RPG Discussion · DIGIT-ARC

There are people who have the attention span of a catfish, who are more than satisfied with the latest Call Of Duty or Grand Theft Auto.

However, for the rest of us with deep insight and those who live in another plane of existence, this will not do. We need to absorb and imbibe the lore, develop character and make intelligent conversation with otherworldly characters. Especially for such people like us, God created Role Playing Games (RPGs).

That being said, welcome to this RPG discussion thread. This thread is dedicated to all RPG games, old and new, classic and underrated. RPGs come in many forms, some have simple graphics, some have complex mechanics, some have large skill trees. However, the basic tenets of any RPG is the same. You get to choose your character and a number of stats for the same and you are set out into a massive world that, unlike most other games, does not revolve around the player character.

Examples of RPGs (in no particular order):

- Deus Ex [First Person, Tactical, Stealth]
- Diablo 1 and 2 [Isometric, Top Down]
- Elder Scrolls series [First Person, Third Person]
- Gothic series [Third Person]
- Omikron: The Nomad Soul [Third Person]
- Dink Smallwood (freeware) [2D Top Down]
- Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines [FPS/TPS]
- Mass Effect series [TPS]
- Dragon Age series [Third Person]
- etc.

That being said, kindly try to avoid MMORPG discussion in this thread.

Liked Legend of Grimrock
need too much patience though

Legend Of Grimrock was pretty innovative. However, it had pretty clunky controls though. It was some sort of cross between realtime and turnbased gameplay.

Playing Valkyria Chronicles , though I would not call it RPG but it not the less, it has elements of immersion and great narrative. Each character has different traits. And most of all game has something new to offer you as you progress making it fresh like ever. Loving it .

Isn't that the one with anime-like characters? I think I saw it during the Steam sales.

DeSmOnD dAvId said:
Isn't that the one with anime-like characters? I think I saw it during the Steam sales.

Exactly. I got it during this sale.

DeSmOnD dAvId said:
Isn't that the one with anime-like characters? I think I saw it during the Steam sales.

yup , its a great game .

divine divinity, if i had to describe this RPG, id say it resembles elder scrolls but in an isometric perspective,
the new original sin is also similar but with a turn based combat

I've heard of Divine Divinity, it was one of the Diablo clones from back in the day. I haven't played it though.

Diablo 2 though has a special place in my heart.

Kotor

DeSmOnD dAvId said:
Diablo 2 though has a special place in my heart.

same here plus diablo 1 as well

I started Diablo 1 but never completed it because it seemed too repetitive. Is it even playable on modern systems now?

BTW, the Diablo 1 characters return in Diablo 2 as bosses. The Warrior becomes the Dark Wanderer, the embodiment of Diablo himself, The Rogue becomes Blood Raven, whom we kill in the 1st Act and the Sorceror becomes the Summoner in the Astral Plane.

DeSmOnD dAvId said:
Is it even playable on modern systems now?

yes with few tweaks.

where the fcuk is Fallout??

why didnt you mention Fallout??

:X

Will the "Walking dead" series (point & click) also comes under RPG, coz you decide how the story to proceed.

Flash said:
Will the "Walking dead" series (point & click) also comes under RPG, coz you decide how the story to proceed.

but there is no character development. and RPGs must have character development.

DeSmOnD dAvId said:
There are people who have the attention span of a catfish, who are more than satisfied with the latest Call Of Duty or Grand Theft Auto.

However, for the rest of us with deep insight and those who live in another plane of existence, this will not do. We need to absorb and imbibe the lore, develop character and make intelligent conversation with otherworldly characters. Especially for such people like us, God created Role Playing Games (RPGs).

Precisamente!

DeSmOnD dAvId said:
Diablo 2 though has a special place in my heart.

Alok said:
same here plus diablo 1 as well

That makes three of us. Diablo series sucked me into becoming a RPG lover.

DeSmOnD dAvId said:
I started Diablo 1 but never completed it because it seemed too repetitive. Is it even playable on modern systems now?

Bought a physical copy of Diablo 1 recently (you know just for old times and collection sake!) and it ran on Win7. Not sure about later OSes though.

Btw, have you tried Witcher series?

I have Witcher 1 and 2, but never downloaded yet because both are about 20+ GB.

Mention Dark souls as well, especially the first one.. unforgettable RPG experience

I would seriously not consider Deus Ex as RPG.
The first part and second part were purely shooter games.

The third one or the latest one included some part of RPG elements into it.
Character build up, ability enhancement etc but still, you can't choose with whom you want to complete the quest.

Deus Ex is not pure RPG, its hybrid at best.

Witcher series is 95% RPG. In part 2 they let you play as the girl(I forgot her name, Geralt's wife)

Pure RPGs are maybe FABLE series, Fallout, Kingdom of Amalur etc.

I liked Kingdom of Amalur very much. A large map, awesome fights, a good story. Lots of option for upgrade, salvage, get lost in side quests. Moreover when the main story line ends you are still left with few side quests for sure.

Not all map area is dacoit free, you are yet to find all 10 books, and then there is fighting arena in game. I loved this so much then heard the game company went bankrupt :,(

Nerevarine said:
Mention Dark souls as well, especially the first one.. unforgettable RPG experience

Ah how can I forget this

In the OP, I just mentioned examples. I know Dark Souls is a good RPG.

Deus Ex is still a RPG. It is not necessary that you should have a complete character customized for a game to be called a RPG.

DeSmOnD dAvId said:
Deus Ex is still a RPG. It is not necessary that you should have a complete character customized for a game to be called a RPG.

It is, it is very much required.

Complete control on the character is what makes it RPG. You control everything.

Play FABLE and you would know.

Well, you still have control on what direction you want to take your character. In Deus Ex, you can make J C Denton more stealthy or tanky or you can give him various weapon mastery. There are tons of characteristics you can customize.

DeSmOnD dAvId said:
Well, you still have control on what direction you want to take your character. In Deus Ex, you can make J C Denton more stealthy or tanky or you can give him various weapon mastery. There are tons of characteristics you can customize.

I don't agree with you here.

Any game can be played like this. Well, there are couple of games which depends solely on stealth.
I'm from ancient era so will name only those games.

Project IGI (part 1)
Hidden and Dangerous
Deus Ex first part
Rainbow Six
etc.

What I want to mean, any game can be played this way either sneak attack or full attack but that does not make it RPG.
One of the unique criteria of RPG is character advancement along with SKILL upgrade with gained XP. Tell me one FPS game where your skills are upgraded with gained XP?

The holy Crisis series does not have this.

I would again say Deus Ex is at the max an hybrid but obviously not a RPG.

That makes sense. It is not 100% RPG but it could be called an Action RPG or something similar.

An example of one of the purest forms of RPG I think is Nethack. It is a classic example of a rogue-like with extremely hardcore gameplay. You can choose from about 12 different types of characters, your character's luck is affected by the real world shape of the moon, you have restrictions on how you act depending on your alignment, if you act outside your alignment your deity will get angry at you, all deaths are final, etc. Such complex mechanics and character development with an extremely simplistic UI consisting on only ASCII characters. It is one game that you cannot play without looking up some guide, otherwise your death will be quick.

Annnd I love Nethack. I still play it on my phone during my lunch breaks.

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If you guys want to try it out:

NetHack 3.4.3: Home Page [For download]

alt.org - Public NetHack Server [To play online]

No mention about wasteland 2, currently playing this and really enjoying it. Better than fallout series

Ah RPGs . Its an acquired taste for most lol . Especially classic RPGs that are turn based . My first RPG on PC was a game called Paradise Cracked . It was a RPG with point and click combat and isometric view . I didnt like it very much tbh . My first good RPG on PC would be TES oblivion which i played after rushing thorugh a ton of RPGs on my phone . Really enjoyed it . Then played Kingdoms of Amalur Reckoning and then Skyrim. Skyrim was a bit of a letdown for me tbh . I didnt get the same feel that i got from oblivion . But anyways all of this aside my current RPG obsession would be the Witcher series . I recently finished Witcher 3 . Havent played any witcher game before. And man what a world . So many great characters and Lore . CDPR nicely epxanded on the world created b Andrej Sapowski. In fact it was W3 which led me to read the witcher books and now i am itching to play Witcher 1 and 2. RPGs are a great way of showcasing a world with great characters and huge lore. You simply cant do it satisfactorily with any other genre . As far as RPGs on handeheld go , i am sure many of you are familiar with the pokemon games on GBA :-D

. Those are great . I also played a couple of games from a series called Golden Sun . Great JRPGS . If any of you know a good addictive RPG on Android please tell . If its something that is cyberpunk/sci fi themed even better . :-D

rhitwick said:
One of the unique criteria of RPG is character advancement along with SKILL upgrade with gained XP. Tell me one FPS game where your skills are upgraded with gained XP?

There were skill upgrades in Deus Ex. You gained XP points through exploration

rhitwick said:
One of the unique criteria of RPG is character advancement along with SKILL upgrade with gained XP. Tell me one FPS game where your skills are upgraded with gained XP?

Borderland Series

Action Role Playing to be precise.

alienempire said:
No mention about wasteland 2, currently playing this and really enjoying it. Better than fallout series

I heard its a very good game . Can you tell more about this game ?

Also Pillar of eternity is a very good game from Obsedian ( South Park , Fallout NV) . It was probably the best RPG game from past 2-3 year until witcher 3 overshadowed it .

alienempire said:
No mention about wasteland 2, currently playing this and really enjoying it. Better than fallout series

Fallout 1 and 2 were more on par with Wasteland than Fallout 3+. Bethesda made Fallout 3 to be similar to TES Oblivion. But yes, Wastelands is a classic and I have heard a lot of sites recommend it.

BTW, I have been playing Vampire: The Masquerade : Bloodlines for the past few days.

You are a newly turned vampire in a neo-Gothic Los Angeles. Humans don't know the existence of vampires, mostly because the vampires have a strict code called the Masquerade that each follows to ensure that they are not exposed and to ensure their survival. There is a strong storyline, interesting characters and conspiracies.

You can choose to be one of seven vampire clans, each have their own set of strength, weaknesses, skills and personalities. All this profoundly impacts how you play the game. For example, one clan called the Nosferatu are so ugly that they cannot walk in public among the humans and must only travel from place to place using the underground sewers and hide in the shadows but they have great skill in lockpicking and stealth. Another, the Toreador, artistic and social and can use charm and seduction to convince NPCs to persuade NPCs. Yet another called the Brujah are hot headed and rebellious and prefer to violently confront any threat and have no tact while talking to NPCs. Yet another called the Malkavian are inherently insane and hear voices that give them insight when talking with an NPC or warn them of danger, etc.

Each character has Attributes (characteristics that are inherent in your), Abilities (characteristics that determine how you interact with the world ex. Security for lockpicking, Computers for hacking or Firearms for guns) and Disciplines (Powers and/or spells that you can invoke in the game). You spend blood to use your Disciplines and you replenish blood by feeding on humans (out of the sight of other humans) or purchasing bloodpacks. You can talk to NPCs to gain information and, depending on your Social skillpoints, you can Persuade, Seduce or Intimidate them into giving extra information or to give to access to areas. If access is denied, you can quietly break into said areas, etc.

All that being said, this one is a must play. It is like Deus Ex, but set in a more contemporary time period and a dark, gothic Los Angeles.

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Here's a review video:

Well the very definition of RPG is dubious at best. In general practice we say that a game which have a sort of character development is RPG. RPGs are also usually known for their good story and decision making which is usually absent in other gaming genres.
As for me, I have played plenty of RPG, its actually my favorite genre of games. DAO was one of the best that I have played, really good story and character development. For story, Mass Effect can be termed as one of the best games. You start from ME1 and it feels like you are making the story as you like it, the integration is quite nice. Yes I expected more from ME3 in story but still can't really complain much.
For doing just about anything, I guess Elder Scrolls and Fallout series takes the crown in which you have complete freedom over your actions. Be a good guy, bad guy or neutral guy but both these games are kinda in good and bad. Like Black and White, if you want something grey then Witcher series is the best for that. Nice story and difficult choices because you don't have to choose between good and evil, you have to choose the lesser of the two evils which is kinda nice.

When I think of RPGs, I think that character building comes first. The Player's character is basically an avatar of his own real life personality or his own personal fantasy set upon a world that does not revolve around him. The impact of his actions on this world could be extremely negligible to immensely profound. Therefore, character building and game mechanics are the primary aspect of any RPG.

Story is a secondary aspect, since the story progresses at the player's own pace, that is when he/she chooses to pursue quests. If the story is center stage in any game, that would be limiting to character development and therefore not a true RPG in my book.

following the build tree, playing around with the stats, seeing what kind of loadout works with different enemies, trying out different weapons, making many alts. These things are fun for me.
don't care about the story really, actually prefer if the story is very sparse

Anorion said:
following the build tree, playing around with the stats, seeing what kind of loadout works with different enemies, trying out different weapons, making many alts. These things are fun for me.
don't care about the story really, actually prefer if the story is very sparse

You will probably love Nethack. Its the most hardcore RPG I have played.

Graphicswise it appears very simplistic. However, it has one of the most complicated gameplay mechanics. The levels are completely procedurally and randomly generated, there are about 200 different types of monsters you can encounter, each having different ways of interacting with the PC, different stats, different alignment, etc. Monsters are randomly generated as well, that means depending on your luck or how long you last in the game, you would probably never encounter many of the monsters in the game. There are about 10+ classes to choose from, each varying in difficulty and play styles and each having their own deity. For example, a Knight is always a Lawful Human and starts with a pony as a pet; being Lawful means that you must not kill monsters that flee from you or kill peaceful monsters, that will carry an alignment penalty and might anger your deity. For some other classes such as the Archeologist, you can choose to be Human, Gnomish or Dwarven with alignment Lawful, Neutral or Chaotic. Your race and alignment determine how other monsters interact with you.

Each character has a deity whom you have to keep happy by following the rules of your class/alignment. Anger your deity enough and they will punish you in several ways depending on how serious the offense is. They might choose to simply demote you to a lower level, reduce your luck or simply appear as an avatar and kill your personally.

There are many more mechanics other than these. There is a whole wiki dedicated to it.

For me story matters so that when I complete the main quests after putting in 100+ hrs, I don't get a bad taste and leave the game with sour taste because of bad story.