Getting back to RPG's

**dcalhoun93** · 06-06-2012

Haven't played a good one in awhile. FFX, I think. But I don't know if I want turn based. What are all these abbreviations? SRPG, JRPG?? These are all Japanese looking titles. Disgaea and Valkyria. I need to go back and play Mass Effect 2 and then Mass Effect 3. I always consider those titles as action/ FPS, not RPG.

I've come to realize that the favorite part of all my games is the RPG factor. In GT5, the gameplay is awesome, but also, collecting the cars, learning the tracks, upgrading the cars. That's RPG, where your role is as Team Owner. Madden is the same. Watching your draft picks progress into starters and then Pro-Bowlers. RPG's are where you can log some serious PS3 hours.

But I don't know how to get back into the genre. Valkyria, Disgaea (out of my price range right now), Skyrim? I'm not much into dragons and stuff, that's why I'm thinking Mass Effect. Whaddaya think?

**btbam** · 06-06-2012

I'm an RPG nut love em through and through. Skyrim is a pretty incredible game. It has dragons yes, but its not really the focus if you don't want it to be. You can play it however you want. I have 3 characters in Skyrim, one of each main type (magic, warrior, rouge). The warrior, for example, i played the hero, save the world and shit like that, fought the ultimate evil and ended the civil war. the rouge character is half thief, half archer. I have maxed out sneak, and speechcraft so i can steal shit like none other and sell it for high prices all over the place. I also have high light armor and high archery so i can fight whenever, but i can still sneak through without being detected. With that character, i wanted to be a thief. It was a load of fun just going through towns casing houses and making huge profits. I can understand your hesitance, but its well worth the buy because the world is huge, its immersive, its alive, and you can play how you want.

Other options i think you should consider: Dark Souls and Borderlands.

Dark Souls is a brutal RPG. Its an action RPG so its heavy on combat technique and incorporates RPG style gameplay its a fantasy world, but its not fanciful by any means. Its dark and devastating. It will be a testament to your resolve and skill. the upgrading and skill aspects are a huge part of the game because it can mean your survival, but the combat is set up that your skill can trump the upgrading. Thats one critique i often have of RPGs that it often becomes more about numbers than actually playing. Person with higher numbers wins. Dark souls does not do that. you can beat the game on lvl 1. although its practically impossible to do so, its dependent on your skill to win. Upgrading and lvling up does give you a good fighting chance.

2nd one to consider is Borderlands. its a Shooter RPG. you can run and gun! the upgrade elements are not as prevalent in this. most the time, your character upgrades automatically in health etc, but you do have significant control over the gear you use which impacts the gameplay greatly. for borderlands its more about getting the right gear than being a high level. Plus GOTY edition is out, so you can get it cheaply and the 4 incredible DLCs already on the disc. Plus it will get you hyped for Borderlands 2 later this year.

What you always have to remember is ROLL PLAY! most people forget that aspect. want to escape? want to have fun, Pick up an RPG.

**Blacksite** · 06-06-2012

SRPG = Strategy role-playing game.
JRPG = Japanese role-playing game.
WRPG = Western role-playing game.

**AaronSOLDIER** · 06-06-2012

You can have SJRPGs and SWRPGs

**The Black Wolf** · 06-06-2012

You should check out Final Fantasy XIII and XIII-2, especially XIII-2. They are flawed, but fun games.

**Tibiquera** · 06-06-2012

Unfortunately there aren't many good JRPGs for the ps3. I'd still recommend Final Fantasy XII for the ps2, which for me was a lot of fun. I haven't played it, but many people loved Valkyrie Chronicles.

Originally Posted by The Black Wolf

You should check out Final Fantasy XIII and XIII-2, especially XIII-2. They are flawed, but fun games.

I think he said he's looking for a good rpg...

Sorry I just had to.

**btbam** · 06-06-2012

Originally Posted by Tibiquera

Unfortunately there aren't many good JRPGs for the ps3. I'd still recommend Final Fantasy XII for the ps2, which for me was a lot of fun. I haven't played it, but many people loved Valkyrie Chronicles.

I think he said he's looking for a good rpg...

Sorry I just had to.

i'd have to agree. XIII was not all that great. sooooo linear. not good for a modern rpg.

**voicebox** · 06-07-2012

check out xiii-2. I found it really enjoyable, and is the only rpg this gen that had some of that old square soft magic.

It gets a lot of hate because people hate FF13, but most people i know who have actually played it, loved it.

**The Black Wolf** · 06-07-2012

Originally Posted by Tibiquera

Unfortunately there aren't many good JRPGs for the ps3. I'd still recommend Final Fantasy XII for the ps2, which for me was a lot of fun. I haven't played it, but many people loved Valkyrie Chronicles.

I think he said he's looking for a good rpg...

Sorry I just had to.

It is good and it's considered good by most gamers. Both XIII and XIII-2 had a good amount average or above average review scores. It's not great, but they're both good games.

If you don't want to give XIII and XIII-2 a try, then just wait for Ni No Kuni in January 2013.

**rbrtchng** · 06-07-2012

I know that this is a PS3 forum, but my vote goes to Crimson Gem Saga for the PSP. It's one of the best RPGs I've played in a long time, too bad very few people actually picked it up.

It's published by Atlus and has gotten pretty decent reviews. Too bad Gamespot had to rate it down for being "uninspired." This game is a solid JRPG that any fan of JRPG will appreciate. Its simplicity makes the game more enjoyable, and the creators understand that adding complexity doesn't automatically make a game better. They have made design choices that makes the game enjoyable without adding unnecessary fluff mechanics.

**Tibiquera** · 06-07-2012

Well, reading back my reply I feel it came a bit harsher than I expected, I actually meant to say in a half-jokingly manner.

About FF XIII, even though some people really enjoyed there is a group of people who really despised it, so I'd not recommend it. There's the demo available for XIII-2 to try, but I can't comment on the game because I didn't play it.

I can't recommend Skyrim either because for me the game felt devoid of life. There's a point in the game when all side-quests and dungeons felt the same and I really got the impression that nothing I did in the game had any effect in the world. And I still prefer the more upbeat scenarios in Oblivion than the desolate vistas in Skyrim.

I hear some good comments about Kingdom of Amalur. The demo was fun for me until it crashed.

Going back to my early recommendation of FF XII, the game may not be the best balanced, or have the best story in a FF game, but the open world and MMO-style combat system make it a really good game. And even though it's a ps2 game, its graphics are still really impressive. Definitely recommend it.

**RedOrb_Collector** · 06-09-2012

Originally Posted by The Black Wolf

You should check out Final Fantasy XIII and XIII-2, especially XIII-2. They are flawed, but fun games.

I'm still playing through XIII now.

It's a shit game. I'm basically forcing myself to go through it since its a final fantasy, and I feel I have to finish it once I start it.

**dcalhoun93** · 06-11-2012

I'm itching to get the New Skyrim, but money is always tight. I haven't played Oblivion. Maybe I should go back and get that. How does it compare to the new RPG's, like Amalur and Skyrim?

I'm pretty sure it won GOTY.