Worst RPG Ever

[Acacia Sgt]

Regarding SD3's party members, in theory since the protagonists come in three pairs, then it should help having at least one full pair. Then again, your party had one full pair (Duran and Angela, from the sound of it), yet you say it didn't help. So beats me.

[Redline57]

The inherent problem with multi-story games (specially back then) is if you talk about it with your friends or anyone, you had a 20 hour game maybe that you coul dhave played once, and the other person didnt even have the same experience. I played Saga Frontier, you pick from SEVEN different games. Soemtimes the overlap is so much that you never play all 7 of em, so you choose one. I did, and never again till 15 years later. i picked the same 1st character again. Such was SD3, its a different expeneice for people, so it makes the game like a choose your own adventure book. A cool idea but not so much fun for replay or in actuality.

[Prince Janus]

dafuq

I liked Lagoon, and I really liked Quest 64

[V_Translanka]

I loved SD3, but hated both SaGa Frontiers (yes, I was one of those suckers that gave Square another shot and bought the sequel...). The grind in SD3 was real. Mostly just for the final equip & class upgrades. Random drops for randomized items (that I think could have even dropped items for the characters you *didn't* choose)...As for the characters' development, there's 3 pairs whose stories will most intertwine, but the ending fights depend on your 1st choice. So yeah at least 1 party member will feel like odd man out. I felt that way about Secret of Mana's trio (only moreso), so always figured it was just the series...

Live-a-Live is the only RPG that really nailed the branching multi-character storyline.

[Schala Zeal]

Tales of Phantasia for GBA. The save function is busted.

[Sheiken]

Orphan Scoin of Sorcery on PS2.  For some reason, I kind of liked the game.  It really was a bare bones and lackluster experience though.

[Schala Zeal]

I played Orphen as well. God, that was a difficult game...

[Prince Janus]

<_<

>_>

Ok there was *some* things about Lagoon that pissed me off but otherwise I liked it. (why did the sword reach so poorly)

[Acacia Sgt]

Lagoon as in, Bahamut Lagoon?

[Boo the Gentleman Caller]

It's funny, I have so many fond memories of Quest 64. I played it with GameShark and made my char max level out of the gate. I need to replay it one day. Too many games and not enough time.

[Sheiken]

It's funny, I have so many fond memories of Quest 64. I played it with GameShark and made my char max level out of the gate. I need to replay it one day. Too many games and not enough time.

I was someone who really loved Quest 64 as well.  I mean, it has all the makings of a bad game in retro spect...but it had a certain charm to it that makes me want to revisit it again to this day.

[Kodokami]

Probably not the worst RPG I've ever played but certainly the one I was the most frustrated with: Bravely Default. I was infatuated with the idea of the game when it was first announced, especially the art. I told myself I would buy a 3DS specifically for this game if it was ever released in the west, which I did. And gosh, it was amazing. I still remember my breath taken away by the first town, in 3D, when the camera pans out to view the whole city. The music is great. The characters all are interesting and funny, and I'll back Edea and her "mrgrgr" all the way. The game even had voice acting! I didn't like the grind but auto-battle made that bearable and gave me, a casual player, the option to explore the many job classes.

Then I got to the time loop. Ho. Ly. Shit. I wanted to physically break the game. What was going on? Why was this happening? Was it some psychological experiment designed to test my own breaking point? And I swear that I did the thing to break the loop but IT DIDN'T WORK WHAT THE FUCK so I had to sit through the entire thing again and again and again and again. Granted, that's what the player is supposed to do anyway to get the true ending and experience all the side quests, but excuse me, I don't want to subject myself to that torture.

Completely ruined my experience of the game. Didn't even give Bravely Second a second thought because of it.

I did try the demo to Bravely Default II recently. But after seeing the in-game notice that "the demo is designed to be much more challenging than the actual game" and having my party members one-shotted by the first enemies I saw, I noped right out of that.

I feel I might turn on the original again someday just to re-experience the first joys I had with it, but I doubt I will ever put any actual effort into finishing the game ever again.

[Boo the Gentleman Caller]

I actually adore the Bravely Default series and it's predecessor, Final Fantasy: Four Heroes of Light. I do admit that the time loop was a bit challenge to initially swallow, but the fact that it's actually alternate timelines with events transpiring differently in each universe made it much better. Plus, all of the class keepers were optional outside of battling for the four crystals, and for some reason they gradually became more passive and less evil in each sequential series of events.

Bravely Second, meanwhile, did away with that gimmick and was a straightforward jRPG. I actually enjoyed it more than the first; the plot was better overall and flowed much better, and the new protagonist and his friends (a riff on the Three Muskateers) oddly worked really well.

I'm excited about Bravely Default II, which looks to be a new world entirely. Although... Bravely Second did leave out Ringabel entirely, and it's only at the end of the game do we learn where he's been at this whole time... which could definitely fit into the BD2 somehow, while linking in with the themes of the first game regarding the multiverse of parallel timelines.

[Kodokami]

I am certain the series doesn't deserve the disdain I had (still have?) for it. I just remember it being so tedious to the point of complete, utter frustration that I simply wanted it to be over. Pretty sure I skimmed right past all the character development that happens during that event. Given what you said, I might actually like Bravely Second, if I ever give it a chance.

I hope Bravely Default II is enjoyable for you!

[CptOvaltine]

I voted for Lagoon since that's the only one I've played on the list.

With that said, I actually really like Lagoon.  It was a childhood favorite!