Help me With my Unfinished List of cRPGs

Help me With my Unfinished List of CRPGs

Okay I think all of us have unfinished RPGs but mine seems to be quite long. At first, I do have some shame in placing this list here as I consider this board to be filled with high-end RPG fans. And although this list looks long, believe me, I have finished my share.

I have spent the last five years being sucked into MMOs. I think they really screwed me up. I need your help getting me back to where I belong. Off the top of my head, here is what I have finished in the last 10 years or so..

Neverwinter Nights
Neverwinter Nights 2
Oblivion
Fallout 3
Divine Divinity
Nox
Diablo
Diablo II
Ultima II
Ultima III
Ultima V
Ultima VI
Ultima VII
Ultima IX
Sacred
Fable
Might and Magic I
Might and Magic II
Siege Of Avalon
Blades of Exile
Eschalon: Book I

Never finished list
Please note, my old computer had the saved games so I cant continue and will have to start over on most of these games.

Gothic 3
I am playing this right now. It is exactly what I need to help deal with getting away from online games. In Gothic 3 you can skin creatures, mine ore, make weapons, etc. In other words, its a rare single player game that has crafting. I am enjoying this very much right now and will finish it.

When I am done with Gothic 3 I need a game plan or an order what to do next. In no particular order, here are some I never started nor finished.

Fallout 1 and 2
I LOVED Fallout 3 and I am craving the old Fallout games I never played.

Gothic II
It took about a week to get used to the poor graphics (I actually think older sprite games look better than early 3d) but this game was a gem. I played it a bit back in 2006. Got about halfway done. Then, like I always do, lost interest..

Ultima VIII
Played many years ago in bunches but I am now waiting for the Pentagram upgrade with higher resolutions. I will give it one more year before I just play it through Dos Box.

Ultima VII: Serpent Isle
Did about 50% of it, then ran into some major issues. It seems if you don't do certain things in a certain order, it can screw up your game. This is both what makes an open ended game great and bad, at the same time.

Arcanum
Back in 2003 or so I finished about 50% of this game I really loved it. It hated having to move the camera AND move my character. Why with this, and Baldur's Gate could there never be a camera that keeps your character centered all the time? Anyways I am seriously considering this one next after Gothic 3.

Baldurs Gate Series
I may go straight to Baldurs Gate 2 and skip the firs tone. I played these a bit a while ago but never got too far. Again, the camera thing drove me nuts.

Two Worlds
Played for 5 minutes. Thought it was trash.

Planescape Torment
I heard this was a classic. I have never played it at all. However, I am picky, and I assume I will have to deal (once again) with a camera that you have to manually follow your character. I also like to see different armor on my character.

Jade Empire
Really enjoyed this game. I have no reason to give you why I never finished it.

KOTOR
Really enjoyed this game. I have no reason to give you why I never finished it.

Mass Effect
Really enjoyed this game but I think it is slightly overrated. I got sick of landing on planets and driving, and driving, and driving....

Fable 2
Still have it now. I am real close but have not played in months. I guess I should finish it to get it out of the way. More of an action-RPG though, and not a computer game.

Morrowind
I have tried to finish this game many times. I just could not do it. Not sure if it is ever in the cards for me.

The Witcher: Enhanced Edition
You know me by now, camera issues. I tried the demo, and the over the shoulder cam is brutal. Your character is off center to the screen. Just could not get into it.


Of course these are upcoming
Arcania: Gothic IV
Risen
Divine Divinity 2
Dragon Age
Eschalon: Book II
Diablo 3
Starcraft 2

I need some help. Maybe a timeline, who knows. But on my list, what really NEEDS to be done?

Okay, let me list the games I did finish in the order I would recommend them.

1. Fallout 1 and 2
Those two are classics. The first one is probably better. It is shorter, but more intense. The second one has some improved gameplay and is larger, but overall doesn't captivate as much as the first part. But again, both games are excellent, and better than Fallout 3.

2. Baldurs Gate Series
Skip the first game, play the second. It is a truly epic adventure with great party members.

2. Ultima VII: Serpent Isle
Yes, I have two second places. If you played the first 50% of Serpent Isle, you played the better 50% of the game. But since the whole game is a masterpiece despite some flaws (the development was rushed at the end), I have to recommend it.

3. Planescape Torment
It's almost more an adventure than a roleplaying game. So don't expect much equipment management. It is a magnificent game though, with incredible depth.

4. Gothic II
It's a very good game. Definitely better than Gothic 3, despite the aged graphics.

5. KOTOR
I liked it very much. It has a true Star Wars feeling, but feels fresh, and the quality is consistently good throughout the game.

6. Mass Effect
You will enjoy it more if you realise that it is not worth exploring everything. Do the main quest and the scripted side quests and you are fine. Explore evrey planet, and you will get bored. Unfortunately, you can't avoid the inventory system which is utter crap. I liked story and setting a lot, though.

7. Arcanum
Good, but not great. I didn't like the style of the game, and disliked the combat.

8. Ultima VIII
It's okay. The story and setting are good, but the dungeons are annoying, and combat is a clickfest.

If you're going to play the Baldur's Gate games, then I would highly recommend starting with BG1 and playing through the whole series. Both games are classics, and it's a lot of fun to create your character in BG1, and them import him/her into the sequel+expansion.

I also noticed you mentioned Gothic 2&3, but not Gothic 1. Have you played it? It adds a lot to the atmosphere of the later games if you play Gothic 1 first, as there are a lot of recurring characters. Not to mention it's one of the greatest crpgs ever made...

Not sure how far you want to go back in time, but no serious RPG fan can go without completing some Goldbox games, like:

Pool of Radiance
Curse of the Azure Bonds
Secret of the Silver Blades
Pools of Darkness

Champions of Krynn
Death Knights of Krynn
Dark Queen of Krynn

Countdown to Doomsday
Matrix Cubed

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My overall favorite is Pool of Radiance - but there's a very special place in my heart for the Buck Rogers games, and given how rare a good sci-fi RPG is, I strongly recommend checking them out

Oh, and I DEFINITELY agree with JDR - you have to start with BG1. Now that there are mods to patch it up to modern day resolutions and what not, there's really no good reason NOT to start at the beginning. BG1 has an excellent story, and it would be sad to miss out on the opportunity to build a character from scratch and "live" the role throughout both games and their expansions.

Back in 2003 or so I finished about 50% of this game I really loved it. It hated having to move the camera AND move my character. Why with this, and Baldur's Gate could there never be a camera that keeps your character centered all the time?

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That's kind of funny, I'm the exact opposite. I loved that I could move my camera, then move my player seperately. Going back and playing Ultima VII, I was highly annoyed that the camera was always focused on my Avatar!

Grandor Dragon said:

2. Baldurs Gate Series
Skip the first game, play the second. It is a truly epic adventure with great party members.

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Disagree. Play the first one through BGTuTu and add in the party banter pack. I love it in its original state, but TuTu and the banter pack make it awesome.

Pool of Radiance
Curse of the Azure Bonds
Secret of the Silver Blades
Pools of Darkness

Champions of Krynn
Death Knights of Krynn
Dark Queen of Krynn

Countdown to Doomsday
Matrix Cubed

Click to expand...

I really need to go back and play those. I don't think I actually played a single one as I didn't have enough money to buy more than two or three games in a year, max.

I also agree to play BG1 - I actually prefer it to 2, although I realise most disagree. PS:T, Arcanum and Gothic 2 are also must-plays in my opinion. The Witcher is a modern classic - what about the overhead view? Although, I found the over-the-shoulder view one of the best cameras in recent years, so perhaps our tastes are too far apart.

Mass Effect is hardly important for a CRPG fan but, you know, I didn't do much driving at all. Skip all the optional planets - every single one of them - and you'll find it a much better experience.

If you're thinking of some of the old-school ones like Pool of Radiance and the Krynn series, there was also a "Savage Frontier" series. Gateway to the Savage Frontier, Treasures (I think) of the Savage Frontier... I didn't play them, but someone going back all the way to the Gold-Box SSI games might enjoy their last games, where they were more polished. They also put out a Buck Rogers game that my friend played and liked a great deal.

Regarding Mass Effect, as someone who wrote some of the conversations at the end of the long driving scenes, I am bummed that they put that much driving in front of it. There are a few that I think are worth it for roleplaying value in terms of having conversations that give you a choice in how to resolve the situation, but as others have noted, you'll be just fine if you skip them entirely and just play through the main quests.

If you played the first Neverwinter Nights, did you ever play the expansion packs? On the first game, the writers had to scrap the story a few months before ship in order to make a new story that worked with how the module structure was organized -- and it showed. Shadows of Undrentide and Hordes of the Underdark are just "Here, let's make a story with our tools," and are a lot more fun to play.

My experience with the Savage Frontier games was that while they were more polished, they were also more "factory-product-streamlined", kinda like most modern CRPGs are today.

So while aesthetics are better, the actual games are not.

Just my opinion, of course.

don't forget to try Arx Fatalis, Wizardry 8, System Shock 2, and Jagged Alliance.

Vampire: Bloodlines
Don't let the FPS interface fool you. This is one of the finest RPG's out there.

Deus Ex series
Once in awhile scores prices for best story ever made. If it deserves it or not is up to you, but you should try it. The second game (Invisible War) was not as good, but still better than most games out there.

Dungeon Siege II
Do not bother with the first. The 2nd game is an underappreciated gem. It have the Diablo-style combat with party mechanics with a Baldur's Gate style quest system.

Freedom Force series
One often forgotten. A tactical RPG with classical 60'ies super heroes that very much looks and play like graphic novels. Just have a look at the intro you will get the theme.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkDPEilHvWw
Later on you get up to four heroes in your party. You level them up as well to unlock new powers etc.

Jagged Alliance II
I haven't played the first game, but JA2 is a must play.

Wizardry 8
Also one of the finest.

Icewind Dale I, II and Heart of Winter
If you are really into it, the Icewind Dale series are like Baldur's Gate although with a bit more hack & Slash.

The Temple of Elemental Evil
Not a bad game if you enjoy Dungeon & Dragons style games. Not BG2 quality though.

I need to get into the gold box games. I assume I just need to find abandonware copies of them and download DOSbox or something?

I'd have to agree with what everyone here has posted, though - but I would use Baldur's Gate Trilogy instead of BGTuTu to go through BG1->BG2->TOB.

If you want to play with the mega mods installed....

http://www.shsforums.net/index.php?showtopic=40337

JemyM, if you haven't tried Jagged Alliance 2 with the v1.13 mod then you have full experienced it. I strongly recommend the mod. You can get it here at bear pit jagged alliance. I had played the original JA2 for years. Once I downloaded this, it added another few years to gameplay. Give it a go. You won't be disappointed.
http://ja2v113.pbworks.com/

I actually enjoyed Gateway and Treasures of the Savage Frontier more than the older FR-based gold box games. I bought the box set, which had all 9 DnD based games. I also have three copies of Unlimited Adventures; the game editor for the GB engine. All have been constant on my hard drive since the 386 days though. So you won't be going wrong with any of them.

You might also try out the Bard's Tale series. There are 3, plus Dragon Wars. I feel 2 was the best of the trilogy, 3 was somewhat disappointing over all, but still a solid dungeon romp. Dragon Wars had a very different feel despite the similarities, but is a decent game. Very, very short though. I beat it in a single sitting once, about 10 hours straight. I knew where to go, but still.

Phantasie I and III can be found for DOS as well. Graphics are painful, especially if you're like me and played them on the superior C64. But the gameplay is just as good, and even a bit better thanks to the greater speed and smoothness of DOS.

The Summoning, Veil of Darkness, and Dusk of the Gods are all 3 isometric RPGs made by SSI early in the 1990's. I have all three, though I've only seriously played The Summoning and Veil of Darkness. Veil is a horror-esque title, but very well written. Summoning is a bit bare, but a good puzzle/rpg game with some length.

Might and Magic III, and IV/V (World of Xeen) should be on every hard drive. World of Xeen was on GoG or gametap or something not long ago, for free. Probably not now, but still worth the money. World of Xeen is IMO the best of the series by far.

Another pair of games that no collection should lack is Wizardry 6: Bane of the Cosmic Forge, and Wizardry 7: Crusaders of the Dark Savant. Both are hard, but rewarding games, and as a bonus you can transfer your party from 6 all the way to 8.

Mines of Titan (Mars Saga on some systems) is an interesting Sci-fi title. Nothing spectacular, but you might check it out.

Wasteland is the spiritual predecessor to the Fallout games, and is built on the same engine as the Bard's Tale. I found it to be more difficult to play, but it may also have been the setting. Post-apocalyptic and sci-fi generally aren't my cup of tea.

If you can find them, the Magic Candle series is very good. I've been wishing I still had my copy of MCIII. There's also the Ultima Underworld series, as well as the Worlds of Ultima games, which were built using the U6 engine and mechanics but had different settings and stories.

Eye of the Beholder 1-3 were fair, and Dungeon Hack is good for a quick romp. It's randomly generated each time. There were a few other games built on that engine as well.

Wizardry 8 should be on every hard drive ever. Period. Buy it. Yesterday. Build a time machine and buy many copies.

Wizards and Warriors, designed by D.W. Bradley, is fairly decent, if derivative of the Wiz6-8 design. It's also a bit buggy, IIRC.

I don't see MM6-8 mentioned anywhere. They're all worth it, though 8 is not as good as 6 and 7.

Edit: Also, I don't see NWN2: MotB mentioned either. Best D&D game to come out in years.

How do you guys play (and finish) so many games ?
I'm still playing GIII and started it more than a month ago now.

We're concentrated to RPGs and we played them all over the years. Some games we also replayed instead of risking other genres (with exceptions, for example I'm currently playing MMO travian).

I was sat down back when I was 3 in front of Bard's Tale 1 by my grandfather. I also watched him play DnD 1e back in the day.

RPG's have been my main genre ever since.

I didn't mention MM6-7 because I forgot them. 8-9 aren't worthy to be played.

Fallout 1 and 2
I LOVED Fallout 3 and I am craving the old Fallout games I never played.

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Fallout 1 and 2 are totally different than Fallout 3. Actually they have nothing in common so it's not sure you'll like first games.

Konjad said:

Fallout 1 and 2 are totally different than Fallout 3. Actually they have nothing in common so it's not sure you'll like first games.

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Sure they do. I personally think they managed to carry on the general setting of the first game in terms of looks and sounds into Fallout 3.

But apart from that they have all but nothing in common.

Übereil

Rithrandil said:

I need to get into the gold box games. I assume I just need to find abandonware copies of them and download DOSbox or something?

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I'm not sure if they're free or not, but you'd best look into the Amiga versions if you can get your hands on them. I think I still have both my C64 and Amiga Goldbox games somewhere

The games were released at a time when the Amiga was superior for gaming, in pretty much every way.

Just make sure you install them on a harddisk in WinUAE - if possible. Don't want to switch floppies - virtual or not