Though the earliest days of Role Playing Games began first with pen and paper Dungeons and Dragons, and later with bootleg text-based versions on the mainframe systems of colleges, the tradition of the RPGs for consoles is also not without merit. There have been countless titles released for console platforms, and though opinions will vary from gamer to gamer, here are ten solid entries in no particular order.
EarthBound – SNES
EarthBound is the story of Ness, Paula, Jeff and Poo, a group of children who, warned by a time traveling alien named Buzz Buzz of a future where the world is dominated by the evil Giygas, must take measure to defeat him by way of their collective psychic abilities, martial arts and book smarts. They are aided on their quest by Jeff's scientist father, Dr. Andonuts, who provides them with various inventions, and a rock band called the Runaway Five. Featuring a hefty soundtrack and a distinct lack of an overworld, this vintage title stands the test of time, and is still played by many a classic gamer today.
Star Ocean- Till the End of Time – PS2
Fayt Leingod is a teenage boy vacationing on Hyda IV with his parents and attractive female friend Sophia, when suddenly the Vendeen Empire attacks, unprovoked, throwing the Pangalactic Federation into war. During the course of the evacuation, Fayt is separated from his family, and crash lands on a technologically primitive planet, Vanguard III. Through a series of errands, he encounters Cliff Fittir, who is part of the Anti-Federation group Quark, and leaves Vangard III to meet with Quark's leader. However, they are taken off-course to Elicoor II, another relatively primitive planet, which gives the game the effect of traveling forward through time, with each stop on Elicoor II seeming slightly more advanced. It seems like a fairly straightforward fantasy RPG, but then things take a turn, and the player is required to grasp some fairly esoteric concepts. Combat is in real time, so this game will please fans of the Diablo series, Torchlight and Nier. However, some of the maps can be a bit difficult to navigate, and until the quests associated with these sections are completed successful, gameplay might seem a bit stalled. With 2 discs and over 80 hours of gameplay, this one feels like a solid victory when completed with several different endings based on Fayt's choices throughout the narrative.
Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past – SNES
All of the Zelda games are well-loved, and it's difficult to choose just one. However, for sheer "replayability", A Link to the Past is a clear winner. This is the third entry in the Zelda series, and provides a return to the overhead perspective format, but with enhanced controls. Link can now move diagonally, and with the acquisition of the Pegasus Shoes, he can even run. A Link to the Past is also important in that it is where the series first introduces the concept of two parallel universes, Light World, where Hyrule is located, and Dark World, which used to be the Sacred Realm, but was tainted when Ganon, the series antagonist, got a hold of the Triforce. Link travels back and forth between the two worlds via the Magic Mirror, solving puzzles, and ultimately defeating Ganon.
Final Fantasy VII – PS
SImilarly to the Zelda series, it is challenging to choose the best from among the Final Fantasy series, which has been a template upon which many other games are based. However, for sheer storytelling, Final Fantasy VII is a clear standout. While it utilizes the same battle system as the previous title, FFVII is the first in the series to have fully rendered polygons. For this reason alone, it is memorable, but the characters introduced are some of the most enduring favorites of the entire series, particularly Cloud Strife, Aeris Gainsborough, and Sephiroth, who remains one of the most infamous villains in video game history.
Paper Mario – N64
Oh, Princess Peach. Always getting herself kidnapped, and just when she and Mario were about to have a romantic moment. It's Bowser again, and in addition to Peach, he's stolen the Star Rod from Star Haven, which will make him invincible. Mario must rescue seven Star Spirits who have been imprisoned inside a deck of cards and work with them to defeat Bowser and his evil assistant, Kammy Koopa. Mario also teams up with various "allies" throughout the game, who are recognizable as entities from the Mario Universe, such as Goombas and Bob-ombs. The game includes both turn-based combat and puzzles to accrue "Star Points" in order to level up. The plot unfolds via conversation with NPCs who provide details on quests. There are even side quests for poor, bored Peach while she's waiting to be rescued. On the whole, this will satisfy any nostalgic Mario cravings for those who haven't played it, provided you can get your hands on an N64.
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance – PS2
This classic "hack and slash" style fantasy game may seem limited by today's standards, but has been so instrumental in the inspiration of subsequent RPGs that it deserves a place on this list. Play as one of three characters, a human archer, an elven sorceress, or a dwarf fighter (with the two unselected characters available for player 2 during local co-op) each with unique attacks and skills, as the struggle to rid the land of evil begins. Players are tasked with a series of tasks and quests, generally assigned by NPCs in the tavern, and though access to areas of the world and interaction with NPCs feels quite limited by today's standards, the game stands the test of time due to the fact that there are unlockable features, such as "Extreme Mode" and an additional character, which should resonate with any gamer seeking a bit of nostalgia, but on a semi-recent console.
Demons' Souls – PS3
Released in late 2009, this title has firmly established itself as fiendishly difficult and thoroughly dark. The land of Boletaria has been taken over by an evil fog that summons demons which feed on the souls of mortals. Players go through the game with a highly customizable avatar, killing demons and collecting their souls. The souls in turn can be used as currency for purchasing weapons upgrades, as well as skill points and other character enhancements. When a player is killed in combat, he or she is revived in soul form at the start of the most recent levee, and must hunt for a bloodstain which will restore the player to full life and with all collected souls in tact. However, if the player is killed again before retrieving the bloodstain, the souls are lost permanently. In-game choices will effect gameplay towards either White (enemies are easier, but rewards are less) or Black (harder enemies with better items). Demons' Souls is very difficult, particularly for an RPG, but is one of the most original titles to be released in recent years.
Valkyria Chronicles – PS3
Developed by the same basic team responsible for Sakura Wars, this title combines the classic "tank/scout" dynamic with a few variations such as assault infantry, engineers, snipers, and "lancers" who concentrate on anti-tank warfare. Set far in the future on a fictional world that bears striking resemblance to WWII-era Europe, Valkyria Chronicles features a variety of charismatic characters. Combat is turn-based, as one might expect in Target Mode, and shifts to real time when in Action Mode. With a satisfying and engaging story arc, this game easily appeals to fans of JRPGs and old school strategy games alike.
Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion – 360, PS3
This chapter of the Elder Scrolls series, initially released in Spring of 2006 is remarkable for both its lushly rendered environments and its highly customizable gameplay. Unlike a lot of other RPGs, it has a sandbox format, meaning that the entire world is open to exploration from the beginning, and that quests do not necessarily happen in a specific order. For those that prefer more structure, this can seem overwhelming at first, but one a player experiences such a format, more traditionally structured games can feel relentlessly linear. The leveling system is fairly straightforward: seven skills are picked out of a total twenty-one, and when each skill is increased by ten points, the character levels up. Skills range from purely physical to purely magical, offering options which appeal to a range of preferences, though the ability to "enchant" an item with magical powers does not exist in Oblivion in the same way as it does in its predecessor, Morrowind. The player can also choose between first- and third-person perspective. This is a useful feature, as Oblivion is particularly noted for its melee combat. All in all a solid game.
Nier – PS3, 360
A father, a foul-mouthed lingerie-wearing possessed woman, and a magical talking book must team up to save the life of a little girl, and drive evil from the land. This title, a recent but often overlooked release from Square Enix has been fairly divisive among players. Those who like it appreciate the top-notch soundtrack and general environment of the game, which is rather like some of the later Final Fantasy titles, but without the turn-based combat. Common criticisms from detractors usually have to do with one of three things: 1) There are a few bosses which can only be defeated with very specific actions, and often have a stun lock attack which gets frustrating very quickly. 2) The mode of gameplay temporarily shifts several times throughout the game to other formats, including overhead perspective and even text-based at one point, and for no readily apparent reason. 3) The fishing quests are notorious for being very difficult. However, if the player follows the red "X" on the map and fishes from the correct spot, these quests are not so bad, and the correct fish is eventually granted by the game if the player is having too much trouble, in the interest of time. On the whole, this title is worth a shot for any fantasy RPG fan, particularly for those interested in post-apocalyptic scenarios with slight steampunk leanings.
