RPGFan: Top 10 RPGs of the 6th Generation of Consoles

RPGFan writes: "Welcome to RPGFan's Best RPGs of the 6th generation of consoles feature. With the PlayStation 2 now being on its last legs, we thought it would be fun to take a look back at the previous generation of consoles and pick our favorite RPGs released on those systems. The 6th generation of consoles started with the release of the Sega Dreamcast in 1998 (Japan) followed by the PlayStation 2, GameCube and Xbox consoles. Below you'll find links to each editor's Top 5 RPGs of the generation as well as an Overall RPGFan Top 10 list."

[Homicide]

Great list. Even though Persona 4 is better than 3, I understand why they put it there. I would add Nocturne in the top 10 and remove FFXII.

[Chris399]

Xenosaga was also one of my favorite "6th generation" experiences. I didn't even play the series until last year and went through it all in one run (backwards-compatible on the PS3).

I'm REALLY interested to see what Monolith churns out next. Didn't Nintendo buy them out, if I remember correctly?

In any event, it's a good thing that I recently acquired a Wii. It's shaping up to be a nice little JRPG machine. (Before you blindly hate on the Wii, take a look at it's release schedule. About 12 JRPGs announced this year alone.)

[jrsenkbe]

great game, playing it now.

[siren]

One of the best lists around. Only change I would make is dropping FF XII and putting in Shadow Hearts II instead at roughly the same ranking.

SH2 has redefined what my expectations are regarding characters in a JRPG. The only game to hold a candle to it so far in the current generation in Tales of Vesperia.

[kewlkat007]

Handhelds have had some good ones to...

[Lucreto]

Very true Golden Sun is a good example.

[Lucreto]

How did I get disagrees. Golden Sun was epic and I wished they released more.

[Kevin McCallister]

Yep, Golden Sun is a masterpiece and I can't believe Nintendo/Camelot just act like the series never existed.

[Guy169]

Shadow Hearts not being there is a joke. any Xenosaga being in the top is a joke. DDS and no Nocturne is a joke.

Fail.

oh and FFX (let alone XII) being before SO3 is a joke as well.

[ButterToast]

SO3 was terrible, if you played SO1 or 2 you would know that. Terrible voice acting, character names, and a barely serviceable story especially when compared to 1 and 2. really all the charm of the star ocean characters died in the transition to 3d.

Xenosaga was also a huge let down. Its sad because Xenogears was my favorite RPG ever (now tied with Persona 4).

[Guy169]

I've played both SO 1 & 2, no. Till the End of Time just had a more simple plot, and the battles were awesome.

Xenosaga was awful though, a sad disgrace to a fantastic game that was Xenogears.

[Lucreto]

10. Don't Agree
9. Agree
8. Agree
7. Don't Agree
6. Don't agree
5. Agree
4. Agree
3. Agree
2. Agree
1. Don't Agree

Where is Grandia 2? Where is Suikoden 5? Where is Dark Cloud 1 and 2?

I didn't like xenosaga, Persona games or SO3 and I have been vocal about them and there are better RPG's.

[kewlkat007]

"The 6th generation of consoles started with the release of the Sega Dreamcast in 1998 (Japan) followed by the PlayStation 2, GameCube and Xbox consoles."

[Lucreto]

Missed that part well the oldies are the best.

edited the above post.

[Gue1]

FFX, Persona3-4, are so overrated and Star Ocean 3 does not even deserve to be on that list... . Where's Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne? That game is like..... mmmmm.... The best of the entire series? Yeah, the best!

Where' Grandia II (best battle system evar!), Suikoden III and Shadow Hearts the Covenant?

-Star Ocean 3 and Digital Devil Saga 2 should be replaced by Nocturne and one of the 3 I just mentioned below.

[Wakka_]

This is bullsh!t. FFX deserves the top spot ya?

[Gue1]

Compared to Persona 3, FFX is the better game but FFX is hardly an rpg. It is more like an interactive movie like the MGS series. It doesn't even has that much exploration. You just go from one cut-scene to the other. FFXII was a much better game than FFX but the story was weak!

FFX the best rpg on PS2? Only a noob would say something like that. What would be your second favorite jrpg? Because there aren't anymore jrpgs that are like the FFX movie...

[Figboy]

the Playstation 2 absolutely KILLED with the awesome RPGs.

i still have to get many that are on that list.

sadly, i just don't have the time to invest in RPGs at the moment (i'm currently working 6 day weeks, 10 hour days).

ah well, it's a rather great list, although i would have liked to have seen Dark Cloud 2 and Rogue Galaxy on there. Shadow Hearts is missing also, but what can you do?

if anything, the omissions on this list aren't being slighted, it just illustrates to me that last generation absolutely ROCKED for RPGs, while this current generation has been terribly medicore so far (here's hoping that White Knight Chronicles is as fun as the other Level 5 RPGs) on consoles.

the handhelds have been rocking for RPGs however. i wish devs would share some of that love for the consoles though.

[George Sears]

I disagree with Persona 3 being #1. Nocturne is THE best RPG that have ever graced my PS2 and till this day it is my all time favorite RPG. No other RPG compares to it. A pinnacle and marvel of its craft.

Persona is to quirky and the story is pretty lame. I bought 4 and I haven't passed it because of it. The battle system is still on par with Nocturne but you feel more bad@$$ in Nocturne than in Persona. (Even though Dante can be on your team, you are more bad@$$ than him! lol)

Nocturne FTW. If you haven't heard about this RPG and you love RPG's, you are not a true gamer.

EDIT* Funny that i got all those RPG's (except KOTOR)

[Guy169]

and FFXII (and X) and no Valkyrie Profile Silmeria is bs too.

Persona 2 was way better than 3&4, anyone who says Persona 3(or 4) is that good just haven't played previous games. and Nocturne was like 10 times better as well.

[Critical_Hit]

Great list. Good to see Xenosaga Episode III getting some recognition.

[TheColbertinator]

I'm amazed at how much PS2 owners disagreed on which RPGs were good.Lets face it the PS2 was a kingdom for the JRPG just like the PS1,Genesis,and SNES were during their time.

I would add Dark Cloud 2 on there

[Enate]

I'll take Xenogsaga III hands down for me mainly because its feel got the closest yet to Xenogears. My GOTY 4 life

[Tony P]

I disagree with mostly everything on this list. No wonder I don't often agree with RPGfan's views. (Be mindful that I'm not calling any of these games 'bad')

The big one is DDS over Lucifer's Call/Nocturne. DDS is a nice game. But Nocturne obliterates it on nearly all fronts. It set a much higher precedent with multiple endings, deeper character customisation, and contained plain more content. DDS is such a limited game when compared to Nocturne; who could ever choose it over a clearly better game?

Anyway, I'd like to avoid the standard wall of text cos they're all pretty good games regardless. If I had one to add it would be Morrowind. Not strictly a console affair, but I first played it on Xbox and it pretty much blew everything else out of the water.

[Kamikaze135]

I find it really hard to consider Persona 3 an RPG. It's more of a dating sim if anything.

[shadowfox6]

FF 12 shouldn't be on the list & Shadow Hearts 2 shouldn't be missing, its one of the best RPG's :3

[kevnb]

but persona 3 isnt as good as most those other games, its a good game but random samey dungeons and only so-so gameplay hold it back.

[DNAgent]

Not only that but you had to put up with some emo kid that loved to play underwater soccer.