A Link to the Past: RPG Edition

Finally, a post on RPG Catholic that has something to do with RPG's! Anyway, Kyle Cupp shared his 10 favorite video games, all of them of the role-playing genre and all made by Japanese companies such as Nintendo (Zelda) and Square Enix (Final Fantasy series, Chrono Trigger, Vagrant Story, Dragon Warrior III, Dragon Quest VIII).

As for me, I'm not as familiar with the Japanese RPG's. I tend more towards open-world role-playing games made by American and European companies such as Bethesda, Bioware, and JoWood.

I'll go ahead and share a few of my favorites:


Bethesda Softworks

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (PC)

Trailer

The game that got me hooked on open world RPG's, massive in scope, with much to do and to explore. Perhaps the biggest knock, besides the occasional bugs, is that the game requires a considerable time investment. The graphics pale compared to, say, Skyrim, but still seem to me charming in their own way. Plus, without all the fancy fast travel and objective markers of the sequels, going around Morrowind feels more like a real adventure.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (PC, Xbox 360, PS3)

Trailer

Oblivion expands on the formula of the earlier Morrowind, offering extensive side and guild quests besides the main story. In how many other games can you be a warrior, a thief, a mage, a gladiator, a mercenary for hire, and even an assassin, all at once? The non-playable characters get a serious boost, instead of standing around all day, they follow daily schedules, seemingly living lives of their own. Did I mention that the game features the voices of Patrick Stewart and Sean Bean?

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (PC, Xbox 360, PS3)

Trailer

You can be an adventurer like me too, just be careful not to take any arrows to the knee!

Fallout 3 (Xbox 360. PS3)

Trailer

An open world RPG/shooter in the style of the Elder Scrolls series, set in a post-apocalyptic modern America, very reminiscent of The Road Warrior.

Fallout: New Vegas (PC, Xbox 360, PS3)

Trailer

An expansion to Fallout 3, taking place in Las Vegas.

Bioware

Mass Effect (PC, Xbox 360)

Trailer

ME is as sci-fi RPG/shooter with a well-written story and a heavy emphasis on making tough decisions with repercussions that reach into the next two sequels. (It's a good idea to get the entire series on one platform, to carry over the saves from ME1.)

Mass Effect 2 (PC, Xbox 360, PS3)

Trailer

The stakes go up, the love triangles become more convoluted, the new planet mining is extremely tedious, and the story remains very good for a video game.

Mass Effect 3 (PC, Xbox 360, PS3)

Trailer

The Shepard/Tali/Liara love triangle reaches its climax, Garrus continues his calibrations, and the battle for Earth rages on...

JoWood

Gothic 2 (PC)

Trailer

Basically like Morrowind in having a large world to explore, many side quests besides the main story, and NPC's with lives. The game starts slow, but once you build up the nameless hero to take on foes more powerful than rats, things get very interesting. While the first Gothic is also worth checking out, the third game isn't as good and is considerably buggier, but does have an awesome soundtrack.