NGP's Top 5 RPGs of All Time

NGP's Top 5 RPGs of All Time

In the wake of Dragon Age Inquisition releasing in a couple days I have decided to compile a list of top RPGs (in my mind) that have stood out against the rest. I have spent hours of my life (and in some cases hundreds of hours) on each one of these games and I plan on spending hours more in future RPGs to come. In my mind it is the best genre in gaming and everyone knows it. There isn't a game out today that hasn't taken inspiration from some facet of these games. Just looking at the new Call of Duty you can see signs of RPG influence in their supply crate system (loot drops) and in their progression system (classic RPG level system). With every new game out, the list of great RPGs just grows and gets more diverse and exciting. Given that growth lets take a look at this genre at its best. Here is my list of Top 5 RPGs of All Time.

5.) Mass Effect (2007 - Xbox 360, PS3, PC)



When this game released it was a brand new take on the RPG genre. Most other RPG games took place in some sort of medieval-esque location with swords and shields and pitted you against dragons or some kind of skeletal archers. This game however took you into deep space and allowed you to explore different planets with a crew of your choosing. I think what makes Mass Effect stand out the most is the choices it gave you. Right from the intro of the game you selected what your character looks like, his or her background and upbringing, and what kind of powers and weapons they were best at using. Not only did it give you these initial choices but as the game progressed you made many more choices that shaped how the story plays out. In the dialogue wheel, a system that developer BioWare has now perfected and uses in all their games, you could even choose what you character says in every conversation. If you wanted to be a hardhearted bastard then so be it, just be careful of the ramifications of those choices.

4.) Dragon Age Origins (2009 - Xbox 360, PS3, PC)



I can't talk about Dragon Age Inquisition without mentioning the game that started the entire series. Origins was a game that further developed the dialogue wheel started by BioWare in Mass Effect and allowed you to make many choices but on a whole different level. In Mass Effect you choice to play good, evil, or somewhere in-between didn't have a huge sway over how the main plot of the game would turn out. In Dragon Age Origins however your choices meant life or death for characters and plot lines in the game. DAO also put a small spin on the typical hack n' slash gameplay of RPGs and added a more tactical system to take on foes. At any time during combat you could pause the action and go into a top down battlefield perspective and issue orders to each one of your followers and then play out the action in real time. That combined with one of the best fantasy stories of all time is why this game makes the list.

3.) Diablo 3 (2012 - PC, Xbox 360, PS3, Xbox One, PS4)



To me this game is not great because of its story or combat but because of the loot system and its easy to operate inventory. This game is constantly rewarding you with new loot like sweet weapons that do more damage to your foes or a new piece of armor that protects you from foes doing damage to you. Nothing gets my heart racing more than when, from out of a pile of loot, comes a bright orange beam of light indicating a legendary loot drop. I drop everything I'm doing and rush to the inventory screen to check out the stats on the new gear and often find it is miles better then what I have equipped already. It's like Christmas but you get to experience that feeling in this game every time you see loot drop from an enemy.

2.) The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011 - Xbox 360, PS3, PC)



This game is massive. I have spent well over 300 hours with 3 different characters traveling the lands of Skyrim and I still find new areas that I have never laid eyes on before. The map itself consists of over 15 square miles of terrain to explore and with a side quest system that dynamically creates new missions infinitely this game really never ends. The skill tree is incredibly expansive too. If you want to create a character who is good with two-handed swords but is also good with alchemy you can. If you want to create an archer who knows a few destruction spells you can. You are not pigeon-holed into the typical warrior, mage, rogue classes and then stuck with that class for the entirety of the game. This is one of those games that when they say it's a sandbox they really mean it.

1.) Fallout 3 (2008 - Xbox 360, PS3, PC)



No surprise that the #1 and #2 spots are occupied by games developed by Bethesda Softworks. When it comes to RPGs Bethesda is far beyond their competition in creating expansive sandbox environments. In Fallout 3 we see one of the best environments coming together with one of the best main story lines in what is not only the best RPG but quite possibly the best video-game of all time. Fallout 3 introduced us to the wasteland of post-apocalypse Washington D.C. You start off as a child and a survivor of the apocalypse by way of living in a sealed vault underground. Unfortunate circumstances find you having to flee the vault in your late teens to start life venturing and exploring the wastes to find your father. One of the things that sets this game apart is a system Bethesda added to the game's combat called V.A.T.S. (or Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System). This allowed you to pause the combat and focus directly onto an enemy and aim at specific parts of their body. It would also give you a stat that would show what your percentage likely-hood of hitting that particular spot on the enemy would be. Bethesda also came up with a system of "perks" that went along with leveling up. So now when you level up your character not only are you spending earned skill points on various talents you also get to pick a perk. Perks gave you additional boosts that could not be attained by normally leveling up with skill points. For example there was the Pyromaniac perk which gave you +50% damage with fire weapons or my favorite called Bloody Mess which gave you +5% overall damage and more violent death animations (usually foes exploding into a mess of body parts). With all of these things combined into one epic game it's no wonder why Fallout 3 is considered to be one of the best games of all time.

-Demo

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The Reset Button: GTA: San Andreas - 10 Year Anniversary on Xbox 360.

GTA: San Andreas - 10 Year Anniversary on Xbox 360.

Everyone that knows me as a gamer knows I'm a HUGE fan of the Grand Theft Auto series. Since playing the top-down PlayStation titles, I've been hooked. The open-world, do what you please gameplay pulled me in from the first hour I played. I love freedom in games. Not having to follow a specific path everyone else will follow and being able to create your own way just appealed to me like no other game had. From GTA, GTA 2, GTA III, and GTA: Vice City, I explored the cities to the max, collected all hidden packages, found every stunt jump, and dominated every rampage.

But then, Rockstar Games changed it up. They launched Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. My gaming world was never the same. The exchanged the Mob-theme from GTA III and the Miami cocaine theme from Vice City and took it to the West Coast, playa.

As Carl Johnson, you return to Los Santos when your mother is murdered. The goal: return the Grove Street Families to the top of the gang world, all while finding out the truth about your mother and avoiding Officer Tenpenny and his C.R.A.S.H. LSPD unit.

Sex sells.

From Los Santos (Los Angeles) to San Fierro (San Francisco) to Las Venturas (Las Vegas), you take CJ on an awesome journey of redemption and justice. All in a 1990's West Coast setting. The soundtrack is the best of any GTA game, the world is massive and diverse, and the characters are interesting and well-developed. This is still my favorite GTA game out of all released, with V and Vice City rounding out my top 3. If you haven't played San Andreas, I have to question your gaming tastes and must urge you to pick it up.

But you don't own a Xbox or Playstation 2 anymore? Easy solution to that. First, the game is available on Android and iOS formats. But the controls for those mobile versions aren't the best and can be frustrating. So, I must recommend the newly-released digital Xbox 360 version.

Yes, they've released San Andreas on the 360 already as one of their "digital classics", but this version is different on a few levels. First, it boasts HD 720p graphics, which the "digital classics" version didn't. It was a straight port of the Xbox version. Second, it features achievements, which is a selling point for some gamers in regards to re-playing games. Honestly, the 10 year anniversary edition on Xbox 360 is the perfect reason to head to San Andreas for the first time or for another visit. Not enough to sell you? OK. Here's the kicker...

It's $4. Yes. Four dollars. That's it. One of the best games every made is less than a $5 footlong at your local sub sandwich establishment. So there really is no excuse for missing out on this masterpiece of a game.

Yes, you could have a JETPACK in San Andreas.

San Andreas pushed the envelope for open-world games and helped Rockstar further separate themselves as the developer to beat. You really have to play it to understand and admire what it's done for gaming.

Grab your gat, blast some Dr. Dre, and throw on your L.A. Raiders hat. You're about to hit the Westside, son.

Things just ain't the same for gangstas.

Game on.

-ML

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Preparing for a return to Los Santos.

Back in the saddle again.

Sorry for the lack of content on my side of the fence, folks. Things tended to get a tad bit out of hand the last few weeks. Lapses in memory, traveling for work, and a Thursday Night Football game featuring my Atlanta Falcons took me out of my element and my posts suffered.

For that, I apologize.

But allow me to right the ship now and get back into the blogging spirit. I haven't touched many retro games lately, so I'm going to post about something I've very excited about. A return to Los Santos.

Los Santos.

If you're a gamer, you know Los Santos is the fictional representation of Los Angeles in the Grand Theft Auto universe. On the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360, gamers worldwide ventured the rough streets, vast countryside, rugged mountains, and ocean depths of this enormous city. The game was Grand Theft Auto V and it was good.

Very good.

Good enough to become one of the, if not THE, best selling games of all time in a quick fashion. Gamers everywhere were hoping Rockstar Games would bring the sandbox king to the Playstation 4 and Xbox One consoles. A PC release was even petitioned for with a massive amount of signatures acquired. Ask and you shall receive, folks. This November, Michael, Trevor, and Franklin bring the chaos and mayhem of Los Santos to next-generation consoles. A PC release is set for early 2015.

Now, I put extensive time into GTA V on Xbox 360. But even in the amount of time I put into the game, I barely scratched the surface of everything it has to offer. GTA Online, probably one of the multiplayer modes I've wanted for a long time, was something I dabbled in but never fully embraced. And I left a lot of side-missions and events on the cutting room floor. Regretful, as anyone who knows me is fully aware that GTA and Splinter Cell are my favorite gaming franchises. So leaving a bunch of content behind when I made my transition to next-gen wasn't something I was pleased with.

November 18th changes all of those things. If you preorder the game, you'll be awarded $1,000,000 in currency to use in-game. Buy those cars you want. New weaponry. A few garages to store all your vehicles. New digs for Michael, Trevor, and Franklin. Whatever you want, really. Additionally, the game will feature updated visuals and other technical enhancements. Bundle this in with new weapons, vehicles, and activities and you have a recipe for all last-gen players to dive in again.

PS4 vs. PS3 screenshot. Massive difference.

In something I was surprised to learn, gamers who upgraded from Xbox 360 to Playstation 4 will be able to transfer their game save over from last gen to current gen. Yes, from Xbox 360 to Playstation 4. Obviously a PS3 to PS4 save transfer is also possible. This is a big deal for me, even though I wouldn't mind starting fresh. I'm not entirely sure if my GTA Online character will transfer, as well, but it would come as a pleasant surprise if so.

Another last vs. current gen shot. More massive difference.

I was greatly considering going digital for this, as I did so for The Last of Us and Destiny, but figured I'd do a physical copy instead. Not that I have any intention of ever trading the game in. I always find something to do in GTA, regardless if I've finished everything or not. And GTA Online will definitely keep me engaged for, I'm guessing, a decent amount of time. Especially if some of my online or real-life friends decide to grab it on PS4. Remote Play on my Vita also influenced my decision for PS4 vs. Xbox One. Being able to play from my living room instead of in the basement is a big one. If you own a PS4, a Vita is almost a necessary accessory for the system.

Overall, I'm ready for my return to Los Santos. It's been too long and there is a lot of chaos left to engage. Another work trip is going to prevent me from diving in day one, but it'll be there when I return. Trevor Phillips better get ready to burn things.

GTA. The best franchise in gaming today.

Thanks for coming back for my return to the blog. I'll be back next week.

Game on.

-ML

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Review: Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare (PS4/Xbox One/360/PS3/PC)

Welcome, welcome, readers and subscribers. You know what day it is! Thursday. Allow us to venture forth into a gaming paradise, filled with 8-bit cartridges, black PlayStation discs, and Dreamcast VMUs. But today, we're going to focus on a new game. A game that surprisingly has brought me back to the online multiplayer fold with a bang, not a whimper. To no surprise, it's a shooter. But it isn't your typical Call of Duty or Battlefield.

It's Plant vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare.

Plants vs. Zombies in all out Garden Wafare

Many of you may have played the original Plants vs. Zombies game for various handheld or home gaming consoles. This takes that same premise and expands it across the board. For those of you who have played Gears of War's "Horde" mode, think of that but with Pea-shooters, Cacti, Army Zombies, Potato Mines, and Sunflowers.

Sounds crazy, doesn't it? It is. But it's damn fun.

PvZ:GW features a cooperative mode and various multiplayer modes. Garden Ops, the co-op mode, pits you and 3 other friends against waves of Zombies who are hell bent on destroying your garden. There are ten waves of zombies to battle, with boss battles coming at the fifth and tenth wave. This was the first mode I played and it hooked me. I was skeptical at first, just going off what what the game looked like. But once I got in, I had more fun in 10 minutes than I had playing the last Call of Duty online.

Garden Ops.

After getting my feet wet with Garden Ops, I ventured into online battle with FrostForged and TropicoDoc. The online side has team deathmatch, domination, bomb-the-base, and conquest/rush modes. These are called Team Vanquish, Surburbination, Gardens and Graveyards, and Gnome Bomb. Obviously many of these modes pay homage to modes from Battlefield and Call of Duty. But the way they are executed sets them apart from the rest. There is also a Welcome Mat option if you're a newcomer to the game. This mode features only one map and no customization. I haven't played this one, as I prefer Gardens and Graveyards.

Gardens and Graveyards.

Gardens and Graveyards has you on the plants or zombies side. 12 vs. 12. As plants, you're defending your base from the zombies. As zombies, you're trying to take over the plant bases. There are 6 gardens to hold/assault. If the zombies reach the final base, they have to complete an objective to win. To win as plants, you need to hold a base until time expires. If one base falls, you move onto the next. This is by far the best game mode, in my opinion. It's also the best way to level up your character and buy card packs.

Card Packs: the latest craze in gaming.

Yes, there are card packs. By earning coins in Garden Ops or the multiplayer matches, you can buy card packs. These are purchased in the Sticker Shop. In each of these packs are character customization items like weird hats, glasses, and tattoos, and consumable item like self-revives and plant/zombie spawns. The more expensive packs have the possibility of unlocking weapon attachments and character skins. TropicoDoc unlocked a goalie skin for one of the zombies the other night, which brought hilarity along with it.

Normally, character skins are unlocked by collecting five stickers from the cheaper packs. But if you save 40,000 coins, you can buy the "Spectacular Character Pack", which guarantees a full character skin. The cheapest pack, the Reinforcements Pack, costs 1,000 coins and provides 5 consumables. There are zombie and plant specific packs, as well, which contain items/weapons/skins for their respective faction.

The amount of content in this game is vast, providing fun for single and multiplayer experiences. I've found myself playing for 30 minute one night and 2 hours the next. And each time, I'm not worried about my kill/death ratio or how many kills I get. I just want to collect coins, unlock wacky outfits, and get revenge on that bastard Don Lonley for eating my character 10 times with the Chomper plant. I hope I run into him online again...

My recommendation? Run to the store or sign into the PlayStation Network, Xbox Live, or EA Origin and buy this game. It's a solid 8/10 in my book. With a price tag of $40 for PS4 and Xbox One, $35 on PC, and $30 for PS3 and Xbox 360, Plants vs. Zombies shouldn't be missed. You get a full online experience in addition to a fun, yet challenging single-player mode with Garden Ops. I traded EA Sports UFC for this game and couldn't be more pleased with that decision. 

Oh yeah, there's a Disco Zombie boss.

I have to say, it's nice to have a fresh take on something done over and over and over again. This game is a unique take on a shooter. For the price, you are buying endless shooter fun in a gaming world over-saturated with military shooters. Plus, if you don't buy it, you'll have to deal with Disco Zombie. And trust me when I say you don't want to boogie-oogie-oogie with him. OW!

Oh...I hear the zombies at my door. It's time to head back to the Garden.

Game On.

-ML

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