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There's no such thing as a "wrong time" to get into RPGs. Even if you just jumped on the train yesterday, there is a multitude of great titles to explore--something to fit every taste--and it's always likely that another as-of-yet unplayed game lies in wait to become a new favorite for each of us.
But it's times like these that make me feel like it's a-okay to take a vacation from game-land.
We stand astride two eras, a collective colossus of a community with one foot deep in the libraries of the PS2, the GameCube, and the Xbox. Our other foot, meanwhile, is gingerly dipping its big toe into the uncertain waters of the PS3, the Wii, and the Xbox 360. This is a slow time for RPGs, and by now most of us know to expect that the burgeoning months or even the entire first year of a console's lifespan isn't the time to seek out those epic 60-hour quests rife with battle systems that captivate and characters we'll never forget. The great RPGs of the previous generation have been let loose upon us, and while we can nod and smile at the more recent FFXII, Tales of the Abyss, Ar Tonelico, or Rogue Galaxy on our shelves, the same glance silently asks the question, like a starvation artist: "When's the next big meal going to be?"
When indeed? It might be soon; the Xbox 360 currently sits in the prime position to deliver RPGs worth sitting up and taking note of. Mistwalker's Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey stand to shake things up when they see a U.S. release, as do a few other enjoyable-looking titles, such as Eternal Sonata and Mass Effect. However, even the nearest of these titles is as far off as the end of the summer. Solid RPG efforts on the Wii and the PS3 seem considerably further away, and one may be left thinking that it might not be so soon that we collectively dig into an RPG that suitably impresses.
What's a dedicated RPGamer without a steady stream of RPGs to do? Hide out in the mountain caves and wait for the end of the world? Learn to cook food without the use of that saintly device, the microwave? Perhaps it's time for a different recourse or two, and you may find that this particular window of time offers a chance to explore a few other venues without worrying about how many high-profile titles were released while you were busy finishing that last game you were playing.
May I first suggest that this is a great time to take a bit of a breather from gaming? Heresy, I know, but think about it. We get into our RPGs. We lose sleep over "just one more level," or "I have to find out what happens!" Even as we enjoy it, we sometimes shirk other responsibilities to press onward in a game, and the things we know we ought to do get pushed aside even more than normal in times like the latter half of 2006, when you couldn't throw a rock in a game store without hitting a newly released RPG. Our fervor to explore, to experiment, and to master is part of what makes RPGs such an engaging and rewarding pastime. But even with fond memories toward some of 2006's titles, I'm actually a bit relieved that I can take a break from feeling like I'm falling further and further behind in my RPG collecting (with a genuine promise to "play all the ones I buy...eventually") and focus on other activities I enjoy.
Or perhaps you have a backlog, a stack of teetering plastic cases adorned with colorful, inviting anime-styled designs that you bought with good intentions, only to fall prey to the common lament of not having enough hours in the day to play or finish them all. This is the destined time when all the planets are in alignment: there aren't that many must-play titles coming out (leastwise, not in RPG-land), the prices of new consoles are still high enough to balk at, and the crop of used and discounted games is plentiful and ready for harvest. The months ahead are the perfect time to pick up and play the untried games on your shelves, or go searching for those games that sounded pretty good, but maybe not quite "new release good." They're out there, and now, there's nothing standing in the way of finally getting to them.
If you can't get the gamer out of your system and you've skillfully kept your backlog to a minimum, perhaps it's the right time to invest in a new genre, or re-acquaint yourself with an old favorite. The RPG will always be home base to many of us, but even a favorite food can lose a bit of its flavor if that's all one eats. Sometimes, we want what RPGs give us, and at other times, we may crave the trappings of another genre. Sometimes, I appreciate the action/adventure genre for things as simple as being able to jump whenever I want, at the push of a button, swing or shoot at nothing in particular, or explore my environment at my leisure. Other times, I crave the visceral, technical combat of a fighting game, or even the simple strategic satisfaction of a puzzle game. Dipping into other genres also helps one to appreciate RPGs in a broader context, spotlighting what they do better than other varieties of games. Even as gaming evolves as a storytelling medium and other genres spin fine tales of their own, I can still come back and be impressed by the depth and breadth of an RPG's story, for instance, and I continue to believe that their soundtracks are among the very best game music has to offer. These things and more are what I look forward to when I pick up an RPG, and sometimes, moving away from RPGs and then coming back gives me a fresher perspective; cleansing the palate, if you will.
The console industry is a proven cycle, and though certain specifics change, we can always be sure of this much: the really good RPGs always pop up after the consoles are already established, but – like Sandpeople – they'll soon return, and in greater numbers. So take this time as a gift, a gracious vacation from our self-imposed mandate to play every RPG worth playing, and enjoy life with or without controller firmly in hand.
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