I miss story-driven RPGs.

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lilyWhite

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I'm a little sad nobody has mentioned Earthbound. That game is easily in my top 5. Loved every single second of that game. Wish we could get the 1st and 3rd games over here in the US. I bought a bootleg, loosely translated copy of EB for the orogonal Nintendo from a guy who sells bootleg games online. It wasn't what I had hoped it would be.

On that note, I'm sad that I forgot to mention MOTHER 3, given that it's easily one of my favourite games of all time. As for MOTHER 1(/EarthBound Zero as it is often titled in fan translations), it's an okay game, if primitive and filled with absurd difficulty spikes (DEAR GOD Mt. Itoi).
 

buz

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*takes notes*

I've had a lot of passing-fancy-type video games, but the only ones I really loved were Final Fantasy (y'know, the good ones) and Kingdom Hearts...

I was sad when I played Final Fantasy XII. It was just...dull. :(

...I don't have any recs. I just like this thread. :)
 

KateSmash

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If you enjoyed Dragon Age: Origins, you'd probably like Jade Empire. It's not perfect, but for Canadian guys telling a wuxia style story, it's pretty good. You might could find a disc for the original XBox, or download it for ten bucks on your 360, or find the PC version.
 

Crash11

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If you enjoyed Dragon Age: Origins, you'd probably like Jade Empire. It's not perfect, but for Canadian guys telling a wuxia style story, it's pretty good. You might could find a disc for the original XBox, or download it for ten bucks on your 360, or find the PC version.

Thanks, I'll look into that one too.
 

Shadow Dragon

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Well, since Dragon Age and Jade Empire have been brought up, might as well mention the other great Bioware rpg, Star Wars: Knights of the old Republic. It, and its sequel, are great games.
 

Mharvey

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The KOTORs were amazing. I think the most compelling scene in recent history was near the end of KOTOR 2, when
Darth Traya and the Exile were on Dantooine, and she's almost like pleading with the Exile to understand all that she's been trying to teach him/her, and when the Exile just does not get it, she attempts to kill him/her, heartbroken. When I think greatest female villains of all time, it's Umbridge from Harry Potter, Maleficent from Beauty and the Beast... and Kreia.

I do miss good, story-driven RPGs. So many of them nowadays just try to be World of Warcraft on single player mode, complete with grind quests. It just doesn't work for me.
 

DragonHeart

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FWIW, there are tons of story-driven non-RPGs that are well worth checking out. With upgrades in technology there have also been lots of upgrades in game mechanics, which is why I think it's getting harder to find traditional RPGs. I used to play nothing but RPGs and yet these days I find myself drawn more and more to action/adventure games, many of which have excellent stories.

I haven't played them myself but a hardcore JRPG friend seems to really like the Hyperdimension Neptunia games. There's also the Atelier series, Resonance of Fate and it looks like there are a bunch of RPGs coming out later this year.
 

Zoombie

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I can't believe we've gotten this far and NOT mentioned Planescape Torment!

Torment is a gigantic D&D subversion and it is AMAZING.

Rather than a dashing hero, the main character is a scarred, dreadlocked, loincloth wearing, zombie-looking amnesiac immortal. Instead of armor and swords, you use magical tattoos, shivs and a surprisingly effective severed arm as a club. Most of the combat is optional, the plotline has nothing to do with saving the world, your love interest is a part demon pick pocket who spends most of the game swearing at you...

My three favorite things about the game, though are...

1) One of your companions is Falls-From-Grace. She is a character designed to make old school D&D fan's heads EXPLODE. She's a lawful good succubus atheist cleric who runs a brothel that has no sex in it.

2) One of the first quests is to recover an item hidden by yourself from yourself for someone who wants to get it...and who told him to get it? You did!

3) At one point, you can debate someone out of existence. You convince him that he no longer exists and BING! He pops out of existence.

Man I could talk about this game for YEARS and reveal more stuff, but it's on GOG for a pittance, there's no reason not to buy it.
 

Shadow Dragon

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I haven't personally played it, but I have seen an lp of Planescape Torment. I know that if you try to remove Falls-From-Grace's chastity belt in the inventory screen, she'll tell you no.
 

Mamba

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Adventure games typically have pretty awesome stories, as well.

As far as JRPGs go I think Xenogears pretty much knocks it out of the park as far as story goes, though gameplay wise it's not as great as some others. I don't even like anime, but that game...whoa.

Other ones I really enjoyed were Final Fantasy IX, Radiata Stories, Wild ARMs, Vagrant Story (though not really an RPG), Final Fantasy Tactics, Chrono Cross...
 

Dawnstorm

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I can't believe we've gotten this far and NOT mentioned Planescape Torment!

Torment is a gigantic D&D subversion and it is AMAZING.

Rather than a dashing hero, the main character is a scarred, dreadlocked, loincloth wearing, zombie-looking amnesiac immortal. Instead of armor and swords, you use magical tattoos, shivs and a surprisingly effective severed arm as a club. Most of the combat is optional, the plotline has nothing to do with saving the world, your love interest is a part demon pick pocket who spends most of the game swearing at you...

My three favorite things about the game, though are...

1) One of your companions is Falls-From-Grace. She is a character designed to make old school D&D fan's heads EXPLODE. She's a lawful good succubus atheist cleric who runs a brothel that has no sex in it.

2) One of the first quests is to recover an item hidden by yourself from yourself for someone who wants to get it...and who told him to get it? You did!

3) At one point, you can debate someone out of existence. You convince him that he no longer exists and BING! He pops out of existence.

Man I could talk about this game for YEARS and reveal more stuff, but it's on GOG for a pittance, there's no reason not to buy it.

God, I remember playing midwife to a pregnant... street. There were complications... Talk about unlocking new areas to explore.

Want new spells to cast? Sacrifice a few inner organs. You don't really need them, do you? You're immortal, after all.

It's probably the only RPG ever, where I got experience points for dying...

Planescape:Torment is brilliant.
 

crunchyblanket

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Ni No Kuni is wonderful. Looks gorgeous and is great fun to play as well.

I really, really liked FFXII - the story was a lot more mature than most FF games (disclaimer: I do love most FF games, though 10 and 13 can take a running jump) and it subverted the usual 'hero's journey' narrative quite nicely by having several candidates for the hero.

FF13 was a major disappointment for me.

I'm still holding out hope for a Breath Of Fire 6....
 

C.bronco

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I'm sitting in a rpg store while my son is playing the Pokemon trading card game with a bunch of very enthusiastic people. I think we discovered the RPG mecca of South Carolina (3 rooms of tables with people playing World of Warcraft, Pokemon etc etc.) Luckily for me, they have free wifi.
:)
 
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