Aright, seems like a decent place to make a first post. The list has a quasi-order but tends to re-arrange itself depending on the day. I'm a bit tired, so I'll make this a top 5 list with several honorable mentions that I don't really feel like ordering. I haven't played a ridiculous amount of rpgs (I havent even tried planescape, bloodlines, darklands, toeeee, any ultimas, etc. I am a terrible person), but anyhow, here we go:
1. Fallout: What can I say, it rocks my socks. It's got a superb setting (post apocalyptic 50's retro-scifi-future americana whatever you call it, I love the combination), problems solvable in a multitude of ways, probably the most visible effects of your characters skill out of any rpg, great dialog and combat, for me the best all around game, it seems to excel in just about everything. <3
2. Daggerfall: Ambitious, detailed, an manages to overcome its many flaws with its awesomeness. A bit to dungeon based for my taste, the second most buggy game I have ever played, half implemented features, but the fact that I enjoyed it as much as I did despite all that is a testament to its goodness.
3. Arcanum: Possibly the coolest setting ever in an RPG. It is also a great rpg on its own, and it's (rpoposed) sequel was set to have the best game name ever: Journey to the Centre of Arcanum.
4. Fallout 2: Bigger and louder than fallout, and had some very nice inter-town politics, but not as cohesive, plausible (duh) and consistent as the first. Also, lacked some of the freedom and multiple paths of Fallout. Still great though.
5. Realms of Arkania #2: Star Trail: Love the detail and the skill list. I usually prefer solo-rpgs, but this had me playing for a long time.
Honorable Mention time:
Prelude To Darkness: After you play Prelude to Darkness, you will realize that all the debate about xp-based vs use-based development is totally silly. This game seemlessly combines both systems to provide the best (leveless by the way) character development ever. Another great party based rpg with multiple paths galore. If that sounds to good, its also free, somewhere in
http://www.rpgcodex.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=15506. (This by the way is the 1st most buggy game I've ever played. If you can take it though, it's totally worth it. I would really like to see these guys make another game some day.)
Morrowind: Well, horribly dissapointing after daggerfall, missed so much of the potential there, and often rather either boring or strangely designed gameplay, but still, one of the bdst realized worlds I've seen in a game backstory/detail wise. Kept me playing long after the gameplay became stale.
Kotor 2: A flawed game no doubt, and I wish Obsidian had chosen a better series to continue, but still a lot of great ideas in there. I eagerly await that gizka mod thing. In my mind, quite superior to the original.
Silent Storm/Jagged Alliance 2: These get mention for being awesome "almost" rpgs (Sort of like Dues Ex, I guess, never played that either
). Thats the kind of turn based system I want to see expanded on. Rock on.
I might think of some more later, I dont know.