Non-party RPGs?
 

Yeah, yeah, "real" RPGs have parties and stuff, but frankly, I hate managing a whole party - there's entirely too many things to think about, IMHO; besides, if I'm roleplaying, I can't (nor do I want to) roleplay half a dozen characters, because I'm just one person (last I checked, anyway!). So, because of all that, I prefer RPGs where you don't lead a party, and I'm looking for suggestions.

Stuff like Gothic is just perfect, but RPG hybrids are fine too (Deus Ex, System Shock). I don't really mind games where you've got a henchmen, like NWN 1 (but not 2 - two/three henchmen are too much to think about). Basicaly, I want to control my own character only, even if he is followed by a couple of hardy adventurers.

So… suggestions? :)

Arx Fatalis
Jade Empire Special Edition
Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines
Oblivion (and other Elder Scrolls games)
Fable: The Lost Chapters
Two Worlds
Dungeon Lords Collector`s Edition
Ultima IX: Ascension
The Bard's Tale
Divine Divinity & Beyond Divinity
Dark Messiah of Might&Magic (more like action game with minor RPG elements)
and many more…

Pozdrav iz Slovenije.

You need to talk about what you've played. Here are a few:
- Nox
- Arx Fatalis
- Elder Scrolls games
- Sacred
- Arcanum
- Dungeon Lords
- VtM: Bloodlines
- Lionheart (first 20 hours only)
- Titan Quest
- Silverfall
…

Beyond Divinity is a special case, because you have basically a party consisting of TWO characters, plus you can have the summoning dolls as additional party members (and "beast of burdens", so to say).

I've played most of those games you two listed, except Fable, Dungeon Lords, Ultima, The Bard's Tale, Beyond Divinity and Sacred.

I'm not in the mood for simple hack&slash games right now, seeing as I was playing Silverfall recently (got to the snow area before I got bored), so, I guess the last three games on that list are out (unless I'm mistaken?); I've never really tried Fable because I got the impression it was too simplified (I remember I thought of Dungeon Siege when I read the review, but that was probably wrong). Haven't heard much about the other two games, not counting what I read here.

I'm also interested in indie games, so open for suggestions there too. Anxiously awaiting Eschalon, for example.

Maybe you should try a few adventure games ? ;)

My recommendation is
Ultima IX Ascension with unofficial patches and mods - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultima_IX
The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard - http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Redguard:Redguard

and especially Outcast - http://www.outcast-thegame.com/

few more:
Zanzarah - http://www.zanzarah.de/newsuk.php
slovenian RPG Mistmare - http://www.sinistersystems.com/proje…ws/index.shtml
Revenant - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revenant_%28game%29
TechnoMage - http://www.technomage.de/

Don't forget Kult: Heretic Kingdoms. An excellent if short modern rpg with action-y overtones.

I assume you've probably played Morrowind as well, but if not it's exactly what you're describing.

Evil Islands, if you can find it, has a few random henchman from time to time, but nver more than one at a time. It's challenging and has a neat crafting system but may be hard to find any more. You can find the demo here.

Maybe you could try ADoM (Ancient Domains of Mystery) - it's a roguelike game in ASCII, but when you grasp controlls it's a great fun. It's a tactical hack'n'slash (turn-based) with quite interesting story, some original riddles and very deep game mechanics.

EDIT: And, of course, Ultima Underworld I and II.

I would add Siege of Avalon, a solid, fun RPG (at least to me) although the graphics look a bit dated nowadays (same perspective like IWD, for example).

You'll have a few companions from time to time, but all in all it's rather a solo C-RPG.

Wow, Mistmare looks great! Will try that one out definitely (well if I tried out the best Serbia has to offer…). Will probably try out Ultima, too

Siege of Avalon is fun, as is Revenant. Played Technomage and Redguard too, but wasn't too impressed. I suppose it's safe to assume that I've played most games even approaching "mainstream", so suggesting less-known stuff would probably help more. ;)

I personally believed that Technomage was believed top be/look too "childish" than to buy it, that's why it is relatively uncommon.

Same went for Zanzarah.

"I'm too cool for this childish, colourful game ! Give me a dark, serious game instead !"

Make sure to install the latest v1.7 patch if you decide to play Mistmare. And don`t be put off by bad reviews. I think Mistmare is still a decent RPG if you give it a try.

What about this new serbian action RPG - Call for Heroes: Pompolic Wars
http://www.callforheroes.com/

Do not forget about Quest fo Glory series - http://www.geocities.com/qfgs/indexf.html
Here you can find most recent patches na some other files for the whole series - http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare…/Downloads.htm

I agree, but I still found both games very enyoable to play.:)

I found Zanzarah increadibly immersive. The thickest wood I have ever seen in a game. :)

(Hm, I think I should post that under "my favourite game location" …)

zanzarah was good but i much prefer darkened skye. its not an rpg but it does have a cool magic system based on…skittles! if you like humour in your games adventure or rpg you should check it out.

I believe Mistmare is considered one of the worst games ever made!!

Stay away from Mistmare. Just download the demo and you'll understand.

As usually, demo has nothing to do with the real game. It is based on some old beta version. Mistmare is quite enyoable with the latest v1.7 patch. Sure, the interface is akward and character movement is a bit wooden but the setting, music, quests and unique character development are great IMHO. If you don`t stop playing after first dozen hours the game becomes much more interesting.:)

Yeah, but the same could be said of Dungeon Lords - that the demo is 'more sucky' than the actual game. That doesn't mean that the actual game is good.

I dunno … can't see that with a patch they have changed what is almost universally regarded as one of the worst games ever into something better than just 'bad'.

Dungeon Lords Collector`s Edition (that is version 1.5) is actually a decent game and has nothing to do with poor Dungeon Lords demo.
Same goes for Mistmare with the latest patch. Poor reviews are from wannabe RPG players and reviewers put off by the horrible demo. How many players have played this game for more than couple of hours? Not many that I can assure you. I have finished more than three hundred RPGs and Mistmare is definitely in the upper half when considering overall quality and fun. Never said Dungeon Lords CE and Mistmare are very good or even excellent RPGs, but they are certainly worth playing if you already finished all classics in the genre.

Fair enough, I might give it a look.

As for DL, I have written way too extensively about it already … I like it quite a bit, certainly more than the overall quality of the game should warrant ;)

There was a demo for the CE version, too, and, well, let's just say that was the shittiest demo I have ever downloaded in my whole life :biggrin: .

As usually? So now most demos have nothing to do with the real game? On the contrary most demos are taken from a level (usually the first) of a finished game.


btw: Mistmare sucks!:lol:

I don`t know about you guys but I stopped playing demos of role-playing games since ugh, hm, err Daggerfall.:lol: Demo versions are mostly shitty representations of the real, finished game. Many RPGs aren`t even that interesting until you put a least a dozen hours in them. Dungeon Lords and Mistmare are that kind of games. O.K. you don`t like them but that doesn`t mean someone can enjoy playing them.

btw: Mistmare rules.:biggrin:

So you haven't played a demo for a RPG in a dozen years yet you are speaking to how they do or don't represent the games they are demonstrating … ?!?!

No I haven`t played through any of them since. But I have tried some of them and deleted all in a couple of hours. I saw almost all RPG demos in action either played by my friends or my brother who usually can`t wait for the final product. I also notice ranting on forums about how low quality most of them really are. I can wait a year or two after the release and enjoy fully patched version of any RPG. No problemo for me.:)

You can call me nuts, but through DEmos I've had a great time - with other games than RPGs.

I was young, very young into computers (mid-90s), when I played a demo of the Micro Machines game. I was playit it together with my younger uncle, and I have rarely had a time when I was laughing THAT much.

I got the full game only a few years ago, I think in 2004, although I found the other Micro Machines games earlier.

The other demo that gave me a great time was the demo of the "Beauty & the Beast" game by Infogrames (then) from the mid-90s. I was actually having fun with it.

Sadly, I found the real game only once ever, without the appropriate amount of money (I was still a student back then), and I haven't seen it since then. Not even on abandonware sites, not on ebay, not on flea markets, nothing.
If someone of you actually has seen it, I'd be grateful for any information (I don't use international ebays, though, only the German one).

So, it largely depends on the demo, how it is made, and how much there is involved. The more complex the demo is, the more likely it might fail.

@Alrik Fassbauer
I totally agree with you. Many games have great demo versions. I am a hardcore RPG player and I rarely play any other genre. But in last fifteen or so years I have played many demo games from different magazine cds/dvds. Arcade, FPS, racing… you name it. A lot of those demos were great fun and I spent many hours playing them but when I bought full versions I was usually disappointed.
So I rarely buy full version of any game that doesn't have at least some RPG elements in it. And I buy all RPGs, good or bad because I am a collector of DOS/Windows/Amiga RPGs.
I just don't like to play RPG demos, because they are usually pathetic IMHO.:)

and Alrik, you mean this game -http://www.gryzonie.dreamhosters.com/staregry/P/beauty_and_beast.rar

Thanks for your reply … I'm traditionally more into Adventure gamnes (like you I kind of collect them already), and this is the genre I love most. :)

Apart from that I play anything that's fun to me … except FPS and RTS nowadays.

you might try archangel. the demo is a pretty good example of the game. very light rpg, like dark messiah but its a decent game. the future levels were kinda cool.

Seeing that the majority here at the Watch don't agree with you i think i will give Mistmare a go. Didn't though about it before. ;)

I think i mostly disagree with people here about whats a good game. But it probably depends on what you seek when playing.

Perhaps i should try Dungeon Lord CE if i can find it. TXAs remark about he also liked it, made me think i would probably enjoy it too.

Quest for Glory was decent, especially QfG V.

For me, part 5 is actually the worst in the series but still worth playing. :) Check out the links on the first page if someone decide to play this great series.

The series is brilliant, and it's a pity no-one makes genre blending games like this anymore. They were a lot of fun too!!