Some RPGs can destroy others simply because of how good they are. An excellent example is Chrono Triggerwhich was ahead of its time on the SNES. There were no random battles on the world map, characters could initiate combos with others, and the time travel system was a unique narrative and gameplay device.
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Then there are games that are too good, because of the freedom they offer or the amount of activities they provide. This doesn't just include open world RPGs, though they have freedom with unlimited areas to explore. These RPG examples are a little different from the past and present, but they are all masterpieces in their own way.
Baldur's Gate 3
A D&D game like no other
Baldur's Gate 3 does things that no other RPG does, and a big reason why everyone fell in love with it was the choices. Everything mattered when it came to creating a character, even race, as it could play into NPC reactions like treating Drow characters as evil.
Nothing would matter if the writing wasn't good, but it is from the interactions of the individual characters to how each act unfolds and changes depending on dialogue options. It is difficult to see how one Baldur's Gate the sequel can improve anything, or to see a game of this caliber again.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
Packed full of nostalgia
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth has a lot of good going for it as the second installment in a remake trilogy series. Players do not have access to a fully open world design, as each biome is self-contained and unlocked through story.
That said, what each chapter contains is fascinating, from missions to mini-games to how the story progresses from crazy to dramatic sequences to the Chocobo-based exploration. Best of all, the freedom of the battle system is superb, including the Materia-based magic system, character combos, and weapon upgrades to allow players to engage in battle however and whenever they want.
Persona 5
Linear but free
Persona 5 is technically a linear game and one that takes about two hours to finally make most of the tutorials sink in. When that happens, the game opens up to allow players to role-play as a Japanese teenage student who can do everything in mainstream Japanese society, such as going to the movies, visiting arcades, eating out, dating, and even working in places like convenience stores.
The dating aspect in particular is good from a choice perspective, giving players a lot of options. Players can also explore dungeons with their party members to solve a political intrigue that revolves around them, and again, even though things unfold on a daily basis, the expansiveness of the plot helps draw players in.
Dragon Quest 9: Sentinels Of The Starry Sky
Build yourself and your party
Dragon Quest 9: Sentinels of the Starry Sky gives players a lot of freedom upfront, even more so than most RPGs. Players can customize their character and then, after a tutorial section, they can visit pubs to hire and customize new party members.
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Not many RPGs allow players to customize an entire party, including a class system that is unlocked later. If players want to go through the game in co-op, that is also an option. Those are all great features, but some are lost thanks to the closure of online play, which included a shop and the ability to share maps, but Dragon Quest 9: Sentinels of the Starry still banging even without those things on the DS.
Diablo 4
Multiplayer goes a long way
Diablo 4 do most of it Diablo game does: give players character class options. This is the first game to have customization options beyond a class, making it so that one Rogue doesn't look like another, which is important for the multiplayer aspect.
The open world structure is also new, giving players a horse to explore with, quests to take on, random hordes of monsters to fight, and world events to engage with or without strangers. There aren't many RPGs that consistently get the top-down action formula right, and Diablo 4 is just more of the same, but better, and that's totally fine.
Dark Clouds 2
Rebuild the world
For a PS2 game, Dark Clouds 2 was ahead of its time in terms of what it offered players. As a time-traveling RPG, Max and Monica, the dual protagonists, were tasked with going into dungeons, rescuing NPCs and materials, and then using those things to build cities to their liking.
The action combat was satisfying thanks to the heroes' individual and varying powers and weapons that leveled up and evolved with use. In old dungeons, players could return to fish or golf, and these features went beyond simple minigame distractions.
Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth
A blue paradise
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is a tight game set in Hawaii with a former Yakuza member, Ichiban, who tangles with local gang members and other organizations that claim to rule the island. The combat allows for some customization, as players can choose which classes to combine in the turn-based combat.
Around town, they can meet a majority of NPCs to befriend, play mini-games like taking pictures of strange butterfly men, and explore on a scooter. Outside the city, there is a small island that players can use to farm their own village and defend it from raiders. What really sets this RPG apart are the quests, which feature bizarre and memorable NPCs with scenarios that have to be seen to be believed.
Fantasy Life in: The Girl Who Steals Time
RPG Dream Builder
Fantasy Life in: The Girl Who Steals Time is a quaint little action game about playing an RPG that players want. After creating a character, players can choose a class, called a life, and level up based on that life's activities. Players can level up by fishing, cooking, chopping down trees, attacking enemies with magic, and so on.
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In addition to the wide range of lives, players can also explore dungeons with friends online and decorate their homes. It's an ever-evolving RPG that can be played casually when players have a second, and that kind of adaptability is rare to find at this level of quality.
Disgaea 1 complete
Cheat your way to victory
Disgaea 1 complete is a remaster of the first game, a niche tactical RPG marvel that's still leagues ahead of others. Players will get powerful named characters, but they can also create an infinite number of monsters and humanoid characters with classes.
Players can level up items and equipment by entering pocket dimensions, and they face a council to unlock various features, from reincarnation to cheats. That's right, players can even go into the inner workings of the game to mess with the game, and the game can easily entertain players for hundreds of hours if they really get into it.
Valkyria Chronicles 4
A tactical game like no other
Valkyria Chronicles 4 is the latest entry in the series and another example of a unique tactical RPG. Most tactical RPGs have characters move around a grid-based map and take turns. IN Valkyria Chroniclesa selected party member can run around anywhere on the battlefield within their meter limit.
Enemies can shoot in real time and traps can even be triggered. Stopping movement activates combat mode, pausing all enemy fire so players can attack back. This active element gives players a more outrageous experience that makes Valkyria Chronicles series overall unlike anything else out there and makes even the best grid based games feel archaic.
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