GI Show - Our Top 5 RPGs, Community Emails, Ninja Theory Interview

[@outlawz4life9999]

Every episode with Tack is just gold. there is no reason to not have Tack on every single fucking episode, Ben.

[@bdun0912]

Would really love another episode with some of the other GI staff listing their top 5 RPGs

[@robertmedina4033]

Dan Tack is awesome!

[@andrewizquierdo5944]

To me, the best RPG is an RPG that can get you immersed in the world and make you really feel like you are that person. It's called a "Role Playing Game" for a reason. This is why my top RPG is Witcher 3. That entire game, I felt like a badass Witcher, hunting monsters and exploring the world on my trusty steed. Taking out bandit camps, going through their loot to find some notes that tells a story of where these theives hid away some treasure...ugh!, it is so good! every time I would turn that game on, I would just be transported to their world. great game..... and MUCH respect to all other games that make other people's top lists. Play what you wanna play.

[@arturius9715]

Andrew Left It Truely deserves #1...I mean what games dlc gets rpg game of the year a year after its released?

[@andrewizquierdo5944]

yea man exactly. i still havent played the new DLC .... too many game are out right now but i have it in my backlog! can't wait to get back to that world. I heard great things about that dlc

[@BlindRiott]

Solid episode, Joe was great. Love when him and Tack get along...Suriel & Reeves held it down as well. Love it.

[@MrGREENLUNGS420]

They're the two main office big-headed big-mouths. Why wouldn't they get along?

[@benw7138]

Damn Tack looking fresh af. I see you big dog!

[@kirkmanklub174]

YES! DAN TACK! Alright, I'm going to stop typing now so I can watch the video.

[@slade52]

God bless you Dan Tack : )

[@McCann-fo1un]

I only watch podcasts with Dan Tack all the way to the end!

[@laughingoctopus8556]

McCann 2015 He counters the annoyance of Joe Juba.

[@rinserepeat2133]

The Tack is back!

[@Vablonx]

The back and forth between Hanson and Tack is always the best!

[@HipsterKaren]

Thanks for the time stamps!!

[@bobomber]

FF9 is criminally underrated

[@liquidocelot4118]

How can you have a discussion of top RPGs without Kim Wallace?!

[@umiluv]

Liquid Gaming - yes! Completely agree!

[@BlindRiott]

Right! A glaring absence.

[@AndréVilaFranca]

Thanks for answering my question Tameem! I'm really looking forward to play HELLBLADE!!

[@laughingoctopus8556]

Watching Dan's expressions going haywire through out this podcast was a delight, it reminded me of the Winona Ryder sag award video

[@Squall2020]

What the hell was going on with her that night??

[@Melchiorblade7]

Probably MK Ultra conditioning

[@templeislandriven]

5) Phantasy Star Online 4) FFVIII 3) Xenogears 2) Skyrim 1) FFVII

[@templeislandriven]

The games during my youth were some of the best I played. The list is filled with that horrible bias but it is what it is. I never played any of the PC classic RPGs when I was younger and I doubt I'd of had a mind for them anyway. I've replayed FFVII a few times a different points in my life and I still find it fascinating. A more modern rpg that probably falls in my top ten is Witcher 3 if that's any consolation. So much of our perception is encapsulated by a certain time and place and it's difficult for my older self to enjoy any game to the extent I enjoyed these games when I was a kid.

[@UpDownLeft11]

Grassy Harkins Finally someone gives Xenogears the love it deserves!

[@mr.sarcastic8833]

these interviews are pretty awesome. I think the GI podcast it's one of the greats.

[@cptclown2110]

Thank you Dan for the Secret of Mana love!

[@rawleyfear5749]

5. Suikoden II 4. Dark Souls 3. Chrono Cross (yes, over Trigger...) 2. FF Tactics 1. Mass Effect 2

[@Squall2020]

Agreed on Chrono Cross. Do love Trigger though.

[@cbsmith82]

I agree that Cross was better than Trigger. I'm surprised so few people see it this way as well. I think it must be a combination of people who loved Trigger were turned of because Cross was different, or just never played it.

[@wraithflaire1639]

Christian Smith It the "revolutionary" factor hype it over cross. Almost everyone I hear talk how great trigger is the buzz word is revolutionary.

[@cbsmith82]

That makes sense. It probably also gets the nostalgia bump because that is the one that most people played first.

[@biketyson691]

I love Cross. So complex. Stays on my mind.

[@vitaspieler469]

I love how long these podcasts are

[@Punkpsychobilly]

I’m an old school RPG fan from waaaaaay back in the day. I’d have to say that my top 5 would be: 5: Auto Duel (Apple IIc) 4: Chrono Trigger (SNES) 3: Final Fantasy III/Secret of Mana (SNES) 2: Diablo 2 (PC) 1: Skyrim (Switch/Xbox1) Auto Duel was the game that started it all for me, back when I was probably 6 or 7 years old. I remember my cousin, who is 10 years older than me, used to have a game called Kings Rings, I believe, and it was on some console. I can’t remember for the life of me what console it was or if that was the actual name of the game, I was only maybe 5 or 6 at the time. I remember bugging him all the time to let me play it. There’s a lot of RPG’s that I think are unbelievably good, but Skyrim is still the best one I’ve played.

[@Melchiorblade7]

1. Chrono Trigger 2. KotOR 3. Dark Souls 4. Persona 5 5. Final Fantasy XIII This is coming from an old school final fantasy player. My first FF was japanese 3 which I love as well. XIII is an odd pick but I absolutely adore the battle system and the required timing of paradigm shifts and strategic set up of paradigms for characters.

[@Davethawave1999]

Meh list. Also it's too early to have Persona 5 in any top 5, let it marinate for a while. If XIII is your favorite Final Fantasy (GOOD GOD WHY???) then why not XIII-2? XIII-2s battle system is a lot better then the original.

[@Melchiorblade7]

Honestly I could substitute Persona 4 with 5, and Final Fantasy 7 with 13, but i do legitimately prefer (if only a little bit) those games already on my list

[@toasteddanish4883]

Davethawave1999 I'm going to have to agree with Dan Tack on the idea that no, you don't need to let Persona 5 sit any more. It really is that good.

[@chriscuevas5383]

I just went off on Dan Tack for being a hypocritical ass about choosing any non SNES era FF title but STILL FF13 is objectively nowhere near the same zip code of a top 5 rpg list lol

[@Melchiorblade7]

From an objective perspective I agree with you about 13. However, this is just my personal list

[@TinyDancerX99]

5. Mass Effect 1&2 4. Fallout 3 3. Demon's Souls 2. Zelda BotW 1. Bioshock I struggled with Zelda and Bioshock. Not sure if they qualify but they are at least RPGish. Honorable mentions: Chrono Trigger and Earthbound.

[@xellestar]

I feel it's easy to split up the mass effect games in terms of storytelling, ME1's end section beats every part of 2 and 3 for me, with the battle at the citadel, before reapers got super nerfed and were still intimidating. That was how you do an ending.

[@Caitlin_TheGreat]

Yes and no. I totally see where Joe's coming from by including the Trilogy as a whole. While they were separate products you could buy individually, it'd be odd to only play 2 or 3 without ever touching the others, and only playing 1 would leave the core plot hook in that game forever unresolved. I see it as picking a chapter out of a book and saying _that chapter_ is the best book. It might be amazing, but on it's own it's entirely incomplete. The same example could be done for... let's say a season of Breaking Bad or Game of Thrones. It might be an amazing season, but the overall story contained over the full run is integral to really appreciated a given season--or even a given episode. By the same means you could pick one quest/mission from Mass Effect 1 and say that's the greatest part and why even give credit to the entire game? Why even play the entire game, just play that one quest. Right? Meanwhile, something that wasn't envisioned as a connected story from the start like Dragon Age is super easy to pick just one game and ignore the others--which is the common nature of most multi-game RPGs. They aren't built as a single story over three parts, rather one game is made and then the story has to be stretched over another game or two or three _after_ it was finished in the first game. EDIT: Of course, this way of thinking also means that you have to consider the highs and lows of the entire ME trilogy when ranking it. Personally I liked the second game the most--as cool as the first one was. And even as good as the action was in the third one. I thought the second game had a nice mix of the story, role playing, and action. And the main downside of the trilogy is that story isn't all that solid. It fairly well breaks down by the third game--sort of like a movie with a weak third act, only managing to carry on based on the momentum of the preceding story.

[@zionich]

Final Fantasy X would be my number 5 pick because it is there first Final Fantasy where I hated the main protagonist but somewhere along the way Tidus grew up as well as the way I felt about him. Then the end...... I wanted to break my game at the end. Final Fantasy X because of the emotions the game gave me.

[@JonSolitude]

5. Final Fantasy X 4. Xenoblade Chronicles 3. Chrono Trigger 2. Tales of the Abyss 1. Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix + Every they said about Persona 3 is on point! I can't enjoy any other persona game as much 3 FES ever. P3 FES would be my #6

[@LazyByName]

1. The Witcher 3 2. Fallout: New Vegas 3. Pokémon Crystal/Soul Silver/Heart Gold 4. Persona 5 5. Mass Effect 2 Struggled to come up with my fifth but I spent a ton of time with Mass Effect 2 so I assume I must have really liked it when I played it. Proud of Ben for throwing Pokémon in there too, despite being railed on.

[@bobomber]

For the record, Mitsuda composed most of Trigger's soundtrack, and he's the one who was hospitalized with stomach ulcers because he was basically working himself to death... which is why Uematsu finished the soundtrack.

[@Squall2020]

My top 5.5. Lunar 2.4. Parasite Eve.3. Chrono Cross.2. Panzer Dragoon Saga.1. Final Fantasy VIII.

[@umiluv]

Hahaha... fucking love Ben Reeves. Super savage. XD. Dan's reaction to Ben's comment was also great. 1:46:42

[@AKA1MAN]

This week podcast is Full of cool dudes

[@probablyathing]

Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines is one of the best wrpg games ever made

[@thosewhoslaytogetherstayto3412]

Dude at the end seemed pretty down to earth :). I'll buy his game.

[@andreramos8194]

Mine: 1. Final Fantasy VII 2. Baldur's Gate 3. Planescape Torment 4. Final Fantasy X 5. Fallout 1

[@paulvenn4447]

Saw Chrono Trigger in the pic, came straight away haah

[@UncleBlerd]

Paul Venn Likewise Fam!

[@just_hanzo]

they should make a Chrono Trigger remake and then FFVII

[@randybrown9585]

Fallout New Vegas, Baldur's Gate 2, Planescape: Torment, Chrono Trigger, Bloodborne are my personal top rpgs.

[@visualeyezdoug8158]

juba my man, you gotta clean up the spoiler talk........................... ya damn near ruined all of edith finch for me. Dan is a master of delving into a game, talking about them, without spoiling anything. Its a skill, for sure.

[@DaBigBase]

Man Suriel really likes to ramble eh?

[@Caitlin_TheGreat]

So, if I were to join in: 6. Secret of Evermore (so underrated, had to include it) 5. Fallout 3 (sorry FO2, but I'm sick to death of isometric) 4. Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines 3. Witcher 3 The Wild Hunt 2. Horizon: Zero Dawn (very linear, but still amazing) 1. Chrono Trigger Considered fitting Dragon Age Origins on here, but it doesn't quite make it, especially as lackluster as the sequels are. Meanwhile, Dan Tack is so annoying to me, even as much as I try to give him a chance every time he's on something... he _oozes_ egotism and is quick to criticize people for not agreeing with him as though his opinions are somehow better than others'.

[@Nergal134]

The sequels shouldn't impact the grace that is DAO though. The game's fucking fantastic, certainly one of the best Bioware games. Solid list though, I agree, SoE is extremely underrated, as is the entire Mana series imo.

[@Caitlin_TheGreat]

DAO _is_ fantastic, probably the best example of the "D&D" style video game RPG. And it does set up an overall campaign that should carry on in the next two games, so for me they do have an impact, even if it's somewhat slight. Also, I now want to replay Mana and SoE... and unless I'm mistaken the best option would be to unpack and dust off my SNES and hope the games' batteries are still working.

[@chriscuevas5383]

Shawn Wesley personally i draw the line with "rpg" at games like Horizon. Horizon or Breath of the Wild TO ME are open world adventure games WITH rpg elements. I get the whole argument of sports games being technically rpgs now but there has to be a distinction and in my opinion the line gets drawn here.

[@jasonkrug7928]

Dan Tack is one of the few ppl who agree with me that FF 4 is a personal favorite but 6 is objectively better. Also, I tried SO HARD to get Leo on my team. The playground was rife with false leads and rumors.

[@jasonkrug7928]

Kefka btw is my favorite FF villain by far. He's a sadistic unpredictable nihilist who will just as soon kill his own people as "enemies"

[@dereka415]

I said "Yeahhhhh" as soon as Dan said Bloodborne. That was my GOTY when it came out even over The Witcher 3. It didn't get the love it deserved until a year later. Ok I'm going to finish watching.....

[@CRedd9830]

My top 5 1. Shining Force 3 2. Panzer Dragoon Saga 3. Shadow Hearts: Covenant 4. Sakura Wars 3 5. Shadow Hearts

[@proadam09]

5. world of warcraft vanilla + the burning crusade (do mmo's count?) 4. chrono trigger 3. final fantasy 9 1. final fantasy tactics 1. final fantasy 6 (my favorite game of all time is two-way tie)

[@gametourny4ever627]

None of my top 5 were on yalls. lol But my top from yalls top 5 is 5. Secret Of Mana 4. Final Fantasy 4 3. Final Fantasy 7 2. Final Fantasy 6 1. Chrono Trigger / My personal Top 5 / 5. Breath of Fire 2 4. Breath of Fire 3. Final Fantasy Tactics 2. Lunar 2 Eternal Blue 1. Lunar The Silver Star Complete. Damn tragedy that not a single Working Designs RPG made the top 100. They epitomize what a good RPG is.

[@VicThaGeekGod]

YES! Kefka is legit a real BAD GUY! Ive always said that, i dont think theres been a villian that comes close to him.

[@Feelin_DanDy]

Chrono Trigger is timeless.

[@RobertSimmonsAirship]

i remember putting Rikku into Wakka's grid and being a tank as well.

[@dhet]

Ben Reeves's Mass Effect comment, Yes!

[@ThiefSakon]

Thought I was safe not having played Chrono Trigger but this getting spoiled was brutal. xD Didn't know anything about the game and now... ^^

[@mdbat98]

Skyrim is a great choice, though I probably would've put it at number 1, just based on how much time I've spent playing the game. I'm glad Joe mentioned mods too, because they are an important part of why Skyrim is great.

[@benstoffel6691]

I want to know how you get 5 video game guys in a room together, naming the top 5 RPGs of all time, and NO ONE mentions Baldurs Gate 2... Personal top 5 in no particular order; Baldurs Gate 2, Mass Effect 2, Final Fantasy VI, Skyrim, Knights of the Old Republic.

[@reshypoo9447]

In no particular order: Pokemon blue, VTM:Bloodlines, FO:NV, FO4, and Phantasy Star.

[@Heerox328]

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind will always be my favorite RPG of all time. I'd also probably place KotOR II up there and obviously The Witcher 3.

[@taylorsteppling7680]

The best version of Final Fantasy IV is the Complete Collection, and playing it on Vita.

[@visualeyezdoug8158]

god damnit I love dan tack!

[@arturius9715]

5. Xenogears 4. Dark Souls 3. Nier Automata 2. Mass Effect trilogy 1. The Witcher 3

[@EvSolo]

My #1 wish for when the Switch virtual console arrives is that Secret of Mana will be on there. I still don't understand why you can't get it on 3ds

[@miguelb5661]

at the 20:01 part. looooove it! tell it like it is Ben. yeah, tack can definitely be condescending

[@chriscuevas5383]

My personal list The Witcher 3 Dark Souls Final Fantasy 7 Skyrim Mass Effect 2

[@Feelin_DanDy]

No mention of the music in Secret of Mana Dan Tack, I am sorely disappointed.

[@Feelin_DanDy]

You are forgiven my son.

[@ironborn4389]

'Suikoden II'... ill just leave that there... pretty little gem of a game

[@AKA1MAN]

Ben Hanson is the nicest jerk ever 2:01:30

[@doomedsurgeresn7207]

im fully behind someone doing a game focused on mental illness. they dont know what we go through or what we see. alot of them think we are crazy and psychotic when we just are suffering symptoms from our illness. Even the cops need some kind of training..they dont have any!

[@Feelin_DanDy]

Lotta FF's on this list. For me FFIX beats them all, ok FFVI is on equal footing of awesomeness. I still need to go back and play FFIV.

[@umiluv]

Ness Kirby - me too. IX imo has one of the best characters ever written which is Master Vivi. His story is so interesting and to see a young child having to absorb such complex adult existential questions and how he deals with them was very ahead of its time. Plus Vivi is so cute and how the characters interact with him is really adorable to see. IX definitely has my favorite and most memorable characters of any Final Fantasy. IV is very good. Great gameplay. Super fun. Also one of my other favorites.

[@Feelin_DanDy]

Vivi is best character, he was like a son to me. Also many great character developments, and of course Zidanes arch was something that always stuck with me. "You're Not Alone", I'll just say that much.

[@Punkpsychobilly]

I need that life size Vault Boy....

[@davecarsley8773]

What decision is JB talking about near the end of Witcher 3?? I played through that shit and have no idea

[@jmarx3943]

You guys are way off about Gau. If you put time into him, he can be one of your best party members. The problem is the time you put in isn't necessarily worth what you get out.

[@FBuilding]

Yay Javy with the Fallout 2 love ✨✨(edit) actually yay Javy with a fantastic top 5. Juba poohpoohing Vampire is risky. I think he should take a gander at rpg codex and play a bit of their top 20 (before these codex maniacs find him and throw him into a pit).

[@falvai]

Joe Juba lookin' good, hope prison didn't harden you too much

[@mononoke721]

Boy, that's a lot of man-meat - no Elise or more pointedly Kim, the big JRPG nut? It was still a great discussion mind you with some excellent clashing personalities and fantastic barbs. I'm glad at least one person included Skyrim, though not someone I expected in Joe considering he's so narrative and character driven and this is one of Skyrim's biggest flaws. However, its greatest strength has yet to be matched in my opinion - absorbing the player in its world. It's certainly my favourite RPG to date (though I haven't played that many since admittedly).

[@EricTitterud]

Ni no Kuni is kind of console Pokémon

[@TylerEdlin84]

Would never consider blood borne an rpg, its more action adventure like Zelda

[@Mark.Taylor.]

Do they not have combs/brushes in Minnesota? ;-)

[@wraithflaire1639]

My number one RPG by virtue not being able to fathom it not being in any top 5 is Diablo 2.

[@phillipbones7522]

Having a glance at the list, drugs indeed where taken with the 100 list they posted. Too many classics are missing and too many duds are filling up slots. Some of the choices I shake my head at, what a waste of time

[@MrCrazyduck22]

When did the love for Dan Tack come? People get mad when he's not on the podcast? I don't get it?

[@BasedSif]

I know we are allowed opinions but it's funny dude says witcher 3 combat is bleh when not many RPGs come close to having as fun. Like compare to other action RPGs.... mass effect? Yikes. Skyrim is as decent as it could be because I DID enjoy it but not satisfying unless I land a brutality.

[@arturius9715]

BasedSif That's for sure...Mass effect character movement and gunplay was pretty bad but i loved it....Skyrim is even worse..enjoyed one playthrough..but pretty bland. A lot of people knock Witcher 3 combat...but once you master it..it becomes smooth and fluid

[@kameronhowze6559]

The Joe Juba podcast...

[@paulsanchez001]

Joe getting on suriels case about putting bad things in their game during the dark souls conversation. Joe wanted to put random crap in soup and thought that was ok.

[@soursauce5509]

(1) Breath of Fire III (2) Super Mario RPG (3) Fable: The Lost Chapters (4) Dark Souls (5) Pokemon Leaf Green Fuck Skyim

[@daftgeartv]

35:44?

[@haziq880]

GEH! BEH! I love ben's reaction

[@aldoelektrika]

One boy looking more disheveled than the last!

[@DaRkLoRd-rc5yu]

top 5 rpgs? also honorary mentions to diablo 2, divinity original sin 2, deus ex, knights of the old republic, mass effect 2 and mario rpg :P ( too many good rpgs) (6. persona 5) 5. witcher 3 4. oblivion 3. dark souls 2, chrono trigger 1. ff7

[@mistarcake]

Just because it was brought up, I'm the guy who actively dislikes the combat in The Witcher 3 so much that I have never played more than a few hours of it.

[@dereka415]

mistarcake I agree with not liking the combat as well. It felt like there was no weight when you hit an enemy. Playing and beating Bloodborne right before didn't help. That game is in my top 5.

[@arturius9715]

mistarcake The combat does feel off in the beginning....after you spend 5 to 10 hours playing you learn to slow down...dodge and parry at the right moment and chaining magic.... the combat is excellent when you become at master at it

[@jadedragon216]

Dan doesn't condescend, he just silently judges you.

[@cardassa]

I agree with Hanson's reason for ME1. It definitely takes you a lot to sell a brand new world and ME1 had very good writing in it that detailed all the science behind the world. One of the reason why its my favorite game of the series. Skyrim is probably one of the lamest game I have ever played. I honestly found it really very generic and formulaic in every aspect. Crafting particularly took the fun out of questing for loot and the enchantments were too simple. After four tries and losing interst about exactly the same length of time and area in the game, its a game I just wrote off. Yet to play TW3 but that series predominantly in my mind so far sticks out as one of the best RPG narrative in modern games. Honorable mention to DAO..

[@CrissCHG]

When this "gaming podcasts" are going to give some love to the other The elder scrolls games as goob or better that skyrim those are

[@TheBlackBantha]

Fail. No mention of Legend of Dragoon.

[@SerjStar]

the gis

[@gtav75]

I still hate the mass effect trilogy as 1 pick

[@arkus2919]

Why the messy hair Javy?

[@Melchiorblade7]

Because he's Javy

[@Squall2020]

Cocaine...its a hell of a drug. ;)

[@hamzakhairi4765]

Dudes hair looks like cloud lol

[@jasonkrug7928]

No Earthbound makes me a sad panda

[@jasonkrug7928]

Also, wonder what GI thinks of the Shining Force games

[@jasonkrug7928]

Right? Those and Ogre Battle games are very under appreciated tactical RPG's

[@ScoopsMG]

FFVI is the best game ever made

[@Squall2020]

Well it's definitely up there!

[@cacatairious]

I'm super down for Joe and Tack's chemistry. I feel like I disagree with both of their taste a lot, but when they agree on something it's wise to take notice.

[@laughingoctopus8556]

Is JV a big fan of anime hair?

[@Squall2020]

Mos def.

[@cmercer89]

Joe Juba is the worst

[@arcanethink]

A Top 5 RPG list without Planescape Torment , Morrowind , Deus ex or even Baldurs gate. Extremely disappointing podcast. Plus half the time you gush over the linear final fantasy games. More Nostalgia than objectivity here.