I’ve always been a fan of Role-Playing Games (RPG) and I’m very much particular with the story and the gameplay. There are only a handful of them that’s really fun and exciting to play. If you haven’t tried some of them out, I would really suggest that you do.
Final Fantasy Adventure for the Nintendo Game Boy. This is a classic RPG by Squaresoft and it was for the original Nintendo Gameboy. I could say that it was a game ahead of its time as it used the Gameboy’s capabilities effectively. It has a wonderful story and it has real-time action as well. Even though it’s really old, there may still be a lot who play this game. Not that much on the graphics as it was still limited to the hardware but nevertheless it could keep you on your Gameboy for hours.
Final Fantasy VII for the Sony Playstation. This is probably the RPG that set the standard in most of the games in its genre moving forward from its release. It was developed by Squaresoft and is still one of the most played games. It has a unique materia system and it’s turn-based as well with a fantastic story. I won’t say but there is a unique twist in the story that set the mood for the game. The graphics also improved a lot as it is in 3D compared to the previous games in the franchise. The new hardware gave way to a more vast world to explore. A must play for any RPG fan.
Chrono Trigger for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Here’s another RPG from Squaresoft. If you’d ask those who played the game, most of them would say that Chrono Trigger has the best story among any other RPG. It was well though of and each of the characters has a significant role in the story. Aside from that, you’ll be amazed how time-traveling was applied to an RPG game and the relation of the characters is just awesome. With the technical aspects, Chrono Trigger has simple yet very colorful graphics and effects and probably one of the best in the system.
Lunar Silver Star Story Complete and Lunar 2: Eternal Blue for the Sony Playstation. A lot would say that the game has mediocre graphics since it’s in 2D and the characters and the environment are all cartoon-like. It may be simple but it was really effective since the game has a very deep but engaging story. It adds a certain comical relief as well all throughout the game. There are also voiceovers and it was well played by the actors. You can feel the emotions while you’re playing. It’s nice to know also that the packaging is impressive. I even got to have a free necklace and pendant (real heavy) and other freebies.
Diablo and Diablo II for the PC. This is probably one of the best hack and slash RPGs ever produced. This game has real-time action and you gain levels as well and engage in different quests to acquire more powerful items. It also made use the Blizzard’s Battle.net where you can create your own character and pit it against other players. The gameplay is just awesome since you have the chance to try out different character classes and there is a myriad of equipments that you can acquire and use.
Ragnarok Online for the PC. This is probably the best MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game) to date and is being developed by Gravity Inc. Among the other MMORPGs, the quests and the story has evolved a lot since its early beginning back in 2001. It is still being updated and more plans in the future are being polished. It does have simple graphics and a lot of people whom I know do not like the game that much because of the technical aspect but at least more could play since it has a low system requirement and the effects are impressive. You can also engage in trading and get yourself involved in the game’s economy (depending on which server you play). There are lots of quests to do.
These are the best among my favorite RPGs. It wouldn’t hurt to try any of them out. I can’t wait to see more role-playing games come out in newer systems such as the PS3 and the XBOX 360 but who knows? Another classic could be released anytime.