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Generic "What's your favorite RPG, and why?" sticky here to reduce clutter.

I've got as much of an attention span as any average preschooler could ever possibly muster and with that in mind, I select favorite RPG's in the order of which I've played last. Since I can't judge on personal favorite, I may as well just base it on games I've had the yearning to play most the often...

That would be "Persona 2: Eternal Punishment".

While not particularly impressive on any grounds and being one of the most tedious RPG's I have ever gotten the chance to play, it wouldn't be fair to just leave it at that and just say: I like it for reasons as of yet to be explained to me by a higher power.

So let me try to figure out why I like it so much by filling in all the little Maybe's.

Maybe I liked how it tried to pull so much out of already preestablished mythologies without either mangling them like a drumstick among pitbulls or pretending to be in depth and following them step by step and ending up as the Da Vinci Code of RPG's.

Maybe I liked the idea that if you believe in something enough, if you were to tell a story so simple and keep repeating it until it balloons to an unrecoverable state, it finally becomes true. Maybe there's an intangible charm in trying to sort out what you believe from all the truths, the lies and everthing else in between.

Maybe I liked that it was a game set in a fictional yet contemporary area that wasn't done by a lot of other games during it's release, more so within the heavily fantasy/sci-fi driven complex that are RPG's. Maybe it was the fact that, even though the premise of the game was so out there, they still kept it as close as possible to what I think could actually happen given enough freedom to imagine without being forced to suspend my disbelief completely.

Maybe it was because the characters were so different, so fresh and so easily differentiated from any other set of characters I've ever encountered in any game, RPG or otherwise. Maybe when you take a main character who doesn't wield a sword or rise up against your standard evil organization/empire/conglomerate, the game takes on a completely different feel just like that. Maybe when you notice that all your characters get equal airtime and see that they're not just canvases with statistics that you can modify with items and training but rather, real people who have real problems who don't really know what they're doing or what they need to do, you just feel that much stronger about it.

Maybe, just maybe, it's because it had the Satomi Tadashi Pharmacy, The Velvet Room and all the various healing spots complete with the unbelievable ambiance these locations bring by being so mundane yet so individually interesting. Maybe I'm amazed by the fact that this was the first game that visiting inn's, shops and various towns was actually an experience in itself. When was the last time you went to buy some healing potions and actually just sat there listening to the music and talking to the people there because they were NPC's that interested you?

Hell, maybe I like it because I have a copy and you don't and I'll enjoy it like really expensive wine that I bought at the right time, at the right place and now horde selfishly.

I dunno. Maybe I can't explain or figure out why I really like it.

I guess I just do.

Hmm...favourite RPG, I'm gonna go with Wild ARMs 3.

I've always loved WA's heavy 'western-fantasy' setting, and number 3 takes it even further. All the characters have interesting backgrounds and each has a different abilities that are very useful in the battles.
It's always the same world, Filgaia, and while the world map changes everygame, you will find some towns and dungeons from other games; the most comon one would be Baskar village, which is found in all the games.
It's a puzzle game though, fair warning. Virtually every room in the dungeons require the use of tools (the characters will get three different tools each, like jump boots or mighty gloves etc.) to get through them.

What I consider my most favourite (and cutest) aspect of the game is that while on the world map, you can travel around on horses, even get into battles while riding around.

I'm sorry, I really am not good at explaining myself. sweatdrop

I'd have to say it would be Final Fantasy VI. Why? Why do you ask such and stupid and pointless question? Well it's because you can change into an Esper. I think that is prodigious. The Characters are all jobs so no changing, almost everyone can summon, and almost everyone can use magic. You get two airships. And then we have the coolest Character ever....Setzer! He's just too cool for words. And then of all the FF games I've played, I think VI has the best villain, Kefka. My sweet Kefka. heart He's a way better looking god than that other freak in FFVII. Plus he's got "The Laugh." You can't beat "The Laugh." It's just that good.

That's the gist of it. 3nodding

eek

Man, I forgot Lufia II! I love that game! Much better than the first one in my opinion. My favourite was the Old Cave, I would spend hours going down it, especially as soon as possible to try getting some really good weapons and armor so early in the game.

I always have trouble with this question, because several games wrestle for status as my 'favorite' and I often contradict myself within a day by swapping one for another. Therefore, I announce a three-way tie!

Final Fantasy Tactics. Complex webs of political intrigue, a great battle system, interesting characters who grow throughout the game, and hands down the best model of job/ability building from any FF game.

Chrono Trigger. It's a bright, energetic ride that is just flat out fun top to bottom. Really hard not to love the characters, and the plot draws you in and keeps your attention in ways most games just can't match.

Suikoden I & II. Huge casts which get more personality than in some RPGs with 1/20 the number of characters, epic stories which keep you guessing, and the freedom to make up your fighting party from any combination of dozens upon dozens of different characters to suit your playing style.

Those are the big three for me. I'd list the runners-up, but that'd make for an obnoxiously long post. sweatdrop

Mmm, PSIV. First RPG I ever played and beat. Managed to find it at an anime convention last year, and bought it without hesitation for a cool $50 CDN. ^^'

One of my favorites of all times, as well, I've gotta say.

It's the first I ever beat too. 3nodding (But not the first played)