So what was your favorite RPG of the last 5 years?

[Ges]

Pretty simply put, what is the best experience you've had with an RPG in the last 5 or so years? Is that title in any way different than what it may have been 10-15 years ago?

What did you have a taste for then? How has that changed now?

For myself, i can without a doubt say that my best experience was with Valkyria Chronicles. Part of that is the SRPG nature of it and my growing interest in them in those 5 years (I hadn't played FFT / Disgaea / Tactics Ogre at all before 5 years ago). Another part of it has to be how much different it was from the normal grid-based stategy RPG I had been used to. I think if VC was like any of those titles, I wouldn't have liked it as much. It took an established genre and threw a lot of twists in, and I really liked the outcome.

Not only was the free roam / third person gameplay a new way too see the battles, but the game itself was polished to a fine sheen. Every mission was memorable, the characters and story were fun, and the game looked (and still looks) absolutely gorgeous. Another thing was the difficulty. This damn thing was hard. Not unfairly, though. It required honest-to-god strategy. I found that refreshing.

In contrast, 10 or so years ago I was looking mainly for story. I liked sci-fi so Xenosaga ended up being a favorite of mine. I didn't mind games with hour-long cutscenes, I liked watching them even. Now, I'd probably be less inclined to enjoy that, but story still plays its role in my tastes. Today, I'm looking for something new. Something that tries something different. I really liked FFXIII for this reason. It was different. Maybe a little too much different, but for all the plodding linearity of it and the esoteric story, the battle system absolutely rocked my socks off. That was new. That was something I really appreciated about it.

Anyway, what about you guys?

[Less Than Liz]

I can't believe 5 years ago was 2006.

[Luisfe]

Tie between Demon's Souls and Fallout New Vegas. That is taking Strange Journey, Witcher 1 and 2, and the Persona titles in consideration.

Demon's Souls for its uncompromising ways, its focus not on dialog, but on storytelling through the WORLD itself, and its pace. It is a game that while imposing and punishing, is also extremely flexible and EXTREMELY satisfying when one actually advances. It does not hold one's hand, and it lets one explore. It is, in my opinion, still the best title in the PS3.

New Vegas is very much the sequel to Fallout 2 that Fallout 3 should have been. Lots of freedom, choices to be weighed, and so on. It is as far as I am concerned, the true Fallout 3. It is not by any means perfect, though, but what it attempts to do, it achieves in spades. It also helps that it has the single best expansion I've played. Old World Blues is astounding.

Runners up? Witcher 1 and 2, definitely.

[Evil]

Kingdom Hearts II

[moogle]

Hmm. Have I really not played an RPG that came out in the last five years?

Shit.

EDIT: I did play and love Disgaea 2, which just just barely squeaks by, being five years old (wow). Would definitely like to give 3 and 4 a try once I finally get around to getting a PS3.

[Phakiel]

Persona 3.

The game finally gave something that, although it didnt affect me much, fixed one of the problems with SMT games, grinding. See I remember playing Persona 2 and spending hours in dungeons just getting cards and experience, progress was slow and the battle system kinda stiff although the auto battle was useful but as you know if you have played SMT, its a big mistake to trust auto battle as even the weakest demon can kill you if you are not careful.

Anyway, Persona 3's system was fun as hell. You should see me play that game, its like I amk playing wii. I was holding up the control in the air and scream Persona whenever I summoned one, I was really into it.

Also story is great. Sure this may not be Xenogears caliber story, but its at least complex and interesting. Nothing is what it seems and you never really know all the facts. This is aided by good characters, not great, like you wont find Shadow Hearts character levels, but for all its worth, the chick who is on mission control is probably the dullest in the game so its not that bad, although in the begining Jumpei really got on my nerves.

Finally the contac system. In Persona 2 it was fun to negotiated with demons and all and I did expect this system to come back in a more refined way and was sad when it didnt. But what we got instead is just as good and envolving. I even liked to form the bond with the old couple who were just so adorable and sad. Its really greatly fleshed out. And the dialogue and manner of how the friendships evolve is great.

Now I havent played Demons Souls or Valkyria Chronicles, and although I hear good things, I think Persona 3 is so far the best I have played in the past 5 years.

[Cyrus the virus]

I'd probably go with Persona 4. I was way into it, loved the characters and the story, the battle system was the same as 3 but the dungeons were slightly more interesting. I wasn't quite as interested in the end as I was during 3, but I enjoyed the majority of the game just a bit more.

Actually I'd like to buy it if I can find it. Hmm.

[Blackdragon]

I'd have to say Tales of Vesperia. It was just a beautiful game all around to me.

Runner up? Mass Effect 2 for sure. I can't wait for the 3rd part.

[Sushi_b]

I can't think of too many of the RPGs that have come out in the past 5 years that I really found totally memorable.

Some of the games that I think should be mentioned though are Lost Odyssey, Mass Effect, Valkyria Chronicles, Tales of Vesperia and Blue Dragon. I won't lie though, I never fully completed VC or Tales of Vesperia but I did like them a lot.

[scorpion]

I'm gonna have to go with disgaea hour of darkness because I play that game an awful lot and it's very funny with a great story and gameplay to go with the funnies.

[drunken monk]

Lost Odyssey on the JRPG front. Dragon Age Origins on the western side. ME1 and 2 were great. I wasnt that into Fallout... Oblivion was great until you realize how messed up the enemy scaling is. Skyrim looks amazing. I cant wait to play that and I wouldnt be surprised if it tops my list.

[Blackdragon]

For some reason I couldn't bring myself to finish Valkyrie Chronicles. It just started feeling really tedious by hour 40.

[Ges]

I finally got around to finishing VC a few weeks back. It took a good 4 years, but I loved it. I didn't lose interest per se, it's just the game was damn hard and I gave up. Many times.

[CoolOtaku]

I want to say Demon's Souls (for reasons I've already explained to death), but I feel like I'm forgetting something very important.

Oh. Wow. Either Demon's Souls or Monster Hunter Tri. Both are fantastic and offer a level of depth you rarely find in games these days.

[williams_john]

If you look 5 years before then i am so younger so i cant remember that all sorry.............
If you can help me by telling some thing then may be i learn some thing......

[Devil King]

Fable 2