What is the greatest RPG of all time?

[Odin]

I think that would go to Final Fantasy 6 or Ultima 4

[Jamski]

/me calmly shoots Odin *

Toss up between Fallout 2, Baldur's Gate and Planescape: Torment.

95% of the games people will now go on to name will be one of those 3.

-Jam

[Kassiopeia]

Final Fantasy 6

You could argue that the FFs aren't even role-playing games. For instance, there's no character creation nor any real choices per se... It's more like an adventure game with role-playing elements, or, I daresay, a slightly interactive film.

That doesn't retract from the enjoyability at all, and Chrono Trigger and FF6 are some of the greatest games ever. I'm an avid fan of the them myself, but I prefer to categorise them as "Japanese rpgs" or "adventure rpgs".

What comes to the actual question, personally, I'd say it's the Bhaalspawn Saga of Baldur's Gate. If one must keep within the boundaries of a single title sold in stores, then it's Baldur's Gate 2.

Of course, you could/should include pen and paper games, in which case the greatest RPG of all time is by far Dungeons and Dragons.

[General Ludd]

I agree with everything Kassiopeia said.

[Odin]

Adventure RPG's are still RPGs

I first found Ultima 4 eleven years ago at a NES bargen bin, and I've loved it ever since.

The best traditional RPG I've played is my friends copy of Final Fantasy: Tactics.

[Jamski]

*shudder*

That's not even an RPG, let alone good.

-Jam

[General Ludd]

Final Fantasy Tactics is good. Infact, I just started playing it again with an emulator.


I wouldn't say that it's anymore or less an RPG than other Final Fantasy games. Take that for what it's worth.

[General Ludd]

And while we're talking about "tactics" games. Is Tactics Ogre for the Playstation any different than the one for the gameboy advance? (I know the psx version was a port from SNES, so it seems likely that it's the same across the board)

[DarkCloud]

Icewind Dale II.

If BG and BG2 had been on one CD and hadn't had to be swapped out... and they had been 3rd edition rather than 2nd edition, they would probably have either tied it or done it one better... but I really enjoyed IWDII's ability to make your own party a lot better than recruiting NPCs along the way. (Then again, I have a strong imagination, so I crafted my own character stories... others may have had problems)

Nevertheless, IWD2 is the best RPG I have ever played

-
for an old good RPG that you may or may not have played... Moraff's World (a D&D ripoff made by that venerable Shareware designer Steve Moraff) and released in either 1989 or 1992 or sometime before then it was amazing... a lot like Ultima Underworld, but cheaper and (i think) less buggy.

[Jethro83]

It would either be Baldur's Gate II or Ultima VII.


Though I played Neverwinter Nights and KOTOR before the Baldur's Gate series, and both impressed me greatly, I can see that had I bought the Baldur's Gate series back when it was first released, I may have been much more impressed, as I was still impressed playing them the first time just a few months ago. I still kick myself for being such an adolescent idiot and buying Diablo II instead way back in those days.


Ultima VII had a great plot, great graphics for its time, memorable characters and unmatched interactivity. And it was the first RPG I ever played, and indeed the one that sparked my interest in RPGs. And with the Exult engine, I can still play it without digging my 486 out of the junk pile.

[centrifuge]

You have to give it to the original Baldur's Gate, It's the one that defines all of the CRPGs that are now created. All of them are now compared to it and held up to it's standard.

[Dis]

as with Jamski's response.

Baldur's Gate 2, Fallout2, or Planescape: Torment.

Although I usually rate Planescape a litte lower. I like a little more combat. And the other games provide that.

also I'm very much enjoying playing Baldur's Gate 1 with the tutu mod. You get the cool features of Baldur's Gate 2, but the great storyline of Baldur's Gate 1

[Urban Ranger]

Wizardry 6 - 8.

Yes, it's one game.

[Illuminatus]

/me is disgusted at opening post

You dare to call that Japaneese junk an RPG?

Fallout 2 or Planescape Torment. Tough choice anyway. P:T has The Best Story (TM) ever in RPG, and Fallout just has the spirit. I guess it is P:T then.

[DrSpike]

My favourite so far is KOTOR, but I haven't played many and am yet to play BG, from which I am expecting a lot.