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2000s RPGs that still hold up

Somebody to become, and a long while to become them

145 games · page 1 of 4

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door 2004 Why it still holds upThe timed hits and the audience make the battles worth playing today, since stylish play is rewarded, and each chapter is nearly a self contained episode.
Diablo II 2000 Why it still holds upThe item system keeps it worth replaying now: tiers, sockets and the Cube allow so many builds that two characters are rarely built alike.
Final Fantasy IX 2000 Why it still holds upA party in which every member fights differently still gives each battle its own shape.
Final Fantasy X 2001 Why it still holds upTime stops while you decide and swapping characters makes each fight a choice of who suits it, so the battles still reward planning.
Pokémon SoulSilver Version 2009 Why it still holds upBadges, hidden machines and new creatures to catch still give it a steady pull today, with enough freedom to explore.
Mass Effect 2007 Why it still holds upShaping a hero of your own through those conversations still makes the choices worth making today.
Dragon Age: Origins 2009 Why it still holds upMany of its dilemmas have no clear good or evil side, so the decisions are still yours to weigh today, and that keeps the world worth returning to.
Deus Ex 2000 Why it still holds upWith several routes to every objective, both a pacifist and a combat approach work, and that freedom in level design is the reason to play it today.
Gothic II 2002 Why it still holds upA compact, hand placed world where exploring pays off is still the reason to play it today.
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2004 Why it still holds upThe clan you choose changes what you can do and say, so a second run in the same city plays differently, and that is why it is still worth playing today.
Mother 3 2006 Why it still holds upEvery fight asks for timed input and not only menu choices, and the story of a family and a changing village mixes humor and grief, which makes it worth the effort today.
Gothic 2001 Why it still holds upExploring without markers, in a world of rival camps, is the reason to play it now.
Paper Mario 2000 Why it still holds upPartner choice and timing keep every battle engaged in a streamlined role playing formula, and that is why it is worth playing now.
Demon's Souls 2009 Why it still holds upLarge, distinct and believably connected areas, and careful stamina based fights with gradual improvement as the core loop, are the reason to play it now.
Fire Emblem 2003 Why it still holds upWith early chapters that introduce each idea alongside the story, and losses that are permanent, every move still matters today.
Fable 2004 Why it still holds upA character whose look and reputation follow good and evil acts still makes those choices visible today.
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga 2003 Why it still holds upBecause each brother has a button and presses are timed, every turn of battle still involves timing as well as choosing today.
Pokémon FireRed Version 2004 Why it still holds upCollecting badges toward the Elite Four, with battles and capture in between, still gives the adventure a clear shape today.
Final Fantasy XII 2006 Why it still holds upGambits, which let you program how each character fights, still make combat a matter of setup as much as input today.
Golden Sun: The Lost Age 2002 Why it still holds upPsynergy puzzles that open new areas, and Djinn that tie exploration to battle stats, still link finding things to fighting today.
Kingdom Hearts 2002 Why it still holds upSimple controls and a structure of self contained worlds, each with its own sub story, still make it easy to pick up and repeat today.
The Witcher 2007 Why it still holds upA world full of quests, with choices whose cost arrives later, still keeps each act worth the time today.
Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn 2007 Why it still holds upPermanent losses and a weapon rank that rewards long use turn every unit's survival and training into a long term plan, and it still has that depth.
Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance 2005 Why it still holds upPermanent losses and support bonuses between fighters who talk make each unit someone you plan to keep alive, and that tension is still there.
Star Ocean: Till the End of Time 2003 Why it still holds upA second game inside the fights keeps your attention today, because an item creation system lets you craft, patent and recruit inventors.

Choices with consequences, huge worlds to wander and parties to manage are all here, often in the same game. They are long, and the good ones make the length feel like room rather than padding.

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