Suikoden 2

Genre: JRPG, RPG
Release Date: December 17th 1998

Platforms: PS1, Mobile, Android, Iphone
Score: 9/10
Similar Titles: Final Fantasy, Kessen
Worth Playing: By now (2016), Suikoden II is an epic classic that should be played by every connoisseur of retro RPG titles. It holds up well to the test of time, being one of the best Suikoden games to date.

The cover, trying to display as many of the characters as possible.

If you're wondering why I'm reviewing Suikoden II before I, it's because I think the first game was a little unpolished and annoying to play at times. Suikoden 2 however, has everything that its predecessor doesn't, and is wonderful all the way through.

The main character and his partner in crime, Jowy.

Knights of the old republic

Genre: RPG, Adventure
Release Date: July 15th 2003 
Platforms: PC, Xbox, Mac
Score: 10/10 (If you like Star Wars)
Similar Titles: Mass Effect, Dragon Age, Oblivion

Game cover.

If you haven't played Knights of the old Republic and you are either a Star Wars or RPG fan, I can say only one thing to you: play it.

Most of your party can train to use the force.

If you've heard about the MMORPG game Star Wars the Old Republic, this is where it all originally came from.

KotOR is easily one of the greatest RPG games I have had the luck to play. Sure it's got flaws, any game has. But even if you despise George Lucas and Star Wars entirely, I still think you would look upon this legendary Bioware masterpiece as one of your favorites.

The plot is the games strongest point. From the beginning you are thrown into a battle with almost no recollection of your past. Original, right? Anyway, as you progress into the story it will encapture you in a immersive atmosphere, getting more intense the further you get. Not everyone wants to kill you, but you'd be surprised how many do. Your party members are fairly interesting, and can say some hilarious things. There are plenty of dialogue options, allowing you to say some pretty awesome stuff.

Dark side powers are awesome and powerful.

Graphics and sound are nothing special compared to the standards of today, certainly not the reason to buy the game. Think slightly worse than Mass Effect, with lightsabers. Overall, they aren't horrible. There are a few cutscenes in the game, some are pretty badass.

Combat is another one of the games strong points. Developing your Jedi is fun as hell, especially with all the abilities and equipment options. Using force powers like Lightning and Push are just as awesome as ever, and you can train your characters in many different specialisations. When encountering a pack of enemies and arrogantly smiting them you will truly feel like a boss.

Lightsabers are basically the best.

Choosing between light and dark has completely different consequences throughout the plot, which adds plenty of replayability along with the veritable host of characters you can recruit to your party. In other words, you wont be short on content. Even when you run out, there's always KotOR 2.

Check out the top 5 PC turn-based RPGs here!

Magicka

Genre: Action, Adventure, HacknSlash
Release Date: January 25th 2011
Platforms: PC
Score: 7/10
Similar Titles: Renegade Ops, Realm of the Mad God

Starting up a level is as easy as pie.

Magicka was recently a summer deal on Steam, so I bought it for next to nothing. Obviously me and my friends weren't expecting much from this 1-4 player RPG/action game. However, I found myself pleasantly surprised upon starting up Magicka in all its glitchy gloriness. Despite constant crashes and annoying bugs, this game is freaking awesome. Don't let the images fool you, it will entertain you.

Creating the right spell combination unleashes devastating effects.

You may heal yourself, but healing your friends is far more effective.

My friends and I had our fun separated into short periods of time by constant issues and having to alt + f4 and restart the level. When you encounter so many problems and still want to play, you know it's a something special.

The fire element is handy for setting groups of enemies aflame.

Freezing an enemy opens them up to being shattered by rocks.

The most prominent feature of Magicka is the spell system. By using different elements, you can combine and create new spells. While this doesn't sound too crazy, when you and three friends are testing combinations, you are bound to accidentally blow yourselves up rather frequently.  Don't play this game alone, I beg you.

Combining spells with your friends will really cause damage.

Cruising around with a couple of buddies makes combat incredibly entertaining, hitting eachother for bonus points and ressurecting eachother on the fly. Blast enemies to bits in the challenge modes with crudely mixed magic using every tool at your disposal to survive. There are even new PVP modes so you can explode your friends in an arena designed for it!

Don't buy this game expecting diamonds because it will let you down. But in my eyes, this game will always be a great way to kill some time with my mates.

Top Five Final Fantasies

The greatest Final Fantasies, listed by order of awesome
I know this article may open a can of angry fanboys that I am not prepared to deal with, but I decided to do it anyway. I will be writing about what I believe are the best Final Fantasy games. I will not be including the online version, FFXI in the list, since it has practically nothing in common with what Square-Enix usually produces. The earliest games with empty plots obviously can't compete, no matter how addictive they were, sadly I shall disinclude them too. I'll mainly be covering the games on consoles like Playstation 1 2 and 3.

There would be no contest if I were to judge by graphics, in that respect the newest edition will always win. So I have made my decisions based on the quality of storyline and combat. As always, these are my opinions and therefore open to discussion. Comment if you think I should change the ranks, please provide a good reason.

Let's get started with honourable mentions, the Final Fantasies that didn't make the list but are still excellent.

Honourable Mentions:

Final Fantasy IX (9):

 Great game, colourful cast of characters. Combat is nothing special, but interesting nonetheless. Sadly, it's just not quite there as the best that Square-Enix has to provide.

Read the review for Final Fantasy IX here.

Final Fantasy XI (11):

Square tried to launch themselves into the MMORPG market with FFXI, and did fairly well. Although the game had it's flaws, it was a great online Final Fantasy experience and many people enjoyed it before World of Warcraft.

Final Fantasy I (1):

Final Fantasy I the original definitely deserves a mention, released as a last resort to become the first game of one of the most popular franchises of all time. Despite it not being entirely original, it was still wonderful. It pulled it's company out of the ground, and allowed them to bring us many great games to date.

Final Fantasy Tactics:

I can't believe I missed this earlier, such a boss game. FF Tactics originally appeared on the PSX and was a hit with pretty much everyone. With an awesome combat system and interesting characters, this was probably the game closest to reaching the charts in the honourable mentions. Now avaliable on DS and Iphone, try it.

If you think one of these games isn't where it should be, let me know. Also, if you think I missed a Final Fantasy that deserves an honourable mention, comment!

Top Five Final Fantasy games:

5. Final Fantasy IV (4)

FF4 was nothing less than epic. It was the first of the series to implement the fabled ATB system, spicing up the combat. Characters with depth and personality as developed as Cecil and Kain were practically unheard of in RPGs back then. As one of the first games to integrate a real plot, you wouldn't expect it to be so good. Even though it gets a little freaky later on, the plot is immersive still today, and for that reason FFIV is rank 5.

If you haven't played Final Fantasy IV, it is now avaliable on DS and PSP. Grinding isn't an issue, you can make it all the way through the game without spending a few hours running in circles for battles to level up. The spells and abilities are pretty awesome, if you have played newer games in the series you will recognise them. Since they overhauled the graphics for the PSX, there are even cut-scenes that are quite pretty, this game should be on one of your to-do lists.

4. Final Fantasy VIII (8)

After the slightly over-hyped Final Fantasy 7, 8 had a lot to live up to. Despite the mixed response, the game had fresh but fun combat, a love/hate story, and the annoying ass protagonist we all come to accept. The weapon and GF (Summons) upgrade system is intimidating but worthwhile.
If you are curious to learn more about FFVIII, read the review here.

For all the haters out there for this game, there is a lover. So you'll have to play it to find out. I believe this ranking for FF8 is a little optimistic, but in my eyes, this game is my rank 4.

3. Final Fantasy VI (6)

FF6 kicked ass so much, it has been ported to more consoles than I can count. A couple of games after IV, Final Fantasy VI was an all rounded version of it's predecessors, with an epic unforgettable plot and badass characters. It is the best of 2D RPG games that Square has to offer.

Not only was it just a boss game in general, it had 14 party members in it, the most in any Final Fantasy game. Pretty much all of them can learn magic too, so you can power up who you want. If you want a blast from the past RPG, look no further.

2. Final Fantasy VII (7)

I'll start by saying this game doesn't deserve all the fanboys it has. But FF7 is by no means a bad game. As the first edition of Final Fantasy to hit the PSX, it was groundbreaking in terms of graphics and combat. The Materia system was well designed, making battles difficult and fun. Minigames present themselves as you progress, some so awesome I spent hours on them when I was a kid.

The game is flawed in many ways, but the plot is extremely addictive. Sephiroth is still one of the most awesome bad guys to date, and while Final Fantasy VII arguably isn't the greatest of the series, it deserves rank 2 for how popular it was alone. If you want to read the Final Fantasy 7 review, you can find it here.

1. Final Fantasy X (10)

Read the FFX review here.

It took me a lot of thought to decide on the best Final Fantasy. After much deliberation, FFX seemed like the most natural choice. Why? When Final Fantasy 10 first hit the market for PS2, nobody really expected it to be so well designed and polished. The sphere grid system is simple and fun to use, providing a class like level up system. This is an RPG where you'll want be eager to run into random battles, they are awesome. 

The plot is the good old Final Fantasy mix, with an unexpected twist or two. On my first playthrough, I was captivated from start to finish. Your party of characters have a wide range of personalities and depth, one that weaves an incredible story. Sadly, a few of the bad guys are cringeworthy douchebags. In my case that made me want to kill them more.

You will put hours of time into this game, the side content and blitzball is like an entire game in itself. I believe Final Fantasy 10 is the epitome of Square-Enix. It is one of the major contributions that brought a far wider audience to the world of RPGs, and defined it into the genre it is today.

I'll say it once more, if you disagree with the rankings, please comment why below. Thanks for reading.

Final Fantasy 9

Genre: JRPG, RPG
Release Date: July 7th 2000
Platforms: PS1
Score: 8/10
Similar Titles: Dragon Quest, Lufia, Legend of Dragoon

Traditional cover.

Today I shall continue the reviews on Final Fantasy series, with the ninth instalment of the franchise. Square decided to drop the angsty teenage protagonist this time around, and replaced him with an optimistic monkey man, Zidane. A lot of people dislike Zidane as the main character, and while I can't say I love him, he's not half bad.

Summons are depicted gloriously in cut scenes.

Final Fantasy 9 is somewhat a big leap from the previous games, it kicks off by reintroducing the four character combat system, followed by a new ability mechanic that allows you party to learn spells through their weapons. Summons like Ramus and Bahamut are in the game but only usable by two of your female party members later on. It's impossible to say you'll enjoy nine over other Final Fantasies, because it received more mixed critique than any of the others in the series. What I noticed on my playthroughs is Square-Enix have tried to combine what they think are the most successful aspects of their other games into Final Fantasy 9, including the characters (think about it).

The external world map is a feature I've always loved.

The combat hasn't evolved much, it's still very turn-based. However, your party adopts a class system from the earliest games in the series, Zidane is a thief, the main heroine Princess Garnet is a white mage, her guard Steiner is a fighter, and so forth. a new limit break/overdrive has been developed called trance, which boosts the strength of your characters in their speciality. Trance kicks ass, it facerolls boss fights. Overall, there's no drastic changes to the good old Square-Enix formula.

Battles are pretty interested with the class system.

Graphics have a noticeable polish about them in Final Fantasy IX, Characters look more defined and cut scenes are very pretty. It would never stand up to any of the games of today in anything but story, but the game had groundbreaking visuals for it's time, and people can appreciate them even today.

The graphics are impressive for PSX.

As the only reason to play the game today, the storyline is definitely something. If you know JRPGs and Square-Enix, you have a good idea of what it will be like. Zidane and his oddly assorted band of misfits have to work together, battling through the monster ridden mists to save the world from the greedy Queen Brahne and other evils. Sadly, the bad guys have nothing on Sephiroth, or even a fly. If that wasn't blunt enough for you, the antagonists just plain suck. Despite this, Zidanes antics and the other characters personality depth weaves an intriguing plot.

CAKE

Even though a copy of this game is hard to get your hands on these days, if you like JRPG games I suggest you play it at some point. As you progress you'll most likely find yourself hooked. Same thing goes for any of the Final Fantasy games. Unlike 7 and 8 though, there is no PC version.

I wouldn't suggest this as your first Final Fantasy, it's not the best of the bunch. Read up on the others before making a decision.


If you're looking for a review on other final fantasy games check out these links:
Final Fantasy 8 review
Final Fantasy 7 review

Dawn of War 2: Retribution

Genre: RTS, Strategy, Action
Release Date: March 1st 2011
Platforms: PC
Score: 7/10
Similar Titles: Command and Conquer, Warcraft 3, X-men: Legends

Gotta love the style of 40k.

Todays review isn't what you'd call a traditional RPG. Unlike the single player games I usually cover, Dawn of War is an RTS franchise. However, the second game in the series, Retribution plays like an RPG more than anything else. Relic entertainment have sacrificed a lot of what was good in Dawn of War, and replaced it with an arcadey playstyle similar to that penguin flash game where you just keep trying to fly further and further.

Loads of the badass weaponry from Warhammer are included.

Featuring multiple campaigns with the races from the Warhammer 40k universe, you can play as: Space Marines, Chaos, Eldar, Orks, Tyrannids, or the Imperial guard. Sadly the missions are exactly the same (a couple of differences) regardless of which army you choose.

Dawn of War II adopts a new combat system entirely, eradicating the construction of buildings from the game. Instead of making a base, you will capture strategic points across each map and use them to create units. Resources are collected primarily through destroying crates in the field to find them.

With no buildings to manage, focusing on tactics is essential.

The best thing implemented in the new engine is the champions of each race. During the first mission, you will be awarded four heroes, each with their own abilities, level up system, and gear slots. As they increase in power you will find yourself cruising around without backup, kicking ass and looting shizz. Despite this obvious flaw in the games balance, it's hella fun and that's fine with me.

Missions are straightforward, you will be able to either pick a side mission to gain gear and experience, or advance directly through the plot battles. Gear is thrown at you left and right, and it's pretty awesome being able to upgrade all your characters through their respective talent trees. Talents can be picked in either offence, defence, or utility. Most points will just give you attacks like grenade, but there is some really cool stuff out there (perma-invisibility or invulnerability).

Here's a video to demonstrate some gameplay:

It's pretty fun bossing it through each level, they look very pretty and are intimately designed. Overall, the lack of difficulty (harder modes are just tedious) kinda ruins the game. The Last Stand can be kinda fun for a while, but the game is severely lacking a skirmish mode. Playing online can be really fun, but after a couple of matches you'll really lose steam and enthusiasm.

Eldar attack in numbers, but are quite easy to break through.