Adventure Gamers - Forums

Hi,
I’m a big fan of RPG games, like Planescape: Torment, which incorporate adventure game elements.
It’s not an adventure game of course, but it combines puzzles \ quests, story and action RPG in a beautiful manner.

Are there any recommendations for games that include AG elements, but also RPG \ action \ etc.?

I don’t count RPG titles like Baldur’s Gate, Mass Effect - because their “quests” don’t have any AG-style challenge, you’re merely doing what the game tells you to do.

Would be glad to hear about something new

Im hitting a total mental wall, but games that I always sort of have a similar feel with are the old Wizardry games and Might and Magic. Have you played any of them? They are rpgs with things that you need to figure out, rather than just completing quests.

Newer games in that similar boat would be Legend of Grimrock which is fantastic.

Check into Lands of Lore as well if you never played them, great games. Another to check out if you never have are the Zork games, they aren’t rpgs really but awesome adventure games if you never got around to them.

The classic example is the quest for glory series. You create a character, you choose a class and solve point&click; puzzles using your classes strengths. Gog sells all 5 of the games together: http://www.gog.com/game/quest_for_glory

Shenmue is sort of adventure game like with Fighting game elements. The Adventure game side really just figuring out where to find your next lead though, sort of like how Hotel Dusk was most of the time.

Most Survival Horror games could be considered an adventure game with some sort of combat/danger element

“Realms of the Haunting” is an adventure/FPS hybrid with FMV cut scenes. http://www.gog.com/game/realms_of_the_haunting

I second Anachronox - a very good hybrid.

Twinsen’s Adventure and Twinsen’s Odyssey are very good and unique hybrids. They are basically adventure games with a few light combat and platform elements, often with multiple solutions.

I really liked Tim Schafer’s Psychonauts. Some might call it a full platformer but there is more thinking involved than mindless jumping around.

For RPG/Adventure hybrids, Veil of Darkness is quite nice.

I was searching for similar things and Oscar here proposed this game but I haven’t checked it yet.

Oscar - 23 August 2012 07:31 AM

Veil of Darkness is considered by many an adventure, though it has RPG and some combat. I’ve played it and it’s very good. From what I remember, it matters what you say. It’s really a hybrid so check some reviews before you go with it.

Fallout 1 and 2 (and maybe Arcanum, haven’t finished it yet) for me are complete adventures if you don’t consider the tactic combats from time to time but I’m 100% percent sure you’ve already played them

Yea Quest for Glory is the big one to check out if you haven’t.. Just a beautiful blend of RPG and adventure gaming.

I saw this thread title and assumed this was another Telltale thread.  Nevermind!

Oscar - 01 September 2013 03:11 PM

I second Anachronox - a very good hybrid.

Twinsen’s Adventure and Twinsen’s Odyssey are very good and unique hybrids. They are basically adventure games with a few light combat and platform elements, often with multiple solutions.

I really liked Tim Schafer’s Psychonauts. Some might call it a full platformer but there is more thinking involved than mindless jumping around.

Fully agree with the Twinsen’s series. Wonderful hybrids.
And Psychonauts has lots of adventure elements - specially the Milkman Conspiracy level.

Will also had Another World for a platformer/adventure and in the survival horror genre the Silent Hill series with combat on easy and puzzles on hard. Also Deadly Premonition.

If liked Planescape Torment you probably already about the kickstarted Torment: Tides of Numenera and Project Eternity.

The Quest for Glory series is an obvious answer, like zane said, get it on GOG if you don’t have them already. Also, check out the upcoming Heroine’s Quest, Mage’s Initiation and Quest for Infamy, all strongly influenced by the QfG games.

The Fifth Disciple was for the longest time the closest thing I could find to Quest for Glory. You don’t get to pick your class here though, you’re a “mage”, and fight with your spells in turn-based combat. You really need to think ahead here and choose what spells you cast carefully, making one mistake in combat = virtually unavoidable death, running out of mana = certain death. Been a long while since I’ve last played it, but I enjoyed it.

BloodNet: A Cyberpunk Gothic is another Adventure/RPG worth checking out. Some great writing and voice acting in this one, unfortunately the RPG elements, namely the awkward combat, are a bit frustrating. Also a while since I’ve played, but if memory serves anything but a strong, melee oriented PC made for a very, very challenging game. I love this game though and forgive its shortcomings. The setup is vampires are real and you’re slowly turning into one, find a cure before it’s too late. In the mean time you need a way to control your bloodlust or you’ll feed on the innocent. Lose too much of your humanity and the game is over. Hire mercenaries or track down old friends that will drop everything on the spot to help save your ass. The game has some NPC/party interaction going, companions will comment on other companions you bring along, things you do, places you visit, NPCs might attack you based on how you look or who you’re with. Two blasts from a shotgun will put down most men, but a vampire is just going to laugh it off and rip your head off, find appropriate weapons for appropriate enemies.

Veil of Darkness is an old favorite of mine, I’d say it’s firmly an Action/Adventure hybrid though, not RPG, but whatever. EntoMorph is another one like it that comes to mind, though with a stronger emphasis on action.

Gooka: The Mystery of Janatris is another Adventure/RPG hybrid. Largo Winch: Empire Under Threat is an adventure game with some jRPG style combat in it.

I can think of a couple of more hybrids, like Arcatera: The Dark Brotherhood and Spider-Man: The Sinister Six, that I didn’t like, but YMMV.

I take issue with the thread title.  “Semi” implies “half,” or an incomplete or lesser game.  The hybrids that have been discussed would be better referred to with a label like “adventure game plus,” or something. 

Gonchi - 01 September 2013 10:39 PM

Also, check out the upcoming Heroine’s Quest

Oh, hey, somehow this had slipped under my radar in the batch of upcoming QfG-inspired games or I would have mentioned it in my comment here. Assuming I’m not the only one who didn’t know this existed, thanks for bringing it to my and others’ attention. This looks rather promising in its trailer and voice preview. It seems QfG fans will have a bounty of games to check out!

As for the OP, if you haven’t played the first Deus Ex, I wouldn’t call it an adventure hybrid (it’s an RPG/FPS), but you might like the flexibility it offers to approach situations in different ways. I imagine you’ve heard of it, though.