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.
edstein
10-03-08, 11:13 PM
Oblivion. Best RPG, IMO, of the next gen games. Available on both consoles.
JasonF
10-03-08, 11:27 PM
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.
Spicollidriver1
10-03-08, 11:48 PM
You want some rpgs I usually lean towards the older systems.
Wolf359
10-04-08, 12:37 AM
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.
rabbit77
10-04-08, 12:43 AM
Oblivion. Best RPG, IMO, of the next gen games. Available on both consoles.
what edstein said. It's still the only game I got all 1000 points for.
thelwig14
10-04-08, 02:52 AM
Oblivion. Best RPG, IMO, of the next gen games. Available on both consoles.
I hate RPG's with a passion but this game still took 10 hours of my life. If you like RPG's, I don't see how this wouldn't be the best there is...
bdshort
10-04-08, 08:12 AM
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!
Chris_D
10-04-08, 08:19 AM
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.
fumanstan
10-04-08, 11:54 AM
Mass Effect :up:
mhg83
10-04-08, 12:15 PM
If you want a good RPG get Folklore for the PS3. It's an action RPG. I havent played it yet but I've heard nothing but good reviews. Plus its only $15 at Best Buy now.
Wolf359
10-04-08, 12:46 PM
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.
Walker Boh
10-04-08, 12:48 PM
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.
nodeerforamonth
10-04-08, 12:52 PM
I 2nd Mass Effect.
And get Fallout 3 in a couple weeks.
mhg83
10-04-08, 12:57 PM
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.
Its instore only. I found it in the clearence section.
daniel18
10-04-08, 03:27 PM
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.
KOTOR is a hybrid RPG.
taffer
10-04-08, 03:42 PM
KOTOR is a hybrid RPG.
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.
Wolf359
10-04-08, 08:22 PM
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?
dvdsteve2000
10-05-08, 12:38 AM
what edstein said. It's still the only game I got all 1000 points for.
There's actually 1250 for Oblivion with the Shivering Aisles expansion :p
JasonF
10-05-08, 03:04 AM
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.
I agree with this post 100% (including the puzzlement about how anyone could call KOTOR a hybrid RPG). I was trying to stick to games available on current-gen consoles, but if you can game on a PC, check out all of the games taffer recommends (except for Dragon Age, I'm pretty sure all are available through Gametap).
Traxan
10-05-08, 03:19 AM
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.
Wolf359
10-05-08, 10:11 AM
I liked Diablo but I don't really of that as an RPG, more of hack and slash action.
dom56
10-05-08, 12:27 PM
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.
Its instore only. I found it in the clearence section.
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.
Setzer
10-06-08, 12:06 PM
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?
If you have a decent PC I'd suggest picking up The Witcher Enhanced Edition. Great RPG. If you prefer console then check out Lost Odyssey.
superdeluxe
10-06-08, 01:47 PM
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.
Fallout 1 & 2, Baldur's Gate 1 & 2, Icewind Dale 1 & 2, Planescape: Torment, Morrowind and Oblivion.
Yep, some of the best RPG's are on the PC. Baldur's Gate 2, for me, is the greatest PCRPG. I have well over 300 hundred hours played on that game and I still play it to this day.
taffer
10-06-08, 05:41 PM
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?
A lot of older PC games have trouble with Vista. I don't know anything about Vista since I refuse to upgrade to it until it becomes absolutely mandatory. I play way too many classic games that won't work properly on Vista. You might want to try the official forums on bioware.com or maybe even the gamefaqs.com forums for tech help. I do know that these games will work on Vista, but they require a lot of technical fudging to get them to work.
Yep, some of the best RPG's are on the PC. Baldur's Gate 2, for me, is the greatest PCRPG. I have well over 300 hundred hours played on that game and I still play it to this day.
Ha, me too. I am a major D&D nerd. I have played through the BG saga well over a dozen times. I can't wait for Dragon Age, which isn't really a D&D game, but it is being touted as the "spiritual successor" to Baldur's Gate.
The Bus
10-06-08, 07:34 PM
Oblivion is one of the best games. The previous sentence was not missing a clause or modifier.
Wolf359
10-06-08, 11:24 PM
I saw someone mention gametap and noticed that Planescape and Baldurs Gate are available to play on there. Anyone have a gametap membership? Do the games play well, even under Vista? If so, that would seem to be an ideal solution to try older games.
And I guess I wasn't very clear in my initial post. I know games like Oblivion and Fable ARE rpgs, but playing Lost Odyssey in particular reminds me of KOTOR. So I guess I was looking for rpgs that are built the same, where you assemble a team and level up party members, etc. Not just you out by yourself.
Setzer
10-07-08, 01:50 AM
I saw someone mention gametap and noticed that Planescape and Baldurs Gate are available to play on there. Anyone have a gametap membership? Do the games play well, even under Vista? If so, that would seem to be an ideal solution to try older games.
I'm running Vista Ultimate 64bit and I'm able to play Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate with no problems.
tonymontana313
10-07-08, 01:59 AM
I vote for Tales of Vesperia and Folklore. But if you have a BC PS3, you have scores of Rpgs to choose from on the PS2. I think most everyone will agree that the PS2 has the best Rpgs out of any system ever available so I probably would just start there. You have Final Fantasy 12, Kingdom Hearts 1 and 2, Dragon Quest 8, Odin Sphere, Shadow of Colossus, Valyrie Profile 2, Dawn of Mana and others I'm sure others could bring up.
For next gen, I think the next good RPG IMO is probably going to be The Last Remnant so be on the lookout for that as well.
Buy: