RPGs with the best: Story, Characters, Atmosphere, and Plot twists?

[Sagacious-T]

What are your picks?

Story: For me this is too difficult to choose. I think on a large scale RPG stories are nowhere near other mediums yet. Look at the written dreams in Lost Odyssey, they dwarfed the main game's story in terms of quality. We have a long way to go, especially since most Japanese RPGs are still stylized after anime. I prefer old adventure games and CPRG stories when it comes down to it.

Characters: Baldur's Gate 2. There were so many party members and they all had great flavor to them. Call me boring, but my favorite Japanese RPG for characters would be Final Fantasy 6, just for how the game focuses on various different characters instead of only Terra. Each character felt genuinely unique as well. Even back in the days without text, they had so much personality.

Plot twists: I would give this to any Monolith game. Those guys really didn't give a shit. The twists were so off the wall, especially in stuff like Baten Kaitos.

Atmosphere: For atmosphere and immersion I would have to give it to Mass Effect. I rarely feel as immersed into a game world as Mass Effect made me feel. There felt like so much depth and background to everything. A lot of Japanese RPGs don't have that atmosphere. I find that FPS usually have the best atmosphere, games like Half Life 2, Gears of War, and Metroi 2033 are all great examples.

[Gen Eric Gui]

Story: Suikoden

Characters: Suikoden

Plot Twists: Uh...Silent Hill?  Most RPG's I can think of have the sort of "WHAT A TWEEST" moments that really don't surprise anyone.

Atmosphere: Suikoden

[Cyril]

Story: Xenogears. Yes, I like it. Yes, I even liked Disk 2, despite some things being cut out.  I'm well aware that, to some people, the game may seem pretentious, but I'd say overall it was well done.  The love story is much more natural than most games, not to mention Xenogears actually handles sex in a realistic and mature way.

Characters: I'm going to go ahead and say Ar tonelico's females - despite being cliche.  Not only do they have the traditional conflicts, but they are developed in a journey through the mind.  Their songs embody their emotions, reactions, fears, hopes, and dreams.  Ar tonelico is one of those games that proves the overdone can still be interesting when done right.
Runner up goes to Dragon Quest VII.  I've never felt more for simple NPCs than I have in that game.  Sharkeye's story is subtle, charming, tragic, and eventually heartwarming, while the three-city "soap opera" was one of the best uses of NPC-city interaction I've seen in a game.

Atmosphere: Demon's Souls.  I don't think a description is really necessary here, is it?  Runners up: Wild ARMs 3, Koudelka, and Breath of Fire V.

Plot Twist: This one's a bit harder. I'm actually a big fan of the whole "protagonist is related to the antagonist," even though I know it's both overdone and not a particularly good "twist."   I think I'm going to say Dragon Quest V's "halfway" point is one of my favorite twists.  It definitely is directed in an excellent way.
Runners up are the entire Summoner (PS2) series and Suikoden II.

[Sagacious-T]

Xenogears is up there for story, but I can't stand the second disc. I haven't finished it to this day.

Another great story game would be Siege of Avalon. http://soaos.sourceforge.net/

It's essentially a "decent" old school CRPG fused with a fantasy novel. Not for the faint of heart.

Haven't played Demon's Souls yet so I'll take your word for it.

[Lard]

Story - Suikoden II - Still my favourite, though more recently I really enjoyed the first KOTOR.

Character - have to think about this

Plot Twist - Suikoden III's villain reveal

Atmosphere - Legend of Mana/Saga Frontier II - I love wandering around in both of these because they look and sound great. I'll also add Demons Souls - it's got a great feeling of isolation that is only matched by SOTC.

[Hathen]

Story: Star Ocean 4 when Earth gets blown up, because of our technology

Characters: Star Ocean 4 when Earth gets blown up, everything

Plot Twists: Star Ocean 4 when Earth gets blown up, every last speck

Atmosphere: Star Ocean 4 when Earth gets blown up, everything

[Dincrest]

I was tempted to give joke answers but decided not to. 

The most compelling story I experienced in a video game belonged to Ever17: The Out of Infinity, mainly because of the characters.  Tsugumi was such a tragic heroine that her storyline actually made a full grown man (me) cry a little.  I've never cried in a game except for Phantasy Star 4 when

Code:

Alys died.

  The plot twist was fan-freaking-tastic too.  Beautifully done.  Even if you saw it coming, it still hits you like a sucker punch.  The atmosphere was great too.  I felt the creepiness, the sense of urgency, and even the sense of home as the characters made the best of their situation. 

So I only have one game to submit is excelling in all four areas Thoren inquired about- Ever17: The Out of Infinity.  My review does not do the game justice. 

[Lord Scottish]

Story: DQVII used to hold this title (love the whole time travel/world rebuilding thing) but I'm playing DQV right now and I think that might have it beat. It really gets me right here *points to chest* more than any game since, well, since the next game I'm about to mention, which is...

Characters: Grandia II. Ryudo, Millenia, and Mareg are the most likable people it has ever been my pleasure to play as in a video game. Radiata Stories is a close second.

Plot twist: DQV again. I actually knew about

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Pankraz getting killed

before I even played the game, but it still got to me.

Atmosphere: Breath of Fire V, Legend of Mana, the first FFCC, and Romancing SaGa.

[Sagacious-T]

Ever 17 looks interesting. It's in English too!

[Alisha]

What are your picks?

Story: For me this is too difficult to choose. I think on a large scale RPG stories are nowhere near other mediums yet. Look at the written dreams in Lost Odyssey, they dwarfed the main game's story in terms of quality. We have a long way to go, especially since most Japanese RPGs are still stylized after anime. I prefer old adventure games and CPRG stories when it comes down to it.

Characters: Baldur's Gate 2. There were so many party members and they all had great flavor to them. Call me boring, but my favorite Japanese RPG for characters would be Final Fantasy 6, just for how the game focuses on various different characters instead of only Terra. Each character felt genuinely unique as well. Even back in the days without text, they had so much personality.

Plot twists: I would give this to any Monolith game. Those guys really didn't give a shit. The twists were so off the wall, especially in stuff like Baten Kaitos.

Atmosphere: For atmosphere and immersion I would have to give it to Mass Effect. I rarely feel as immersed into a game world as Mass Effect made me feel. There felt like so much depth and background to everything. A lot of Japanese RPGs don't have that atmosphere. I find that FPS usually have the best atmosphere, games like Half Life 2, Gears of War, and Metroi 2033 are all great examples.

i can think of one monlith soft game that i dont think even has a plot twist.

[cj_iwakura]

Nocturne for the first three, Digital Devil Saga 2 for the last.

Code:

I can't think of another RPG that has the bones to kill off dang near every single cast member and have you do the final dungeon as their ghosts.

[Lazlowe1984]

Story: Deus Ex

Characters: Star Wars:KOTOR

Plot twists: Suikoden

Atmosphere: The Witcher

[Sagacious-T]

Have you seen those Witcher 2 screenshots? The game is going to be ridiculous.

[Lazlowe1984]

Have you seen those Witcher 2 screenshots? The game is going to be ridiculous.

It already makes Dragon Age look like Pokemon and its the most intense RPG series I have ever played.

[Yggdrasil]

Story: Digital Devil Saga
Characters: Persona 3
Plot Twists: Metal Gear series (!?)
Atmosphere: Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne / Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King

Also, I've never a Suikoden game in my life. Is true that is that good as some people say it is?