[Fantasysci5]

Hey all.

Lately I've been branching out of adventure games more and into RPGs/strategies (is there even a difference between the two? ). I'd like some recommendations of must play games with good stories/characters.

The favorite one I've played so far is "Fable". I loved the non-linear stuff I could do, like marry/play pub games, etc. I also loved the combat, and how choices had an affect on people, etc. Kinda like the Sims.

The thing is, I've tried "Morrowind" and "Dragon Age: Origins" and didn't like them from the beginning. I don't know exactly what it was about them, but I didn't like them at all. I'm not giving up on them, and I will try them again, but they didn't capture me like Fable did.

So, with that in mind, can you recommend your favorite RPG/strategies for me, please? Should I soldier on with those two?

[rayvio]

Bloodnet is an old but good one, it's got some adventurey elements too which is what originally attracted me to it

the best RPG I've played so far though is Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines
I recomend picking any clan except Malkavian for first go, do Malk once you've finished the game as another. and make sure to do a Nosferatu as well as a Malk and any other clan (Malk and Nos play significantly different from the others)

there's also Baldurs Gate and Neverwinter Nights series, both classics

[larissa]

Dragon Age and Morrowind are both pretty big worlds, relatively speaking. You might try something more linear to start--anything (else) by Bioware, so KOTOR, KOTOR II, Jade Empire, Mass Effect. I haven't played NWN and BG, but they're supposed to be good.

Other Bethesda Softworks Games could work for you--Fallout 3 was fairly fun and straightforward, I thought. Morrowind will not be really fun unless you mod it, in my view--same with Oblivion. There are great mod forums so you can fix the stupidest aspects of the game.

There are also a lot of good action/adventure/rpg type hybrids that others will know about--I don't usually play them, but they're really popular and perhaps closer to your interests.

[laffer]

Personally I've always had a thing for several of the Might & Magic games... especially M&M 6&7.

These are pretty old by now though, and the graphics are very primitive by todays standards (they weren't even that impressive back when the games were new)... but they're quite addictive games.
A bit simplistic perhaps, but then again I was never patient enough for really complex role playing games, so that didn't bother me.

But yeah, they're quite different from the examples you mentioned so I would take a look on Youtube or something like that before at all bothering to try out any of them if I were you.

However, if you end up discovering you enjoy these games, they do provide quite a few hours of entertainment... going to have to replay some of them someday soon, just writing about them here makes me feel like revisiting a few of these games

I'll also mention Ultima 8... I really liked that game, and this game is more adventure game like than the M&M games.
It's one of the Ultima games the hardcore Ultima fans very often dislike as it's very different from the previous games in the series... but I feel it's different in a way that makes it more similar to adventure games, in some ways... so I've never thought of that as a bad thing.
I do enjoy many of the previous games in the series as well, but I never considered U8 to be a bad game... it's just very different from the rest.
This might be one you should check out before bothering with the M&M games... judging by the examples you mentioned, you might enjoy this one a bit more.
But again, just take a look on Youtube or somthing.

[Collector]

Originally Posted by Fantasysci5

Lately I've been branching out of adventure games more and into RPGs/strategies (is there even a difference between the two?

Generally, most would think of strategy games as things like the old city builder games (Caesar or Civilization), the war sim games (i.e. The Blue and the Gray) or business sim games, etc. Strategy games are what Impressions Games was best known for.

This does not mean that other genres can't have strategy elements to the game play, though. Even some puzzle games can involve strategy.

[rayvio]

Originally Posted by Collector

Generally, most would think of strategy games as things like the old city builder games (Caesar or Civilization), the war sim games (i.e. The Blue and the Gray) or business sim games, etc. Strategy games are what Impressions Games was best known for.

This does not mean that other genres can't have strategy elements to the game play, though. Even some puzzle games can involve strategy.

most genres are, if we're going to be honest, badly named. after all, most games I own involve you playing a role, having an adventure and using some kind of strategy. yet they're not all RPGs, adventure games or strategy games. sadly it's too late now to give them better names as the old ones are just stuck to them

[marshal99]

The eternally classic x-com & jagged alliance can be considered as RPG/strategy - more strategy though. The first 2 fallout games were fantastic. They are played in 3rd person perspective though , not first person. The 2nd fallout game was hilarious , you can get married , either a girl or guy , become a porn star with a ridiculous porn name and high replayability.

[7h30n]

Frankly TES series and Dragon Age are overrated so it's not strange you might not like them.

X-Com and & Jagged Alliance are the best Turn Based Tactical games although JA does have more RPG elements it is still a tactics game.

I recommend Fallout 1 & 2 although old they have that amazingly fun atmosphere.

Vampire the Masquerade is also awesome (that is, with latest unofficial patches) and I think you might like Sid Meier's Pirates it's not an RPG per se, nor a strategy game but mixes the two and creates extremely fun game.

Oh, last but definitely not the least. Deus Ex! Not second, Invisible War, not the remake of first on PS2 but the very original on PC - Deus Ex. Deus Ex is simply Deus Ex, an unique experience. If you haven't played it you missed out a lot.
But beware, the game isn't easy and should not be approached as a shooter. And you might be put off by huge maps without handholding and poor AI.
Choices are not presented clearly and are more obscurely put like a real life and you might not know the true consequnces until the next playthrough. Atmosphere is amazing (cyberpunk) and story is crazy but really engaging!

[Fantasysci5]

Thanks so much for the suggestions, everyone! Actually, I'm a bit overwhelmed with all of them.

Rayvio-Haven't heard of Bloodnet, but the Vampire one sounds interesting. So you can run around as a vampire basically? Very cool. I've heard of Neverwinter Nights, but I thought you had to pay a monthly subscription, and I refuse to do that. lol Baldur's Gate is a classic, I know, but it sounds like just wandering around dungeons fighting random creatures...

Larissa-I've eyed KOTOR before, but I'm not a big 'Star Wars' fan, so wasn't sure if I'd enjoy it as much. 'Mass Effect' has also been on my lookout list, but I was never excited enough to buy it yet. Haven't heard much about 'Jade Empire'. 'Fallout 3' sounds interesting, but I think I like the fantasy a bit more than realistic future.

Laffer-I've heard of Ultima 8, but I don't usually like starting a series in the middle. And 'Might and Magic' sounds good. I don't know too much about them, but I'll look them up.

Collector-Thanks Collector. Yeah, I can see most of the strategies are now mixed with RPGs. I think they make it more immersive, IMHO. Not that I've played many.

Marshal-I hadn't heard much about the two you mentioned. And 'Fallout' does sound pretty awesome, although like I said above, I'm more into fantasy than futuristic.

7h30-I have played "Sid Meier's Pirates". I liked it, it was fun, although a bit simplistic. And 'Fallout' does sound pretty awesome, although like I said above, I'm more into fantasy than futuristic. I had never heard of x-com or JA, so thanks for mentioning them. Playing a vampire would be cool, but what exactly do you do with it? I know technically I could go look it up myself. I had never heard of Deus Ex.

Thanks again everyone for your suggestions. I think it was the totally open worlds that scared me a bit since I'm just starting out. I'm going to try the Witcher demo. Also, though, I like fantasy more than realistic-ish games, however, which seem to be some of the ones suggested. Sorry, I should have made that more clear. But seriously, thanks for all of the suggestions!

[Panthera]

KOTOR and KOTOR2 are amazing games, and nothing like the Star Wars films. they're set over 1000 (I think) years in the past, and have a much more evolved and technologically advanced society.

They have a really strong story, lovable characters (Meatbags!) and a light/dark alignment that influences the whole games (though it is a bit black and white on the dialog choices "let me give you 100 credits" or "kill them all!")

While it is a sci-fi environment the games have a lot of fantasy elements, and they're not very open world-ed. You can run around exploring and do side quests, but you always have a specific quest-line to follow, and you progress through some open and several closed locations.
It is not at all realistic futuristic sci-fi, it has amazing backgrounds like lush gardens, slums, industrial hotels and sand cities, and You get a lot more connected to both the world and your companions than most sci-fi stories.

Neverwinter nights one and two are also very good games, and are single player games with a multiplayer option, you do NOT have to pay a subscription. Personally i prefer sci-fi over fantasy, so NWN is a bit too traditional for me, but I think you'd love them.
They're also quite closed, you have a over-arching quest-line and do side quests in the villages/cities you visit, but you have the choice of who you want in your party several times throughout the story.

I haven't gotten into Fallout yet. Half the problem is I keep choosing non-fighters and end up getting killed in fights and not wanting to play anymore, but also the day/night progression and time limit stressed me out.

Gah, Now I want to play KOTOR again..

[Fantasysci5]

Thanks for the in-depth description, Pan.

KOTOR does sound cool with being good or bad, and as long as it isn't too Star Wars-heavy (you know what I mean), it sounds really good. And I've heard it's a classic, of course, so I may just try it out.

I didn't know NWN could be played offline, so thanks for letting me know! They looked really cool, besides the MMO part (which I am adamentally against), so I might pick those up. I do like games where you can choose who you want with you, like Septerra Core. Awesome story/characters, hateful fights. *shutters*

[kuze]

Well, if you'd like to check out the king of all RPGs (true and confirmed), I'd strongly recommend playing Planescape: Torment. Its setting, story and, well, atmosphere are unsurpassed to this day, and it's probably the only game I'm really passionate about.

Basically, it's set in a world that's divided in planes which ascend or descend into chaos based on the actions of their inhabitants. Everything is rusty and covered in dust, the characters are the most fascinating and strange creatures I've ever seen in a video game, and the soundtrack is astonishing. This piece in particular still gives me the chills.

You play as a man without a name who has lost his mortality, struggling to piece together his past and regain his humanity. It's the best thing, really.


Also, I put down another vote for Vampire Bloodlines and The Witcher, both are excellent and maybe a little more accessible than PS:T. And, well, you can't go wrong with Fallout 2 or Arcanum. The first doesn't need an introduction, the second takes place in an insanely detailed and huge world where magic is slowly being replaced by technology, making it the best steampunk adventure you can have in a video game.

[Gonchi]

My recommendations for fantasy Strategy/RPG's are, if you like Turn Based combat: Temple of Elemental Evil + Circle of Eight patch, and if you prefer Real Time: Icewind Dale + Heart of Winter + Trials of the Luremaster & Icewind Dale 2.

I'm getting the impression you're more interested in RPGs than Strategy/RPGs (for example Jagged Alliance, Silent Storm, Freedom Force, Shining Force, etc). If that's the case, you can't beat Planescape: Torment for great plot and characters.

I also agree with most of the recommendations in this thread, particularly Fallout 1 & 2 and the Baldur's Gate series (wandering around dungeons fighting random creatures?! fanboi rage... rising...) are must play games, and I'll add a potentially controversial personal favorite; Arcanum: Of Steamworks & Magick Obscura.

Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines, The Witcher and Deus Ex are also faves of mine. Leaving personal preferences aside, I think every game mentioned in the thread is at least worth a look (even... ugh... Fallout "3"... actually, screw Fallout 3, try New Vegas instead), and virtually all of them are available very cheap.

How far back are you willing to go? Have you played Sierra's Quest for Glory games? I can think of a lot of RPGs that you might enjoy, but I'd say they're at least a couple of notches below those already mentioned.

EDIT: D'oh. I walked off to make some tea mid-post and kuze beat me to the punch on PS:T and Arcanum.

[Fantasysci5]

Eeeh! Thanks guys!

kuze-Now that you mention it, I have been eying "Planescape: Torment" (and I know, I keep saying that about every game). I really have been wanting it, although I wasn't sure about gameplay. It's actually only about $10 on GOG, so it is accessible.

I'm trying to Witcher demo, and although I like the story, the combat is a bit off-putting. And Arcanum kind of sounds like The Longest Journey/Dreamfall, where technology is beginning to replace magic. Thanks so much for the recommendations, kuze!

Gonchi-Thanks for all of the recommendations! I'm not sure what I prefer, honestly. I had never heard of any of the games in your first paragraph. Sorry about the comment about Baldur's Gate. Arcanum looks cool, and I'm going to try Planescape.

You know, I don't know exactly what I want/how far back I'll go. I don't really like fighting endless creatures in caves for treasure, you know? I like plot, and killing some orcs on the way helps.

Thanks so much guys for the recommendations. I'm almost not sure where to begin since there's so many, but believe me-I will look into every single one mentioned in this thread. Thanks so much!

[Gonchi]

Originally Posted by Fantasysci5

You know, I don't know exactly what I want/how far back I'll go. I don't really like fighting endless creatures in caves for treasure, you know? I like plot, and killing some orcs on the way helps.

In that case, I'm almost certain you'll enjoy Planescape: Torment. You'll probably want to disregard my first suggestions though, Temple of Elemental Evil and the Icewind Dale games are very combat heavy dungeon crawlers.

[Panthera]

Originally Posted by Fantasysci5

Thanks for the in-depth description, Pan.

KOTOR does sound cool with being good or bad, and as long as it isn't too Star Wars-heavy (you know what I mean), it sounds really good. And I've heard it's a classic, of course, so I may just try it out.

I didn't know NWN could be played offline, so thanks for letting me know! They looked really cool, besides the MMO part (which I am adamentally against), so I might pick those up. I do like games where you can choose who you want with you, like Septerra Core. Awesome story/characters, hateful fights. *shutters*

Would just like to emphasize that NWN is NOT a MMO. It's a single player game where you can choose to play multiplayer with your friends either over local or over internet (think you can make a party with 4 or something like that), but it's made as a single player game, and there are no parts you lose out of by not playing with friends.

About Star Wars-heaviness:
Well, there are Jedis, Siths and rebels in KOTOR too, but the story and the world is so much more fleshed out, with a dozen races (you can unfortunately only play a human), loads of side quests, and most of all, people you care about.
The Star Wars films show only the big battles, while KOTOR makes you run around helping the little man bullied by money lenders, play card games, or, if evil, harvest bounties.
Personally I think they would have sold more if they just didn't mention the Star Wars angle so heavily. The story and world is so different, it can't be compared to the films at all really, so as long as you can handle light-sabers and jedi powers (which doesn't become available before half way into the first game) the games are absolutely worth a try.
I think they're one of the best RPGs made, and I usually think most Star Wars stories are completely over the top and like watching/reading a soap opera.


Someday I have to try Planescape: torment, and that Arcanum game sounds really interesting. I love steampunk!

[Figment]

I love love love the Mass Effect series and I also prefer fantasy over scifi elements. The storytelling in both games is top-notch, I thought; I even cared about every random stat-building sidequests that you stumble across.

As for fantasy, other than the Fable series the only recent rpgs I've played and enjoyed are the Dragon Age series. I liked the early Fallout games better than the recent incarnations. For classics, Baldur's Gate was great. If you don't mind the dated graphics, I really loved an old rpg called Arcanum: I played it several times throughout my youth and adored it each time around. It's set in a steam-punk world, with technology on the rise but magic still very present, and I remember it as being very atmospheric (lovely, haunting music) and wonderful, with a good story and really engaging sidequests and companions. But it has been a long time, so I might just be deluded by nostalgia!

[Fantasysci5]

Eeeh! I'm so excited! I'm seriously looking into maybe buying; Planescape: Torment, Acanum, KOTOR, and maybe Vampire: Masquerade and NWN. I'm pretty cheap, so I wait for sales or prices to go around $5 (I know, I'm cheap), and a lot of these are on GOG, so I'm really thinking about getting them. Thanks so much for your suggestions, guys, and I'll look into the other ones that I don't know much about.

[kuze]

Originally Posted by Fantasysci5

kuze-Now that you mention it, I have been eying "Planescape: Torment" (and I know, I keep saying that about every game). I really have been wanting it, although I wasn't sure about gameplay.

Well, the combat in PS:T is something I liked the least, but could get over it by playing on the easy setting. You'll also spend more time with exploring the world and talking to other characters (or exploring the characters like walking corpses, which is more fun than it sounds like) than with killing stuff, so it shouldn't stop you from enjoying the game.

Also, seeing you excited about those games makes me want to replay them myself. Goddamit.

[Fantasysci5]

lol Just to be clear now, I think I'm leaning more towards fantasy RPGs, the darker/more-adult the better. I've been looking at some of the strategies, and mindlessly killing wave after wave or running around dungeons doesn't really appeal to me. I can't put into words how that's different than strategy I guess, but I'm really happy about the suggestions.