WIP
And like every time, I have no Highlight Game, and I'm not going to game the points by upping one or the other (and that list of favorites has only grown in these last 10 years). I also collated some unranked Honorable Mentions for no points from last time as I juuuuuuuust couldn't leave those off.
Also, scrub me from the raffle too. I oen all those and others must tase The Glory that is LoG2
Legend of Grimrock 2 (Almost Human 2014)
You know those games that come out and feel good, feel right, and play right, but they juuuuuuuuuuuuuust don't have the scope, polish, or the design in a few facets quite right to really work, but so damn enjoyable and honest and true in their aim that you like the game and wish the devs the best on the next adventure? That was Grimrock 1.
And you know that NEXT game, that takes the scope, polish, and design critiques and sends that sequel thru the roof with some of the best-thought out gaming you've experienced and an all-time classic? THAT'S Grimrock 2.
They did so much so right in this game.
A grander scale with a whole island full of smaller dungeons to explore. More puzzles. More secrets. More variety. More ambience. More choice. More monsters. More loot. More boss fights. More MORE.
Chrono Trigger (Squaresoft 1995)
One of the best
games ever made. One of the most revolutionary, as well. No list is complete without it, no gaming career without having had beaten it. It also had this strong lean 'n mean structure with nigh perfect pacing.
SFC RPGs were in a good place around that time for this. <1>
Breath of Fire V: Dragon Quarter (Capcom 2002/03)
Completely misunderstood upon release, this delicate, intricate, brutal game is a masterpiece for every expert RPG player out there hungry for an excellent dungeon crawler. Music so nasty with the Rustpunk you get tetanis just from listening to it.
World of Warcraft (Blizzard 2004-08)
Particularly around 2.4, where they came as close to landing the goals they set out to do way back before release yet before they started obeying the siren's song of player bribery and other toxic influences. No other game than WoW under this period so NAILED a genre that the only choice during their glory days to have success in the genre was to make a completely different game with completely different goals and play (EvE).
Modability
Responsive Combat
"Equality of Opportunity" balancing
Can run decently on a toaster
Read those? Good, you now know more than other MMO developers not named Blizzard. <49>
Divinity: Original Sin 2 (Lariansoft 2017)
Don't think of it as being able to do everything, think of it as being able to do
anything.
The expansion of the cooperative gaming aspect the first one pioneered has gone waaaaaaaaaay further, with standard 4-player, competitive play where you can compete against other players in your "tabletop team" (which is backed up by the plot!), an entire customizable tabletop mode with completely customizable maps and dungeon master control, expanded and more user-friendly mod support, and even more! <41>
Etrian Odyssey II (Atlus 2008)
Even in a RPG list, yada yada. A fine evolution of EO1, but without EO3 and 4's oversoftened edges. Updating dungeon crawlers away from the clunk of yore with outstanding ergonomics yet still made you plan and work and seek and suffer with Himukai's cute, colorful art and yet another delicious Koshiro OST of awesomeness trying their damnedest to distract you from the brutal indifference of the Labyrinth. I was REALLY close to nixxing this for V.
Suikoden II (#FucKonami 1998/99/00)
I replayed this a couple years ago and I had forgotten just how
different this game behaves and is structured than others.
There's extremely little fluff, with only a couple of stretches that have bosses that are not major antagonists or serve no war function. It also has the audacity to completely shake up the usual act form and is incredibly strong for it.
Other than that, it's still a world-building, characterization, musical, theming, and lore tour-de-force that stands as an all-time great. <20>
Demon's Souls (FromSoft 2009)
A gloriously bitter medicine for the toxic ills that infected gaming at the time of its debut. It stands the test of time due to its phenominal mechanics, consistancy, creativity, atmosphere, level design, and art direction.
Plus it
still had the best on-line in the series before it went down, robbing us of The Best Boss Of Generation 7 (Old Monk). <32>
Vagrant Story (Squaresoft 2000)
Lord Matsuno's magnum opus and one of Squaresoft's crown jewels from their glory days. Smith's rich but tasteful localization, Sakimoto's greatest OST, Akiyama's industry standard-setting choreography, and many many other's A Games brings a dark political tale and brilliantly envisioned mechanics together in one of the classiest games I've ever had the joy to play.
Not bad for something made under a time and budget squeeze, huh? <72>
Shin Megami Tensei: 3/Nocturne/Lucifer's Call (Atlus 2003/4)
This is Atlus at the height of their powers; stellar atmosphere, combat, visual design, dungeon craft, music, everything.
When this beautiful, bleak, intricate, wonderful masterpiece launched in 2004, I knew Square had been dethroned as best JRPG maker. <22>
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Digital Devil Saga (Atlus 2004/5/6)
Atlus' Beast Mode Era continues with the Press Turn sporting, demon-protagonisted, Vedic lore-infused, post-apocalyptic, Jazzy, Metal, eatin' people excellence of DDS1. The attention to detail and creativity is outstanding (just watch how Heat and Argilla talk in demon form). May have THE hardest boss in any game ever.
Dark Souls (FromSoft 2011)
The breakout smash for the franchise that added a ton of neat new mechanics and interconnectivity; and continued the quality of the original short of the on-line quality and the LI zone. <7>
Final Fantasy Tactics (Squaresoft 1997/98)
Another dark, deep, and difficult Matsuno classic. Just an absolute classic of the form. <17>
Planescape: Torment (Black Isle Studios 1999)
The finest written game in history. Much like the Vagrant Story example above, has not been matched, and quite frankly the industry seems hellbent at times to avoid even trying to learn form this game, much less to attempt topping it.
Also like how there's approximately 3 mandatory fights in the entire game. I love that stuff. Skip bosses LIKE a boss! <13>
Final Fantasy VI (Squaresoft 1994)
Another game that tosses the usual narrative structure to the four winds and another masterpiece of its respective series, and Squaresoft when they were Kingmakers. Chock full of secrets, a genuinely interesting tale with both drama and comedy, orbited by a great cast. Great bad guy and his final boss theme is the best of all time, hands down.
Divinity: Original Sin (Larian 2014)
A complete upheaval in the field of mechanics and skills, it asks the question of how no one came up with, nay,
allowed skills to exist like this before. A fireball spell almost can't be called a "combat spell"...when I saw that burning boat at the beginning and my cleric guy knew Rain
and it worked at putting that boat out, well, that was it. Welcome to the revolution. <93>
Ys: Oath in Felghana (Nihon Falcom 2005)
One of the things that got me about this one (other than ROCKING TUNES), is the sheer variety of the bosses. It and Origins are really, really close, but OiF has a slight nod at not dipping into the well of "expose boss then damage" methodology too many times.
Also, ye GODS this soundtrack kicks like a beast.
Trails in the Sky The 3rd (Nihon Falcom 2007, 2017)
The 3rd is the strongest written title in a strongly-written series.
Yeah, it seems at first glance of the setup like it's a fandisk, but that doesn't have the connotations most series would create with that. No, Falcom WENT PLACES, MAN. Went places and conquered. Like, one extremely touchy subject is handled in two COMPLETELY diametric ways both of which extremely dangerous, yet they pull it off with flying colors. Most other games couldn't pull it off ONE way (and boy howdy have some failed miserably trying).
The form of the games' famed Doors system does the fan vignettes and foreshadowing really well; no fluff, just lean and clean despite such a huge roster.
Makai Kingdom (Nippon Ichi 2005)
NI's best game, taking the original Disgaea formula and running with it to crazytown allowing you to do even more brilliantly stupid things. Plus I just feel it's funny as hell and has a great soundtrack from Hosoe, Saso, and their crew. In fact, he audio-visual work on this game was outsourced and the whole thing has this shoestring feel even for a NI game (yet is still their best!)
Valkyrie Profile 1 (tri-Ace 1998, 1999)
VP1 shouldn't exist, frankly. t-A was and is notorious for narratives that barely function, much less have nuance and maturity. Yet here this is, as morose and fatalistic as the Teutonic myths that inpsired it. I really appreciate that. <53>
Unranked Honorable Mentions *no points but deserve kudos*
Persona 4 (Atlus 2008)
A JRPG. A game steeped Japanese EVERYTHING. About teenagers saving the day.
Yet, somehow, it's the least egrarious about all JRPGs that visit these conditions. May have the finest cast ensemble ever assembled in an RPG. Magnificent job interweaving the various facets of the game so that they influence each other without crippling yourself for not involving yourself in one enough. Definately has something to do with the grounded, relatable characters and a handling of a setting in a fashion that you didn't have to be a hardcore Japanophile to appreciate.
I don't think it's been remembered just how GOOD the characterization is in this; a deluge of spin-offs have distilled facets to Everclear strength, threatening to undo what was done in-game with digging down and out further in each character.
Devil Summoners: Soul Hackers (Atlus 1997, 2013)
A wait of 17 years was VERY worth it. Another of those Atlus classics that just sings and that also shows the way that their games would evolve into later.
Star Ocean 2 (tri-Ace 1998/99/00)
The sheer number of things you can do outside of battle in this thing beats some computer RPGs. This isn't a commonly used statement about console RPGs one bit. Sakuraba's best OST. Has a phenomenally long and even difficulty curve that I don't feel gets enough attention.
Trails in the Sky: FC (Nihon Falcom 2004)
You don't get a game that is both dead set on going about its own odd way come hell or high water while also being extremely accomplished at it, but the genesis of the underappreciated Trails series does just that.
Holistic worldbuilding, lore, characterization, and excellent conversational tones are a treat if you meet it halfway with the proper mindset. <41>
Recettear (EasyGameStation 2007, 2010)
One of the most accomplished "economy"-focused RPGs ever, and the Carpe Fulgur localization gives it spice it needs. "Capitalism, ho!" indeed.
Legend of Grimrock 1 (Almost Human 2012)
Excellent, excellent dungeon crawler that was phenomenal for a first try.
Grandia 1 (GameArts 1997/99/00)
Outstanding sense of ADVENTURE, tactical combat, dungeon design, and music. <90>
Chrono Cross (Squaresoft 2000)
The best soundtrack that is, that ever was, that will ever be. Gorgeous artwork and a snazzy battle system (no grinding! you can run from almost every boss! Vancian magic!) was fun. <56>
Witcher 2 (CD Projekt Red 2011)
Cleaner and leaner than 1, but not as bifurcated an experience as 3, hits what the series does with less distractions: dark low fantasy with a true mature experience by adults for who they percieve as adults. <80>
Phantom Brave (Nippon Ichi 2004/5)
Makai Kingdom's less wacky, more secretive older sister. Manages to be kid-friendly without being annoying or creeper bait, and has an even deeper dive into crazytown mechanics than even MK did.
Ys Origins (Nihon Falcom 2006)
The purest Ys experience, all about fightin' and killin' and rockin' out.
Valkyria Chronicles 1 (Sega 2008)
One of those many revolutionary Gen 7 Japanese games that didn't get noticed till the world came to its senses.
Has a ton of honest charm painted in a gorgeous art direction and fun mechanics to tinker with and exploit.
Trails in the Sky: SC (Nihon Falcom 2006, 2015
Second Chapter was the payoff to a very unsure wait of four and a half years and it almost over-delivered.
Wait, lemme explain that, SC is more up-and-down than FC or 3rd, but the heights this game hits...holy lord when this game hits, it hits HARD...so goddamn hard.
Estelle likewise begins exploding from hour one and just doesn't stop accellerating upwards, being probably the perfect example of a coming-of-age hero's story in the genre. And that music...holy mother of GOD... <73>
Etrian Odyssey V (Atlus 2016, 2017)
The second newcomer. With dungeon design as deft and consistant as the series has ever had, with what may be the PERFECT balancing act of character building and enemy party design, this was criminally over-looked due to fatigue or something.
Wizardry VIII (Sir-Tech 2001)
It's an uneven game, I'm not denying that; the clunky encounter system and some large, empty zones prove that.
But open up the mechanics hood and dig around in there, find those few, really really involved dungeons, and go
places you shouldn't be and you'll find what makes this a classic.
Xanadu Next (Falcom 2005, 2016)
XN is a very particularly assembled and very cleverly balanced game. The systems work together, the combat will fly by, and the puzzles click into place once you give yourself into how this game thinks. This is always the sign of a well-made game - give it your attention, your respect and it'll take you places.
Hit from behind. Herd the herd of foes. Prioritize targets. Move boxes before hitting them. XP boost card for exploring, HP boost for bosses. You can never have enough bone keys. Etc, etc. Follow these parameters and you just fly thru this game.
Lunar: Silver Star Story (Game Arts 1 1992)
God, this game is just so cozy. Iwadare's masterpiece soundtrack, really clean simple progression, and just so much damn charm.
--VOTE INFO START—
<FULL POINT GAMES – 2 points>
Legend of Grimrock II
Chrono Trigger
Breath of Fire V: Dragon Quarter
World of Warcraft
Divinity: Original Sin 2
Etrian Odyssey II
Suikoden II
Demon's Souls
Vagrant Story
Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne
</FULL POINT GAMES – 2 points>
<HONORABLE MENTIONS – 1 point>
Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga
Dark Souls 1
Final Fantasy Tactics
Planescape: Torment
Final Fantasy VI
Divinity: Original Sin I
Ys: Oath in Felghana
Trails in the Sky: The 3rd
Makai Kingdom
Valkyrie Profile 1
</HONORABLE MENTIONS – 1 point>
--VOTE INFO END--
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