So Djinn and Dhyer pestered me into it. Anyway, a series of daily updates I've been putting on Facebook through December, hyping my (nominal) favorite games. A few are arbitrary, the order is fairly fluid in a few places, but otherwise... whatever. List!
(For Dec. 1)- Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn [Wii, 2007]
Fire Emblem plays a big role in my gaming these days, and are some of the game I get most excited about when it comes to news and releases. Radiant Dawn is the best of the series; it simply does things that the rest don't do. While it ret...ains the simplicity (you can calculate damage, evasion, and such in your head, just looking at a units stats) and element of chance that makes the series stand out, Radiant Dawn elevates itself beyond the typical good/mostly evil war stories of the rest by not only giving you units from every nation on the globe, but giving each one point of view chapters. More than once in the game you see party members from previous chapters staring you down from the opposite end of the field, and the more nuanced storytelling and examination of each side in the conflict adds a lot to the game. It also manages to be tough without simply overwhelming you or cheating the system, a rarity in the genre.
(for Dec. 2)- Shadow Hearts [Playstation 2, 2001]
Shadow Hearts does a lovely job of playing to my biases. Yuri Hyuga's blatantly disturbed psyche, and the unabashed use of his issues as the foundation of the story are always ways to get my attention from a game. The way the narrative weaves Alice into his life is very sweet, and it's fun to watch them growing closer throughout the game. While the setting isn't so developed as it could be, the historical fiction atmosphere is a nice touch, and helps set the game apart from many other RPGs.
(for Dec. 3)- Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII [Playstation Portable, 2008]
History will probably remember the PSP as "that thing that got all those big franchise side game cash-ins", and it's a fair assessment. Crisis Core fits that description, but is everything a game like that should be. It features new characters in the familiar setting, distinguishes itself in terms of gameplay while still having familiar elements, and its story adds to the 'big brother' game without retread, but while also staying true to its themes and atmosphere. In other words, Crisis Core plays and acts differently from Final Fantasy VII, yet is still believably part of its world and adds its own twists to that story. And its gotta be said; you can't not like Zack 'The Puppy' Fair.
Dec. 4- Persona 4 [Playstation 2, 2008]
Persona 4 is just everything an RPG should be. Each member of the cast stands out. The gameplay is quirky and rewards paying attention and using all your resources. Boss fights require a few attempts but rarely are you simply not strong ...enough to beat them. The narrative moves at a steady pace and the characters are very active within it. While the use of a silent main AGAIN in this series is annoying (c'mon, Atlus. You remember Maya right? And how dumb making HER a silent main was?), the rest of the game fires on all cylinders, and a little ending fatigue isn't enough to mar the otherwise excellent game.
Dec. 5- Final Fantasy VIII [Playstation, 1999]
So without going into debates on the merits of games with negative difficulty, there's two key reasons to love Final Fantasy VIII. Squall is great; it's nice to see a game written with that sort of dedicated, first person perspective, and really, the idea of being the only sane person around, and wondering why everyone around you is acting like an idiot is something any 17 year old can identify with. The other reason? Triple Triad. What else was I going to say here?
Dec. 6- Skies of Arcadia Legends [Gamecube, 2003]
If you talk to a lot of long time RPG players, one of the things you'll find is that they love the idea of exploring a new world, the epic scope of travelling to every corner of the globe to discover ancient ruins, find lost cultures, and really to recapture the spirit of an age that's passed our generation by in the real world. Skies of Arcadia is a game that said "wait a minute, why the hell aren't we building a game around that idea?" Despite being a fantastical land with skies instead of an ocean, and being fairly simple in its overriding plot and the structure of each culture, SoA still captures that sort of 16th century age of exploration feel, and the underlying themes of optimism, courage, and making a legend for yourself is something that was really lost from the earliest RPGs... heck, we don't see it much today either.
Dec. 7- Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria [PS2]
Valkyrie Profile 2 is an ethereal, beautiful game that's a joy to see in action. Even in battle, everything is very deliberate and fun to watch. While I really love the game simply for being a Valkyrie Profile game (the intricacies of that system defy explanation), the level of detail in every aspect of the game speaks much to just how much tri-Ace loves the franchise as well. It's a shame the 6th chapter shows so many signs of "they waited too long to make this and tried to cram EVERY idea in", for all it has a cheesy charm of its own.
Dec. 8- Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter [Playstation 2, 2003]
BoF5 is a rare case where originality and sparse story worked for me. I'm not entirely sure what it is exactly, but whether the unity of design, the way various gameplay elements are tied into the story, or something else, the game has a very immersive atmosphere, and the story's few moments have more weight than perhaps they should. It's also a good example of making a game hard correctly; you're expected to learn how to play the game well very quickly, but once you do work it out you'll rarely die for reasons beyond your own mistakes.'
Dec. 9- Vagrant Story (Playstation, 2000)
Vagrant Story does many of the same things well that we saw in BoFV, with a compelling minimalist story that invites you to think more about the game, well done atmosphere, and a unique battle system with a high (and rewarding) learning curve. The biggest difference is the setting. While the underground warrens of BoFV are good for this style of game, they lack the mythology and allure of Lea Monde. VS' blunt allusions to Shakespeare, as well as Final Fantasy Tactics, add another layer to the invitation to dig deeper as well... in all, Vagrant Story is a game that does everything to invite you within, perhaps to wander there forever plumbing its secrets.
Dec. 10- Kingdom Hearts II [Playstation 2, 2006]
Rather than focusing on the inherent awesome of Kingdom Hearts at this time (SPOILER: there are more Kingdom Hearts games on this list), instead we'll talk about KH2's specific contributions. I'll own up to it; I like just how insane Tetsuya Nomura's plotting is. The over the top complexity appeals to me, and unraveling the intentionally complex layers of foreshadowing (not to mention the "make stuff up and make it look like foreshadowing after the fact") can be a lot of fun. Otherwise, KH2 really steps up the value of each individual world, and having a two-stage plot for each was definitely the right move. Drive is a fairly interesting take on the basic idea of a Limit mechanic, and in general KH2 gives you a lot of tools that are fun to play around with.
Dec. 11- Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume [DS, 2009]
I really like what VPDS was aiming for. The SRPG style movement system accomplishes with elegance the emphasis on surrounding enemies and range that VP2 wanted, while the story feels like a return to type for the series, with its emphasis on mortal struggles. I love how the path branching works (admitted, it can be jarring if you swap paths in between chapters), both in the gameplay and plot senses; the difficult A Path maps encouraging you to sacrifice party members was a nice bit of plot integration, and seeing Wyl on each path is fun. The game does have a lot of wasted potential, but I'm still terribly fond of what's there. And it must be said; the Seraphic Gate is brilliant.
Dec. 12- Mana Khemia: Alchemists of Al Revis [Playstation 2, 2008]
My first exposure to the Atelier series, and still my favorite. There's a lot to like. Mana Khemia does more with the idea of swapping characters than any RPG (excepting its own sequel). The boss fights are well designed, and basic enemies can easily be threatening but just as easily be breezed through if you don't have the resources/patience. The slice of life, day by day story style works very well, despite the cast not being great for serious writing. But to a man, they have great comedic quirks. The only real flaw to the game is that every other Atelier (that I've played anyway) is better with item synthesis, and doing large scale alchemy is a slow and tedious affair in the game, bad mojo considering that's how you level up! Still, a great experience all around, and definitely the game to buy if you're curious what all this Gust business is about.
Dec. 13- Suikoden II [Playstation, 1998]
What can you say about Suikoden II? The game is, at heart, what so many games aspired to be; a story about war that makes a case for every player in the conflict believable and, if not always sympathetic, thoroughly human. Even Gorudo, probably the least redeemable villain, is just pragmatically allying with the stronger side and trying to grab as much for himself and (indirectly) his people as he can. The principle cast is wonderful, and Suikoden II is probably the least offensive case of Silent Main ever seen; you can play the game and believe that Riou is just too much of a pushover (or, generously, too conflicted) to do much besides go along with Shu, Nanami, or Jowy. The gameplay is, if not good, then simple and somewhat satisfying to grind to dust, and you have a little more flexibility in how quickly you progress and gather Stars of Destiny than in other Suikoden games. Really, the only bad part of the game is trying to get a copy. Ye gods, getting a copy in good condition was outrageous.
Dec. 14- Chrono Cross [Playstation, 2000]
Unlike every other game on this list, I won't pretend that Chrono Cross isn't bolstered a great deal by nostalgia. That said, Chrono Cross knows how to make an impression, with awesome set pieces and some of the rare impressive plot twists in gaming. It's vibrant, fun to play, and few concepts are as inherently cool as "haul people between dimensions and show them off to their other selves". While it's undeniable that the plot becomes more and more insane as you examine it, I have to admit a certain fondness for the insanity. I dunno why, but breaking my brain to work out how the heck each segment fit into the master plan has entertained me a fair deal every now and again for years. Funny really.
Dec. 15- Tales of the Abyss [Playstation 2, 2005]
Ah, the Tales series, where traditional RPG character building meets something akin to a fighting game. While Abyss brings little beyond (needed) polish to the core gameplay of Tales of Symphonia, it's the cast that has me enamored with TotA. Luke's growth as a character is nothing short of incredible, and honestly I have to respect the writer's willingness to have him start at such a low point to drive it home. Tear's character arc works incredibly well as a parallel despite her coming into the game knowing the lessons Luke needs to learn, and the two even feature some romantic writing actually worth paying attention to (all too rare in this medium). And of course there's Jade, who works well at bringing the cast of children into line (despite his own immaturity in matters of interpersonal communications). But most of all there's our quirky miniboss squad, and while they have their failings they're still well set up to foil the principle cast, and Dist is guaranteed to make even the snarkiest curmudgeon smile.
Dec. 16- Valkyrie Profile [Playstation, 2000]
Valkyrie Profile, more than anything else, radiates the love that its creators put into it. The animations are amazingly detailed, the music is perhaps the best Motoi Sakuraba has ever produced, few games put as much thought and effort into making its dungeons as interesting in both gameplay and art design, the battle system is simple in concept and yet entirely unique and with a multitude of options and nuance in execution, every character is written for maximum impact, and few games make you fight harder to earn the happy ending. To say nothing of the game appealing to my own personal biases, a divine yarn about fate and free will, of loves lost and found again. Even the voice acting, which is special in that way only the Playstation era could manage, was quite enjoyable despite the badness.
Dec. 17- Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days [DS, 2009]
As mentioned previously, I like the sheer crazy of Nomura's plotting in the KH series, and Days is easily the best example of that. Not only does it feature the Organization, but in a little spinoff game about a character in KH2 for about ...15% of it's play time, they make the main focus on... the new character they introduced just for this game! And she's probably the best written, most interesting character in the series. This is the brilliance of Nomura's style; so many things are flying at you, it's impossible to know where the best bits will come from. Otherwise, Days adds a new ability system that I can't say I've ever seen in anything else, and the game is a lot more about learning enemy patterns and weaknesses than frantic attacking, which appeals to me quite a bit.
Dec. 18- Grandia II [Playstation 2, 2001]
The Grandia series is a lesson in how to waste potential, but Grandia II manages to be rather lovable to me anyway. That it was the first I played, and thus where I really spent the time and effort to learn its cancelling system and the like, may help, but on the whole it comes down to one key aspect of gameplay (in addition to being the only one with a story worth a damn)- it has a great customization system. The coins give you a lot of flexibility in what moves you prefer, magic eggs worked in a way that was intuitive to me, and I can't tell you how much I missed skill books in later games. back to that story bit, Ryudo is one of my favorite characters, and I really enjoy the balance between his snark and actual development as a character. Millenia of course is fun as hell too. The plot... well, you CAN still tell it's a Grandia game, but Mimiru Village at least has some good story telling behind it even if the rest slips into ignorable territory.
Dec. 19- Final Fantasy Tactics [Playstation, 1998]
I don't really need to say much here. Final Fantasy Tactics is both legend and shrouded in infamy, and its strengths are well touted. Delita stands as the best antagonist the Final Fantasy series has produced, the blend of war, political turmoil, history, and religious manipulation creates a plot unique in its depth and scope, nevermind creating the larger world of Ivalice. To this day, no strategy game has offered quite the depth of customization as FFT, and while the game takes time and effort to master, even then it lend itself so well to challenges that it should never be considered a pushover and is only as difficult as you make it. If you haven't played FFT, seriously, just go get War of the Lions, it's inexpensive and widely available.
Dec. 20- Suikoden V [Playstation 2, 2006]
While Suikoden V treads the same basic ground as other Suikoden games, and with less of the humanizing elements of Suikoden II, it's also a newer game with the greater advantages in story telling that comes with it. Suikoden V knows how to tug at the hearts of the audience, and it's biggest scenes are some of the great emotional moments of gaming. But more than that, Suikoden V features more compelling character work than is normal even for Suikoden games. Rather than detailing a cast of already defined, well written characters, Suikoden V's cast noticeably grows over the game, best exemplified by the young queen Lymsleia. And where the characters don't really grow per se, they're still revealed slowly, layer by layer, such that they seem like a different character the more you see of them. Arshtat, Sialeeds, and of course the Godwins all benefit from this.
Dec. 21- Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door [Gamecube, 2004]
Mario RPGs, if you've never been savvy enough to pick them up, are hilarious, silly little things wherein nobody attempts to pretend that Mario's world is meant to make sense, and instead banks on surreal humor to keep going. The second Paper Mario is the funniest of these. Divided into 8 chapters, each has a theme. For example, in the fourth (I think, I may be mixing up my chapter order here) you find yourself in the Requisite Tournament. But not just any tournament... a pro wrestling tournament! Which ends on the words of wisdom of the number one talent, Rawk Hawk. And I quote "When life Rawks you, RAWK BACK!" And this is to say nothing of the bits between chapters, featuring Bowser in classic SMB stages or Princess Peach and the stalkerish computer. The game's even fun to play, with the timed hit system rewarding learning enemy patterns (but offering two sorts of blocking, to cater to varied skill levels), high degrees of customization, and some quirky puzzles based on the game's central gimmick, the fact that all the characters are two dimensional beings in a three dimensional world. I probably haven't done justice to what really makes this game work, but honestly it's too unlike anything else to really give it the proper frame of reference.
Dec. 22- Chrono Trigger [Playstation, 2001]
(The PS1 version doesn't add anything aside from a kickass rendition of Chrono Trigger the song, but if you didn't know I've been adding the versions I played so)
Chrono Trigger is simply one of the best put together games around. Everything about the game reveals a staff that took their time and thought through every decision in the game, and made sure every element worked well. The story, no, the idea of changing a bad future through time travel is so rarely done to this extent and with this degree of really playing around with time. Tying each time period together by introducing the main villain so early was a brilliant move, and having Lavos as such an alien, cosmic horror sort of entity actually makes the adventure to gather strength, allies, and try to find every means besides direct confrontation with Lavos to defeat him work much better. Chrono Trigger also marks the first and probably only time that ATB has worked well, due to making simply sitting on a characters turn worthwhile on a regular basis with the combo attacks. To this day, if anyone were trying to get into RPGs, I'd introduce them to Chrono Trigger first, because it's boss design contains the basics of what every RPG player needs to learn before facing a game that doesn't telegraph to high heavens. But most of all, Chrono Trigger is a game that I've played many times, getting every ending in multiple releases of the game, and I can still play it without tiring of the game. And that, perhaps, is the real sign of a superior experience.
Dec. 23- Tales of Vesperia [360, 2008]
Tales games have their own special appeal to me, and ToV is quite simply the best game in the series. Ranging from obvious improvements like a more robust skill system, shininess, voiced skits, and the like, they also made a point of giving every character a unique playstyle that not only benefited from human control, but actually made each character INTERESTING to control. The cast, in addition to simply avoiding some of the more obvious writing traps (outside the villains. they still suck.), has a relatively unique chemistry, where each character actually has a unique relationship with every character. While the story does bog down under the weight of crummy villain cast, the overall themes are still done well, and lead to some great character writing in general. And of course there's Yuri, a compelling hero in many ways, but at that point I think it's best not to get too specific in the hype.
Dec. 24- Soul Nomad & The World Eaters [Playstation 2, 2007]
While RPGs often excel in the area of concepts, settings, and the like, all too often actual writing, the nuances of meaning and subtleties of scripting, can fall short. Nippon Ichi general averts this, having strong dialogue and snappy writing for stock concepts. Soul Nomad has both. Not coincidentally, it's the best game N1's ever made. While the use of a non-communicative hero is just bizarre here, it matters little because Gig, the demon in his head, talks enough for everyone. With a brilliant supporting cast, and gut-wrenching quest, and the often horrifying counterpoint that is the Demon Path, few games can walk the path of black comedy and dark drama simultaneously so well. Soul Nomad is even interesting on the gameplay front, offering a unique take on turn-based strategy with its Rooms, in which you essentially take basic limited skill units and team them up, so that each character on the map is actually a small company of fighters. Coupled with very little of the game rewarding sheer level grind, it hardly plays like an N1 game, but seeing as they aren't games you play for interesting, strategic battles that's probably not a bad thing.
Dec. 25- Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep [Playstation Portable, 2010]
BbS is the only 2010 game on the list (*mutter*), but on the plus side it's actually worthy of being the best game this year. Aside from being a Kingdom Hearts game that gives you multiple PCs with differing (if not wholly unique) playstyles, the new ability system is downright addictive, and overall brings out the best core gameplay in the series. The world selection is top notch, Zack 'the puppy' Fair works well as the token cameo, and all the non-Unversed boss fights are superb. Unversed lack a bit in variety, but since each campaign is short this works out. And despite the three campaigns stretching out the plot in weird ways, so much is answered that the whole series just makes more sense and gains a lot as a cohesive story.
Dec. 26- Final Fantasy X [Playstation 2, 2001]
Objectively speaking, if we disassemble an RPG and examine each element, and assign some measurable score to each, and other such things, Final Fantasy X is almost certainly the best RPG ever made. The art of making character models has not really advanced since 2001. Nobuo Uematsu turns in quite possibly his best OST work here. The writing, through the entire cast and on the plot, setting, and thematic levels is unbelievably strong. The Sphere Grid, while perhaps less streamlined than it could be, simultaneously manages to individualize each character while allowing for power levellers and twink artists to have their fun. When the biggest objective flaw with your game is "one leading character has bad VA" you're really reaching for things that are issues. While I subjectively like the five remaining games more (and that's what this list is), it's because they go above and beyond in one or two metrics; none have the same well rounded, great at everything prowess of Final Fantasy X.
Dec. 27- Suikoden III [Playstation 2, 2002]
You may recall that I sang some praises of Suikoden II a couple weeks ago, talking about how it gave each side in the war humanization and made them understandable. Suikoden III, like FE10 way back at the start of the month, gives every side a playable point of view. But where Fire Emblem just touches the basics and has a good solid story, in Suikoden III each PoV character is a major focal point, someone we can empathize with and root for. Even as they fight each other. But more than that, Suikoden III has the primal Suikoden-ness that I love in all the games, even the ones that didn't make the list. I have a fondness for character recruitment, because essentially it's puzzles that boil down to figuring out what people want (helps here that Suikoden III has a distinct lack of lost forever recruitment). Suikoden III has the biggest scope of any game in the series, meaning that the sense of the game taking part in only a small section of the world is enhanced; you can actually see how your immediate conflict affects the surrounding nations that exist beyond you. And while Suikoden V has stronger writing for it's main cast, Suikoden III has a considerably larger main cast to start with, meaning far fewer characters are just tehre to round out the stars of destiny. But more than that, Suikoden III has stronger writing everywhere else, with the 'filler' members of the 108 Stars still being characters I can easily remember and identify on sight, the less serious scenes being generally excellent, one of the strangest mini games ever made in the theater... there's just so much to like.
Dec. 28- Shadow Hearts: Covenant [Playstation 2, 2004]
So let's not nibble around the edges of this one; Yuri Hyuga is the best written character in video games. While he's pretty good in SH1, and that establishes his backstory and so forth, SH2 asks of him a question too few people really think about; what is happiness? That question drives the entire narrative, and the personal tone it grants it not only unusual but astonishing, because the story as a whole is so much bigger than Yuri. And yet, always each event has a clear impact on him and the monstrous question he wrestles with. That the game makes clear throughout that death is hanging over his head drives everything home that much harder.
SH2 does other awesome things, like the return, nay, amplification of the historical fiction that drove SH1, elevating the use of bizarre, probably insane characters to a new height of art, and being decent if not wonderful on gameplay, not to mention the way Yuri is foiled by each of his foes. Shoot, this is a game where one of the best scenes involves the hero beating a sick old man half the death and crying over it. The telling is awesome, the supporting cast is awesome, and aside from a complete lack of pacing you can't ask for more from a story.
Dec. 29- Kingdom Hearts [Playstation 2, 2002]
So it sounds weird, considering this list, but honestly I rarely consider RPG battles fun. To be sure, it can be very fun to build up your characters, and overcoming the challenges of a game is often rewarding, but the actual battles are rarely fun. In the best cases (such as FFX) the battles are tense, have a nice element of strategy, and keep you interested, but it still lacks that element of simple joy that I would call fun. Kingdom Hearts, meanwhile, IS fun. While the later games all have that basic factor, all of them made changes from KH1 that lose some of the simplicity of the first game. and that really is Kingdom Hearts all around, its great strength is being an unusual idea that keeps things simple and lets you just enjoy the ride. I love the idea of crossovers like this, KH1 probably has the best overall world selection in the series, the cameos are spot on, a lot of the coolest boss design in the series is here with things like Maleficent, and unlike the later games I could (and actually! did) just play around in the Colosseum for hours... but it's the simplicity of it all that really puts it above so many other games.
Dec. 30- Final Fantasy VII [Playstation, 1997]
The truly amazing thing about FFVII is how many levels it works on. When I first played the game, I had no idea they made games with serious stories and characters. I mean, I spent months playing Sonic and Knuckles various ways to get different endings. I'd played games like TIE Fighter and knew you could have plots. But FFVII was the first time I actually really got into the game and cared about the people, not just the events. Playing the game many times over the years (12, as I recall), what astounded me is that every time I played the game, a little older, a little more familiar with good writing in both other games and the world at large, I found something new to love about it. 14 years old, playing the game for the first time, I had no idea what a foil was or that Cloud and Barret, as well as Aeris and Tifa, were very thorough examples of them. By the third or so time through the game, I'd discovered guides, and was subsequently learning to explore the game, play around, and finding out things that weren't in them. A few years later, having played some older games, I realized that FFVII was actually a conscious deconstruction of many elements of older games. I went from thinking Sephiroth was the coolest thing ever, to thinking he was just a pawn, to finally realizing that he was intentionally a serious, dutiful guy to contrast his image and Cloud's worship of him from reality, as well as how sharp the change in his character was before and after Nibelheim. And yet, through it all, not only was Final Fantasy VII the exact same game, but every time I discovered a new side to it, I loved it just as much. It set a new bar for what video games could be, and while it is not unsurpassed, in 13 years we've yet to see a new bar come forth.
Dec. 31- Xenogears [Playstation, 1998]
With FFVII, my first RPG, it took me years to really appreciate its depth, and as my tastes matured it simply provided another layer to look at. Xenogears, meanwhile? It has the singular distinction of forming my tastes. As a teen, questioning the beliefs of childhood, it was Xenogears and its dense, mythological undercurrents that inspired me to learn more about religion. As gaming increasingly became important to me not just as a pass time but as something I could be passionate about, I saw in Xenogears a story that could only be a video game. In more emo times, racking my brain over what I wanted in life, I realized that so many of my favorite stories were, at heart, sappy romance, and Xenogears most of all. To say nothing of being a strong story, an amazing soundtrack, a cast of many of my favorite characters across all fiction, Xenogears is quite simply a corner stone in how I grew up, and thus no other game could ever truly hold this spot, at the very top of our countdown. Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and good night~
