Classic RPGs

[ShitLurker]

What's your favorite classic rpg? I liked Xenogears for its complex plot that touched on psychology.

Definitely one of my top picks. Always fascinated with the "what it could have been"

Aside from that, fond memories of:

Super Mario RPG,
Lufia 2 (though didn't finish it)
FFVII
Lunar SSSC
Grandia
Vandal Hearts
FFTactics
Alundra
Brave Fencer Musashi
Parasite Eve
Suikoden

Are all the ones I can think of that I played during their time

Then much later on emulation, though a lot of those were kind of play and drop in that period of my life for no particular reason

Chrono Trigger (though missed killing lavos... need to replay it again and finish it proper)
Valkyrie Profile (this one much later and committed to finishing it after a few prior attempts)
Lunar 2 Eternal Blue (though stopped in the postgame)
FFVI (though didn't get to world of ruin)
Golden Sun (also dropped in the middle)
Suikoden 2 (dropped early, may use the remake as an excuse to go in proper)
Megaman Battle Network (was fine, but less likely to give it another go)

And would like to play

Terranigma
Ar Tonelico
Skyes of Arcadia
Grandia 2
Tales of Symphonia
Front Mission 3

Currently playing Lost Odyssey and understanding why people call it "the real FFXIII". It really does feel like one of the classic ones.

 

[Balr0g]

If it comes to what I have played a lot it would be Baldur's Gate 2, Vampires: Bloodlines, Final fantasy VII, VII and IX, Suikoden 1+2 and Front Mission (thanks to emulation) as well as Front mission 3. Still have to play the 2nd storyline of Front Mission 3 though. I also have other older RPG's I never finished like Baldur's Gate 1, Shining Force 2 or Alundra. So many games so little time nowadays

 

[Scarlett Johansson]

@Grub Minstrel Song sounds fun but I've heard that it's infamous for its difficulty (?)

 

[strawberry15]

Betreyal at Krondor, Lands of Lore, Baldur's gate 1 and 2.
I played most of the other games after them so these 3 were important to me.

 

[Grub]

@Grub Minstrel Song sounds fun but I've heard that it's infamous for its difficulty (?)

I've read that but it doesn't really seem particularly difficult to me. I've never used a guide or walkthrough or anything for it. It's sort of difficult in the way where it doesn't hold your hand will let you make gamebreaking mistakes. Like if you just waste all your gold or don't bother leveling up your skills or level them up stupidly it'll probably be frustrating and difficult. It can also be a bit confusing. There's a lot of stuff. It can be a bit overwhelming. Everything is explained fairly well in game though, at least in the remaster.

If you go into it trying to play it like a normal jrpg or even a normal rpg you'll probably find it difficult. Grinding's counter productive and will just make things harder. Trying to autistically get every single thing in a dungeon and do everything in a single playthrough will make things needlessly difficult and boring. You have to pretty much break every single habit jrpgs teach you. I've found the best way to play it is to just not worry too much about things.

 

[Croak & Caw]

Probably Baldur's Gate 1 & 2. Although I don't go far in to Throne of Bhall.

 

[strawberry15]

Started baldur's gate. Downloaded all the necessary mods, made it bgt, downloaded scs etc to make.it as ard a possible. Playing it in iron mode(if i die i delete all save files and start again.)
Lost 3 characters, the last one was particualrly harsh( ne berserker 18/69 str, 16 dex, 18 con and 15 charisma) but this run i managed to roll really good. NG fighter with 18/98 str, 18 con, 18 dex, 15 wis, 17 charisma. Ì i can collect all 3 tomes of wisdom, i can give 1 to viconia, and raise my wis to 17. Then at the start of SoA i can dual to cleric. I am not sure yet. I like bladed weapons...
edit: he died but after many tries i managed to roll this. If this dies as well, gonna return evil. Montaron died to greywolf, hope i can surive the mines...

 

[John Shedletsky]

"Lizardman hands typed this post."

 

[strawberry15]

Started baldur's gate. Downloaded all the necessary mods, made it bgt, downloaded scs etc to make.it as ard a possible. Playing it in iron mode(if i die i delete all save files and start again.)
Lost 3 characters, the last one was particualrly harsh( ne berserker 18/69 str, 16 dex, 18 con and 15 charisma) but this run i managed to roll really good. NG fighter with 18/98 str, 18 con, 18 dex, 15 wis, 17 charisma. Ì i can collect all 3 tomes of wisdom, i can give 1 to viconia, and raise my wis to 17. Then at the start of SoA i can dual to cleric. I am not sure yet. I like bladed weapons...
edit: he died but after many tries i managed to roll this. If this dies as well, gonna return evil. Montaron died to greywolf, hope i can surive the mines...
View attachment 7095258

Mulahey was easy, kobold shaman was way harder i had to escape. Xan will be my main wizard, enchantment is good especially with him. I kinda regret my wisdom score rn. Because i focused on longsword, and if i dual class, the proficiencies will go...

 

[SSj_Ness (Yiffed)]

Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy X are essentially tied. Chrono Trigger is more nostalgic and hit me more emotionally (especially since I played it when I was younger than I did FFX), but FFX is bigger and more complicated so it feels grander--but that also works against it if I'm in the mood for something shorter and more cozy. Akira Toriyama's art is what really pushes Chrono Trigger ahead, and though both are my favorite OSTs, Chrono Trigger's "Yearnings of the Wind" is my favorite video game song if all time.

Honorable mention to Super Mario RPG, Earthbound, and Pokemon Yellow. SMRPG is the most charming game listed, and funniest, funnier than Earthbound. Speaking of which, Earthbound is nostalgic and good but my opinion of it is waning over time looking at it more objectively. Pokemon Yellow would be ranked much higher but I grew up with Stadium before I played it and that's where most of my Pokemania nostalgia lies.

 

[Give Them Enough Rope]

I've downloaded the original Baldur's Gate (not the Beamdog release), which mods should I install to experience it the way it should be (none of the allegedly cancerous Beamdog stuff)?

 

[KillaSmoke]

visually i really love Breath of Fire III and IV , my favorite one for the mood are SMT games, specially Nocturne but i am not one that usually beats them.

I am not big into western rpgs, but Vampire the masquerade bloodlines is one of my favorite games ever, i also like Planescape Torment and Arcanum for its setting and themes but i don't like the gameplay.

Breath of Fire IV was one of the very first games I played, when I initially figured out how to set up a psx emulator back in highschool. I don't think I got very far into it, but I remember really enjoying it, and I've always meant to pick it back up. For whatever reason, never got around to it but I did play most of the way through BoF1 a few years ago, and thought it was... A serviceable jrpg, but not particularly memorable.

Edit: one of my first psx games, I mean, not first games in general

 

[strawberry15]

I've downloaded the original Baldur's Gate (not the Beamdog release), which mods should I install to experience it the way it should be (none of the allegedly cancerous Beamdog stuff)?

bgt is a good one to have. it basically allows you to play bg1 in bg2 and have seemless transition between 1 and 2. with this even though you are going to destroy some strength from bg1(summon spells were powerful etc.) but allow you to have a more consistent character (kits, weapon prof etc were all implemented in bg2 as well as half orc. so want to play and finish as a berserker/ monk/ barbarian etc, triology is better.)
if you plan on bgt, first download bg1, bg2 (preferably withh all expensions)
then in this order:
ToBEx-allows variety of mods to work.
BG2Fixpack
BGT
BGI: mods
optional: BG1 companion mods: mostly cringe but if you want to hae a monk or fighter or other class companion but not want to create one, download one.
BGI Unfinished Business
BGII mods
BGII: Ascension
Banterpack
Interaction Expansion Pack
friendship packs (optional, writing varies so your choice)
Companion mods (again, mostly cringe, but some of the writers worked together to also add a crossroad mods to allow interaction between mod npc's)
BGII Unfinished Business
Sword coast strategem(makes the game harder, ai smarter etc. thieves backstap, all npc's use potions etc.) (also allows class rebalance, adds icewind dale spells to the game as well but that might also be done with the tweaks.)
Wheels of Prophecy
Almateria's Restoration Project
Rogue Rebalancing
Tweaks Anthology
aTweaks
Widescreen mod
-My berserker is still strong, still lives, the party has kagain, xan, shar teel, viconia, imoen. Gonna dual imoen to mage and shar tael to thief, then got rid of xan and take garrick with me because i need identify. Kinda sad that i did not maxes int so i can also dual to mage but ehh. playing oblivion on side because i have a mage fantasy currently. wanted to play morrowind or daggerfall but grind is quicker on oblivion.

 

[Anon88]

I've downloaded the original Baldur's Gate (not the Beamdog release), which mods should I install to experience it the way it should be (none of the allegedly cancerous Beamdog stuff)?

If you just want mods to remove the Beamdog stuff you’re fine as is. The original BG release hasn’t been altered by them only the enhanced version.

bgt is a good one to have. it basically allows you to play bg1 in bg2 and have seemless transition between 1 and 2. with this even though you are going to destroy some strength from

You should’ve included the Imoen Romance mod in there lol. Jokes aside I played through a quest mod not too long ago called “Call of the Lost Goddess” which I found pretty good. Feels like a true expansion to BG2. If you haven’t played it you should check it out.

 

[SSj_Ness (Yiffed)]

I wanna mention some more classics: Dragon Quest Monsters, Ys: Memories of Celceta, and the hidden gem, Monolithsoft's Dragon Ball Z: Attack of the Saiyans.

DQM is the only game series to rival and arguably surpass Pokemon in its own subgenre. It has equally good music, similar quality graphics and art, a better story, but inferior gameplay (both combat and exploration). It still plays quite well, but is much more limited in scope and simplified, which makes it less impressive but I'd say also easy to get into. I have some fond memories of playing it as a kid.

Celceta isn't anything special in any department, but is greater than the sum of its parts. It's cozy in a non-pretentious way, its pacing is masterful, and the combat is snappy as fuck. It's the peak of the series imo from what games I played.

DBZ surprised me. Yeah, it's a damn retelling of the Saiyan saga (perfect for anyone who hasn't played/watched DBZ to death) but with lots of what could be deemed "filler", though it's all very good stuff and is organically woven into the story, unlike Legacy of Goku, for example (good game too, but you kinda need nostalgia goggles for that one). Gameplay is pretty typical turn-based fare, but it's satisfying, it has some timing stuff and whatnot. The art and animation is impeccable.

FFVI (though didn't get to world of ruin)

It's best up until WoR, and even that's great, but you're not missing much in the last stretch up to fighting Kefka. The final dungeon is bullshit, it's both timed and difficult as hell.

Golden Sun (also dropped in the middle)

It's worth going back to, but it requires patience because it's quite verbose and puzzle & exploration heavy. It was amazing as a teen, but it'd probably be a slog nowadays, so recommend it only if you have time and patience.

Megaman Battle Network (was fine, but less likely to give it another go)

It's short and fun, the series gets better too, if that's any encouragement. No shame in using a guide for the mazes and puzzles.

Tales of Symphonia

This one's really special. One of the best ARPGs hands down, easily up there with Threads of Fate and Dark Cloud, maybe better.

Currently playing Lost Odyssey and understanding why people call it "the real FFXIII". It really does feel like one of the classic ones.

I wish it'd get a Switch or Steam release, I never got a chance to finish it.

 

[Dysnomia]

Grandia 1

I need to try Grandia again. I never finished it.

I'm very fond of the old Phantasy Star games. Even the Game Gear ones and the text adventures. I'm a big fan of Wild Arms and Shining Force as well.

 

[ShitLurker]

Wild Arms

Another one I left half through... have 2 ready to go. Is it a must to play 1? Is 2 good? I've heard it's localization is pure jank.

 

[Fag Albert]

Might and Magic 7 is probably one of my favorites, but I feel like it could be extended to the 6-8 'trilogy'. It's one of the few first person RPGs that really sucked me in. all the different ways you can tackle problems, the ability to hop about as you please as you get on deeper in the game. Big winding dungeons that (mostly) have that right amount of confounding puzzles and pathfinding. 7 having branching good/evil storylines, any game that lets me swap between turn based and real time always wins me over,