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[closed] Codex Best jRPGs Ever Poll

Maxie

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tl;dr - Codex poll, for jRPGs only
The results - https://rpgcodex.net/forums/threads/codex-best-jrpgs-ever-poll-results.142270/

I must admit I'm vexed with how dismissive the hivemind tends to be towards the broadly defined jRPGs - sure, Rance had some exposure here, SMT is a household name, and Japanese Wizardries are a guilty pleasure of any decent individual. The few jRPGs which somehow make it to the usual GOTY lists are met with impressive whinging and second-guessing their nature as RPGs, as is customary everytime a new release shakes the market. Some very old step-based stuff gets a pass, because it's rare enough to warrant 'back in my days' attention.

People like all sorts of jRPGs, though, and I think we have never had an honest sit-down and decided which games are actually good. Time for a Best jRPGs poll - modelled after felipepepe and Deuce Traveler polls, only I'm not a mathematical savant, so we're going to keep the rules as clear and readable as possible.

Let me rip off the premise of the recent Best Vintage RPGs poll shamelessly, because I find it very fair:

Each Codex member gets to make one post allocating 10 points to a maximum of 5 games. You cannot allocate more than 5 of your points to any single game.™

You can nominate jRPGs only - games made in Japan, not games inspired by games made in Japan. It's a poll for Japanese games only. There's no limit on whether they were officially released in the West, fan TLs and untranslated games also apply.

Whether action-y like Ys, tactical like Ogre, training like Pokemon, or classic FIGHT/CAST/ITEM/RUN - any subgenre goes, as long as it's a jRPG, an RPG made in Japan.

To remove the FOTM factor, you can nominate games from the dawn of time up to Q4 2020. Yes, your 2021 releases are the best ever, but don't nominate them.


Since jRPG polls are so infrequent, this one is going to run a little longer than usual, for a wide number of posters to have a chance to vote:

Poll will be closed on March 12, Saturday, five weeks from now.
Results will be gathered and presented shortly after.
 
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Self-Ejected

Thac0

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I'm very into cock and ball torture
Final Fantasy IV - 3 points
Dragon Quest III - 3 points
Grandia - 2 points
Etrian Odyssey Nexus - 1 point
Ni No Kuni - 1 point
 

Falksi

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As a kid and before I could afford a PC I used to love JRPGs, and even as an adult I'd enjoy a nice chill on them now & again. But the past 10 years or so I've really grown to hate the fucking things, with most modern ones being utter trash.

That said, there's still some which I think are great. So I'll chuck in.
  • Shining Force 2 - 4pts
  • Phantasy Star 4 - 3pts
  • Final Fantasy X - 1pts
  • Tales of Berseria - 1pt
  • Shadow Hearts: Covenant - 1pt
I don't class Dark Souls as a JRPG or one of the first 2 games would be in there. It's an action-based game with a huge emphasis on skill and reflex. For me RPGs are defined by the reliance of thought over skill in combat, and Dark Souls leans towards the latter. So fuck that.
 
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Maxie

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As a kid and before I could afford a PC I used to love JRPGs, and even as an adult I'd enjoy a nice chill on them now & again. But the past 10 years or so I've really grown to hate the fucking things, with most modern ones being utter trash.

That said, there's still some which I think are great. So I'll chuck in.
  • Shining Force 2
  • Shadow Hearts: Covenant
  • Phantasy Star 4
  • Final Fantasy X
  • Tales of Berseria
I don't class Dark Souls as a JRPG or one of the first 2 games would be in there. It's an action-based game with a huge emphasis on skill and reflex. For me RPGs are defined by the reliance of thought over skill in combat, and Dark Souls leans towards the latter. So fuck that.
Please remember to assign your points, I don't want to misrepresent any vote. This also applies to any poster down the line.
 

MpuMngwana

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Sep 23, 2016
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It doesn't feel right to me calling Dark Souls a jRPG, so I'll pass on voting for it.

  • Shin Megami Tensei Strange Journey 3pts
  • Final Fantasy Tactics 3pts
  • Dragon Quest III 2pts
  • Persona 4 1pt
  • Pokemon Platinum 1pt
 

Jermu

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suikoden 2 - 5 points
trails in the sky 2 - 2 points
breath of fire 3 - 1 point
smt strange journey - 1 point
elminage gothic - 1 point
 

luj1

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Each Codex member gets to make one post allocating 10 points to a maximum of 5 games. You cannot allocate more than 5 of your points to any single game.™

3 pts

Chrono Trigger
Final Fantasy VII
Xenogears

1 pts

Secret of Mana
 

Hobo Elf

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Feb 17, 2009
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Platypus Planet
Etrian Odyssey 5 - 2pts
Pokemon SoulSilver/HeartGold (or just SoulSilver if you want to keep it separate) - 2pts
Shin Megami Tensei 4: Apocalypse - 2pts
Persona 5 Royal - 2pts
King's Field 4 - 2pts
 

Pots Talos

Horizon's End
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Jul 24, 2007
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Final Fantasy Tactics - 4
Dragon Quest IV - 2
Final Fantasy VI - 2
Earthbound - 1
Chrono Trigger - 1

Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk
 

Hyperion

Arcane
Joined
Jul 2, 2016
Messages
2,120
Dragon's Dogma - 2
Ogre Battle: MotBQ - 2
Tactics Ogre: Let Us ClingTogether - 2
The Last Remnant - 2
Shining the Holy Ark - 2
 

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