Interesting Action-RPGs and CRPGs for PC, Android and iOS?
August 5, 2015 1:39 AM Subscribe
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I greatly enjoy 1st-person action-RPGs like Morrowind, Oblivion, Skyrim, and - stretching the RPG category a bit - Borderlands. I also enjoy D&D-like party-based CRPGs like Baldur's Gate. I generally prefer traditional RPG stat and leveling mechanics and an open world layout, or at least a map accommodating multiple paths. Can you recommend other RPGs for PC, iPad, or Android that I might enjoy, particularly indie games that may have gotten less attention from the gaming press?
I found the dystopian atmosphere of Bethesda's Fallout series less engrossing than their fantasy offerings, but I'm open to futuristic settings. I was not able to immerse myself in Torchlight or Two Worlds II. I tend not to be interested in story-on-a-rail games or JRPGs, and I don't mind if I can sense the spreadsheet or dice-rolls lurking under the gameplay. Crafting or puzzle elements are a plus. Please tell me about your favorite games!
I found the dystopian atmosphere of Bethesda's Fallout series less engrossing than their fantasy offerings, but I'm open to futuristic settings. I was not able to immerse myself in Torchlight or Two Worlds II. I tend not to be interested in story-on-a-rail games or JRPGs, and I don't mind if I can sense the spreadsheet or dice-rolls lurking under the gameplay. Crafting or puzzle elements are a plus. Please tell me about your favorite games!
The Witcher and Dragon Age series are both good.
Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning was a fun game with a lot of those elements. It was meant to be a MMO type game, but got turned into a single player game when the studio ran out of money. It was a fun game with a very open world.
I've seen good rerviews of Divinity: Origional Sin, but haven't played it yet.
posted by nalyd at 3:37 AM on August 5, 2015
Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning was a fun game with a lot of those elements. It was meant to be a MMO type game, but got turned into a single player game when the studio ran out of money. It was a fun game with a very open world.
I've seen good rerviews of Divinity: Origional Sin, but haven't played it yet.
posted by nalyd at 3:37 AM on August 5, 2015
Yeah, I came here to recommend Divinity: Original Sin (here it is on Steam). The game took me by surprise last year when I spent over 100 hours playing through it (and to be honest I didn't even finish it) - I too love many of the games you mention in your question.
They've continued to support it since release with a variety of tweaks and balances, so I have no doubt it remains a great game even now. It doesn't have crafting, but it does have a wide variety of environmental puzzles using various elements (fire, electricity, etc.), as well as some other light puzzles that you've probably seen before in other RPGs.
Also, the combat (turn based, tactical/strategic in nature) is fantastic.
This is by far one of the best RPGs I've played ever, and probably one of my favorite games in recent memory - highly recommend it!
posted by mrhaydel at 5:11 AM on August 5, 2015 [2 favorites]
They've continued to support it since release with a variety of tweaks and balances, so I have no doubt it remains a great game even now. It doesn't have crafting, but it does have a wide variety of environmental puzzles using various elements (fire, electricity, etc.), as well as some other light puzzles that you've probably seen before in other RPGs.
Also, the combat (turn based, tactical/strategic in nature) is fantastic.
This is by far one of the best RPGs I've played ever, and probably one of my favorite games in recent memory - highly recommend it!
posted by mrhaydel at 5:11 AM on August 5, 2015 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Avernum: Escape from the Pit! On PC and iOS. Great remake of a classic indie CRPG, kind of like a turn-based Baldur's Gate.
posted by sonmi at 5:43 AM on August 5, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by sonmi at 5:43 AM on August 5, 2015 [2 favorites]
Dragon Age (Origins and Inquisition, not the terrible 2nd one)
Mass Effect if you think you like space fantasy with great characters
Tomb Raider -- the new one. I know it's not fantasy, but it has a phenomenal story arc and a real sense of character progression
posted by ellerhodes at 7:07 AM on August 5, 2015
Mass Effect if you think you like space fantasy with great characters
Tomb Raider -- the new one. I know it's not fantasy, but it has a phenomenal story arc and a real sense of character progression
posted by ellerhodes at 7:07 AM on August 5, 2015
Seconding PoE and Divinity: OS
I'll also suggest (bear with me!) Guild Wars 2. Yes it's an MMO, but there's no monthly fee, and it scratched the same sandboxy A-RPG itch: walk around and explore and do things at my own pace and in my own way and it's just lovely to look at.
posted by lilnublet at 7:20 AM on August 5, 2015
I'll also suggest (bear with me!) Guild Wars 2. Yes it's an MMO, but there's no monthly fee, and it scratched the same sandboxy A-RPG itch: walk around and explore and do things at my own pace and in my own way and it's just lovely to look at.
posted by lilnublet at 7:20 AM on August 5, 2015
Seconding Mass Effect. Believable characters and artful, understated storytelling.
posted by Pfardentrott at 9:44 AM on August 5, 2015
posted by Pfardentrott at 9:44 AM on August 5, 2015
Shadowrun: Dragonfall. It's short, good, tactical combat, RPG, decisions that force you to consider the morality and realpolitik of them, etc. Shadowrun universe, so if you don't like cyberpunk crossed with magic, it may not be for you. It's not quite isometric, but it is from a similar POV. (The predecessor Shadowrun Returns is ok, but not nearly as good. It's also much more linear.)
For an older RPG, Spiderweb Software's Geneforge series is fantastic. You create your own party, creating creatures to fight for you. Once again, difficult choices, serious consideration. And the canonical ending for each game is not the best one. (They're the same people who did Avernum).
posted by Hactar at 11:06 AM on August 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
For an older RPG, Spiderweb Software's Geneforge series is fantastic. You create your own party, creating creatures to fight for you. Once again, difficult choices, serious consideration. And the canonical ending for each game is not the best one. (They're the same people who did Avernum).
posted by Hactar at 11:06 AM on August 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
There are a lot of good recommendations here, so I won't repeat them. I've always had a thing for the Risen series. All three games are kind of wonky, being indies, but they're open world pirate games, where you can travel from island to island, picking fights with whomever you want and stealing everything that's not nailed down, just like a real pirate would. If you can look past their obvious gameplay flaws, they're quite charming. I recently acquired the new Batman game for PS4, but I still find myself turning to Risen 3 for my gaming fix.
posted by dortmunder at 11:41 AM on August 5, 2015
posted by dortmunder at 11:41 AM on August 5, 2015
Witcher 3 is comfortably the best game ever, to the point that people are finishing 140 hour run-throughs and then starting again on hard. I'd also recommend Ass Creed 4 Black Flag as it's the best of the Ass bunch and you get to be a pirate.
posted by Sebmojo at 4:38 PM on August 5, 2015
posted by Sebmojo at 4:38 PM on August 5, 2015
I really liked Path of Exile - free to play, interesting leveling system, lots of players to play with
posted by thebotanyofsouls at 10:22 PM on August 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by thebotanyofsouls at 10:22 PM on August 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
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