Any Good RPG Suggestions For Current Gen?

I gotta disagree, hardcore.

Here's how I see them. Just my opinion:

WRPG: (Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Mass Effect, etc) You create YOUR character, you make the decisions, you call the shots, you live with the consequences of the path you chose. Don't want to kill the Big Bad Evil Guy? don't have to. There was a poster in this board who spent the majority of his time in Skyrim picking flowers and catching butterflies for cryin out loud. The game immerses YOU in the story; you can play through the game an infinite number of times, and have a different play experience every time if you choose to.

Downside to this game type however, is that a lot of creative emphasis is shouldered by the player to "find their fun;" some players don't want to make their own character. Some players have no desire to venture anywhere outside of the main story, and are only intent on "beating the game, move on to the next." WRPG's fail with these kinds of players.

I know someone who bought Skyrim, ran through the main quest his first week, and then whined because "this game is too short." Meanwhile, I've clocked in well over 500 hours, across 9 characters, and I haven't slowed down yet.

JRPG: (Final Fantasy minus XI and XIV, etc) "This is our story and our character and how dare you attempt to deviate from our scripted path; we know best. Now shut up and Press the A button 65,000 times." Basically, like watching a movie with menu screens. You "role play," in that you are playing a role, but the role is forced on you, and you as the player have no say so in the outcome of the story. An interactive movie, more or less, except in movies we never see the heroes grind xp for 100's of hours between missions.

You play the "role" in the same way you play as Mario in a Super Mario Bros game ffs. They're considered RPG's only in game-mechanics; stats, xp, turn-based combat, etc. But as far as having any sway on actually playing the role, it's no different than playing any other video game on the market.

It all just boils down to play style and preference. Not every RPG fan wants the same thing. Some players want to lose themselves in a game world, kick back, relax and enjoy a good story. Other players, have their own story to tell, and merely use the game as a toolkit to bring that story to life.

I apologize.. Only the third is $30 and the other two are $20 (@ Gamestop - used). I have, and played, the entire first series. Looking to up my PS2 collection some more but idk if I will get these or not yet.

Secret of mana and Chrono trigger are on applestore for iPhone

Zenonia 1-4 are amazing if your looking for action RPGs on the iPhone

I have the first 4 part series (copies actually...)

1 legit copy of one of them somewhere...(or maybe I gave it away)

gamestop never has them and a friend is supposed to be letting me copy his so I can play them, idk when I'll find time though.

/sigh

Gamestop has all of the dot hack games online...

well that was the last I looked (pretty sure I checked online at the time too but not 100% sure), and now I don't have the cash so oh well...

I kinda derailed this thread with mentions of past great RPGs lol. But truth is nothing this current gen has even piqued my interest to look into.

The only games upcoming that are at least revalent to my interests is Paper Mario 3DS(would need to buy a 3DS), Xenoblade Chronicles(in which case I would need to rebuy a Wii), Kingdom Hearts 3D, and maybe Final Fantasy X HD.

If nothing in the current gen has piqued your interests, you're either closed minded, blind, or too stuck in the past for hope.

I agree I might be a bit stuck in the past but close minded or blind your mistaken. What do you recommend then?

Heavy Rain <3 my all time favorite game, period.

Im surprised anyone else knew about it. Such an obscure game, I dont know anyone else personally who has heard of it, let aloned played it.

High five!

If this thread every falls into a retro games to play,I'll be having the spiritual prequel in the list xD

One of my LS members on Carbuncle was on the development team for Heavy Rain. :)

pokemon!

I think anyone who was remotely connected to online gaming news was pretty aware of Heavy Rain when it made the rounds. Maybe it didn't raise as much mainstream awareness as whatever iteration of each shooter franchise did, but it's not some obscure unheard of game that no one ever knew about like, say...Rocket Jockey.

You're right.
I might want to add Earthbound to that list.

It's funny you say that because many of us that dislike the current trend of games would believe something as polarized and extreme like that the current target audiences have been sucked into marketing tactics so vastly that they would believe that dog ***is chocolate pudding with the current state of quality and content therein.

But I digress. I simply have a great deal of respect and love for the arts of old, and take a rather questionable approach to the way things are done now. They're quite simply not my cup of tea.

I applaud your breakdown between sub-genres, and I will agree that RPGs has more or less been a blanket term to cover systematics more so than the actual definition within that acronym. You are most correct in what presently and previously have defined the difference between a Western and Japanese RPG game.

However, the reason I don't (or rather, didn't) see JRPGs in the same light as you do is because they were able to tell immerse, captivating stories that I would quickly get sucked into, much akin to reading a very well written novel. The characters were interesting, had considerable development through various plights throughout the main plot. The world was vast and immense, promoting the inclination to explore, admire and awe all that it had to offer. And the soundtracks were elegant, grandiose, well constructed and epitomized every landscape, battle and situation you went through. All while maintaining the cut and dry elements of RPG gameplay while simultaneously allowing for unique and innovative methods of player involvement.

While at the same time, western RPGs offered a great deal of self-oriented customization and a keen attention to details, but ultimately fell short (to me) in being able to feel involved or attached to what was going on with my character. It became difficult and almost uncomfortable to put myself in the shoes of the protagonist regardless of how well molded the appearance was or direction I took it. As to whether the shortcomings were in any of the above mentioned virtues will remain unknown to me, as I cannot particularly explain or pinpoint why WRPGs never felt right to me. Perhaps my taste in games were a phase, but it brings me to my next observation.

As of late I notice a transgression between these divided sub-genres, almost deviating from their roots to expand upon their own ground and player demograph. Unfortunately for JRPGs, they went in a direction I found to be a perversion of what has for decades been humble and satisfying, leaving me alienated with this mutation and often willful neglect of core elements that have made me enjoy them for so long despite taking on their own sense of identity and contrast between other titles.

Meanwhile, WRPGs, most in particularly those from Bethesda and BioWare have managed to take a step up and deliver their steadfast attention to detail with hyper-realistic visuals, sound effects, and even a score that leaves me haunted or enchanted based on the scenario. But most importantly, they've been able to deliver damn good stories that are convincing and sound at the core regardless of how ridiculous you make yourself or which direction you take. All of it is believable and tangible in the walls of the game itself, which is why I have taken a liking to games like Mass Effect, The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, and more; while shunning the latest trends of my once beloved Final Fantasy franchise.

As for now, I can only swing with the pendulum of time and trends within game developers and their evolving needs and demands from audiences world-wide to find the games that cater to my needs and tastes within the RPG genre.
And as disappointed as I've been with JRPGs as of late, if it weren't for their diminishing quality (in regards to my tastes), I wouldn't have given the light of day to some intensely powerful and sublime games from western developers such as the ones I have mentioned. A breath of fresh air for an old nostalgic JRPGer.

Holy wall-o-text Batman! Sorry for the tl;dr and triple post, but I take what I type to heart~

It's still relevant as it pertains to the degree of quality both in foundation and superficially, in both current and older generations of games. Also nostalgia glasses aside, your opinion doesn't validate a game being good or bad, and neither does mine. What was amazing to me 19 years ago is still amazing to me to this day. I simply feel the only improvements made upon current generation games are all on a superficial level that pertains more to visual and auditory levels than depth and involvement which is subjective per developer, director, writer, etc.

Alas, sorry for hijacking your thread. I was merely responding to a well thought out post and opinion with my very own.
Deal with it.

I still suggest infinite undiscovery it's a good game for 360.

I'm usin only 360 and not much to put on there for it. Rpg's arn't as abundant as b4. But action rpg Skyrim def and lost odyssey for a reg rpg i liked.

I apologize for the unnecessary animosity in my previous posts. I just found it a bit unfair and extreme to say that anyone who doesn't find satisfaction in the current generation of gaming is close minded, blind or stuck in the past.

Although I do need to work on my self-moderation lest I end up sounding like F. Scott Fitzgerald.