Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
Temple of Kraden News: Welcome to the Temple of Kraden! ------ All worshipers may enter the Most Holy Place in single file, reflecting on the bountiful blessing Kraden hath provided unto him or herself since their last visit. Head coverings are not necessary, as true penitence and humility are found within. The Priests and Priestesses of Kraden endeavor to remind all that fresh orange juice is heavily preferred; only whores use frozen.
Greetings, heathen. Perhaps some fortuitous blessing of Kraden's grace hath led you to our humble Temple, or perhaps you are simply curious about this strange and wonderful cult. Should you be willing - and dare to hope - to achieve enlightenment, the door opens before you. Lo! Leave your old life behind! For once you step through, you become something more than just yourself.

You become a Kradenette.

Are you willing to make the rapturous plunge? Do you have what it takes?



One of us! One of us! One of us!



Already one of us? Make your presence known:

Username:   Password:
Add Reply
Recommend Adnarel a good RPG
Topic Started: Dec 20 2015, 09:42 PM (4,407 Views)
Adnarel
Member Avatar
I'd rather be outside.

Requirements: has to be either PC, GBA, or 3DS (these are the platforms I own - not willing to emulate).

I was just watching some old footage I shot of myself doing jumping puzzle tutorials for GW2, and it made me miss the feeling of being totally immersed in a fantasy world RPG. So I replayed Mother 3 using a hacked carttrige on GBA, and it was nice. But it wasn't the same. It was a replay, and I knew what was coming next.

So since yinz are all video game type people, I thought I'd come here for recommendations.

Things I like:
- a good soundtrack
- a pretty-looking game
- being able to choose my class
- sidequests

Can be turn-based or realtime, idgaf. Random encounter or visible enemies, idgaf. Just something I can really get into for 20+ hours.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Jenn-uh
Member Avatar
hunny bunchkins sugarcube lettuce chamomile sweetie pumpkin schnitzel fries

Skyriiim
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Will
Member Avatar
Anime was a mistake

If you like old school CRPGs, I would recommend Pillars of Eternity. It's a kickstarter game made by Obsidian. It's made in the style of games like Baldur's Gate and stuff, features hand painted backgrounds, an incredible soundtrack, a deep immersive story, and it's [radio edit]ing hard. You can pick it up on Steam or GOG.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Saturos
Member Avatar
heart-under-blade

I'd really say Dragon Age series, but the first one has pretty bad/clunky gameplay, especially on PC. But you can get it for very cheap, about $5 (and it's a full-length RPG). The characters and dialogue are fairly good as well. And if you like it, the gameplay improves a lot in DA2 and DAI.
You could also just start from the second or third games in the series, since the plot is relatively standalone/the protagonists change, it would just not give you some of the additional context/cameos.

The music is so-so, but the sidequests are pretty fantastic and thought-provoking, and you can definitely choose your class.
It's also not a JRPG, so it's much more in the Tolkienian/Game of Thrones western fantasy.

Mass Effect offers similar stuff (same company), but it's basically scifi instead.


Also Adnarel, Dark Souls. It's not conventionally pretty at times since it has a darker aesthetic, but you already know the music for it, it's pretty immersive, good class options, etc. The sidequests are a bit open-ended and you aren't pointed straight to them, but they are there and integrated fairly well.

*pokerface*
You could also consider Fire Emblem: Awakening, which while a bit weebier with shallow characters, has fun strategy gameplay, toons of sidequest stuff, choosing your class (and every other character's class later), it definitely has pretty moments, and the music is nice enough (though a bit bland).
But the shipping.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
leaf
Member Avatar
Crimson Leaf Vermillion

Probably trails tbh, and there's probably about 5 other people that are gonna come in this thread to say the same.

Magical Starsign was a DS title and was pretty good. Tales of Innocence, too, but it requires an english patch, so idk if you'd be able to play it on cart.

On oldschool GBA, you've got Summon Night Swordcraft Story.

There's a shitton of GBA and DS RPGs out there, although I haven't played most of them, so I can't comment on how good they are. I don't have a 3DS, so I can't recommend anything there except Tales of the Abyss, although the main character is pretty unlikeable for the first third of the game or so.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Saturos
Member Avatar
heart-under-blade

oh shit right Tales of the Abyss is on 3DS

HMMMMM that does have pretty good music, it's pretty, lots of sidequests, you can pick which character you control, buuuut....
It's also JRPG as [radio edit]
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Peytral
Member Avatar
peytral pls

leaf
Dec 20 2015, 09:52 PM
Probably trails tbh, and there's probably about 5 other people that are gonna come in this thread to say the same.
Yeah, basically. I think it's probably the one RPG I'd be most confident in suggesting to Adnarel among what I've played and liked.
Online Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Silvy
Member Avatar
idolswag4lyfe

Saturos
Dec 20 2015, 09:52 PM
Also Adnarel, Dark Souls. It's not conventionally pretty at times since it has a darker aesthetic, but you already know the music for it, it's pretty immersive, good class options, etc. The sidequests are a bit open-ended and you aren't pointed straight to them, but they are there and integrated fairly well.
Dis one, the game is quite pretty too, the darker aesthetic makes the monsters/areas that are "pretty" stand out more. The bleak, somber tone of the game is actually really pretty in its own way, sometimes you can just look around at the long abandoned areas you're exploring and ponder what they they were like in the past. Granted, the game also only has music during boss fights and certain areas, but it compliments the style of the game really well.
Dark Souls also doesn't have many typical side quests, there are certain things you can do for the sparse amount of NPCs in the game, but the game lets you focus on exploration and advancing through the game first and foremost, with the sidequests taking a backseat to this. The "class" system is more of a starting equipment and stats, you can freely build upon your character however you like after that, which is pretty nice.

For something that's a little more what you're looking for, Morrowind fits all your bills if you install the graphical overhaul mod and a few other things to make the gameplay not so outdated. The game is pretty and employs a melting pot of cultures for its setting, mostly Eastern, Middle-Eastern and African, as opposed to the more European settings the later Elder Scrolls installments have been set in.
The class system allows you to customize your character and pick whatever skill trees you like, which gives you tons of options for how you want to play the game. The soundtrack has a great atmosphere to it and catchy melodies, I wouldn't listen to most of the tracks on their own but the game wouldn't feel the same without them.
As far as sidequests go, there's more than enough to do IMO, lots of sidequests laying around and factions to join that give you more quests. I find the sidequests really enjoyable in the way that they don't give you all the information(map markers, what to do, etc.) and you have to talk to NPCs, think, or just plain explore areas to figure what you need to do or where you need to go. The quests can be pretty unforgiving if you're into that over just getting a reward and leaving, you can fail them if NPCs die, siding with one person over another will cause the other to despise you like the filthy outlander you are, etc. It's fun.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
HyrulianJedi
Member Avatar
uguu~
[ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ]
Since no one actually wants to say the whole title:

Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky, First Chapter.

It's mildly anime, but largely in the same way that GS is. In fact, I generally call it pretty similar to GS, just with less impact by its flaws. Lots of dialogue, but with much stronger characterization than GS. Lot of sidequests. Great music. Looks good. No classes, but you setup all of your characters' magic and significantly affect their stats through customization, though some are inherently pushed towards mage/warrior roles.

Seconding Mass Effect series. You'd like it.

If you mod Skyrim, it can be pretty damn good, but that takes time and a lot of effort to get it both good and working.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Gnarlymaple
Member Avatar


Will
Dec 20 2015, 09:45 PM
If you like old school CRPGs, I would recommend Pillars of Eternity.
Very good suggestion, I haven't finished it but I love it!


Actually I'd say most of the suggestions in here are worth checking into, though I disagree with Satty's view on the combat in DA:O vs the more recent releases - but different strokes for different folks, etc.

I've always loved the Knights of the Old Republic games, which would probably fit what you're looking for except for the pretty part, perhaps. There was an old GBA tactics game that I played that might interest you, Tactics Ogre: The Knight of Lodis, but I have no idea if it held up over time. I may remember it being better than it actually was.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Saturos
Member Avatar
heart-under-blade

Oh yeah, and about that, you can also just put it on Easy and not stress about any of the fights, or spend too much time on the battle system. So you can just play through the game and enjoy the experience.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Aevis Martius Ravi
Member Avatar
Origins

Thirding Mass Effect.

You could do Phantasy Star Online 2, since it has an official english patch(?) now, though you'll be dumping more than 20 hours into it.

Ark: Survival Evolved, you tame and ride dinosaurs/extinct creatures, build bases, though it lacks classes, you can mold characters to your liking with putting points into particular stats. Music...well, it's all right just blare your own in the background. >_< (You might want to mod it if solo or find a modded server for mp, to reduce grinding.)
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Kiki
Member Avatar
Kiki Martius Chantico

wasn't gonna say Trails in the Sky because it's preeeettttyyyy anime. But 2004 anime, not today anime. But it does check off the 1, good sountrack, 2 SIDEQUESTS, 3 pretty good looking IMO.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_Quest_IX:_Sentinels_of_the_Starry_Skies Dragon Quest IX was kinda nice. Fun, old-school aesthetic, class and party customization, solid traditional RPG. Charming and humorous.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
The Phantom Squee
Member Avatar
Sound the horn and call the cry: "How many of them can we make die?"

Thirding both Mass Effect and Dark Souls. Also worth mentioning is that Dark Souls has a pvp community that loves doing goofy shit like this. Really that guy's whole channel is a great collection of comedic multiplayer shenanigans.

For DS, there's Radiant Historia, if you can track down a copy. Battle system is turn-based with tactical elements, and has the neat feature that every party member plays differently, similarly to FFVI giving each character a unique shtick, but worked into each character's playstyle a lot more fundamentally. The art is pretty nice but nothing special, and the overworld movement takes a little bit of getting used to. The main draws of the game, to me, are a well-done complex storyline, solid soundtrack, and a main character who's not a blithering hot-blooded moron. Seriously, Stocke is the most competent, professional JRPG hero I've ever seen.

It does have plenty of sidequests, although they weren't a thing I was personally too invested in. For what it's worth, they're generally very smartly implemented, with the player actually having to figure out how to solve problems ingame more often than not, and many of them do have an effect on the ending.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Crash
Member Avatar
Wheey! I've became a human being!! I am very handsam!

Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate is debatably more of an action game than RPG but is super good and will last you plenty of hours and also I will play it online with you if you want. I guess if people are talking Dark Souls then MH definitely also qualifies in this conversation. In a way, almost the whole game is just sidequests; there are certain quests required to advance the story, but most of the time you aren't told which ones so you just kinda do whatever you want until eventually something happens after clearing a quest. The 14 weapon types are all essentially different classes because they all play differently: slow attackers that can deal massive damage, ranged weapons to shoot from a distance, weapons more focused on causing status effects on the target than dealing big damage, a weapon that can play songs to buff everybody up or heal them, lance users who wait patiently behind a shield for the right time to strike, weapons made for making combos on-the-fly, nd so on. Armor sets all provide different skills to boost your hunter so you can specialize for certain monsters (e.g. Earplugs skill for a monster that roars a lot so that you aren't momentarily paralyzed by their screams, or extra fire resistance against something that shoots a lot of fire) or to enhance certain aspects of your preferred playstyle (e.g. as a Lance user you could boost your shield skills, OR if you like side-stepping attacks instead you could boost evasion skills). You can mix and match armor pieces to get that perfect skill setup you like, or you can just go Fashion Hunter and wear what looks cool instead. As for music, most monsters have their own signature songs, and they're pretty much all good! For some context, the game came out in February, and I have 330 hours logged (Probably like 50 of those were having the game on but not actively playing it, though)

Since you have a 3DS you can also play DS games, in case you forgot that. And with GBA you have access to GBC, but from what I remember you've already played the few good GB/GBC rpgs that would fit your criteria (The Final Fantasy Legend series, essentially. I guess Dragon Warrior Monsters would also count though?)

Final Fantasy V on GBA is still the best Final Fantasy game and probably the only one you would like

I would recommend Dragon Quest 9, except that a lot of the sidequests had to be downloaded from Nintendo DS Wi-Fi, which is no longer in service. There are still a decent amount in the base game, and it fits all the other checklist requirements so maybe you would still like it. And if you're somehow lucky enough to come across another person with it who has all the quests downloaded you can actually get them from that person's game. Oops, that only works if you use an actual DS, not 3DS.

Bravely Default is nice but completely falls apart in the final third, to the point that I stopped playing it completely. I doubt you'd be able to tolerate it more than I did, especially since the characters and a lot of story scenes are just anime tropes. But maybe you'd push through it if you especially liked the way the battle and job systems work.

If you want to try some stuff you may not be used to on PC there are roguelikes. I guess those wouldn't count for good graphics or music though. But if you want to try some, check Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup, One-Way Heroics, Tales of Maj'Eyal, and if you want something REALLY different, DoomRL.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Kula Diamond
Member Avatar
atlus tracts

shin megami tensei IV

you can't pick a class per se but you can pick where your level ups go which is almost the same thing (+customization for your party via demon fusion mechanics)

may be offensive depending of how religious you are though
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Momentime
Member Avatar
uh oh

Chrono Trigger. It's a great classic, and for good reason. No, it's not too weeb. It's got a frog knight, you travel through time, other good stuff. Should be on DS?
Witcher 3. It's been getting game of the year from everyone. Don't worry about it being the third in a series, but you're welcome to get the first two if you want. Personally hated the first one and dropped it.
Dragon Quest series. It's on DS.
Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. Not sure if any legitimate copies are still floating around though.
Fire Emblem.
If you're an MMO player FFXIV is pretty good but waaaayy anime. PC.
Diablo 3 is a fun game to get yourself totally into every couple of months and then drop and forget completely until the next new thing comes out. PC. Haven't played it myself but that's what my friend tells me.
Fallout 4 just came out. Don't like this style of RPG but lots of people do.

You could just become a dadgamer and play Civ 5 all day long. Relaxing and addicting. Just ask draco.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Member Avatar


Gothic 1-3 (we don't talk about "Gothic 4" or Gothic 3's "Addon", what even are those they never happened) and Risen 1-3
both are incredibly amazing RPG series from a german studio named Piranha Bytes, the only downside is you need patches to actually be able to play most of them
also I heard while the german voiceover is really damn good the english one sucks but I can't confirm this
also they are pretty much unknown outside of germany, partly because the "rival" the Elder Scrolls series games were way more popular and came out at about the same time

ALSO now the developers have the licence for the Gothic series back after years of fighting with the old publisher maybe in a few years it will finally be continued yay
atm they are working on Elex, a postapocalyptic RPG I think but there's little information about it so far

here

http://worldofgothic.com/

you

http://www.worldofrisen.de/english/

go

http://www.elexgame.com/
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Crash
Member Avatar
Wheey! I've became a human being!! I am very handsam!

Oh and, uh, since you do like Earthbound quite a bit you ought to look at Undertale on steam. It doesn't fit any of your list of things you like, except for good music, but then again neither does Earthbound. There's a free demo you can try too. The one major thing to note would be that the encounter rate is lower in the final game than how it is in the demo.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Dracobolt
Member Avatar
Incorrigible

I'm buying you Undertale for Christmas anyway, Matty, so don't worry, you'll get to play it. :3

:mercury_djinn: :mercury_djinn: :mercury_djinn:
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
ZetaBoards - Free Forum Hosting
Fully Featured & Customizable Free Forums
Learn More · Sign-up Now
Go to Next Page
« Previous Topic · Games · Next Topic »
Add Reply

Affiliates

Golden Sun Universe Golden Sun Hacking Community The Lost Waters Golden Sun Land Golden Sun Adept's Refuge Golden Sunrise

Visit the Zetaboards Theme Zone for a custom theme of your own!