As I look around the forums for the Playstation games here, I can't help but notice a distinct lack of RPGs. You remember those, right? No, not Rocket Propelled Grenades, you action junkies. Role Playing Games. Don't get me wrong, I love the fast paced action of FPSs and platformers and the like, but nothing gets my blood pumping at a relaxed, even rate like a good RPG.
So this lack of my personal favorite gets me to thinking, "Am I alone? Have I accidentally wandered into an RPG-less alternate universe? Does no one else long for the things I love?" But then I remembered, "Oh yeah. Sony hasn't really released an actual RPG is years now."
I feel I should expand on what I consider to be an RPG. First and foremost, you must have a truly memorable story. You don't have to always be out to save the world (though you usually are), but I really want to be invested in what is happening. I will suffer through bad or repetitive gameplay for a good or at least entertaining story no matter the game type. Second, distinctive characters with at least a little depth to them. Again, when something happens involving these people, I want to care about it. For instance, no matter how many times I see a certain heroine die, I still get royally ticked off at Sephiroth. I need to be about this attached to the characters to consider it a good RPG. Thirdly, a large world to explore at my whim. You need to control where the player goes for the most part, I know, but at least near the endgame I want full access to a world map or the like. Exploring thoroughly (and the usual rewards for doing so) has always been a big draw for me. Lastly, the battle system. I like a lot of options in battle. And I've always enjoyed a nice moderate pace that allows me to consider my next moves, or just enjoy the look and feel of the creatures I'm fighting.
Now, I've played recent games that excel in some of these areas, but not all. About the closest you can get nowadays is probably Oblivion or Fallout 3, both of which I own and have about played into the ground and back out again.

Anyhoo, the point of this thread is to discuss RPGs. Your hopes for Sony's future projects. Features from your old favorites, or ones you'd like to see. Disagree with my definition of an RPG? Please do, and elaborate. Care to discuss whether or not silent protagonists should go the way of the dodo? Fine by me. Whatever you like. Of course, long discussions about specific games should be placed into their own thread in the appropriate board. I placed this one in the PS3 games board because I'm hoping that there will be some good RPGs for PS3 in the near future, and because there just didn't seem to be a better place for it. (And if any of you administrators or mods disagree I swear I'll....I'll....go to where you moved it and use it from there. Don't push me. I'm crazy. I'll do it!)

So let's get a bit of chatter going. C'mon people, Dare to be Dull. ''

I love the title, Monkey...

I don't play them myself, don't have the patience, if it doesn't go boom every 2.5 seconds Leo starts to doze...

Yeah, I completely understand that they aren't everyone's cup of tea. Not everyone's gonna like everything. For example, I can't stand fighters. Not that I find them "offensive" or anything, I just really, really suck at them. Except for Mortal Kombat Trilogy, I think it was, on the good 'ol N64. Used to play it with my friends a long while back and sometimes could actually win. That's the game that taught me that leaning back while crouching is the secret to being immortal.

Ah, the N64. Another console that was pretty RPG dry. Still, when you have Mario 64 and Zelda:OoT I guess you don't need a whole lot else. Just as well, since the PS one had all the good RPG material of the time, in my opinion.

Hey, I just realised I used to play RPGs... I loved Ocarina of time, I thought it was epic.

It was just enough challenge for me that I didn't get fed up with it, I hate giving in and going to the cheat guides on a game... It never feels the same after you do that, IMHO.

Now 'Wind-waker' on the other hand, bored me to tears...

I WANTS TEH RPGS!

I miss having a good long game that just sucks me into there world and actually give a damn about the characters.
FPS is all well and good, but you don't really feel anything from them.
MGS4 was the closest I came to feeling like I care about the characters in a long time.

I wanna feel like I did when Aerith died, I wann be pissed off at a Caith Sith like character, I want to wonder like I did if Squall really died or was Rinoa hallucinating, I wanna be laughing like I did at steiner, I want another mixture of the feelings I got from watching Yuna and co travel through Spira and seeing that brilliant and touching story unfold.

I don't want another FF-X2 though... maybe an FF-X3... Final Fantasy Girls Gone Wild...
>.>
<.<


Oblivion and Fallout 3 while they were good games, they were simply played, I felt nothing other than entertained even though they were very well done and I played through them like an addict. But thats mostly cause its the closest we have to a proper RPG in years. I miss turn based action... need something like FF-X's battle system again that was Turn based perfected.

Shadow Hearts was good too and I really like the judgement ring system and there stories were good.

FF-13 coming out soon, but I have a feeling that its just gonna be a prettier version of the same stuff we seen with Final Fantasy 12: Vagrant Story Evolved. That was like watching my PS2 Masterbate.

THE VERY SOUL OF THE GEEK CRIES OUT! WE ARE STARVING! WE NEED GREATER SUBSTANCE!

* Bows in awe at Liam's extensive knowledge of RPGs... Either that, or his insane ability to make all kinds of sh1t up *

I really, really like RPG's. They always did tend to have a great story behind them with so much to do.

The beauty of the Final Fantasy Series was that no matter how far into the series you start, it doesn't matter cause each game is set in a totally different universe.

Cept X-2... That wasn't a game... that was J-Pop with Dress me up Barbie and a touch of Hillbilly incest for tweens and horney little boys.

Leo,
If you'd like a bit more Ocarina challenge, then keep an eye out for the Cube release of Zelda:Master Quest. Might be available for the Wii too. Not sure. Anyway, what it is is the same game with all the levels redone. The layouts are the same, but you go through them differently and in a different order. It was a nice change of pace. It wasn't like playing a new game for me, but that may be because I had played the original so many, many times already.

Spot on about Wind Waker. The gameplay gave it some redeeming qualities, it was pretty much classic Zelda action, but the lame attempt to tie into the Ocarina storyline was just a big letdown. Twilight Princess, however...That was a worthy successor if you ask me.

And I totally agree about looking stuff up. It's kind of like admitting defeat. I just don't like having to do it. That being said there have been times I just couldn't see what the game wanted and so up went the white flag.

Liam,
I've nearly worn out my FF discs I've played them all so much. And I do mean all. Well, except for the FF3 on the DS, and from what I hear I'm not missing much. They are going a bit overboard lately with the universe expansions, too. X-2, Dirge of Cerberus, etc. There's fun to be had there, yes, but its really only for the die hard fanboys/girls.
Still, I love my FFs. You couldn't even have my copy of 7 if you pried it from my cold, dead hands. Because if you did, I would return to possess you, subdue your consciousness, and continue to play using you as a meat puppet.
What? ME, a fanboy?! The devil, you say!
I was a bit disappointed in FF XII. The game was fun, the sidequests were great, but it really seemed like the story took a backseat on that one. I had more fun with the Hunter's guild quests than I did with the main game.
I have high hopes that after waiting so very, very, very long for it FF13 will be worth the wait. Fingers crossed.

And I feel I must recommend this to anyone who is a real Final Fantasy fan.
www.nuklearpower.com's 8-Bit Theater It's a long running web comic that will have any RPG lover trying not to wet their pants from laughing so hard. Enjoy, and good luck holding that bladder.

Ah dude I love that web comic. Bloody class so it is.

Around 1991 I was addicted to the turn-based PC RPG "Buck Rogers"

And I loved the adventure games made by Sierra and Lucas Arts (Monkey Island, Space Quest, Kings Quest, Day of the Tentacle, Indiana Jones).

I've never finished an RPG. The closest I've ever gotten was FFVII. I got to the crater where, before the final showdown against Sephiroth & just stopped playing. I don't know why. (>_<)

I'm sorry, I must disagree with some of you.

Let's start with the definition of a Role Playing Game. You're playing a ROLE in a World. There must be Role Options (mx character types/classes/combat styles to choose from. No options = Adventure game (FF sorry, but it's not RPG)

There must be a Main story line and optional quests with an OPEN map. Linear play = adventure game (Tomb Raider)

When I think RPG, I think of TSR's D&D ... I've been looking for someone to make a good one since 1979 :farao:

First I found Diablo ... for 1991 it was good, now

Champions of Norath and OMG online co-op and Comp , but very linear and repetitive and easily hacked, but fun and entertaining. Also the first game to bring me on-line

But then, Sony announced the PS3 ... oooo .. yeah GT4 ya, still waiting for that one but ALSO announcing OBLIVION ... YES, SCORE ...

To date, the best RPG out there for the PS3
I haven't tried any other systems since the early 90's.

more later gotta run

eattheword wrote:

Around 1991 I was addicted to the turn-based PC RPG "Buck Rogers"

And I loved the adventure games made by Sierra and Lucas Arts (Monkey Island, Space Quest, Kings Quest, Day of the Tentacle, Indiana Jones).

Then you may just be interested in this, ETW:

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/lucasarts-telltale-partner-on-new-monkey-island-series

I love RPG's!!!

Oblivion, FO3, ALL Final Fantasy's.... Zelda, Zelda, Zelda... I'm hooked. RS2 was my first FPS because all I used to play were RPGs. What are you talking about Master Quest? I never bought the Wii because there was only 1 game I would play on it - Twilight Princess. I got it for my Cube.... Ok, geeking out... need to calm down.

Well in the majority of the Final Fantasy's a roll is defined for character E.

Liam wrote:

Well in the majority of the Final Fantasy's a roll is defined for character E.

The Video game industry (VGI) changed the definition of Role Playing to suit their capabilities and for marketing purposes.

True Role playing games allow for customization of characters from appearance to multiple "skills" or attributes. Relatively open world play with primary and multiple secondary or tertiary quests for story development (as the player defines the story through his/her actions). There is underlying "World" development but no Strict story line to follow. It is up to the player to create the story.

These games in the VGI are relatively rare ...

They market character driven, action/adventure games as RPG's because you play the "role" of a character. Granted some, like FF, actually allow Open World exploration and choice of story direction. They are still not RPG's in the Pure sense of the definition.

These types of games do not allow for a choice of roles, customization of attributes, selection of weapon/armor combinations, choice dependent outcome or random outcomes. Although some of these options are present, it is not a true RPG unless ALL are present. RPG's also promote social interaction and cooperation rather than competitive play *in order to succeed in a quest*, though obviously 1v1's occur even in D&D

I remember more than a few fights resulting in multi-sided die being thrown

o.O I never seen you as a D&D type.

umm .. gotta go

I still have the D&D tile Warriors of the Eternal Sun for my sega genesis. I don't know how one would incorpoate every thing from D&D into a game but I' like to see one. I also used to spend countlees hours playing Magic the Gathering. I liked FF series, Baulder's Gate series, Champions of Norath series, Oblivion, and Fallout3 for the playstation systems.

the ony rpg I play involves handcuffs and uniforms.

Lucky bastard.

only when I am not handcuffed

Anyone ever play Overloard: Raising Hell. My wife ordered this for my for fathers day. I'll be giving it a whirl next weekend.

Just the trial version. It was interesting.

mossy_oak01 wrote:

Anyone ever play Overloard: Raising Hell. My wife ordered this for my for fathers day. I'll be giving it a whirl next weekend.

It's a funny game. Any game that has 'minions' in it is, by definition, funny. You'll enjoy it.