Opinion Fest 2008: RPG of the Year

Well, here it is, the RPG of the Year Award.

This award goes to the best overall RPG released in North America during 2008. The recipients of this award provided some of the most compelling, memorable experiences in the genre this year.

Since so many games came out during 2008, it was impossible to sum up the year in just 3 recipients. Instead, I have expanded the category to 10 RPGs.

Before I get into the list, I’d like to mention that I never was able to get around to Sega’s Valkyria Chronicles or Namco Bandai’s Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World, though both look to be noteworthy titles this year.

10th: AWAY: Shuffle Dungeon – Mistwalker, Artoon, Majesco – Nintendo DS
A fresh take on dungeon crawling and the Soul Blazer style adventure of “free the trapped villagers to rebuild the city,” AWAY’s puzzle and action-RPG mix make for a fun, if frustrating, adventure that sets out to try something new. It’s not for everyone, and certainly isn’t a Lost Odyssey-caliber epic, but it is a title worth noting this year.

9th: Fallout 3 – Bethesda Softworks – Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC
A massive post-apocalyptic world to explore and shape, Fallout 3 has earned a lot of critical acclaim for its sandbox-style gameplay (which all the hip kids are into these days). Whether you choose to follow the story, go dungeon crawling, or just explore the wastes, Fallout 3 is full to overflowing with content. And if you have the 360 or PC versions, there are more helpings of post-apocalyptic questing heading your way soon. Not my favorite game this year, but notable for the sheer volume of stuff to do.

8th: Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia – Konami – Nintendo DS
The third DS entry into the age-old Castlevania series, Ecclesia presents another excuse to go vampire hunting in the role of sexy (but emotionless) protagonist, Shanoa. Gathering glyphs and combining powers can be fun, but I mostly liked it for its platforming take on action-RPGaming. The story isn’t overly compelling, but it does enough to keep you interested in between your 2D adventuring.

7th: The Last Remnant – Square Enix – Xbox 360
Despite being labeled an “RPG for the World,” The Last Remnant is not an RPG for everyone. It is steeped in “hardcore” RPG mechanics and is plagued by noticeable texture pop-ins (and apparently other bugs if you don’t install it). However, it manages to apply some new and interesting mechanics into the tried-and-true turn-based JRPG affair, and has high production values, even for Square Enix. If you can handle wild swings in difficulty and some occasionally odd design choices, you will be rewarded with a delightfully different, and in many ways, refreshing experience.

6th: Mana Khemia: Alchemists of Al-Revis – Gust, NIS America – PlayStation 2
Only the fourth of Gust’s Atelier titles to see North American release, Mana Khemia takes some of the best ideas from Atelier Iris 3 and implements them into a school-based alchemic RPG. The result is a charming title that affords the player with plenty of amusing side quests, an enjoyable (if unoriginal) battle system, and tons of item creation. The inclusion of the original Japanese audio track is definitely a plus. If you love Atelier titles, 2D RPGs, or even just item creation, you could do a lot worse than Mana Khemia.

5th: Infinite Undiscovery – tri-Ace, Microsoft, Square Enix – Xbox 360
Though perhaps a few feet short of its promises, tri-Ace’s Infinite Undiscovery isn’t afraid to try new things, and benefits from an original take on the JRPG genre. The story is interesting and the gameplay superb, it is only a shame that the English voice work is so subpar and that Square Enix opted to leave out the Japanese language track. That said, the game is a must play for tri-Ace fans or action-RPG enthusiasts, and at least worth a rent for those interested in the genre.

4th: Fable II – Lionhead, Microsoft – Xbox 360
A compelling argument for the increase in quality in WRPGs, Fable II provides a lush, living world for its players, and implements an incredibly satisfying battle system. The narrative is interesting, though perhaps not award winning, while the level of interaction with everything and everyone is enormous. Throw in lots of side quests, optional exploration, and a pile of diversions, and Fable II is an easy recommendation to RPGamers who like to play at their own pace.

3rd: Persona 4 – Atlus – PlayStation 2
Though Persona 4 doesn’t do much new with Persona 3’s basic formula, it brings to the table a much more compelling story, new locations, and increased interactions. There is more to do than most will be able to fit into one playthrough, and the narrative this time around is much more mature and involving than its predecessor. Persona 4 is one of the last great RPGs on the PlayStation 2, and still manages to impress gamers despite its last-gen appearance. In short, if you still have a PS2, don’t pass this one up.

2nd: Lost Oyssey – Mistwalker, FeelPlus, Microsoft – Xbox 360
What can I say about Lost Odyssey that you don’t already know? Lost Odyssey is a masterpiece of RPGaming. Memorable characters, involving storyline, beautiful soundtrack, jaw-dropping graphics and art direction, and an incredibly satisfying quest, Lost Odyssey has set the bar for 7th generation RPGs. If you have any favorable feelings towards Final Fantasy, turn-based RPGs, or compelling narratives, you have no good excuse to pass up Lost Odyssey.

1st: Tales of Vesperia – Namco Bandai – Xbox 360



And here it is, Sword Machine’s best RPG of 2008. Namco Bandai’s Tales of Vesperia only barely squeaks past Lost Odyssey to take the prize.

Like Lost Odyssey, Tales of Vesperia is a hallmark of RPGaming. It successfully combines music, art, and storytelling into one interactive package of awesome, and is an enthusiastic recommendation to absolutely anyone willing to play a video game.

Production values are higher than nearly any other title on the market, and even the exclusion of the Japanese voice track fails to damage the game’s value (as the English cast does a remarkably good job).

Exciting. Beautiful. Memorable. Polished. Engaging. Intelligent. Tales of Vesperia achieves what many other RPGs only wish they could be, and does so in such a confident way, you’ll think it never even tried.

Though it came neck-and-neck with Lost Odyssey, overall I felt like Tales of Vesperia offered a slightly more accessible experience. But overall, if I can convince you to play both, I will.

2008 was truly a great year for RPGs. There were many smaller, more obscure titles that didn’t make the top 10 list, many of which are also worth your attention. We don’t know much about what 2009 will bring, but if it can manage to measure up to 2008, I think we’ll be in good hands.

Thanks for reading Sword Machine, and we hope to hear your comments in 2009! Happy New Year!

P.S. I had hoped to present a Reader’s Choice Award, but unfortunately only received 5 responses (I was gunning for at least 10 in order to give a fair award). Huge thanks to zerolocked, giggity gavin, Patrick Bateman, Billy, and syaugust8 for your input! ^_^ b