Multiplayer, offline console RPGs...

[Prime Mover]

So, a few of my friends of mine, and I, are going to be house-sitting for a few weeks, and trying to see whether we can stand living together enough to later get an appartment. One of my friends and I are huge console RPG fans (and I'd like to try to get my other friend on board, although he's the PC FPS type), and we've been looking to find a good console RPG that has offline multiplayer functionality. I've played Secret of Mana and some of Seiken Densetsu 3 (is that multiplayer? I'm not sure), but my computer can seem to only handle one gamepad at a time, and of course, SD3 was never released in the US. Are there ANY multiplayer RPGs for the PS1/2 or GameCube? Why are they so rare? I'd just like to see more long-form co-op multiplayer games.

I'm so looking forward to children of mana for just this reason.

[Leo]

I suggest playing Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles for the Gamecube. It has an offline multiplayer mode, and I've heard it's pretty fun when played with other people. However, if in fact you're wondering about the single player venture, it's rather on the dry side.

[John]

Here's a list for ya.

These six games are all isometric beat-em-ups with RPG character building:

Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance 1 + 2
Champions of Norrath 1 + 2
X-Men Legends 1 + 2

For the GameCube, Tales of Symphonia plays like a standard single-player RPG most of the time (Only one person is going to be moving on the world map and starting story sequences), but supports up to four players during battles.

For the PSOne, you've got Legend of Mana, and that's all I can think of off the top of my head.

Edit: The problem with FF: CC is that you really do need four players and four GameBoy Advances to take advantage of the game.  If you've got that, though, have at it.

-John

[Prime Mover]

I forgot to mention FF:CC and Four Swords Adventure. I really didn't care for FF:CC, tried to get into it a couple of times, but it just seemed incredibly tedious and repetative, with little to no story to pull you in. Four Swords struck me as a bit more fun, though I was a little turned off by the highly competative nature of the game. I feel like I was trying to compete with the other players much more than I was trying to help them.

As for Tales of Symphonia, I absolutely loved it, and am desperately searching for something of THAT style (since both my friend and I have already played it, and then some). I personally LIKE the traditional single-player RPG style, and would prefer a multiplayer game that centers around that. Not a fan of PC style RPGs, ala Baldur's Gate or Diablo, though I don't mind action RPGs such as the Sieken Densetsu series. Unfortunately, I've heard nothing but bad things about Legend of Mana.

[D-Rider]

Unfortunately, I've heard nothing but bad things about Legend of Mana.

You need to read this thread then.

The only current multiplayer RPG I'd recommend is X-Men Legends 2.  That game is stupidly fun, and I imagine multiple players would only make it better.

[Testament]

Unfortunately, I've heard nothing but bad things about Legend of Mana.

You should play it before you say that.

The game offers a lot of freedom In how you build your character and even how you shape the world.  There  is a lot of depth in the item creation system.  You can even raise pets and build robots to fight along side you!  Not to mention the fact that you can create your own magic spells.

The thing that makes this game awsome for multiplayer is that each person can build their character seperately.  You and your friend can play solo while you build up your characters then just load the data up and both of you play together!  You can even sell each other items that you create in your respective workshops!  If your feeling competitive you can go to the battle arena and fight each other too!  Now that's fricken cool. =)

Once you go through the main story arc you can unlock 2 new difficulty mods, which should really put your skill to the test...  

I honestly never understood why people didn't like the game.  Great stories, gameplay, artwork and beautiful music.

[Eusis]

Honestly, most of the PSX installments to existing Squaresoft franchises have had a lot of controversy around them - the only exceptions I can think of are the SaGa and Front Mission games, and the latter didn't make any US debut for that installment in addition to being the most similar to the prequels from what I've seen, and SaGa... Well, that's /SaGa/, that's always going to have people hating it.

Looking back, whether it's nostalgia talking or my genuine opinion, but LoM really did have a lot of charm to it and some good stuff. But back then, I was really disappointed because it barely resembled Secret of Mana at all, and that's what I /really/ would have wanted on the PSX. Hell, I'm hoping that DoM ultimately is the successor I've wanted since the 16-bit days.

Though, for just LoM: I'd say it's worth a look as long as you don't have to pay out of your ass for it. Just do not expect a successor to Secret of Mana in any regards - hell, the fact they blatantly made a Seiken Densetsu 4 after that should be more than enough of an indicator.

[Testament]

It's already pretty clear that DoM will be what many people thought Legend of Mana should of been.  It's already given main characters a great deal of background information, so I'm sure that means the ability to create are own in-game avatars is out (what a damn shame) and that means the return of the angsty teenage hero that talks far too much.

So it's back to good'old linear-storytelling.  Nothing wrong with that, I just hope that it's good.

[Bogatyr]

Just so you know, Dark Alliance and Champions of Norrath play nothing like PC RPGs. They are action RPGs.

[Eusis]

Just so you know, Dark Alliance and Champions of Norrath play nothing like PC RPGs. They are action RPGs.

I was going to comment on that, then I saw that he didn't like Diablo either. It's probably still worth trying in case controlling with a gamepad winds up being more fun than with a mouse, but honestly BG:DA and CoN have that same type of gameplay Diablo has.

[Fate Linegod]

As for Tales of Symphonia, I absolutely loved it, and am desperately searching for something of THAT style (since both my friend and I have already played it, and then some).

If you really that desperate enough to find something in that style, go import Tales of the Abyss. This Game's rocks...

Or if you can patiently waiting for it. Wait until Q4 this year.

[Prime Mover]

If you really that desperate enough to find something in that style, go import Tales of the Abyss. This Game's rocks...

That would require that I know Japanese, which, unfortunetly, I do not. I took french during HS, and ignored foreign languages during college to concentrate on music…