OS Neutral Anybody Else Remember The Days?

[Washac]

I buy and collect RPGs, and over the years I have gathered many many of them.

Now my question is does anybody else remember the days when you would go into your local software shop and buy the latest RPG rush home and play it to the end or at least until the next title appeared, which was always back then quite a bit of time.

I know find myself in the position where I have so many RPGs and not enough time to play them all, I just seem to dabble in each one as it comes along and cannot settle into playing any of them for any length of time.

Anybody else get this ?

 

[N19h7m4r3]

Oh certainly!

I've ever increasing back log of games, not just RPG's. With the resurgence of classics on GOG it's getting bigger even quicker.

Although one thing I have noticed though, is that the calibre of RPG's has greatly diminished. Most new ones are plain old rubbish.

Take the Baldur's Gate series for example, while not featuring a massive open world, its story, narrative, characters, style, all of it is eve now more complex than many games being released today.

Prime example is Bioware's latest releases, and certainly that abhorrent mess that was Dragon Age 2. How reviewers managed to start saying things like "RPG of the Decade" on its release is beyond me.

I haven't had a game "grip" me in years. Especially an RPG. The Witcher series is close though, and I certainly hope the Witcher 3 is good.

 

[Gav2k]

Was never into RPGs if I'm honest but bolder dash on the Sinclair was great. Oh that game where you could pick one of for characters and had to find the key to the door was good too.

***edit*** game was called gauntlet


After that the Amiga with lemmings and syndicate kept me amused for many house till that horrible blue hedgehog stole years away from me!

Forgot r-type!!! Omg

 

[doh123]

there were good RPGs for years... but I still like some older ones more than some newer ones... like the Eye of the Beholder trilogy, or some of the Wizardry titles, or Might and Magic.

 

[Washac]

Oh certainly!

I've ever increasing back log of games, not just RPG's. With the resurgence of classics on GOG it's getting bigger even quicker.

Although one thing I have noticed though, is that the calibre of RPG's has greatly diminished. Most new ones are plain old rubbish.

Take the Baldur's Gate series for example, while not featuring a massive open world, its story, narrative, characters, style, all of it is eve now more complex than many games being released today.

Prime example is Bioware's latest releases, and certainly that abhorrent mess that was Dragon Age 2. How reviewers managed to start saying things like "RPG of the Decade" on its release is beyond me.

I haven't had a game "grip" me in years. Especially an RPG. The Witcher series is close though, and I certainly hope the Witcher 3 is good.

Yup, have to agree with all of this, thing with me is even Witcher did not grip me

 

[N19h7m4r3]

Yup, have to agree with all of this, thing with me is even Witcher did not grip me

That does happen, and there aren't many new RPGs being announced that seem fantastic really.

 

[blesscheese]

Oh certainly!

I've ever increasing back log of games, not just RPG's. With the resurgence of classics on GOG it's getting bigger even quicker.

I hear you...I look at it like, it's not that I haven't finished it yet...it's more like, I won't have to worry about what to do when I retire!

Although one thing I have noticed though, is that the calibre of RPG's has greatly diminished. Most new ones are plain old rubbish.

I agree, although I also wonder if that is a sign that I'm approaching the "get off my lawn" stage of life, LOL!

Prime example is Bioware's latest releases, and certainly that abhorrent mess that was Dragon Age 2. How reviewers managed to start saying things like "RPG of the Decade" on its release is beyond me.

In general, there usually is a bias to all the "new, shiny" games...but sometimes I have to wonder, the game is such ***** and the accolades such hyperbole, that somebody must have paid or gifted the reviewers something to have them come out and say such things, against all reason.

 

[N19h7m4r3]

I hear you...I look at it like, it's not that I haven't finished it yet...it's more like, I won't have to worry about what to do when I retire!

Agreed haha.

In general, there usually is a bias to all the "new, shiny" games...but sometimes I have to wonder, the game is such ***** and the accolades such hyperbole, that somebody must have paid or gifted the reviewers something to have them come out and say such things, against all reason.

I do wonder that myself, these days a game can be plastered in awards before even being released. Along with "unbiased" reviewers and journalist writings articles about "believe the hype".

It makes no sense. I recently had a conversation with a teenager that couldn't understand why I didn't like the new GTA games but likes GTA 1 & 2, since GTA2 never once got a "best gameplay" award.
I tried to explain how pointless those awards generally where, since how can 1 game get "best gameplay", when it's only one genre. How does it's gameplay make it better than an RTS, TBS, CRPG, TBRPG, Simulator and others? They don't even compare.

I know we can get rose tinted glasses sometimes, but I've gone back and played the classics multiple times, and each time i find them to be a better experience over all.

These days you can pay full retail price for a game that's in Alpha, and then you have to just deal with it. What happened to only shipping when it was done?


Now I sound like an old coot haha.

 

[cluthz]

You had more good RPGs that took a long time to finish back then.
Baldur's Gate (1-2), Icewind Dale (1-2), Fallout 1-2, Daggerfall all came out within two-three years or so.
They where all RPGs that you could put in 100+ hours into.
You shortly after had games like Planescape, Arcanum, Divine Divinity; Neverwinter Nights, Morrowind and many more come out.
And before that you had a LOT, with all gold box titles etc.

The last few years you've only had a few big RPGs that you could put 100 hours into. Fallout 3 in 2008, Risen and Dragon Age in 2009, Fallout NV 2010 and Skyrim 2011. (And arguably Two Worlds 2 in 2010).
In 2013 we had Might and Magic X which was around 50 hours.

Going from a lot of good in-depth RPG in late 90s and early 2000s, they are now replaced with a lot of more or less boring shooters (imo).

I really hope we will see more in depth RPGs, and it seems Kickstarter have spawned a few like Wasteland 2 and Divinity O.S, and with Pillars of Eternity.

I also hope Bethesda has something up their sleeve soon and Dragon Age 3 has some promises on going back to it roots again.

There is a lot of games out tho, but most are shorter and less in depth than the older RPGs (imo).

 

[iMacFarlane]

The first RPG that really sucked me in was The Bard's Tale on Commodore 64 (not the xbox one from a few years back, more like 1984). I mapped out all 16 levels on graph paper, and beat that game fair and square, with no internet walkthroughs. Well, with no internet at all, actually!

Totally enjoyed Wasteland, Ultima Underworld, Planescape:Torment, and Might & Magic VI.

Skyrim has probably become the most important game to me though. I love it, everything about it, and have completely explored all of it.

My biggest problem now is, nothing else seems to grab me the way Skyrim did. I have Kingdom of Amulur, Witcher 2, Fallout 3, Fable Ii, and even Dragon Age Origins. They are all good, but after about five or six hours in, I start daydreaming about Skyrim again.

Is there a great RPG out there that I should try? Please don't bother replying with Oblivion, leveling and the facial animations in that game give me indigestion. Also, Dark Souls. Wow. Tried that game. Not. For. Me.

 

[Washac]

The first RPG that really sucked me in was The Bard's Tale on Commodore 64 (not the xbox one from a few years back, more like 1984). I mapped out all 16 levels on graph paper, and beat that game fair and square, with no internet walkthroughs. Well, with no internet at all, actually!

I recall walking into a computer store and a person was sitting on an Amiga playing the original Bards Tale (1985), I stood watching mesmorised and thought yea that's the game for me. Many an evening was spent playing that game, maps, maps, maps, never did finish it . Then there was Dungeon Master, boy did that game suck me in, could'nt wait to get home each day, drawing all the maps etc etc, and as you say NO internet for backup when stuck, you either worked it out or waited for your favourite computer magazine to arrive incase it had a hint, tip or clue to the game you were playing. It maybe the fact that with the advent of the internet and walkthroughs it has taken some of the magic out of RPGs ?

Hey, maybe just maybe I should pick an RPG I have not played properly as in not just dabbled at the beginning, old or new and play without using the net or a walkthrough unless really totaly stuck, sounds like a plan

 

[antonis]

It maybe the fact that with the advent of the internet and walkthroughs it has taken some of the magic out of RPGs ?

Internet definitely killed the magic. From adventures genre, too. Back then, the only way to progress was - as you said - a potential tip from a monthly magazine or some classmates/neighbors that happen to own a computer and play the specific game.

Speed progress was in no way a factor (and why should it be?). Good times.

 

[cluthz]

...
Skyrim has probably become the most important game to me though. I love it, everything about it, and have completely explored all of it.

My biggest problem now is, nothing else seems to grab me the way Skyrim did. I have Kingdom of Amulur, Witcher 2, Fallout 3, Fable Ii, and even Dragon Age Origins. They are all good, but after about five or six hours in, I start daydreaming about Skyrim again.

Is there a great RPG out there that I should try? Please don't bother replying with Oblivion, leveling and the facial animations in that game give me indigestion. Also, Dark Souls. Wow. Tried that game. Not. For. Me.

I find Skyrim hugely overrated.
It has one thing going for it, exploration. The game has so few consequences in it. The story is also weaker than many other RPGs and combat isn't great either. The game is also ridiculous easy. People have been speed running it and killed last boss after less than 2 hours. At level 60 the last boss was a joke.
You never have to read quests and look for clues as everything is marked on compass and map.

Fortunately there is a lot of mods for that game, which can remove a lot of the hand holding.

There are also minor issues like all inns are virtually identical, and so many dungeons are almost the same.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed Skyrim a lot! But I wish that the game wasn't figuring all out for you! I wanna be able to finish a quest without following a compass marker and have a big "V" over the times I am to find. I don't think I was stuck on any quest in Skyrim.

 

[iMacFarlane]

I find Skyrim hugely overrated.
It has one thing going for it, exploration. The game has so few consequences in it. The story is also weaker than many other RPGs and combat isn't great either. The game is also ridiculous easy. People have been speed running it and killed last boss after less than 2 hours. At level 60 the last boss was a joke.
You never have to read quests and look for clues as everything is marked on compass and map.

Fortunately there is a lot of mods for that game, which can remove a lot of the hand holding.

There are also minor issues like all inns are virtually identical, and so many dungeons are almost the same.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed Skyrim a lot! But I wish that the game wasn't figuring all out for you! I wanna be able to finish a quest without following a compass marker and have a big "V" over the times I am to find. I don't think I was stuck on any quest in Skyrim.

Oh, I hear you. I'll never forget the first time I went to Ivarstead and a deranged guy asks me to find his sister. Says she was looking for flowers over on a nearby island. I go to look for her, but like you said, followed the arrow, right to where she was: under a bridge, underwater!

I totally plan on playing again when I get a worthy computer, with all quest arrows turned off, all modded to hell. That way, I'll also be able to get achievements again (not important, but tracks accomplishment).

 

[blesscheese]

TSkyrim has probably become the most important game to me though. I love it, everything about it, and have completely explored all of it.

My biggest problem now is, nothing else seems to grab me the way Skyrim did.

I agree (I think I remember agreeing with you in another thread, LOL !)

While I think some RPG elements of Daggerfall and Morrowind were far superior, in overall immersiveness, with graphics, sound, and environment presentation and story development, Skyrim is the leader so far, and will be hard to surpass.

In a way, Bethesda making the Elder Scrolls Online is antithetical to all the reasons why I loved all their other games, but that is a story for another thread.

----------

My biggest problem now is, nothing else seems to grab me the way Skyrim did.
...
Is there a great RPG out there that I should try? Please don't bother replying with Oblivion, leveling and the facial animations in that game give me indigestion. Also, Dark Souls. Wow. Tried that game. Not. For. Me.

Oblivion SUCKED! Thank god I got it in the bargain bin.

If you haven't played Morrowind, then I would highly recommend getting that, and then either playing it plain vanilla (the graphics will be dated, however), or downloading the Morrowind Graphics Overhaul and using that to play the game (there also is a Skywind project, currently in development).

At first, the slightly sci-fi-ish looking elements looked weird to me, but then the story sucked me right in...

 

[blesscheese]

I find Skyrim hugely overrated.
It has one thing going for it, exploration. The game has so few consequences in it. The story is also weaker than many other RPGs and combat isn't great either. The game is also ridiculous easy.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed Skyrim a lot! But I wish that the game wasn't figuring all out for you! I wanna be able to finish a quest without following a compass marker and have a big "V" over the times I am to find. I don't think I was stuck on any quest in Skyrim.

I agree with a lot of your points. In fact, you pretty much cover in 2-3 paragraphs what this fellow said in 32 minutes. Of course he fully develops his ideas & provides a lot of background.

I think that for people who started playing TES with Oblivion & Skyrim, they literally do *not* know what they are missing. The Elder Scrolls had a lot of fantastic ideas, culminating (imo) with Morrowind, and going downhill since then, although Skyrim does do some things better than Morrowind (and some things worse).