RPG Fans, I Need Your Advice!

[BlueOval]

Bluesfusion inspired me to start this thread with his "best game under 20 bucks" thread. I want some "new" games that don't cost 40-50 bucks. I've always been a big fan of RPGs, but I haven't played them all by a long shot. I'm dead tired, but off the top of my head I can recall playing the entire Wizardry series, the entire Bard's Tale series, and most of the Ultima series. I know I've played more than that, I'm just delirious right now.

I've heard people mention Baldur's Gate 2 as a good game to play. Would anyone recommend my getting BG1 and 2 and playing 1 first? Is there a BG3? What other RPGs are worth playing? (BTW, this would be only for the PC. No console games.)

[Brahma]

Originally posted by BlueOval
Bluesfusion inspired me to start this thread with his "best game under 20 bucks" thread. I want some "new" games that don't cost 40-50 bucks. I've always been a big fan of RPGs, but I haven't played them all by a long shot. I'm dead tired, but off the top of my head I can recall playing the entire Wizardry series, the entire Bard's Tale series, and most of the Ultima series. I know I've played more than that, I'm just delirious right now.

I've heard people mention Baldur's Gate 2 as a good game to play. Would anyone recommend my getting BG1 and 2 and playing 1 first? Is there a BG3? What other RPGs are worth playing? (BTW, this would be only for the PC. No console games.)

I guess you could could consider Neverwinters Night to be BG3, but IMO it isn't as good as Baldur's Gate II, that one was the best of the series. BG1 was a good game, just smaller than BG2, and a good one to start with to get a feel for the BG gameplay. Also some of the NPC's from BG1 carry over into BG2 as party members. The story is a sort of continuation of the first one. Both BG1 and BG2 have small expansions.

Black Isle studios also puts out Icewind Dale I and II. Using the same game play and D & D rules. They're a little less cerebral and more killin' oriented (which is why I like them better). You would probably have to pay full retail for IWD II because it hasn't been out that long. I'm playing it now and some of the battles are incredibly hard. It's the first one of any of the series that I've had to lower the difficulty from max in spots.

[sublim21]

Most recent RPG under or around 20 is Divine Divinity. Stupid name, great game. Check out the DEMO Big Download though, sorry :/
Then Theres Baldurs Gate, an amazing game. Only played the first one, liked it alot, but hard as hell. Could never get far into, samething for IceWind Dale. :/
Check out Summoner, its a little different, but i like it. I might get the full thing one day, seeing as its cheap. Its kind of like Diablo, but not, defiently check outTHE DEMO before buying.
Then Theres the Dungeon Siege. Lots of fun, kind of like Diablo, check out THE DEMO
Then (and Wurm will back me up on this one) Theres Fallout 1 and 2. Can get both for like 10 bucks. Its a post apacolyptic rpg, thats excellently done. Defiently one of my favorites. Sorry, no demo, but trust me, this one is excellent. Really Old, but awesome.
Also old, but yet a classic is Planescape Torment. Never played, i have it, but never played it. Can't give a recommondation on it, and can't find a demo right now, sorry.

Hope that helps you out.

[sublim21]

I thought this was done before, a while back though. Heres what i posted on that old thread. (some overlap, but oh well)

lets see, you got your Arx Fatalis
your Dungeon Siege
your Neverwinter Nights
your Gothic II (German Demo Only)
your Freedom Force
your Gothic I
your Summoner
and one of my favs - Divine Divinity

[kpxgq]

BGII is my favorite PC-RPG

[Kamakazie]

Vote definitely goes to Baldur's Gate 2 and both Fallouts! And if you'd consider it an RPG, Freedom Force is fricken great, but its more like Commandos in a comic book setting with RPG elements.

Something someone hasnt said yet: Anachronox

Oh, and there is a demo for Fallout 1 - HERE

[stephenator75]

I second Baldur's Gate 2 that was a great game. There are also some other games that are great. I still play Morrowind quite often... the mods are what makes this game great. Gothic 2 will be out in Engish very soon here.

I didnt really like neverwinter nights or dungeon siege. The graphics were great, but the story (or lack thereof) didnt pull me in at all. If you want a good story then get Baldur's Gate. If you want a lot of freedom in a game with some eye cany get Morrowind, if you have a decent rig.

Another great game is Planescape Torment. This one is like playing an interective novel with the same interface as Baldur's Gate. Sweet game.

Also if you havent played System Shock 2....you are missing out. Deus Ex is the same kind of game here. They are FPS with some rpg elements.

[MrBling]

I can't mention this enough, Planescape:Torment is just plain one of the best RPGs ever.
And unless you like extremely linear games steer clear of the Icewind Dale games.
Also, as a kind of turnbased strategy+rpg you have Heroes of Might and Magic 3 (and various expansion packs).

[ensign]

Fallout or Planescape Torment. They are probably the best RPG's I have ever played. And of course if you consider it an RPG, System shock 2.

[SE_Saga]

There have been some good suggestions so far in the above posts. Just ignore any comments on Diablo, Summoner and similar games since those are not RPG at all (though some uneducated gamers call them that).

NeverWinter Nights and the Baldur's Gate series are probably your best choices, but if you want true RPG gameplay go for Fallout 1 and 2.

Have fun!

[sublim21]

Originally posted by SE_Saga
There have been some good suggestions so far in the above posts. Just ignore any comments on Diablo, Summoner and similar games since those are not RPG at all (though some uneducated gamers call them that).

uneducated gamers?!
dude, rpg = role playing game, and yes, these games are role playing games. They might be a little more action oriented, but still, they're rpgs. Seriously man, i swear sometimes.

[number1sixerfan]

Originally posted by sublim21
I thought this was done before, a while back though. Heres what i posted on that old thread. (some overlap, but oh well)

lets see, you got your Arx Fatalis
your Dungeon Siege
your Neverwinter Nights
your Gothic II (German Demo Only)
your Freedom Force
your Gothic I
your Summoner
and one of my favs - Divine Divinity

Yeah, I asked about rpg demos a while back. I still haven't got into any of them. Maybe rpg's just aren't for me.

[SE_Saga]

Sublim21, read this:

TRUE RPG's were born out of Strategy/Wargames. They're an "evolution" of the Strategy genre, where the focus becomes the human element of each "unit" instead of simply its battle prowess. Turning that into a hack n slash (or any Action variant) and you literally change the genre outright. As I said, Action/RPG is an oxymoron, to say the least.

Now stop being so... uneducated.

[Kamakazie]

Originally posted by SE_Saga

Now stop being so... uneducated.

They're considered RPGs in the video game industry, whoever said that quote is highly uneducated.
Oh yeah, and you shouldnt quote someone without saying who said it.

[commanderkeen]

I have never sunk my teeth into a good rpg... don't know though since I have played through lots. One of the best rpgs I have come around are:

(Disclaimer: This post might anger some gamers... I'm sorry to ruin this thread in the eyes of some and this is only my opinion. With that said I proudly present...)

Fallout I
Fallout II



most rpg's are just hack and slash, hack/slash, hack/slash, hack/slash, hack/slash, and so on (Diablo, Dungeon siege, NWN, Morrowind, and others). The 2 fallout games above are ingenious in the way that there is some hacking and slashing but with so many different tools, such as sledge, powerfist, sniper-rifle, chaingun, gauss gun, and my favorite the VINDICATOR. these weapons are easily acquired because in the fallout series if a guy wields a rifle that is what you find on his corpse, in games like D2 a skeleton could wield a buckler but not drop one(seriously what the heck is that all about) As a plus the game has, what seems like endless, side-quests that are optional and can change the end of the game/narration.