What Game to Buy?

[daeomer]

I have been out of the computer RPG loop for the last couple of years and I am dying to get back into it. Unfortunately there seem to be so many choices!

Here is what I am considering...any advice on any or all of the games listed?

1) Morrowind: Everything I have seen and read about this one looks and sounds awesome. A huge world and the graphics look amazing.

2) Icewind Dale II: I know that the engine is out of date now...but I really love this style game (BG's, IWD1 and planscape). Probably my favorite format ever.

3) Neverwinter Nights: Admittedly I am sad to say I know very little about this one. I love the Forgotten Realms game world...but I am not really into multiplayer gameplay. I prefer to go it on my own. Is there enough there if I play on my own?

4) Dungeon Seige: I saw cool screen shots when this was coming out...but it also looks kinda Diablo-esque.

5) Warcraft: I loved the first one, and the second looks awesome!

Any other suggestions? I would like to get 3 of the above...or other recommended games...

Thanks!

[Albromor]

Believe it or not, I liked Divine Divinity. It will remind you of NOX (from Westwood Studios) and a lot of fun. Your character is solo, so there are no NPCs to join. Considering you like party based RPGs this may not be to your taste.

I assume you did BG1. Doid you try BG2? By the way, it won't come out until later this year but do a net search at check out The Temple of Elemental Evil.

[daeomer]

Yeah! BG2 was my favorite game of all...and the last one I played. I do like party based games with NPCs. Just not sure where to begin... Also it might be useful to list my system specs.

I have an Athlon 1800, with only 256k RAM.
I also only have a geforce2 64mb video card.
I am thinking of spending some cash to upgrade the RAM and the video card.

For about $400-500 cdn does anyway have suggestions as to what I can get that will make any of the above games run smoothly.

I still want game input too!
Thanks

[ 05-20-2003, 09:42 PM: Message edited by: daeomer ]

[Gammit]

Alright, a great question!!!

1.) Morrowind - dunno, never played it. But I've been thinking the same!
2.) Icewind Dale II - I'm liking it better than that original. A good buy.
3.) Neverwinter Nights - Great graphics, sub-par story line. Decent overall.
4.) Duneon Siege - never played it. Looks like NWN.
5.) I hear the new Warcraft is absolutely amazing.

Upgrades? I'd say get another 256 stick of RAM to bring your total to 512, and a new video card. If you can't afford the new ATI 9700 Pro or Nvida GeForceFX, then I'd suggest either the ATI 9500 Pro or the GeForce4 Ti4200.

If you're comfortable buying online, you can visit www.pricewatch.com to pick up both for $300 (American).

[daeomer]

I also am using windows98. Should I upgrade the operating system too to play these games effectively? I don't know anything about that end of things.

More game comments too! (Please!) and thanks

[Madman-Rogovich]

Out of that Line up?

Neverwinter
Morrowind
or Vietcong now that is a game of class

[Davros]

If you have been out for a couple of years, my advice would be Wizardry 8. I gave up on IWDII and Dungeon Siege (aka Follow the yellow brick road) had me wanting to throttle the computer.

Morrowind is good - I am almost finished that, and I am getting the extension soon. I enjoyed Never Winter Nights as well, but teh real value to the game is in multiplayer rather than the single campaign (I liked both though).

[andrewas]

WinXP will make better use of large amounts of RAM(512 or more), but other than that you shouldnt have any troubles. Although support for '98 is declining, so games may eventualy beome winXP only, although it will be a while yet. At the moment win98 is still common enough that a game that wont run on it loses too much of its market.

On the games, Daggerfall was one of the better RPGs Ive played, if horrendously bugged. Morrowind should be a good buy.

Icewind Dale II is just more of the same though, there isnt much to recommend it. Its pure hack and slash. But it is very well done and if you can live with robotic NPCs and a more linear game, its a good bet.

Neverwinter - the aurora engine isnt yet up to the standards of the infinity engine, or at least the modules so far aren't. Lack of proper party control is a pain, and the tilebased maps detract some from the atmosphere. Its best in multiplayer, but since there are single player modules out there its good for single play as well. The official campaign is fairly sucky though.

Dungeon siege - never played. Looks nice.

Warcraft III - Warcraft I was awesome. Warcraft II was incredible and the first multiplayer game I ever spent 8 hours solid playing. On a LAN, or my phone bill would have been immense. Warcraft III is suppoesedly even better.

[Gnarf]

I just got Wizardry 8, and as Davros said, great [img]smile.gif[/img]
My very humble opinions on the games you metioned:
1) Morrowind: I like the open ended-nes. I'm not too fond of the way you gotta use your skills for getting better at them (particulary not with the ones that are "free" to use, jumping, running etc.), and I sorta lost interest in it when I got to the point where no fights really offer any challenge.

2) Icewind Dale II: I really like 3ed D&D, I really like developing characters in this game... all the race-class(es) combos, feats etc. I'll admit there's an almost complete lack of open ended-nes though.

3) Neverwinter Nights: Like this as well, much for the same reasons as IWD2. Some of the rules of 3ed works more the way they're supposed to here, some don't, and there are less feats'n skills... and no real party. If you're not going multiplayer, I'd say IWD2 is better.

4) Dungeon Seige: Dead boring [img]tongue.gif[/img]

5) Warcraft: Guess it's good for a RTS... I'm not too fond of RTS though.

So... I'd saw NWN or IWD2, depending on wether or not you're going multiplayer.

[Harkoliar]

morrowind- good game but you need a good computer for that. and a great video card basically your in a world where you can do anything you want. and you can finish the game by doing the story line

ice wind daleII- never played it but i know it becomes a linear game unlike bg2

Neverwinter nights- good 3d game but leans towards hack and slash, something like bg2 but bg2 is better

dungeon siege- pure hack and slash

warcraft3- one of the best

other suggestions?
wizardry 8 - heard lots of nice things about it