Which is the best PC CRPG?

Klorox · Post by **Klorox** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 6:36 pm

I absolutely love BGII, but I want to try something a little different.

What CRPG would you recommend, while still in a fantasy type setting?

Thrain · Post by **Thrain** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 6:48 pm

Story - Planescape:Torment

Action - Icewind Dale 2

Multiplayer - Neverwinter Nights

The Great Hairy · Post by **The Great Hairy** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 7:12 pm

Definetly Planescape. Brilliant game.

Morrowind, if you want to lose 3000hrs of your life.

SW:KotOR is quite good (but short).

Gothic 1 and 2 are reasonable.

If you want to try something different (shareware) check out Spiderweb Software, and the Exile series. Cheap, large, and plenty of fun.

Cheers,
TGHO

Ellester · Post by **Ellester** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 9:11 am

First off there is nothing exactly like BG2. If you love BG2 then you'll be hard pressed to find something that is as good.

The closest thing to BG2 is IWD (the first). Same engine and 6 party members. Although it’s linear with no freedom like you have in BG2. also, no NPC’s, as you make your whole party of 6 characters. So even though it plays like BG2 there are a lot of differences. It’s more of a dungeon crawl. If you like killing things then try it. Overall this would be my first suggestion for you to try.

Also, IWD2 offers a similar style game as IWD but the story isn’t that great and there are a lot of puzzles. I would try IWD first and if you like that then try IWD2. Or if you want 3rd ED rules try IWD2, they do this pretty well.

Planescape: Torment will be harder to find as it was taken off the market well over a year ago, so you’ll have to get it on eBay. Same engine as BG, but the resolution is 640x480 only, like BG1. Heavy dialog driven game. You can spend 5 minutes talking to one character sifting through 25 dialog trees. Many didn’t care for this. But it is a single PC with NPC’s like BG2, some who are pretty darn good. Anyway, many say this is the best rpg of all, but you have to like more dialog and less fighting to enjoy this game. Good story.

NWN, while lacking in many areas offers a similar epic style game that is somewhat long. Kinda plays like a BG game but in 3D (not anywhere as good, though). If you like 3D games you might like this.

ToEE, plays a lot like BG but is turned based. Game has a lot of bugs (need all the patches) and no story. Starts off slow too. But still enjoyable enough, I’m on my second run through.

I just gave reviews on d&d games.

Galuf the Dwarf · Post by **Galuf the Dwarf** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 9:22 am

Doesn't this belong in the 'Game Discussion' forum?

fable · Post by **fable** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 9:33 am

Sure does. It's going there, too.

Paranitis · Post by **Paranitis** » Thu Oct 21, 2004 10:51 am

STORY DRIVEN RPG - Planescape: Torment.

ACTION RPG - Fallout and Fallout 2.

There's a game called the "Siege of Avalon Anthology" as well which is like the BG series and it is pretty decent too.

fable · Post by **fable** » Thu Oct 21, 2004 5:04 pm

Siege of Avalon was a big disappointment when it appeared: single character, third person, you found trainers easily, ran Fedx quests, got money and training, and killed the boss. It was supposed to be a series of modules that would be delivered online, eventually forming a large game, but each module was pretty much panned for its lack of creativity and all around dullness. The developers admitted eventually that they'd never made a game before and hadn't really played any CRPGs.

They went out of business, and sold their properties to pay off debts. Avoid it, unless it's less than $5.

Recommendations:

Planescape: Torment
Anito (you'll probably have to buy it from Anino Entertainment)
King of Dragon Pass (unique mix of strategy and RPG)
Morrowind (great FPS fantasy game)

The Z · Post by **The Z** » Thu Oct 21, 2004 7:57 pm

Well, they aren't fantasy, but I've always loved Deus Ex, Fallout 1 & 2 and System Shock 2.

If you liked the story elements of BG2 you'll be amazed at how much Torment surpasses it IMO.

Paranitis · Post by **Paranitis** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 1:27 am

Actually I did get Siege of Avalon in the bargain bin for like 10 bux..hehe

But it was worth what I paid for it. I do agree there were a bunch of easy things, but ehh..I was in the mood for random running around and killing.

Magrus · Post by **Magrus** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 6:54 am

Up until recently I avoided PC games, simply because I could never afford to keep a computer of my own that was relatively up to the task of running the games I wanted to buy. I would have to say though that the game I happened to enjoy most in its own right, was Daggerfall. I couldn't run it on the system at my house, so I had to hike over to my friends to play it years ago so it wouldn't crash on me, but it always seemed worth it to me. I actually preferred a few things in it over Morrowind. I've played different games for longer, and can say they're more advanced and all, but Daggerfall happens to stand out the clearest of anything. It got me hooked on PC games.

Noober · Post by **Noober** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 6:11 pm

Story - Planescape Torment
Action - Icewind Dale (or Diablo II, but thats not really an RPG)
Multiplayer/Mods - Neverwinter Nights plus expansions (almost can't play without them)

Honourable Mentions - Baldur's Gate 1/2/ToB, Morrowind

taltamir · Post by **taltamir** » Tue Nov 09, 2004 1:08 am

CRPG = computer role playing game...

PC CRPG = PC computer role playing game... abit redundant there...

I just cannot make up my mind... I now go by "best of the janre" and by janre I don't mean strategy vs rpg vs whatever (since those dont apply anymore), I mean, the way the game behaves etc. I mean there are SOOOO many games, and SOOO many that I played, it just gets silly to name one the best.

Age of Wonders is best of its class.
Spellforce the order of dawn is best of its class.

Yet many will consider them very similar (which they are, there are just many more games in the class).

There are also many games who break new grounds. When dune 2 came out and I first played it I was awed, it was best of its class, its class however since broke down to several "classes". It splintered.
Homewrold broke grounds, and thus became best of its class by inventing a new one.
Freelancer broke grounds with their rotating turrents and amazing controls for space dogfights...

fable · Post by **fable** » Tue Nov 09, 2004 6:56 am

Age of Wonders is best of its class.
Spellforce the order of dawn is best of its class.

I've never seen them referred to as RPGs, but rather, as strategy titles. Where would you place them?

taltamir · Post by **taltamir** » Tue Nov 09, 2004 12:45 pm

Spellforce is a hybrid heroes/plot driven powers RTS/RPG hybrid.
AoW is a hybrid hero-ascending-to-godhood TBS/RPG
AoW is very similar in that regard to populous 3 the begining,
A hybrid hero-ascending-to-godhood RTS/RPG.

See, those games are usually the ONLY games in their class, they just take the BEST of each janre, mesh it together with awesome plot, AND plot related powers. While in each of those games you play a semi immortal, who uses that to gain power beyond those who can only die once, they are still different.

Sure you might say, "but all of those games are strategy"... while they might have a strategic element in them, it plays out completely different.

Take the myth series for example, no base building or training units, instead you gain new recruits upon completing certain missions, and you better be careful not to loose your soldiers as they carry through. While strategy, its completely different then many others. Its really subjective though.

fable · Post by **fable** » Tue Nov 09, 2004 12:50 pm

Taltamir, I am familiar with the titles, and played some of 'em quite a bit. I reviewed nearly all of them in magazines when they first appeared, and we (and other publications) classified them as standard strategy with RPG costumes: build objects, explore, research gather resources, kill your opponents. I was just trying to find out why you felt otherwise. We'll just have to disagree, on this.

taltamir · Post by **taltamir** » Tue Nov 09, 2004 1:05 pm

well, as i said... in their CLASS, not in their JANRE.

I keep on saying, I am not refering to Janre, sure they do fall into those janres. I am just saying that they are unique, or at least, they start a shift towards a different way of doing things. Take warcraft 3 for example, it is also a strategy game with some rpg elements. but i didnt list it here. For a reason. Warcraft 3 doesdnt go beyond simply making a hybrid janre game, it doesnt have their uniqueness. My description of those wasnt perfect i admit.

Like spellforce warcraft3 is a heroes based RTS/RPG hybrid. You might want to put them in the same category... But its not as good as spellforce.

Usually what i do is.. whenever I get to a game thats so awesome I just have to say its the best... but I already have a best of that kind which it is not better of, its just different. Then I make it into a new class. Homeworld for example, was one such game... the best, but there is already a best strategy game out there, and the two ARE pretty different. Homeworld got its own classification then... a "true 3d controlled RTS game". You can simplify it, but when comparing thosands of games, you just cant choose. Also, the janres as are currently defined are not very descriptive and rather old and outdated. Dont look at it from the cynical professional angle, sure you can look for flaws, but when I play I look for the awesomeness in a game.

Here is another example... final fantasy is an RPG game... Septerra Core is the best of the "class" in which I put final fantasy. There are a TON of games in that "class", of which septerra core is hands down THE BEST. But there are other completely different RPG games. Septerra core kind of RPG CANNOT be compared to MMORPGs or RPG games like Vampire the Masqurade or Dungeon Seige. Sure you play a ROLE (role playing game). But the games themselves are completely different. Games within a janre are often more similar to games in a different janre then to other games within the same janre.

fable · Post by **fable** » Tue Nov 09, 2004 1:29 pm

My perception is that the genre labels used by magazines and websites usually work very well, and provide a broad guide to expectations. Your opinion is that they don't. As I wrote earlier, we'll just have to agree to disagree. Okay?

taltamir · Post by **taltamir** » Tue Nov 09, 2004 3:25 pm

No, you just keep on misinterpreting me.

You said for example: "My perception is that the genre labels used by magazines and websites usually work very well, and provide a broad guide to expectations. Your opinion is that they don't."

This is entirely untrue. I didn't say that they don't provide a broad guide to expectations, I said they are too broad and thus don't provide enough information.

I am fine with disagreeing. Disagreement it is then.

Rudar Dimble · Post by **Rudar Dimble** » Tue Nov 16, 2004 2:54 am

BG2 and NWN:HotU. The NWN:OC sucked big-time, but HotU is pretty cool, although it might be a bit too easy.

I have started a Planescape game a couple of times, but I can't seem to get through the early stages of the game. I can see it has a lot of potential, but I really don't have a single clue on how to start. It's just to much for me to handle in the beginning. I have accepted several quest, but they all include fights I cannot win. And I want to play as a mage, but since you can't start off as one, I get killed all the time, because of my loosy stats

. I could start with more fighter-oriented stats, but that takes they idea away of being a mage...