RPGs

[madcow]

Been awhile since I've done much in the off topic section, so thought I would start a topic because why not!  Specifically, computer RPGs, has anybody been playing any good ones? I had been working through the penny arcade ones (1 and 2 were not fun games) and made it to the third, which blew me away. Really fun mechanics that plays good homage to old school RPGs while evolving them to get rid of the tedious aspects.  There's even an 8-bit throwback stage which is fairly amusing.

Anybody been playing any decent RPGs lately or have one to recommend? Or general thoughts on computer RPGs, toss it up here.

[keith.lamothe]

Rainslick 3 is awesome, yea, though it's more of a JRPG model done for the PC than a CRPG per-se.  Though they've definitely moved on from several core JRPG mechanics, most notably moving on from multiple-battle-sequences as a resource management challenge to individual battle sequences as something a bit puzzle-ish.

If you like that one, I strongly recommend the (recently released) 4th game.  I'm not quite liking the story theme as much (3rd was a bit more, well, "happy", for lack of a better term) but they've done some more interesting things with the combat and the writing is quite good.

As for others, sorry, I haven't had a lot of time for playing stuff   I really enjoyed all 3 mass effect games back when I played them, though.  More "guns and conversation" than "RPG", but so it goes.

[madcow]

Oh yes, once I work through 3 I'm planning on hitting up 4.  I'm not generally a JRPGer so I guess it's changes from the regular JRPG mechanics appeal to me - restoring items/hp, the lack of random encounters (god I hate random encounters), no need to grind already beaten areas, and the class flexibility all make it wonderful.

On a side note. I loved the baldur's gate games, though after recently trying to go back to them (planescape specifically which I had never played) I just couldn't do. Modern games pacing and mechanics have forever ruined me to it.

Ps. I didn't realize cRPG and JRPG were considered different genres. Heh, I figured cRPG covered all video game RPGs.

[KingIsaacLinksr]

Haven't had a lot of time for RPGs but I've started playing the Witcher 1 game and it seems to be fun. It's a bit rough around the edges though from what I've played thus far.

[madcow]

Heh, I love epic rpg... In theory, in actuality I find most of them overstay their welcome. I start out 100% exploring everything, then that starts to fade and I either rush the main story or flat out quit.  Seems to happen around the time you hit a new major hub area for me

I sometimes wish there were more RPGs that didn't try to be an epic open world elder scrolls game.

[mrhanman]

I just bought The Witcher 2 when it was on sale the other day. Then, I realized I hadn't really played the first one, so I've been playing it.  I'm really liking it so far, but I could sure use some fast travel from time to time.

I've also been playing The Last Story, Xenoblade, and Pandora's Tower on my PC since my lovely nephew threw my Wii across the room.  That probably doesn't really count, though.

[Castruccio]

If you like old school stuff, I cannot recommend the Eschalon series highly enough.  The first two are already out and a third is coming later this year. 

[zespri]

Diablo 3 is awesome =))) Haven't tried torchlight 2 yet (bought it months ago but didn't find time to try yet...) but other people say that it's very good.

From the above Witcher 2 is not bad at all, but I liked Dragon Age better.
I liked Oblivion back then, but some how I'm not attracted to scyrm. I played it a bit at a friend's place, about an hour, and for whatever reason was not engaged that much. Given the price tag decided to skip it.

Fallout 3 was decent as well. Bought and never tried fallout vegas. Really I should stop buying games and then not playing them.

[LaughingThesaurus]

Man if you think Diablo 3's awesome, Torchlight 2 will simply be beyond compare.
I did not remotely like Diablo 3. I thought the combat was satisfying, right up until the game stopped giving me any remotely usable equipment. I thought the skills were pretty cool, right up until the game kept stacking all of the useless ones on me on the early levels without giving me any element of choice. I had the patience to get to act 2. When the game asked me to navigate a completely featureless desert, I just stopped it then. I couldn't take it anymore. For reference, I was a wizard. Maybe other classes have it better, and don't have to use magic missile for 10 levels.

[Castruccio]

I've put about 130 hours into Diablo 3 and its biggest flaw by far is itemization.  Once you hit level 60 and play through inferno a couple times, you just stop getting useful items altogether at a certain point, and this is exacerbated even more if you use the Auction house.  They are going to fix the itemization in a future patch so that there are better gear drops and hence more incentive to play, but they said at E3 that they won't be fixing it until much later in 2013 or even 2014.  Torchlight 2, by contrast, has much better itemization but the combat is not quite as good.  That said, Torchlight 2 is awesome and the "synergies" mod makes it even better once you've played it through the vanilla version once.  Highly recommended.  Torchlight also has more content and much better randomization than Diablo.  Also, if anyone here plays Diablo feel free to add Castruccio #1723. 

EDIT:  Also, since someone has to say it: Diablo 3 and Torchlight 2 are not real RPGs!

[Histidine]

Incidentally, for the three of us who haven't tried it yet, Torchlight is FREE on GoG.

[Pepisolo]

Torchlight 2 is tremendous. Myself and a couple of others play on Hardcore Elite which can get pretty intense. I love permadeath games/modes, though. Oh, if you want to increase the randomization of the game there are two mods made by Runic Games employees called Extra Chunky and Blank Landmarks which add extra areas to the game. Both in Steam Workshop.

[keith.lamothe]

Permadeath in co-op multiplayer?

Oh the hilarity that could ensue.

[Pepisolo]

Oh the hilarity that could ensue.

Absolutely! Hilarity mixed with horror. Recently I got my character into a bit of trouble by running into the middle of a bridge, trapping myself, forcing myself into the fight of my life... comms went something like this:

"Hmmmm, I might have gotten myself into a bit of trouble here"
"Yeah, definitely looks like it's going to get worse before it gets better"
"No, no, no,  tearing me to shreds. This might be the end!"
"Help guys!"
"HELP! I've got about 20 seconds left... for the love of God... someone please help... !"

I was pretty much just  shouting into the mic at this stage! Fortunately my brother warped down with his character to save my arse and I somehow survived the ordeal..... only for me to get clobbered over the head and killed by a champion 10 minutes later! My brother's heroism also went unrewarded as he got trampled by a pack of accidentally(?) aggro'd warbeasts about 20 minutes later again. My friend who did the aggroing also Shadow Bursted into a trap and got killed. Come to think of it, not a great session that one!

I definitely wouldn't play this game any other way. I'd say either Veteran HC or Elite HC is the best way to play.

I'm usually pretty good at surviving and keeping out of harms way, albeit I play a very defensive (cowardly) style, which is why they call me The Weasel. Awesome game!

[LaughingThesaurus]

The itemization mixed with me liking to get my own darn skills is probably why I really didn't like Diablo 3. Like really, the main thing you want most in Diablo 3 is something that increases your two relevant stats and the critical based stats. That's all that matters and everything else is useless. That's pretty much the entire loot game. And well, I don't like games telling me what I can use at any given moment, which is what Diablo 3 does until you get to level 60. Pile on the useless skills, the unaimable charged bolt, the boring and fairly weak magic missile, and it's just frustration that comes out of a vacuum for no reason. Force wave was really fun though.