Games in which your character matters

Originally Posted by Squeek
Actually, I'm running into them outside everywhere.

Then it must be my memory that fails. Sorry about that. You're right, now that I think of it.
I was a bit too quick there.

Originally Posted by Asbjoern
You can argue that Morrowind didn't let you affect the world. But how did V:tM -Bloodlines or Divine Divinity let you affect the world?
I seldom hear them being criticized for the lack of player influence on the world.

I haven't played those games yet, so I couldn't respond directly.

I would point you to the great Wiz8. You can join the Trang, join the Umpani, work both to a limited point, ignore the whole situation, or orchestrate an alliance between them. Each of those possibilities locks you out of the others, and you can be attacked on sight if you side against one side or the other. Along with that, there are experience and loot differences based on your choice, which means that a character that did the alliance will develop differently (more, in this case) than a character that waits for a million wandering rats in the monestary.

I would point you to the great MM7. You can go good or go evil. Can't do both, and you get unique quests based on your decision, along with getting attacked on sight once again.

Even a game as linear as Dungeon Siege 2 will offer different quests based on the NPCs you choose and the side quests you complete.