Comments on: Please recommend self-contained PC RPGS

Question: Please recommend self-contained PC RPGS

headspace — Sun, 11 Jul 2004 12:47:32 -0800

A bit of a companion to the MMORPG question, can you recommend a few good PC RPGs that are self-contained? I love MMORPGs, but just can't afford the monthly fees anymore. {More Inside}

I've already owned and played out Heroes of Might and Magic and Dungeon Siege (and its expansion.) I prefer fantasy-based games, and I like the graphics and playstyle of EverQuest and Dark Age of Camelot, if that helps narrow it down at all.

By: falconred

falconred — Sun, 11 Jul 2004 13:03:53 -0800

Neverwinter Nights, and Morrowind.

By: majcher

majcher — Sun, 11 Jul 2004 13:04:52 -0800

I don't know how picky you are about having the latest and greatest graphics, or what you've played already, but there are some older titles that are still good fun. Planescape: Torment and the Fallout games are up there, as are the Baldur's Gate and Neverwinter Nights series. The latest incarnation of Wizardry (8?) looks pretty fun, too, but I haven't played it myself.

If you're not averse to more first-person type games, titles like System Shock or Deus Ex might be to your liking as well.

On preview: Morrowind, right. Many hours of time-suck there.

By: Nelson

Nelson — Sun, 11 Jul 2004 13:19:32 -0800

I third the nomination for Morrowind. Buy one of the two expansion packs too - it comes with a fix to the journal UI that makes the game much easier to play.

If you're willing to go for older games, Baldur's Gate 2 and Planescape: Torment have some of the best writing of any computer game either. If you're not wedded to the fanatasy thing, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is also awesome.

By: mcsweetie

mcsweetie — Sun, 11 Jul 2004 13:27:17 -0800

I second the Fallout series. Fallout 2 monopolized my summer when it was released.

By: mkultra

mkultra — Sun, 11 Jul 2004 15:16:49 -0800

I'm playing through Fallout 2 right now and it's an amazing game. Sure the technology is dated, but the story is good, the world is very open-ended, and the scope is huge. That, and the BG series can all be gotten cheap these days.

By: uncleozzy

uncleozzy — Sun, 11 Jul 2004 16:06:12 -0800

Gothic is old, but fairly good. Not terribly challenging, but fun nonetheless. (Note: I rarely play RPGs.)

By: majick

majick — Sun, 11 Jul 2004 16:09:47 -0800

How many of the classics have you played? The single-player RPG is pretty much dead in any interesting form, ending more or less with the Fallout series (don't talk to me about Baldur's Gate; I hold it in low esteem). Since just about all you can get today are uninspiring Japanese-style RPGs, classics are where some of the best stories and play are to be found.

The Bard's Tale series is highly worthwhile, as is the functionally similar but slightly more up-to-date Might and Magic (pre-"Heroes of"), especially the later parts of the series.

My favorite of the classics, which has both excellent gameplay and a well-crafted story, is Legacy of the Ancients, but you'll need to bust out a C64 emulator to play the good version. It's well worth the hassle.

If you're willing to depart from fantasy genre, there is pretty much no better RPG than Wasteland, although Mars Saga is alright.

You might not get the flashy graphics or real-time combat in the old school classics, but you generally get a better game.

By: evinrude

evinrude — Sun, 11 Jul 2004 16:38:59 -0800

Either majick has not played Morrowind, or is wrong.

The Morrowind game of the year edition is 1) a steal, and 2) awesome.

By: luriete

luriete — Sun, 11 Jul 2004 17:45:45 -0800

I thought Wasteland and its sequels (the 2 fallout games) were absolutely fantastic. I wish they made a third one in the fallout series. And I wish Morrowind and some of these other games would run on a Mac. There don't seem to be any good, open-ended and large-world Mac scifi games out there.

By: headspace

headspace — Sun, 11 Jul 2004 18:39:11 -0800

Thank you everybody for your suggestions! I went and bought Morrowind's Anniversary Edition, and next time I have free money, I'm going to try some of the others listed here. (As a note, the graphics don't have to be flashy, but I do like pretty spell effects, and older games are fantastic because they're more affordable.)

By: juv3nal

juv3nal — Mon, 12 Jul 2004 02:10:40 -0800

ditto vote for everything nelson mentioned plus fallout 2.

By: Joey Michaels

Joey Michaels — Mon, 12 Jul 2004 04:55:33 -0800

If you are willing to expand your view of RPG and if you haven't played it, Grim Fandango is one of the best adventure games of all time.

By: clockwork

clockwork — Mon, 12 Jul 2004 06:31:46 -0800

nethack

By: eas98

eas98 — Mon, 12 Jul 2004 07:11:34 -0800

The last Wizardry made was great. I sadly agree with everyone who says that RPGs are dead anymore.

I for one did not like Morrowind. The idea of a classless uber-character with full abilities does not appeal to me.

I miss the old Bard's Tale, original Ultimas, the Phantasy series, and my all-time favorite: Dungeon Master.

Any other suggestions?

By: furiousthought

furiousthought — Mon, 12 Jul 2004 07:31:15 -0800

If you like really old-school stuff, plunder the shareware catalog of Spiderweb Software for a while if you've overlooked it. There's a lot of fun exploring to do. My favorite one of theirs, conceptually, is Nethergate.

I agree with the suggestions above. Neverwinter Nights, in particular, has scads of single-player custom modules available for download, many of which are more entertaining than the campaign the game ships with (which is kind of slow and repetitive. But then, how did anybody manage to get through Bard's Tale II?)

Nethack and the various flavors of Angband will also suck out your time in large bloody chunks.

By: the fire you left me

the fire you left me — Mon, 12 Jul 2004 09:17:35 -0800

Betrayal of Krondor is my favorite classic RPG. Also free.

By: MsVader

MsVader — Mon, 12 Jul 2004 09:59:11 -0800

Once you purchase Neverwinter Nights, you can play it online with other people - no extra cost.

If you're ever looking to adventure with a sorceress, just drop me a line. I'm always looking to play...