Story-centric Multiplayer RPG's?

My sister recently asked me about wanting to play games with her boyfriend. They both are avid gamers but her boyfriend only likes to play third person RPG's (JRPG's or Adventure games) that have a strong story focus. My sister says she wants a game that will be of one of the two genres that has a main plot but allows co-op.

The problem I am having is thinking of any (mostly finding them to be of the wrong genres or lacking a main story componant).

So far I have mentioned:

Eternal Sonata

Dragon Quest IX

Diablo-style games (don't know much about them but I sort of half remember people talking about playing them with friends when it had a story)

The Lego games (I think if they picked one that they knew the story of then the expressions of the characters would be enough to fullfill the story componant)

What can any of you think of? Xbox360 games would be most useful - followed by PS2 and PS3 games. Then PC games (if they are of a lower intensity of graphical power) and finally DS and Wii/gamecube games.

*I should also point out that they have tried playing MMO's and my sister found the design of quests and the grinding even with the story to break the gameplay for her. She also hates when the second character is basically useless/weaker than the 1st player either mechanically or canonically.*

---Edit---- She also said that she has tried the Fable games and might try them again so she knows about them.

Why don't they just play a normal RPG and take turns with the controller? It's not like JRPGs allow for a lot of unique decisions anyway. Plus, my wife has at least as much fun watching me play games (story-driven stuff like Heavy Rain and L.A. Noire, for instance) as she does actually playing them with me (L4D2 and MMOs).

FFVI lets a second player control some of your characters in battle.

Guild Wars. The story telling is crap. But it's quite prominent and great fun to play with others.

Also Guild Wars is now a fairly old game, not very demanding.

Tales of Vesperia!

Best rpg this gen, and multiplayer!

I know Wii is last on your list of priorities, but if they're fine with older games they could try Secret of Mana on the virtual console. The magic/items system that causes the game to pause when you access it is pretty clunky but it's a decent co-op RPG experience overall, as long as people can work together. (My sister and her boyfriend enjoyed it but had to stop after a heated argument over where to go next, heh.)

@Jrinswand said:

Why don't they just play a normal RPG and take turns with the controller? It's not like JRPGs allow for a lot of unique decisions anyway. Plus, my wife has at least as much fun watching me play games (story-driven stuff like Heavy Rain and L.A. Noire, for instance) as she does actually playing them with me (L4D2 and MMOs).

Because she specifically told me all this because she had gotton annoyed at always having to sit and watch him play or her having to play - it is the actual problem she has right now.

@whyareyoucrouchingspock: I mentioned Guild Wars before although if it has the same sort of design as GW2 then I think it will have the MMO tropes that will bore her.

@SuperSambo: I think she might have that but I definitely will mention it thanks.

@RWBladewing: Ok thanks, I will mention that.

@killacam: Is it only in battle with FFVI? She seemed sort of against that idea from Eternal Sonata - but I will ask her to try it (I think her boyfriend already owns it) thanks.

MMO's sort of fit the build, most aren't story centric,  Though SWTOR has some decent class stories.   Other than that, Neverwinter Nights had an online component but don't know if it's still active.

@Dixavd

Yeah, FFVI is only co-op in battle. RWBladewing nailed it with his rec of secret of mana though.. great snes-era action-rpg, and likely the best she'll find for what she's after.

And... Someone already suggested Secret of Mana. Darn. My next option would be Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, but I'm not that much of a dick.

From some digging around, the Tales franchise has some local multiplayer options, I would suggest checking them out. Also, those games were localized by our new GiantBomb friends at 8-4.

Also, http://www.co-optimus.com/.

Star wars the old republic. It's swtor and an mmo RPG.

@Gaff: Thanks for reminding me on that website - I had totally forgotton it (I was recommended it once but totally forgot it - I will definitely tell her).

Fist of the North Star.

Secret of Mana is great and has multiplayer

Having played most of the lego games, I'd not call them RPGs. Now Sacred 1 & 2 along with Torchlight 2, yes on both multiplayer and rpgs but can't say much on the story quality.

Any of the Tales games that have come out in recent years.

There's actually a two controller mode in Final Fantasy 9. I think you can do the same in Final Fantasy 6 as well.

And there's always SWTOR. Me and Havoc Squad lighting fools up.