Intro to the Genre

[TheFlymaster]

I'm a 28 year old guy. I've been playing video games since I was 8, or so.

But I've never played an RPG. I'd like to try one.

What's the best first RPG to try? I've got a DS, a GBA, a PS2, and a modded Xbox. I'll try something on any of those systems or anything emulatable on the Xbox.

I'm not a huge fan of orcs or wizards, either, but I'm willing to overlook that. And I can't read Japanese, and I'm not willing to learn, or read along from some internet translation.

[tcpballa93]

Star wars knights of the old republic 1 and 2

[Dakinggamer87]

-Chrono Trigger on DS
-Jade Empire on Xbox
-Golden Sun on GBA

[MrPopo]

I'm not a huge fan of orcs or wizards, either, but I'm willing to overlook that.

Sounds like you'd be less interested in the standard Western RPG. Though some, like Fallout and KOTOR, break the mold, most of them are heavily based on Tolkeinesque fantasy, which you've mentioned you don't care for. When you say you don't like wizards, do you mean that you're opposed to magic in general, or the wizend figure that typically gets lumped in with the word wizad?

And I can't read Japanese, and I'm not willing to learn, or read along from some internet translation.

No worries here, almost all the best JRPGs have either been released in the US or had a translation patch released, and you already listed emulation as an option.

Given that you listed that you have a GBA, DS, and a modded Xbox you have open to you the option of playing every great 2D RPG, which is good, as they're some of the best. In terms of a good one to introduce you to the conventions of the genre I'd probably recommend Final Fantasy V for GBA or patched SNES rom. It features your standard save the world story and a job system that allows for a lot of character customization. I'd also recommend trying either Secret of Mana or a patched version of Seiken Densetsu 3, both for the SNES. Unlike Final Fantasy they are action RPGs, which can be more engaging. They rely a bit more on your manual dexterity for optimal performance.

After you try an RPG or two it would be good to figure out what you like and dislike about each. That'll help you determine which games to try next.

[miked]

Mario RPG SNES = Best first RPG.

The Mario & Luigi games would be good if you want to go portable. They are simple to learn, have great humor and addicting battle systems. A great intro to the genre.

[RyaNtheSlayA]

Star wars knights of the old republic 1 and 2

KOTOR 1 is awesome. 2 i can live without

[tcpballa93]

Star wars knights of the old republic 1 and 2

KOTOR 1 is awesome. 2 i can live without

KotOR 1 is amazing. I LIKED 2 but LOVED 1, if you get what I mean. The story was just so much better in 1.

[TheFlymaster]

When you say you don't like wizards, do you mean that you're opposed to magic in general, or the wizend figure that typically gets lumped in with the word wizad?

Oh, no, I'm not opposed to magic in general. I just think I'd prefer something along the lines of a Fallout game to a Might and Magic. I think. Maybe not. Maybe all the non-Tolkienesque RPGs suck, and I'm perfectly ok with being told that I should really start with something where I play as a Chaotic-evil minataur, or something. If that's the case, I'm fine with it. But if you were deciding between two, I'd pick the less archers and elves and wood-pixies based game.

[J T]

I'd say get Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne.

I'll start with a few warnings though: It might be a little too hard if you're not already used to the basics of the genre, and it can be a bit pricey, but it's an incredible game. Oh, and don't let the Japanese name scare you away-- it's all in English, and unlike some of the other games in this series, it does not require that you know much about Japanese culture to understand what's going on.

The game starts right off the bat with a demonically created nuclear holocaust. It's focused in a post-apocalyptic Japan where you work your way through the demon underworld fighting with different factions of demons to rule what's left of the world. Your moral decisions decide the fate of the world. The graphics are beautiful, the soundtrack rocks, and the storyline deals with more philosophical and mature content than your average JRPG. It's probably my favorite RPG on the PS2.

Here's a clip of the intro:


Here's what the critics say:
http://www.metacritic.com/games/platfor ... i%20tensei

Oh, and welcome to the RPG world!

[brycester]

I would recommend what was a lot of peoples first rpg and for shame for noone beating me to it.....Final Fantasy 7