Best RPG of the decade

[Rudo]

Just wanted to clarify something since there are some who seem to think we "forgot" about this or that game or that "how come this game isn't on the list?", etc.

As mentioned on that first page of the feature, this is a result of the way we did this thing.  Every editor chose their 10 favorite RPGs of the decade and then points were assigned for the positions that the games received on everybody's list.  As such, we didn't "forget" about Demon's Souls or Nocturne or Valkyria Chronicles, it's just that not enough editors included those games into their Top 10 and that's why it didn't end up on the list.  As such, we don't claim that this list is an ultimate "best of" list and that "RPGFan" thinks that Kingdom Hearts is better than Demon's Souls or whatever other game didn't make the list (like WoW), it's just a matter of certain games ending up on more lists than the other and in higher positions.  Some games made it in because more people played them and as a result they got more votes while another game didn't because not enough editors had time to play it, etc.  As an example, both Lunar 2 and Ever 17 were included in only 2 lists but because of how high they were on those editor's list they got a lot of points and ended up making the Top 20.  There are other games that were on 5 or 6 editor's list but because they were in 7th or 8th position, that didn't garner them enough points to make the Top 20.  As I mentioned, keep in mind that this wasn't a "discussion" amongst ourselves of the best RPGs, it was a pure points system with no room for debate.  Just like some of you are disappointed in certain games not being included in the Top 20, many editors felt the same way too.  That's the nature of ANY lists.  Nobody is ever going to be COMPLETELY satisfied.  However, this is how things fell using the points system so just keep that in mind.  We didn't "forget" any games, it's just that those games didn't get enough points based on everyone's lists.  That's all.

[Sagacious-T]

Understandable, but shame on you all for putting FFX so high *folds arms*

[Gen Eric Gui]

OK, someone said CT is 16 years old -> not the remake

There was no remake of CT.  There were two ports.  It's still the same SNES game that came out over 10 years ago, so it doesn't count for this decade.

And CT was terrible.  Cross is better in every way.


As for the actual list, I have most of the same gripes as everyone else.  I don't really feel that both Kingdom Hearts games should have been on, and there are several (Valkyria Chronicles, Nocturne, etc) that I felt should have had a spot.  But whatever, it's just opinions man.

And Flower Sun and Rain is so totally not one of the worst RPG's of the decade because A: It's not even really an RPG and B: It was supposed to be bad, therefore it is good because it succeeded.

[Rudo]

And to answer the question about Chrono Trigger, in general, we tried to stay away from remakes or re-releases as much as possible like CT and FFIV on this feature since we're trying to judge the best RPGs of the last decade and I think we consider these RPGs more as 1990s RPGs and not 2000s RPGs.  If we ever do a best of the 90s list, then these games would definitely make the list.

[Annubis]

Don't get me wrong, not complaining about the list. To each his own taste.

But yeah... how was KotOR1 better? Somebody refresh my memory, it's been so long. Weren't 1 and 2 pretty similar story wise? but 2 having better graphics and a lot more jedis?
That's about all I remember from the game.

[Sagacious-T]

Two was a mediocre and incomplete game.

[CDFN]

Repost in here then =/

Overall, a solid list.

#18 - Ever 17: Out of Infinity (PC)
Sometimes, I wish I could be struck by amnesia, just to enjoy discovering this story again.

#12 - Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (Xbox)
Why was KotOR better than KotOR2?

#7 - Chrono Cross (PSone)
but no Chrono Trigger? madness I say


OK, someone said CT is 16 years old -> not the remake

It's not a remake. It's a re-release on a different system. We might as well consider every final fantasy ever for the list then.

[Der Jermeister]

A solid list, but I'm fucking sick and tired of people using their opinions on the Knights of the Old Republic games to bash the Star Wars prequels. They were actually better reviewed than the original movies were when they were first release, and the original trilogy isn't that fucking perfect, either, and I could list a ton of plot holes in the original trilogy.

[jphussey]

CT DS was also on my individual list.

[Sagacious-T]

A solid list, but I'm fucking sick and tired of people using their opinions on the Knights of the Old Republic games to bash the Star Wars prequels. They were actually better reviewed than the original movies were when they were first release, and the original trilogy isn't that fucking perfect, either, and I could list a ton of plot holes in the original trilogy.

Terrible plot, terrible characters, lack of intense dialog during action scenes, overuse of cgi, etc. 

[GrimReality]

I was quite shocked when I saw the DDS games as #1. Never even occurred to me that that was a possibility. Granted, I've never played them, so I have no opinion on the matter.
Actually, I've never really played ANY of the Persona/SMT/DDS games outside of playing Persona 2 for about a half hour and not liking it.
I've mostly avoided them because they seem to be very long and difficult games. I have no patience for either of those traits nowadays.
Happy to see Skies so far up the list.

 

[Lazlowe1984]

Great list you guys made.

However I still feel Deus Ex deserved a spot there...

[Alan_01987]

Solid list, i can't stand the appeal of Persona games as i don't like random dungeon generator in single player RPGs. Maybe it is just me, but Tartarus is the most lazy random dungeon of all time ~_~ .

[Eusis]

Don't get me wrong, not complaining about the list. To each his own taste.

Since I'm assuming this also addresses Chrono Trigger... Ok, no "my opinion!" doesn't cut it. It's the same game from the very middle of the last decade, one that was released in English then at that, as great as it may be it HAS to step back and let other games take the honor. It'd be the same as someone saying Seven Samurai's the best movie of 2010 because it has a new blu-ray release coming in a month, even though there's movies like Inception that are well received and worthy of the recognition. You'd just be regurgitating old favorites when the entire point of lists like these is to highlight the games of a specific time period.

As for games like Persona 3 and 4 or KotOR1 and 2: Well, we're not talking about something like Madden here. They're distinct enough and some people favor one over the other, plus it's not like they'd crowd out a list anyway. Especially in the case of KotOR1/2, where people either love or hate 2, at least most people like P4 whether or not they prefer P3.

[cj_iwakura]

Small comment about Lunar 2: the two bathing scenes weren't in the Sega CD original. There was just one, where she freaked out.