Recommend good PS3 RPG games?

Kzach · Dec 13, 2011

Just bought a PS3 for my Sony Bravia and I'm looking to get some good games for it. I'm primarily interested in RPG titles. Of course, I know all the big ones like Skyrim, Mass Effect, Dragon Age, etc. I'm more looking for lesser known titles that still play well and that people have enjoyed. Other genre recommendations are welcome too.

Deset Gled · Dec 13, 2011

Borderlands is a FPS with RPG elements. You shoot things with guns like a normal FPS, but you get also experience, level up, specialize in weaponry, and choose skill paths like in an RPG. There are also side quests that give you extra XP and money.

I cannot recommend Ico and Shadow of the Colossus enough. They're originally for PS2, but have recently be re-released for PS3. They're not RPGs, but they're pretty much the high point of the gaming fantasy genre.

Since I know you like deconstructing bad media as well as good, you might want to pick up a copy of Lair if you can find it cheap. It is simply a beautiful disaster. Luckily, it's also short enough that you can play through it in a weekend and get the full experience.

Out of the RPG and fantasy genre, you should get Katamari Forever. Every Playstation is better with a little Katamari.

jshaft37 · Dec 13, 2011

demon's souls and dark souls. very challenging expansive dungeon crawls with an interesting multiplayer element.

frankthedm · Dec 14, 2011

Kzach said:
I'm more looking for lesser known titles that still play well and that people have enjoyed. Other genre recommendations are welcome too.

Well, What kind of RPGs? FPS interface, 3rd person interface, turn based, Gridded tactical...etc?

Having the PS3 means you have access to a lot of JRPGs, which can be great, but often have certain... idiosyncrasies which make them not for everybody and downright revolting to some folks. If you have a Gamestop near you, that store normally gives you a week to return a Pre-owned game, so you can try a used game for a week to see if you like it. Pick one out that doesn't look too much like a "Go Directly to Jail" card and try it for a few hours.

EDIT: Just heard about this game that is on the PSN, looks like the series hasn't changed much over the decades...

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5xKt_M8zGQ[/ame]

Janx · Dec 14, 2011

Hate to pee in your cheerios, but the PS3 is a lot weaker on RPGs than its predecessor. Sony dropped the ball pretty bad on it.

My wife loves RPGs. She loved our PS2. She loves our X-Box 360. She does not love our PS3 for the lack of RPGs.

While at this point there are more RPGs, overall the list is far shorter than the PS2 had.

Still there be some good titles. The PS3 version of Oblivion has better graphics rendering. So even multi-platform titles may be better.

GreyLord · Dec 14, 2011

Hmmm...here are smoe nice ones

Alpha Protocol
Enchanted Arms
Valkyria Chronicles
Resonance of Fate
White Knight Chronicles (I or II)
Star Ocean
Eternal Sonata

Decent ones
Agarest: Generations of War
Agarest: Zero
Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection (contains Sega Genesis RPGs: Phantasy Star II, III, IV [I believe you can unlock I], Shining in the Darkness, Shining Force I and II, Beyond Oasis.

Not so good

Final Fantasy XIII
Atelier Rorona
Atelier Totori
Disgaea 4
Cross Edge
Trinity Universe
Hyper Dimension Neptunia
Disgaia 3
Last Rebellion

And here's some GREAT ones but there's a twist

Final Fantasy I, II, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, Chrono Trigger, Chrono Cross, Grandia, Lunar Silver Star, Lunar Eternal Blue.

Yes, if you can find Playstation I games, the PS3 is backwards compatible with them (but NOT with PS2 games, at least the current PS3 versions aren't compatible with PS2 games).

Kzach · Dec 14, 2011

Janx said:
Hate to pee in your cheerios, but the PS3 is a lot weaker on RPGs than its predecessor.

I don't eat Cheerios.

fba827 · Dec 15, 2011

*IF* you like really really old turn-based RPGs, you could try "Sonics Ultimate Genesis Collection"
It has: Phantasy Star IV, Shining Force, Shining Force 2. -- those three games are worth it if you like that turn-based RPGs and don't mind the obviously old graphics.

(there are a bunch of other games on there too... some good for silliness, and some bad that are best just ignored....)

StreamOfTheSky · Dec 15, 2011

Janx said:
Hate to pee in your cheerios, but the PS3 is a lot weaker on RPGs than its predecessor. Sony dropped the ball pretty bad on it.

My wife loves RPGs. She loved our PS2. She loves our X-Box 360. She does not love our PS3 for the lack of RPGs.

While at this point there are more RPGs, overall the list is far shorter than the PS2 had.

Still there be some good titles. The PS3 version of Oblivion has better graphics rendering. So even multi-platform titles may be better.

Just got a PS3 myself and am a huge fan of JRPGs (but not so much of any of the newer Final Fantasies), and...it sure seems dissapointing. Just like PS2 was a step down from PS1 (SNES and PS1, man those were the golden years for RPGs...), PS3 seems to have regressed as well, except much much more so...

I'm not even sure I'll get an RPG for PS3, none of the available ones seem that great. Never getting an Xbox, though. In the future I may just have to go to portables, I guess.

Greylord, you've played the Altelier games? Why are they not so good?

frankthedm · Dec 15, 2011

StreamOfTheSky said:
PS3 seems to have regressed as well, except much much more so...I?

My mistake, I have not been paying too much attention to the specific releases, so I was guessing the PS3 would have had a similar amount to the PS2.

Still I'm tempted to get the PS3 just for Wizardry:LOLS. I really wished i could have gotten a localized copy of the PS1 Wizardry: Dimguil and this looks like a direct decedent in terms of gameplay. Loved Dimguil's creature designs, it seemed like a good chuck of the games monsters wandered out of the far realm. Like this cyclops...