RPGs with less combat than the typical RPG

jaes · July 15, 2020

Combat used to be one of my favorite parts of RPGs, but in recent years I've grown a bit tired of the amount of combat in most RPGs.

So my question is pretty simple:
Are there any RPGs - new or old - that have combat, but just noticeably less than the typical RPG?

I'm open to mods that tone down the amount of combat, but I'm more interested in games/mods where the reduced amount of combat is by design.

I think my ideal RPG at the moment would be something like this:
A game with multiple solutions to most quests - combat, stealth, skill-based problem solving, puzzles, dialogue options, etc.
Not that every task in each quest should give you all of the options, but the variation is important to me.
In addition to that, I would prefer to not be attacked too frequently when I'm outside the typical RPG "safe spots" (cities, settlements, etc) - that can sometimes make the exploration less enjoyable, in my book.

Drithius · July 15, 2020

I never did finish it, but you could look into Torment: Tides of Numenera. If you're keen on an adventure game, there's always The Longest Journey & its sequel Dreamfall. If you like the blobber genre, the recent Operencia has combat, yes, but a large portion of the game is puzzles - also Bard's Tale IV.

JFarrell71 · July 15, 2020

I second Tides of Numenera. One of the biggest complaints about the game (not from me) was the lack of combat.

I would also say that Wasteland 2 has somewhat less combat than your average RPG. There are plenty of opportunities to fight, but the encounter rate on the wilderness map is low, and you can avoid (ignore) quite a few combats. Quest related conflicts are often resolvable through other means, like dialogue.

As far as old games, Morrowind doesn't really have that much combat unless you're in a dungeon-type area. You get attacked semi-regularly by wildlife and such, but those fights are usually trivial and short. A lot of the Ultima games (VI, VII, VII-2) were also combat light.

Couchpotato · July 15, 2020

No one mentioned Disco Elysium. Most reviews claim it revolutionized the genre. Last time In played it there wasn't much combat, but it's more an adventure game really.

JFarrell71 · July 15, 2020

And Disco Elysium.

Pongo · July 15, 2020

You've probably played it, but the Deus Ex series is good for that kind of thing.

Hurls · July 15, 2020

Dishonoured series allows a none-combat approach

Corwin · July 16, 2020

If you're looking at old games too, then you really can't go past PS:T!!

lackblogger · July 16, 2020

I think a lot of people replying are slightly misunderstanding the OP. I don't think the OP is asking for games that are non-combat or simply text-fests, I think they're asking for games that simply have a perfectly balanced range of RPG norms.

A specific quantity of everything that just happens to be the exact quantity of everything the OP requires to their taste. To which it's going to be very hard to recommend specific games as the OP hasn't given any examples of games that are close to their preference and reasoning for why any said game was so perfectly balanced.

Pretty much any good RPG can mitigate a lot of the combat via selecting a stealth character, either proficient with invisibility or sneaking, and a good number of RPGs are more puzzle-oriented than stealth oriented while quite a few allow for more dialogue-based progression, and many RPGs have very sporadic and inoffensive combat, but very few provide them all in perfect quantity, or, at least, whatever perfect quantity the OP is imagining.

jaes · July 16, 2020

Thanks for the suggestions so far.

Of the games mentioned, I could see Wasteland 2 be one of the next games I'm playing, but other games, like Disco Elysium and the Torment series, seems interesting (and I knew DE is a very different type of RPG).

Since I recently bought Arcanum and haven't started yet, I've got to ask: It's seems like the game is set up for a reasonably amount of different play-styles. Would it be a contender in this context?

lackblogger said:
I think a lot of people replying are slightly misunderstanding the OP. I don't think the OP is asking for games that are non-combat or simply text-fests, I think they're asking for games that simply have a perfectly balanced range of RPG norms.

A specific quantity of everything that just happens to be the exact quantity of everything the OP requires to their taste. To which it's going to be very hard to recommend specific games as the OP hasn't given any examples of games that are close to their preference and reasoning for why any said game was so perfectly balanced.

Pretty much any good RPG can mitigate a lot of the combat via selecting a stealth character, either proficient with invisibility or sneaking, and a good number of RPGs are more puzzle-oriented than stealth oriented while quite a few allow for more dialogue-based progression, and many RPGs have very sporadic and inoffensive combat, but very few provide them all in perfect quantity, or, at least, whatever perfect quantity the OP is imagining.

I kind of didn't go into the smaller details on purpose, since with this thread I wanted to see the bigger picture.

So there's really no right or wrong, in the type of games, people can suggest.

One specific detail I think is relevant, after your comment, is that I've only really played a few stealth/RPG/action hybrids (e.g. Deus Ex) that fall under this umbrella of games, so I'm very curious of what people here can suggest.
Partly because when I'm researching this topic, I think the results are a bit uneven and mixed.

Zloth · July 16, 2020

Bard's Tale 4 has PLENTY of combat!

Dishonored and Dishonored 2 have non-violent combat... I guess, sorta. You're still shooting people but you're using attacks that put enemies to sleep; and they can definitely wake up later! The old Thief games are in this ilk, too.

If you go outside RPGs there's a lot out there. Most puzzle games (Talos Principle, Portal, Portal 2) fit. Subnautica and Outer Wilds do, too. No Mans Sky can if you play it without shooting critters.

JFarrell71 · July 16, 2020

jaes said:
Since I recently bought Arcanum and haven't started yet, I've got to ask: It's seems like the game is set up for a reasonably amount of different play-styles. Would it be a contender in this context?

I can tell you that the combat in Arcanum is some of the worst RPG combat I've ever endured.

joxer · July 16, 2020

A title others didn't mention yet: South Park The Stick of Truth.

In most cases you may choose to avoid fight then pass the obstacle by solving a puzzle.

AppleIntimidation · July 16, 2020

Couchpotato said:
No one mentioned Disco Elysium. Most reviews claim it revolutionized the genre. Last time In played it there wasn't much combat, but it's more an adventure game really.

Guys guys… I domt kmow aboit all this or if I could play it. the beginning scene alone with the wine bottle and sleeping on some dirt floor reminds me too much of my life. Especially after deportation.

lackblogger · July 16, 2020

JFarrell71 said:
I can tell you that the combat in Arcanum is some of the worst RPG combat I've ever endured.

Sadly, quality of combat hasn't been raised as an issue by the OP, only quantity. Unspecified quantity that functions as an alternative rather than a default. Far be it for me to be presumptuous, but his posts read like generic codex post #26584619, the sudden mention of Arcanum out the blue is a golden giveaway. 'About to start Arcanum'... yeah, right, for the 10th time I'm sure

Enjoy wasting your time talking about any games that aren't in the codex top 20

duerer · July 16, 2020

Some suggestions, hope you find'em useful:

wRPG: Fallout 1-2: there are battles, but the Pacifist role is pretty much viable

Adv-RPG hybrid: Quest for Glory series: there are battles, but they are easy and quick: the focus is on adventuring and puzzles.

jRPG: Tales of … -series: there are LOTS of battles, but you can set your player AI to auto, so the game auto-battles for you. Sit back and enjoy the spectacle.

indie: Undertale: there are battles, but can be skipped if you solve a puzzle. In fact, fighting or avoid fighting is the core game feature in this game.

NWN-mod: Grand Theft Otto-series: the focus is on stealth instead of head-on battles. Play this if you love thiefs in your AD&D. In fact, there are LOTS of combat-lite mods for NWN, be sure to check out https://neverwintervault.org/

crpgnut · July 16, 2020

Feel free to ignore my post, but I'll throw in some survival games with RPG elements that are combat light. 7 Days to Die has a menu that will allow you to remove zombies. If you play the game that way it is combat light, having only animals to fight. It is quite fun and peaceful this way and the new version is downright pretty.

Force of Nature is designed to be quite light on the combat.

Solace Crafting allows you to fight at your pace as the combat is distance based from the beginning area.

Radiation Island has quite a bit of combat, but since you can outrun 90% of the monsters, you pick your fights in most cases.

crpgnut · July 16, 2020

Other low/no combat games that really aren't rpgs though: Portal 2, Gone Home and Amnesia Dark Descent.

jaes · July 16, 2020

Thanks for the new suggestions.

This thread has made me a bit wiser, so I'm thankful for all of your help.

For instance, I didn't know you could bypass combat in The Stick of Truth

I'll add some of the other games to my list as well (e.g. Undertale).

Thiraury · July 17, 2020

I bought Kingdom Come: Deliverance on the steam summer sale and have played it for about 15 hours. It seems quite varied in gameplay elements and ways to go about things, so far. Have been in a few fights but not as many as in the elder scrolls games or other first person rpgs.

Could be worth checking out.

RPGs with less combat than the typical RPG

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