New to the site, looking for game advice

[Zyco]

Heya guys, I am new to the site, been reading posts and reviews for awhile and finally decided to post.

I have a question and more of an obsession. I am looking for a RPG where you can create your own character/party in the old school way of the SSI/TSR games and even the other D&D type games that came out over the years.  I am on a JRPG kick.. just bought Atelier Rorona and Ar tonelico Qoga found special editions at the new Gamestop the opened by me. While I am starting to appreciate the story and style of JRPGs.. I do have a craving for an old school build up your party and adventure game.  I actually started to play thru Temple of Elemental Evil on my PC because of the cool partys you can build.

So, does anyone have any recomendations on a RPG for (DS, PSP, PS3, Wii) where you can create your own custom character and or party and pick from various classes (cleric, fighter, made, rogue..)

I do know some games like Golden Sun and Dragon Quest IX (DS) have a twist in them where you can sort of customize your characters but its not totally what I am looking for.  I also found a PSP game CLass of Heroes but it just doesnt look very good.  I wonder why this style of game is so hard to find now and used to be so common.

Thanks!

[Starmongoose]

Okay, first of all, Hi! Welcome.

Second, your avatar looks like a skeleton bursting through Goatse

Thirdly, the Etrian Odyssey games seem like the kind of thing you are looking for. You build a party of 5 members, through various classes (It depends on which game really, different classes in each) and is an old-school dungeon crawler JRPG for the DS. The bottom screen is even used for drawing maps of the dungeon, more fun than it sounds.

The games are light on story, but still good otherwise. :)

http://www.rpgfan.com/reviews/etrianodyssey/index.html

[Commander Jubby Shepard]

The Etrian Oddysey series and the new Wizardry game sound like what you're looking for. Also, the Shin Megami Tensei and Persona titles might cater to your tastes. When it comes to the D&D stuff and party-building, games like Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic might work for you (hint, Bioware games usually have a lot of customization). If you haven't played the original Final Fantasy (or even III and V might work for you), you should really try those.

Sorry if I'm not of too much help, I only got into dungeon crawlers a few months ago.

Oh, and how could I forget to say hello to you? Hi. Please enjoy yourself here.

[Eusis]

While it's not oldschool dungeon crawling you DO create your own characters in DQIX and choose their classes, so if that's strictly what you're looking for and you haven't actually played the game you may want to give it a try.

For the more oldschool games though, the previous suggestions hold. Etrian Odyssey you'll want to check out, and there are the Wizardry PSN games coming out soon from Xseed. Dark Spire may be worth looking into, but that should be after you play the other games I'd think.

[Tooker]

FYI, if you decide to play Etrian Odyssey, jump straight to #3.  It's got some notable improvements over the previous games, so if you're going to like the series, you'll like that one best.

Might want to check out Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions on PSP, and Disgaea 1 or 2 on PSP or DS.  All three let you set up your party however you want, and all three are awesome.

[Lard]

Dragon Quest VI?

[rpgseeker]

Dragon Quest VI?

Dragon Quest VI doesn't have the ability of creating custom party members.

[FlamingR1ft]

I'm guessing he means IX. Easy thing to typo :)

[Themadcow]

Speaking as an oldskooler myself (Bards Tale 1 on the Amstrad, Wizardry VI on the Amiga, Pools of Darkness etc etc) I've found Dragon Age Origins to be a close match. Like the previous posts though, I'd highly recommend Disgaea (PSP ideally) for it's insane class selection / gearing options and levelling.

You can still get hold of Wizardry: Tale Of The Forsaken Land on PS2 which is VERY oldschool and comes up on ebay relatively often, or the new Wizardry available on PSN in May/June (approx) which looks the business.

Unfortunately, the days of ROLL > Crap stats > BACK > REROLL > Crap stats > BACK > REROLL > Wahey - great stats! Crap, I pressed Hobbit by mistake > BACK... etc seem to be numbered generallyn though.

[Kup]

Second, your avatar looks like a skeleton bursting through Goatse

I had a mouthful of lunch when I read this...  thank you, please.

[Annubis]

Second, your avatar looks like a skeleton bursting through Goatse

I had a mouthful of lunch when I read this...  thank you, please.

Looks more like this guy's pre-fight peekaboo

[Aeolus]

Class of Heroes for the PSP.

[Zyco]

lol.. my avatar is an old skate boarding logo from Powel & Peralta - The Bones Brigade

I saw Etrian Odyssey III for $20 on Amazon.. I might have to get that based on all the recomendations here. I dont mind the 1st person look, the mapping isnt my thing really.. I hated doing that with Table Top D&D.

I think I will wait for Disgaea 4 on the PS3.. if that ever comes out, But it seems so hardcore to have all those levels.

Man.. Themadcow is right I guess.. not many games like this any more.  I dont really think the latest offerings from Bioware are all that great, they are all OK and I have ME1,2 and DA1,2.  But I feel more like I am playing thru a movie/video than actually going on an adventure.  It really seems like modern RPGs have sectioned off from the ways old ones were and you get 1 part or the other now... not a full on experience.

[Tooker]

Well, the thing with Disgaea is that you can play it as long as you like.  Your only reason to level all the way to 9999 would be that you feel like challenging the toughest optional bosses in the game.  I think I beat the first game at level 60 or so... although it's been a while.  Could be even lower.  I reviewed 1 on both PSP and DS, and 2 on the PSP (it's not on the DS) for RPGFan - here are my reviews.

Disgaea 1 PSP: http://www.rpgfan.com/reviews/disgaea-psp/index.html (This review is very... thorough.  Or in other words, it's one of my early reviews, and it's way too long.)

Disgaea 1 DS: http://www.rpgfan.com/reviews/disgaea-ds/index.html

Disgaea 2: http://www.rpgfan.com/reviews/disgaea2-psp/index.html

[Zyco]

Well, the thing with Disgaea is that you can play it as long as you like.  Your only reason to level all the way to 9999 would be that you feel like challenging the toughest optional bosses in the game.  I think I beat the first game at level 60 or so... although it's been a while.  Could be even lower.  I reviewed 1 on both PSP and DS, and 2 on the PSP (it's not on the DS) for RPGFan - here are my reviews.

Disgaea 1 PSP: http://www.rpgfan.com/reviews/disgaea-psp/index.html (This review is very... thorough.  Or in other words, it's one of my early reviews, and it's way too long.)

Disgaea 1 DS: http://www.rpgfan.com/reviews/disgaea-ds/index.html

Disgaea 2: http://www.rpgfan.com/reviews/disgaea2-psp/index.html

I know Disgaea will be something I like once I get a copy of one and play it.. and I am sure I will get the new one when it releases.  The thing that seems to confuse me most is the geo stone things.  

I have also been looking at Record of Agarest War.. there is a new one due out soon, and it looks similar to Disgaea-  but I know there are no custom 'roll em up' chars in that game, but to me it looks more comprehensible than Disgaea in the videos ive seen.