View Full Version : Need a good RPG
It seems like their hasn't been a decent RPG out since FF7. I picked up morrowind a while back hoping i would get into it. Well a few days ago I nuked it because I realized it was just an offline version of EQ. Could any one point me in the direction of a good RPG? I don't want one like EQ, or FFXI. I just hope they still make decent ones nowadays.
How about Neverwinter Nights? I see they have the platinum edition out now, with both the original game + expansion packs in one.
http://nwn.bioware.com/
Krieger
10-06-04, 07:50 AM
FIZZ3 is right NWN is definatly very good, plus there are a large number of user and a few developer made maps and levels that are very good as well.
Sentential
10-06-04, 08:13 AM
What about the classic " System Shock 2 " That was one of the best RPGs I have ever played. That and Morrowind III The Elder scrolls
Whats the gameplay like? i'm looking for something with an actuall story and some what linear play (can't stand free roaming RPG's anymore after morrowind). And whats the leveling system like?
DocGiggs
10-06-04, 08:18 AM
I'm guessing you want one with a GOOD story but doesn't make up have to stay in one spot forever trying to kill stuff over and over just to advance right? Hrmm.... haven't seen that in awhile. Like others mentioned NWN is pretty decent. Fable for the xbox rocks though if you have an xbox. Since I have no clue what you have or haven't played recently it's hard to make a recommendation.
Do you want a strictly PC game? Or want something for anything including any console like the xbox, ps2, gamecube or even the DC? Do you want strictly fantasy or can any genre work? Do you care about offline only or would you not mind online if it was good enough?
DocGiggs
10-06-04, 08:19 AM
Whats the gameplay like? i'm looking for something with an actually story and some what linear play (can't stand free roaming RPG's anymore). And whats the leveling system like?
NWN it's fairly linear, with a few sidequests that can be considered free roaming but need not be done. Then again, every FF series game I've played has been like that as well.
Leveling system for NWN is standard D&D stuff.
Right now I've got a PC and PS2. And as for sidequests, I don't mind them (best times i've had with an RPG was trying to get all the stuff done in FF7 like killing the weapons) as long as side quests arn't the whole point of the game like morrowind was.
DocGiggs
10-06-04, 08:35 AM
Nope, not the point with NWN. They are just fun. And you can always download user made modules to have more sidequest adventures or whatever. That and BIOware is always releasing a ton of crap to keep modding the game for fun stuff.
For the PS2, have you done all the FF series I'm assuming?
Yea i've beat every FF game so many times it would be redundant to start playing one of those again. What about the new star ocean? I was going to pick it up but I bought the sims2 and RTW instead (in hindsight both of those were mistakes to buy).
DocGiggs
10-06-04, 08:44 AM
I heard star ocean was awsome.. was going to pick it up soon.. I just hate buying games at full price now heh. I rather wait.
Only reason i'm aprehensive about picking that up is because i'm worried it will be like xenosaga (half hour of cutscenes, 15 minutes of playing). If any one has played it could you post your impressions?
whooping_a_panda
10-06-04, 12:25 PM
if you havnt played them yet i deffinatly recomend the baldurs gate series. Dungeon Seige is also a fairly decent RPG albeit relys a bit more heavily on the point and click hack and slash as per diablo (not as bad though, but still noticable). I second the motion for system shock two. It can be had as abandonware nowdays. And along the same lines is Deus Ex which was a great game in itself (mind you im talking about the former not its sequel which in short blew).
For PS2 ive made it my goal in life to get a hold on all the final fantasy RPGs prior to seven, and they are all magnificent, five and six being my favorite. Chronotrigger/FF4 come bundled together and Chronotrigger is great game too. That being said its sequel Chronocross is supposed to have been pretty good too though ive never played it.
OC Noob
10-06-04, 01:52 PM
I would stay away from Dungeon Seige as the story is weak to non-existant.
I would think Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic would be an obvious choice. Its probably the best RPG to come out in years.
Redstone
10-06-04, 02:23 PM
Ever play Fallout or Fallout 2. Dated graphics but great story.
Mucho Gonzales
10-06-04, 04:02 PM
i'll add that knights of the old republic is a great RPG. it has good replay value to, for an RPG, in that you must play thru as both good and bad.
plus it will get you good and ready for kotor II when it comes out. :)
Gregory_WE
10-06-04, 04:12 PM
Look at Gothic / Gothic 2, I loved them both.
KotOR is worth checking out as well.
Schalldampfer
10-06-04, 04:21 PM
If you're looking into some older, yes great games, I would recommend Baldur's Gate series. I wouldn't do the same for its companion Icewind Dale series, however, as it contains little character interaction. FF VII was also fun for me personally, but I guess you've already tried it.
CyberFed
10-06-04, 04:33 PM
The Legend of Zelda, the God of RPGS :)
nakatalee
10-06-04, 04:46 PM
if you have PS2, try Shadowheart:covenant (or the part 2)
you can also buy the part 1. I am not sure this still offered, my friend got the part 1 for free when he ordered the game. It's one of the best RPG in PS2.
Ian Cody
10-06-04, 08:17 PM
For playstation i like Suikoden series(1-3, 4 should be out soon).
Fallout 1 and 2 were lots of fun. I also enjoyed Arcanum, allows for lots of variety in the gameplay.
The Legend of Zelda, the God of RPGS :)
I've been playing thru OoT, bought a gamepad for my PC just for it actually. Dad has the N64+game right now incase u were wondering if i really own it. Got link parked at the fishing pond right now, think i'll go play that for a half hour and go to sleep.
YellowDart
10-06-04, 11:05 PM
I'll second KOTOR... I'm acutally surprised more ppl haven't recommended that title. I'll second Baldurs Gate (I and II), NWN, and Fallout (1 and 2). My personal fav of all time (and the best D&D based RPG imo) is Planescape: Torment. It was made in between BGI and BGII. Very good title, highly recommended. One of the most original stories I've seen on a linear RPG.
Do you have a GBA??? If so, I'd recommend either Golden Sun title. They play very similarly to older FF titles.
Most definetly give Fable a rent, but make sure not to buy it unless you're totally hardcore; hardcore meaning you love playing the game completely through over and over. Fable is a neat RPG that combines many genres in one but is too short and easy, hence the rental vs purchasing. Also, KOTOR, as said before, is an awesome RPG overall (and it isn't 10 hours long, unlike Fable). I'd recommend actually buying it.
I always thought KOTOR was an adventure game not a RPG. I still havn't heard from any one that's played star ocean tho.
Krieger
10-07-04, 08:29 AM
My brother has Star Ocean(I was going to buy it) and said he likes it alot. I'm going to borrow it when he's done. I'm currently playing Soukiden 3 right now(sadly I never got around to finishing 2).
I always thought KOTOR was an adventure game not a RPG. I still havn't heard from any one that's played star ocean tho.
The setting of KotOR is very different from classic RPGs- star wars vs dungeons & dragons; maybe that's why it seems to be such a different type of game.
I always thought KOTOR was an adventure game not a RPG. I still havn't heard from any one that's played star ocean tho.
If you draw your lines of definition between "RPG" and "adventure" to where you consider FF games "adventure", then KOTOR is an adventure too. Where ever they fall, they would definitely fall in the same catagory since their elements of gameplay are very similar.
Star Ocean is okay. I think a lot of the previously mentioned PC titles are a lot better. Suikoden II is a lot better too, despite being old.
IMO, the Japanese have gotten pretty lame at making RPG's... I have absolutely zero anticipation for Square titles anymore.
John G
Alacritan
10-07-04, 11:32 PM
KotOR was very linear, but still an RPG. You character developed based upon your actions so it was still a roleplaying game. Your path was 90% decided, but it's still an RPG.
If you've got an Xbox, you should have Fable. It's great. I'd play it more but it's all the way downstairs...
CPUonNO2
10-07-04, 11:43 PM
What about Thief? www.Thief3.com
OC Noob
10-08-04, 12:20 AM
KotOR was very linear, but still an RPG. You character developed based upon your actions so it was still a roleplaying game. Your path was 90% decided, but it's still an RPG.
If you've got an Xbox, you should have Fable. It's great. I'd play it more but it's all the way downstairs...
What do you mean by very linear?
You can go to almost any planet in any order and get to the starforges in any order.
Do you mean the story? There really is no game that isn't linear in that respect. You travel along the main story and in some games you can get off track and mess around (GTA and most RPGs), but you need to get right back on track at the same point and follow that very linear track to complete the game.
I'm just curious what you mean by it though because it seems to me that all games are very linear with respects to the story line. The only game I can think of with a true branch rather then just alternate endings/very small branches at the end of the game would be True Crimes: Streets of LA which had 3 braches and like 8 different endings.
In Kotor you really can't get lost and just explore like you can in a game like Morrowind, so in that way it could be considered linear. Although, there are a lot of optional quests to distract you from the main story. Almost all of the party characters have cool history/side stories that are optional quests.
To the original poster: it is infact and RPG if ever there was an RPG. Quests, turn based combat and all that stuff. To me its a mixture of traditional western RPGs and Japanesse RPGs.
ps Thief 3 isn't an RPG is it or is it more of an action-rpg like Zelda?
CPUonNO2
10-08-04, 12:25 AM
ps Thief 3 isn't an RPG is it or is it more of an action-rpg like Zelda?
Well, supposedly it's in a class all it's own "First Person Looter". It has aspects of both a FPS and an RPG, but from what I've seen it's generally classified as the latter.
OK I think I left the description of RPG way to vague. I'm looking for something that retains alot of the elements from the old FF series. Turn based fighting system, HP MP & EXP points, Cool world map to explore when I feel like it. The problem is after EQ got half of every computer gamer addicted to it, every one who made an RPG sold out and started going in that direction so the old true RPG's are now almost dead. I was just seeing if their was one that I missed.
BTW this is a list of all the RPG's I have played that I can think of right now.
Final Fantasy (4-11 & tactics)
Phantasy Star series
Shining Force 2
Chrono trigger & cross
Diablo 2, EQ, Morrowind
Zelda series (don't consider these RPG's more like adventure)
Xenosaga
OK I think I left the description of RPG way to vague. I'm looking for something that retains alot of the elements from the old FF series. Turn based fighting system, HP MP & EXP points, Cool world map to explore when I feel like it. The problem is after EQ got half of every computer gamer addicted to it, every one who made an RPG sold out and started going in that direction so the old true RPG's are now almost dead. I was just seeing if their was one that I missed.
Kotor has turn based combat, but the battle takes place without shifting scenes at all. Your characters manuever, grenades have area effect, mines can exist, etc...more realistic. FF is bad about combat being disjointed from the rest of the game. KOTOR flows smoothly with the rest of the game. The results in battle are determined by math equations and die rolls.
Characters have HP, Force Points, gain EXP and levels, spend skill points and choose feats and force powers when levels are gained. Character development is deeper than FF games typically are. You also create your own main character, which heavily affects your successful styles of gameplay, gender affects the story and interaction with characters, and during the game your actions dictate your alignment (Light or Dark) which also affects gameplay, story, and interaction with characters. There are multiple ways of completing goals, quests, stories, of interacting with characters... The core story generally heads in the same direction, but your options are huge and offer a pretty in depth role playing experience. There's no world map. It's more area to area. It's just a different way of doing it.
On a side note, a lot of people view FF games as a "reference" for RPG's. It's the first one they played, and everyone told them what made it different from other games is that it's an RPG and the other action games and such they played were not. However, the original FF was basically an attempt to try to capture as much of the experience of playing a paper & pencil or table top RPG like D&D that really takes place in people's imaginations as they could with the very minimal computing capabilities that were available at the time with game consoles. It succeeded in capturing a very small fraction of that gaming experience and put it in a package of play at will convenience without a requirement for strong use of imagination. Future FF games were just an evolutionary path of the original in which sometimes steps were taken to try to capture more of that original goal like an involving storyline or characters that...had character. Other things were just the game evolving into its own distinct species. Obviously...FF games are really a poor "reference" or benchmark for RPG's.
In a more pure sense, role playing is inserting yourself into a role and playing it how you see fit. Kids actually start doing this at a very early age, playing things like House, Cops & Robbers, Cowboys & Indians, playing with Ninja Turtle action figures, etc...Typically, there are two main tools to make that experience fun. One is having freedom of choice to shape your own self and path in the game world. Two is making it immersive, involving, and stimulating. Historically, computer based games could pick one of those two to try to do well. They are becoming increasingly able to do both, but they're still not there yet. One is mostly limited by computing capabilities and programming resources. Two is typically limited by the abilities of the people making the games to do what the literary and filming communities have already developed down to a science. Frankly, I would be embarrased to have my name on most games when holding them up to the tested and proven standards of those two mature communities. Get Peter Jackson to make a computer game and you would see how pathetic most attempts at games are.
Heh, anyway...try KOTOR, I think you'll like it. It's enough like FF that you'll probably get drawn into it, but different enough to feel new and fresh. Overall comparison, I would say it's quality (KOTOR) instead of quantity (FF).
Alacritan
10-08-04, 10:41 PM
Well, supposedly it's in a class all it's own "First Person Looter". It has aspects of both a FPS and an RPG, but from what I've seen it's generally classified as the latter.
What I wouldn't give to hear the Theif guy yell "Holler! I got mad loot, yo!"
Alacritan
10-08-04, 10:43 PM
Heh, anyway...try KOTOR, I think you'll like it. It's enough like FF that you'll probably get drawn into it, but different enough to feel new and fresh. Overall comparison, I would say it's quality (KOTOR) instead of quantity (FF).
No doubt KotOR was great, if I hadn't gotten stuck trying to reach the bridge of the Dark Jedi's ship in the middle of the game. They took so long to fix that bug I uninstalled the game and have yet to pick it back up again.
Make sure you get the patches.
OC Noob
10-09-04, 01:01 AM
Kotor has turn based combat, but the battle takes place without shifting scenes at all. Your characters manuever, grenades have area effect, mines can exist, etc...more realistic. FF is bad about combat being disjointed from the rest of the game. KOTOR flows smoothly with the rest of the game. The results in battle are determined by math equations and die rolls.
Characters have HP, Force Points, gain EXP and levels, spend skill points and choose feats and force powers when levels are gained. Character development is deeper than FF games typically are. You also create your own main character, which heavily affects your successful styles of gameplay, gender affects the story and interaction with characters, and during the game your actions dictate your alignment (Light or Dark) which also affects gameplay, story, and interaction with characters. There are multiple ways of completing goals, quests, stories, of interacting with characters... The core story generally heads in the same direction, but your options are huge and offer a pretty in depth role playing experience. There's no world map. It's more area to area. It's just a different way of doing it.
On a side note, a lot of people view FF games as a "reference" for RPG's. It's the first one they played, and everyone told them what made it different from other games is that it's an RPG and the other action games and such they played were not. However, the original FF was basically an attempt to try to capture as much of the experience of playing a paper & pencil or table top RPG like D&D that really takes place in people's imaginations as they could with the very minimal computing capabilities that were available at the time with game consoles. It succeeded in capturing a very small fraction of that gaming experience and put it in a package of play at will convenience without a requirement for strong use of imagination. Future FF games were just an evolutionary path of the original in which sometimes steps were taken to try to capture more of that original goal like an involving storyline or characters that...had character. Other things were just the game evolving into its own distinct species. Obviously...FF games are really a poor "reference" or benchmark for RPG's.
In a more pure sense, role playing is inserting yourself into a role and playing it how you see fit. Kids actually start doing this at a very early age, playing things like House, Cops & Robbers, Cowboys & Indians, playing with Ninja Turtle action figures, etc...Typically, there are two main tools to make that experience fun. One is having freedom of choice to shape your own self and path in the game world. Two is making it immersive, involving, and stimulating. Historically, computer based games could pick one of those two to try to do well. They are becoming increasingly able to do both, but they're still not there yet. One is mostly limited by computing capabilities and programming resources. Two is typically limited by the abilities of the people making the games to do what the literary and filming communities have already developed down to a science. Frankly, I would be embarrased to have my name on most games when holding them up to the tested and proven standards of those two mature communities. Get Peter Jackson to make a computer game and you would see how pathetic most attempts at games are.
Heh, anyway...try KOTOR, I think you'll like it. It's enough like FF that you'll probably get drawn into it, but different enough to feel new and fresh. Overall comparison, I would say it's quality (KOTOR) instead of quantity (FF).
Very well said. I've noticed people starting to consider the FFVII style games as traditional rather then their predicessors.
OK I went to bestbuy and picked up their last copy of KOTOR. From what i've been able to play I do like it already. But right after I click to get into the escape pod in the first mission the game perfomes an illegal op and shuts down. Ne one know WTF thats about?
Perhaps a patch is in order? If not, restart and see if it happens again. If it persists, reinstall and backup your save somewhere else then put it back into the new install.
Fable "1.5" is supposed to be either A) a PC port or B) an Xbox Live update or C)soemthing else like a sequl. B was already denied in an issue of ??? Magazine (I don't recall at the moment).
But yeah, as I said before, give Fable a rent.
OK this game is pissing me off. It's crashing half the time I try to load a new level. And yes everything is patched. WTF is wrong with this game?!?
Have any issues with your CD drive?
dungeon siege 2!!!! mad loot baby.
dungeon siege 2!!!! mad loot baby.
Dungeon Siege 2 isn't out yet. While DS1 was an OK game, it suffered from a major flaw as far as online gaming was concerned: no protection whatsoever from cheating. All game data were stored at the user's harddisk and were easily modified. 99% of games online were filled with fakers/fake items because of that.
Dungeon Siege 2 isn't out yet. While DS1 was an OK game, it suffered from a major flaw as far as online gaming was concerned: no protection whatsoever from cheating. All game data were stored at the user's harddisk and were easily modified. 99% of games online were filled with fakers/fake items because of that.
2 is also using a modified version of the old engine. So far the screenshots have not been impressive. Also, filling up your inventory and then trying to empty it out by hand, time after time, was really annoying.
DocGiggs
10-11-04, 12:10 PM
Roleplaying games it just that. Playing a role of any type. It could be a role you design and develop from scratch, preassigned, or even yourself. In that sense ALL games that aren't inherent puzzle games like tetris, chess, or marbles is a "role" playing game. If you play Doom3, or CoD or even Tigerwoods golf you are playing a "role" playing game. Not in the typical sense as most people associated RPG with, but those really ARE RPGs. You insert yourself into a role and play a character. The character may have zero development but that's a completely different issue.
However, Doom, although roleplaying, also fits into another role of video games. It's also action/adventure and first person shooter. Since it fits "closest" with FPS, it's designated FPS. Games like the original final fantasy are role playing, character development, puzzle, action/adventure, and story driven. Since the majority of the game is based around character development, it receives the label RPG. And that's the crux of RPG's for video games. Character development. Although, increasingly we are seeing anything which is majorly driven by a storyline as being labeled as an RPG as well.
So there you have it, by today's definition, a computer based RPG is a mixture of character development and story line. Which is what the tradition pen&paper games revolved around for the most part (there were exceptions like Paranioa for example). Since pen&paper games came first, and they were based off character development and story, video games that fit mostly within those specifications get that label as well. This is because it's really hard to translate a FPS into something as a game in real life. IF it can be done at all. You can do a puzzle game in both RL and on a computer. You can do an "RPG" in both settings as well. You can't do a FPS in both.
Oh well, it's fun talking theoretical info on games and such but the original topic has been answered above what the original expectations of the OP. Many of the games like KOTOR right now are very inexpensive and as such are not are that hard to buy and try. If you don't like it then you haven't missed out on much. This is why I hate buying games at $50. Rather pay $20 or under. With only a few rare exceptions.
If you are looking for a nice online RPG game of a different flair with character development and some story lines... I can recommend City of Heroes. So far, this is the best online RPG based game I have ever played. So long as you aren't overly concerned about the "loot" factor.
Dungeon Siege 2 isn't out yet. While DS1 was an OK game, it suffered from a major flaw as far as online gaming was concerned: no protection whatsoever from cheating. All game data were stored at the user's harddisk and were easily modified. 99% of games online were filled with fakers/fake items because of that.
sorry, i meant Dungeon Siege LOA!!!!
:p
Which is what the tradition pen&paper games revolved around for the most part (there were exceptions like Paranioa for example).
Paranoia is awesome!! :D :D
One of my favorite role playing experiences. It can be absolutely hilarious too.
vBulletin® v3.8.7, Copyright ©2000-2012, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.