Finally, if you want to go old school, the KOTOR guys did a game called Jade Empire (set in ancient China) that you can download as an XBox Classic.
I'm less up to speed on Japanese RPGs, so I'm not sure what I'd recommend. Lost Odyssey is very good, as you've mentioned. Eternal Sonata is great, but you might find it too kiddy. Same for Blue Dragon. There is one that recently cae out called Tales of Vesperia that got pretty good reviews and another called Infinite Undiscovery that got less good reviews. Those are all for the 360; I'm not too up to speed on what's available for the PS3.
KOTOR is a hybrid RPG.
10-04-08, 02:42 PM
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Why do you say that? KOTOR is an RPG through and through. It uses a modified and simplified version of the d20 D&D ruleset, but KOTOR is definitely a full RPG and not a hybrid.
OP, if you enjoyed KOTOR, you will love Bioware's earlier games. Everyone here has already recommended Jade Empire and Mass Effect so I won't. I will go back further in Bioware's timeline and recommend their Infinity Engine games: the Baldur's Gate saga and Planescape: Torment. Well, technically Torment was developed by Black Isle, but it uses the Infinity Engine and is similar to Baldur's Gate.
[angry rant]And by Baldur's Gate, I mean the original PC games developed by Bioware... not the console bastardizations that call themselves Baldur's Gate that were developed by Snowblind Studios. The console Baldur's Gate games are not the true Baldur's Gate games and in fact have little to nothing to do with actual role playing. [/angry rant]
The original PC Baldur's Gate series and Planescape: Torment were some of the best RPGs ever made. Baldur's Gate was Bioware's finest hour, and I (and quite a lot of other Baldur's Gate fanatics) have personally felt that they have been going slightly downhill ever since then.
Also, keep an eye out for Dragon Age, which is Bioware's upcoming RPG. Bioware has promised that Dragon Age will return them to their Baldur's Gate glory days. Hopefully, that will be true.
Everyone is also recommending Fallout 3. I will recommend checking out the original two Fallout games. I believe the original Fallout is free on Gametap currently. I think I read that somewhere.
Last edited by taffer; 10-04-08 at 02:56 PM.
10-04-08, 07:22 PM
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Thanks for the suggestions, taffer. I actually have tried Planescape before but had a very hard time getting it to run. I am running a widescreen monitor under Vista and just gave up because I always had part of the image missing. Is there an easy trick to get this and Baldurs to run?
10-04-08, 11:38 PM
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10-05-08, 02:04 AM
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Why do you say that? KOTOR is an RPG through and through. It uses a modified and simplified version of the d20 D&D ruleset, but KOTOR is definitely a full RPG and not a hybrid.
OP, if you enjoyed KOTOR, you will love Bioware's earlier games. Everyone here has already recommended Jade Empire and Mass Effect so I won't. I will go back further in Bioware's timeline and recommend their Infinity Engine games: the Baldur's Gate saga and Planescape: Torment. Well, technically Torment was developed by Black Isle, but it uses the Infinity Engine and is similar to Baldur's Gate.
[angry rant]And by Baldur's Gate, I mean the original PC games developed by Bioware... not the console bastardizations that call themselves Baldur's Gate that were developed by Snowblind Studios. The console Baldur's Gate games are not the true Baldur's Gate games and in fact have little to nothing to do with actual role playing. [/angry rant]
The original PC Baldur's Gate series and Planescape: Torment were some of the best RPGs ever made. Baldur's Gate was Bioware's finest hour, and I (and quite a lot of other Baldur's Gate fanatics) have personally felt that they have been going slightly downhill ever since then.
Also, keep an eye out for Dragon Age, which is Bioware's upcoming RPG. Bioware has promised that Dragon Age will return them to their Baldur's Gate glory days. Hopefully, that will be true.
Everyone is also recommending Fallout 3. I will recommend checking out the original two Fallout games. I believe the original Fallout is free on Gametap currently. I think I read that somewhere.
OP, if you enjoyed KOTOR, you will love Bioware's earlier games. Everyone here has already recommended Jade Empire and Mass Effect so I won't. I will go back further in Bioware's timeline and recommend their Infinity Engine games: the Baldur's Gate saga and Planescape: Torment. Well, technically Torment was developed by Black Isle, but it uses the Infinity Engine and is similar to Baldur's Gate.
[angry rant]And by Baldur's Gate, I mean the original PC games developed by Bioware... not the console bastardizations that call themselves Baldur's Gate that were developed by Snowblind Studios. The console Baldur's Gate games are not the true Baldur's Gate games and in fact have little to nothing to do with actual role playing. [/angry rant]
The original PC Baldur's Gate series and Planescape: Torment were some of the best RPGs ever made. Baldur's Gate was Bioware's finest hour, and I (and quite a lot of other Baldur's Gate fanatics) have personally felt that they have been going slightly downhill ever since then.
Also, keep an eye out for Dragon Age, which is Bioware's upcoming RPG. Bioware has promised that Dragon Age will return them to their Baldur's Gate glory days. Hopefully, that will be true.
Everyone is also recommending Fallout 3. I will recommend checking out the original two Fallout games. I believe the original Fallout is free on Gametap currently. I think I read that somewhere.
10-05-08, 02:19 AM
#21
If you liked Diablo 2 and don't feel like waiting 20 years for the sequel, find Titan Quest. It's a total clone of Diablo 2 except with a modern interface and it's built on Greek mythology.
Get the Immortal Throne expansion. You get to fight along side the Spartans.
Get the Immortal Throne expansion. You get to fight along side the Spartans.
10-05-08, 09:11 AM
#22
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I liked Diablo but I don't really of that as an RPG, more of hack and slash action.
10-05-08, 11:27 AM
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Rise of the Argonauts by Codemasters is suppose to come out this month. This RPG look promising and unique, might want to check it out.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rise_of_the_Argonauts
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rise_of_the_Argonauts
10-05-08, 10:59 PM
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I saw Folklore in the clearance section of my Best Buy today, but it was listed as $59.99, and the clearance section tag stated only 30% off (though another Best Buy that did not have Folklore had their clearance section as 50% off).
It even rang up as $59.99 at the register, so I declined.
It even rang up as $59.99 at the register, so I declined.
10-06-08, 11:06 AM
#25
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Thanks for the suggestions, taffer. I actually have tried Planescape before but had a very hard time getting it to run. I am running a widescreen monitor under Vista and just gave up because I always had part of the image missing. Is there an easy trick to get this and Baldurs to run?