10. Devil Survivor
Probably my favorite tactical RPG since Final Fantasy Tactics. Multiple paths, good music and the classic MegaTen concept of competing ideologies as opposed to good vs evil. Fun game with great replayability.
9. Mother 3
This masterpiece of a game was never even released in English. That didn't stop a fiercely devoted fan-base from translating the game and distributing the rom. It's a shame that Nintendo (or whoever) decided not to release this game in the United States. It's more than a shame, it's a ridiculously stupid move. Regardless, this game stands as Itoi's magnum opus.
8. Mass Effect
One of the first and finest examples of action RPGS. Not hack and slash action, but psuedo-shooter RPG. Bioware combined their brilliant flair for dialogue with a third-person shooter combat scheme to create one of 2007's best games. There was also a somewhat weak planet exploration feature that slowed the game somewhat. Aside from the planet exporation, the game was top notch.
7. Final Fantasy XII
It's Final friggen Fantasy people. While not quite as epic as X, the twelfth installment of the series stood as a solid entry into the series. The combat mechanic was completely reworked and saw the elimination of random battles for the first time in an FF game. Square borrowed the system put forth in the Knights of the Old Republic games and tweaking it to perfection. A decent, if unfocused, story and a beautiful world engrossed the player.
6. Lost Odyssey
I think this game went under the radar for most people. That's truly tragic because this game is really good. The storyline focuses on the lives of several immortals and their struggle against one of their compatriots. The game is very reminiscent of Final Fantasy X, both visually and in overall feel of the game. For the most part it is a traditional role playing game, random battles and leveling up. The best feature about this game is the visual stories detailing Kaim, the main characters, thousand year life. To say these stories are well amazing is a HUGE understatement. Tears welled up in my eyes while reading one of the stories. The sights and sounds of these stories work with the writing to create a HELL of an experience. If the rest of the game were as well written as these tales this game might have been number one.
5. Fallout 3
Some people will say this game is just derivative of Oblivion, that it's just that game with guns. SO. FUCKING. WHAT. That doesn't mean it's bad. In fact the game works much more effectively than Oblivion. It has an amazing scale, achieving both the emptiness and danger one might expect from a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Plenty is available to be done in the Capital Wasteland, hours upon hours of entertainment.
4. Dragon Age: Origins
This is my 2009 game of the year by a huge margin. I don't even know where to start with this game. I love the action centric combat scheme. I understand that it's a Baldur's Gate-light system, but I don't care. The characters are for the most part great. The choices aren't black and white, which means you how things play out is up to you. Prepare for some unexpected results to your choices, for instance party members turning against you and attempting to kill you. The idea of playing through multiple origin stories may be gimmicky, but it makes you feel much more drawn into the land of Ferelden. Characters from each origin story pepper the game, meaning you will always encounter somebody from your past in the course of a playthrough. I LOVE THIS GAME.
3. Suikoden V
This series is one of my favorite of all time. I remember picking up Suikoden I way back when it came out in the 90s. Since then I've been addicted to Suikoden. The games blend eastern and western lore in a delightful blend of cultures. The fifth incarnation proves to be the best since Suikoden II. The series is famed for it's 108 recruitable party members, and this game doesn't disappoint. Many of the games characters are easy to get attached to for a variety of reasons, either design or personality. The most oddly appealing warrior from the second game, Georg Prime, returns as a featured player in the events of this game. I went marathon on this treasure when I got it and completed in a week back when it came out, which I rarely do with games.
2. The World Ends With You
AWESOME. Have posted previously about this so I'll keep is short. It's all about the style, the tone, the music... it's amazing. The World Ends With You is so good you feel hip playing it, no matter that you are dangerously uncool.
1. Persona 4
Let's give it up for one of the greatest RPGs, and in fact one of the greatest GAMES, of the past five years. Persona 4 has the Shin Megami Tensei pedigree attached to its name which it easily lives up to. Anything I've said about actually feeling something for the characters is tripled for this game. You end up feeling like one of the gang, and when you finally finish this experience you are sad that it's over. The dungeon crawling aspect of RPGs is perfected here. The idea of a friendship/dating simulator would seem silly in any other game, but it's completely natural in P4. The murder mystery storyline is unique and engrossing. The enemies and bosses fit the situations. Persona 4 is just wonderful to play and really is more of an experience than a game.
Honorable Mentions - Jade Empire, Kingdom Hearts II, Suikoden Tierkreis
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