We chat about videogames and videogame accessories.

I would honestly not have a clue if that's present or not, since I haven't played Mass Effect/Deus Ex/Planescape, but I've never actually seen people talk about them on that level.

Yes, there is plenty along those lines for those three games in particular. You’re right, it isn’t common for people to talk about them; generally people are more interested in talking about what sets them apart in ways that you would have trouble doing in a non-interactive medium, if they’re talking intelligently at all.

What I personally got out of Mass Effect (I’ve only played the first two) is action-hero fun with a little bit harder sci-fi than the norm, but I mentioned it because people have done this sort of thing for that game (... of course, I have found some people argue that the ending fell down for them because it failed to remain consistent with the themes they saw coming up to it, and some other people argue that the ending worked for them because it was perfectly consistent with the themes they saw coming up to it. People proc things differently, who knew?).

Even without knowing the endings, now that I think about it, their particular setups have more literary potential than the other zelda games.

I’d wager a couple of guesses why people bring these two up in particular:
1) They both pack a lot of stuff into a smaller form. Very little level space lies fallow in these two, which is harder to say about (for example) LttP or OoT. Everything is in a tight focus, so you’ll be more likely to make whatever kinds of mental connections you’re gonna make.
2) More so than the other entries, they feel like they’re about something. I get something of a tragic vibe from them, which is because... well, I can’t go further into that without Ruining The Plot, I think.

Mother is something I definitely should have thought of. You saying that actually reminded me of OFF, which is one of the weirdest and most affecting games I've ever played. Also everyone should play OFF. I guess batshit absurdity is just my taste in jrpgs.

A couple of years ago on another forum, someone, distraught, noted that no JRPG had come out in the prior handful of years that did this, that, and the other (I forget what) which would be reasonable to expect out of a game in the genre and would make for a fairly good one if you had these things. I pointed out Barkley in jest, and unexpectedly, they pointed out (relieved) that the joke was technically correct and that they could now retract the point.

I’d always wanted to put an off-beat JRPG into the world, but I never came up with much in the way of something worthwhile.

And I would agree that text/adventure games are also a goldmine as far as literary merit is concerned. I guess it's because, given a lack of gameplay elements, the designers spend more time thinking about constructing environment and story. That sounded like I am perpetuating the idiotic gameplay/story false debate but I swear I wasn't. My dream for video games is a day where the gameplay awesomeness of the innovative AAAs is combined with the narrative awesomeness of the cultiest indie games.

Hmm, I don’t think it’s necessarily about a lack of gameplay elements. There are plenty of gameplay elements text adventures can do that other games would struggle to be able to do.

Text has a number of advantages over other forms of game development because it’s so lightweight. It is pretty much the fastest way to get content into a game, and the since the player just rolls with it, you can be lax on all sorts of details that aren’t really important. According to accounts I’ve heard here and there, we’re in the middle of a quiet Interactive Fiction renaissance. But it seems the only ones that are popular enough that I’ve heard of them are pr0n.

For whatever it’s worth, the big players in the industry would also like to see that happen. There is a big emphasis nowadays on getting so much done in preproduction before sinking a lot of money into getting things polished. The desire of these bigger companies to make prototypes before starting a project or hash out mechanics before putting them into an existing game has contributed to the success of Unity. If you are looking for a job from one of them, I have it on reasonably good word that a good indie game is quite possibly the best thing to have in your résumé. So they do move slower, but on the other hand, most of them know it.

and finally, I would like to open up Pandora's Box and ask
which final fantasies
are the best (and/or most pretentious)

Pandora’s Box is a challenge hack for Final Fantasy VI that has been in development for a number of years.

SpoilerShow

I’d have to write about alllllll of the ones I’ve looked at, and the thing is, I’ve only played most of them up to that halfway point where they go open-world and the story kind of falls apart if you get lost.... only one I have beaten is VI, and that was over a decade ago, and I think I cheated through the final dungeon or something like that.

I think the series, when it’s at it’s best, handles character dynamics so well. Being primarily entertainment, they aren’t particularly committed to featuring serious problems, and they probably shouldn’t be, but the images that have stuck with me the strongest are very relatable problems that people have to deal with—not being able to take back old mistakes, regret surrounding departed loved ones, injustices you are powerless to stop but you hope will be punished....

But then, you know, I end up giggling at all the cartoonish animu wackiness. JRPGs in general are like popcorn movies or comfort food to me, and even the good ones aren’t generally much of an exception to that.