RPG recommendations for the PS3(or other?)

So, I'm a long time gamer but just picked up a PS3 (previously had a 360 that red ringed years ago, never bothered buying a new console). Anyhow, I've definitely looked at online reviews and suggestions, but of course, there's nothing better than getting personal recommendations from people that know and understand your tastes in games. It's just hard to judge whether or not you'd like recommendations from a list (especially when that list includes FFXIII, ugh, no offense but I just can't. It's not for me). Here's a list of games I've enjoyed in the past, if you've also enjoyed them and can recommend something similar or that you think may be relative to my tastes I'd be hugely appreciative. I'm mostly looking for ps3 additions, but if you have a suggestion you think I'd enjoy on other PS platforms, I'd love to hear it.

Just to name a handful:
PS1: Chrono Trigger, Chrono Cross, all the Final Fantasys 6-9, Lunar 1&2, xenogears, legend of legia (terrible battle system lol)
PS2: FFx, shadow hearts, okami, .hack//sign was decent, kingdom hearts 1+2, star ocean till the end of time, xenosaga (but a bit slow), several of "the tales of" series
Gamecube: Zelda (all)
Other generation games: Dragon Age: Origins, Mass effect 1+2 (haven't played any others, this was around the time my platform red ringed lol). Lost Odyssey was ok.

Games I did NOT like: FFx-2, FF13, and FF12. The poor story and bad character development just really got to me. I never really got into the Oblivion and Skyrim style games, I prefer stories that are more like "playing" a book.

I love games with decent characters, and good stories. Got any suggestions?

FFX-13?? Dear lord, what have I missed??!!

Anyways, if you are into decent characters I might suggest Nier and maybe Tales of Xillia (and would advise you to stay well away from Star Ocean: The Last Hope).

Haha! I think I meant to put FFX-2 there! ...I really hope there's not an FFX-13, that would be an intimidatingly long series LOL

I will try those, thanks! Someone else mentioned Nier, but I'll look into Tales of Xillia as well.

I guess it wouldn't hurt giving one of the Atelier games a whirl. I'm probably not the right person to suggest them because I've not properly played a single entry in the Atelier series bar a bit of tinkering in my sister's copy of Totori, but there's been plenty of positive feedback regarding a comprehensive craft system, likeable characters and atmosphere, and the subversion of that tired trope of saving the world.

Yeah, Nier is definitely worth a shot and certainly has its cult following, along with a fantastic soundtrack and well, there's Kaine, who is always a standout on the character front. Perhaps you can also try out Resonance of Fate and Eternal Sonata. Tales of Symphonia HD is out, and that's a great package to get your hands on if you're open to more Tales.

Away from the JRPG fare, South Park: Stick of Truth is a huge recommendation if you're already familiar with the show, or if you're just open to an RPG with a Paper Mario RPG turn-based button-prompt battle system and aren't too sensitive to the kind of humour and content that would make Fox News squirm with uncontrolled horror and outrage. Honestly, I've had more fun with South Park than any RPG I've played in a long while.

Based on your criteria, I'm not sure what else I can recommend. Unconventional, action-focused RPGs with narratives include Deus Ex: Human Revolution are worth checking out, especially as you've already played and presumably enjoyed Mass Effect. Or to divert away from PS3, it's worth checking out what Steam has to offer in the way of RPGs. You can get the Witcher games from there, as well as classic older stuff like Jade Empire, both KOTORs and even old Xbox stuff like Sudeki. There's even the criminally underrated Anachronox which I also recommend.

EDIT: Star Ocean 4's worth checking out for the battle system, but you will need a high tolerance level for its story and characters. I've a relatively weak constitution so I allowed the despairingly bad story and characters ruin the game for me enough that even the battle system couldn't sustain my interest in the game any longer up to the point of the Purgatorium. =(

It doesn't help that the game is TRULY long. So you'll need tolerance for dozens of hours. God, please, I don't want to hear Lymle again, ever.

Great suggestions!

South Park can get a few laughs from me as a series, but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't enjoy the game simply because I'm not much of a TV person anyway. I've probably watched less than 20 episodes of south park in my 24 years of existence lol.

Well, I played Star Ocean till the End of Time, which was incredibly long if there ever was a game (particularly if you do the side quests, and mini games, holy cow pretty sure I have about 70hrs logged on my old ps2 memory card lol) so it might be something I'd like? I do have a tough time with annoying characters, though, lol. I also played it when I was 15 so it's hard to say how much I'd enjoy the game at my age now.

I've tried Eternal Sonata and couldn't do it. "Frederic! FREDERIC!" most annoying, most common line in that game lol.

Resonance of Fate and Deus Ex are two that I haven't looked into before, I'll check them out! Thanks

Edit: Also haven't looked into much of the Atelier games, but I've heard them mentioned before. Do the game stories follow each other or can I pick up anywhere? I know it's a long running series.

It's sorta weird. For PS3, there's the Arland trilogy (Rorona, Totori, Meruru) and the Dusk games (Ayesha, Escha & Logy, Shallie when it's released). You may want to play the related games in order, but other than that you really don't have to. Heck, not playing them in order isn't too big of a deal, either; you'll miss out on cameos references and whatnot, but really the biggest problem is that older games tend to feel a little clunkier than the newer ones, so going back after playing a newer game may be a little tough mechanics-wise.