Recommend a good RPG?

[Ood Sigma]

I'm about to start Final Fantasy XIII-2 but I'm already thinking about the next game I'd like to start for my XBox 360. I really like RPGs and I usually lean toward the JRPG style. I prefer some sort of turn-based, although ATB combat is fine. I'll try to go through the RPGs I have played (so you'll know not to recommend those) and describe what I like and what I didn't:

Eternal Sonata
This game was exactly what I was looking for. Great combat system; fun characters and a good plot.

Dragon Age: Origins
It was... OK, I guess. I was expecting more, somehow. Combat was kind of convoluted and I found it difficult to use abilities/cast spells. Storyline was OK.

Star Ocean: The Last Hope
I also enjoyed this one. Combat was sort of real-time but the plot was fun and the characters grew on you. Liked the achievements system and the side quests.

Final Fantasy XIII
I really enjoyed this mostly for the combat system. Finally I don't have to make the small decisions and can just focus on the paradigm my party is in. I thought that was a brilliant move. Yes, it's linear - I don't mind linear.

Mass Effect Trilogy
This is where I departed from my comfort zone in terms of combat. I nearly gave up on ME1 because the controls sucked so bad, but the story kept me going. ME2 and 3 improved the combat but took away the RPG-ness. As much as I love the universe, and I'm totally on board for ME4, it would take some convincing for me to try another shooter/RPG.

Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
I gave up on this one 15 minutes in when I was killed by a sewer rat in the opening dungeon because I couldn't see the thing or swing my weapon at it. The control scheme was completely unusable for me.

Fable II
Enjoyable for the most part but it really felt more like a Zelda style adventure than an RPG. Combat was ridiculously easy, but... it was way too non-linear for me. I appreciate an open world but it felt like there was too much to do so I didn't want to do any of it.

RPGs for other systems I totally loved
.hack (PS2)
Final Fantasy X & X-2 (PS2)
Legend of Legaia (PS1)
Legaia 2: Duel Saga (PS2)
Pretty much any Wild Arms game

RPGs for other systems I didn't care for
Chrono Cross (PS1)
Final Fantasy XII (PS2)

 

[Sheep]

Perhaps Tales of Vesperia? That's my favorite JRPG for the Xbox 360.

I'm currently playing through the Witcher 2 which IMO is fantastic. I'm not sure if it'd be up your alley given the preferences you listed above, but that might be another one to look into if you haven't played the PC version.

 

[CorporalClegg]

I've never owned a 360, so I sure which games it has. But for starters, there's always the other games in the Western series you mentioned: Fable III, Skyrim, The other Dragon Age games, etc. There's also Fallout III.

If you're looking for something more Japanese, I've heard good things about Magna Carta II. Haven't played it myself.

Also, I know you'd like to stay away from action, but you could try whatever Tales game has a 360 version (Vesperia?). They're in a league of their own. The stories are usually pretty good too--mostly because the character design is top-notch.

Sadly though, if you're looking for good traditional JRPGs, you either need to look to older gen consoles or hand-helds.

 

[Kegg]

I'm mostly a WRPG gamer who's quite comfortable with live combat (although also wasn't comfortable with the first Mass Effect's combat, I still think that was a game that didn't know what it wanted to be mechanically, with the MAKO missions just being the tip of the iceberg). But keeping that in mind - and that you enjoyed Dragon Age: Origins and the Mass Effect Trilogy - I am going to make the outstandingly original recommendation of both Star Wars: The Knights of the Old Republic games.

The combat is kind of quasi-real time in that you can pause it at any time and assign commands when paused, although it's relatively more straightforward IMHO than Dragon Age and it handles better than the first Mass Effect because it's not really trying to be a shooter with cover mechanics on top of that. But past that both KOTOR games are some of the best story material the Star Wars franchise has done in years, with surprising twists, some rich characterisation and suitably epic plots... while neither game is really that long.

The first KOTOR gets all the love but the second KOTOR is one of my favourite RPGs, if not my favourite RPG period. Unfortunately it suffered a rushed production schedule and a lot of material was cut from the final release. It pretty much has to be played with the Sith Lord Restored Content mod*, which has painstakingly fixed bugs and added back whatever cut content it was able to. Even with that caveat - or even without that mod - they're just two great games.

I'm currently playing through the Witcher 2 which IMO is fantastic.

I hear that's good. I'm still trudging through the Witcher, which is... well it's okay.


*Consequently it is admittedly ideal to get this game at least for PC. Either one is available pretty cheaply from Steam.

 

[CorporalClegg]

The first KOTOR gets all the love but the second KOTOR is one of my favourite RPGs, if not my favourite RPG period. Unfortunately it suffered a rushed production schedule and a lot of material was cut from the final release. It pretty much has to be played with the Sith Lord Restored Content mod*, which has painstakingly fixed bugs and added back whatever cut content it was able to. Even with that caveat - or even without that mod - they're just two great games.

Hey, I'm a proud member or the Exile>>>Revan club.

So much so, that Drew Karpyshyn is now atop my list-of-enemies. [/SheldonCooper]

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Some games I would recommend that are either RPGs or have RPG elements:

Deus Ex: Human Revolution -- Great story, great atmosphere, great gameplay, with a few minor flaws and bugs. Can be had for rather cheap now on the 360, I think, although the PC version is superior.

BioShock -- The first one is a modern classic. Again, great story, great atmosphere, great gameplay. Get it.

Legend of Grimrock -- This is a roguelike in the mold of the old Eye of the Beholder/Dungeon Master type games, but with modern graphics. Very thin on story, but lots of fun and varied gameplay.

Duke Nukem Forever -- Like the others, great atmosphere, great story, great ga... hahahaha, just kidding! Not as terrible as its reputation would have you believe, but probably not worth your time.

Fallout 3/New Vegas -- If you didn't like Oblivion, you may not like this, unless you are more comfortable with post-apocalyptic settings. But really, the gameplay style is very much in the Elder Scrolls mold (given that it's made by the same company.)

Borderlands -- An action RPG/FPS hybrid, but with a cool atmosphere and Diablo-like loot drops. It's fun. There's also a sequel.

Torchlight series -- If you liked the Diablo games, you would probably like this.

Sacred series -- Ditto.

I'll let you know if I think of any more. Many of these are PC games, but I believe most are also available on the 360.

 

[Kegg]

So much so, that Drew Karpyshyn is now atop my list-of-enemies.

Oh don't get me started on what BioWare did with the Jedi Exile.

Ah well. I'll always have KOTOR2, and I swear I'm going to do another playthrough sometime this year.

Fallout 3/New Vegas -- If you didn't like Oblivion, you may not like this, unless you are more comfortable with post-apocalyptic settings. But really, the gameplay style is very much in the Elder Scrolls mold (given that it's made by the same company.)

Pedantic correction: Fallout 3 is made by the same company as the Elder Scrolls series. New Vegas, while sharing the engine and mechanics, is made by Obsidian Entertainment (also of KOTOR2 and the upcoming Project Eternity fame)... and thus largely made by people responsible for the original Fallout games from Black Isle.

Torchlight series -- If you liked the Diablo games, you would probably like this.

While Torchlight is fine, I'd suggest skipping it to get right to Torchlight 2 because that's the one with coop. Unless you're in this primarily for the single player experience, which Torchlight provides pretty well.

 

[iguana_tonante]

I thought this was going to be about paper-and-pencil RPG.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Fallout 3/New Vegas -- If you didn't like Oblivion, you may not like this, unless you are more comfortable with post-apocalyptic settings. But really, the gameplay style is very much in the Elder Scrolls mold (given that it's made by the same company.)

Pedantic correction: Fallout 3 is made by the same company as the Elder Scrolls series. New Vegas, while sharing the engine and mechanics, is made by Obsidian Entertainment (also of KOTOR2 and the upcoming Project Eternity fame)... and thus largely made by people responsible for the original Fallout games from Black Isle.

I forgot about that! But you're right.

 

[Sephiroth]

what? no Blue Dragon love in here?

 

[Owain Taggart]

I think that you'd very much like Anachronox if you haven't already played it. It's a JRPG in style made by Tom Hall when he was at Ion Storm, and it's pretty much a sendup to JRPGs. The amazing thing is that while it was made using a highly modified Quake 2 engine, you could hardly tell it was just by looking at it since they did so much to it. It's on GOG:

http://www.gog.com/gamecard/anachronox

 

[clint g]

PERSONA 4!!!!!!!11!1111!!!@!#!1

 

[Ood Sigma]

Thanks guys. I took a look at some reviews on ign.com of the games that were recommended. Some weren't for XBox 360. I don't use my PC for gaming; I'm strictly a console gamer.

Of the suggestions, Tales of Vesperia and Blue Dragon looked to be the most up my alley. It's sad that there are so few really great traditional RPGs in this generation. Maybe I should bust out my PS2 and find some good classics.

 

[INACTIVEUSS Einstein]

The best RPG series, really, is the Shin Megami Tensei series, as you may have heard.

Try:

- Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3

- Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4

- Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga 1

- Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga 2

- Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey

- Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne

- Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 1

- Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2

- Catherine

 

[Skywalker]

I thought this was going to be about paper-and-pencil RPG.

It's a dying art, alas.

My friends and I are currently rocking a Pathfinder game. It's the first time I've played a campaign in that setting, but I'm really enjoying it. I much prefer their expansion on the old D&D 3.5 system over D&D's current Fourth Edition.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

I thought this was going to be about paper-and-pencil RPG.

It's a dying art, alas.

My friends and I are currently rocking a Pathfinder game. It's the first time I've played a campaign in that setting, but I'm really enjoying it. I much prefer their expansion on the old D&D 3.5 system over D&D's current Fourth Edition.

I have a group that I play board games with semi-regularly. Usually things like Cataan, Small World, Last Night on Earth, Space Alert, Dominant Species, etc. Fun times.

 

[iguana_tonante]

I thought this was going to be about paper-and-pencil RPG.

It's a dying art, alas.

My friends and I are currently rocking a Pathfinder game. It's the first time I've played a campaign in that setting, but I'm really enjoying it. I much prefer their expansion on the old D&D 3.5 system over D&D's current Fourth Edition.

I'm doing the same! And I completely agree with your opinion. I really like what they did with the 3.5, tweaking here and there when needed but keeping it fully retro-compatible. We are doing a long campaign (and by "long", I mean we have been playing once a month for like 10 years), and translating the old characters from 3.5 into Pathfinder was a piece of cake.

We are also playing a homebrew Star Trek game, again for a very long time (and by "very long", I mean we have been playing weekly for about 15 years).

Yeah, we do like continuous stories.

 

[Unicron]

Has anyone else bought the Star Trek version of Cataan?

 

[Skywalker]

I thought this was going to be about paper-and-pencil RPG.

It's a dying art, alas.

My friends and I are currently rocking a Pathfinder game. It's the first time I've played a campaign in that setting, but I'm really enjoying it. I much prefer their expansion on the old D&D 3.5 system over D&D's current Fourth Edition.

I'm doing the same! And I completely agree with your opinion. I really like what they did with the 3.5, tweaking here and there when needed but keeping it fully retro-compatible. We are doing a long campaign (and by "long", I mean we have been playing once a month for like 10 years), and translating the old characters from 3.5 into Pathfinder was a piece of cake.

We are also playing a homebrew Star Trek game, again for a very long time (and by "very long", I mean we have been playing weekly for about 15 years).

Yeah, we do like continuous stories.

That's awesome. The group I'm with has been together since 2004, but we've never done just one long continuous campaign with the same characters, we've always just done shorter campaigns in a variety of settings.

Are all the characters in your Trek game really high ranking but still implausibly serving on the same ship together, like the TOS crew in the later movies?

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Has anyone else bought the Star Trek version of Cataan?

I saw it the other day and was considering it. How is it?