Current Events > What's the worst RPG?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Lord of the Rings vol 1 on the SNES. Imagine bad graphics and clunky controls trying to guide first the hobbts, then a part of the fellowship through overhead mazes that are 100% identical looking with no in game map feature that ends right after the Balrog.

That game pissed me off before I read the books or saw the movies. After made it seema desecration.

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Prismsblade posted...

Cross Edge was a crossover RPG and one of the worst I've ever played. With many aspects of it from the story, characters, world, mechanics and gameplay being the worst I've ever seen or played.

I actually really liked the combat and grid mechanics in this game. The story is shit but it's always going to be shit in crossover games. I mean like I don't think I ever hear someone say some shit like "man the story in Aliens vs Predator was so deep"

The time limit was also fucking bollocks.

gunplagirl posted...

It's not even the worst crossover game in the NIS universe.

It's not a NIS game. They only did the localization for it. It was made by Idea Factory back when their only developer was a homeless guy with no arms paid in defaulted IOUs.

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lightwarrior78 posted...

Lord of the Rings vol 1 on the SNES. Imagine bad graphics and clunky controls trying to guide first the hobbts, then a part of the fellowship through overhead mazes that are 100% identical looking with no in game map feature that ends right after the Balrog.

That game pissed me off before I read the books or saw the movies. After made it seema desecration.

I have the cart within reach right now

It's turrible

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beyond the beyond isnt great
it was like a proto golden sun. it was for the ps1 and made by camelot

thousand arms i didnt like but its battle sprites were great
it was just weird how only 1 party member could fight and the other 2 members of your party set up just sat in the back and cheered that character on

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Heroes of the Lance. Try it.

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FLOUR posted...

Heroes of the Lance. Try it.

If you can believe it, it was a fad game on gamefaqs for ages. Like from 2000 on. It was frequently the top NES message board. People RP'ed as characters from that game. There was a user called Sturm's Mustache.

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furb posted...

If you can believe it, it was a fad game on gamefaqs for ages. Like from 2000 on. It was frequently the top NES message board. People RP'ed as characters from that game. There was a user called Sturm's Mustache.

Ugh. I couldn't stand the books, so hearing that a game based off that wannabe Lord of the Rings series is horrible doesn't really surprise me at all.

For me, I couldn't stand Dark Cloud. It was so weird and clunky feeling, repetitive, just overall not good. FF2, even the remake on GBA, was a grindfest and I really didn't like that either (I felt like I was playing Runescape and grinding Mining).

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kayoticdreamz posted...

finally an honest answer

come on, I mentioned Hoshi wo Miru Hito back in post 18

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Tyranthraxus posted...

I actually really liked the combat and grid mechanics in this game. The story is shit but it's always going to be shit in crossover games. I mean like I don't think I ever hear someone say some shit like "man the story in Aliens vs Predator was so deep"

The time limit was also fucking bollocks.

It's not a NIS game. They only did the localization for it. It was made by Idea Factory back when their only developer was a homeless guy with no arms paid in defaulted IOUs.

Ah. Etna was in it so it's technically related but that explains a bit. :o

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Sakum posted...

For me, I couldn't stand Dark Cloud.

It has a strange collection of modes. After a few restarts, I learned how each of DCs mechanics contribute to "overall progress"; that's when everything in-game clicked for me.

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There are probably worse, but the first that comes to mind is Beyond the Beyond. Combat is tedious as you need to learn when to button press to help with attacks and defending. While in other games you don't necessarily have to master this, you do here because random battles become frustrating and difficult early on. It doesn't help that your strong man, the "tank" of the group, becomes permanently cursed and is unreliable. Add on the high rate of enemy encounters in dungeons that span several levels and you're in for a miserable experience. Then the enemy starts using magic and it somehow gets worse.

The game would be an easy pass if it didn't show promise from the start. The story, graphics and characters are interesting enough that draws you in.

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CapnMuffin posted...

Quest 64 is pretty bad for its generation.

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Project X Zone

Was fun for a bit, but screw that game overall.

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really though how many RPGs did the N64 even have?

Quest 64 and Aidyn Chronicles: The First Mage are the only ones that come to mind
The PSX is where all the RPGs ended up, thanks in no small part to the massive success of FF7

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HylianFox posted...

really though how many RPGs did the N64 even have?

Quest 64 and Aidyn Chronicles: The First Mage are the only ones that come to mind
The PSX is where all the RPGs ended up, thanks in no small part to the massive success of FF7

Hybrid Heaven >_>

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p-m posted...

That sounds like a poorly developed version of the SaGa games

It was. The FF2 team went on to make SaGa.

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Aiden Chronicles on N64 was pretty shit.

Ponycanyon's NES Ultima 3 port was pretty bad.

The Golden Sun games.

Horrendous amounts of dialog that doesn't add anything to the plot/narrative in any fashion, extremely bland "dungeon" design centered around solving the same puzzles for the 2362th time, characters with interchangeable "personalities" (none of them have any) so you have zero reason to be invested in them.

Adding on to the padding dialog issue, 50% of it is just the game having one or two of the bland characters telling you what you just did, or repeating information you and whoever else is in the scene should already know.

Music is good for GBA soundchip, and the combat art and effects are dope as fuck.

Battle system had promise for a turn-based game, Djinn system is nice and complex, but theres never really any incentive to play with it outside of for funsies since Summons, equipment that the game just throws your way, and a select amount of Djinn are all so freely overpowered that you never really have to worry about dying. And healing in these games is INSANELY strong too. >_> One actual big plus point I can give the games is the Colisseum option though, THAT shit was cool because you could just dick around without having to deal with the boring parts of the game. More games should have something like that.

Okay maybe not the worst RPG's, but they're ridiculously overrated and definitely the least favorite RPG's of mine that I've gone back to replay.

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I've always found the complaints against GS to be overblown

The series doesn't have any more dialog than most RPGs I've played, and the dungeon/puzzle design is just fine (although Air's Rock is definitely a slog)

I suppose I can concede that the main characters lack personalities beyond 'these are the heroes", and it doesn't help that games take the Silent Protagonist route for Isaac in book 1 and Felix in book 2 (to the point where it's rather jarring that Isaac has any dialog in the second game)

Since GS was one of the first RPGs released for the GBA one could argue that Camelot wanted to keep the game as basic and easy to pick up as possible, in sort of a "babby's furst RPG" sort of way. Especially since the plot is little more than a ripoff of the original Final Fantasy. (i.e. reignite the elemental lighthouses to stop the world from decaying, with the minor twist that first game is about trying to *prevent* the lighthouses from being lit)

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Ving_Rhames posted...

Okay maybe not the worst RPG's, but they're ridiculously overrated and definitely the least favorite RPG's of mine that I've gone back to replay.

I was about to get really fucking mad before I read this line.

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I've played the GBA and Wonderswan FF2, I've never played the Famicom one tho.

The worst RPGs off the top of my head are Quest 64 and Unlimited Saga.

Unlimited Saga

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2 isn't even close to the worst. There are far worse than that. Both Unlimited Saga games come to mind, Eternal Ring, and Arc the Lad: End of Darkness. There was also Magna Carta which was so bad I didn't even get past the introduction. I will eventually go back to it, probably in the upcoming weeks as soon as I get my recording card, to start recording videos again for youtube. Full playthroughs of any rpg I can think of, and then branching out to other game styles.

Ivany2008 posted...

2 isn't even close to the worst. There are far worse than that. Both Unlimited Saga games come to mind, Eternal Ring, and Arc the Lad: End of Darkness. There was also Magna Carta which was so bad I didn't even get past the introduction. I will eventually go back to it, probably in the upcoming weeks as soon as I get my recording card, to start recording videos again for youtube. Full playthroughs of any rpg I can think of, and then branching out to other game styles.

Magna Carta was good. Although once Calintz gets that secret fighting style the game essentially just auto wins every battle for you.

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Tyranthraxus posted...

Magna Carta was good. Although once Calintz gets that secret fighting style the game essentially just auto wins every battle for you.

I just couldn't get past the bad voice acting. It was in the days of really early voice acting so nothing worked properly. I remember you didn't have the option to turn it off either.

Tyranthraxus posted...

Magna Carta was good. Although once Calintz gets that secret fighting style the game essentially just auto wins every battle for you.

Now playing, so this is welcome news.

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My least favorite is Star Ocean 2, for three main reasons:

1. The absurd amount of grinding I had to do all at once for the final dungeon/boss (literally 60 levels per character).
2. Precis' voice.
3. All those dumb things the game wanted me to do through its confusing menu screens when all I wanted to do was just push X over and over.

I'm guessing 1 and 3 are related.

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HylianFox posted...

I've always found the complaints against GS to be overblown

The series doesn't have any more dialog than most RPGs I've played, and the dungeon/puzzle design is just fine (although Air's Rock is definitely a slog)

I suppose I can concede that the main characters lack personalities beyond 'these are the heroes", and it doesn't help that games take the Silent Protagonist route for Isaac in book 1 and Felix in book 2 (to the point where it's rather jarring that Isaac has any dialog in the second game)

Since GS was one of the first RPGs released for the GBA one could argue that Camelot wanted to keep the game as basic and easy to pick up as possible, in sort of a "babby's furst RPG" sort of way. Especially since the plot is little more than a ripoff of the original Final Fantasy. (i.e. reignite the elemental lighthouses to stop the world from decaying, with the minor twist that first game is about trying to *prevent* the lighthouses from being lit)

I really liked the first two but Dark Dawn was a goddamn travesty. I'm STILL mad I paid full price for that steaming pile.

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Of the ones I've played:

Tales of Symphonia 2

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You guys need to keep your goddamn Lagoon slander to yourselves, shame on you

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BignutzisBack posted...

You guys need to keep your goddamn Lagoon slander to yourselves, shame on you

It wouldn't even take much work to turn that into something special.

Crono99 posted...

My least favorite RPG I ever played was Secret of Evermore. That gave drove me absolutely nuts.

I absolutely adore this game growing up in vastly preferred it to Mana

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Questionmarktarius posted...

It wouldn't even take much work to turn that into something special.

Changing the weapon from a toothpick to an actual sword would bump it up 2 points instantly

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BignutzisBack posted...

You guys need to keep your goddamn Lagoon slander to yourselves, shame on you

My attack range is like 2 pixels. It could've been the spiritual successor of Chrystalis! But noooo. Good soundtrack at least.

Though for SNES era, my vote goes to either Secret of the Stars or Drakkhen.
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philsov posted...

It could've been the spiritual successor of Chrystalis!

Always seemed more like Willow to me.

Bravely Default comes to mind. Such wasted potential with the combat system just to have such shit content.

Seaman_Prime posted...

Bravely Default comes to mind. Such wasted potential with the combat system just to have such shit content.

It wouldn't have been so bad, had the "shit content" not repeated four times.
The best way to play that game is to beat up Braev, then just stop.

philsov posted...

My attack range is like 2 pixels. It could've been the spiritual successor of Chrystalis! But noooo. Good soundtrack at least.

Though for SNES era, my vote goes to either Secret of the Stars or Drakkhen.

Skip Drakkhen no doubt. Play Dragon View/Super Drakken instead

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Does Hydlide count as a "RPG"? We may have a new challenger approaching.

I put hydilide in post 5.

Surprised it did not get more attention.

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Tyranthraxus posted...

Hoshi Wo Miru Hito

It's the Big Rigs: Over The Road Racing of RPGs.

You know that shitty RPG maker project you abandoned in 5 hours? It's better than Hoshi Wo Miru Hito. Find the shittiest, buggiest, cash grab mobile gacha you can find. Also better than Hoshi Wo Miru Hito.

And in the summer of 2020, you'll be able to experience it on the Nintendo Switch!
https://city-connection.co.jp/hoshiwomiruhito/en/

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Final Fantasy 2 is weird. The NES version is grindy and also really broken and poorly balanced(Death and Toad having effectively the same effect but virtually nothing outside bosses resisting the latter is pretty hilarious). I feel like being so hard on a NES game is a bit much, but even ported versions arent great.

Tales of Symphonia 2 is really bad. It has this neat idea of having you command monsters, but it doesnt do a lot with it. Also Emil makes pre-haircut Luke seem well-adjusted and therere all those beloved characters from the first game who are so much more interesting being reduced to guests with fixed levels and equipment and generally just...not being involved much.

I really wanted to get ToS2 since I loved the first game so much, but once it started getting poor reviews and the general consensus was "this sequel takes the first game and shits all over it" I went ahead and took a pass.

furb posted...

I put hydilide in post 5.

Surprised it did not get more attention.

Hydlide is more of an action game with RPG elements (like the aforementioned Crystalis, only WAAAY worse)
The game is actually really short and beatable with a ton of patience, but it just isn't worth it

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HylianFox posted...

I really wanted to get ToS2 since I loved the first game so much, but once it started getting poor reviews and the general consensus was "this sequel takes the first game and shits all over it" I went ahead and took a pass.

It really suffers from being Tales of Symphonia 2, because the game really fails to to be a sequel, and being shoehorned into that world hurts it considerably. It really should have been a stand-alone game, but probably some suit wanted to put "Tales of Symphonia" on the package, thinking it would help it sell to Nintendo loyalists with fond memories of the Gamecube classic.
Of course, that is far from the game's only issue....

Speaking of Tales, I don't think any of the others belong here, because they generally at least play well, even if the stories are not always the best. Some one brought up Tales of Xilia, and that's definitely a game with serious plot issues. It feels like the antagonist changes a half dozen times, and basically none of the characters leave any impression on me save for Mila. Plus, the whole deal with not seeing crucial plot events if they happen when the main character you picked isn't there is dumb as hell. It basically seems to be copying Tales of Vesperia's plot pattern, but fails. Still had fun playing it, personally.
Also love that the other world is basically set in the roaring '20s, complete with a jazz-inspired soundtrack. Makes me wish Tales games would experiment with alternative time settings.

HylianFox posted...

Hydlide is more of an action game with RPG elements (like the aforementioned Crystalis, only WAAAY worse)

Hydlide is what happens when Ys's mom insists he lets his little brother play too.

FL81 posted...

And in the summer of 2020, you'll be able to experience it on the Nintendo Switch!
https://city-connection.co.jp/hoshiwomiruhito/en/

Oh my God

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FL81 posted...

And in the summer of 2020, you'll be able to experience it on the Nintendo Switch!
https://city-connection.co.jp/hoshiwomiruhito/en/

Oh, that gets a port, but Lagrange Point remains buried forever.

Super Hydlide



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Oh my God the fucking official trailer pulls no punches

https://youtu.be/YtR5EI0u_4U

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