RPG Pillars: 20 Defining Games @ GamePro

Agreed. U4 turned rpg's on their head with the moral system. Would we have the reputation systems today that pervade every game without it? Maybe, but it was the standard setter.

At first, I was surprised not to see U7 on there, but then u7 was right at that point where RPG's started dying off, so as forward thinking as it was, maybe it doesn't belong on a list like that.

As always a list without lasting value. Not many European RPGs in there.

Scrav said:

I have a problem with Phantasy Star 2 being on the list and not the first one, which was far superior. A good point to argue on a pc rpg forum I'm sure.

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Scrav said:

Mapping dungeons on graph paper is a rite of passage.

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Well I never had that rite then, as I just used one of those cheap notebooks and its normal line paper in those.

And either way I glad for the advance in gaming. In game maps, quest objectives maintained in an in game journal, markers on the map for quests(optional though, forced like in say Oblivion is not as good), and so much other goodness.

I'm very annoyed that the game I like isn't on that very important list while that game I don't like is.

guenthar said:

They forgot Might & Magic without which other games on their list probably either wouldn't exist or would be far different.

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Amen brother!!! Just finished MM2 again on the weekend.

Scrav said:

I have a problem with Phantasy Star 2 being on the list and not the first one, which was far superior. A good point to argue on a pc rpg forum I'm sure.

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I loved the first one too, but I thought PS4 was the best.

In any case, I don't think any of them belong on the list since it's not a "best RPG" list but a list of defining games and the PS games didn't really influence any later RPGs or start trends or define the period.

What CAN be said is that the first game (2 and 4 as well) was ahead of its time with cinematic styled picture cut-scenes and complex (for the time) drama (not to mention first person dungeons on a console). But these games as far as I recall (or in the U.S. anyway) were not huge sellers and it wasn't until the later Final Fantasy games came along that other games started relying more on these now-considered-standard design elements.

It's sort of like the exclusion of PS:T. Excellent game but what did it define when it stood apart from the pack in its era (and stands unique to this day) due to it's novel-length script and atypical quest structure and advancement devices? And no other games followed in its footsteps (it wasn't a blockbuster).

Also, they should have had seperate lists for PC and Console games. Just doesn't make sense to compare such different styles of games.