RPG Cast – Episode 808: “Crafting Makes Me Feel Good”

1. Picking just five RPGs is very tough for me. I’m cheating a bit with this list, but here goes:

   5) Pokémon Black/White – More so White because that’s the game I picked. Pokémon hasn’t quite reached the height of the fifth generation since. Completely new Pokémon until the post-game, best story out of the mainline game, characters who actually undergo character develop, great music, and just overall an excellent game.

   4) The World Ends with You – A hugely original game with a wonderful battle system excellent music, a fantastic story and characters, and just so stylish!

   3) Devil Survivor Overclocked – It has to be the 3DS port, because the voice acting takes the already fantastic story and elevates it above and beyond the original DS title. The battle system is fun and challenging, too.

   2) Bravely Second: End Layer – It’s not just a better game than the original, or even Bravely Default II, but is an amazing game in its own right. It just does so much well.

   1) Tales of Symphonia and ToS: Dawn of the New World – Even though the original is in many ways the superior game to DotNW, I cannot bring myself to love one game over the other. They are both so wonderful and so important to me.

   I can’t quite decide if I prefer TWEWY or Devil Survivor more, so this isn’t fixed. I also really want to rank a Fire Emblem, but I can’t even decide if I like Path of Radiance, FE Echoes, or Three House more!

2. 1.) Secret of Mana (SNES) – Purchased my SNES more than 30 years ago to play this game and it remains my favorite of all time.

   2.) Radiant Historia Perfect Chronology (3DS) – Criminally underrated title that too few fans of the genre have experienced. The characters, Yoko Shimomura soundtrack and story are all top-tier. Grid based system with positioning element added a strategic element to turn-based combat that I loved.

   3.) Skies of Arcadia (GC) – I think the time in life that I experienced this game has a great deal to do with how much I value it. Best world map in any RPG bar none. Love the airship combat, character interactions and incredible soundtrack. One of those games I never wanted to end.

   4.) Fire Emblem Radiant Dawn (Wii) – Peak Fire Emblem from my perspective. Loved the narrative arc, map design, soundtrack and challenge.

   5.) Octopath Traveler 2 – I go back and forth as to which installment to include in this list. When Nintendo showed the first game during the 2017 Switch reveal presentation, I knew it was something special. Loved the individual character arcs, HD2D graphics and absolutely stellar soundtrack. OT 2 carried forward everything the first game did well and somehow identified ways to improve the experience. OT series gives me hope for the future of the genre.

   As StrawberryEggs notes, picking a top five is extremely challenging. Chrono Trigger, Brigandine Legend of Forsena (PS1), FF Tactics, FF VI…all could have been on this list depending on the day.

3. 1. Golden Sun (GBA) – it was the first RPG I ever finished
   2. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (Xbox) – The first time I rented a game, then immediately went to buy a copy
   3. Fallout 3 (Xbox 360) – I really enjoyed exploring the wasteland as I was trying to get power armor without angering the brotherhood of steel
   4. Dragon Quest 8 (PS2) – it was the only game that could pull me away from online Halo 2
   5. Dragon Quest IX (DS) – loved it, and I’m still doing boss runs for those sweet, sweet orbs

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.