5 overrated RPGs and 5 underrated RPGs

      I know I haven't posted anything in a long time, and I admit that this is unacceptable. But to make up for it I've created a list (because we all know how interesting lists are)! This is my breakdown of 5 RPGs (either games of franchises) that I think are grossly overrated and are often given more credit than they deserve. Also as an added bonus I'm going to thrown in 5 underrated RPGs (in a later post). Keep in mind just because a game gets on the overrated list doesn't mean it's a horrible game (well sometimes it does).

Overrated:

1. Secret of Mana- Gosh this game is horrible. A story that makes little to no sense with game mechanics that are slow and unintuitive. This game has been heralded by classic gamers simply because it was one of the first games to introduce a multiplayer element into an RPG. This is one of the many examples of a game that is simply given a free pass because it has a multiplayer aspect (cough possible next post topic). This game is horrible and in light of many other successful RPGs just plays outdated 

2. Final Fantasy series- Let's face it, Final Fantasy seven was the peak for the series and ever since the series has been on a steady decline. I hate Final Fantasy, but can appreciate the model behind it (have a great narrative and then slog it with game play). But now that narratives have become cliche laden nonsense, there is no reason to play the game except to prove you're a diehard final fantasy fan. 

3. Mario RPG: Seven Stars - Mario RPG isn't by any means a bad game. It simply isn't the RPG gem many other lists make it out to be. Countless times I see this placed on the "top 50 RPG" list and think it's only there because it came out in the golden age of RPGs and it was about mario. The narrative is simple and childish and gameplay is gimmicky and repetitive. It's fun to play and it has the mario charm, but that isn't enough to carry it into the promise land. 

4. Elder Scrolls: Oblivion - The biggest mistake Oblivion made was deciding to come out after Morrowind. Morrowind was arguably the best Western RPG ever to be made and there was no way Oblivion could ever match the sheer size and grandiose the goty edition of Morrowind had. What's even worse is that the game had a very boring environment, basically forcing players to explore an endless sea of forests. 

5. Fable 2- The original Fable was plagued by brevity. Fable 2 was plagued by everything else. From a story line that does little to compel you to move forward to a fighting system where you cannot die, Fable 2 ensures that there are no consequences for your actions and that the moral dilemma question that is raised in fable 1 becomes trivialized to the point of becoming a complete joke. This game made no sense in any way. In fact I might write a review explaining why this game was so horrible. It's just down right awful.