RPG Codex's Best cRPGs - DISCUSS THREAD / NOW ACCEPTING REVIEWS

[DragoFireheart]

Which RPG has the best system you have ever played? Vagrant Story?

I'm probably forgetting a lot of good ones, but here's a quick list of what I think was interesintig:

FFT's job system;
FF X's sphere grid (expanded on FF XII - Zodiac Job System);
FF XII's party AI customization;
Chrono Trigger's party combo attacks;
Breath of Fire III dragon forms;
Tactics Ogre: Knight of Lodis medal system;
FF VIII's Triple Triad;
Valkyria Chronicles presentation of combat;
Vagrant Story's entire combat system.

I have not played those bold games. Which one would you recommend?

I refuse to touch FF8.

 

[felipepepe]

Valkyria Chronicles if you like tactical games, otherwise FF XII (but be warned, the story is bland as fuck).

 

[felipepepe]

(as much as I like games like Vagrant Story and Dark Souls, they don't belong on this list)

Dark Souls does, as it was ported to PC.

 

[Delterius]

FFX's sphere grid wasn't that interesting though, but the combat itself is solid.

Valkyria Chronicles (I played the second one) is that which allows people everywhere to utter the words 'FP Turn Based Shooter' and not be crazy about it.

(as much as I like games like Vagrant Story and Dark Souls, they don't belong on this list)

Dark Souls does, as it was ported to PC.

The 'ports rule' was made to accomodate Dark Souls specifically.

 

[Xor]

The sphere grid was actually pretty terrible. It doesn't give you any real choices until you've filled out a character's grid, and even then your only real choice is which grid to fill next. And by that point in the game there's nothing interesting left to fight except the arena bosses.

See http://gameinternals.com/post/3364162387/straightening-out-final-fantasy-xs-sphere-grid

Also, I would've liked to see Chrono Trigger's combo attacks expanded on and used in something else.

 

[Delterius]

Weren't there ways to teleport across the grid?

 

[felipepepe]

The sphere grid was actually pretty terrible. It doesn't give you any real choices until you've filled out a character's grid, and even then your only real choice is which grid to fill next. And by that point in the game there's nothing interesting left to fight except the arena bosses.

See http://gameinternals.com/post/3364162387/straightening-out-final-fantasy-xs-sphere-grid.

Nonsense. Visualize each character grid as a class, and you have 7 classes that you can mix to build your characters, and each one has a starting "favorite" role. Even Yuna, that he claims is the most linear, you can get a lv 2 key a few hours in and unlock Kilinari's grid, and that gives you access to almost every other character's grid, locked behind a common Lv 1 lock.

And even if you disagree with all that, the guy himself says that they fixed it on the Expert Sphere Grid of the International version.

 

[felipepepe]

5 Points for all Geneforges each.

You only have 4 points remaining, I can't even give 1 to each...

 

[DragoFireheart]

Valkyria Chronicles if you like tactical games, otherwise FF XII (but be warned, the story is bland as fuck).

The story can be shit as long as the system and combat are good.

 

[evdk]

FFT's job system;
FF X's sphere grid (expanded on FF XII - Zodiac Job System);
FF XII's party AI customization;
Chrono Trigger's party combo attacks;
Breath of Fire III dragon forms;
Tactics Ogre: Knight of Lodis medal system;
FF VIII's Triple Triad;
Valkyria Chronicles presentation of combat;
Vagrant Story's entire combat system.

Golden Sun dungeon puzzles.

 

[Lockkaliber]

ewww, some people are actually voting for Kotor 1 and Dragon Age origins.

 

[DragoFireheart]

ewww, some people are actually voting for Kotor 1 and Dragon Age origins.

$10 says MetalCraze / Skyway voted for Kotor 1. He did play it 7 times!

Not sure which moron voted for DA:O.

 

[Broseph]

Not sure which moron voted for DA:O.

Grunker

 

[DragoFireheart]

Not sure which moron voted for DA:O.

Grunker

Grunker

 

[Grunker]

That I did. And I ain't even half-way ashamed of it. How you've managed not to notice that I like the game considering how many times I've praised it, I have no idea. I agree very much with Vault Dweller (review) when it comes to that DA:O.

 

[tuluse]

I gave DA:O a point too. It's not a bad game.

 

[DragoFireheart]

That I did. And I ain't even half-way ashamed of it. How you've managed not to notice that I love the game considering how many times I've praised it, I have no idea. I agree very much with Vault Dweller (review) when it comes to that DA:O.

Lemme guess, you loved the Deep Roads and thought they were well designed.

DA:O is just a bad, 3D version of BG2.

 

[felipepepe]

I do agree that the whole Jarl Castle area was one of the better examples of area C&C I've seen in a RPG. I also liked to hunt for prestige classes.

It's not a fantastic game, but it does a lot right.

Dragon Age Origins, Icewind Dale 2 and The Witcher all have in common large amounts of votes, but all with only 1 or 2 points assigned. I find it fitting.

 

[Grunker]

Yes. I liked the Deep Roads. VD didn't though. For me, it felt like some of the exhaustive dungeons of old, where you'd be pushed to the limits of your patience, but feel as though you'd been through a journey afterwards. If you want a sig-quote, how about this: I COMPLETED DA:O 3 TIMES (once as each class)

My chief criticisms of DA:O is linearity, formulaic design and (this is my personal WORST OF DA:O winner) complete lack of itemization.

 

[DragoFireheart]

Yes. I liked the Deep Roads. VD didn't though. For me, it felt like some of the exhaustive dungeons of old, where you'd be pushed to the limits of your patience, but feel as though you'd been through a journey afterwards.

It COULD have been a journey. But it wasn't.

The chapters in BG2 where you are in other places and hunting Jon Irenicus ARE a journey.

 

[Broseph]

Added to my sig, thanks Grunker!

 

[Lockkaliber]

I agree with some of the above, Jarl Castle, some of the C&C is good e.t.c. I don't mean to say that the game has no redeeming features.

But it's also a story driven game with writing that's complete shite. I don't think there is a single compelling main character in that game, and the story is as cliché as it gets. Seriously, if you are going to do a story driven game at least try to get it right. To me it was insufferable. And it's not like you can play the game for its stellar mechanics, since it plays like an offline MMO. The only thing it has going for it is its high production value (and some attempts at C&C), but beneath that it's as uninspired as it gets.

 

[Minttunator]

I also think DA:O is a pretty good game and liking it (if one acknowledges its faults) isn't something anyone should be ashamed of, especially on the Codex - after all, it was voted the best game of 2009 on this very forum.

Spoiler

 

[Telengard]

ewww, some people are actually voting for Kotor 1 and Dragon Age origins.

$10 says MetalCraze / Skyway voted for Kotor 1. He did play it 7 times!

Not sure which moron voted for DA:O.

In case you're planning on holding a lynching, or something:

DRAGON AGE: ORIGINS
veryalien 5pt
Themadcow 4pt
IDtenT 3pt
Rhuantaven 3pt
Grunker 2pt
imweasel 2pt
Delterius 2pt
Sser 1pt
Tuluse 1pt
VioletShadow 1pt
Sunsetspawn 1pt
Space Satan 1pt
dr. one 1pt
eightman2k 1pt
nordbird 1pt
DemonKing 1pt
msxyz 1pt
Matt7895 1pt
Riel 1pt
norolim 1pt
DalekFlay 1pt

DRAGON AGE 2
Dreaad 1pt

Public votes are awesome, aren't they?

 

[evdk]

If all those people voted for the clearly superior BL2 instead...

Spoiler

Philistines.