Kotor 2 as well. But that is irrelevant as I was replying to Alrik's claim that he hadnt seen it in other
games besides BG (I expanded the quote to clarify).
EDIT: Thinking about it the list includes almost all party-based A-list RPGs since BG2. The only post-BG2 party based game I've played that suffered from limited banters was Drakensang, and even that game has SOME banter (somewhat comparable to Arcanum from what I can tell from playing through about half of it).
That Bioware quote is relevant, since BG1 what other party based game other than those directly linked to Bioware had developed companions banter?
A second point is dialogs triggered by the player cannot be considered as banter. At least I think dialogs with companions wasn't the point of OP about this. From this point of view, even many Bioware games reduced a lot the bantering in comparison to BG1 or at least in comparison with BG2. The only real exception I know is DAO. Sure Deekin is another exception but I don't remember NWN OC and other addon had significant banter, at least as much developed than in BG1. For NWN2 OC I also don't remember much, only few banter and the same for MoTB.
I don't see why limit the list to AAA CRPG, so since BG1 and from those I played:
- Icewind Dale series: No companions, no banter.
- Dungeon Siege I: I don't remember any banter, if there was some it was quite minimal I bet. Not as much developed than in BG1, from far.
- Lionheart: Legacy of the Crusader: Your MC could recruit some companions. They had some banter but very minimal and to comment some places or events if I remember well. Not as much developed than in BG1.
- The Temple of Elemental Evil: Only very very few banter, despite it's companions based joining a base party of characters created. It's true that the writing in this game isn't much developed so it's logical that the banter too isn't much developed. Not as much developed than in BG1, from far.
- Dungeon Siege II: There's more banter than in DS1 but it's quite like Drakensang, it's more comments about some places and some comments related to events and quests. The system suffered a lot of interruption because of fights so in practice you lost all the pleasure from it. Not as much developed than in BG1, partially because of the interruption design bug.
- Avernum 1 & 2: I don't remember some companions could join your party, arg I didn't played them since a long time but don't remember for sure. In any case not as much developed than in BG1, from far.
- Avernum 5: I remember, you could bring one companion few times, but he got only few text events or banter like stuff. In any case not as much developed than in BG1, from far.
- Avernum 6: I'm playing it and have play only a little part yet. I already noticed one companion you could get with you for one quest had a bit more banter or text event, trying picture a little his personality. Well it's still quite minimal in comparison with BG1 but I don't know yet until I have finished it.
- Gothic 2+NOTR: That could not be party based but you have many opportunities to bring a companion with you, his banter is never much developed but there's few good one for some. Not as much developed than in BG1 but partially because the game isn't really party based.
- Drakensang: It's quite more companions that directly interact with a quest or an event or comment a place, if I remember well. It's very cool but different and not that much developed. Not as much developed than in BG1 but not that far behind.
If you add to the picture all NWN1&2 series with only few banter, the global picture is a lot different than your quote seems let think.
The point is banter hasn't been much developed since BG1&2 and only Drakensang made a better effort and DAO did some progress with a significant bantering even more developed than in BG1 even if not as subtle and often too much joke based.
For a parallel quote, I don't like the direction that took Bioware by making deep companion dialogs you had to trigger yourself and that are challenge based. It's eventually a little better done in DAO but it's still not a good system I bet it drag many players, to somehow reload a bit too much because of this. And those dialogs don't have at all the same charm that banter can have or that can have dialogs initiated by companions.
EDIT: I think one important design flaw coming from companions dialogs you trigger by yourself is that this mechanism isn't well merged to the global gameplay flow. They are like side elements to the main game. This broke a lot their immersion to the game and then their effect on the player. The only point linking them a little bit to the gameplay flow is the player greed to get more from companions. It's hard to reinforce the game mood through such mechanism. Perhaps DAO succeed a little better because of a better quality, more diversity, but it's still a system flawed even in DAO.
