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When it initially launched in 2004, Blizzard’s World of Warcraft rapidly became the most popular and beloved MMORPG ever made thanks to its accessibility, exceptionally high degree of polish, and its sheer size and scope. Vagrant Story is the definition of a cult classic, and is undisputedly worthy of the number nine spot on this list. You can also craft gear, chain abilities in combat, explore a massive dungeon called 'The Iron Maiden,' target specific body parts on enemies, employ super moves, solve puzzles in 360 degree environments, and take on some of the toughest enemies Square Enix ever created. Heavy stuff for a PSX game, but it's handled masterfully through beautiful art direction and some extremely impressive localization. Dropped into a haunted city in the middle of a civil war, you must contend with religious zealots, cult leaders, and all manners of ghosts and monsters as you unravel the mysteries of Leá Monde and uncover the truth behind the murder of a Duke. You play as Ashley Riot, a member of the elite 'Riskbreaker' unit of the Valendia Knights of Peace. But somehow, we got to experience Yasumi Matsuno's dungeon crawling masterpiece mere months before the PS2's US launch. The sheer volume of systems interacting with each other and the top notch graphics should have crippled the Sony's little system. EarthBound is a truly special, exceptionally funny game that stands out even among Super Nintendo’s gigantic library of other great RPGs.įor all intents and purposes, Vagrant Story should not have been a PlayStation game. Underneath its goofy jokes and pop culture references is a genuinely great, sweet story about a group of kids who are risking a lot to make the world a better place, and the final battle is an extremely clever, moving way to incorporate the people our heroes meet along their journey. Most of all, EarthBound has a tremendous amount of heart.

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EarthBound has a great turn-based battle system and weird enemies that fully embrace the game’s eccentric sense of humor, plus unique twists on the RPG formula like homesickness as a status ailment and calling your dad to save your game. That modern setting mixed with bizarre, offbeat humor makes it a unique experience and has helped it maintain its cult status as something special and very different from its contemporaries. Early proof that not all RPGs need fantasy settings, EarthBound is one of the best turn-based RPGs of the 16-bit era and takes place in a town that feels like it could be anywhere in middle America. Combat that is a significant part of the experienceĮarthBound is a weird, wonderful game about four kids who save the world.Persistent character progression (including player-exposed stats).Systems (Is there an interesting dynamic between its various meta systems?)īecause the RPG is a particularly diverse and hard-to-define genre, it was important for us to nail down exactly what qualifies as an “RPG.”įor the purposes of this list, we defined an RPG as a game that includes:.Combat (Is it fun? Innovative? Does it ask the player to make interesting choices?).Character progression (Is there satisfying decision-making when it comes to building a character, choosing a combat style, or making other decisions in the game world?).

Presentation (Is its sound, music, and/or visual style particularly strong?).

Story (Is it compelling, well-written, or uniquely told?).

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And we’ve sunk hundreds - sometimes even thousands - of hours immersing ourselves in those incredible universes, whether that be stunning high fantasy kingdoms full of knights and dragons, exciting sci-fi realms brimming with possibilities, or even extraordinary versions of our own world.īut which RPGs are the best of the best? Which RPGs were influential enough to lead the rest, or bold enough to question the mold in new and exciting ways? Which RPGs gave us the richest characters, worlds, and stories - experiences we’ll never forget? IGN got its biggest RPG fans in a room to find out. The best RPGs embrace a rich storytelling tradition as well as deep and engaging gameplay to create universes that are as exciting to explore as they are thrilling to quest and do battle in. From its humble tabletop origins, the RPG has grown and evolved over the years into the most dominant and ambitious game genre, boasting a catalog as critically acclaimed as it is diverse. Role-playing games have a long and fascinating history. Ogre Battle: The March of the Black Queenĭragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars

Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King

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