Never played an RPG until Final Fantasy XIII

[demstix]

Hey what's up guys. I know this is probably the worst site to have this conversation but until now I've primarily played only sports games with.

But a couple nights ago my girlfriend talked me into buying Final fantasy XIII. I didn't know this but apparently she was RPG fanatic as a kid and owned like games 1 - 10 in the Final Fantasy series. The chick was up until 4:00am playing the game! i think I've created a monster.

Anyway I just never understood the allure of RPG's and had absolutely no desire to ever play them. But she started breaking it all down for me. Explained how important the story was to the game, explained the battle system to me. After playing for about an hour it all started making sense to me and now I can't get the game out of my head.

Now I'm a little upset because I missed out on a whole genre of games growing up that I might have enjoyed. Would've exercised my imagination a bit more than the mind numbing repetition of sports games.

So did i miss out or what?

[NY4Life]

Re: Never played an RPG until Final Fantasy XIII

Hey what's up guys. I know this is probably the worst site to have this conversation but until now I've primarily played only sports games with.

But a couple nights ago my girlfriend talked me into buying Final fantasy XIII. I didn't know this but apparently she was RPG fanatic as a kid and owned like games 1 - 10 in the Final Fantasy series. The chick was up until 4:00am playing the game! i think I've created a monster.

Anyway I just never understood the allure of RPG's and had absolutely no desire to ever play them. But she started breaking it all down for me. Explained how important the story was to the game, explained the battle system to me. After playing for about an hour it all started making sense to me and now I can't get the game out of my head.

Now I'm a little upset because I missed out on a whole genre of games growing up that I might have enjoyed. Would've exercised my imagination a bit more than the mind numbing repetition of sports games.

So did i miss out or what?

I don't want to say that you missed out, but RPG's are my favorite Genre. They are not for everyone, though. I played my first RPG when I was about 10 years old. Final Fantasy 2 (2 in the US, FF IV in Japan) came out for SNES and I borrowed it from my friend cause the box was kinda cool. I loved playing games as a kid (I go back to Atari), but never heard of RPG's. After the first five minutes, I was absolutely hooked and became obsessed with RPG's.

It's never too late to start playing RPG's. My suggestion would be to finish out FFXIII (Which I love so far) and go back to some of the roots in RPG gameing. Some of the best RPG's that I've played were on the classic systems. If you have the means, I would play some of the classics like (mostly my opinion - all are highly regarded):

Chrono Trigger (May be the best RPG ever) - SNES - NDS - PS(Final Fantasy Chronicles)

FFII (Originally IV in Japan) SNES (II) - GBA (IV) - WII VC (II) - NDS (IV) -PS(Final Fantasy Chronicles)

FFIII (Originally VI in Japan) SNES (III) - GBA (VI) - PS(Final Fantasy Anthology)

FFVII - PS - PSN - PC (Rare and has compatibility issues with OS higher than Win XP

Phantasy Star II and IV - Genesis - WII VC - Sega Classics Collection for PS3/360/PSP

Final Fantasy Tactics (Strategy RPG) - PS - PSN - PSP

Suikoden 1, 3, 5 (2 is one of the rarest games ever...VERY costly on Ebay) #1 is on PS/PSN. 3 and 5 are PS2 games. #4 is kinda odd and just ok.

Xenogears - PS2

Persona 3 and 4 - PS2

Nocturne - PS2

Digital Devil Saga 1 and 2 - PS2

All the above I believe are some of the greatest ever and very different from one another. The Current Gen RPGs have some good ones (FFXIII, Lost Odyssey (360), Tales of Vesperia (360)), but I would not call any classic yet. Maybe FFXII will be a classic...

[BIG CAROLINA]

Re: Never played an RPG until Final Fantasy XIII

Naaaa you didn't miss out because you can go back and buy them all at a bargain except for FF7.

[MachoMyers]

Re: Never played an RPG until Final Fantasy XIII

I thought JRPGs like Final Fantasy were the best until I discovered western RPGs like Baldurs Gate and more recently Fallout 3, Mass Effect 2, and Dragon Age. Check out those type of RPGs as well. Nothing quite like exploring those gameworlds.

[demstix]

Re: Never played an RPG until Final Fantasy XIII

from what i've been able to figure out over the past few days I think i'm more interested in trying the turn based RPGs. I feel like I've played the action type games won't be that new of an experience for me.

Once i'm done with FF13 i'm definitely gonna download FF7 from the PSN Store. I only have 2 systems PSone and PS3 so I probably won't be able to catch up on some of these other titles. I like the fact that they can keep me busy for a few weeks if i space out the gameplay.

[Cyros]

Re: Never played an RPG until Final Fantasy XIII

Look up Shadow Hearts: Covenant.

I'm also partial to Legend of Dragoon on the PSOne.

[OSUFan_88]

Re: Never played an RPG until Final Fantasy XIII

I think every JRPG newcomer should play Chrono Trigger. That game is soooooooooooo good, I'd still buy an SNES just to play the game.

[mrprice33]

Re: Never played an RPG until Final Fantasy XIII

Naaaa you didn't miss out because you can go back and buy them all at a bargain except for FF7.

you can get 7 for 9.99 from PSN.

[trobinson97]

Re: Never played an RPG until Final Fantasy XIII

If you're into turn based, Lost Odyssey is well worth your time. The Star Ocean series is good as well.

You've missed out but the bright side is you've got a wealth of good gaming ahead of you.

[demstix]

Re: Never played an RPG until Final Fantasy XIII

lol does River City Ransom count as an RPG? I never made it through the game on account me picking fights with my buddies.

[jonpt]

Re: Never played an RPG until Final Fantasy XIII

I think every JRPG newcomer should play Chrono Trigger. That game is soooooooooooo good, I'd still buy an SNES just to play the game.

I got this for the Nintendo DS awhile back and this game does stand the test of time...an rpg masterpiece.

[goh]

Re: Never played an RPG until Final Fantasy XIII

If you lived in Japan you'd be set.

360 seems to be the best for RPGs this gen,used to be the other way around and it looks like only Japan got a lot of the PS1 games.

FF 7,FF 8,Grandia,Suikoden and Wild Arms 1 & 2 are what's on the US PSN.

Far as the actual PS3: Valkyria Chronicles,Disgaea 3,Dragon Age,Resonance of Fate,Star Ocean the Last Hope and Cross Edge. (I didn't get to actually play Cross Edge,just basing that on the companies other games.)

Though as you obviously have a PC I'd say get Fallout 1 & 2 (3 is crap! Also made by different people),Planescape: Torment,Knights of the Old Republic and Fable.

If your PS3 is BC: FFX,Persona 3 & 4,SMT: Nocturne,Suikoden 3/4/5,Shadow Hearts 1 & 2 (can skip 3,it's not awful but you won't be missing out),Odin Sphere,Disgaea 1 & 2,Phantom Brave & Makai Kingdom.

Find Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross somewhere too.

[jfsolo]

Re: Never played an RPG until Final Fantasy XIII

FF XII is turning out to be my favorite FF game ever. I thought I would enjoy it, but I didn't expect it to easily eclipse all the other FF's, including 6, 7 and 10.

I'm always glad to see someone new discover the genre, and am someone envious of their getting to play all of these masterpieces as a virtual tabula rasa.

As far as games go, I would add the game that is, in my not so humble opinion, the best console game of all time: Xenogears-(for the PS1) Good luck trying to find a new copy for under $100 thought.

[Bornindamecca]

Re: Never played an RPG until Final Fantasy XIII

I thought JRPGs like Final Fantasy were the best until I discovered western RPGs like Baldurs Gate and more recently Fallout 3, Mass Effect 2, and Dragon Age. Check out those type of RPGs as well. Nothing quite like exploring those gameworlds.

this.

[tj1182]

Re: Never played an RPG until Final Fantasy XIII

I always hated JRPG's, and still do, FFXIII didn't float my boat. I gave up after seven hrs of gameplay. It's really not an RPG if you compare to any other RPG.

But like some people mentioned, WRPG's are the way to go. The classics like Neverwinter Nights, Baulders Gate, The Elder Scroll series, and the new ones that recently hit the market. Mass Effect, and Dragon Age.

The only way to play most of these classics is on the PC, you can find them very cheap online.