The 16 Essential RPGs
A few days ago I shot my mouth off (or the digital, written-word equivalent) about the need for historical perspective for developers and journalists in the field of gaming.

So that made me think about computer and console RPGs. What are the titles that constantly get invoked when discussing the genre? What games form the "vocabulary" of RPGs nowadays? What are the "essential" RPGs? The ones that anyone serious about the subject (be they a designer, journalist, historian, or connesieur) should be familiar with? What are the RPGs that all other RPGs get compared against?

Here's my list, based on several discussions with other RPG fans and designers. This is my list of what I consider the most-often invoked references used to discuss RPG design:

#1 - Fallout
This game is spoken of in reverential tones. Not only was it among the few successful non-fantasy RPGs, but it was also one of the most open-ended and flexible. And it seems impossible to hold a discussion about computer RPGs without Fallout (and, often, its sequel) being invoked.

#2 - Ultima IV
This was everything its predecessors were, but included the oft talked-about system of virtues. It was an RPG where progression involved more than just the accumulation of virtues, but actually a pattern of behavior in the world and in interaction with the NPCs. This game provides a glimpse into an evolutionary path of RPGs that Might Have Been. Who knows? Maybe it still is where our future lay.

#3 - The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion (alternately, any other game in the TES series)
Many consider Morrowind to be the better RPG. While I'm inclined to agree, I also have to admit I never "finished" Morrowind. I played it twice, though - but lost interest both times around 30 hours in. But the success of Oblivion can't be argued. It is, at this point, the ultimate evolution of the "Action RPG" started with Ultima Underworld. Oblivion is an FPS / RPG hybrid that only barely favors the RPG side of the equation, but it works incredibly well. And it has now set standard in the minds of many RPG fans, though many old-school fans hope that it only represents a subgenre of what will hopefully continue to be a very broad and varied genre.

#4 - Final Fantasy VII
When you talk about story and characters, Final Fantasy VII was the game that stands out in many gamer's minds. The gameplay was fairly standard fair, the plot was a sometimes-comprehensible eco-friendly-themed thing that would have only been "good" were it not for the violent death of a main character. I think many gamers were taken by surprise by the emotional attachment they felt to these highly stylized characters.

#5 - Diablo
Either I or II will do. It took the concept of the RPG and set it on its ear and made it paletable for the masses. It was hugely successful, and created a subgenre of its own.

#6 - Nethack
If Oblivion shows one way of stripping an RPG down to its essentials, Nethack shows the extreme alternative way to strip it down. Devoid of fancy graphics, voice-overs and quest engines, Nethack is pure mechanics. And it shows just how much awesome gameplay and deep, interesting challenge can be packed into the code if you don't worry so much about presentation.

#7 - Baldur's Gate II
Perhaps the pinnacle of modern "traditional" RPG design... which is kind of sad, as it's getting a little long in the tooth.

#8 - Pool of Radiance (Gold Box Series)
"Real" AD&D finally made its appearance here --- and the series stuck with a very traditional approach in order to focus on capturing the a lot of the breadth of the traditional "Pen & Paper" experience. Pool of Radiance was the first of the series, and was weakest in terms of interface and mechanics, but it also held very true to the source material. It was even simulataneously released with a pen-and-paper module.

#9 - Chrono Trigger
This was, according to many, the pinnacle of console-RPG storytelling in the 16-bit era. And I'm inclined to agree. Combined with FF7 and FF6, it represents a high point in Square's creative history, where they found a near-optimum balance of technology and storytelling. In spite of releasing at the beginning of the 32-bit revolution, it made a tremendous impression on gamers. Strong, memorable characters, a twisted time-travelling plot, and low-tech but high-quality graphics made for a game that is perhaps the best example of the "jRPG" subgenre to date - even twelve years later.

#10 - Planescape: Torment
Confession time - I haven't played this game yet. I have borrowed a friends copy that I have yet to play. It's placement here is based upon my guilt and feelings of inadequacy in the face of overwhelming opinion by others. Planescape: Torment is known for being a (very wordy) story / character heavy entry using the Baldur's Gate engine, dealing with more complex moral issues and an intriguing story of self-discovery. And a really, really weird setting with bizarre monsters (and companions).

#11 - Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines
Another hybrid FPS / RPG, like Oblivion, but with a far better plot, more focused gameplay, and a non-medieval-fantasy setting. In some ways, this could be considered a failed experiment. The developers made something that really was very different in many ways, but the end result seemed to feel like they didn't quite take it far enough. For example, there were a ton of great non-combat options throughout the game, but that only made the required combat sequences all the more annoying. As a bonus, this game had one of the coolest twist endings ever. The game totally nailed the feel and flavor of its license. If your evaluation of RPGs is based upon how well it immerses you into its world, then this game deserves to be in the top ten of anyone's list.

#12 - Ultima VII
My personal favorite. This was in my opinion the pinnacle of the Ultima series, and showed just how much story and immersion could be had in what almost amounted to a 2D "world simulator" without a robust quest engine or anything similar. The game was magic.

#13 - Wizardy (7 and 8)
Whether Wizardry 7 or Wizardry 8 represents the pinnacle of the Wizardry series depends upon who you ask. Wizardry 7 was ahead of its time with some ideas that unfortunately never
quite worked as expected. Some might argue that Wizardry 8 was behind the times,
adhering to gameplay mechanics that were getting dated a decade earlier, in spite of
being marvelously updated. Still, both games demonstrated that fun, story, and
immersion were still plentiful in a decidedly 'old-school' format.

#14 - Might & Magic IV / V - The World of Xeen
Another one I haven't played, and I feel like I have a big ol' gap in my expertise as a result. Again, I base my opinion here on how much people refer to it and make me feel inadequate in discussions about RPGs. One interesting point about these two games is that they combined to form a larger game when both were installed - something like 25% more game than either of them separately. I don't know of any games that have done this since.

#15 - Final Fantasy VI
Called Final Fantasy III in the original US release, this was another example of stellar craftsmanship and storytelling on a very limited platform. Somehow, in spite of the limited Super NES graphics, the game started with the feel of something truly epic in scope, and continued to deliver (when it wasn't bogged down in uninteresting combat encounters).

#16 - Deus Ex
If Oblivion was an RPG with heavy FPS influences, I consider Deus Ex as an FPS with heavy RPG influences. Many don't agree with me, including the producer, Warren Spector. It contains some brilliant design decisions and a flexible, more open-ended world than many FPS or RPG titles. And when discussing RPG design, this game inevitably pops up in discussions.

Update: Note - I don't know if there are many people out there who have played (let alone completed) every game on this list. I'd figure anybody who has even played half of the games on the list to be pretty well versed in the genre.

Conspicuously Missing Department:
Some of these might have been on the list a few years ago, but they've been superceded for some reason or another, their innovations absorbed into later games that improved upon them. They might have been monumentally important and influential and innovative in their time (that's a lot of "i's"!), but they just aren't referenced as much as examples.

Ultima Underworld: One of my all-time favorites. It was the first FPS / RPG
hybrid, coming out before FPS was even a genre --- it was released at approximately
the same time as Wolfenstein 3D, Doom's precursor. While it is historically very
significant, its not used quite so much to define elements of the genre (except by me).

The Bard's Tale: Landmark for its era mostly for advancing state-of-the-art
with the "Wizardry" RPG style and perspective.

The Dungeon Master: FTL's Amiga title made owners of other platforms very
jealous for a couple of years. It boosted the state-of-the-art in the pseudo-3D
dungeon crawler by a well-needed margin, and was an influence on many later games,
including some of them on the list above. The same goes for the Eye of the Beholder series.

Your Turn!
Okay, guys, what did I miss? I know everybody's got some favorites that they personally feel very strongly about and that have influenced their own tastes and design philosophies, but what games do you feel still get used frequently as examples or benchmarks to compare others against? What games do you feel that someone really should be familiar with to be considered an "expert" (or at least an "authority") on the subject of CRPGs?


(Vaguely) related RPG listy stuff:
* The Lack of Historical Perspective in Game Media
* The Most Important CRPGs of All Time
* Escaping the Dungeon: Can RPGs Get Out of the Fantasy Rut?
* Who Are the Best Game Villains?

Discuss (or don't) on the forum!

Labels: Game Design, Mainstream Games, Roleplaying Games

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