Decent games in the last few years

[snooch_dawg]

Hello fellow gamers,

I just picked up W8 & MMIX off the discount shelves a couple days ago. Needless to say I've been playing W8 non-stop since I got it, while MMIX looked absolutely deplorable (I have the reflexes of a drunk galapogos sea turtle & the graphics were bollocks for a shooter). Which brings me to the point of this post:

I have not played many CRPGs since the early 90's mainly because I didn't like the trend towards simplified combat & character creation and the emphasis on single player games. W8 works for me because there are a ton of stats, weapons & spells (plus its not that easy [img]smile.gif[/img] and a character creation system that's just so good it makes me batty because I can't have a bard, a psionic, a gadgeteer & a monk in my party all at the same time [img]smile.gif[/img]

The last CRPG I played before W8 was MMIII, thus my question: now that I'm back to playing CRPGS what can you fans of W8 recommend that are comparable to W8 over the past couple of years?

I read a few posts from before, but they all deal with games made this year.
(BTW I have Pentium IV 1.7GH PC)

[Gimli]

"W8 works for me because there are a ton of stats, weapons & spells (plus its not that easy and a character creation system that's just so good it makes me batty because I can't have a bard, a psionic, a gadgeteer & a monk in my party all at the same time."

I'm playing Icewind Dale II right now, and I also am a fan of all of those components. And with IWD II, I am quite the happy camper, I would definitely reccomend you give it a try [img]smile.gif[/img]

[HolyWarrior]

If you're going to play Might & Magic, play either 6 or 7.
The best CRPG, bar none, is Planescape: Torment. Very little hack'n'slash

[MaskedFrog]

I have to agree that planescape torment was one of the best RPGs I have ever played. There a multiple ways to solve almost every major quest. Arcanum is also a decent game. It is one of the only games I know that allows you to "really" play as good or evil or neutral. The character development has many options so you can play as a thief, fighter, mage, technologist, or diplomat. Any combination of these is also possible. Just make sure to get the latest patch.

[EEWorzelle]

snooch_dawg,

All of the MM games after III are excellent, except IX. Someone got the stupid idea to cut complexity of the magic system, eliminate flying and... yuck. As HolyWarrior pointed out, 6 & 7 are the best.

None of these games, however, can hold a candle to the depth, balance, and strategic complexity of Wizardry 8. Earlier games in the Wizardry series, all of them, are great, but this one is in a category all by itself.

[SiLV@n JicKBoY]

Hey,
I knoe one. It's alot like Wiz (and infact, from the same company, SIRTECH). If U guys don't mind old games, U should try REALMS OF ARKANIA. There's theree Episodes (or just but the TRILOGY set), Blade of Darkness(1993, i think), Star Trail(1994) and Shadows Over Riva(1996).
It's played alot like Wiz, only a lot more HARDCORE. There's te thousand of skills to deal with and U'll spend alot of time dealing with stats. But they'll be pretty useful in the end. There's unusual skills like Lying, History, Geography, Nature, Arcane lore, even Seducing!!!
COmbat is Turn based, and U have six Characters in 1 party too. There's alot of NPC's to deal with, and traveling is extremely real( apart from combat, there's terrain danger, hunting, gathering herbs, the like). The onli difference is that only one NPC and accompany U at one time. But the best part of the game is its story line.

Or, how about games like Quest For Glory and Ultima? Anyone?

Too bad, the titles are pretty hard to come by nowadays

[EEWorzelle]

JickboY,

Well... since you asked:

With hesitation and some embarrassment, I have to admit that I loved Ultima 9, in spite of the bugs. The web was enough to get through all of that. The environments were really cool. It took some patience at points, but I got lost in it and loved the swimming.

[Desdicado]

I would agree that M&M 6 is probably the ultimate RPG in a lot of ways, M&M 7 was also excellent.

I would also fight the corner of Baldurs Gate with the TOSC add on as being well worth your time, I have replayed this game over and over.

Icewind Dale 2 is a bit too linear for my taste but still good.

I did not like Planescape Torment very much and can't understand why a lot of people seem to love it. BG1 and 2 are far better in my opinion.

Also Wizards and Warriors is worth a bash, I really enjoyed that.

If you're playing wizardry 8, make sure you get the patch to speed up combat, I got half way through wizardry and uninstalled it in disgust at the ridiculous 1/2 hour battles with weeds.

[snooch_dawg]

FYI,

Realms of Arkania are available as abandonware now. However... running them on a modern computer is... um... tricky.

Cheers.