Summary
Role-playing games feature epic storytelling that many gamers can’t seem to get enough, constantly coming back for more time and time again. Countless gamers tend to love the ambitious plots that change the status quo in meaningful ways, letting them enjoy masterful titles that know how to keep fans on the edge of their seats.
SomeRPGs can change drastically midway through a playthrough. This can come in the form of major story developments, unexpected twists, or anything else that will keep players on the edge of their seats for the game’s second half. Here are some of the most noteworthy titles that do just that.
Final Fantasy 6is a title that gamers can check out if they want to enjoy the very best that this series has to offer. The focus on an ensemble plot ensures that almostevery party member gets their chance to shineas they resist the Gestahlian Empire’s plans for world domination.
However, it turns out that the emperor himself was just a tool for the true main antagonist to sow the seeds of chaos that would destroy the World of Balance. On the Floating Continent, Kefka betrays Gestahl and disturbs the balance of the Warring Triad, ushering in the onset of the World of Ruin, where he rules as an oppressive, divine dictator that the heroes must band against in order to bring peace to the world.
Chrono Triggeris one of the best JRPGs ever made, with many players lovingthe time-traveling adventures of Cronoand his allies. While hopping through different timelines happens at scripted intervals early on, it doesn’t take long for players to acquire a time-traveling spaceship that changes the game in a meaningful way.
Players can travel across different timelines at will and choose to take on Lavos at any point in the story. Fighting this boss can be a challenge before the intended climax, butplayers can unlock different endingsif they test themselves against this parasite’s immense might.
One of the most underrated JRPGs on the PlayStation 2,the gothic world ofShadow Heartsmakes for an engaging role-playing experience, where players must manage the Sanity of their party members to ensure that nobody goes berserk. In this title, players attempt to stop Dehuai and Roger Bacon from summoning Seraphic Radiance and destroying the world, with a climactic confrontation taking place in the city of Shanghai.
However, the heroes fail in this endeavor, with Yuri trying to desperately fuse with Seraphic Radiance to prevent the destruction that would follow. He fails and is consumed by this entity, going berserk as the city of Shanghai is wreathed in flames shortly before a six-month time skip that ushers in the story’s second half.
System Shock 2is an immersive RPG thatlets players control a Hackerwho must explore the desolate halls of the Von Braun, with another survivor by the name of Dr. Janice Polito serving as the only friendly voice in an otherwise hostile environment. Unfortunately, the Hacker will soon realize that he was being manipulated all along.
Instead of meeting Polito in the flesh, players are greeted with the sight of her corpse. It turns out that SHODAN was manipulating the Hacker all along, making her presence known for the first time inSystem Shock 2as the story takes a compelling turn.
Deus Exis one of the greatest video games ever made, andit has aged like a fine wine. Players work as a UNATCO agent named JC Denton who fights against terrorism, only to be left puzzled after realizing that their brother has seemingly joined the enemy.
There’s more to this story than what meets the eye, with JC eventually uncovering a larger conspiracy to dominate the world, where UNATCO is also involved. It’s an iconic moment when JC is captured by his former employers and jailed; watching him mount an escape and explore once-friendly environments where everyone is gunning for his head is the icing on the cake.
This twist doesn’t arrive exactly at the midpoint ofKnights of the Old Republic, but the wayKOTORflips the script and makes players question their actions makes for one of the most compelling moments inany form ofStar Warsmedia. In this title, players control an amnesiac Jedi who slowly becomes stronger before their true origins come to light.
It turns out that the player was none other than the fearsome Darth Revan himself, who was given a second chance by the Jedi Council, wiping his memories in a bid to make him join the Light Side as a valuable ally. Depending on the player’s actions, this can either be a resounding success or a crushing failure, with both paths being pretty compelling in their own right.
Dark Souls' impressive level designand amazing bosses make the first half of the game a compelling experience that is simply unputdownable. However, after ringing both bells and exploring Anor Londo, it’s clear that budgetary constraints prevented the title from making its second half just as memorable.
Trying to acquire the Lord Souls and fighting Gwyn doesn’t feel as great and tightly developed as one would’ve hoped. However, players who don’t compare this portion of the game to the immaculate first half will find this experience to be more entertaining than what most give it credit for.
Larian Studios is a master of their craft, knowing how to make their RPGs as consequential and rewarding as ever. This can be seen at the end ofDivinity: Original Sin 2’s first half, where players will make an innocuous decision to put certain people in their party only to be ambushed by Dallis.
After this battle, every other character not in the party at that moment dies, which is a shocking and compels players to approach the game’s challenging combat differently. Players will eventually recruit mercenaries to fill the void left behind by these party members, making a second playthrough a necessity for those who want to see everyone’s stories to completion.
